Study Desk

Then Jesus, because he knew all the things that were coming upon him, went out and said to them, "Who are you looking for?"

Then he asked them again, "Who are you looking for?" And they said, "Jesus the Nazarene."

Jesus replied, "I said to you that I am he! So if you are looking for me, let these men go,"

and brought him to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year.

(Now it was Caiaphas who had advised the Jews that it was better that one man die for the people.)

So Pilate said to them, "You take him and judge him according to your law!" The Jews said to him, "It is not permitted for us to kill anyone,"

Then Pilate said to him, "So then you are a king!" Jesus replied, "You say that I am a king. For this reason I was born, and for this reason I have come into the world: in order that I can testify to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice."

Pilate said to him, "What is truth?" And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, "I find no basis for an accusation against him.

But it is your custom that I release for you one prisoner at the Passover. So do you want me to release for you the king of the Jews?"

And Pilate came outside again and said to them, "Behold, I am bringing him outside to you, so that you will know that I find no basis for an accusation against him."

So when they saw him, the chief priests and the officers shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify!" Pilate said to them, "You take him and crucify him! For I do not find a basis for an accusation against him."

Jesus replied to him, "You would not have any authority over me unless it was given to you from above. For this reason the one who handed me over to you has greater sin."

and carrying for himself the cross, he went out to the place called The Place of a Skull (which is called Golgotha in Aramaic),

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his clothing and made four shares—for each soldier a share—and the tunic. (Now the tunic was seamless, woven from the top in a single piece.)

So they said to one another, "Let us not tear it apart, but cast lots for it, to see whose it will be," so that the scripture would be fulfilled that says, "They divided my garments among themselves, and for my clothing they cast lots." Thus the soldiers did these things.

Then the Jews, because it was the day of preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was an important day), asked Pilate that their legs could be broken and they could be taken away.

For these things happened in order that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not a bone of his will be broken."

And after these things, Joseph who was from Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but a secret one for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. And Pilate allowed it, so he came and took away his body.

So they took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in strips of linen cloth with the fragrant spices, as is the Jews' custom to prepare for burial.

(For they did not yet know the scripture that it was necessary for him to rise from the dead.)