Luke 23 — Read & Listen Online | Father's Heart Bible™

Chapter 23.

Then the whole assembly rose and brought him before Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man misleading our nation, forbidding the payment of taxes to Caesar, and claiming that he himself is Christ, a king."

And Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" And he answered him, "You say so."

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no guilt in this man."

But they kept insisting, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee even to this place."

When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him over to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem in those days.

When Herod saw Jesus, he was overjoyed, for he had long wanted to see him because of what he had heard, and he was hoping to see some sign performed by him. He questioned him at great length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. And Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt and mocked him; then, dressing him in splendid clothing, he sent him back to Pilate. That very day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other, for before this they had been enemies.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one misleading the people. Look, I examined him right here in front of you and found no guilt in this man for any of your charges against him." "Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. Look, he has done nothing deserving death." "I will therefore discipline him and release him." ^a But they all cried out together, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!" —a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.

Pilate addressed them once more, wanting to release Jesus, but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!"

A third time he said to them, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found in him nothing deserving death. I will therefore discipline him and release him." But they kept shouting loudly, demanding he be crucified, and their voices prevailed. So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. He released the one they asked for, who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he handed Jesus over to their will.

The Son Is Crucified

As they led him away, they seized a man named Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the countryside, and laid the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. A great crowd of the people followed him, including women who were weeping and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep instead for yourselves and for your children." "For the days are coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'" "Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us,' and to the hills, 'Cover us.'" "For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" ^b

Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be put to death with him. And when they came to the place called The Skull, there they crucified him, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.

And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And they divided his garments, casting lots.

And the people stood watching, while the rulers scoffed, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of our Father, the Chosen One!"

The soldiers also mocked him, coming up to offer him sour wine and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"

There was also an inscription over him: "This is the King of the Jews."

One of the criminals hanging there hurled insults at him, saying, "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!"

But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear our Father, since you are under the same sentence?" "And rightly so — we are getting what our deeds deserve; but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

And Jesus said to him, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

The Son Breathes His Last

It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until about three in the afternoon, for the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus called out with a loud voice and said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And having said this, he breathed his last.

When the centurion saw what had taken place, he glorified our Father, saying, "Surely this man was righteous!" And all the crowds who had gathered for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, returned home beating their breasts. But all who knew him, and the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.

The Son Is Laid in the Tomb

Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision and action. He was from Arimathea, a town of the Jews, and he was waiting for the kingdom of our Father. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb cut in the rock, where no one had yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was about to begin. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

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