Luke 23:5-30

⁵But they insisted, saying, “He is inciting rebellion all over Judea with his teachings, from Galilee to right here in Jerusalem.”

⁶When he heard this, Pilate asked, “Is this man a Galilean?”

⁷When he discovered that Jesus came under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was also in Jerusalem at the time.

⁸Herod was very pleased to see Jesus since he had wanted to meet him for a long time. He had heard about Jesus and was hoping to see him perform a miracle.

⁹He asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not answer him at all.

¹⁰The chief priests and religious teachers stood there, angrily accusing him.

¹¹Herod and his soldiers treated Jesus with contempt and mocked him. Then they placed a royal robe on him and sent him back to Pilate.

¹²From that day on Herod and Pilate were friends—before that they had been enemies.

¹³Pilate called together the chief priests, rulers, and the people,

¹⁴and told them, “You brought this man before me, accusing him of inciting the people to rebellion. I've carefully examined him in your presence, and do not find him guilty of the charges you have brought against him.

¹⁵Neither did Herod, for he sent him back to us. He has done nothing that demands he should be put to death.

¹⁶So I will have him flogged and then release him.”

¹⁸But they all shouted together, “Kill this man, and release Barabbas to us.”

¹⁹(Barabbas had been put in prison for taking part in a rebellion in the city, and for murder.)

²⁰Pilate wanted to release Jesus, so spoke to them again.

²¹But they kept on shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²²Pilate asked them for the third time, “But why? What crime has he committed? I don't find any reason for executing him. So I will have him flogged and then release him.”

²³But they continued insisting with loud shouts, demanding that he be crucified. Their shouting succeeded,

²⁴and Pilate gave the sentence they demanded.

²⁵He released the man imprisoned for rebellion and murder, but he sent Jesus to be put to death in accordance with their demands.

²⁶As the soldiers led him away, they seized a man called Simon of Cyrene, who had come in from the countryside. They put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

²⁷A large crowd followed him, along with women who were mourning and lamenting him.

²⁸Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and your children.

²⁹For the time is coming when they'll say, ‘Happy are those who are childless, and those who never had babies, and those who never nursed them.’

³⁰They'll say to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’