New Testament in a Year
Jesus Is Crucified(A)
26 As they led Jesus away, Simon, a man from Cyrene [C a port city in North Africa (modern Libya)], was coming in from the ·fields [countryside; country; C Simon may be a Jewish pilgrim visiting Jerusalem for Passover or an immigrant living there]. They forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and to walk behind him.
27 A large crowd of people was following Jesus, including some women who were ·sad [mourning] and ·crying [wailing; lamenting] for him. 28 But Jesus turned and said to them, “·Women [L Daughters] of Jerusalem, don’t ·cry [weep] for me. ·Cry [Weep] for yourselves and for your children. 29 [L For look/T behold] The ·time is [days are] coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are ·the women who cannot have children [L the barren women and the wombs that never gave birth] and ·who have no babies to nurse [L the breasts that have never nursed].’ 30 Then people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ And they will say to the hills, ‘·Cover [Bury] us [Hos. 10:8]!’ 31 If they act like this now when ·life is good [L the tree is green], what will happen when ·bad times come [L it is dry; C probably an allusion to the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in ad 70]?”
32 There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be ·put to death [executed]. 33 When they came to a place called the Skull, the soldiers crucified Jesus and the criminals—one on his right and the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, because they don’t know what they are doing.”[a]
The soldiers threw lots [C similar to dice] to decide who would get his clothes [Ps. 22:18]. 35 The people stood there watching. And the leaders ·made fun of [sneered at; mocked] Jesus, saying, “He saved others. Let him save himself if he is ·God’s Chosen One, the Christ [or God’s Messiah, the Chosen One].”
36 The soldiers also ·made fun of [mocked] him, coming to Jesus and offering him some ·vinegar [sour wine]. 37 They said, “If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself!” 38 ·At the top of the cross these words were written [L Above him there was also an inscription]: this is the king of the jews.
39 One of the criminals ·on a cross [L who was hanging there] began to ·shout insults at [slander; blaspheme] Jesus: “Aren’t you the ·Christ [Messiah]? Then save yourself and us.”
40 But the other criminal ·stopped [rebuked] him and said, “·You should [L Don’t you…?] fear God! You are getting the same punishment he is. 41 We are punished justly, getting what we deserve for what we did. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
43 Jesus said to him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise [C heaven or the presence of God].”
Jesus Dies
44 It was about ·noon [L the sixth hour; C hours were counted from dawn, about 6 AM], and the whole land became dark until ·three o’clock in the afternoon [L the ninth hour], 45 because the sun did not shine. The curtain in the Temple [C dividing the Most Holy Place from the rest of the Temple] was torn ·in two [down the middle]. 46 Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, ·I give you my life [L into your hands I entrust/commit my spirit; Ps. 31:5].” After Jesus said this, he ·died [expired; T breathed his last].
47 When the ·army officer [L centurion] there saw what happened, he ·praised [glorified] God, saying, “Surely this was a ·good [righteous; or innocent] man!”
48 When all the people who had gathered there to watch saw what happened, they returned home, beating their chests [C a sign of sorrow and remorse]. 49 But those who ·were close friends of Jesus [L knew him], including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance and watched [L these things].
Joseph Takes Jesus’ Body(B)
50 [L And look/T behold] There was a good and ·religious [righteous; just] man named Joseph who was a member of the council. 51 But he had not agreed to the other leaders’ plans and actions against Jesus. He was from the town of Arimathea [in Judea; or a town of the Jews] and was waiting for the kingdom of God to come. 52 Joseph went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus. 53 He took the body down from the cross, wrapped it in [linen] cloth, and put it in a tomb that was cut out of a wall of rock. ·This tomb had never been used before [L …where no one had been laid; C family tombs held multiple bodies, but this new one was empty]. 54 This was late on Preparation Day, ·and when the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin [L and the Sabbath was beginning].
55 The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how Jesus’ body was laid. 56 Then the women left to prepare spices and perfumes [C used to honor the dead and cover the stench of decay].
On the Sabbath day they rested, ·as the law of Moses commanded [L according to the commandment].
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