Jesus' Crucifixion

²⁶ As they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country. They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. ²⁷ A great number of the people followed him, among them women who were mourning and wailing for him. ²⁸ But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ For this is certain: The days are coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore children, and the breasts that never nursed!’ ³⁰ Then they will begin to say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ³¹ For if such things are done when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

³² Two other criminals were also led away to be executed with him. ³³ So when they came to the place that is called “The Skull,” they crucified him there, along with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. ³⁴ [But Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”] Then they threw dice to divide his clothes. ³⁵ The people also stood there watching, but the leaders ridiculed him, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is the Christ of God, his chosen one!” ³⁶ The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, ³⁷ and saying, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ There was also an inscription over him, “This is the king of the Jews.”

³⁹ One of the criminals who was hanging there railed at him, saying, “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” ⁴⁰ But the other rebuked him, saying, “Don’t you fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? ⁴¹ And we rightly so, for we are getting what we deserve for what we did, but this man has done nothing wrong.” ⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come in your kingdom.” ⁴³ And Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”

⁴⁴ It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, ⁴⁵ because the sun’s light failed. The temple curtain was torn in two. ⁴⁶ Then Jesus, calling out with a loud voice, said, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!” And after he said this he breathed his last.

⁴⁷ Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he praised God and said, “Certainly this man was innocent!” ⁴⁸ And all the crowds that had assembled for this spectacle, when they saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. ⁴⁹ And all those who knew Jesus stood at a distance, and the women who had followed him from Galilee saw these things.