Chosen Portion
All prayers

Bible story

Crucifixion Prayer

A short, Scripture-shaped bible story prayer for an ordinary moment of Christian faith.

Read the prayer

The prayer

A prayer to pray now

Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do. Luke 23:34. You prayed this from the cross while they divided Your clothes. You prayed for the ones who put You there, and You prayed for me too, because my sin helped nail You to that wood.

Lord Jesus, the cross is the center of everything. Six hours on a Roman cross. Three hours of darkness. You cried out to the Father. You gave up Your spirit. The temple veil tore in two. The ground shook. And the soldier said, "This was God's Son."

Father, at the cross, Your anger and Your mercy met and did not fight. The price was paid. The debt was settled. The way home was opened. I cannot add to what You did. I cannot take anything away. I can only receive it and let it shape my whole life.

Hold me close to the cross so nothing else takes first place in me. Your body, broken for me. Your blood, shed for me.

Amen.

How to pray it

  1. Read it slowly. Move through this prayer one line at a time, out loud if you can, letting each phrase land before the next.
  2. Make it personal. Pause where a line meets your day and name the person, fear, or hope it touches before God.
  3. Carry it with you. Keep one sentence with you — on your phone or in your pocket — and return to it when the day gets loud.

Verses to pray

Pray these slowly, one line at a time. Scripture quoted from a public-domain translation.

  1. Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”
    Luke 23:34
  2. Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also the tunic. Now the tunic was without seam, woven from the top throughout.
    John 19:23

Questions about this prayer

When should I pray crucifixion prayer?

Pray it whenever the words fit your moment — at the start of the day, in a hard stretch, or when you simply want to turn toward God.

Which Bible verses anchor this prayer?

This prayer is anchored in Luke 23:34, John 19:23. The "Verses to pray" section above quotes them in full.

Can I save or share this prayer?

Yes. Use the Copy prayer button to copy the words, or open the Chosen Portion app to keep a daily prayer, devotional, and Scripture with you.