When they reached a hill called Calvary, they laid the cross down on the ground, and stripped Jesus of his clothes. They put Jesus on the cross, and stretched out his arms. They drove a nail through each hand, and one through his feet, fastening him to the cross. Then they stood the cross upright, and let Jesus hang there. On the top of it was written: "This is the King of the Jews." There was a cross on either side of him, with a thief hanging on each one.
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do."
The soldiers took his clothes, and divided them up among themselves. His coat was too good to tear up, so they threw dice to see which one of them would get it.
Jesus was offered a drink which would have made the pain easier to bear, but he would not take it. People passed to and fro in front of the cross, shouting insults.
"He saved others, but he can't save himself." One of the thieves turned his head and called out to him angrily,
"If you are the Christ, save yourself and us too!"
But the other thief spoke out of his pain:
"Don't you fear God, seeing that we are all going to die? Aren't you afraid to talk that way? We deserve to die; but this man never did anything wrong."
Then, turning to Jesus, he said, "Lord, remember me when you come to your Kingdom."
Jesus said to him,