17
They dressed him up in purple and put a crown plaited from a thorn bush on his head.
18
Then they began their mockery: "Bravo, King of the Jews!"
19
They banged on his head with a club, spit on him, and knelt down in mock worship.
20
After they had had their fun, they took off the purple cape and put his own clothes back on him. Then they marched out to nail him to the cross.
21
There was a man walking by, coming from work, Simon from Cyrene, the father of Alexander and Rufus. They made him carry Jesus' cross.
22
The soldiers brought Jesus to Golgotha, meaning "Skull Hill."
23
They offered him a mild painkiller (wine mixed with myrrh), but he wouldn't take it.
24
And they nailed him to the cross. They divided up his clothes and threw dice to see who would get them.
25
They nailed him up at nine o'clock in the morning.
26
The charge against him - the king of the jews - was printed on a poster.
27
Along with him, they crucified two criminals, one to his right, the other to his left.