Dual Panel1With that the whole assembly rose and brought him before Pilate.
2They opened the case against him by saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, opposing the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Messiah, a king.”
3Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He replied, “The words are yours.”
4Pilate then said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no case for this man to answer.”
5But they insisted: “His teaching is causing unrest among the people all over Judaea. It started from Galilee and now has spread here.”
6When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean,
7and on learning that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction he remitted the case to him, for Herod was also in Jerusalem at that time.
8When Herod saw Jesus he was greatly pleased; he had heard about him and had long been wanting to see him in the hope of witnessing some miracle performed by him.
9He questioned him at some length without getting any reply;
10but the chief priests and scribes appeared and pressed the case against him vigorously.
11Then Herod and his troops treated him with contempt and ridicule, and sent him back to Pilate dressed in a gorgeous robe.
12That same day Herod and Pilate became friends; till then there had been a feud between them.
13Pilate now summoned the chief priests, councillors, and people,
14and said to them, “You brought this man before me on a charge of subversion. But, as you see, I have myself examined him in your presence and found nothing in him to support your charges.
15No more did Herod, for he has referred him back to us. Clearly he has done nothing to deserve death.
16I therefore propose to flog him and let him go.”
17[[EMPTY]]
18But there was a general outcry. “Away with him! Set Barabbas free!”
19(Now Barabbas had been put in prison for his part in a rising in the city and for murder.)
20Pilate addressed them again, in his desire to release Jesus,
21but they shouted back, “Crucify him, crucify him!”
22For the third time he spoke to them: “Why, what wrong has he done? I have not found him guilty of any capital offence. I will therefore flog him and let him go.”
23But they persisted with their demand, shouting that Jesus should be crucified. Their shouts prevailed,
24and Pilate decided that they should have their way.
25He released the man they asked for, the man who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and gave Jesus over to their will.
26AS THEY led him away to execution they took hold of a man called Simon, from Cyrene, on his way in from the country; putting the cross on his back they made him carry it behind Jesus.
27Great numbers of people followed, among them many women who mourned and lamented over him.
28Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and your children.
29For the days are surely coming when people will say, ‘Happy are the barren, the wombs that never bore a child, the breasts that never fed one.’
30Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’
31For if these things are done when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32There were two others with him, criminals who were being led out to execution;
33and when they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, and the criminals with him, one on his right and the other on his left.
34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; they do not know what they are doing.” They shared out his clothes by casting lots.
35The people stood looking on, and their rulers jeered at him: “He saved others: now let him save himself, if this is God's Messiah, his Chosen.”
36The soldiers joined in the mockery and came forward offering him sour wine.
37“If you are the king of the Jews,” they said, “save yourself.”
38There was an inscription above his head which ran: “This is the king of the Jews.”
39One of the criminals hanging there taunted him: “Are not you the Messiah? Save yourself, and us.”
40But the other rebuked him: “Have you no fear of God? You are under the same sentence as he is.
41In our case it is plain justice; we are paying the price for our misdeeds. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
42And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come to your throne.”
43Jesus answered, “Truly I tell you: today you will be with me in Paradise.”
44By now it was about midday and a darkness fell over the whole land, which lasted until three in the afternoon:
45the sun's light failed. And the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
46Then Jesus uttered a loud cry and said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”; and with these words he died.
47When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave praise to God. “Beyond all doubt”, he said, “this man was innocent.”
48The crowd who had assembled for the spectacle, when they saw what had happened, went home beating their breasts.
49HIS friends had all been standing at a distance; the women who had accompanied him from Galilee stood with them and watched it all.
50Now there was a man called Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man,
51who had dissented from their policy and the action they had taken. He came from the Judaean town of Arimathaea, and he was one who looked forward to the kingdom of God.
52This man now approached Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
53Taking it down from the cross, he wrapped it in a linen sheet, and laid it in a tomb cut out of the rock, in which no one had been laid before.
54It was the day of preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin.
55The women who had accompanied Jesus from Galilee followed; they took note of the tomb and saw his body laid in it.
56Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes; and on the sabbath they rested in obedience to the commandment.