⁷ When they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks over it, he sat on it. ⁸ Many people spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread branches they had cut in the fields. ⁹ Those who went ahead and those who followed shouted,

¹¹ Jesus entered Jerusalem and went into the temple courts. He looked around at everything, but since it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the Twelve.^(C)

The Greatest Commandment^(A)

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law^(B) came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?”

²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.^{[a] 30} Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’^{[b](C) 31} The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’^[c](D) There is no commandment greater than these.”

³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him.^{(E) 33} To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.”^(F)

³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.”^(G) And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions.^(H)

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(A)

²¹ A certain man from Cyrene,^(B) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(C) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(D) 22} They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,^(E) but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots^(F) to see what each would get.

²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.^(G)

²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^(H) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^{(I) 30} come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him^(J) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah,^(K) this king of Israel,^(L) come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.