The Crucifixion^(A)

²¹ They compelled a man named Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus, as he was passing through from the country, to bear Jesus’ cross. ²² They brought Him to the place called Golgotha, which means, “Place of a Skull.” ²³ They gave Him wine mingled with myrrh to drink, but He did not take it. ²⁴ When they had crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots for them, to decide what each man should take.

²⁵ Now it was the third hour, and they crucified Him. ²⁶ The inscription of His accusation was written above:

THE KING OF THE JEWS.

²⁷ With Him they crucified two thieves, one on His right and the other on His left. ²⁸ And the Scripture was fulfilled, which says, “He was numbered with the lawless ones.”^{[a] 29} Those who passed by blasphemed Him, shaking their heads and saying, “Ah, You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, ³⁰ save Yourself, and come down from the cross!” ³¹ Likewise the chief priests mocked Him among themselves with the scribes and said, “He saved others, but He cannot save Himself! ³² Let the Christ, the King of Israel, descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with Him also reviled Him.

The Crucifixion^(A)

²⁶ As they led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him to carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A large number of people followed Him, including women who mourned and lamented Him. ²⁸ Jesus turned to them, saying, “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ Listen, the days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, who never bore and never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then

³¹ For if men do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³² Two different men, who were criminals, also were led with Him to be killed. ³³ When they came to the place which is called The Skull, there they crucified Him and the criminals, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” And they divided His clothes by casting lots.

³⁵ The people stood by watching. But the rulers with them scoffed, saying, “He saved others. Let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the Chosen One of God.”

³⁶ And the soldiers also mocked Him, coming to Him and offering Him sour wine, ³⁷ saying, “If You are the King of the Jews, save Yourself.”

³⁸ An inscription was written over Him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew:

THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

³⁹ One of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us!”

⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, seeing you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ And we indeed, justly. For we are receiving the due reward of our deeds. But this Man has done nothing amiss.”

⁴² Then he said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

⁴³ Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”

¹⁷ He went out, carrying His own cross, to a place called The Place of a Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha. ¹⁸ There they crucified Him, and two others with Him, one on either side, and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate wrote a title and put it on the cross. The writing was:

JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS.

²⁰ Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city. And it was written in Hebrew, in Greek, and in Latin. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but ‘He said, I am King of the Jews.’ ”

²² Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

²³ When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took His garments and divided them into four parts, a part for each soldier; and also His tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom.

²⁴ So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to decide whose it shall be.”

This happened to fulfill the Scripture which says:

Therefore the soldiers did these things.

²⁵ But standing by the cross of Jesus were His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing nearby, He said to His mother, “Woman, here is your son.” ²⁷ Then He said to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time, this disciple took her to his own home.