Chapter 15

Jesus before Pilate

1 aEarly in the morning the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole 1bCouncil, immediately held a consultation; and binding Jesus, they led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate.

2 aPilate questioned Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” And He * answered him, “It is as you say.”

3 The chief priests began to accuse Him 1harshly.

4 Then Pilate questioned Him again, saying, “Do You not answer? See how many charges they bring against You!”

5 But Jesus amade no further answer; so Pilate was amazed.

6 aNow at the feast he used to release for them any one prisoner whom they requested.

7 The man named Barabbas had been imprisoned with the insurrectionists who had committed murder in the insurrection.

8 The crowd went up and began asking him to do as he had been accustomed to do for them.

9 Pilate answered them, saying, “Do you want me to release for you the King of the Jews?”

10 For he was aware that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.

11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd ato ask him to release Barabbas for them instead.

12 Answering again, Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Him whom you call the King of the Jews?”

13 They shouted 1back, “Crucify Him!”

14 But Pilate said to them, “Why, what evil has He done?” But they shouted all the more, “Crucify Him!”

15 Wishing to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas for them, and after having Jesus ascourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

Jesus Is Mocked

16 aThe soldiers took Him away into bthe 1palace (that is, the Praetorium), and they * called together the whole Roman 2ccohort.

17 They * dressed Him up in purple, and after twisting a crown of thorns, they put it on Him;

18 and they began to acclaim Him, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

19 They kept beating His head with a 1reed, and spitting on Him, and kneeling and bowing before Him.

20 After they had mocked Him, they took the purple robe off Him and put His own garments on Him. And they * led Him out to crucify Him.

21 aThey * pressed into service a passer-by coming from the country, Simon of Cyrene (the father of Alexander and bRufus), to bear His cross.

The Crucifixion

22 aThen they * brought Him to the place bGolgotha, which is translated, Place of a Skull.

23 They tried to give Him awine mixed with myrrh; but He did not take it.

24 And they * crucified Him, and * adivided up His garments among themselves, casting 1lots for them to decide 2what each man should take.

25 It was the 1athird hour 2when they crucified Him.

26 The inscription of the charge against Him 1read, “aTHE KING OF THE JEWS.”

27 They * crucified two robbers with Him, one on His right and one on His left.

28 [1And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “And He was numbered with transgressors.”]

29 Those passing by were 1hurling abuse at Him, awagging their heads, and saying, “Ha! You who are going to bdestroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,

30 save Yourself, and come down from the cross!”

31 In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes, were mocking Him among themselves and saying, “aHe saved others; 1He cannot save Himself.

32 “Let this Christ, athe King of Israel, now come down from the cross, so that we may see and believe!” bThose who were crucified with Him were also insulting Him.

33 aWhen the 1bsixth hour came, darkness 2fell over the whole land until the 3bninth hour.

34 At the aninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, “bEloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”

35 When some of the bystanders heard it, they began saying, “Behold, He is calling for Elijah.”

36 Someone ran and filled a sponge with sour wine, put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink, saying, “1Let us see whether Elijah will come to take Him down.”

37 aAnd Jesus uttered a loud cry, and breathed His last.

38 aAnd the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

39 aWhen the centurion, who was standing 1right in front of Him, saw 2the way He breathed His last, he said, “Truly this man was 3the Son of God!”

40 aThere were also some women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of 1James bthe 2Less and Joses, and cSalome.

41 When He was in Galilee, they used to follow Him and 1aminister to Him; and there were many other women who came up with Him to Jerusalem.

Jesus Is Buried

42 aWhen evening had already come, because it was bthe preparation day, that is, the day before the Sabbath,

43 Joseph of Arimathea came, a aprominent member of the Council, who himself was bwaiting for the kingdom of God; and he cgathered up courage and went in before Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus.

44 Pilate wondered if He was dead by this time, and summoning the centurion, he questioned him as to whether He was already dead.

45 And ascertaining this from athe centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

46 Joseph bought a linen cloth, took Him down, wrapped Him in the linen cloth and laid Him in a tomb which had been hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a stone against the entrance of the tomb.

47 aMary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was laid.