Christ is led away to be Crucified. 285

For

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover us. if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted thereof, he would not drink. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh: but he received it not. There they crucified him, and the two malefactors with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and Jesus in the midst. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

5 Matt. xxvii. 31-34. 38. Mark xv. 20-23. 27, 28. Luke xxiii. 26–34. John xix. 16-18.

What happened while Christ was on the Cross.

AND Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This title then read many of the Jews for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written I have written.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also his coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which saith, They parted my raiment among them, and for my vesture they did cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. And sitting down they watched him there. And it was the third hour. And they that passed by reviled him and railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three

Christ is Reviled.

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days, save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. And the people stood beholding. Likewise also the chief priests mocking said among themselves with the scribes and elders, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be Christ the King of Israel, the chosen of God, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God. The thieves also which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth, and reviled him. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.

And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise ".

6 Matt. xxvii. 35-44. Mark xv. 24-32. Luke xxiii. 35-43. John xix. 19-24.

The Events at Christ's Death. The Spectators

of it.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over all the land unto the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabacthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood by, when they heard that, said, Behold, this man calleth for Elias.

After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now

there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and straightway one of them ran, and took a spunge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will

The Death of Christ.

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come to save him. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished. And when Jesus had cried again with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks rent; and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose, and came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. Now when the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, and that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, they feared greatly; and the centurion glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man; truly this was the Son of God. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things which were done, smote their breasts, and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, ministering unto him, stood afar off beholding these things: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the Less and of Joses, and Salome, the mother of Zebedee's children, and many other women were

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