Luke 23:29-45

²⁹I want you to know that there will soon be a time when people will say, ‘Women SYN who have never borne children or nursed babies are fortunate!’

³⁰Then, in order that they will not have to suffer greatly when their enemies destroy this city, people who are left in the city will say to the mountains, ‘Fall down on us!’ And people will say to the hills, ‘Cover us!’

³¹I am innocent MET. I am like a living tree that people do not try to burn. But the people of Jerusalem deserve that their enemies punish them. They are like dry wood that is ready to burn. So if they nail me to the cross, ◄ their enemies will certainly do much worse things to them!/what worse things will happen to them?► RHQ”

³²Two other men who were criminals were also being led away { The soldiers also led away two other men who were criminals}. They were going to be executed { The soldiers were going to execute them} with Jesus.

³³When they came to the place which is called ❛The Skull❜, they nailed Jesus to a cross after removing his clothes. They did the same thing to the two criminals. They crucified one at the right side of Jesus and one at his left side.

³⁴Jesus prayed, “ My Father, forgive them, because they do not realize whom they are doing this to!” Then the soldiers divided Jesus' clothing by gambling with something like dice, to decide which piece of clothing each one would get.

³⁵Many people stood nearby, watching. And the Jewish leaders ◄made fun of/ridiculed► Jesus, saying, “He said IRO that he saved other people! If he is the Messiah, the one God has chosen, he should save himself!”

³⁶The soldiers also ridiculed him because he claimed to be a king. They came up to him and offered him some sour wine.

³⁷They said to him, “If you (sg) are the King of the Jews, save yourself!”

³⁸They also fastened on the cross a sign that stated why they were nailing him to the cross. But all it said was, ❛This is the King of the Jews❜.

³⁹One of the criminals who was hanging on a cross began to insult Jesus, saying, “You (sg) said that you are the Messiah, so you must be powerful! So save yourself, and save us, too!”

⁴⁰But the other criminal rebuked him, saying, “◄You (sg) should be afraid of God punishing you!/Are you not afraid of God punishing you?► RHQ They are punishing him and us similarly.

⁴¹They have justly decided that we (inc) two must die. They are punishing us as we deserve for the evil things that we did. But this man has done nothing wrong!”

⁴²Then he said, “Jesus, please remember me and take care of me when you become king!”

⁴³Jesus replied, “I want you (sg) to know that today you (sg) will be with me in the place where everyone is happy!” (OR, that today you will be with me in Paradise!)

⁴⁴Then it was about noontime. It became dark over the whole land, and it stayed dark until three o'clock in the afternoon.

⁴⁵There was no light from the sun. Then the thick curtain that closed off the most holy place in the Temple split into two pieces. That signified that ordinary people could now go into the presence of God.