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Luke 23:26-56
Easy-to-Read Version
Luke 23:26-56
Easy-to-Read Version
Jesus Is Nailed to a Cross(A)
26 The soldiers led Jesus away. At that same time there was a man from Cyrene named Simon coming into the city from the fields. The soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross and walk behind him.
27 A large crowd followed Jesus. Some of the women were sad and crying. They felt sorry for him. 28 But Jesus turned and said to the women, “Women of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Cry for yourselves and for your children too. 29 The time is coming when people will say, ‘The women who cannot have babies are the ones God has blessed. It’s really a blessing that they have no children to care for.’ 30 Then the people will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us!’ They will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’[a] 31 If this can happen to someone who is good, what will happen to those who are guilty?[b]”
32 There were also two criminals led out with Jesus to be killed. 33 They were led to a place called “The Skull.” There the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross. They also nailed the criminals to crosses beside Jesus—one on the right and the other on the left.
34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They don’t know what they are doing.”[c]
The soldiers threw dice to divide Jesus’ clothes between them. 35 The people stood there watching everything. The Jewish leaders laughed at Jesus. They said, “If he is God’s Chosen One, the Messiah, then let him save himself. He saved others, didn’t he?”
36 Even the soldiers laughed at Jesus and made fun of him. They came and offered him some 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: “ this is the king of the jews.”)
39 One of the criminals hanging there began to shout insults at Jesus: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Then save yourself, and save us too!”
40 But the other criminal stopped him. He said, “You should fear God. All of us will die soon. 41 You and I are guilty. We deserve to die because we did wrong. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you begin ruling as king!”
43 Then Jesus said to him, “I promise you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Jesus Dies(B)
44 It was about noon, but it turned dark throughout the land until three o’clock in the afternoon, 45 because the sun stopped shining. The curtain in the Temple was torn into two pieces. 46 Jesus shouted, “Father, I put my life in your hands!”[d] After Jesus said this, he died.
47 The army officer there saw what happened. He praised God, saying, “I know this man was a good man!”
48 Many people had come out of the city to see all this. When they saw it, they felt very sorry and left. 49 The people who were close friends of Jesus were there. Also, there were some women who had followed Jesus from Galilee. They all stood far away from the cross and watched these things.
Jesus Is Buried(C)
50-51 A man named Joseph was there from the Jewish town of Arimathea. He was a good man, who lived the way God wanted. He was waiting for God’s kingdom to come. Joseph was a member of the Jewish council. But he did not agree when the other Jewish leaders decided to kill Jesus. 52 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 He took the body down from the cross and wrapped it in cloth. Then he put it in a tomb that was dug in a wall of rock. This tomb had never been used before. 54 It was late on Preparation day. When the sun went down, the Sabbath day would begin.
55 The women who had come from Galilee with Jesus followed Joseph. They saw the tomb. Inside they saw where he put Jesus’ body. 56 Then they left to prepare some sweet-smelling spices to put on the body.
On the Sabbath day they rested, as commanded in the Law of Moses.
Read full chapterFootnotes
- Luke 23:30
Quote from Hos. 10:8. - Luke 23:31 If this can happen … guilty Literally, “If they do these things in the green tree, what will happen in the dry?”
- Luke 23:34 Jesus said, “Father, … doing” Some early copies of Luke do not have these words.
- Luke 23:46 “I put … hands!” Literally, “I put my spirit in your hands.” Quote from Ps. 31:5.
Luke 23:26-56
New International Version
Luke 23:26-56
New International Version
The Crucifixion of Jesus(A)
26 As the soldiers led him away, they seized Simon from Cyrene,(B) who was on his way in from the country, and put the cross on him and made him carry it behind Jesus.(C) 27 A large number of people followed him, including women who mourned and wailed(D) for him. 28 Jesus turned and said to them, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.(E) 29 For the time will come when you will say, ‘Blessed are the childless women, the wombs that never bore and the breasts that never nursed!’(F) 30 Then
31 For if people do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”(H)
32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed.(I) 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,(J) forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”[b](K) And they divided up his clothes by casting lots.(L)
35 The people stood watching, and the rulers even sneered at him.(M) They said, “He saved others; let him save himself if he is God’s Messiah, the Chosen One.”(N)
36 The soldiers also came up and mocked him.(O) They offered him wine vinegar(P) 37 and said, “If you are the king of the Jews,(Q) save yourself.”
38 There was a written notice above him, which read: this is the king of the jews.(R)
39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”(S)
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.”(T)
42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.[c]”(U)
43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.”(V)
The Death of Jesus(W)
44 It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon,(X) 45 for the sun stopped shining. And the curtain of the temple(Y) was torn in two.(Z) 46 Jesus called out with a loud voice,(AA) “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.”[d](AB) When he had said this, he breathed his last.(AC)
47 The centurion, seeing what had happened, praised God(AD) and said, “Surely this was a righteous man.” 48 When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts(AE) and went away. 49 But all those who knew him, including the women who had followed him from Galilee,(AF) stood at a distance,(AG) watching these things.
The Burial of Jesus(AH)
50 Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the Council, a good and upright man, 51 who had not consented to their decision and action. He came from the Judean town of Arimathea, and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.(AI) 52 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body. 53 Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock, one in which no one had yet been laid. 54 It was Preparation Day,(AJ) and the Sabbath was about to begin.
55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee(AK) followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.(AL) But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.(AM)
Footnotes
- Luke 23:30 Hosea 10:8
- Luke 23:34 Some early manuscripts do not have this sentence.
- Luke 23:42 Some manuscripts come with your kingly power
- Luke 23:46 Psalm 31:5
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