Zone1 What Jesus really said to the thief on the cross.

[Woodznutz]

"I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."

Today.
Now, at this time.

Jesus was saying that "at this time" when things look so hopeless for the thief that there was a hopeful future for him.

"I'm telling you now, that things are going to be ok."

What child hasn't heard their parents say, "I'm telling you right now..." followed by a statement. For example,

"I'm telling you right now you are going to mow the lawn before you can go swimming."

Not that the kid had to mow the lawn "right now", but at some time before he would be allowed to go swimming.

 

[luiza]

Today.
Now, at this time.

Have you double checked?
We moved to BST this morning at 01.00.
But nobody told my Apple which is now one hour behind Paradise Time .

Or did he say
"Ignore my scowl . I am not really cross"

 

[The Irish Ram]

Since we know that Jesus wasn't referring to Heaven that means the thief only had one opportunity to be with Christ in Paradise, which is how Jesus referred to Abraham's Bosom. It was emptied and closed for good 3 days later.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

"I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."

Today.
Now, at this time.

Jesus was saying that "at this time" when things look so hopeless for the thief that there was a hopeful future for him.

"I'm telling you now, that things are going to be ok."

What child hasn't heard their parents say, "I'm telling you right now..." followed by a statement. For example,

"I'm telling you right now you are going to mow the lawn before you can go swimming."

Not that the kid had to mow the lawn "right now", but at some time before he would be allowed to go swimming.

"I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."
Now, read it this way!

"I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Changes the whole meaning, doesn't it?

 

[MostBoringManInTheWorld]

So what did Jesus really say?

 

[The Irish Ram]

How we know Jesus meant that day is because:

We know Jesus hadn't ascended to Heaven yet.
Jesus called Abraham's Bosom, Paradise.
Jesus only went there once.
He removed the inhabitants who joined Jesus when He returned.
He shut the door permanently.
It has never been inhabited since.

The only opportunity for the thief to be with Jesus in Paradise were those 3 days.

 

[norwegen]

So what did Jesus really say?

Not what the OP said, that for the thief "there was a hopeful future for him." As Rockwell Tory says, comma placement is after the first you, not after today.

The actual line implies imminence, not anything futuristic.

 

[BreezeWood]

if the thief were genuine jesus would have known - maybe the everlasting ... not a chance for heaven.

 

[DennisPTate]

"I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."
Now, read it this way!

"I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Changes the whole meaning, doesn't it?

I belonged to the Worldwide Church of God from 1972 to 1991 and I used to believe all that they taught on the State of the Dead, [then again the alternative was some variation on what was taught by Dr. Billy Graham so...... I was biased toward the "Soul Sleep"teachings of Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong and his son Garner Ted].

Once I began to study near death experience accounts I came to the conclusion that Pastor General Herbert W. Armstrong had simply been in error on what he taught about "Soul Sleep."

I now believe that Messiah Yeshua - Jesus was crucified on a Wednesday, [The First Day of Unleavened Bread in 31 C. E. apparently was on a Thursday, which strongly hints that the year of the death, burial and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus was probably thirty one Current Era]. So, both Messiah Yeshua - Jesus as well as the thief that he spoke to were deceased and their spirits or souls, met in "Paradise" for an hour or two on Wednesday before sunset. I believe that Messiah Yeshua - Jesus gave a tour of Paradise or "Heaven," to the thief on the cross, for at least an hour or so before the sun would set on Wednesday that week. I believe that the soul or eternal spirit of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus went to hell at sunset as the First Day of Unleavened Bread was about to begin. Jesus was then in the heart of the earth for seventy two hours, three days, until He was resurrected on Saturday evening at sunset on the weekly Sabbath during Unleavened Bread. I believe that the writer of the opening post knows the name of that specific Sabbath and I believe that they know that that specific Sabbath was when a Wave Sheaf was offered by the Jewish priests, the Saducees]?

Messiah Yeshua - Jesus was "already risen" the next morning, Sunday morning, when Mary Magdalene and the other women went to his tomb with plans to embalm the corpse of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus with special spices. They had prepared those spices on Friday of that week and then they rested on the Jewish Sabbath but early on the first day of the week, Sunday morning, they went to the tomb and found that Jesus had already risen from the dead. Assuming He was in the "heart of the earth," the grave, or Sheol, or "The Bosom of Abraham" for seventy two hours this makes for a Sabbath - Saturday evening resurrection at sunset.

This is actually a very important topic for many reasons.

 

[onefour1]

The Saturday sabbath ended at sunset and Sunday began at sunset. So wasn't Jesus resurrected on Sunday?

 

[DennisPTate]

The Saturday sabbath ended at sunset and Sunday began at sunset. So wasn't Jesus resurrected on Sunday?

I believe that He was already resurrected by Sunday morning which could mean Sabbath evening at sunset if we are dealing with a Wednesday crucifixion and Messiah Yeshua - Jesus going to hell itself at sunset as the fourth day of that week became the fifth day of that week. [The First Day of Unleavened Bread in thirty one C. E. apparently was on a Thursday indicating that thirty one C. E. was probably the year of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus].

I made a mistake and put a poll about this over in Political Satire:

Thread 'A Wednesday crucifixion and Sabbath evening at sunset RESURRECTION?'

Mar 30, 2026

If I am still in error about all of this,
you have my apologies in advance, because I do not wish to deceive but here is
where I am now at on the topic of the time line for Messiah Yeshua - Jesus to have been
crucified, killed, went to "paradise" or "heaven" with the thief on the cross beside him,
and then when He went to hell - Sheol - the Grave, for seventy two hours/ three days and three nights and then exactly when he was Resurrected from the dead?


" I belonged to the Worldwide Church of God from 1972 to 1991 and I used to believe all that they taught on the State of the Dead, [then...

• DennisPTate
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Political Satire

 

[onefour1]

I believe that He was already resurrected by Sunday morning which could mean Sabbath evening at sunset if we are dealing with a Wednesday crucifixion and Messiah Yeshua - Jesus going to hell itself at sunset as the fourth day of that week became the fifth day of that week. [The First Day of Unleavened Bread in thirty one C. E. apparently was on a Thursday indicating that thirty one C. E. was probably the year of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus].

I made a mistake and put a poll about this over in Political Satire:

Thread 'A Wednesday crucifixion and Sabbath evening at sunset RESURRECTION?'

Mar 30, 2026

If I am still in error about all of this,
you have my apologies in advance, because I do not wish to deceive but here is
where I am now at on the topic of the time line for Messiah Yeshua - Jesus to have been
crucified, killed, went to "paradise" or "heaven" with the thief on the cross beside him,
and then when He went to hell - Sheol - the Grave, for seventy two hours/ three days and three nights and then exactly when he was Resurrected from the dead?


" I belonged to the Worldwide Church of God from 1972 to 1991 and I used to believe all that they taught on the State of the Dead, [then...

• DennisPTate
• Replies: 3
• Forum: Political Satire

I also believe he was resurrected by Sunday morning but from what I understand about when the next day began and ended is that at sunset the new day began. So what we consider Saturday night today in America was actually, after sunset, Sunday in the days of Jesus. The evenings came before the daytime. My belief is that he was resurrected sometime before sunrise on Sunday Morning but I also believe that it was during the evening that was considered Sunday that he rose.

 

[DennisPTate]

I also believe he was resurrected by Sunday morning but from what I understand about when the next day began and ended is that at sunset the new day began. So what we consider Saturday night today in America was actually, after sunset, Sunday in the days of Jesus. The evenings came before the daytime. My belief is that he was resurrected sometime before sunrise on Sunday Morning but I also believe that it was during the evening that was considered Sunday that he rose.

Basically that is what I believe as well.

The first day of the week would begin as the Sabbath, [Saturday evening - sunset would happen]. Sunday morning when Mary and the other women went to the tomb of Messiah Yeshua - Jesus with spices to embalm his body would be nine or ten hours into the first day of the week already.

"From evening to evening, you shall celebrate your sabbaths" (Leviticus 23:32) defines the biblical day as beginning at sunset, not midnight. This command specifically dictates that the Day of Atonement, as well as the weekly Sabbath, is to be observed from the evening of the ninth day to the following evening. [1, 2, 3]

 

[The Duke]

"I say to you today, you will be with me in paradise."
Now, read it this way!

"I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise."

Changes the whole meaning, doesn't it?

Not really, IMO.

 

[The Duke]

Don't get me started on that day, I know things..things most people don't.
Things involving Jeremiah and where he had his priests stash The Ark right where God told him to. Centuries before that day.

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Not really, IMO.

Maybe you need remedial reading. Everyone else can see the difference.

What is happening today? Two different things, depending on the placement of the comma.

 

[The Duke]

Maybe you need remedial reading. Everyone else can see the difference.

What is happening today? Two different things, depending on the placement of the comma.

Not in that instance, because death was certain for both of them that day.

Was English even a language then? Hmm?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Not in that instance, because death was certain for both of them that day.

Was English even a language then? Hmm?

The language in the Bible dumbass, what language they spoke is irrelevant, but was probably Aramaic.

The two phrases are completely different and I know you are just arguing to argue because anyone with a third grade education can see that.

 

[The Duke]

The language in the Bible dumbass, what language they spoke is irrelevant, but was probably Aramaic.

The two phrases are completely different and I know you are just arguing to argue because anyone with a third grade education can see that.

Are you using the Leftist Progtard ROE?

I was not insulting your intelligence.
But I bet you never had a 4.15 GPA in gifted college classes, ok?

 

[Admiral Rockwell Tory]

Are you using the Leftist Progtard ROE?

No, you are just being a dick!