¹⁷ Carrying his own cross,^(A) he went out to the place of the Skull^(B) (which in Aramaic^(C) is called Golgotha). ¹⁸ There they crucified him, and with him two others^(D)—one on each side and Jesus in the middle.

¹⁹ Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: jesus of nazareth,^(E) the king of the jews.^{(F) 20} Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city,^(G) and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. ²¹ The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.”^(H)

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

²³ When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.

²⁴ “Let’s not tear it,” they said to one another. “Let’s decide by lot who will get it.”

This happened that the scripture might be fulfilled^(I) that said,

So this is what the soldiers did.

²⁵ Near the cross^(K) of Jesus stood his mother,^(L) his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene.^{(M) 26} When Jesus saw his mother^(N) there, and the disciple whom he loved^(O) standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman,^[b] here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

The Death of Jesus^(P)

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished,^(Q) and so that Scripture would be fulfilled,^(R) Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar^(S) was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.”^(T) With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

¹⁶ So from now on we regard no one from a worldly^(A) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. ¹⁷ Therefore, if anyone is in Christ,^(B) the new creation^(C) has come:^[a] The old has gone, the new is here!^{(D) 18} All this is from God,^(E) who reconciled us to himself through Christ^(F) and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: ¹⁹ that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.^(G) And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. ²⁰ We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors,^(H) as though God were making his appeal through us.^(I) We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God.^{(J) 21} God made him who had no sin^(K) to be sin^[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.^(L)

⁹ For you know the grace^(A) of our Lord Jesus Christ,^(B) that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor,^(C) so that you through his poverty might become rich.^(D)

A Call to Persevere in Faith

¹⁹ Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence^(A) to enter the Most Holy Place^(B) by the blood of Jesus,