Luke 23
Holman Christian Standard Bible
Jesus Faces Pilate
23 Then(A) their whole assembly rose up and brought Him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes(B) to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is the Messiah, a King.”
3 So Pilate asked Him,(C) “Are You the King of the Jews?”(D)
He answered him, “You have said it.”[a]
4 Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no grounds(E) for charging this man.”
5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people,(F) teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee(G) where He started even to here.”
Jesus Faces Herod Antipas
6 When Pilate(H) heard this,[b] he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Finding that He was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod,(I) who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see Him because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see some miracle[c] performed by Him. 9 So he kept asking Him questions, but Jesus did not answer him.(J) 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing Him. 11 Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated Him with contempt, mocked(K) Him, dressed Him in a brilliant robe,(L) and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends.[d](M) Previously, they had been hostile toward each other.
Jesus or Barabbas
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,(N) 14 and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who subverts the people.(O) But in fact, after examining Him in your presence, I have found no grounds(P) to charge this man with those things you accuse Him of. 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent Him back to us. Clearly, He has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will have Him whipped[e](Q) and then release Him.” [17 For according to the festival he had to release someone to them.][f](R)
18 Then(S) they all cried out together, “Take this man away!(T) Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)
20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus,(U) addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify Him!”
22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong?(V) I have found in Him no grounds(W) for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have Him whipped and then release Him.”
23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And their voices[g] won out. 24 So(X) Pilate decided to grant their demand(Y) 25 and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.(Z)
The Way to the Cross
26 As(AA) they led Him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian,(AB) who was coming in from the country, and laid the cross(AC) on him to carry behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people followed Him, including women who were mourning and lamenting Him.(AD) 28 But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,(AE) do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and your children. 29 Look, the days are coming(AF) when they will say, ‘The women without children, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed, are fortunate!’(AG) 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’(AH)[h] 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”(AI)
Crucified between Two Criminals
32 Two others—criminals(AJ)—were also led away to be executed with Him. 33 When(AK) they arrived at the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. [34 Then Jesus said, “Father,(AL) forgive(AM) them, because they do not know what they are doing.”(AN)][i] And they divided His clothes and cast lots.(AO)
35 The(AP) people stood watching, and even the leaders kept scoffing:(AQ) “He saved others; let Him save Himself if this is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One!”(AR) 36 The soldiers also mocked Him. They came offering Him sour wine(AS) 37 and said, “If You are the King of the Jews,(AT) save Yourself!”
38 An inscription was above Him:[j]
THIS IS
THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 Then(AU) one of the criminals hanging there began to yell insults at[k] Him: “Aren’t You the Messiah? Save Yourself and us!”
40 But the other answered, rebuking him: “Don’t you even fear God,(AV) since you are undergoing the same punishment? 41 We are punished justly, because we’re getting back what we deserve for the things we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.”(AW) 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me[l](AX) when You come into Your kingdom!”(AY)
43 And He said to him, “I assure you: Today you will be with Me in paradise.”(AZ)
The Death of Jesus
44 It(BA) was now about noon,[m] and darkness came over the whole land[n] until three,[o] 45 because the sun’s light failed.[p] The curtain(BB) of the sanctuary was split down the middle. 46 And Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I entrust My spirit.”(BC)[q] Saying this, He breathed His last.
47 When the centurion saw what happened, he began to glorify(BD) God, saying, “This man really was righteous!” 48 All the crowds that had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, went home, striking their chests.[r](BE) 49 But(BF) all who knew Him, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance,(BG) watching these things.
The Burial of Jesus
50 There(BH) was a good and righteous man named Joseph, a member of the Sanhedrin, 51 who had not agreed with their plan(BI) and action. He was from Arimathea, a Judean town, and was looking forward to the kingdom of God.(BJ) 52 He approached Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Taking it down, he wrapped it in fine linen and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever been placed.[s](BK) 54 It was preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin.[t] 55 The women(BL) who had come with Him from Galilee followed along and observed the tomb and how His body was placed. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes.(BM) And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.(BN)
Footnotes
- Luke 23:3 Or That is true; an affirmative oath
- Luke 23:6 Other mss read heard “Galilee”
- Luke 23:8 Or sign
- Luke 23:12 Lit friends with one another
- Luke 23:16 Gk paideuo; to discipline or “teach a lesson”; 1Kg 12:11,14 LXX; 2Ch 10:11,14; perhaps a way of referring to the Roman scourging; Lat flagellatio
- Luke 23:17 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Luke 23:23 Other mss add and those of the chief priests
- Luke 23:30 Hs 10:8
- Luke 23:34 Other mss omit bracketed text
- Luke 23:38 Other mss add written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew letters
- Luke 23:39 Or began to blaspheme
- Luke 23:42 Other mss add Lord
- Luke 23:44 Lit about the sixth hour
- Luke 23:44 Or whole earth
- Luke 23:44 Lit the ninth hour
- Luke 23:45 Other mss read three, and the sun was darkened
- Luke 23:46 Ps 31:5
- Luke 23:48 = mourning
- Luke 23:53 Or interred, or laid
- Luke 23:54 Lit was dawning; not in the morning but at sundown Friday
Luke 23
Evangelical Heritage Version
Jesus’ Trial in Pilate’s Court
23 The whole group of them got up and brought him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this fellow misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.”
3 Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?”
“It is as you say,” Jesus replied.
4 Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people, teaching all through Judea, beginning from Galilee all the way here.”
Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 When he learned that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. For a long time, he had wanted to see him, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle performed by him. 9 He questioned him with many words, but Jesus gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the experts in the law stood there, vehemently accusing him. 11 Herod, along with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and ridiculed him. Dressing him in bright clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 Herod and Pilate became friends with each other on that day. Before this they had been enemies of each other.
13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who is misleading the people. Look, I have examined him in your presence. I have found in this man no basis for the charges you are bringing against him. 15 Herod did not either, for he sent him back to us.[a] See, he has done nothing worthy of death. 16 So I will have him flogged and release him.”
Barabbas or Jesus?
17 Pilate needed to release one prisoner to them at the Festival.[b] 18 But they all shouted together with one voice: “Take him away! Release Barabbas to us!” 19 Barabbas had been thrown in prison for a rebellion in the city and for murder.
20 Pilate addressed them again, because he wanted to release Jesus. 21 But they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”
22 He said to them the third time, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found no grounds for sentencing him to death. So I will whip him and release him.” 23 But they kept pressuring him with loud voices, demanding that he be crucified. And their voices[c] were overwhelming. 24 So Pilate decided that what they demanded would be done. 25 He released the one they had asked for, who had been thrown in prison for rebellion and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will.
The Crucifixion
26 As they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country. They placed the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people was following him, including women who were mourning and wailing for him. 28 Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 Be sure of this: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’[d] 31 For if they do these things to the green wood, what will happen to the dry?”
32 Two other men, who were criminals, were led away with Jesus to be executed.
33 When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and the other on his left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
They cast lots to divide his garments among them. 35 The people stood watching. The rulers were ridiculing him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, the Chosen One!”
36 The soldiers also made fun of him. Coming up to him, they offered him sour wine, 37 saying, “If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
38 There was also an inscription written above him: “This is the King of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming him, saying, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!”
40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same condemnation? 41 We are punished justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me[e] when you come in[f] your kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “Amen I tell you: Today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus’ Death
44 It was now about the sixth hour,[g] and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,[h] 45 while the sun was darkened. Then the curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”[i] When he had said this, he breathed his last.
47 When the centurion saw what had happened, he began to glorify God, saying, “This man really was righteous.” 48 When all the groups of people who had gathered to see this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their chests. 49 All those who knew Jesus, and the women who followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Jesus’ Burial
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man. 51 He had not agreed with their plan and action. He was looking forward to the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. 53 He took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb that was cut out of rock, where no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed after Joseph, and they observed the tomb and how his body was laid there. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Footnotes
- Luke 23:15 Some witnesses to the text read For I sent you to him.
- Luke 23:17 A few witnesses to the text omit verse 17. See Matthew 27:15 and Mark 15:6.
- Luke 23:23 Some witnesses to the text add and the voices of the high priests.
- Luke 23:30 Hosea 10:8
- Luke 23:42 Some witnesses to the text read Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me, Lord. . ..”
- Luke 23:42 A few witnesses to the text read into.
- Luke 23:44 Jewish time began with sunrise, so the sixth hour was about noon.
- Luke 23:44 3 pm
- Luke 23:46 Psalm 31:5
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