Victory at the Cross (from Matt. 27-28)

They bound Me and led Me to Pilate. Pilate first asked Me, “Well— are you the King of the Jews?”I replied, “You say that I am.”The chief priests accused Me of many things so Pilate questioned Me again, “Listen to their accusations! Have You nothing to say?” But I did not answer them—Pilate was astonished.Pilate’s custom at the festival was to release a prisoner—anyone they asked. Barabbas was in the prison at the time, with some other violent criminals who had committed murder. The crowd began to demand that Pilate should release Barabbas. So Pilate spoke to them, “Do you want me to release the King of the Jews?” Pilate knew that the chief priests had handed Me over to him because of their hatred of Me. But the chief priests agitated the crowd to get Pilate to release Barabbas rather than Me. So Pilate spoke to them once more, “What shall I do with the man whom you call the King of the Jews?”

They shouted, “Crucify Him!”But Pilate answered, “Why, what crime has He done?”

But they yelled even louder. “Crucify Him!” Because Pilate wanted to satisfy the crowd, he released Barabbas, and after having Me flogged, Pilate handed Me over to be crucified.

I am Mocked

Then the soldiers marched Me away to the courtyard and called for other guards. They dressed Me in a purple robe, and twisting some thorn-twigs into a crown, thrust it on My head. Then they began to mock Me. “Hail, Your majesty—King of the Jews!” They struck Me on the head with a stick and spat on Me, and then bowed before Me on bended knee. When they had finished mocking Me, they took off the purple cloak and put on My own clothes. Then they led Me away to crucify Me.They forced Simon, a man from Cyrene in Africa, the father of Alexander and Rufus, who was coming in from the fields, to carry My cross. They took Me to a place called Golgotha, meaning “Skull,” and there they offered Me some drugged wine, but I would not drink it.

On the Cross

Then they nailed Me to the cross and divided My garments, casting lots to see what each would get. It was nine o’clock in the morning when they nailed Me to the cross. Over My head, they posted a placard that read, “THE KING OF THE JEWS.” They also crucified two thieves at the same time, one on each side of Me. And so the Scriptures were fulfilled. Those who passed by jeered at Me, shaking their heads in mockery, saying, “You said You could destroy the temple and build it up again in three days; come down from the cross and save Yourself.”

The chief priests, along with the scribes, also mocked Me, “He saved others, He cannot save Himself. If this Messiah, the King of Israel, would come down now, we would see and believe!” And even the thieves who were crucified with Me mocked Me.

At noon darkness spread over the countryside and lasted until three o’clock in the afternoon. Then I cried out in a loud voice, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?”Some of the bystanders heard what I said in Aramaic, Eloi, Eloi,lama sabachthani? and said, “Listen, He’s calling for Elijah!” One man ran to soak a sponge in vinegar, put it on a stick and held it up for Me to drink, saying, “Let Him alone! Let’s see if Elijah will come to take Him down!” Then I let out a loud cry and breathed My last. At that very moment, the curtain of the temple sanctuary was torn from the top to the bottom.And then the centurion, who stood facing Me, seeing how I died, said, “Truly, this man was the Son of God!” There were some women watching from a distance: Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and Joses, and Salome. These were the women who followed Me as I walked in Galilee and ministered to Me. And there were many other women there who had also come up to Jerusalem for the festival.

The Burial of My Body

It was Friday evening of the day of Passover preparation, before the Sabbath. Joseph from Arimathaea, a member of the Sanhedrin, who believed the kingdom of God was about to come, went to Pilate to ask for My body. Pilate was surprised that I was dead already and he sent for the centurion to ask whether I had been dead long. On hearing the centurion’s report, he gave Joseph My body. So Joseph brought a linen sheet, took Me down and wrapped Me in it, and then put Me in his own tomb which had been hewn out of the solid rock. Then Joseph rolled a stone over the entrance to the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, watched and saw where I was laid.

Early Sunday morning Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices to anoint My body. Before sunrise they came to the tomb. They were asking, “Who can roll away the stone from the tomb for us?” Then they saw that the stone had been rolled away. They went into the tomb and saw a young man sitting to the right, dressed in white, and they were scared. But he said, “Do not be afraid! You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He is risen; He is not here; come see the place where He was laid. Then go, tell His disciples and Peter that He will be going before you into Galilee; You will see Him there, just as He said.”Quickly they ran from the tomb, fearful and terrified; they spoke to no one.After I had risen early that morning, I appeared first to Mary Magdalene from whom I had cast out seven demons. She went and told My disciples who were grieving and weeping. When they heard that I was alive and she had seen Me, they did not believe it. But later on I appeared in a different form to two of them on their way home. They went and told the others; again they did not believe them.

The Upper Room One Week Later

Afterward, I appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and I rebuked their unbelief and hardheartedness, because they did not believe the report of those who had seen Me.

I commanded them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every person. Those who believe and are baptized shall be saved; but he who does not believe shall be lost. And these signs shall follow those who believe: In My name they shall cast out demons; they shall speak with new tongues; they shall pick up serpents and not be harmed, and if they drink anything poisonous, it shall not kill them. They shall lay hands on the sick and heal them.”

After I had talked with them, I was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.Then My disciples went out and preached everywhere. I was with them and confirmed their message with signs.

Paraphrase by Elmer Towns, editor of The Bible by Jesus