Luke 23 - Easy To Read Version

¹ Then the whole group stood up and led Jesus to Pilate. {\cf2\super [368]}

² They began to accuse Jesus. They told Pilate, “We caught this man trying to change the thinking of our people. He says we should not pay taxes to Caesar. {\cf2\super [369]} He calls himself the Christ, {\cf2\super [370]} a king.”

³ Pilate asked Jesus, “Are you the king of the Jews?”

⁴ Pilate said to the leading priests and the people, “I find nothing wrong with this man.”

⁵ They said again and again, “But Jesus is making trouble with the people! He teaches all around Judea. He began in Galilee, and now he is here!”

⁶ Pilate heard this and asked if Jesus was from Galilee.

⁷ Pilate learned that Jesus was under Herod’s {\cf2\super [371]} authority. Herod was in Jerusalem at that time, so Pilate sent Jesus to him.

⁸ When Herod saw Jesus, he was very happy. Herod had heard all about Jesus. So he had wanted to meet Jesus for a long time. Herod wanted to see a miracle. {\cf2\super [372]} So he hoped that Jesus would do a miracle.

⁹ Herod asked Jesus many questions, but Jesus said nothing.

¹⁰ The leading priests and teachers of the law were standing there. They were shouting things against Jesus.

¹¹ Then Herod and his soldiers laughed at Jesus. They made fun of Jesus by dressing him in clothes like kings wear. Then Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate.

¹² In the past, Pilate and Herod had always been enemies. But on that day Herod and Pilate became friends.

¹³ Pilate called all the people together with the leading priests and the \{Jewish\} leaders.

¹⁴ Pilate said to them, “You brought this man (Jesus) to me. You said that he was trying to change the people. But I judged him before you all. I found no wrong that he had done. Jesus is not guilty of the things you say.

¹⁵ Also, Herod {\cf2\super [373]} found nothing wrong with him; Herod sent Jesus back to us. Look, Jesus has done nothing wrong. He should not be killed.

¹⁶ So, after I punish him a little, I will let him go free.”

¹⁷ {\cf2\super [374]}

¹⁸ But all the people shouted, “Kill him! Let Barabbas go free!”

¹⁹ (Barabbas was a man that was in jail because he started a riot in the city. He had also killed some people.)

²⁰ Pilate wanted to let Jesus go free. So again Pilate told them that he would let Jesus go.

²¹ But they shouted again, “Kill him! Kill him on a cross!”

²² A third time Pilate said to the people, “Why? What wrong has he done? He is not guilty. I can find no reason to kill him. So I will let him go free after I punish him a little.”

²³ But the people continued to shout. They demanded that Jesus be killed on the cross. Their shouting became so loud that

²⁴ Pilate decided to give them what they wanted.

²⁵ The people wanted Barabbas to go free. Barabbas was in jail for starting a riot and for killing people. Pilate let Barabbas go free. And Pilate gave Jesus to the people to be killed. This is what the people wanted.

²⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away \{to be killed\}. At that same time, there was a man coming into the city from the fields. His name was Simon. Simon was from the city of Cyrene. The soldiers forced Simon to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind Jesus.

²⁷ Many, many people followed Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying. They felt sorry for Jesus.

²⁸ But Jesus turned and said to the women, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children too!

²⁹ The time is coming when people will say, ‘Happy are the women that cannot have babies! Happy are the women that have no children to care for.’

³⁰ Then the people will say to the mountain, ‘Fall on us!’ The people will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ {\cf2\super [375]}

³¹ If people act like this now when life is good, what will happen when bad times come? {\cf2\super [376]} ”

³² There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed.

³³ Jesus and the two criminals were led to a place called “The Skull.” There the soldiers nailed Jesus to his cross. They also nailed the criminals to their crosses. They put one criminal beside Jesus on the right, and they put the other criminal beside Jesus on the left.

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive these people \{that are killing me\}. They don’t know what they are doing. {\cf2\super [377]} ”

³⁵ The people stood there watching \{Jesus\}. The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus. They said, “If he is God’s Chosen One, the Christ, {\cf2\super [378]} then let him save himself. He saved other people, didn’t he?”

³⁶ Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and teased him. They came to Jesus and offered him some wine.

³⁷ The soldiers said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!”

³⁸ (At the top of the cross these words were written: “THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.”)

³⁹ One of the criminals began to shout very bad things at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Christ {\cf2\super [379]} ? Then save yourself! And save us too!”

⁴⁰ But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “You should fear God! All of us will die soon!

⁴¹ You and I are guilty; we should be killed because we did wrong. But this man (Jesus) has done nothing wrong!”

⁴² Then this criminal said to Jesus, “Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king!”

⁴³ Then Jesus said to him, “Listen! What I say is true: Today you will be with me in Paradise {\cf2\super [380]} !”

⁴⁴ It was about noon, but the whole area became dark until three o’clock in the afternoon.

⁴⁵ There was no sun! The curtain in the temple {\cf2\super [381]} was torn into two pieces.

⁴⁶ Jesus shouted, “Father, I give you my life.” {\cf2\super [382]} After Jesus said this, he died.

⁴⁷ The army officer {\cf2\super [383]} there saw what happened. He praised God, saying, “I know this man was a good man!”

⁴⁸ Many people had come out of the city to see this thing. When the people saw it, they felt very sorry and left.

^49-51 The people who were close friends of Jesus were there. Also, there were some women that had followed Jesus from Galilee. They all stood far away from the cross and watched these things.

⁵² Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. \{Pilate let Joseph have the body.\}

⁵³ So Joseph took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put Jesus’ body in a tomb (grave) that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before.

⁵⁴ This was late on Preparation day. {\cf2\super [384]} When the sun went down, the Sabbath day {\cf2\super [385]} would begin.

⁵⁵ The women that had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where the body of Jesus was put.

⁵⁶ Then the women left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices \{to put on Jesus’ body\}.