Luke 23
1 Then the whole group got up and took Jesus to Pilate, [the Roman governor].
And the whole company of them arose, and carried 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, and said: We have found this man seducing our people, and forbidding to pay the capitation money to Caesar, and declaring himself to be king Messiah.
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 interrogated him, and said to him: Art thou king of the Jews? He said to him: Thou hast said.
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 to the chief priests and the company: I find no crime upon 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!”
And they vociferated, and said: He raiseth disturbance among our people, by teaching in all Judaea, commencing from Galilee, and quite to this place.
6 When Pilate heard that, he asked, “Is this man from Galilee [district]?”
And Pilate, when he heard the name Galilee, inquired if the man were 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 having learned that he was from under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod; for he was at Jerusalem on those 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.
And Herod rejoiced greatly when he saw Jesus, for he had been desirous to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things of him, and he hoped to see some sign from him.
9 So he asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not reply [to any of them].
And he asked him many questions; but Jesus gave him no reply.
10 The chief priests and men who taught the [Jewish] laws stood near Jesus, accusing him very strongly.
And the chief priests and Scribes stood up, and accused him vehemently.
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 and his warriors contemned him. And when he had mocked him, he clothed him in a purple robe, and sent him 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 that day, Pilate and Herod became friends to each other; for there had previously been enmity between them.
13 Pilate then gathered together the chief priests and other [Jewish] leaders and the crowd [that was still there].
And Pilate called the chief priests and the rulers of 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: Ye have brought this man before me, as a disturber of your people; and lo, I have examined him before you, and I find in the man no crime, among all that ye charge upon 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.
Neither yet Herod: for I sent him to him, and lo, nothing deserving 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.
For it was a custom, that he should release one at the festival.
18 But the whole crowd shouted, “Execute this man! Release Barrabas for us [(exc)]!”
And all the company vociferated, and said: 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 was one who had been thrown into prison, on account of a sedition and murder which had occurred in the city.
20 Because Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he tried to persuade the crowd again.
And Pilate, being disposed to release Jesus, conversed with them again.
21 But they kept shouting, “[Command your soldiers to] kill him by nailing him to a cross!/Have him crucified!”
But they cried out, and said: Crucify him; 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 to them the third time: But, what evil hath he done? I find no crime in him deserving of death. I will scourge him, therefore, 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 a loud voice; and demanded of him, that they might crucify him.
24 Pilate decided to do what the crowd requested.
And Pilate decreed, that their request be granted.
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 to them him, who for sedition and murder had been cast into prison, for whom they petitioned; and he delivered up Jesus to their pleasure.
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 seized Simon the Cyrenian, coming from the fields. and laid upon 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 after him a great multitude of people; and those women also who wailed and lamented over 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!
And Jesus turned to them, and said to them: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me; but weep rather 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 lo, the days are coming, in which they will say: Happy the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.
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 will they begin to say to the mountains, Fall upon 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 a green tree, what will be 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 went along with him two others, malefactors, to be crucified.
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 a certain place which is called a Skull, they crucified him there; and the two malefactors, the one on his right hand, and the other on his 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 they divided his garments, casting a lot upon them.
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 also derided him, and said: He quickened others; let him quicken himself, if he is the Messiah, 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.
And the soldiers like wise mocked 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 to him: If thou art the king of the Jews, quicken 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 likewise a superscription over him, written in Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: 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 who were crucified with him, reproached him, and said: If thou art the Messiah, rescue thyself, and rescue 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 his fellow Malefactor rebuked him, said to him: Art thou not afraid even of God, seeing thou art under the same sentence?
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 have a retribution according to our deserts, and according to our deeds; but nothing hateful hath been done by him.
42 Then he said, “Jesus, [please] remember me [and take care of me] when you become king!”
And he said to Jesus: My Lord, remember me, when thou comest into 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!)
Jesus said to him: Verily I say to you, That this day thou shalt 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 darkness was over all the 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].
And the sun was darkened, and the curtain of the door of the temple was rent through its middle.
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: My Father, into thy hand I commit my spirit. Thus he spake, and expired.
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 occurred, he glorified God and said: 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 who had assembled at this spectacle, on seeing what occurred, returned, smiting upon 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 there were standing at a distance, all they that knew Jesus, and those women who came with him from Galilee; and they beheld 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 there was a certain man, whose name was Joseph, a counsellor, from Ramath a city of Judaea, who was a good man and righteous;
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.
and he had not consented to their decision and deed; and he was waiting 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 begged 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 winding-sheet of linen; and laid it in an excavated sepulchre, in which no one had hitherto 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 it was the day of preparation, and the sabbath began to dawn.
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 those women who came with him from Galilee, approached, and viewed the sepulchre, and the manner in which the body was deposited.
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 perfumes and aromatics; and they rested on the sabbath, as it is commanded.
