Pilate had a notice prepared and fastened to the cross. It read: JESUS OF NAZARETH, THE KING OF THE JEWS. Many of the Jews read this sign, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city, and the sign was written in Aramaic, Latin and Greek. The chief priests of the Jews protested to Pilate, “Do not write ‘The King of the Jews,’ but that this man claimed to be king of the Jews.” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.” 

 

Those who passed by hurled insults at Jesus, mocking and taunting Him, saying things like: “ He saved others, but He can’t save Himself!  He’s the king of Israel!  Let Him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in Him.”  Even one of the criminals next to Him spewed:  “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!”

 

But the other criminal told the first one off, “Don’t you fear God? Aren’t you getting the same punishment as this man? We got what was coming to us, but he didn’t do anything wrong.” Then he said to Jesus, “Remember me when you come into your Kingdom!”

 

Note: The second criminal Acknowledged that Jesus was God, Confessed his sin, and Supplicated a need for forgiveness.