¹⁴ After I looked things over, I stood up and said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “Don’t be afraid^(A) of them. Remember^(B) the Lord, who is great and awesome,^(C) and fight^(D) for your families, your sons and your daughters, your wives and your homes.”

¹⁵ When our enemies heard that we were aware of their plot and that God had frustrated it,^(E) we all returned to the wall, each to our own work.

¹⁶ From that day on, half of my men did the work, while the other half were equipped with spears, shields, bows and armor. The officers posted themselves behind all the people of Judah ¹⁷ who were building the wall. Those who carried materials did their work with one hand and held a weapon^(F) in the other, ¹⁸ and each of the builders wore his sword at his side as he worked. But the man who sounded the trumpet^(G) stayed with me.

¹⁹ Then I said to the nobles, the officials and the rest of the people, “The work is extensive and spread out, and we are widely separated from each other along the wall. ²⁰ Wherever you hear the sound of the trumpet,^(H) join us there. Our God will fight^(I) for us!”

²¹ So we continued the work with half the men holding spears, from the first light of dawn till the stars came out. ²² At that time I also said to the people, “Have every man and his helper stay inside Jerusalem at night, so they can serve us as guards by night and as workers by day.” ²³ Neither I nor my brothers nor my men nor the guards with me took off our clothes; each had his weapon, even when he went for water.^[a]

³² Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.^{(A) 33} When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. ³⁴ Jesus said, “Father,^(B) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”^[a](C) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.^(D)

³⁵ The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.^(E) They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”^(F)

³⁶ The soldiers also came up and mocked him.^(G) They offered him wine vinegar^{(H) 37} and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,^(I) save yourself.”

³⁸ There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.^(J)

³⁹ One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”^(K)

⁴⁰ But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? ⁴¹ We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”^(L)

⁴² Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.^[b]”^(M)

⁴³ Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”^(N)