Jesus is Taken to Pilate

(Matthew 27:1-2, 11-14; Mark 15:1-5; John 18:28-38)

1Then the whole crowd got up and took him to Pilate. 2They began to accuse him, “We found this man corrupting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that he is the Messiah,a a king.”

3Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

He answered, “You say so.”

4Then Pilate told the high priests and crowds, “I do not find anything chargeable in this man.”

5But they kept insisting, “He is stirring up the people with what he teaches all over Judea, from where he started in Galilee to this place.”

Jesus is Sent to Herod

6When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. 7When he learned with certainty that Jesusb came from Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time. 8Now Herod was very glad to see Jesus, because he had been wanting to see him for a long time on account of what he had heard about him. He was also hoping to see some sign done by him. 9So he continued to question him for a long time, but Jesusc gave him no answer at all. 10Meanwhile, the high priests and the scribes stood nearby and continued to accuse him vehemently. 11Evend Herod and his soldiers treated him with contempt and made fun of him. He put a magnificent robe on Jesuse and sent him back to Pilate. 12So Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day. Before this they had been enemies.

Jesus is Sentenced to Death

(Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15; John 18:39-19:16)

13Then Pilate called the high priests, the otherf leaders, and the people together 14and told them, “You brought this man to me as one who turns the people against the government. And here in your presence I have examined him and have found him ‘Not Guilty’ of the charges you make against him. 15Neither does Herod, because he sent him back to us! Indeed, this mang has done nothing to deserve death. 16So I will punish him and let him go.”

17Now he was obligated to release someone for them at the festival.h 18But they all shouted out together, “Away with this man! Release Barabbas for us!” 19(This man had been put in prison for murder and for a revolt that had taken place in the city.) 20But Pilate wanted to let Jesus go, so he appealed to them again, 21but they continued to shout, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

22Then he spoke to them a third time: “What has he done wrong? I have found nothing in him worthy of death. So I will punish him and let him go.” 23But they kept pressing him with loud shouts, demanding that Jesusi be crucified, and their shouts began to prevail.

24Then Pilate pronounced his sentence that their demand should be carried out. 25So he released the man who had been put in prison for revolt and murder—the man whose releasej they continued to demand—but he let them have their way with Jesus.k

Jesus is Crucified

(Matthew 27:32-44; Mark 15:21-32; John 19:17-27)

26As they led Jesusl away, they grabbed Simon, a man from Cyrene, as he was coming in from the country, and they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A large crowd of people followed him, including some women who kept mourning and wailing for him.

28But Jesus turned to them and said, “Womenm of Jerusalem, stop crying for me. Instead, cry for yourselves and for your children, 29because the time is surely coming when peoplen will say, ‘How blessed are the women who couldn’t bear children and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30Then peopleo will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’, and to the hills, ‘Cover us up!’p 31And if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

32Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.q 33When they reached the place called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. 34Jesus kept saying, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they’re doing.”r Then they divided his clothes among them by throwing dice.

35Meanwhile, the people stood looking on. The leaders were mocking him by saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself, if he is the Messiahs of God, the chosen one!”

36The soldiers also made fun of Jesust by coming up and offering him sour wine, 37saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38There was also an inscription over him written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:u “This is the King of the Jews.”

39Now one of the criminals hanging there kept insultingv him, “You are the Messiah,w aren’t you? Save yourself…and us!”

40But the other criminal rebuked him, “Aren’t you afraid of God, since you are suffering the same penalty? 41We have been condemned justly, because we are getting what we deserve for what we have done, but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42Then he went on to plead, “Jesus, remember me when you come intox your kingdom!”

43Jesusy told him, “I tell youz with certainty, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

Jesus Dies on the Cross

(Matthew 27:45-56; Mark 15:33-41; John 19:28-30)

44It was already about noon,aa and the whole landbb became dark until three in the afternooncc 45because the sun had stopped shining, and the curtaindd in the sanctuary was torn in two. 46Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice and said, “Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.”ee After he said this, he breathed his last.

47When the centurionff saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, “This man certainly was righteous!” 48When all the crowds who had come together for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they beat their chests and left. 49But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, were standing at a distance watching these things.

Jesus is Buried

(Matthew 27:57-61; Mark 15:42-47; John 19:38-42)

50Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council,gg a good and righteous man— 51he had not voted for their plan and action—from the Jewish town of Arimathea; and he was waiting for the kingdom of God. 52He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a tomb cut in the rock, in which no one had yet been laid.

54It was the Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was just beginning. 55So the women who had come with Jesushh from Galilee, following close behind, saw the tomb and how his body was laid. 56Then they went back and prepared spices and perfumes, and on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.