3. The chief priests brought many charges against Jesus.
4. Then Pilate questioned him again, “Don't you have anything to say? Don't you hear what crimes they say you have done?”
5. But Jesus did not answer, and Pilate was amazed.
6. During Passover, Pilate always freed one prisoner chosen by the people.
7. And at that time there was a prisoner named Barabbas. He and some others had been arrested for murder during a riot.
8. The crowd now came and asked Pilate to set a prisoner free, just as he usually did.
9. Pilate asked them, “Do you want me to free the king of the Jews?”
27-28. The soldiers also nailed two criminals on crosses, one to the right of Jesus and the other to his left.
29. People who passed by said terrible things about Jesus. They shook their heads and shouted, “Ha! So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days.
30. Save yourself and come down from the cross!”
31. The chief priests and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said to each other, “He saved others, but he can't save himself.
32. If he is the Messiah, the king of Israel, let him come down from the cross! Then we will see and believe.” The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.
33. About midday the sky turned dark and stayed that way until around three o'clock.
34. Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”
35. Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He is calling for Elijah.”
36. One of them ran and grabbed a sponge. After he had soaked it in wine, he put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus. He said, “Let's wait and see if Elijah will come and take him down!”
37. Jesus shouted and then died.