Father, Forgive Dem

Na afternoon, and di sky come dark. No be cloud. No be storm. Na darkness wey just settle cover di whole land. And for one hill outside di city, one man wey hang for cross still dey pray for di people wey surround am.

Pilate don hand Jesus over. Di soldiers lead am comot pass di streets of Jerusalem, as e dey carry di heavy wooden beam of im cross. E never sleep all night; dem don question am and beat am. For road, di soldiers hold one man wey dey come from village, Simon from Cyrene, and force am to carry di cross for Jesus back. Big crowd follow dem. Among dem na women, wey dey cry and mourn for am.

Jesus turn face di women. Even now, na other people e dey think about. Daughters of Jerusalem, make una no cry for me. Cry for unaself and for una children. Hard days dey come for dem city, e warn dem. Dem lead two other men come out with am, both of dem na criminals. Dem reach di place wey dem dey call Di Skull. And for there di soldiers crucify Jesus, one criminal for im right hand side and one for im left. And Jesus talk, Father, forgive dem, because dem no know wetin dem dey do.

Di soldiers cast lots to share im clothes among demself. Di people stand dey watch. Di leaders dey laugh am with contempt. E save other people. Make e save imself, if e be God Messiah, di Chosen One. Di soldiers join dem, dey offer am sour wine. If you be di king of di Jews, save yourself. For top of im head, somebody don fix one notice. Dis na di King of di Jews. Dem mean am as joke. Luke want make we see say e true.

One of di criminals wey hang near am join to dey mock am. No be you be di Messiah? Save yourself, and save us too! But di other one tell am make e stop. You no fear God? Wetin we dey get na wetin our hand work deserve. But dis man no do anything wrong. Then e turn im head. Jesus, remember me when you enter your kingdom. And Jesus answer am, True true I tell you, today you go dey with me for paradise. One man wey dey die, wey no get anything to give, receive promise.

Now e be like twelve o'clock for afternoon, and darkness cover di whole land reach three o'clock, because di light of di sun fail. Inside di temple, di big curtain tear into two. Then Jesus call out with loud voice, Father, into your hands I hand over my spirit. And when e don talk dis one, e breathe im last. Di Roman centurion wey don watch everything praise God. True true, dis man no do anything wrong. Di crowds go back house dey beat dem chest for sorrow. And im friends, and di women wey follow am from Galilee, stand far, dey watch.

Crucifixion na punishment wey di Romans dey use, mostly for slaves, for people wey rebel, and for people wey di authorities want use as example. Dem dey do am for open place, many times near di road, as warning to anybody wey dey look. Di Roman writer Cicero call am di most cruel and di most horrible of all punishments. Na why di message of di first Christians come strange to many people. Dem announce say di king wey God choose die like dis, and dem no hide am.

Father, Forgive Dem. You go find am for Luke chapter twenty-three, verse twenty-six to forty-nine. Even for di cross, Jesus dey forgive, dey comfort, dey welcome people. One thief hear di words, today you go dey with me. Christians believe say dis no be di end of di story, and say di next chapter start three days after. So see one question wey you go carry dey go. If Jesus fit forgive from di cross, who e fit dey ask you make you forgive?