The seven last words of Jesus are seven short sayings He spoke from the cross, gathered from the four Gospels: (1) "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," (2) "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise," (3) "Woman, behold thy son!" (4) "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (5) "I thirst," (6) "It is finished" and (7) "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46).
No single Gospel records all seven sayings of Jesus on the cross. Luke gives three, John gives three and Matthew and Mark share one. Christians have gathered them into a traditional order for centuries, and many churches hold a Seven Last Words service on Good Friday, with a short reading, a sermon or a hymn for each saying. In 2027, Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10, Good Friday falls on March 26 and Easter Sunday is March 28. Below are the seven sayings in the King James Version, in the usual order, with the verses around them so you can see the scene: the soldiers, the thieves, the women at the cross, the darkness and the centurion. Each note explains where the saying is found and what it shows about Jesus. The words were spoken over about six hours, from the third hour (about 9 a.m.) to the ninth hour (about 3 p.m.). For a wider set of Scriptures for the day, see Bible verses about Good Friday and Bible verses about the cross.
Words 1-3: forgiveness, paradise and a new family
1. Luke 23:34
"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots."
The first word is a prayer for the very people hurting Him: Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. Jesus had taught, "Love your enemies" (Matthew 5:44), and on the cross He did it. The soldiers were gambling for His clothes as He prayed, And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. If Jesus could forgive those who nailed Him to a cross, there is no one beyond the reach of His forgiveness, including you, and including the person you find hardest to forgive.
2. Luke 23:43
"And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise."
The second word goes to a dying criminal. One thief mocked Jesus, but the other asked to be remembered in His kingdom. Jesus answered, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise. The man had no time to fix his life, be baptized or do good works. He simply turned to Jesus in faith. This saying is one of the clearest pictures of grace in the Bible: salvation is a gift, and it is never too late to ask for it.
3. John 19:25
"Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene."
Before the third word, John tells us who was there: Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. Most of the disciples had run away, but these women stayed. Mary was watching her son die, fulfilling Simeon's words that a sword would pierce her soul (Luke 2:35). Their quiet presence is a picture of faithful love that does not leave when things are at their worst.
4. John 19:26-27
"When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home."
The third word is to His mother and to John: Woman, behold thy son! and Behold thy mother! The disciple whom Jesus loved is traditionally understood to be John. Even while dying, Jesus cared for His mother's future and placed her in John's home: from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home. The cross creates a new family. Those who belong to Jesus are given to one another to love and care for.
Words 4-5: darkness and thirst
5. Luke 23:44-45
"And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst."
Around noon a strange darkness fell: there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. The sixth hour to the ninth was about noon to 3 p.m. The torn veil, the curtain before the Most Holy Place, showed that the way into God's presence was being opened. These three dark hours set the scene for the most painful of the seven words.
6. Matthew 27:46
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?"
The fourth word is a cry: Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? Jesus was quoting the first line of Psalm 22, a psalm that describes suffering and ends in victory. As He bore the sin of the world, He experienced the separation sin brings. This saying gives permission to every believer to bring the question "why?" to God. Jesus prayed it too, and He still called God My God.
7. John 19:28
"After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst."
The fifth word is the shortest: I thirst. John explains that Jesus said it knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled. The One who offered living water to a woman at a well (John 4:10) was truly thirsty. This word reminds us that Jesus was fully human. He felt pain, exhaustion and thirst, and He understands our bodies and our weakness from the inside.
8. Psalms 69:21
"They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink."
John says Jesus' thirst fulfilled Scripture, and this psalm is the passage most often linked to it: They gave me also gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. David wrote it about his own suffering about a thousand years earlier, yet it describes the cross closely. Matthew records both the gall (Matthew 27:34) and the vinegar (Matthew 27:48). See more fulfilled Scriptures on our prophecies about Jesus page.
Words 6-7: it is finished
9. John 19:29
"Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth."
The soldiers answered His thirst: there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth. The vinegar was probably the cheap sour wine soldiers drank. Hyssop is a small plant, the same kind used to put the Passover lamb's blood on the doorposts in Egypt (Exodus 12:22). John may be quietly pointing to Jesus as the true Passover Lamb.
10. John 19:30
"When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost."
The sixth word is a shout of completion: It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost. In Greek it is one word, tetelestai, which could be used for a debt paid in full or a job completed. Jesus was not saying that He was defeated. He was saying that the work was done. The price of sin was paid. Nothing needs to be added to what Jesus did for us. See Bible verses about salvation.
11. Luke 23:46
"And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost."
The seventh word is a prayer of trust: Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit. Jesus was quoting Psalm 31:5, a prayer of trust that many believers still use as an evening prayer. He began the cross praying "Father" and ended it the same way. Having said thus, he gave up the ghost. No one took His life from Him; He laid it down (John 10:18). Many Christians pray these words at the end of the day, or at the end of life.
12. Luke 23:47
"Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man."
The first person to respond after Jesus died was a Roman soldier: Now when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was a righteous man. Mark adds that he said, "Truly this man was the Son of God" (Mark 15:39). The seven words, spoken in agony, had shown who Jesus truly was. They still do. Three days later, the story would not end at the cross but at the empty tomb. See Bible verses about Easter.
A short prayer
Lord Jesus, thank You for every word You spoke from the cross. Thank You for forgiving those who did not know what they were doing, and for forgiving me. Remember me, as You remembered the thief. Help me care for the family You have given me. When I feel forsaken, help me still call God my God. You thirsted, You finished the work, and You committed Your spirit to the Father. Into Your hands I commit my life today. Amen.
Go deeper: a SOAP study prompt
Pick one verse above and write: - Scripture: copy the verse by hand. - Observation: what does it say? Who is speaking, to whom? - Application: what does it mean for you today? - Prayer: turn it into a two-line prayer.
New to this method? See our Bible study guide or pick a Bible reading plan.
Pray through Holy Week with the 30-Day Prayer Journal · Study one saying a day with our free SOAP study page · Memorize the seven sayings with the Scripture Memory Cards
Frequently asked questions
What are the seven last words of Jesus in order?
The traditional order is: 1. "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do" (Luke 23:34). 2. "To day shalt thou be with me in paradise" (Luke 23:43). 3. "Woman, behold thy son!" (John 19:26). 4. "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Matthew 27:46). 5. "I thirst" (John 19:28). 6. "It is finished" (John 19:30). 7. "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46).
Why are they called the seven last words?
Word here means saying, not single word. The seven sayings are the last recorded words of Jesus before He died. They come from four Gospels, and Christians have combined them into one list since at least the early church, with the Good Friday Seven Last Words service becoming popular in later centuries. Composers such as Haydn and many hymn writers have set them to music.
What was Jesus' last word on the cross?
Luke records the last saying as "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit" (Luke 23:46). John records "It is finished" (John 19:30) right before Jesus gave up the ghost. Most traditional lists put "It is finished" sixth and "Father, into thy hands" seventh. Both show that Jesus died trusting His Father and having finished His work.
When is Good Friday 2027?
Good Friday 2027 is Friday, March 26, and Easter Sunday is March 28, 2027. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2027, and Palm Sunday is March 21. Many families read one of the seven last words each day of Holy Week. For more, see Bible verses about Lent and Bible verses about Palm Sunday.
Sources: All Scripture quotations are from the King James Version (KJV), public domain in the United States. References were checked against the KJV text from bible-api.com.
Related: Good Friday · The Cross · Easter · Lent · Forgiveness · Salvation · Blood of Jesus · Prophecies About Jesus · Holy Week timeline · The Old Rugged Cross (hymn lyrics)
Explore more: All Bible verses by topic · KJV Bible verses · Verse of the day · Prayers · Bible study · Bible reading plans
