[23:3] Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?"
He answered him, "So you say."
[23:4] Pilate said to the chief priests and the multitudes, "I find no basis for a charge against this man."
[23:5] But they insisted, saying, "He stirs up the people, teaching throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee even to this place." [23:6] But when Pilate heard Galilee mentioned, he asked if the man was a Galilean. [23:7] When he found out that he was in Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem during those days.
[23:8] Now when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad, for he had wanted to see him for a long time, because he had heard many things about him. He hoped to see some miracle done by him. [23:9] He questioned him with many words, but he gave no answers. [23:10] The chief priests and the scribes stood, vehemently accusing him. [23:11] Herod with his soldiers humiliated him and mocked him. Dressing him in luxurious clothing, they sent him back to Pilate. [23:12] Herod and Pilate became friends with each other that very day, for before that they were enemies with each other.
[23:13] Pilate called together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, [23:14] and said to them, "You brought this man to me as one that perverts the people, and see, I have examined him before you, and found no basis for a charge against this man concerning those things of which you accuse him. [23:15] Neither has Herod, for I sent you to him, and see, nothing worthy of death has been done by him. [23:16] I will therefore chastise him and release him."
[23:17] Now he had to release one prisoner to them at the feast. [23:18] But they all cried out together, saying, "Away with this man! Release to us Barabbas!"-- [23:19] one who was thrown into prison for a certain revolt in the city, and for murder.
[23:20] Then Pilate spoke to them again, wanting to release Jesus, [23:21] but they shouted, saying, "Crucify! Crucify him!"
[23:22] He said to them the third time, "Why? What evil has this man done? I have found no capital crime in him. I will therefore chastise him and release him." [23:23] But they were urgent with loud voices, asking that he might be crucified. Their voices and the voices of the chief priests prevailed. [23:24] Pilate decreed that what they asked for should be done. [23:25] He released him who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, for whom they asked, but he delivered Jesus up to their will.
[23:26] When they led him away, they grabbed one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country, and laid on him the cross, to carry it after Jesus. [23:27] A great multitude of the people followed him, including women who also mourned and lamented him. [23:28] But Jesus, turning to them, said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. [23:29] For behold, the days are coming in which they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' [23:30] Then they will begin to tell the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and tell the hills, 'Cover us.'[*] [23:31] For if they do these things in the green tree, what will be done in the dry?"