Luke Twenty-Three

   Then the whole company of them rose up, and brought him to Pilate; And began to accuse him, saying, We found this man misleading our people, and forbidding to pay the head-tax to Caesar; and he says concerning himself that he is a King, even the Christ. Pilate asked him and said, Are you the king of the Jews? He said to him, You say that. Then Pilate said to the high priests and the
people, I cannot find any fault against this man. But they shouted and said, He has stirred up our people, teaching throughout Judaea, and beginning from Galilee even to this place. When Pilate heard the name Galilee, he asked if the man was a Galilean. And when he knew that he was under the jurisdiction of Herod, he sent him to Herod, because he was in Jerusalem in those days. When Herod saw Jesus he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things concerning him; and he hoped to see some miracle by him. And he asked him many words; but Jesus gave him no answer. But the high priests and the scribes stood, and accused him bitterly. And Herod and his soldiers insulted him, and mocked him, and dressed him in a scarlet robe, and sent him to Pilate. And that day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other; for there was a longstanding enmity between them.

    ¶ Then Pilate called the high priests and the leaders of the people, And he said to them, You brought me this man, as if he were misleading your people; and behold, I have examined him
before your own eyes, and I have found no fault in this man concerning all that you accuse him. Not even has Herod; for I sent him to him; and behold, he has done nothing worthy of death. I will therefore chastise him, and release him. For there was a custom to release to them one at the feast. But all the people cried out saying, Get rid of him, and release to us Bar-Abbas; Who because of sedition and murder which had happened in the city, was cast into prison. Again Pilate spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus. But they cried out, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said to them the third time, What evil has he done? I have found nothing in him, worthy of death; I will therefore chastise him, and release him. But they persisted with loud voices, and asked to crucify him. And their voice and that of the high priests prevailed. Then Pilate commanded to have their
request granted. So he released to them the one who because of sedition and murder was cast into
prison, whom they asked for; and he delivered Jesus to their will.

    ¶ And while they took him away, they laid hold of Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming from the field, and they placed the end of the cross on him, to carry it with Jesus. And many people followed him, and the women who were mourning and wailing over him. But Jesus turned to them and said, O daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep over me; but weep over yourselves, and over your
own children. For behold, the days are coming, in which they will say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never gave suck. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things with the green
wood, what will be done with dry wood?

    ¶ And there were coming with him two others, malefactors, to be put to death. And when they came to a place which is called The Skull, they crucified him there, and the malefactors, one on his right and one on his left. And Jesus said, O Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing. And they divided his garments and cast lots over them. The people stood looking on. And even the leaders of the synagogue mocked him, and said, He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ, the chosen one of God. And the soldiers ridiculed him, as they came near him and offered him vinegar, Saying to him, If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself. There was also an inscription which was written over him, in Greek and Roman, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

    ¶ Now one of the malefactors who were crucified with him, blasphemed against him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and save us also. But the other rebuked him, and said to him, Do you not fear even God, for you are also in the same judgment? And ours is just, for we are paid as we deserve and as we have done; but he has done nothing wrong. And he said to Jesus, Remember me, my Lord, when you come in your kingdom. Jesus said to him, Truly I say to you today, you will be with me in Paradise.

    ¶ Now it was about the sixth hour, and darkness fell upon the whole earth, until the ninth hour.
And the sun was darkened, and the door curtains of the temple were torn in the center. Then Jesus cried with a loud voice and said, O my Father, into thy hands I commit my spirit. He said this and passed away.

    ¶ When the centurion saw what had happened, he praised God and said, Truly this was a righteous man. And all the people who were gathered together to see this sight, when they saw what had happened, returned, beating their breasts. And all the acquaintances of Jesus stood afar off, and the women who had come with him from Galilee, and they were beholding these things.

    ¶ There was a man named Joseph the counsellor of Arimathaea, a city of Judaea, a good and righteous man. He did not agree with their wishes and their actions; and he waited for the kingdom
of God. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in
fine linen, and laid it in a hewn tomb, in which no one was ever laid. This was a Friday, and the sabbath was approaching.

    ¶ The women who had come with him from Galilee were near, and they saw the tomb, and how his body was laid. And they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the sabbath they
rested, as it is commanded.