| Luke 23:1-49
The elders of the people and the chief priests and scribes rose, and
they brought him before Pilate.
They began their accusation by saying, "We found this man inciting
our people to revolt, opposing payment of tribute to Caesar, and claiming
to be Christ, a king." Pilate put to him this question, "Are you the
king of the Jews?" He replied, "It is you who say it." Pilate then
said to the chief priests and the crowd, "I find no case against this
man." But they persisted, "He is inflaming the people with his teaching
all over Judaea; it has come all the way from Galilee, where he started
down to here." When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man were a Galilean;
and finding that he came under Herod's jurisdiction he passed him over
to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was delighted to see Jesus; he had heard about him and had been
wanting for a long time to set eyes on him; moreover, he was hoping
to see some miracle worked by him. So he questioned him at some length;
but without getting any reply. Meanwhile the chief priests and the
scribes were there violently pressing their accusations. Then Herod,
together with his guards treated him with contempt and made fun of
him; he put a rich cloak on him and sent him back to Pilate. And though
Herod and Pilate had been enemies before, they were reconciled that
same day.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests and the leading men and the
people. He said "You brought this man before me as a political
agitator. Now I have gone into the matter myself in your presence and
found no case against the man in respect of all the charges you bring
against him. Nor has Herod either, since he has sent him back to us.
As you can see, the man has done nothing that deserves death, so I
shall have him flogged and then let him go." But as one man they
howled, "Away with him! Give us Barabbas!" (This man had
been thrown into prison for causing a riot in the city and for murder.)
Pilate was anxious to set Jesus free and addressed them again, but
they shouted back. "Crucify him! Crucify him!" And for the
third time he spoke to them. "Why? What harm has this man done?
I have found no case against him that deserves death, so I shall have
him punished and then let him go." But they kept on shouting at
the top of their voices, demanding that he should be crucified. And
their shouts were growing louder.
Pilate then gave his verdict: their demand was to be granted. He
released the man they asked for, who had been imprisoned for rioting
and murder, and handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they pleased.
As they were leading him away they seized on a man, Simon from Cyrene,
who was coming in from the country, and made him shoulder the cross
and carry it behind Jesus. Large numbers of people followed him, and
of women too, who mourned and lamented for him. But Jesus turned to
them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep
rather for yourselves and for your children. For the days will surely
come when people will say, 'Happy are those who are barren, the wombs
that have never borne, the breasts that have never suckled!' Then they
will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us!' to the hills, 'Cover
us!' For if men use the green wood like this, what will happen when
it is dry?" Now with him they were also leading out two other
criminals to be executed.
When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him
there and the two criminals also, one on the right, the other on the
left. Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; they do not know what
they are doing." Then they cast lots to share out his clothing.
The people stayed there watching him. As for the leaders, they jeered
at him, saying "He saved others, let him save himself if he is
the Christ of God, the Chosen One." The soldiers mocked him too,
and when they approached to offer him vinegar they said, "If you
are the king of the Jews, save yourself." Above him there was
an inscription: "This is the King of the Jews."
One of the criminals hanging there abused him, saying "Are you
not the Christ? Save yourself and us as well." But the other spoke
up and rebuked him. "Have you no fear of God at all? You got the
same sentence as he did, but in our case we deserved it: we are paying
for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember
me when you come into your kingdom." He replied "Indeed,
I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise."
It was now about the sixth hour and, with the sun eclipsed, a darkness
came over the whole land until the ninth hour. The veil of the Temple
was torn right down the middle; and when Jesus had cried out in a loud
voice, he said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." With
these words he breathed his last.
When the centurion saw what had taken place, he gave praise to God
and said, "This was a great and good man." And when all the
people who had gathered for the spectacle saw what had happened, they
went home beating their breasts.
All his friends stood at a distance; so also did the women who had
accompanied him from Galilee, and they saw all this happen.
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