Part 111

23:24. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required.

23:25. And he released unto them him who for murder and sedition had been cast into prison, whom they had desired. But Jesus he delivered up to their will.

23:26. And as they led him away, they laid hold of one Simon of Cyrene, coming from the country; and they laid the cross on him to carry after Jesus.

23:27. And there followed him a great multitude of people and of women, who bewailed and lamented him.

23:28. But Jesus turning to them, said: Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not over me; but weep for yourselves and for your children.

23:29. For behold, the days shall come, wherein they will say: Blessed are the barren and the wombs that have not borne and the paps that have not given suck.

23:30. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains: Fall upon us. And to the hills: Cover us.

23:31. For if in the green wood they do these things, what shall be done in the dry?

23:32. And there were also two other malefactors led with him to be put to death.

23:33. And when they were come to the place which is called Calvary, they crucified him there: and the robbers, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.

23:34. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. But they, dividing his garments, cast lots.

23:35. And the people stood beholding. And the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others: let him save himself, if he be Christ, the elect of God.

23:36. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar,

23:37. And saying: If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.

23:38. And there was also a superscription written over him in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

23:39. And one of those robbers who were hanged blasphemed him, saying: If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

23:40. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying: Neither dost thou fear God, seeing; thou art under the same condemnation?

23:41. And we indeed justly: for we receive the due reward of our deeds. But this man hath done no evil.

23:42. And he said to Jesus: Lord, remember me when thou shalt come into thy kingdom.

23:43. And Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

In paradise. . .That is, in the happy state of rest, joy, and peace everlasting. Christ was pleased, by a special privilege, to reward the faith and confession of the penitent thief, with a full discharge of all his sins, both as to the guilt and punishment; and to introduce him immediately after death into the happy society of the saints, whose limbo, that is, the place of their confinement, was now made a paradise by our Lord's going thither.

23:44. And it was almost the sixth hour: and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.

23:45. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst.

23:46. And Jesus crying with a loud voice, said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. And saying this, he gave up the ghost.

23:47. Now, the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: Indeed this was a just man.

23:48. And all the multitude of them that were come together to that sight and saw the things that were done returned, striking their breasts.

23:49. And all his acquaintance and the women that had followed him from Galilee stood afar off, beholding these things.

23:50. And behold there was a man named Joseph who was a counsellor, a good and a just man,