Daily Bread

The Soldiers Mock Jesus^(A)

¹⁶ The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace^(B) (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers. ¹⁷ They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him. ¹⁸ And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”^{(C) 19} Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him. Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him. ²⁰ And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out^(D) to crucify him.

The Crucifixion of Jesus^(E)

²¹ A certain man from Cyrene,^(F) Simon, the father of Alexander and Rufus,^(G) was passing by on his way in from the country, and they forced him to carry the cross.^{(H) 22} They brought Jesus to the place called Golgotha (which means “the place of the skull”). ²³ Then they offered him wine mixed with myrrh,^(I) but he did not take it. ²⁴ And they crucified him. Dividing up his clothes, they cast lots^(J) to see what each would get.

²⁵ It was nine in the morning when they crucified him. ²⁶ The written notice of the charge against him read: the king of the jews.^(K)

²⁷ They crucified two rebels with him, one on his right and one on his left. ^{[28] [a] 29} Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads^(L) and saying, “So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days,^{(M) 30} come down from the cross and save yourself!” ³¹ In the same way the chief priests and the teachers of the law mocked him^(N) among themselves. “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! ³² Let this Messiah,^(O) this king of Israel,^(P) come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe.” Those crucified with him also heaped insults on him.