Luke 23:26-32

Contemporary English Version

Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross

(Matthew 27.31-44; Mark 15.21-32; John 19.17-27)

²⁶ As Jesus was being led away, some soldiers grabbed hold of a man named Simon who was from Cyrene. He was coming in from the fields, but they put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.

²⁷ A large crowd was following Jesus, and in the crowd a lot of women were crying and weeping for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned to the women and said:

Women of Jerusalem, don't cry for me! Cry for yourselves and for your children. ²⁹ Someday people will say, “Women who never had children are really fortunate!” ^30 (A) At that time everyone will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” They will say to the hills, “Hide us!” ³¹ If this can happen when the wood is green, what do you think will happen when it is dry?^[a]

³² Two criminals were led out to be put to death with Jesus.