Jesus before Pilate (Matthew 27:11–14; John 18:28–40)
1 UDB Then the whole group got up and took him to Pilate, the Roman governor. BSB BSB: Then the whole council rose and led Jesus away to Pilate.
2 UDB They accused him in front of Pilate: "We have seen this fellow causing trouble by telling the people that they should not pay taxes to Caesar, the Roman emperor. Also, he has been saying that he is the Christ, a king!" BSB BSB: And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this man subverting our nation, forbidding payment of taxes to Caesar, and proclaiming Himself to be Christ, a King.”
3 UDB Pilate then asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus replied, "Yes, it is just as you have asked me." BSB BSB: So Pilate asked Him, “Are You the King of the Jews?” “You have said so,” Jesus replied.
4 UDB Then Pilate said to the chief priests and to the crowd, "This man is not guilty of any crime." BSB BSB: Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man.”
5 UDB But they kept on accusing Jesus; they said, "He is trying to get the people to riot! He has been teaching his ideas throughout all of the region of Judea. He started doing this in the region of Galilee and now he is doing it here also!" BSB BSB: But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.”
Jesus before Herod 6 UDB When Pilate heard their words, he asked, "Does this man come from the district of Galilee?" BSB BSB: When Pilate heard this, he asked if the man was a Galilean.
7 UDB Because Pilate learned that Jesus was from Galilee, where Herod Antipas ruled, he sent Jesus to him because Herod was in Jerusalem at that time. BSB BSB: And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time.
8 UDB When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad. He had been wanting for a long time to see Jesus because he was hearing many things about him and wanted to see him perform a miracle. BSB BSB: When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle.
9 UDB So he asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus did not reply to any of them. BSB BSB: Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer.
10 UDB And the chief priests and some experts in the Jewish laws stood near him, accusing him very strongly of all kinds of crimes. BSB BSB: Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him.
11 UDB Then Herod and his soldiers made fun of Jesus. They put expensive clothes on him to pretend that he was a king. Then Herod sent him back to Pilate. BSB BSB: And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate.
12 UDB Until that time Herod and Pilate had been very hostile to each other, but that very day they became friends. BSB BSB: That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies.
The Crowd Chooses Barabbas (Matthew 27:15–23; Mark 15:6–11)
13 UDB Pilate then gathered together the chief priests and other Jewish leaders and the crowd that was still there. BSB BSB: Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,
14 UDB He said to them, "You brought this man to me, saying he has been leading the people to revolt. But I want you to know that after having examined him while you were listening, I do not think he is guilty of any of the things you have told me about. BSB BSB: and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him.
15 UDB Even Herod does not think he is guilty. I know this because he sent him back to us without punishing him. So it is clear that this man does not deserve to die. BSB BSB: Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death.
16 UDB So I will tell my soldiers to whip him and then set him free." BSB BSB: Therefore I will punish Him and release Him.”
17 UDB (Pilate said this because he had to set free one prisoner at the Passover Celebration.) BSB BSB: Not in the BSB
18 UDB But the whole crowd shouted together, saying, "Put this man to death! Set Barabbas free for us!" BSB BSB: But they all cried out in unison: “Away with this man! Release Barabbas to us!”
19 UDB Now Barabbas was a man who had led some people in the city to rebel against the Roman government. He was also a murderer. He was in prison because of these crimes, and he was waiting for them to put him to death. BSB BSB: (Barabbas had been imprisoned for an insurrection in the city, and for murder.)
20 UDB But Pilate wanted very much to set Jesus free, so he tried to speak to the crowd again. BSB BSB: Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate addressed them again,
21 UDB But they kept on shouting, saying, "Crucify him! Crucify him!" BSB BSB: but they kept shouting, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”
22 UDB Pilate spoke to them a third time and asked them, "Why? What crime has he committed? He has done nothing for which he deserves to die. So I will have my soldiers whip him and then set him free." BSB BSB: A third time he said to them, “What evil has this man done? I have found in Him no offense worthy of death. So after I punish Him, I will release Him.”
23 UDB But they kept insisting with loud voices that Jesus should die on a cross. Finally, because they continued to shout so loudly, they persuaded Pilate BSB BSB: But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices for Jesus to be crucified. And their clamor prevailed.
24 UDB to do what they requested. BSB BSB: So Pilate sentenced that their demand be met.
25 UDB So he set free the man who was in prison because he had fought against the government and murdered people! He then commanded the soldiers to take Jesus and do what the crowd wanted. BSB BSB: As they had requested, he released the one imprisoned for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over to their will.
The Crucifixion (Psalm 22:1–31; Matthew 27:32–44; Mark 15:21–32; John 19:16–27)
26 UDB Now there was a man named Simon, who was from the city of Cyrene in Africa. He was coming into Jerusalem from the countryside. As the soldiers were leading Jesus away, they grabbed hold of Simon. They took from Jesus the cross that they had made him carry, and they put it on Simon's shoulders. They told him to carry it and follow behind Jesus. BSB BSB: As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
27 UDB Now a large crowd was following Jesus. It had many women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. BSB BSB: A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.
28 UDB Jesus turned to them and said, "You women of Jerusalem, do not weep for me! Instead, weep because of what is going to happen to yourselves and your children! BSB BSB: But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
29 UDB For I want you to know that there will soon be a time when people will say, 'How fortunate are the women who have never given birth to children or nursed babies!' BSB BSB: Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
30 UDB Then the people in this city will say, 'We wish that the mountains would fall on top of us and that the hills would cover us up!' BSB BSB: At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
31 UDB If I have to die, even though I have done nothing wrong, terrible things will certainly happen to people who deserve to die. BSB BSB: For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
32 UDB Two other men who were criminals were also walking to the place where they would die with Jesus. BSB BSB: Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
35 UDB Many people stood nearby, watching. Even the Jewish leaders were mocking Jesus, saying, "He saved other people! Now if he really is the Christ, God's Chosen One, then he should save himself!" BSB BSB: The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
36 UDB The soldiers also mocked him. They came up to him and offered him some sour wine. BSB BSB: The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.
37 UDB They kept saying to him, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" BSB BSB: “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
38 UDB They also fastened on the cross above his head a sign that stated, "This is the King of the Jews." BSB BSB: Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
39 UDB One of the criminals who was hanging on a cross also insulted Jesus; he said, "Since you are the Christ, you should save yourself and us!" BSB BSB: One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”
40 UDB But the other criminal stopped him from speaking, saying, "You should be afraid that God is punishing you for what you did! You are under the sentence of death, just like this man is. BSB BSB: But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?
41 UDB We two deserve to die. They are punishing us as we deserve for the evil things that we did. But this man has done nothing wrong!" BSB BSB: We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
The Death of Jesus (Psalm 31:1–24; Matthew 27:45–56; Mark 15:33–41; John 19:28–30)
44 UDB By that time it was about noontime. But it became dark over all the land until three o'clock in the afternoon. BSB BSB: It was now about the sixth hour, and darkness came over all the land until the ninth hour.
45 UDB There was no light from the sun. And the thick curtain that closed off the most holy place in the temple split into two pieces. BSB BSB: The sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
46 UDB When that happened, Jesus shouted loudly, "Father, I put my spirit into your care!" After he said that, he stopped breathing and died. BSB BSB: Then Jesus called out in a loud voice, “Father, into Your hands I commit My Spirit.” And when He had said this, He breathed His last.
47 UDB When the centurion who was over the soldiers saw what happened, he said, "Indeed, this man has done nothing wrong!" What he said honored God. BSB BSB: When the centurion saw what had happened, he gave glory to God, saying, “Surely this was a righteous man.”
48 UDB When the crowd of people who had gathered to see these men die saw what actually happened, they returned to their homes, hitting their own chests to show that they were sorrowful. BSB BSB: And when all the people who had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home beating their breasts.
49 UDB All of Jesus's acquaintances, including the women who had come with him from the region of Galilee, stood at a little distance away and watched everything happen. BSB BSB: But all those who knew Jesus, including the women who had followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance watching these things.
The Burial of Jesus (Isaiah 53:9–12; Matthew 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; John 19:38–42)
50 UDB Now there was a man named Joseph, from Arimathea, a Jewish town. He was a good and a righteous man, and he was a member of the Jewish council. He saw everything happen, but he had not agreed with the other council members when they decided to kill Jesus and when they did it. He was waiting eagerly for the time when God would send his king to begin to rule. BSB BSB: Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man,
52 UDB Joseph went to Pilate and asked Pilate to permit him to take Jesus's body to bury it. Pilate gave him permission, BSB BSB: He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus.
53 UDB so he took Jesus's body down from the cross. He wrapped it in a linen cloth. Then he put his body in a burial chamber that someone had cut in a rock cliff. No one had ever put a body in it before. BSB BSB: Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid.
54 UDB It was the day when people got ready for the Jewish day of rest called the Sabbath. It was soon going to be sunset, the start of the Sabbath. BSB BSB: It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning.
55 UDB The women who had come with Jesus from the district of Galilee followed Joseph and the men who were with him. They saw the burial chamber, and they saw how the men laid Jesus's body inside it. BSB BSB: The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how His body was placed.
56 UDB Then the women went back to where they were staying in order to get spices and ointments to put on Jesus's body. However, they did no work on the Sabbath, just as the Jewish law required. BSB BSB: Then they returned to prepare spices and perfumes. And they rested on the Sabbath, according to the commandment.