LUK 23:26-43

The Crucifixion

26As they led him away, they seized a certain Simon of Cyrene coming in from the country and placed the cross on him to carry behind Jesus. [23:27] A great multitude of the people followed him, and women who were also beating their breasts and lamenting him. [23:28] Jesus turned toward them and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep rather for yourselves and for your children. [23:29] For behold, days are coming in which they will say: 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' [23:30] Then they will begin to say to the mountains: 'Fall on us!' and to the hills: 'Cover us!' [23:31] For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?" [23:32] Two others were also being led, criminals, to be put to death with him. [23:33] When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals — one on his right, one on his left. [23:34] Jesus said: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And dividing his garments, they cast lots. [23:35] The people stood watching. The rulers also sneered, saying: "He saved others — let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one." [23:36] The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine [23:37] and saying: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself." [23:38] There was also an inscription over him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. [23:39] One of the criminals hanging there was denigrating him: "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!" [23:40] The other answered and rebuked him: "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence? [23:41] And we justly so, for we are receiving what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong." [23:42] Then he said: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." [23:43] Jesus said to him: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise."

In the world it was spoken into

In the 1st-century Roman world, crucifixion was a public spectacle designed to humiliate and deter. It was reserved for slaves, rebels, and those deemed threats to Roman order. The act of Simon of Cyrene carrying Jesus’ cross would have been seen as a degrading task, reinforcing the shame of the condemned. The mourning women beating their breasts reflect a common Jewish practice of lamentation, particularly for those facing unjust death. Jesus’ words to the “daughters of Jerusalem” shift the focus from His suffering to the impending judgment on Jerusalem, evoking prophetic warnings of destruction (e.g., Hosea 10:14). The two criminals crucified alongside Jesus were likely violent offenders, their presence amplifying the disgrace. One’s mocking aligns with the Jewish expectation that a crucified Messiah was cursed (Deuteronomy 21:23), while the other’s plea for remembrance reflects a hope beyond death. The scene underscores the tension between Roman power, Jewish expectations, and Jesus’ redefinition of messianic victory.

›See the receipts

How other translations render this

LUK 23:26

KJV: And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus.
BSB: As the soldiers led Him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene on his way in from the country, and they put the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.
Koinōnos: As they led him away, they seized a certain Simon of Cyrene coming in from the country and placed the cross on him to carry behind Jesus.

LUK 23:27

KJV: And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him.
BSB: A great number of people followed Him, including women who kept mourning and wailing for Him.
Koinōnos: A great multitude of the people followed him, and women who were also beating their breasts and lamenting him.

LUK 23:28

KJV: But Jesus turning unto them said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.
BSB: But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for Me, but weep for yourselves and for your children.
Koinōnos: Jesus turned toward them and said: "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me. Weep rather for yourselves and for your children.

LUK 23:29

KJV: For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck.
BSB: Look, the days are coming when people will say, ‘Blessed are the barren women, the wombs that never bore, and breasts that never nursed!’
Koinōnos: For behold, days are coming in which they will say: 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.

LUK 23:30

KJV: Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us.
BSB: At that time ‘they will say to the mountains, “Fall on us!” and to the hills, “Cover us!”’
Koinōnos: Then they will begin to say to the mountains: 'Fall on us!' and to the hills: 'Cover us!

LUK 23:31

KJV: For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry?
BSB: For if men do these things while the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”
Koinōnos: For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?

LUK 23:32

KJV: And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death.
BSB: Two others, who were criminals, were also led away to be executed with Jesus.
Koinōnos: Two others were also being led, criminals, to be put to death with him.

LUK 23:33

KJV: And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
BSB: When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left.
Koinōnos: When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals — one on his right, one on his left.

LUK 23:34

KJV: Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
BSB: Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots.
Koinōnos: Jesus said: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing." And dividing his garments, they cast lots.

LUK 23:35

KJV: And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
BSB: The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”
Koinōnos: The people stood watching. The rulers also sneered, saying: "He saved others — let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one.

LUK 23:36

KJV: And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
BSB: The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine.
Koinōnos: The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine

LUK 23:37

KJV: And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
BSB: “If You are the King of the Jews,” they said, “save Yourself!”
Koinōnos: and saying: "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.

LUK 23:38

KJV: And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
BSB: Above Him was posted an inscription: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Koinōnos: There was also an inscription over him: THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

LUK 23:39

KJV: And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
BSB: One of the criminals who hung there heaped abuse on Him. “Are You not the Christ?” he said. “Save Yourself and us!”
Koinōnos: One of the criminals hanging there was denigrating him: "Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!

LUK 23:40

KJV: But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
BSB: But the other one rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same judgment?
Koinōnos: The other answered and rebuked him: "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence?

LUK 23:41

KJV: And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
BSB: We are punished justly, for we are receiving what our actions deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.”
Koinōnos: And we justly so, for we are receiving what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.

LUK 23:42

KJV: And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
BSB: Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when You come into Your kingdom!”
Koinōnos: Then he said: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.

LUK 23:43

KJV: And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
BSB: And Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”
Koinōnos: Jesus said to him: "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.

Only verses where the wording diverges meaningfully are shown. Identical phrasings are suppressed.

Where the historical framing draws from

Tacitus, AnnalsAnn. 15.44

›Tacitus, Annals Ann. 15.44

“Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus”

Cited to ground: Christus, from whom the name had its origin, suffered the extreme penalty during the reign of Tiberius at the hands of one of our procurators, Pontius Pilatus

Translator's notes

LUK 23:27

also:The word translated 'also' here is part of a phrase that means to beat one's breast in lamentation, indicating deep mourning and distress.

LUK 23:31

tree:The term translated 'tree' often referred to wood that had been cut, such as timber or firewood, and in this context, it evokes the image of a wooden beam or cross.

LUK 23:32

criminals:The word translated 'criminals' describes individuals who commit evil deeds or are mischievous, emphasizing their harmful actions rather than just their legal status.

LUK 23:39

he was denigrating:The word translated 'he was denigrating' carries a strong sense of speaking profanely or blasphemously, especially against sacred things or persons, implying severe disrespect.