¹⁵ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged,^(A) and handed him over to be crucified.

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(B)

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(C) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^{(D) 19} Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(E) to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(F)

²¹ A certain man from Cyrene,^(G) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(H) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(I) 22} They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”).

²⁰ Wanting to release Jesus, Pilate appealed to them again. ²¹ But they kept shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”

²² For the third time he spoke to them: “Why? What crime has this man committed? I have found in him no grounds for the death penalty. Therefore I will have him punished and then release him.”^(A)

²³ But with loud shouts they insistently demanded that he be crucified, and their shouts prevailed. ²⁴ So Pilate decided to grant their demand. ²⁵ He released the man who had been thrown into prison for insurrection and murder, the one they asked for, and surrendered Jesus to their will.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(B)

²⁶ As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene,^(C) who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.^{(D) 27} A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed^(E) for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.^{(F) 29} For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’^{(G) 30} Then

³¹ For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”^(I)