Luke 23

Tree of Life Version

Brought Before Pilate

23 Then the entire assembly got up and brought Yeshua to Pilate. ² And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar and saying that He Himself is Messiah—a king.”

³ So Pilate questioned Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?”

“As you say,” Yeshua replied.

⁴ Then Pilate said to the ruling kohanim and the crowds, “I find no case against this Man.”

⁵ But they kept insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, starting from the Galilee to as far as here.”

⁶ But when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the Man was a Galilean. ⁷ And when he learned that Yeshua was from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Brought Before Herod

⁸ Now Herod was overjoyed when he saw Yeshua, for he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle done by Him. ⁹ He was questioning Yeshua on many issues, but Yeshua did not answer at all. ^{[a] 10} And the ruling kohanim and the Torah scholars stood their ground, strongly accusing Him.

¹¹ Now Herod together with his soldiers were treating Him with contempt and mocking Him.^[b] They put splendid clothing on Him and sent Him back to Pilate. ¹² And Herod and Pilate became friends with one another from that very day, for previously they had been enemies with one another.

Pilate’s Decree

¹³ Now Pilate called together the ruling kohanim, the leaders, and the people. ¹⁴ And he said to them, “You brought this Man to me as one who incites the people to revolt. But having examined Him in your presence, I have found no case against this Man regarding what you accuse Him of doing. ¹⁵ Nor did Herod, for he sent Him back to us. Indeed, He has done nothing that is worthy of death. ¹⁶ Therefore I will scourge Him and release Him.” (¹⁷ )^[c]

¹⁸ But they shouted out all together, saying, “Take this fellow away! Release to us Bar-Abba!” ^{[d] 19} (He was someone who had been thrown into prison for a rebellion in the city and murder.)

²⁰ Again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Yeshua; ²¹ but they kept shouting out, saying, “Execute, execute Him!”

²² And a third time he spoke to them, “Why? What evil has this One done? I have found in Him no fault deserving of death. Therefore, I will scourge and release Him.”

²³ But they were insistent, demanding with loud shouts that He be executed. And their voices prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decreed that their demand be put into effect. ²⁵ And He released the one they were asking for, the one thrown in jail for insurrection and murder. But he handed over Yeshua to their will.

Executed on the Stake

²⁶ As they led Him away, they grabbed a man, Simon of Cyrene, coming in from the countryside. They placed on him the cross-beam,^[e] to carry behind Yeshua.

²⁷ Now a great multitude of people was following Him, including women who were mourning and singing dirges for Him. ²⁸ But Yeshua, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but for yourselves and your children. ²⁹ For indeed, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are barren, and the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that did not feed.’

³¹ “For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³² Others, two evildoers, were also led away to be put to death with Him. ³³ When they came to the place called the Skull, there they crucified Him and the evildoers, one on His right and the other on His left.

³⁴ But Yeshua was saying, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” Then they cast lots, dividing up His clothing.^[g]

³⁵ The people stood there watching. And even the leaders were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Messiah of God, the Chosen One!”^[h]

³⁶ The soldiers likewise mocked Him, coming up and bringing Him sour wine, ^{[i] 37} and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

³⁸ Now there was also an inscription over Him:^[j] THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁹ One of the evildoers hanging there was jeering at Him, saying, “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself—and us!”

⁴⁰ But the other one, rebuking him, replied, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We’re getting what we deserve for our actions, and rightly so—but this One has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² And he said, “Yeshua, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

⁴³ Yeshua said to him, “Amen, I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.”

Temple Curtain Torn in Two

⁴⁴ It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness fell over the whole land until the ninth hour, ^{[k] 45} for the sun died out. And the curtain^[l] of the Temple was torn in two.

⁴⁶ And Yeshua, crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I entrust My spirit.’”^[m] When He had said this, He breathed His last.

⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began glorifying God, saying, “Truly this was a righteous Man.”

⁴⁸ And all the crowds assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, began to turn back, beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ But all Yeshua’s acquaintances, and the women who were following Him from the Galilee, were standing at a distance, watching these things.

Buried in a Rich Man’s Tomb

⁵⁰ Now there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and righteous man. ⁵¹ (He had not been in agreement with the council and their action.) He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. ⁵² This man went to Pilate and asked for Yeshua’s body. ⁵³ And he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb^[n] cut out of the rock, where no one had ever yet been laid.

⁵⁴ Now it was the Day of Preparation, and Shabbat was approaching. ⁵⁵ The women who had come with Him from the Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was laid. ⁵⁶ Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. But on Shabbat they rested according to the commandment.