Luke 23
International Children’s Bible
Governor Pilate Questions Jesus
23 Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate.[a] 2 They began to accuse Jesus. They told Pilate, “We caught this man telling things that were confusing our people. He says that we should not pay taxes to Caesar. He calls himself the Christ, a king.”
3 Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
Jesus answered, “Yes, that is right.”
4 Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing wrong with this man.”
5 They said again and again, “But Jesus is making trouble with the people! He teaches all around Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here!”
Pilate Sends Jesus to Herod
6 Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee. 7 If so, Jesus was under Herod’s authority. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time; so Pilate sent Jesus to him. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. He had heard about Jesus and had wanted to meet him for a long time. Herod was hoping to see Jesus work a miracle. 9 Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing. 10 The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there. They were shouting things against Jesus. 11 Then Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus. They dressed him in a kingly robe and then sent him back to Pilate. 12 In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies. But on that day they became friends.
Jesus Must Die
13 Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the Jewish leaders. 14 He said to them, “You brought this man to me. You said that he was making trouble among the people. But I have questioned him before you all, and I have not found him guilty of the things you say. 15 Also, Herod found nothing wrong with him; he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing for which he should die. 16 So, after I punish him, I will let him go free.” 17 [Every year at the Passover Feast, Pilate had to release one prisoner to the people.][b]
18 But all the people shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!” 19 (Barabbas was a man who was in prison because he started a riot in the city. He was guilty of murder.)
20 Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So he told this to the crowd. 21 But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”
22 A third time Pilate said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I can find no reason to kill him. So I will have him punished and set him free.”
23 But they continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on the cross. Their yelling became so loud that 24 Pilate decided to give them what they wanted. 25 They wanted Barabbas to go free, the man who was in jail for starting a riot and for murder. Pilate let Barabbas go free and gave Jesus to them to be killed.
Jesus Is Killed on a Cross
26 The soldiers led Jesus away. At that time, there was a man coming into the city from the fields. His name was Simon, and he was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced Simon to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.
27 A large crowd of people was following Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children too! 29 The time is coming when people will say, ‘Happy are the women who cannot have children! Happy are the women who have no babies to nurse.’ 30 Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ And they will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ 31 If they act like this now when life is good, what will happen when bad times come?”[c]
32 There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed. 33 Jesus and the two criminals were taken to a place called the Skull. There the soldiers nailed Jesus to his cross. They also nailed the criminals to their crosses, one beside Jesus on the right and the other beside Jesus on the left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”[d]
The soldiers threw lots to decide who would get his clothes. 35 The people stood there watching. The leaders made fun of Jesus. They said, “If he is God’s Chosen One, the Christ, then let him save himself. He saved other people, didn’t he?”
36 Even the soldiers made fun of him. They came to Jesus and offered him some vinegar. 37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 (At the top of the cross these words were written: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”)
39 One of the criminals began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Christ? Then save yourself! And save us too!”
40 But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “You should fear God! You are getting the same punishment as he is. 41 We are punished justly; we should die. But this man has done nothing wrong!” 42 Then this criminal said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom!”
43 Then Jesus said to him, “Listen! What I say is true: Today you will be with me in paradise!”[e]
Jesus Dies
44 It was about noon, and the whole land became dark until three o’clock in the afternoon. 45 There was no sun! The curtain in the Temple[f] was torn into two pieces. 46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, I give you my life.” After Jesus said this, he died.
47 The army officer there saw what happened. He praised God, saying, “I know this was a good man!”
48 Many people had gathered there to watch this thing. When they saw what happened, they returned home. They beat their chests because they were so sad. 49 Those who were close friends of Jesus were there. Some were women who had followed Jesus from Galilee. They all stood far away from the cross and watched.
Joseph of Arimathea
50-51 A man from the Jewish town of Arimathea was there, too. His name was Joseph. He was a good, religious man. He wanted the kingdom of God to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council, but he had not agreed when the other leaders decided to kill Jesus. 52 Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. 53 So Joseph took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put Jesus’ body in a tomb that was cut in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. 54 This was late on Preparation Day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.
55 The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb and saw inside where the body of Jesus was laid. 56 Then the women left to prepare perfumes and spices.
On the Sabbath day they rested, as the law of Moses commanded.
Footnotes
- 23:1 Pilate Pontius Pilate was the Roman governor of Judea from a.d. 26 to a.d. 36.
- 23:17 Every . . . people. Some Greek copies do not contain the bracketed text.
- 23:31 If . . . come? Literally, “If they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?”
- 23:34 Jesus . . . doing. Some Greek copies do not have this part of verse 34.
- 23:43 paradise A place where good people go when they die.
- 23:45 curtain in the Temple A curtain divided the Most Holy Place from the other part of the Temple. This was the special building in Jerusalem where God commanded the Jews to worship him.
Luke 23
Legacy Standard Bible
Jesus Before Pilate
23 Then their whole assembly rose up and (A)brought Him before Pilate. 2 (B)And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man (C)misleading our nation and (D)forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is [a]Christ, a King.” 3 So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “(E)You yourself say it.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “(F)I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, (G)starting from Galilee even as far as this place.”
6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to (H)Herod, who himself also was in Jerusalem in those days.
Jesus Before Herod
8 Now when Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for (I)he had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some [b]sign performed by Him. 9 And he questioned Him [c]at some length, but (J)He answered him nothing. 10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, vehemently accusing Him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, (K)dressed Him in a bright robe and sent Him back to Pilate. 12 Now (L)Herod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been at enmity with each other.
Pilate Grants the Crowd’s Request
13 And Pilate summoned the chief priests and the (M)rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who [d](N)incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I (O)have found in this man no guilt of what you are accusing Him. 15 No, nor has (P)Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him. 16 Therefore I will (Q)punish Him and release Him.” 17 [e][Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]
18 But they cried out all together, saying, “(R)Away with this man, and release for us Barabbas!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city and for murder.) 20 But again Pilate addressed them, wanting to release Jesus, 21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!” 22 And he said to them a third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt worthy of death; therefore I will (S)punish Him and release Him.” 23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices were prevailing. 24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted. 25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.
Simon Carries the Cross
26 (T)And when they led Him away, they took hold of a man, Simon of (U)Cyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.
27 And following Him was a large multitude of the people, and of women who were [f](V)mourning and lamenting Him. 28 But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop crying for Me, but cry for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘(W)Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ 30 Then they will begin to (X)say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For if they do these things [g]when the tree is green, what will happen [h]when it is dry?”
32 (Y)Now two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.
The Crucifixion
33 (Z)And when they came to the place called [i]The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left. 34 [j]But Jesus was saying, “(AA)Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” (AB)And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves. 35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the (AC)rulers were scoffing at Him, saying, “He saved others; (AD)let Him save Himself if this is the [k]Christ of God, His Chosen One.” 36 And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, (AE)offering Him sour wine, 37 and saying, “(AF)If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!” 38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “(AG)THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”
39 (AH)And one of the criminals hanging there was blaspheming Him, saying, “Are You not the [l]Christ? (AI)Save Yourself and us!” 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving [m]what we deserve for what we have done; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come [n]in Your kingdom!” 43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in (AJ)Paradise.”
44 (AK)And it was now about [o](AL)the sixth hour, and darkness [p]fell over the whole land until [q]the ninth hour, 45 [r]because the sun was obscured. And (AM)the veil of the [s]sanctuary was torn [t]in two. 46 And Jesus, (AN)crying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, (AO)into Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last. 47 (AP)Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began (AQ)praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was righteous.” 48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, were returning, [u](AR)beating their chests. 49 (AS)And all His acquaintances and (AT)the women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, watching these things.
Jesus Is Buried
50 (AU)And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a (AV)Council member, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their counsel and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was (AW)waiting for the kingdom of God; 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. 54 It was [v](AX)Preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to [w]begin. 55 Now (AY)the women, who had come with Him from Galilee, followed and beheld the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then after they returned, they (AZ)prepared spices and perfumes.
And (BA)on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
Footnotes
- Luke 23:2 Messiah
- Luke 23:8 Or attesting miracle
- Luke 23:9 Lit in many words
- Luke 23:14 Lit turns away
- Luke 23:17 Early mss omit this v
- Luke 23:27 Lit beating the breast
- Luke 23:31 Lit in the green tree
- Luke 23:31 Lit in the dry
- Luke 23:33 In Lat Calvarius; or Calvary
- Luke 23:34 Some early mss omit But Jesus was saying...doing
- Luke 23:35 Messiah
- Luke 23:39 Messiah
- Luke 23:41 Lit things worthy of
- Luke 23:42 Or into
- Luke 23:44 Noon
- Luke 23:44 Or occurred
- Luke 23:44 3 p.m.
- Luke 23:45 Lit the sun failing
- Luke 23:45 The inner part of the temple
- Luke 23:45 Lit in the middle
- Luke 23:48 A traditional sign of mourning or contrition
- Luke 23:54 Preparation for the Sabbath
- Luke 23:54 Lit dawn
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