1. Early in the morning, the chief priests, the elders and the teachers of the Law (that is, the whole Council or Sanhedrin) had their plan ready. They put Jesus in chains, led him away and handed him over to Pilate.

2. Pilate asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus answered, "You say so."

3. As the chief priests accused Jesus of many things,

4. Pilate asked him again, "Have you no answer at all? See how many charges they bring against you."

5. But Jesus gave no further answers, so that Pilate wondered.

6. At every Passover festival, Pilate used to free any prisoner the people asked for.

7. Now there was a man called Barabbas, jailed with the rioters who had committed murder in the uprising.

8. When the crowd went up to ask Pilate the usual favor,

9. he said to them, "Do you want me to set free the King of the Jews?"

10. For he realized that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him out of envy.

11. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to ask instead for the release of Barabbas.

12. Pilate replied, "And what shall I do with the man you call King of the Jews?"

13. The crowd shouted back, "Crucify him!"

14. Pilate asked, "What evil has he done?" But they shouted the louder, "Crucify him!"

15. As Pilate wanted to please the people, he freed Barabbas and after the flogging of Jesus had him handed over to be crucified.

16. The soldiers took him inside the courtyard known as the praetorium and called the rest of their companions.

17. They clothed him in a purple cloak and twisting a crown of thorns, they forced it onto his head.

18. Then they began saluting him, "Long life to the King of the Jews!"

19. With a stick they gave him blows on the head and spat on him; then they knelt down pretending to worship him.

20. When they had finished mocking him, they pulled off the purple cloak and put his own clothes on him. The soldiers led him out of the city to crucify him.

21. On the way they met Simon of Cyrene, father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the country, and forced him to carry the cross of Jesus.

22. When they had led him to the place called Golgotha, which means the Skull,

23. they offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he would not take it.

24. Then they nailed him to the cross and divided his clothes among themselves, casting lots to decide what each should take.

25. It was about nine o'clock in the morning when they crucified him.

26. The statement of his offense was displayed above his head and it read, "The King of the Jews."

27. They also crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.

29. People passing by laughed at him, shook their head and jeered, "Aha! So you are able to tear down the Temple and build it up again in three days.

30. Now save yourself and come down from the cross!"

31. In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the Law mocked him saying to one another, "The man who saved others cannot save himself.

32. Let's see the Messiah, the king of Israel, come down from his cross and then we will believe in him." Even the men who were crucified with Jesus insulted him.

33. When noon came, darkness fell over the whole land and lasted until three o'clock;

34. and at three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabachthani?" which means "My God, my God, why have you deserted me?"

35. As soon as they heard these words, some of the bystanders said, "Listen! He is calling for Elijah."

36. And one of them went quickly to fill a sponge with bitter wine and, putting it on a reed, gave him to drink saying, "Now let's see whether Elijah comes to take him down."

37. But Jesus uttered a loud cry and gave up his spirit.

38. And immediately the curtain which enclosed the Temple sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.

39. The captain who was standing in front of him saw how Jesus died and heard the cry he gave; and he said, "Truly, this man was the Son of God."

40. There were also some women watching from a distance; among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and Joset, and Salome,

41. who had followed Jesus when he was in Galilee and saw to his needs. There were also others who had come up with him to Jerusalem.

42. It was now evening and as it was Preparation Day, that is the day before the sabbath,

43. Joseph of Arimathea boldly went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Joseph was a respected member of the Council who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God.

44. Pilate was surprised that Jesus should have died so soon; so he summoned the captain and inquired if Jesus was already dead.

45. After hearing the captain, he let Joseph have the body.

46. Joseph took it down and wrapped it in the linen sheet he had bought. He laid the body in a tomb which had been cut out of the rock and rolled a stone across the entrance to the tomb.

47. Now Mary of Magdala and Mary the mother of Joset took note of where the body had been laid.





“Desapegue-se daquilo que não é de Deus e não leva a Deus”. São Padre Pio de Pietrelcina