Pilate Delivers Jesus to Be Crucified

18 ^aBut they all cried out together, ^b“Away with this man, and release to us Barabbas”—

19 a man who had been thrown into prison for an insurrection started in the city and ^cfor murder. 20 Pilate addressed them once more, desiring to release Jesus, 21 but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!” 22 A third time he said to them, “Why? ^dWhat evil has he done? ^eI have found in him no guilt deserving death. ^fI will therefore punish and release him.” 23 But they were urgent, demanding with loud cries that he should be crucified. And their voices prevailed. 24 So Pilate decided that their demand should be granted. 25 He released the man who had been thrown into prison ^gfor insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, ^hbut he delivered Jesus over to their will.

The Crucifixion

26 ⁱAnd as they led him away, they seized one Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it behind Jesus. 27 And there followed him a great multitude of the people and of women who were ^jmourning and lamenting for him. 28 But turning to them Jesus said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. 29 For behold, ^kthe days are coming when they will say, ^l‘Blessed are the barren and the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’ 30 ^mThen they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ 31 For ⁿif they do these things when ^othe wood is green, what will happen ^owhen it is dry?”

32 ^pTwo others, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. 33 ^qAnd when they came to the place that is called The Skull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, ^pone on his right and one on his left. 34 And Jesus said, “Father, ^rforgive them, ^sfor they know not what they do.”¹ And they cast lots ^tto divide his garments. 35 And ^uthe people stood by, watching, ^vbut ^wthe rulers ^xscoffed at him, saying, ^y“He saved others; ^zlet him save himself, ^aif he is ^bthe Christ of God, ^chis Chosen One!” 36 The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and ^doffering him sour wine 37 and saying, ^e“If you are ^fthe King of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 ^gThere was also an inscription over him,² “This is ^fthe King of the Jews.”

39 ^hOne of the criminals who were hanged ⁱrailed at him,³ saying, “Are you not ^jthe Christ? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 And he said, “Jesus, remember me ^kwhen you come into your kingdom.” 43 And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in ^lparadise.”