Chapter 23

Jesus before Pilate

1 Then the whole body of them got up and abrought Him before Pilate.

2 aAnd they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man bmisleading our nation and cforbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, and saying that He Himself is 1Christ, a King.”

3 So Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He answered him and said, “aIt is as you say.”

4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “aI find no guilt in this man.”

5 But they kept on insisting, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching all over Judea, astarting from Galilee even as far as this place.”

6 When Pilate heard it, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.

7 And when he learned that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to aHerod, who himself also was in Jerusalem 1at that time.

Jesus before Herod

8 Now Herod was very glad when he saw Jesus; for ahe had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had been hearing about Him and was hoping to see some 1sign performed by Him.

9 And he questioned Him 1at some length; but aHe answered him nothing.

10 And the chief priests and the scribes were standing there, accusing Him vehemently.

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,

37 and saying, “aIf You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself!”

38 Now there was also an inscription above Him, “aTHIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”

39 aOne of the criminals who were hanged there was 1hurling abuse at Him, saying, “Are You not the 2Christ? bSave Yourself and us!”

40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?

41 “And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving 1what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

42 And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come 1in Your kingdom!”

43 And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in aParadise.”

44 aIt was now about 1bthe sixth hour, and darkness 2fell over the whole land until 3the ninth hour,

45 1because the sun was obscured; and athe veil of the temple was torn 2in two.

46 And Jesus, acrying out with a loud voice, said, “Father, binto Your hands I commit My spirit.” Having said this, He breathed His last.

47 aNow when the centurion saw what had happened, he began bpraising God, saying, “Certainly this man was 1innocent.”

48 And all the crowds who came together for this spectacle, when they observed what had happened, began to return, 1abeating their breasts.

49 aAnd all His acquaintances and athe women who accompanied Him from Galilee were standing at a distance, seeing these things.

Jesus Is Buried

50 aAnd a man named Joseph, who was a bmember of the Council, a good and righteous man

51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was awaiting for the kingdom of God;

52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain.

54 It was athe 1preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to 2begin.

55 Now athe women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid.

56 Then they returned and aprepared spices and perfumes.

And bon the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment.

Chapter 24

The Resurrection

1 aBut on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.

2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of athe Lord Jesus.

4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, atwo men suddenly bstood near them in dazzling clothing;

5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?

6 “He is not here, but He ahas 1risen. Remember how He spoke to you bwhile He was still in Galilee,

7 saying that athe Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”

8 And athey remembered His words,

9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

10 Now they were aMary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to bthe apostles.

11 But these words appeared 1to them as nonsense, and they awould not believe them.

12 But Peter got up and aran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he * saw the linen wrappings 1only; and he went away bto his home, marveling at what had happened.

The Road to Emmaus

13 And behold, atwo of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was 1about seven miles from Jerusalem.

14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place.

15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them.

16 But atheir eyes were prevented from recognizing Him.

17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad.

18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You 1the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?”

19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about aJesus the Nazarene, who was a bprophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people,

20 and how the chief priests and our arulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him.

21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to aredeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened.

22 “But also some women among us amazed us. aWhen they were at the tomb early in the morning,

23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive.

24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.”

25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that athe prophets have spoken!

26 “aWas it not necessary for the 1Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?”

27 Then beginning 1with aMoses and 1with all the bprophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.

28 And they approached the village where they were going, and aHe acted as though He were going farther.

29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day 1is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them.

30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and ablessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.

31 Then their aeyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from 1their sight.

32 They said to one another, “1Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He awas 2explaining the Scriptures to us?”

33 And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and afound gathered together the eleven and bthose who were with them,

34 saying, “aThe Lord has really risen and bhas appeared to Simon.”

35 They began to relate 1their experiences on the road and how aHe was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

Other Appearances

36 While they were telling these things, aHe Himself stood in their midst and * said to them, “Peace be to you.”

37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing aa spirit.

38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your 1hearts?

39 “aSee My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; btouch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.”

40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.

41 While they still 1acould not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “bHave you anything here to eat?”

42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish;

43 and He took it and aate it before them.

44 Now He said to them, “aThese are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the bLaw of Moses and the Prophets and cthe Psalms must be fulfilled.”

45 Then He aopened their 1minds to understand the Scriptures,

46 and He said to them, “aThus it is written, that the 1Christ would suffer and brise again from the dead the third day,

47 and that arepentance 1for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed 2in His name to ball the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

48 “You are awitnesses of these things.

49 “And behold, aI am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but byou are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

The Ascension

50 And He led them out as far as aBethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.

51 While He was blessing them, He parted from them and was carried up into heaven.

52 And they, after worshiping Him, returned to Jerusalem with great joy,

53 and were continually in the temple 1praising God.

The Gospel According to

JOHN