<t /><p class="bodytext">The soldiers<n id="1" /> forced<n id="2" /> a passerby to carry his cross,<n id="3" /> Simon of Cyrene, who was coming in from the country<n id="4" /> (he was the father of Alexander and Rufus).

<t /><p class="bodytext">Then<n id="1" /> Jesus<n id="2" /> called the crowd, along with his disciples, and said to them, &#8220;If anyone wants to become my follower,<n id="3" /> he must deny<n id="4" /> himself, take up his cross,<n id="5" /> and follow me.