Next Jesus prayed at the Mount of Olives. He asked them to avoid temptations. However, he wanted the will of his Father done. An angel from heaven appeared as Jesus was sweating blood. Meanwhile, his disciples were sleeping. He told them to get up and pray.
Jesus was arrested, as Judas with a crowd arrived. Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Should they strike back? Someone cut off an ear of a Temple servant, but Jesus healed his ear. He asked why they came out against him like he was a robber, when he had been teaching daily in the Temple. Then they seized Jesus.
Meanwhile, Peter was in the courtyard when someone said that he had been with Jesus. However, Peter denied it three times. Then Jesus looked at Peter and Peter wept bitterly.
Jesus was brought before the Council. They mocked Jesus, as they asked him who struck him. They reviled Jesus. The council assembly said that Jesus was a non-believer. He gave no answer until he said that he was the Son of Man and the Son of God. Thus, they said that they had heard it themselves.
Jesus was brought before Pilate because he had said that he was a king, the King of the Jews. Pilate spoke to Jesus, since Jesus had stirred up the people. When Pilate heard that he was a Galilean, he sent Jesus to Herod. Herod was happy to meet Jesus. He questioned him, but Jesus gave no answers. The chief priests and the Scribes were angry. Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate and he and Pilate became new friends, even though they had been enemies beforehand.
Pilate called the chief priests and said that Jesus was not guilty, so that there was no need for the death penalty. He was going to release Jesus. However, he had the obligation to release someone at Passover. The crowd said that they wanted Barabbas, an insurrectionist murderer. Pilate wanted to release Jesus, but the crowds wanted to crucify him. Pilate said that he would release Jesus, but the loud cries of the crowd prevailed. Pilate finally agreed. He released Barabbas.
Simon of Cyrene was asked to carry the cross for Jesus. The women followers of Jesus were weeping. Jesus told them to weep for themselves. They would say Blessed are the barren! Let the mountains fall on us! Two other criminals were crucified with Jesus. One asked for forgiveness, but the other scoffed at Jesus. The soldiers offered vinegar. There was a dispute about the Greek inscription, since it said that this is the King of the Jews. One criminal said that Jesus should save himself and the other two criminals. The other criminal said that Jesus was innocent. He wanted to be remembered by Jesus. Jesus responded that today he would be with him in paradise.
After three hours of darkness, Jesus died. The Temple curtain was cut in half. The Roman centurion said that he was an innocent man. Many were beating their breasts, standing at a distance.
Joseph of Arimathea, who was looking for the kingdom of God asked for the body of Jesus. He put the body of Jesus in the tomb before the Sabbath. The women were watching, but they rested on the Sabbath.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 