Chapter 23

¹And the whole multitude of them rising up, led him to Pilate. ²And they began to accuse him, saying: We have found this man perverting our nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, and saying that he is Christ the king. ³And Pilate asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, said: Thou sayest it. ⁴And Pilate said to the chief priests and to the multitudes: I find no cause in this man. ⁵But they were more earnest, saying: He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place. ⁶But Pilate hearing Galilee, asked if the man were of Galilee? ⁷And when he understood that he was of Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him away to Herod, who was also himself at Jerusalem, in those days. ⁸And Herod, seeing Jesus, was very glad; for he was desirous of a long time to see him, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped to see some sign wrought by him. ⁹And he questioned him in many words. But he answered him nothing. ¹⁰And the chief priests and the scribes stood by, earnestly accusing him. ¹¹And Herod with his army set him at nought, and mocked him, putting on him a white garment, and sent him back to Pilate. ¹²And Herod and Pilate were made friends, that same day; for before they were enemies one to another. ¹³And Pilate, calling together the chief priests, and the magistrates, and the people, ¹⁴Said to them: You have presented unto me this man, as one that perverteth the people; and behold I, having examined him before you, find no cause in this man, in those things wherein you accuse him. ¹⁵No, nor Herod neither. For I sent you to him, and behold, nothing worthy of death is done to him. ¹⁶I will chastise him therefore, and release him. ¹⁷Now of necessity he was to release unto them one upon the feast day. ¹⁸But the whole multitude together cried out, saying: Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: ¹⁹Who, for a certain sedition made in the city, and for a murder, was cast into prison. ²⁰And Pilate again spoke to them, desiring to release Jesus. ²¹But they cried again, saying: Crucify him, crucify him. ²²And he said to them the third time: Why, what evil hath this man done? I find no cause of death in him. I will chastise him therefore, and let him go. ²³But they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified; and their voices prevailed. ²⁴And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. ²⁵And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition, had been cast into prison, whom they had desired; but Jesus he delivered up to their will. ²⁶And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus. ²⁷And there followed him a great multitude of people, and of women, who bewailed and lamented him. ²⁸But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves, and for your children. ²⁹For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that have not borne, and the paps that have not given suck. ³⁰Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us; and to the hills: Cover us. ³¹For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry? ³²And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death. ³³And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there; and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. ³⁴And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots. ³⁵And the people stood beholding, and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God. ³⁶And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, ³⁷And saying: If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. ³⁸And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. ³⁹And one of those robbers who were hanged, blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. ⁴⁰But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing thou art condemned under the same condemnation? ⁴¹And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done no evil. ⁴²And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom. ⁴³And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, this day thou shalt be with me in paradise. ⁴⁴And it was almost the sixth hour; and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. ⁴⁵And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. ⁴⁶And Jesus crying out with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost. ⁴⁷Now the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man. ⁴⁸And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight, and saw the things that were done, returned striking their breasts. ⁴⁹And all his acquaintance, and the women that had followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things. ⁵⁰And behold there was a man named Joseph, who was a counsellor, a good and just man, ⁵¹(The same had not consented to their counsel and doings;) of Arimathea, a city of Judea; who also himself looked for the kingdom of God. ⁵²This man went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. ⁵³And taking him down, he wrapped him in fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre that was hewed in stone, wherein never yet any man had been laid. ⁵⁴And it was the day of the Parasceve, and the sabbath drew on. ⁵⁵And the women that were come with him from Galilee, following after, saw the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. ⁵⁶And returning, they prepared spices and ointments; and on the sabbath day they rested, according to the commandment.