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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to hear background music.
The Crucifixion
