Previous Chapter Full Page Full Page Next Chapter

Luke 23 :: New King James Version (NKJV)

Jesus Handed Over to Pontius Pilate
Jesus Is Tried and Crucified
(Matt. 27:1, 2, 11–14; Mark 15:1–5; John 18:28–38 )

Luk 23:1

Luk 23:1Then the whole multitude of them arose and led Him to Pilate.

Luk 23:2

Luk 23:2And they began to accuse Him, saying, “We found this fellow perverting the[fn] nation, and forbidding to pay taxes to Caesar, saying that He Himself is Christ, a King.”

Luk 23:3

Luk 23:3Then Pilate asked Him, saying, “Are You the King of the Jews?” He answered him and said, “It is as you say.”

Luk 23:4

Luk 23:4So Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowd, “I find no fault in this Man.”

Luk 23:5

Luk 23:5But they were the more fierce, saying, “He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee to this place.”
Jesus Faces Herod

Luk 23:6

Luk 23:6When Pilate heard of Galilee,[fn] he asked if the Man were a Galilean.

Luk 23:7

Luk 23:7And as soon as he knew that He belonged to Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time.

Luk 23:8

Luk 23:8Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad; for he had desired for a long time to see Him, because he had heard many things about Him, and he hoped to see some miracle done by Him.

Luk 23:9

Luk 23:9Then he questioned Him with many words, but He answered him nothing.

Luk 23:10

Luk 23:10And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused Him.

Luk 23:11

Luk 23:11Then Herod, with his men of war, treated Him with contempt and mocked Him, arrayed Him in a gorgeous robe, and sent Him back to Pilate.

Luk 23:12

Luk 23:12That very day Pilate and Herod became friends with each other, for previously they had been at enmity with each other.
Taking the Place of Barabbas
(Matt. 27:15–26; Mark 15:6–15; John 18:38—19:16 )

Luk 23:13

Luk 23:13Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people,

Luk 23:14

Luk 23:14said to them, “You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him;

Luk 23:15

Luk 23:15“no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him;[fn] and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him.

Luk 23:16

Luk 23:16“I will therefore chastise Him and release Him”

Luk 23:17

Luk 23:17(for it was necessary for him to release one to them at the feast).[fn]

Luk 23:18

Luk 23:18And they all cried out at once, saying, “Away with this Man, and release to us Barabbas”—

Luk 23:19

Luk 23:19who had been thrown into prison for a certain rebellion made in the city, and for murder.

Luk 23:20

Luk 23:20Pilate, therefore, wishing to release Jesus, again called out to them.

Luk 23:21

Luk 23:21But they shouted, saying, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!”

Luk 23:22

Luk 23:22Then he said to them the third time, “Why, what evil has He done? I have found no reason for death in Him. I will therefore chastise Him and let Him go.”

Luk 23:23

Luk 23:23But they were insistent, demanding with loud voices that He be crucified. And the voices of these men and of the chief priests prevailed.[fn]

Luk 23:24

Luk 23:24So Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they requested.

Luk 23:25

Luk 23:25And he released to them[fn] the one they requested, who for rebellion and murder had been thrown into prison; but he delivered Jesus to their will.

Luk 23:26

Luk 23:26Now as they led Him away, they laid hold of a certain man, Simon a Cyrenian, who was coming from the country, and on him they laid the cross that he might bear it after Jesus.

Luk 23:27

Luk 23:27And a great multitude of the people followed Him, and women who also mourned and lamented Him.

Luk 23:28

Luk 23:28But Jesus, turning to them, said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.

Luk 23:29

Luk 23:29“For indeed the days are coming in which they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, wombs that never bore, and breasts which never nursed!’

Luk 23:30

Luk 23:30“Then they will begin ‘to say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!” ’[fn]

Luk 23:31

Luk 23:31“For if they do these things in the green wood, what will be done in the dry?”

Luk 23:32

Luk 23:32There were also two others, criminals, led with Him to be put to death.

Luk 23:33

Luk 23:33And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.

Luk 23:34

Luk 23:34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”[fn] And they divided His garments and cast lots.

Luk 23:35

Luk 23:35And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God.”

Luk 23:36

Luk 23:36The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him sour wine,

Luk 23:37

Luk 23:37and saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

Luk 23:38

Luk 23:38And an inscription also was written over Him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew:[fn]

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

Luk 23:39

Luk 23:39Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ,[fn] save Yourself and us.”

Luk 23:40

Luk 23:40But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation?

Luk 23:41

Luk 23:41“And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong.”

Luk 23:42

Luk 23:42Then he said to Jesus, “Lord,[fn] remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Luk 23:43

Luk 23:43And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Jesus Dies on the Cross
(Matt. 27:45–56; Mark 15:33–41; John 19:25–30 )

Luk 23:44

Luk 23:44Now it was[fn] about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

Luk 23:45

Luk 23:45Then the sun was darkened,[fn] and the veil of the temple was torn in two.

Luk 23:46

Luk 23:46And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’ ”[fn] Having said this, He breathed His last.

Luk 23:47

Luk 23:47So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, “Certainly this was a righteous Man!”

Luk 23:48

Luk 23:48And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned.

Luk 23:49

Luk 23:49But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee, stood at a distance, watching these things.
Jesus Buried in Joseph’s Tomb
(Matt. 27:57–61; Mark 15:42–47; John 19:38–42 )

Luk 23:50

Luk 23:50Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man.

Luk 23:51

Luk 23:51He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting[fn] for the kingdom of God.

Luk 23:52

Luk 23:52This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.

Luk 23:53

Luk 23:53Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before.

Luk 23:54

Luk 23:54That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near.

Luk 23:55

Luk 23:55And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid.

Luk 23:56

Luk 23:56Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.
See the NKJV Preface (Especially for Parenthesis, Brackets, & Asterisks).
NKJV Footnotes
NU-Text reads our.
NU-Text omits of Galilee.
NU-Text reads for he sent Him back to us.
NU-Text omits verse 17.
NU-Text omits and of the chief priests.
NU-Text and M-Text omit to them.
NU-Text brackets the first sentence as a later addition.
NU-Text omits written and in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew.
NU-Text reads Are You not the Christ?
NU-Text reads And he said, “Jesus, remember me.
NU-Text adds already.
NU-Text reads obscured.
NU-Text reads who was waiting.
Translation Copyright Logo

New King James Version, © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

The text of the New King James Version (NKJV) appearing on or deriving from this or any other web page is for personal use only. Any other use of the NKJV must be in conformity with the Quotation Policy for the New King James Version. For more information about the New King James Version, the Quotation Policy, and for inquiries about permission to use the New King James Version, go to Thomas Nelson, Inc..

For more information on this translation, see the NKJV Preface.

Luke Chapter 23 — Additional Translations:

King James Version New Living Translation New International Version English Standard Version Christian Standard Bible New American Standard Bible 2020 New American Standard Bible 1995 Legacy Standard Bible Amplified Bible New English Translation Revised Standard Version American Standard Version Young's Literal Translation Darby Translation Webster's Bible Hebrew Names Version Latin Vulgate Morphological Greek New Testament Textus Receptus Smith Van Dyck Arabic Bible Open New Arabic Version Reina Valera 1909 Reina-Valera 1960 Bible in Basic English Chinese Traditional Union Espanol Moderno Korean Holy Bible Louis Segond German Luther Russian Synodal Translation Sagradas Escrituras