Pontius Pilate
washed his hands in a bowl of water, for all to see, and
said, "I am innocent of the blood of this just person." And
the crowd answered, "His blood be on us and on our
children." But Pilate was not able to wash away the guilt
he felt for sentencing Jesus to death. The soldiers
taunted and beat Jesus repeatedly, and made Him carry a
heavy wooden cross on His back, while the angry mob struck
Him and spat upon Him. But amid this cruelty and torture,
there were also good people who loved Jesus, and
they followed and wept; and among them was Mary,
the mother of Jesus.
When Jesus fell and
could no longer bear His cross, a man named Simon
took the cross and carried it for Him until they came
to a place called Golgotha, which in the Hebrew
language means *a place of a skull*. The soldiers
tore the purple robe from Jesus and crucified
Him, nailing His hands and His feet to the
wooden cross, and then they stood the cross
upright to display Him for all who chose to
see. While Jesus suffered, the soldiers gambled
at the foot of His cross, each trying to win
His robe for a trophy. And Jesus spoke,
saying, "Father, forgive them, for they know
not what they do."
There were also two thieves
being crucified with Jesus. One of the thieves
taunted Jesus, and said, "If thou be Christ, save
thyself and us." But the second thief believed in
Jesus, and said to Him, "Lord, remember me
when thou comest into thy kingdom." Jesus
replied, "Today shalt thou be with me in paradise."
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Jesus was very
thirsty, but the soldiers gave Him vinegar instead of
water, still mocking Him. Then Jesus
said, "It is finished. Father, into thy hands
I commend my spirit."
Jesus bowed His head and died.
The sky was dark and the earth shook, and the veil of
the temple was torn in two by unseen hands. And a
soldier, witnessing His death, said "Truly this man was the Son of God".
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