The chief priests took Jesus to the governor’s palace. Pilate asked them: ‘What accusation do you have against this man?’ They said: ‘He claims to be a king!’ Pilate asked Jesus: “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus replied: “My Kingdom is no part of this world.”

Then Pilate sent Jesus to Herod, the ruler of Galilee, to see if he could find anything against him. Herod could not find anything wrong with Jesus and sent him back to Pilate. Then Pilate told the people: ‘Neither Herod nor I find anything against this man. I will set him free.’ The crowd shouted: ‘Kill him! Kill him!’ Soldiers beat Jesus with a whip, spat on him, and hit him. They put a crown of thorns on his head and mockingly said: ‘Good day, King of the Jews.’ Again Pilate told the crowd: ‘I found nothing wrong in this man.’ But they shouted: “To the stake with him!” So Pilate handed him over to be executed.

They took Jesus to a place called Golgotha, nailed him to a stake, and raised it up. Jesus prayed: ‘Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they’re doing.’ People made fun of Jesus, saying: ‘If you are God’s Son, come down off that stake! Save yourself.’

One of the criminals hanging next to him said: “Remember me when you get into your Kingdom.” Jesus promised him: “You will be with me in Paradise.” In the afternoon, a darkness that lasted for three hours fell over the land. Some of the disciples stood near the stake, including Mary, Jesus’ mother. Jesus told John to take care of Mary as if she were his own mother.

Finally, Jesus said: “It has been accomplished!” He bowed his head and took his last breath. At that moment, there was a powerful earthquake. In the temple, the heavy curtain between the Holy and the Most Holy was ripped in half. An army officer said: ‘This really was God’s Son.’