New Revised Standard NRS
The Bible in Basic English BBE
1 Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate.
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And they all went and took him before Pilate.
2 They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king."
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And they made statements against him, saying, This man has to our knowledge been teaching our nation to do wrong, and not to make payment of taxes to Caesar, even saying that he himself is Christ, a king.
3 Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so."
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And Pilate said to him, Are you the King of the Jews? And he said in answer, You say so.
4 Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man.
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And Pilate said to the chief priests and the people, In my opinion this man has done no wrong
5 But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place."
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But they became more violent than before, saying, He has made trouble among the people, teaching through all Judaea from Galilee to this place.
6 When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean.
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But at these words Pilate said, Is the man a Galilaean?
7 And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time.
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And when he saw that he was under the authority of Herod, he sent him to Herod, who was in Jerusalem himself at that time.
8 When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign.
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Now when Herod saw Jesus he was very glad, having for a long time had a desire to see him, for he had had accounts of him, and was hoping to see some wonders done by him.
9 He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer.
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And he put a great number of questions to him, but he said nothing.
10 The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him.
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And the chief priests and the scribes were there, making statements against him violently.
11 Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.
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And Herod, with the men of his army, put shame on him and made sport of him, and dressing him in shining robes, he sent him back to Pilate.
12 That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies.
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And that day Herod and Pilate became friends with one another, for before they had been against one another.
13 Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people,
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And Pilate sent for the chief priests and the rulers and the people, and said to them,
14 and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him
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You say that this man has been teaching the people evil things: now I, after going into the question before you, see nothing wrong in this man in connection with the things which you have said against him
15 Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death.
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And Herod is of the same opinion, for he has sent him back to us; for, you see, he has done nothing for which I might put him to death.
16 I will therefore have him flogged and release him."
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And so I will give him punishment and let him go.
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18 Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!"
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But with loud voices they said all together, Put this man to death, and make Barabbas free.
19 (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.
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Now this man was in prison because of an attack against the government in the town, in which there had been loss of life
20 Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again;
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And Pilate again said to them that it was his desire to let Jesus go free.
21 but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!
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But crying out they said, To the cross with him
22 A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him."
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And he said to them a third time, Why, what evil has he done? I see no reason for putting him to death: I will give him punishment and let him go.
23 But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.
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But they went on crying out loudly, Let him be put to death on the cross. And they had their way.
24 So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted.
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And Pilate gave his decision for their desire to be put into effect.
25 He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
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And in answer to their request, he let that man go free who had been in prison for acting against the government and causing death, and Jesus he gave up to their pleasure.
26 As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus.
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And while they were taking him away, they put their hands on Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and made him take the cross after Jesus.
27 A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him.
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And a great band of people went after him, and of women making signs of grief and weeping for him.
28 But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
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But Jesus, turning to them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, let not your weeping be for me, but for yourselves and for your children.
29 For the days are surely coming when they will say, "Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.'
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For the days are coming in which they will say, Happy are those who have had no children, whose bodies have never given birth, whose breasts have never given milk.
30 Then they will begin to say to the mountains, "Fall on us'; and to the hills, "Cover us.'
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And they will say to the mountains, Come down on us, and to the hills, Be a cover over us.
31 For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
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For if they do these things when the tree is green, what will they do when it is dry?
32 Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him.
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And two others, evil-doers, were taken with him to be put to death.
33 When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left.
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And when they came to the place which is named Golgotha, they put him on the cross, and the evil-doers, one on the right side, and the other on the left.
34 [Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing."] And they cast lots to divide his clothing.
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And Jesus said, Father, let them have forgiveness, for they have no knowledge of what they are doing. And they made division of his clothing among them by the decision of chance.
35 And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"
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And the people were looking on. And the rulers made sport of him, saying, He was a saviour of others; let him do something for himself, if he is the Christ, the man of God's selection.
36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine
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And the men of the army made sport of him, coming to him and giving him bitter wine
37 and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"
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And saying, If you are the King of the Jews, get yourself free.
38 There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews.
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And these words were put in writing over him, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS
39 One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"
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And one of the evil-doers on the cross, with bitter feeling, said to him, Are you not the Christ? Get yourself and us out of this.
40 But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation?
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But the other, protesting, said, Have you no fear of God? for you have a part in the same punishment,
41 And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong."
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And with reason; for we have the right reward of our acts, but this man has done nothing wrong.
42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
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And he said, Jesus, keep me in mind when you come in your kingdom.
43 He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
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And he said to him, Truly I say to you, Today you will be with me in Paradise.
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,
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And it was now about the sixth hour; and all the land was dark till the ninth hour;
45 while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two.
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The light of the sun went out, and the curtain in the Temple was parted in two.
46 Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last.
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And Jesus gave a loud cry and said, Father, into your hands I give my spirit: and when he had said this, he gave up his spirit.
47 When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent."
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And when the captain saw what was done, he gave praise to God, saying, Without doubt this was an upright man.
48 And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.
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And all the people who had come together to see it, when they saw the things which were done, went back again making signs of grief.
49 But all his acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
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And all his friends and the women who came with him from Galilee, were waiting at a distance, watching these things.
50 Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the council,
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Now there was a man named Joseph, a man of authority and a good and upright man
51 had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly for the kingdom of God.
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(He had not given his approval to their decision or their acts), of Arimathaea, a town of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God:
52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
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This man went to Pilate and made a request for the body of Jesus.
53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid it in a rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid.
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And he took it down, and folding it in a linen cloth, he put it in a place cut in the rock for a dead body; and no one had ever been put in it.
54 It was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning.
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Now it was the day of making ready and the Sabbath was coming on.
55 The women who had come with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.
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And the women who had come with him from Galilee went after him and saw the place and how his body had been put to rest;
56 Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they rested according to the commandment.
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And they went back and got ready spices and perfumes; and on the Sabbath they took their rest, in agreement with the law.
New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible in Basic English is in the public domain.