NgokukaMarku 15:1-14, 16-32

Kwathi masinyane ekuseni abapristi abakhulu namalunga nababhali nomphakathi wonke benza icebo, bambopha uJesu, bamqhuba, bamnikela kuPilatu. UPilatu wambuza wathi: “Wena uyinkosi yabaJuda na?” Waphendula, wathi kuye: “Usho khona.” Abapristi abakhulu bammangalela ngokuningi. UPilatu wabuye wambuza, wathi: “Awuphenduli lutho na? Bheka, bakuthwesa icala ngokuningi kangaka.” Kodwa uJesu akabe esaphendula lutho, waze wamangala uPilatu. Kwathi ngomkhosi wayehleze ebakhululela isiboshwa sibe sinye abasicelayo. Kwakukhona-ke omunye, nguBaraba igama lakhe, owayeboshiwe kanye namahlubuka; wona ayebulele umuntu ekuhlubukeni. Isixuku senyuka, saqala ukucela ukuba abenzele njengalokho ebehleze ebenzela. Kepha uPilatu wabaphendula wathi: “Nithanda ukuba nginikhululele inkosi yabaJuda na?” Ngokuba wayekwazi ukuthi abapristi abakhulu bamnikele ngomhawu. Kepha abapristi abakhulu babhebhezela isixuku ukuba okungcono asikhululele uBaraba. UPilatu wabuye waphendula, wathi kubo: “Pho-ke, ngimenzenjani lo enithi uyinkosi yabaJuda na?” Babuye bamemeza, bathi: “Mbethele esiphambanweni!” Kodwa uPilatu wathi kubo: “Ngokuba wenze bubi buni na?” Kepha bamemeza kakhulu, bathi: “Mbethele esiphambanweni!”

Amabutho ayesemngenisa phakathi endlini ethiwa iPretoriyu, abizela ndawonye ibutho lonke. Ayesemembathisa ingubo ebubende, amcwashelisa ngomqhele ayeweluke ngameva. Aqala ukumkhulekela, athi: “Bayede, nkosi yabaJuda!” Amshaya ekhanda ngomhlanga, amkhafulela ngamathe, aguqa ngamadolo, akhuleka kuye. Esembhinqile amhlubula ingubo ebubende, amembathisa izingubo zakhe. Ayesephuma naye ukuba ambethele esiphambanweni. Acindezela umuntu obedlula, uSimoni waseKhurene, evela endle, uyise ka-Aleksandru noRufu, ukuba athwale isiphambano sakhe. Ayesemyisa endaweni yaseGolgotha okungukuthi ngokuhunyushwa iNdawo Yekhanda. Amnika iwayini elixutshwe nemure;* kepha akalamukelanga. Ayesembethela esiphambanweni, abelana izingubo zakhe, enzelana inkatho ngazo ukuthi yilowo nalowo uyakuthathani. Kwakuyihora lesithathu esembethela esiphambanweni. Umbhalo wecala lakhe ubulotshiwe ngaphezulu wokuthi: INKOSI YABAJUDA. Kwabethelwa kanye naye abaphangi ababili, omunye ngakwesokunene nomunye ngakwesokhohlo sakhe. Kwase kugcwaliseka umbhalo othi: “Wabalwa kanye naboni.” Abadlulayo bamhlambalaza benikina amakhanda abo, bathi: “Eya wena odiliza ithempeli, ubuye ulakhe ngezinsuku ezintathu; zisindise, wehle esiphambanweni.” Kanjalo nabapristi abakhulu bambhinqa bebodwa kanye nababhali, bathi: “Wasindisa abanye, angezisindise yena. UKristu, iNkosi yakwa-Israyeli, makehle manje esiphambanweni, ukuze sibone, sikholwe.” Nababebethelwe kanye naye bamdumaza.