The cross was the most brutal form of execution in the Roman Empire – and became the most important symbol of Christianity. Here you will find 22 Bible verses about the crucifixion of Jesus: what the Gospels tell, what the prophets foretold, and what the cross means according to the New Testament.
What happened at the cross
The Gospels tell the crucifixion matter-of-factly – and preserve Jesus' last words.
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And when they came to the place that is called Golgotha, they crucified him there, and the criminals with him, one on the right and one on the left.
Luke 23:33
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But Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do!
Luke 23:34aGood FridayForgiveness
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And Jesus said to him: Verily I say unto thee: Today shalt thou be with me in paradise.
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Now when Jesus 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 she was taken to him.
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And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: “Eli, Eli lama asabthani?” which is translated: My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
Mark 15:34Good Friday
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Then, when Jesus knew that all was finished, that the scripture was fulfilled, he saith: I thirst!
John 19:28
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Now when Jesus had taken the vinegar, he said: It is finished! and bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
John 19:30Good Friday
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And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and said: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit! And having said this, he gave up the ghost.
Luke 23:46Good FridayGod's hand
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But the centurion, which stood over against him, and saw that he gave up the ghost with such a cry, said: Verily this man was the Son of God!
Mark 15:39
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And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom.
Matthew 27:51
Why Jesus died
Prophets and apostles explain what happened at the cross.
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Forsooth, he bare our sicknesses, and bore our sorrows. But we thought him to be plagued, and smitten, and afflicted of God. Yet he was wounded for our transgressions, and bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement whereof we bore, and by his stripes we are healed.
Isaiah 53:4-5
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We all went astray like sheep, every one looked upon his own way; but the LORD laid all our iniquity on him.
Isaiah 53:6
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Who hath borne our iniquities in his own body upon the tree, that we, being dead to sin, might live unto righteousness; by whose stripes ye are healed.
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Therefore God commendeth his love unto us, that Christ died for us, when we were yet sinners.
Romans 5:8Good FridayGospel
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For he being made sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made righteous before God.
2 Corinthians 5:21GospelRighteousness
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For I live; yet not I live, but Christ liveth in me. For now I live not unto myself, but I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.
Galatians 2:20FaithIdentity in Christ
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And hath blotted out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which by commandments was by us, and hath taken it out of the way, and nailed it to the cross.
Colossians 2:14
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He humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even unto death on the cross.
Philippians 2:8ObediencePalm Sunday
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And looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despised not the shame, and is set on the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews 12:2Faith
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For the word of the cross is foolishness to them which are perishing; but unto us which are saved, it is the power of God.
1 Corinthians 1:18
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But let me not be ashamed of the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world.
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And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
John 3:14-15
Bible texts: Luther Bible 1912 (public domain), carefully adapted to modern spelling.
Related Topics
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The seven words of Jesus at the cross
The four Gospels preserve together seven sentences that Jesus spoke at the cross: the request for forgiveness for those who crucified him (Luke 23:34), the promise to the crucified man with him (Luke 23:43), the words to his mother and John (John 19:26-27), the cry of abandonment to God from Psalm 22 (Mark 15:34), “I thirst” (John 19:28), “It is finished” (John 19:30), and finally the prayer “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). In many congregations they are read on Good Friday.
Why the cross became a symbol
For people of antiquity, a crucified Messiah was a contradiction. Paul knows this: The word of the cross is “foolishness to them which are perishing” (1 Corinthians 1:18). And yet he makes it the center of his message. At the cross, according to the New Testament, Jesus takes upon himself the guilt of the world – “by his stripes we are healed” (Isaiah 53:5). The cross is therefore not a sign of defeat, but of love that goes to the utmost. What lies behind the different forms of the cross is explained in our article The cross as a symbol; verses for Good Friday you will find at Bible verses for Good Friday, for the resurrection at Bible verses about the resurrection.
Frequently Asked Questions
What were Jesus' last words at the cross?
According to Luke 23:46, Jesus prayed at last: “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!” John preserves as the last word: “It is finished” (John 19:30).
Why did Jesus have to die at the cross?
The New Testament interprets the death of Jesus as a surrender for the guilt of people: “Therefore God commendeth his love unto us, that Christ died for us, when we were yet sinners” (Romans 5:8).
