AUV(i)
31 And after mocking Him [some more], they removed the [scarlet] robe and put His own clothes back on Him. Then they led Him away to crucify Him.
32 As they were leaving [i.e., probably the city of Jerusalem], they met a man from Cyrene [Note: This was a city in the northern African country of Libya]. His name was Simon and they forced him to go with them so he could carry Jesus’ cross [i.e., probably only the cross-beam portion].
33 And when they had come to the place called Golgotha, which means “the place of a skull” [i.e., probably because it was a skull-shaped knoll in appearance],
34 they offered Jesus wine mixed with a bitter drug [i.e., for the purpose of dulling the pain of crucifixion. Mark 15:23 calls it “myrrh”], but when He tasted it He refused to drink it.
35 And after they had crucified Him, the soldiers divided His clothing among themselves by gambling for them.
36 Then they just sat there and watched Him [die].
37 They attached over His head [i.e., to the upright portion of the cross] the charge made against Him, which read, “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews.”
38 They [also] crucified two thieves with Him, one at His right side and one at His left.
39 And those who passed by [the cross] shouted abuse at Him and shook their heads [in derision],
40 saying, “You who [said you] would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself [from dying]; if you [really] are the Son of God, come down from the cross.”
41 In the same way the leading priests, experts in the law of Moses and [Jewish] elders also mocked Him, saying,
42 “He saved other people, [but] he cannot [even] save himself [i.e., from dying]. He is ‘the king of Israel;’ let him now come down from the cross and then we will believe in him.
43 He trusted in God; now let God deliver him, if He wants [to save him from dying], for he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’”
44 And the thieves who were crucified with Him also heaped the same abuse on Him.
45 Now from noon until three o’clock in the afternoon there was darkness over all the land.
46 Then about three in the afternoon Jesus called out in a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani? [Note: These words were spoken in the commonly used Aramaic language], which mean, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
47 And when some of those standing there heard this, they said, “This man is calling for Elijah.”
48 And immediately one of them ran and got a sponge, soaked it in sour wine and, attaching it to a stick, [lifted it up] and offered Jesus a drink.
49 But the rest of them said, “Let him alone; let us see if Elijah [really] comes to save him.”
50 Then Jesus called out again with a loud voice and [finally] gave up His spirit [to God. See Luke 23:46].