Luke 23
1 Then the whole group got up and took Jesus to Pilate, [the Roman governor].
And the whole company of them rose up, and brought him before Pilate.
2 They began to accuse Jesus, saying, “We [(exc)] have determined that this fellow has caused political trouble in our country. He has been [telling people that they should] not pay taxes to the Roman government [MTY]. Also, he says that he is the Messiah, a king!”
And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, and saying that he himself is Christ a king.
3 Pilate asked him, “Do you [(sg) claim that you are] the King of the Jews?” He replied, “[It is] as you have [just] now said.”
And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answered him and said, Thou sayest.
4 Pilate said to the chief priests and [the rest of] the crowd, “I do not conclude that this man is guilty of any crime.”
And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitudes, I find no fault in this man.
5 But they kept insisting, “He is inciting the people [to riot]! He has been teaching his [ideas] throughout all of Judea [district]. He started [doing it] in Galilee [district] and now he is doing it here!”
But they were the more urgent, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judæa, and beginning from Galilee even unto this place.
6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee [district]?”
But when Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man were a Galilæan.
7 When they told him that Jesus was [from Galilee, which was the district] that Herod [Antipas] ruled, [he told them] to take Jesus to Herod [Antipas], because Herod was in Jerusalem at that time.
And when he knew that he was of Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him unto Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem in these days.
8 [So they did]. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very happy. He [had heard about Jesus], and he had been hoping for a long time that he could see Jesus perform a miracle.
Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding glad: for he was of a long time desirous to see him, because he had heard concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle done by him.
9 So he asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not reply [to any of them].
And he questioned him in many words; but he answered him nothing.
10 The chief priests and men who taught the [Jewish] laws stood near Jesus, accusing him very strongly.
And the chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him.
11 Then Herod and his soldiers (made fun of/ridiculed) [Jesus]. They put gorgeous clothes on him [to mock him as being a king]. Then Herod sent him back to Pilate.
And Herod with his soldiers set him at nought, and mocked him, and arraying him in gorgeous apparel sent him back to Pilate.
12 Until that time Herod and Pilate had been very hostile to each other, but that very day they became friends.
And Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day: for before they were at enmity between themselves.
13 Pilate then gathered together the chief priests and other [Jewish] leaders and the crowd [that was still there].
And Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people,
14 He said to them, “You brought this man to me, saying that he had caused trouble among the people. But [I want you to know that] after having examined him while you were listening, I do not conclude that he is guilty of any of the things that you are accusing him about.
and said unto them, Ye brought unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse him:
15 [Obviously] Herod did not [conclude that] either, because he sent him back to me [without punishing him]. [So it] is clear that this man has not done anything for which we [(inc)] should kill him.
no, nor yet Herod: for he sent him back unto us; and behold, nothing worthy of death hath been done by him.
16 So I will [have my soldiers] flog him and then release him.”
I will therefore chastise him, and release him.
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Execute this man! Release Barrabas for us [(exc)]!”
But they cried out all together, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: —
19 Barrabas was a man who had tried to persuade people in the city to rebel [against the Roman government. While doing that], he had murdered [someone]. So he had been put {they had put him} in prison, [where he was waiting to be executed].
one who for a certain insurrection made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.
20 Because Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he tried to persuade the crowd again.
And Pilate spake unto them again, desiring to release Jesus;
21 But they kept shouting, “[Command your soldiers to] kill him by nailing him to a cross!/Have him crucified!”
but they shouted, saying, Crucify, crucify him.
22 He [spoke to them] a third time and asked them, “Why? What crime has he committed? I have concluded that he has done nothing for which he deserves to die. So I will [have my soldiers] flog him and then release him.”
And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath this man done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him and release him.
23 But they kept insisting. They shouted loudly that [Jesus] should be nailed {that [Pilate] should [have his soldiers] nail [Jesus]} to a cross. Finally, because they continued to shout [PRS] [so loudly],
But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. And their voices prevailed.
24 Pilate decided to do what the crowd requested.
And Pilate gave sentence that what they asked for should be done.
25 The man who had been {whom they had} put in prison because he had rebelled [against the government] and who had murdered [someone], he released! That was the man whom the crowd had asked him [to release]. He handed Jesus over [to the soldiers], to do what [the crowd] wanted.
And he released him that for insurrection and murder had been cast into prison, whom they asked for; but Jesus he delivered up to their will.
26 As the soldiers were taking [Jesus] away, they seized a man named Simon, [who was] from Cyrene [city in Africa]. He was returning [to Jerusalem] from out in the countryside. They [took from Jesus the cross that he had been carrying. Then] they put it on Simon’s shoulders, and [told him to] carry it behind Jesus.
And when they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to bear it after Jesus.
27 A large crowd followed Jesus. The crowd included many women who were beating their breasts [to show how sad they were], and wailing for him.
And there followed him a great multitude of the people, and of women who bewailed and lamented him.
28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “You women of Jerusalem, do not cry for me! Instead, cry because of [what is going to happen to] yourselves and your children!
But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
29 I want you to know that there will soon be a time when people will say, ‘Women [SYN] who have never borne children or nursed babies are fortunate!’
For behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the breasts that never gave suck.
30 Then, [in order that they will not have to suffer greatly when their enemies destroy this city], people who are left in the city will say to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!’ And people will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
31 [I am innocent] [MET]. [I am like] a living tree [that people do not try to burn. But the people of Jerusalem deserve that their enemies punish them. They are like] dry wood that is ready to [burn]. So if they [nail me to the cross], ([their enemies] will certainly do much worse things to them!/what worse things will happen to them?) [RHQ]”
For if they do these things in the green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
32 Two other men who were criminals were also being led away {[The soldiers] also led away two other men who were criminals}. They were going to be executed {[The soldiers] were going to execute them} [with Jesus].
And there were also two others, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
33 When they came to the place which is called ‘The Skull’, they nailed [Jesus] to a cross [after removing his clothes]. They did the same thing to the two criminals. They crucified one at the right [side of Jesus] and one at his left [side].
And when they came unto the place which is called The skull, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand and the other on the left.
34 Jesus prayed, “[My] Father, forgive them, because they do not realize [whom] they are doing [this to]!” Then [the soldiers] divided Jesus’ clothing by gambling with something like dice, [to decide which piece of clothing each one would get].
And Jesus said, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And parting his garments among them, they cast lots.
35 Many people stood nearby, watching. And the [Jewish] leaders (made fun of/ridiculed) [Jesus], saying, “He [said] [IRO] [that he] saved other people! If he is the Messiah, the one God has chosen, he should save himself!”
And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen.
36 The soldiers also ridiculed him because he [claimed to be a king]. They came up to him and offered him some sour wine.
And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, offering him vinegar,
37 They said to him, “If you [(sg)] are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
and saying, If thou art the King of the Jews, save thyself.
38 [They] also [fastened on the cross] a sign [that stated] why [they] were nailing him to the cross. [But all it said was], ‘This is the King of the Jews’.
And there was also a superscription over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 One of the criminals who was hanging [on a cross] began to insult Jesus, saying, “You [(sg) said that you] are the Messiah, so [you must be powerful]! So save yourself, and save us, too!”
And one of the malefactors that were hanged railed on him, saying, Art not thou the Christ? save thyself and us.
40 But the other [criminal] rebuked him, saying, “(You [(sg)] should be afraid of God [punishing you]!/Are you not afraid of God [punishing you]?) [RHQ] They are punishing him [and us] similarly.
But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Dost thou not even fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
41 They have justly decided that we [(inc) two] must die. They are punishing us as we deserve [for the evil things that we did]. But this man has done nothing wrong!”
And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
42 Then he said, “Jesus, [please] remember me [and take care of me] when you become king!”
And he said, Jesus, remember me when thou comest in thy kingdom.
43 Jesus replied, “I want you [(sg)] to know that today you [(sg)] will be with me in the place where everyone is happy!” (OR, that today you will be with me in Paradise!)
And he said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in Paradise.
44 [Then it] was about noontime. It became dark over the whole land, [and it stayed dark] until three o’clock in the afternoon.
And it was now about the sixth hour, and a darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour,
45 There was no light from the sun. Then the [thick] curtain [that closed off the most holy place] in the Temple split into two pieces. [That signified that ordinary people could now go into the presence of God].
the sun’s light failing: and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.
46 [As that happened], Jesus shouted loudly, “Father, I put my spirit into your care [MTY]!” When he said that, he [EUP] died.
And Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, he gave up the ghost.
47 When the officer [who supervised the soldiers who were executing Jesus] saw what happened, he praised God [for the way Jesus died], saying, “[I am] sure that this man had done nothing wrong!”
And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man.
48 When the crowd of people who had gathered to see those events saw what happened, they returned [to their homes], beating their chests [to show that they were sorrowful].
And all the multitudes that came together to this sight, when they beheld the things that were done, returned smiting their breasts.
49 All of Jesus’ friends, including the women who had come with him from Galilee [district], stood at a distance and saw everything that happened.
And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed with him from Galilee, stood afar off, seeing these things.
50 There was a man named Joseph who [came there]. He was from the town of Arimathea in Judea. He was a good and a righteous man, and he was a member of the [Jewish] Council.
And behold, a man named Joseph, who was a councillor, a good and righteous man
51 But he had not agreed with the other Council [members] when they decided [to kill Jesus] and when they [planned how to] do it. He was waiting expectantly for [the time when] God [would send] his king to begin to rule.
(he had not consented to their counsel and deed), [a man] of Arimathæa, a city of the Jews, who was looking for the kingdom of God:
52 He went to Pilate and asked [Pilate to permit him] to [take] Jesus’ body [and bury it. After Pilate allowed him to do that],
this man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.
53 he [and some others] took [Jesus’ body] down [from the cross]. They wrapped it in a linen cloth. Then they put his body in a tomb that he had [hired others to] dig out of a rock [cliff]. No one had ever put a body in it before.
And he took it down, and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that was hewn in stone, where never man had yet lain.
54 [They had to do it quickly because] that was [Friday], the day when [people] prepared [things for the Jewish day of rest]. (The Sabbath/The day of rest) was about to start [at sunset, so they had to finish burying Jesus’ body before sunset].
And it was the day of the Preparation, and the sabbath drew on.
55 The women who had come with [Jesus] from Galilee [district] followed [Joseph and the men who were with him]. They saw the tomb, and they saw how the men laid [Jesus’] body [inside it, and saw the men roll a huge stone across the entrance].
And the women, who had come with him out of Galilee, followed after, and beheld the tomb, and how his body was laid.
56 Then the women returned to the houses [where they were staying. That evening] they prepared spices and ointments to put [on Jesus’ body], but (on the Sabbath/on the Jewish rest day) they rested, according to what [Moses] had commanded.
And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. And on the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
