Chapter 23

  The whole company of them rose up and brought him before Pilate.  

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  They began to accuse him, saying, 'We found this man perverting the nation, forbidding paying taxes to Caesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, a king.'  

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  Pilate asked him, 'Are you the King of the Jews?' He answered him, 'So you say.'  

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  Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, 'I find no basis for a charge against this man.'  

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  But they insisted, saying, 'He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place.'  

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  But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean.  

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  When he found out that he was in Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem in those days.  

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  Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him.  

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  He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers.  

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  The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.  

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  Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate.  

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  Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.  

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  Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,  

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  and said to them, 'You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him.  

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  Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him.  

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  I will therefore chastise him and release him.'  

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  Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast.  

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  But they all cried out together, saying, 'Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!' --  

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  one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder.  

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  Pilate spoke to them again, desiring to release Jesus,  

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  but they shouted, saying, 'Crucify! Crucify him!'  

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  He said to them the third time, 'Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him.'  

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  But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed.  

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  Pilate adjudged that what they asked for should be done.  

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  He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.  

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  When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus.  

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  A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him.  

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  But Jesus, turning to them, said, 'Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.  

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  For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'  

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  Then will they begin to tell the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'  

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  For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?'  

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  There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death.  

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  When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.  

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  Jesus said, 'Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing.' Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots.  

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  The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, 'He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!'  

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  The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,  

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  and saying, 'If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!'  

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  An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: 'THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.'  

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  One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, 'If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!'  

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  But the other answered, and rebuking him said, 'Don't you even fear God, seeing you are in the same condemnation?  

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  And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.'  

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  He said to Jesus, 'Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom.'  

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  He said to him, 'Most assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.'  

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  It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour.  

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  The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two.  

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  Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, 'Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!' Having said this, he breathed his last.  

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  When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, 'Certainly this was a righteous man.'  

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  All the multitudes that came together to see this, when they saw the things that were done, returned beating their breasts.  

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  All his acquaintances, and the women who followed with him from Galilee, stood far away, watching these things.  

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  Behold, a man named Joseph, who was a member of the council, a good and righteous man  

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  (he had not consented to their counsel and deed), from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, who was also waiting for the kingdom of God:  

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  this man went to Pilate, and asked for Jesus' body.  

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  He took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was cut in stone, where no man had ever yet lain.  

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  It was the day of the Preparation, and the Sabbath was coming on.  

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  The women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and saw the tomb, and how his body was laid.  

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  They returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.  

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