11 And Herod with his soldiers, after treating Him with contempt and mocking Him, adressed Him in a gorgeous robe and sent Him back to Pilate.

12 Now aHerod and Pilate became friends with one another that very day; for before they had been enemies with each other.

Pilate Seeks Jesus’ Release

13 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the arulers and the people,

14 and said to them, “You brought this man to me as one who aincites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I bhave found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him.

15 “No, nor has aHerod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.

16 “Therefore I will apunish Him and release Him.”

17 [1Now he was obliged to release to them at the feast one prisoner.]

18 But they cried out all together, saying, “aAway with this man, and release for us Barabbas!”

19 (He was one who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection made in the city, and for murder.)

20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again,

21 but they kept on calling out, saying, “Crucify, crucify Him!”

22 And he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has this man done? I have found in Him no guilt demanding death; therefore I will apunish Him and release Him.”

23 But they were insistent, with loud voices asking that He be crucified. And their voices began to prevail.

24 And Pilate pronounced sentence that their demand be granted.

25 And he released the man they were asking for who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Simon Bears the Cross

26 aWhen they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of bCyrene, coming in from the country, and placed on him the cross to carry behind Jesus.

27 And following Him was a large crowd of the people, and of women who were 1amourning and lamenting Him.

28 But Jesus turning to them said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, stop weeping for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

29 “For behold, the days are coming when they will say, ‘aBlessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’

30 “Then they will begin to asay to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’

31 “For if they do these things 1when the tree is green, what will happen 2when it is dry?”

32 aTwo others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

The Crucifixion

33 aWhen they came to the place called 1The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

34 1But Jesus was saying, “aFather, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” bAnd they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.

35 And the people stood by, looking on. And even the arulers were sneering at Him, saying, “He saved others; blet Him save Himself if this is the 1Christ of God, His Chosen One.”

36 The soldiers also mocked Him, coming up to Him, aoffering Him sour wine,