Luke 23
Jesus Before Pilate
aThen the whole company of them arose and brought him before Pilate. 2 And they began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man amisleading our nation and bforbidding us to give tribute to cCaesar, and saying that he himself is Christ, da king.” 3 aAnd Pilate asked him, b“Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, c“You have said so.” 4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, a“I find no guilt in this man.” 5 But they were urgent, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, afrom Galilee even to this place.”
Jesus Before Herod
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7 And when he learned that he belonged to aHerod’s jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. 8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, afor he had long desired to see him, bbecause he had heard about him, and he was hoping cto see some sign done by him. 9 So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer. 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 And Herod with his soldiers atreated him with contempt and bmocked him. Then, carraying him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. 12 And aHerod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before this they had been at enmity with each other.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests and athe rulers and the people, 14 and said to them, “You brought me this man aas one who was misleading the people. And bafter examining him before you, behold, I cdid not find this man guilty of any of your charges against him. 15 Neither did Herod, for ahe sent him back to us. Look, nothing deserving death has been done by him. 16 aI will therefore punish and release him.”
Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified
18 aBut they all cried out together, b“Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”— 19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and afor murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? aWhat evil has he done? bI have found in him no guilt deserving death. cI will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison afor insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, bbut he delivered Jesus over to their will.
The Crucifixion
26 aAnd as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were amourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, athe days are coming when they will say, b‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 aThen they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For aif they do these things when bthe wood is green, what will happen bwhen it is dry?”
32 aTwo others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 aAnd when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, bone on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, aforgive them, bfor they know not what they do.” And they cast lots cto divide his garments. 35 And athe people stood by, watching, bbut cthe rulers dscoffed at him, saying, e“He saved others; flet him save himself, gif he is hthe Christ of God, ihis Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and aoffering him sour wine 37 and saying, a“If you are bthe King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 aThere was also an inscription over him, “This is bthe King of the Jews.”
39 aOne of the criminals who were hanged brailed at him, saying, “Are you not cthe Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me awhen you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in aparadise.”
The Death of Jesus
44 aIt was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour, 45 while the sun’s light failed. And athe curtain of the temple was torn in two. 46 Then Jesus, acalling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, binto your hands I ccommit my spirit!” And having said this dhe breathed his last. 47 Now awhen the centurion saw what had taken place, bhe praised God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent!” 48 And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home abeating their breasts. 49 And all ahis acquaintances and bthe women who had followed him from Galilee cstood at a distance watching these things.
Jesus Is Buried
50 aNow there was a man named Joseph, from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action; and he awas looking for the kingdom of God. 52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and alaid him in a tomb cut in stone, bwhere no one had ever yet been laid. 54 It was the day of aPreparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 55 aThe women bwho had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56 Then they returned and aprepared spices and ointments.
On the Sabbath they rested baccording to the commandment.
The ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway,
a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. ESV Text Edition: 2025.