Luke 22:66–23:31

JESUS FACES THE SANHEDRIN

66 When daylight came,a the eldersB of the people, both the chief priests and the scribes,b convened and brought him before their Sanhedrin.c 67 They said,d “If you are the Messiah, tell us.”

But he said to them, “If I do tell you, you will not believe. 68 And if I ask you, you will not answer. 69 But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”e

70 They all asked, “Are you, then, the Son of God?”f

And he said to them, “You say that I am.”g

71 “Why do we need any more testimony,” they said, “since we’ve heard it ourselves from his mouth?”

JESUS FACES PILATE

23 Thenh their whole assembly rose up and brought him before Pilate. 2 They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man misleading our nation, opposing payment of taxesi to Caesar, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king.”

3 So Pilate asked him,j “Are you the king of the Jews?”k

He answered him, “You say so.”C

4 Pilate then told the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no groundsl for charging this man.”

5 But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people,m teaching throughout all Judea, from Galileen where he started even to here.”

JESUS FACES HEROD ANTIPAS

6 When Pilateo heard this,D he asked if the man was a Galilean. 7 Finding that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod,p who was also in Jerusalem during those days. 8 Herod was very glad to see Jesus; for a long time he had wanted to see him because he had heard about him and was hoping to see some miracleA performed by him. 9 So he kept asking him questions, but Jesus did not answer him.q 10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. 11 Then Herod, with his soldiers, treated him with contempt, mockedr him, dressed him in bright clothing,s and sent him back to Pilate. 12 That very day Herod and Pilate became friends.B,t Previously, they had been enemies.

JESUS OR BARABBAS

13 Pilate called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,u 14 and said to them, “You have brought me this man as one who misleads the people.v But in fact, after examining him in your presence, I have found no groundsw to charge this man with those things you accuse him of. 15 Neither has Herod, because he sent him back to us. Clearly, he has done nothing to deserve death. 16 Therefore, I will have him whippedC,x and then release him.”*

18 Theny they all cried out together, “Take this man away!z Release Barabbas to us!” 19 (He had been thrown into prison for a rebellion that had taken place in the city, and for murder.)

20 Wanting to release Jesus,aa Pilate addressed them again, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify! Crucify him!”

22 A third time he said to them, “Why? What has this man done wrong?ab I have found in him no groundsac for the death penalty. Therefore, I will have him whipped and then release him.”

23 But they kept up the pressure, demanding with loud voices that he be crucified, and their voicesE won out. 24 Soad Pilate decided to grant their demandae 25 and released the one they were asking for, who had been thrown into prison for rebellion and murder. But he handed Jesus over to their will.af

THE WAY TO THE CROSS

26 Asag they led him away, they seized Simon, a Cyrenian,ah who was coming in from the country, and laid the crossai on him to carry behind Jesus. 27 A large crowd of people followed him, including women who were mourning and lamenting him.aj 28 But turning to them, Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem,ak do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and your children. 29 Look, the days are comingal when they will say, ‘Blessed are the women without children, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed!’am 30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’F,an 31 For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”ao