Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross^(A)

²¹ There was a man from Cyrene named Simon walking into the city from the fields. He was the father of Alexander and Rufus. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross. ²² They led Jesus to the place called Golgotha. (Golgotha means “The Place of the Skull.”) ²³ There they gave him some wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused to drink it. ²⁴ The soldiers nailed Jesus to a cross. Then they divided his clothes among themselves, throwing dice to see who would get what.

²⁵ It was nine o’clock in the morning when they nailed Jesus to the cross. ²⁶ There was a sign with the charge against him written on it. It said, “ the king of the jews.” ²⁷ They also nailed two criminals to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left. ^28 [a]

²⁹ People walked by and said bad things to Jesus. They shook their heads and said, “You said you could destroy the Temple and build it again in three days. ³⁰ So save yourself! Come down from that cross!”

³¹ The leading priests and the teachers of the law were also there. They made fun of Jesus the same as the other people did. They said to each other, “He saved others, but he can’t save himself! ³² If he is really the Messiah, the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross now. When we see this, then we will believe in him.” The criminals on the crosses beside Jesus also said bad things to him.

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross^(A)

²⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away. At that same time there was a man from Cyrene named Simon coming into the city from the fields. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.

²⁷ A large crowd followed Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying. They felt sorry for him. ²⁸ But Jesus turned and said to the women, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children too. ²⁹ The time is coming when people will say, ‘The women who cannot have babies are the ones God has blessed. It’s really a blessing that they have no children to care for.’ ³⁰ Then the people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ They will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’^{[a] 31} If this can happen to someone who is good, what will happen to those who are guilty?^[b]”

³² There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed. ³³ They were led to a place called “The Skull.” There the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed the criminals to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left.

³⁴ Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”^[c]

The soldiers threw dice to divide Jesus’ clothes between them. ³⁵ The people stood there watching everything. The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus. They said, “If he is God’s Chosen One, the Messiah, then let him save himself. He saved others, didn’t he?”

³⁶ Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and made fun of him. They came and offered him some sour wine. ³⁷ They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” ³⁸ (At the top of the cross these words were written: “ this is the king of the jews.”)

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging there began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Then save yourself, and save us too!”

¹⁷ He carried his own cross to a place called “The Place of the Skull.” (In Aramaic the name of this place is “Golgotha.”) ¹⁸ There they nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed two other men to crosses. They put them on each side of Jesus with him in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate told them to write a sign and put it on the cross. The sign said, “ jesus of nazareth, the king of the jews.”