Luke 23:13-32

Pilate Seeks Jesus' Release

13 Pilate summoned the chief priests and the ¹rulers and the people,

14 and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one who ²incites the people to rebellion, and behold, having examined Him before you, I ³have found no guilt in this man regarding the charges which you make against Him

15 "No, nor has ⁴Herod, for he sent Him back to us; and behold, nothing deserving death has been done by Him.

16 "Therefore I will ⁵punish Him and release Him."

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

18 But they cried out all together, saying, "⁶Away 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 ⁷punish 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 ⁸When they led Him away, they seized a man, Simon of ⁹Cyrene, 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 ¹⁰mourning 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, '¹¹Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'

30 "Then they will begin TO ¹²SAY TO THE MOUNTAINS, 'FALL ON US,' AND TO THE HILLS, 'COVER US.'

31 "For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?"

32 ¹³Two others also, who were criminals, were being led away to be put to death with Him.

Cross References

• 1. Luke 23:35; John 7:26, 48; John 12:42; Acts 3:17; Acts 4:5, 8; Acts 13:27
• 2. Luke 23:2
• 3. Luke 23:4
• 4. Luke 9:9
• 5. Matthew 27:26; Mark 15:15; Luke 23:22; John 19:1; Acts 16:37
• 6. Luke 23:18-25: {Matthew 27:15-26; Mark 15:6-15;} John 18:39-19:16
• 7. Luke 23:16
• 8. Luke 23:26: {Matthew 27:32; Mark 15:21;} John 19:17
• 9. Matthew 27:32
• 10. Luke 8:52
• 11. Matthew 24:19; Luke 11:27; Luke 21:23
• 12. Hosea 10:8; Isaiah 2:19, 20; Revelation 6:16
• 13. Matthew 27:38; Mark 15:27; John 19:18

Footnotes

• [a]. Early mss do not contain this v
• [b]. Lit "beating the breast"
• [c]. Lit "in the green tree"
• [d]. Lit "in the dry"