Luke

Jesus Before Pilate

The entire council stood up and brought Jesus to Pilate.

They presented their accusation: 

“We found this man subverting our nation, opposing payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming to be Christ the King.”

Pilate asked Jesus: 

“Are you the King of the Jews?” 

Jesus replied: 

“You said so.” 

Turning to the chief priests and the crowd, Pilate said: 

“I find no basis for a case against this man.” 

But they insisted: 

“His teaching is stirring up the whole country of the Jews. He began in Galilee, and now he has come all the way here.” 

When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.

Finding that the accused came under Herod’s jurisdiction, Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at the time.

Herod was thrilled to have Jesus before him; he had wanted to see him for a long time because of the reports about him, and he was hoping Jesus would perform a miracle.

He asked question after question but received no answer from Jesus.

While the chief priests and scribes stood there, they vehemently pressed their accusations. 

Finally, Herod mocked him with his guards. After putting a rich cloak on him, he sent him back to Pilate. 

 From that day, Pilate and Herod, who had been enemies, became friends.

Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the elders, and the people

and said to them:

“You brought this man before me and accused him of subversion. In your presence, I have examined him and found no basis for your charges; 

And neither has Herod, for he sent him back to me. It is quite clear that this man has done nothing deserving a death sentence.

I will, therefore, have him scourged and then release him.”

[[At Passover, Pilate had to release a prisoner.]] 

Shouting as one man, the crowd protested: 

“No! Away with this man! Release Barabbas instead!”

This man had been thrown into prison for an uprising in the city and for murder.

Since Pilate wanted to release Jesus, he appealed to the crowd once more,

but they shouted back:

“Crucify him! Crucify him!”

A third time, Pilate said to them: 

“Why, what evil has he done? Since no crime deserving death has been proved, I shall have him scourged and let him go.” 

But they kept shouting and demanding that Jesus be crucified, and their voices grew louder. 

So Pilate decided to carry out the sentence they requested

He released the man they asked for, who was in prison for rebellion and murder, and he handed Jesus over according to their wishes.

As they led Jesus away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the countryside, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. 

A large crowd followed him; among them were women beating their breasts and mourning for him,

but Jesus turned to them and said: 

“Women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me! Weep instead for yourselves and your children, 

for the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who never bore children! Blessed are those who have not given birth or nursed a child!’ 

And they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’

For if this is the fate of the green wood, what will happen to the dry?”

Along with Jesus, two criminals were also led out to be executed. 

There, at the place called the Skull, he was crucified along with two criminals—one on his right and the other on his left. 

[[ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”]] 

And the guards cast lots to divide his clothes among themselves.

The people stood by, watching. As for the rulers, they jeered at him, saying to one another: 

“Let the man who saved others now save himself, for he is the Messiah, the chosen one of God!” 

The soldiers also mocked him and, when they drew near to offer him bitter wine, 

they said: 

“So you are the King of the Jews? Save yourself!” 

Above Jesus, there was an inscription in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, which read, “This is the King of the Jews.”

One of the criminals hanging with Jesus insulted him, saying: 

“So you are the Messiah? Save yourself, and us as well!” 

But the other rebuked him, saying: 

“Have you no fear of God, you who received the same sentence as he did? 

For us, it is just: this is payment for what we have done. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 

And he said: 

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 

Jesus replied: 

“In truth I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

It was nearly midday.

The sun was obscured, and darkness covered the entire land until mid-afternoon. At that time, the curtain of the Sanctuary was torn in two. 

Then Jesus cried out loudly:

“Father, into your hands 

I commend my spirit.” 

Saying this, he surrendered his spirit.

The captain, upon seeing what had happened, acknowledged the hand of God. 

“Surely this was an upright man!” he said. 

And all the people who had gathered to watch the spectacle, as soon as they saw what had happened, went home beating their breasts. 

But those who knew Jesus, along with the women who had followed him from Galilee, stayed there at a distance. They saw everything that took place.

Then a member of the Jewish supreme council intervened, a good and righteous man named Joseph, 

from the Judean town of Arimathea. He did not agree with the decision and actions of his fellow members, and he lived uprightly in the hope of seeing the kingdom of God. 

Joseph went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.

 He then took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb that had never been used, cut out of a rock. 

It was the day of preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. 

So the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph to see the tomb and how his body was laid. 

Returning home, they prepared perfumes and ointments. On the Sabbath day, they rested as the law required.