Chronological
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
23 Then[a] the whole group of them rose up and brought Jesus[b] before Pilate.[c] 2 They[d] began to accuse[e] him, saying, “We found this man subverting[f] our nation, forbidding[g] us to pay the tribute tax[h] to Caesar[i] and claiming that he himself is Christ,[j] a king.” 3 So[k] Pilate asked Jesus,[l] “Are you the king[m] of the Jews?” He replied, “You say so.”[n] 4 Then[o] Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation[p] against this man.” 5 But they persisted[q] in saying, “He incites[r] the people by teaching throughout all Judea. It started in Galilee and ended up here!”[s]
Jesus Brought Before Herod
6 Now when Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 When[t] he learned that he was from Herod’s jurisdiction,[u] he sent him over to Herod,[v] who also happened to be in Jerusalem[w] at that time. 8 When[x] Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had long desired to see him, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform[y] some miraculous sign.[z] 9 So[aa] Herod[ab] questioned him at considerable length; Jesus[ac] gave him no answer. 10 The chief priests and the experts in the law[ad] were there, vehemently accusing him.[ae] 11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him. Then,[af] dressing him in elegant clothes,[ag] Herod[ah] sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other,[ai] for prior to this they had been enemies.[aj]
Jesus Brought Before the Crowd
13 Then[ak] Pilate called together the chief priests, the[al] leaders, and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was misleading[am] the people. When I examined him before you, I[an] did not find this man guilty[ao] of anything you accused him of doing. 15 Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing[ap] deserving death.[aq] 16 I will therefore have him flogged[ar] and release him.”[as]
18 But they all shouted out together,[at] “Take this man[au] away! Release Barabbas for us!” 19 (This[av] was a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection[aw] started in the city, and for murder.)[ax] 20 Pilate addressed them once again because he wanted[ay] to release Jesus. 21 But they kept on shouting,[az] “Crucify, crucify[ba] him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What wrong has he done? I have found him guilty[bb] of no crime deserving death.[bc] I will therefore flog[bd] him and release him.” 23 But they were insistent,[be] demanding with loud shouts that he be crucified. And their shouts prevailed. 24 So[bf] Pilate[bg] decided[bh] that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man they asked for, who had been thrown in prison for insurrection and murder. But he handed Jesus over[bi] to their will.[bj]
The Crucifixion
26 As[bk] they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene,[bl] who was coming in from the country.[bm] They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus.[bn] 27 A great number of the people followed him, among them women[bo] who were mourning[bp] and wailing for him. 28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,[bq] do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves[br] and for your children. 29 For this is certain:[bs] The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’[bt] 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains,[bu] ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’[bv] 31 For if such things are done[bw] when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”[bx]
32 Two other criminals[by] were also led away to be executed with him. 33 So[bz] when they came to the place that is called “The Skull,”[ca] they crucified[cb] him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34 [But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”][cc] Then[cd] they threw dice[ce] to divide his clothes.[cf] 35 The people also stood there watching, but the leaders ridiculed[cg] him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save[ch] himself if[ci] he is the Christ[cj] of God, his chosen one!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine,[ck] 37 and saying, “If[cl] you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 There was also an inscription[cm] over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”
39 One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’t[cn] you the Christ?[co] Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying,[cp] “Don’t[cq] you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?[cr] 41 And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing[cs] wrong.” 42 Then[ct] he said, “Jesus, remember me[cu] when you come in[cv] your kingdom.” 43 And Jesus[cw] said to him, “I tell you the truth,[cx] today[cy] you will be with me in paradise.”[cz]
44 It was now[da] about noon,[db] and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,[dc] 45 because the sun’s light failed.[dd] The temple curtain[de] was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!”[df] And after he said this he breathed his last.
47 Now when the centurion[dg] saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!”[dh] 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts.[di] 49 And all those who knew Jesus[dj] stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee saw[dk] these things.
Jesus’ Burial
50 Now[dl] there was a man named Joseph who was a member of the council,[dm] a good and righteous man. 51 (He[dn] had not consented[do] to their plan and action.) He[dp] was from the Judean town[dq] of Arimathea, and was looking forward to[dr] the kingdom of God.[ds] 52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body[dt] of Jesus. 53 Then[du] he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth,[dv] and placed it[dw] in a tomb cut out of the rock,[dx] where no one had yet been buried.[dy] 54 It was the day of preparation[dz] and the Sabbath was beginning.[ea] 55 The[eb] women who had accompanied Jesus[ec] from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then[ed] they returned and prepared aromatic spices[ee] and perfumes.[ef]
On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.[eg]
Betrayal and Arrest
18 When he had said these things,[a] Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley.[b] There was an orchard[c] there, and he and his disciples went into it. 2 (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, knew the place too, because Jesus had met there many times[d] with his disciples.)[e] 3 So Judas obtained a squad of soldiers[f] and some officers of the chief priests and Pharisees.[g] They came to the orchard[h] with lanterns[i] and torches and weapons.
4 Then Jesus, because he knew everything that was going to happen to him,[j] came and asked them, “Who are you looking for?”[k] 5 They replied,[l] “Jesus the Nazarene.” He told them, “I am he.” (Now Judas, the one who betrayed him, was standing there with them.)[m] 6 So when Jesus[n] said to them, “I am he,” they retreated[o] and fell to the ground.[p] 7 Then Jesus[q] asked them again, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus the Nazarene.” 8 Jesus replied,[r] “I told you that I am he. If you are looking for[s] me, let these men[t] go.”[u] 9 He said this[v] to fulfill the word he had spoken,[w] “I have not lost a single one of those whom you gave me.”[x]
10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, pulled it out and struck the high priest’s slave,[y] cutting off his right ear.[z] (Now the slave’s name was Malchus.)[aa] 11 But Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath! Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”[ab]
Jesus Before Annas
12 Then the squad of soldiers[ac] with their commanding officer[ad] and the officers of the Jewish leaders[ae] arrested[af] Jesus and tied him up.[ag] 13 They[ah] brought him first to Annas, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.[ai] 14 (Now it was Caiaphas who had advised[aj] the Jewish leaders[ak] that it was to their advantage that one man die for the people.)[al]
Peter’s First Denial
15 Simon Peter and another disciple followed them as they brought Jesus to Annas.[am] (Now the other disciple[an] was acquainted with the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the high priest’s courtyard.)[ao] 16 But Peter was left standing outside by the door. So the other disciple who was acquainted with the high priest came out and spoke to the slave girl who watched the door,[ap] and brought Peter inside. 17 The girl[aq] who was the doorkeeper said to Peter, “You’re not one of this man’s disciples too, are you?”[ar] He replied,[as] “I am not.” 18 (Now the slaves[at] and the guards[au] were standing around a charcoal fire they had made, warming themselves because it was cold.[av] Peter also was standing with them, warming himself.)[aw]
Jesus Questioned by Annas
19 While this was happening,[ax] the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and about his teaching.[ay] 20 Jesus replied,[az] “I have spoken publicly to the world. I always taught in the synagogues[ba] and in the temple courts,[bb] where all the Jewish people[bc] assemble together. I[bd] have said nothing in secret. 21 Why do you ask me? Ask those who heard what I said.[be] They[bf] know what I said.” 22 When Jesus[bg] had said this, one of the high priest’s officers who stood nearby struck him on the face and said,[bh] “Is that the way you answer the high priest?” 23 Jesus replied,[bi] “If I have said something wrong,[bj] confirm[bk] what is wrong.[bl] But if I spoke correctly, why strike me?” 24 Then Annas sent him, still tied up,[bm] to Caiaphas the high priest.[bn]
Peter’s Second and Third Denials
25 Meanwhile Simon Peter was standing in the courtyard[bo] warming himself. They said to him, “You aren’t one of his disciples too, are you?”[bp] Peter[bq] denied it: “I am not!” 26 One of the high priest’s slaves,[br] a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off,[bs] said, “Did I not see you in the orchard[bt] with him?”[bu] 27 Then Peter denied it again, and immediately a rooster crowed.[bv]
Jesus Brought Before Pilate
28 Then they brought Jesus from Caiaphas to the Roman governor’s residence.[bw] (Now it was very early morning.)[bx] They[by] did not go into the governor’s residence[bz] so they would not be ceremonially defiled, but could eat the Passover meal. 29 So Pilate came outside to them and said, “What accusation[ca] do you bring against this man?”[cb] 30 They replied,[cc] “If this man[cd] were not a criminal,[ce] we would not have handed him over to you.”[cf]
31 Pilate told them,[cg] “Take him yourselves and pass judgment on him[ch] according to your own law!”[ci] The Jewish leaders[cj] replied,[ck] “We cannot legally put anyone to death.”[cl] 32 (This happened[cm] to fulfill the word Jesus had spoken when he indicated[cn] what kind of death he was going to die.[co])
Pilate Questions Jesus
33 So Pilate went back into the governor’s residence,[cp] summoned Jesus, and asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”[cq] 34 Jesus replied,[cr] “Are you saying this on your own initiative,[cs] or have others told you about me?” 35 Pilate answered, “I am not a Jew, am I?[ct] Your own people[cu] and your chief priests handed you over[cv] to me. What have you done?”
36 Jesus replied, “My kingdom[cw] is not from this world. If my kingdom were from this world, my servants would be fighting to keep me from being[cx] handed over[cy] to the Jewish authorities.[cz] But as it is,[da] my kingdom is not from here.” 37 Then Pilate said,[db] “So you are a king!” Jesus replied, “You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I came into the world—to testify to the truth. Everyone who belongs to the truth listens to[dc] my voice.” 38 Pilate asked,[dd] “What is truth?”[de]
When he had said this he went back outside to the Jewish leaders[df] and announced,[dg] “I find no basis for an accusation[dh] against him. 39 But it is your custom that I release one prisoner[di] for you at the Passover.[dj] So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?” 40 Then they shouted back,[dk] “Not this man,[dl] but Barabbas!”[dm] (Now Barabbas was a revolutionary.[dn])[do]
Pilate Tries to Release Jesus
19 Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged severely.[dp] 2 The soldiers[dq] braided[dr] a crown of thorns[ds] and put it on his head, and they clothed him in a purple robe.[dt] 3 They[du] came up to him again and again[dv] and said, “Hail, king of the Jews!”[dw] And they struck him repeatedly[dx] in the face.
4 Again Pilate went out and said to the Jewish leaders,[dy] “Look, I am bringing him out to you, so that you may know that I find no reason for an accusation[dz] against him.” 5 So Jesus came outside, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe.[ea] Pilate[eb] said to them, “Look, here is the man!”[ec] 6 When the chief priests and their officers saw him, they shouted out, “Crucify[ed] him! Crucify him!”[ee] Pilate said,[ef] “You take him and crucify him![eg] Certainly[eh] I find no reason for an accusation[ei] against him!” 7 The Jewish leaders[ej] replied,[ek] “We have a law,[el] and according to our law he ought to die, because he claimed to be the Son of God!”[em]
8 When Pilate heard what they said,[en] he was more afraid than ever,[eo] 9 and he went back into the governor’s residence[ep] and said to Jesus, “Where do you come from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. 10 So Pilate said,[eq] “Do you refuse to speak to me? Don’t you know I have the authority[er] to release you, and to crucify you?”[es] 11 Jesus replied, “You would have no authority[et] over me at all, unless it was given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you[eu] is guilty of greater sin.”[ev]
12 From this point on, Pilate tried[ew] to release him. But the Jewish leaders[ex] shouted out,[ey] “If you release this man,[ez] you are no friend of Caesar![fa] Everyone who claims to be a king[fb] opposes Caesar!” 13 When Pilate heard these words he brought Jesus outside and sat down on the judgment seat[fc] in the place called “The Stone Pavement”[fd] (Gabbatha in[fe] Aramaic).[ff] 14 (Now it was the day of preparation[fg] for the Passover, about noon.[fh])[fi] Pilate[fj] said to the Jewish leaders,[fk] “Look, here is your king!”
15 Then they[fl] shouted out, “Away with him! Away with him![fm] Crucify[fn] him!” Pilate asked,[fo] “Shall I crucify your king?” The high priests replied, “We have no king except Caesar!” 16 Then Pilate[fp] handed him over[fq] to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
So they took Jesus, 17 and carrying his own cross[fr] he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull”[fs] (called in Aramaic[ft] Golgotha).[fu] 18 There they[fv] crucified[fw] him along with two others,[fx] one on each side, with Jesus in the middle. 19 Pilate also had a notice[fy] written and fastened to the cross,[fz] which read:[ga] “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.” 20 Thus many of the Jewish residents of Jerusalem[gb] read this notice,[gc] because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the notice was written in Aramaic,[gd] Latin, and Greek. 21 Then the chief priests of the Jews[ge] said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The king of the Jews,’ but rather, ‘This man said, I am king of the Jews.’” 22 Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”
23 Now when the soldiers crucified[gf] Jesus, they took his clothes and made four shares, one for each soldier,[gg] and the tunic[gh] remained. (Now the tunic[gi] was seamless, woven from top to bottom as a single piece.)[gj] 24 So the soldiers said to one another, “Let’s not tear it, but throw dice[gk] to see who will get it.”[gl] This took place[gm] to fulfill the scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they threw dice.”[gn] So the soldiers did these things.
25 Now standing beside Jesus’ cross were his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.[go] 26 So when Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing there, he said to his mother, “Woman,[gp] look, here is your son!” 27 He then said to his disciple, “Look, here is your mother!” From that very time[gq] the disciple took her into his own home.
Jesus’ Death
28 After this Jesus, realizing that by this time[gr] everything was completed,[gs] said (in order to fulfill the scripture),[gt] “I am thirsty!”[gu] 29 A jar full of sour wine[gv] was there, so they put a sponge soaked in sour wine on a branch of hyssop[gw] and lifted it[gx] to his mouth. 30 When[gy] he had received the sour wine, Jesus said, “It is completed!”[gz] Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.[ha]
31 Then, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies should not stay on the crosses on the Sabbath[hb] (for that Sabbath was an especially important one),[hc] the Jewish leaders[hd] asked Pilate to have the victims’ legs[he] broken[hf] and the bodies taken down.[hg] 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the two men who had been crucified[hh] with Jesus,[hi] first the one and then the other.[hj] 33 But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. 34 But one of the soldiers pierced[hk] his side with a spear, and blood and water[hl] flowed out immediately. 35 And the person who saw it[hm] has testified (and his testimony is true, and he[hn] knows that he is telling the truth),[ho] so that you also may believe. 36 For these things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled, “Not a bone of his will be broken.”[hp] 37 And again another scripture says, “They will look on the one whom they have pierced.”[hq]
Jesus’ Burial
38 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, a disciple of Jesus (but secretly, because he feared the Jewish leaders[hr]),[hs] asked Pilate if he could remove the body of Jesus. Pilate[ht] gave him permission, so he went and took the body away.[hu] 39 Nicodemus, the man who had previously come to Jesus[hv] at night,[hw] accompanied Joseph,[hx] carrying a mixture of myrrh and aloes[hy] weighing about seventy-five pounds.[hz] 40 Then they took Jesus’ body and wrapped it, with the aromatic spices,[ia] in strips of linen cloth[ib] according to Jewish burial customs.[ic] 41 Now at the place where Jesus[id] was crucified[ie] there was a garden,[if] and in the garden[ig] was a new tomb where no one had yet been buried.[ih] 42 And so, because it was the Jewish day of preparation[ii] and the tomb was nearby,[ij] they placed Jesus’ body there.
NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2017 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.