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St. Dysmas

The Penitent Thief (a.k.a. St. Rakh)

St. Dysmas, the penitent thief

From the hand of Konstantinos Yannakis.

In the Gospels

Mark 15:24-32

Crucifying him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots on them, what each should take. It was the third hour, and they crucified him. The superscription of his accusation was written over him, The King of the Jews. With him they crucified two robbers, one on his right hand, and one on his left. The Scripture was fulfilled, which says, He was numbered with transgressors.

Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ha! You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself, and come down from the cross!

Likewise, also the chief priests mocking among themselves with the scribes said, He saved others. He can’t save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, now come down from the cross, that we may see and believe him. Those who were crucified with him insulted him.

Matthew 27:38-44

Then there were two robbers crucified with him, one on his right hand and one on the left. Those who passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying, You who destroy the temple, and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross!

Likewise the chief priests also mocking, with the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders, said, He saved others, but he can’t save himself. If he is the King of Israel, let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusts in God. Let God deliver him now, if he wants him, for he said, I am the Son of God. The robbers also who were crucified with him cast on him the same reproach.

Luke 23:32-43

There were also others, two criminals, led with him to be put to death. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified him there with the criminals, one on the right and the other on the left.

Jesus said, Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.

Dividing his garments among them, they cast lots. The people stood watching. The rulers with them also scoffed at him, saying, He saved others. Let him save himself, if this is the Christ of God, his chosen one!

The soldiers also mocked him, coming to him and offering him vinegar, and saying, If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!

An inscription was also written over him in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew: This is the King of the Jews.

One of the criminals who was hanged insulted him, saying, If you are the Christ, save yourself and us!

But the other answered, and rebuking him said, Don’t you even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. He said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.

Jesus said to him, Assuredly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.

John 19:16-19

So then he delivered him to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus and led him away. He went out, bearing his cross, to the place called The Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha, where they crucified him, and with him two others, on either side one, and Jesus in the middle. Pilate wrote a title also, and put it on the cross. There was written, Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.

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