Good Friday

Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest's house . . . began to mock and beat Jesus. They kept heaping many insults on him.

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. . . Pilate asked him,
"Are you the king of the Jews?"
He answered,
"You say so."

Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
"I find nothing against this man."
But they were insistent and said,
"He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place."

When Pilate heard this, he sent him off to Herod, who was in Jerusalem at that time.
When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate.

Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders and the people, and said to them,
"You brought me this man . . . and I have not found this man guilty of any your charges laid against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged and release him."

Then they all shouted together,
"Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!"
Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!"


A third time he said to them,
"Why, what evil has he done?"
But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.

So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand be granted. H released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for revolting and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. . .

Two other also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called the Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. . . there was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews"

One of the criminals who were crucified with him kept mocking him saying,
“Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!"

But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? We indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong.

Then, turning to Jesus, he said,
"Remember me when you come into your kingdom."

He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the suns's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. They Jesus, crying out in a loud voice, said
"Father, into your hands I commend my spirit."

Having said this, he breathed his last. And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts.