22 Pilate * said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus awho is called Christ?” They all * said, “1Crucify Him!”

23 And he said, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they kept shouting all the more, saying, “1Crucify Him!”

24 When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that aa riot was starting, he took water and bwashed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of cthis Man’s blood; dsee to that yourselves.”

25 And all the people said, “aHis blood shall be on us and on our children!”

26 Then he released Barabbas 1for them; but after having Jesus ascourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

27 aThen the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into bthe 1Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman 2ccohort around Him.

28 They stripped Him and aput a scarlet robe on Him.

29 aAnd after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a 1reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, “bHail, King of the Jews!”

30 aThey spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head.

31 aAfter they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

32 aAs they were coming out, they found a man of bCyrene named Simon, 1whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.

The Crucifixion

33 aAnd when they came to a place called bGolgotha, which means Place of a Skull,

34 athey gave Him bwine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

35 And when they had crucified Him, athey divided up His garments among themselves by casting 1lots.

36 And sitting down, they began to akeep watch over Him there.

37 And above His head they put up the charge against Him 1which read, “aTHIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

38 At that time two robbers * were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left.

39 And those passing by were 1hurling abuse at Him, awagging their heads

40 and saying, “aYou who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! bIf You are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”

41 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying,

42 “aHe saved others; 1He cannot save Himself. bHe is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him.

43 “aHe trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He 1delights in Him; for He said, ‘I am the Son of God.’ ”

44 aThe robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.

45 aNow from the 1sixth hour darkness 2fell upon all the land until the 3ninth hour.

46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “aEli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”

48 aImmediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.

49 But the rest of them said, “1Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him2.”

50 And Jesus acried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit.

51 aAnd behold, bthe 1veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and cthe earth shook and the rocks were split.

52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the 1saints who had afallen asleep were raised;

53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered athe holy city and appeared to many.

54 aNow the centurion, and those who were with him bkeeping guard over Jesus, when they saw cthe earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was 1dthe Son of God!”

55 aMany women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while 1bministering to Him.

56 Among them was aMary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and bthe mother of the sons of Zebedee.

Jesus Is Buried

57 aWhen it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus.

58 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him.

59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,

60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled aa large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away.

61 And aMary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

62 Now on the next day, 1the day after athe preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate,

63 and said, “Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, ‘aAfter three days I am to rise again.’

64 “Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last deception will be worse than the first.”

65 Pilate said to them, “You have a aguard; go, make it as secure as you know how.”

66 And they went and made the grave secure, and along with athe guard they set a bseal on cthe stone.

Chapter 28

Jesus Is Risen!

1 aNow after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, bMary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.

2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for aan angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away bthe stone and sat upon it.

3 And ahis appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.

4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.

5 The angel said to the women, “1aDo not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.

6 “He is not here, for He has risen, ajust as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.