40. shouted, “So you're the one who claimed you could tear down the temple and build it again in three days! If you are God's Son, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
41. The chief priests, the leaders, and the teachers of the Law of Moses also made fun of Jesus. They said,
42. “He saved others, but he can't save himself. If he is the king of Israel, he should come down from the cross! Then we will believe him.
43. He trusted God, so let God save him, if he wants to. He even said he was God's Son.”
44. The two criminals also said cruel things to Jesus.
45. At midday the sky turned dark and stayed that way until three o'clock.
46. Then about that time Jesus shouted, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”
47. Some of the people standing there heard Jesus and said, “He's calling for Elijah.”
48. One of them at once ran and grabbed a sponge. He soaked it in wine, then put it on a stick and held it up to Jesus.
49. Others said, “Wait! Let's see if Elijah will come and save him.”
50. Once again Jesus shouted, and then he died.
51. At once the curtain in the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, and rocks split apart.
52. Graves opened, and many of God's people were raised to life.
53. Then after Jesus had risen to life, they came out of their graves and went into the holy city, where they were seen by many people.
54. The officer and the soldiers guarding Jesus felt the earthquake and saw everything else that happened. They were frightened and said, “This man really was God's Son!”
55. Many women had come with Jesus from Galilee to be of help to him, and they were there, looking on at a distance.
56. Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of James and John were some of these women.
57. That evening a rich disciple named Joseph from the town of Arimathea