Luke 23
1 Then the whole group got up and took Jesus to Pilate, [the Roman governor].
And the whole number of them arose, and led him away to 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 turning the people away, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, 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: Are you the king of the Jews? He answered and said to him: You say it.
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.”
Pilate said to the chief priests and to 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 became the more urgent, and said: He excites the people, teaching throughout the whole of Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.
6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee [district]?”
When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
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 learned that he belonged to the dominion of Herod, he sent him to Herod, who was at that time in Jerusalem.
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.
When Herod saw Jesus, he rejoiced greatly; for he had, for a long time, desired to see him, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to see some sign done by him.
9 So he asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not reply [to any of them].
And he questioned him concerning many things; but he made him no answer.
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 by, and vehemently accused 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.
But Herod and his guards treated him with contempt; and having mocked him, and put on him a gaudy robe, he 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 on the same day, Pilate and Herod became friends to each other; for, before this, they had been at enmity the one toward the other.
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 to them: You have brought to me this man as one that turns the people away; and behold, I have examined him before you, and have found in this man no fault, with respect to the things of which you 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.
nor indeed did Herod; for I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death has 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.
For it was necessary that he should release to them one at the feast.
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Execute this man! Release Barrabas for us [(exc)]!”
And the whole multitude cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release to 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].
He, for a certain seditious movement that had been made in the city, and for murder, had been thrown into prison.
20 Because Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he tried to persuade the crowd again.
Therefore Pilate, desiring to release Jesus, again called to them.
21 But they kept shouting, “[Command your soldiers to] kill him by nailing him to a cross!/Have him crucified!”
But they answered, 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.”
He said to them the third time: Why, what evil has he done? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. 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, demanding that he should be crucified. And their voices, and those of the chief priests, prevailed.
24 Pilate decided to do what the crowd requested.
And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they demanded.
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 a seditious movement, and for murder, had been thrown into prison, whom they demanded; 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 as they led him away, they laid hold of Simon, a certain Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might carry 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 number of the people, and of women that 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 turned, and said to them, 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 will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, 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 two others, who were evil-doers, were led out to be put to death with him.
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 to the place called Skull, they there crucified him and the evil-doers; one on the right, 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 dividing his clothing into parts, 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 and looked on. And the rulers, with them scoffed at him, saying: He saved others, let him save himself if he is the Christ, the chosen of God.
36 The soldiers also ridiculed him because he [claimed to be a king]. They came up to him and offered him some sour wine.
The soldiers also derided him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,
37 They said to him, “If you [(sg)] are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”
and saying: If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.
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 a superscription was also written over him in Greek and in Roman and in Hebrew letters, 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 evil-doers that were hanged reviled him, saying: If you are the Christ, save yourself 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 answering, rebuked him, saying: Do you not fear God, since you are 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 justly; for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.
42 Then he said, “Jesus, [please] remember me [and take care of me] when you become king!”
And he said to Jesus: Remember me, Lord, 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 Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you, to-day you shall 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 about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole land till 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].
And the sun was darkened, and the vail 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 cried with a loud voice, and said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And when he had said this, he gave up his spirit.
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!”
When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying: Truly, 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 had come together to that sight, when they saw what was 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 had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance looking on 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, there was a man named Joseph, a counselor, a good and a just 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 given his consent to their counsel and deed; ) he was of Arimathea, a city of the Jews, and he himself also waited 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 came 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 linen, and laid it in a sepulcher that had been hewed in rock, in which no one had yet been laid.
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 the day was the preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.
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 that had come with him from Galilee followed after and saw the sepulcher, 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 ointment; and they rested on the sabbath, according to the commandment.
