save yourself and come down from the cross!” ¹ 

He humbled himself, by becoming obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross!

And whoever does not take up his cross ¹  and follow me is not worthy of me.

As ¹  they were going out, they found a man from Cyrene named Simon, whom they forced ²  to carry his cross. ³ 

Whoever does not carry his own cross ¹  and follow ²  me cannot be my disciple.

and carrying his own cross ¹  he went out to the place called “The Place of the Skull” ²  (called in Aramaic ³  Golgotha). ⁴ 

Now, brothers and sisters, ¹  if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? ²  In that case the offense of the cross ³  has been removed. ⁴ 

and to reconcile them both in one body to God through the cross, by which the hostility has been killed. ¹ 

“He saved others, but he cannot save himself! He is the king of Israel! If he comes down ¹  now from the cross, we will believe in him!

The soldiers ¹  forced ²  a passerby to carry his cross, ³  Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country ⁴  (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus).

Let the Christ, ¹  the king of Israel, come down from the cross now, that we may see and believe!” Those who were crucified with him also spoke abusively to him. ² 

Then ¹  he said to them all, ²  “If anyone wants to become my follower, ³  he must deny ⁴  himself, take up his cross daily, ⁵  and follow me.

As ¹  they led him away, they seized Simon of Cyrene, ²  who was coming in from the country. ³  They placed the cross on his back and made him carry it behind Jesus. ⁴ 

Pilate also had a notice ¹  written and fastened to the cross, ²  which read: ³  “Jesus the Nazarene, the king of the Jews.”

For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel – and not with clever speech, so that the cross of Christ would not become useless. ¹ 

For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

Those who want to make a good showing in external matters ¹  are trying to force you to be circumcised. They do so ²  only to avoid being persecuted ³  for the cross of Christ.

But may I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which ¹  the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

For many live, about whom I have often told you, and now, with tears, I tell you that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.

He has destroyed ¹  what was against us, a certificate of indebtedness ²  expressed in decrees opposed to us. He has taken it away by nailing it to the cross.