What are the seven last words of Jesus?

They are: 'Father, forgive them' (Luke 23:34); 'Today you will be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43); 'Woman, behold thy son' (John 19:26-27); 'My God, why hast thou forsaken me' (Matthew 27:46); 'I thirst' (John 19:28); 'It is finished' (John 19:30); and 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit' (Luke 23:46).

Why are they called the seven last words?

They are the seven recorded statements Jesus made from the cross, gathered from all four Gospels. 'Words' here means sayings or utterances. Christians have meditated on them together, especially on Good Friday, for centuries, because they reveal the heart of Christ at the moment of our salvation.

The last words of Christ

The Seven Words from the Cross

The seven last words of Jesus are the seven sentences he spoke while dying on the cross, read together by the Church for centuries: a prayer of forgiveness for his killers, a promise of paradise to a thief, care for his mother, the cry of abandonment, 'I thirst,' 'It is finished,' and 'into thy hands.' Together they are the most human and most world-changing words ever spoken, and every one of them was spoken for us.

“And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour.”

Luke 23:44

The seven words in order, each with its own page: the saying, its setting, what it means, and how it meets you at the foot of the cross.

Father, Forgive ThemThe word of forgiveness · Luke 23:34
Today Shalt Thou Be With Me in ParadiseThe word of salvation · Luke 23:43
Woman, Behold Thy SonThe word of care · John 19:26-27
My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken MeThe word of abandonment · Matthew 27:46
I ThirstThe word of humanity · John 19:28
It Is FinishedThe word of triumph · John 19:30
Into Thy Hands I Commend My SpiritThe word of trust · Luke 23:46

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He said it for you

Every one of these words was spoken over the very people who put him there, which means they were spoken over you and me. The cross is not a tragedy to admire from a distance; it is a door held open. The Living Bread is a quiet place to come and stand at the foot of it, read the Gospels, and pray, and find that the arms were spread open for you.

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Jesus Christ is Lord.

Frequently asked questions

What are the seven last words of Jesus?: They are: 'Father, forgive them' (Luke 23:34); 'Today you will be with me in paradise' (Luke 23:43); 'Woman, behold thy son' (John 19:26-27); 'My God, why hast thou forsaken me' (Matthew 27:46); 'I thirst' (John 19:28); 'It is finished' (John 19:30); and 'Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit' (Luke 23:46).
Why are they called the seven last words?: They are the seven recorded statements Jesus made from the cross, gathered from all four Gospels. 'Words' here means sayings or utterances. Christians have meditated on them together, especially on Good Friday, for centuries, because they reveal the heart of Christ at the moment of our salvation.