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Jesus' Story · Event 66 of 78

The Crucifixion

Crucifixion · Golgotha

Luke 23:33

4 accounts of this passage

Luke 23:26–43

26As they led Jesus away, they grabbed a man named Simon from Cyrene who was coming in from the countryside. They put the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. 27A huge crowd followed, including women who were weeping and mourning for him. 28Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, don't weep for me. Weep for yourselves and for your children." 29"Because the days are coming when people will say, 'Blessed are the women who never had children — the wombs that never carried a baby and the breasts that never nursed.'" 30"Then people will beg the mountains, 'Fall on us!' and plead with the hills, 'Cover us!'" 31"For if they do this when the tree is green, what will happen when it's dry?" 32Two criminals were also led out with him to be executed. 33When they arrived at the place called Calvary, they crucified him there along with the two criminals—one on his right and one on his left. 34Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they're doing." Meanwhile, the soldiers divided up his clothes by casting lots. 35The people stood watching. The rulers sneered at him, saying, "He saved others — let him save himself if he really is Christ, God's chosen one!" 36The soldiers joined in the mockery too, coming up to him and offering him sour wine. 37They taunted, "If you're the King of the Jews, save yourself!" 38Above him was a sign written in Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. 39One of the criminals who were hanged insulted him, saying, "If you are the Christ, save yourself and us." 40But the other criminal rebuked him: "Don't you even fear God? You're facing the same death sentence he is." 41"We deserve what we're getting — we earned this punishment. But this man has done nothing wrong." 42Then he said, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." 43Jesus said to him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."

Read Luke 23

About this event

What happened?

Simon of Cyrene was made to carry Jesus' cross. At the place called Golgotha, the place of a skull, they crucified Jesus between two criminals. Above him a sign said he was the King of the Jews. Soldiers divided his clothes by casting lots. Luke records Jesus praying for his Father to forgive them, because they did not know what they were doing, and telling one of the criminals that he would be with him in paradise. John records that Jesus gave his mother into the care of the disciple he loved.

Who is here?

  • Simon of Cyrene
  • Two criminals
  • Mary, his mother
  • The disciple whom Jesus loved
  • Roman soldiers

Where did this happen?

Golgotha

The place where Jesus was crucified. Its name means “the place of a skull,” and it was near the city.

Where this fits

Event 1 of 3 in Crucifixion: Jesus is crucified, dies, and is buried.

Good to know

John says Jesus went out carrying his own cross. Matthew, Mark and Luke say Simon of Cyrene was made to carry it. Matthew and Mark say both criminals insulted him; Luke tells that one of them rebuked the other. Some early copies of Luke do not include the prayer for forgiveness.

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