Jesus Is Killed on a Cross (Mt. 27:32-44; Mk. 15:21-32; Lk. 23:26-43)

The soldiers took Jesus. ¹⁷Jesus carried his own cross. He went out to a place called "The Place of the Skull." (In the Jewish language* the name of this place is "Golgotha.") ¹⁸At Golgotha they nailed Jesus to the cross. They also put two other men on crosses. They put the men on each side of Jesus with Jesus in the middle. ¹⁹Pilate wrote a sign and put it on the cross. The sign said, "JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS." ²⁰The sign was written in the Jewish language, in Latin, and in Greek. Many of the Jews read the sign, because this place where they killed Jesus on the cross was near the city. ²¹The leading Jewish priests said to Pilate, "Don't write, 'The King of the Jews.' But write, 'This man said, I am the King of the Jews.'" ²²Pilate answered, "I will not change what I have written." ²³After the soldiers nailed Jesus to the cross, they took his clothes. They divided his clothes into four parts. Each soldier got one part. They also took his tunic.* It was all one piece of cloth woven from top to bottom. ²⁴So the soldiers said to each other: "We should not tear this into parts [to divide it], we should choose lots* to see who will get it." This happened so that it would be like the Scripture* said: "They divided my clothes among them. And they threw lots* for my clothing." Psalm 22:18

So the soldiers did this. ²⁵Jesus' mother stood near his cross. His mother's sister was also standing there with Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary of Magdala. ²⁶Jesus saw his mother. He also saw the follower that he loved standing there. He said to his mother, "Dear woman, here is your son." ²⁷Then Jesus said to the follower, "Here is your mother." So after that, this follower took Jesus' mother to live in his home.

Jesus Dies (Mt. 27:45-56; Mk. 15:33-41; Lk. 23:44-49)

²⁸Later, Jesus knew that everything had been done. To make the Scripture* happen he said, "I am thirsty."* ²⁹There was a jar full of vinegar there. So the soldiers soaked a sponge in it. They put the sponge on a branch of a hyssop plant. Then they lifted it to Jesus' mouth. ³⁰Jesus tasted the vinegar. Then he said, "It is finished." Jesus bowed his head and died. ³¹This day was Preparation day.* The next day was a special Sabbath day.* The Jews did not want the bodies to stay on the cross on the Sabbath day. So they asked Pilate to order that the legs of the men be broken [to make them die sooner]. And they asked that the bodies of the men be taken down from the crosses. ³²So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man on the cross beside Jesus. Then they broke the legs of the other man on the cross beside Jesus. ³³But when the soldiers came close to Jesus, they saw that he was already dead. So they did not break his legs. ³⁴But one of the soldiers stuck his spear into Jesus' side. Blood and water came out. ³⁵(The one who saw this happen has told about it. He told about it so that you also can believe. The things he says are true. He knows that he tells the truth.) ³⁶These things happened so that it would be like the Scripture* said: "None of his bones will be broken."* ³⁷And another Scripture said, "People will look at the one they stuck [with the spear]."*

Jesus Is Buried (Mt. 27:57-61; Mk. 15:42-47; Lk. 23:50-56)

³⁸Later, a man named Joseph from Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. (Joseph was a follower of Jesus. But he did not tell people, because he was afraid of the Jews.) Pilate said that Joseph could take the body of Jesus. So Joseph came and took Jesus' body away. ³⁹Nicodemus went with Joseph. Nicodemus was the man who had come to Jesus before and talked to him at night. Nicodemus brought about 100 pounds* of spices. This was a mixture of myrrh and aloes.* ⁴⁰These two men took Jesus' body. They wrapped it in pieces of linen cloth with the spices. (This is how the Jews bury people.) ⁴¹In the place where Jesus was killed on the cross, there was a garden. In the garden there was a new tomb.* No person had ever been buried there before. ⁴²The men put Jesus in that tomb because it was near, and the Jews were preparing to start their Sabbath day.*

Jewish language Aramaic, a language like Hebrew that was spoken by the Jews in the first century. tunic A piece of clothing like a long undershirt. lots Rocks or sticks used like dice for making a choice. Scripture Part of the Holy Writings--Old Testament. lots Rocks or sticks used like dice for making a choice. Scriptures Holy Writings--Old Testament. "I am thirsty" See Ps. 22:15; 69:21. Preparation day Friday, the day before the Sabbath day. Sabbath day The seventh day of the Jewish week. It was a special religious day for the Jews. "None ... broken" Quote from Ps. 34:20. The idea is from Ex. 12:46; Num. 9:12. "People ... spear" Quote from Zech. 12:10. 100 pounds 100 Roman pounds, equal to about 75 pounds today. myrrh and aloes Sweet-smelling spices used for perfume and also to prepare a body to be buried. tomb A grave dug in a wall of rock.