Luke 23:27-43

GOD’S WORD Translation

²⁷ A large crowd followed Jesus. The women in the crowd cried and sang funeral songs for him. ²⁸ Jesus turned to them and said, “You women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me! Rather, cry for yourselves and your children! ²⁹ The time is coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the women who couldn’t get pregnant, who couldn’t give birth, and who couldn’t nurse a child.’ ³⁰ Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’ ³¹ If people do this to a green tree, what will happen to a dry one?”

³² Two others, who were criminals, were led away to be executed with him.

The Crucifixion^(A)

³³ When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him. The criminals were also crucified, one on his right and the other on his left.

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

Meanwhile, the soldiers divided his clothes among themselves by throwing dice.

³⁵ The people stood there watching. But the rulers were making sarcastic remarks. They said, “He saved others. If he’s the Messiah that God has chosen, let him save himself!” ³⁶ The soldiers also made fun of him. They would go up to him, offer him some vinegar, ³⁷ and say, “If you’re the king of the Jews, save yourself!”

³⁸ A written notice was placed above him. It said, “This is the king of the Jews.”

Criminals Talk to Jesus

³⁹ One of the criminals hanging there insulted Jesus by saying, “So you’re really the Messiah, are you? Well, save yourself and us!”

⁴⁰ But the other criminal scolded him: “Don’t you fear God at all? Can’t you see that you’re condemned in the same way that he is? ⁴¹ Our punishment is fair. We’re getting what we deserve. But this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom.”

⁴³ Jesus said to him, “I can guarantee this truth: Today you will be with me in paradise.”