The Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross
A Free Devotional E-Mail Bible Study

by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson
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Free Email Bible Study on Jesus and the Kingdom of God

James J. Tissot, detail from "Jesus Alone on the Cross" (1886-1894), watercolor, Brooklyn Museum, New York. Full image.

By all accounts Jesus didn't do a lot of talking on the cross. It was as if he were alone in his pain -- silent for the many hours he hung there, except for a very few words. But these 7 Last Words of Christ from the Cross provide a window into Jesus' soul, a way to understand through his own last words what is ultimately important to this One who is dying on the cross.

Prepare Your Heart for Holy Week and Good Friday

These seven words are taken from different gospels, but assembled into what was probably their chronological order according to a simple harmony of the various gospel accounts of the crucifixion:

1. "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do." (Luke 23:34)
2. "This day you will be with me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43)
3. "Woman, behold your son." (John 19:26-27)
4. "My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?" (Mark 15:34; Matthew 27:46)
5. "I thirst." (John 19:28)
6. "It is finished." (John 19:30)
7. "Into your hands I commit my spirit." (Luke 23:46)

E-Mail Bible Study Meditation

Available as an e-book or paperback if you need all the lessons immediately.

This Bible study is designed to help you meditate on each of these seven words, one per day, for a single week. Contained in each day's study will be a question that can help you think more deeply about the meaning of the saying. If you like, you can post your answers or thoughts in our online Forum or read others' thoughts about the saying.

Unlike some studies in the JesusWalk^® Bible Study series, this study is delivered by e-mail once per day for one week only.

"Enriched Holy Week enormously." -- Margaret Armstrong "Sweet to spend Holy Week really pondering Jesus' cross." -- anonymous "There are many things about the Seven Last Words that I read for years, but that have really come to life for me." -- Deidre "The relatively short length of this study was perfect for me." -- anonymous "I wept while reading, imagining how it must have felt both for Jesus and for our Heavenly Father to choose to separate Himself from his Son because of how much he loves us. Incredible!" -- Elizabeth Dellenback "A tremendous boost to my devotional life." -- Keith "I used to rely on books alone for my personal spiritual nourishment, but find this teaching very accessible and helpful." -- Rev. Paul Nash, Anglican priest "Really helped me to slow down and appreciate the sacrifice of Jesus anew, to let the reality of it sink in a little deeper." -- Teddi Deppner "I did this study with four of my children ages 10, 14, 15, and 16. We were able to share so much as we went over the material... Explained fully and in a way that is easy to understand." -- Lynda Schafer

There is no cost for this Bible study -- it is delivered by e-mail absolutely free of charge. To  receive the study, sign up below.

Yes, please sign me up for the no-cost one-week devotional Bible study "The Seven Last Words of Christ." I understand that this also subscribes me to Dr. Wilson's occasional Joyful Heart Newsletter. I understand that I can unsubscribe at any time. I agree to abide by the Bible Study Forum Guidelines.  First Last E-mail Country --Select-- United States Canada United Kingdom Afghanistan Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Ascension Islands Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bosnia and Herzegowina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Cote D'Ivoire Croatia/Hrvatska Cuba Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic East Timor Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands (Malvinas) Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France France, Metropolitan French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard and McDonald Islands HolySee (Vatican City State) Honduras HongKong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati Korea, Democratic People's Rep. Korea, Republic of Kuwait Kyrgzstan Lao, People's Democratic Republic Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macau Macedonia, former Yugoslavia Rep. Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia, Federal States of Moldova, Republic of Monaco Mongolia Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands Netherlands Antilles New Calendonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Reunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia (Slovak Republic) Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and Sandwich Isl. Spain Sri Lanka St. Helena St. Pierre and Miquelon Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Isl. Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Ciacos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates United Kingdom United States U.S. Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Vatican City State Venezuela Vietnam Virgin Islands (British) Virgin Islands (U.S.) Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Yugoslavia Zaire (Democ. Repub. of Congo) Zambia Zimbabwe Preferred Format Plain text HTML

The Seven Last Words are often given in Latin, since they have long been used as a meditation on Good Friday in Roman Catholic congregations:

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The Seven 7 Last Words of Christ from the Cross

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