Chapter 15

   At earliest dawn, after the High Priests had held a consultation with the Elders and Scribes, they and the entire Sanhedrin bound Jesus and took Him away and handed Him over to Pilate.  

   So Pilate questioned Him. 'Are *you* the King of the Jews?' he asked. 'I am,' replied Jesus.  

   Then, as the High Priests went on heaping accusations on Him,  

   Pilate again and again asked Him, 'Do you make no reply? Listen to the many charges they are bringing against you.'  

   But Jesus made no further answer: so that Pilate wondered.  

   Now at the Festival it was customary for Pilate to release to the Jews any one prisoner whom they might beg off from punishment;  

   and at this time a man named Barabbas was in prison among the insurgents--persons who in the insurrection had committed murder.  

   So the people came crowding up, asking Pilate to grant them the usual favour.  

   'Shall I release for you the King of the Jews?' answered Pilate.  

   For he could see that it was out of sheer spite that the High Priests had handed Him over.  

   But the High Priests urged on the crowd to obtain Barabbas's release in preference;  

   and when Pilate again asked them, 'What then shall I do to the man you call King of the Jews?'  

   they once more shouted out, 'Crucify Him!'  

   'Why, what crime has he committed?' asked Pilate. But they vehemently shouted, 'Crucify Him!'  

   So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the mob, released Barabbas for them, and after scourging Jesus handed Him over for crucifixion.  

   Then the soldiers led Him away into the court of the Palace (the Praetorium), and calling together the whole battalion  

   they arrayed Him in crimson, placed on His head a wreath of thorny twigs which they had twisted,  

   and went on to salute Him with shouts of 'Long live the King of the Jews.'  

   Then they began to beat Him on the head with a cane, to spit on Him, and to do Him homage on bended knees.  

   At last, having finished their sport, they took the robe off Him, put His own clothes on Him, and led Him out to crucify Him.  

   One Simon, a Cyrenaean, the father of Alexander and Rufus, was passing along, coming from the country: him they compelled to carry His cross.  

   So they brought Him to the place called Golgotha, which, being translated, means 'Skull-ground.'  

   Here they offered Him wine mixed with myrrh; but He refused it.  

   Then they crucified Him. This done, they divided His garments among them, drawing lots to decide what each should take.  

   It was nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified Him.  

   Over His head was the notice in writing of the charge against Him: THE KING OF THE JEWS.  

   And together with Jesus they crucified two robbers, one at His right hand and one at His left.  

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   And all the passers-by reviled Him. They shook their heads at Him and said, 'Ah! you who were for destroying the Sanctuary and building a new one in three days,  

   come down from the cross and save yourself.'  

   In the same way the High Priests also, as well as the Scribes, kept on scoffing at Him, saying to one another, 'He has saved others: himself he cannot save!  

   This Christ, the King of Israel, let him come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.' Even the men who were being crucified with Him heaped insults on Him.  

   At noon there came a darkness over the whole land, lasting till three o'clock in the afternoon.  

   But at three o'clock Jesus cried out with a loud voice, 'Elohi, Elohi, lama sabachthani?' which means, 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken me?'  

   Some of the bystanders, hearing Him, said, 'Listen, he is calling for Elijah!'  

   Then a man ran to fill a sponge with sour wine, and he put it on the end of a cane and placed it to His lips, saying at the same time, 'Wait! let us see whether Elijah will come and take him down.'  

   But Jesus uttered a loud cry and yielded up His spirit.  

   And the curtain in the Sanctuary was torn in two, from top to bottom.  

   And when the Centurion who stood in front of the cross saw that He was dead, he exclaimed, 'This man was indeed God's Son.'  

   There were also a party of women looking on from a distance; among them being both Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of James the Little and of Joses, and Salome--  

   all of whom in the Galilaean days had habitually been with Him and cared for Him, as well as many other women who had come up to Jerusalem with Him.  

   Towards sunset, as it was the Preparation--that is, the day preceding the Sabbath--  

   Joseph of Arimathaea came, a highly respected member of the Council, who himself also was living in expectation of the Kingdom of God. He summoned up courage to go in to see Pilate and beg for the body of Jesus.  

   But Pilate could hardly believe that He was already dead. He called, however, for the Centurion and inquired whether He had been long dead;  

   and having ascertained the fact he granted the body to Joseph.  

   He, having bought a sheet of linen, took Him down, wrapped Him in the sheet and laid Him in a tomb hewn in the rock; after which he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.  

   Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Joses were looking on to see where He was put.