luke

23:33-43
Highlit: 43

23:33 And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
23:34 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots.
23:35 And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God.
23:36 And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar,
23:37 And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself.
23:38 And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.
23:39 And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.
23:40 But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation?
23:41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss.
23:42 And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom.
23:43 And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

(Bisqwit's comments)
This piece of scripture is wonderful. It demonstrates us how God's love and capacity of forgiveness is unlimited. Jesus had all the authority of God to declare who will be saved and who will be damned, and here he declares that the former murderer beside him will be permitted in the paradise with him. I say former, because the man was changed. Jesus saw his heart, and knew that the man was thoroughly changed. Naysayers may snark that it's easy to repent when you're in the death row, or that who knows if he would have went back to his old ways if something miraculously saved him from the sentence. It does not matter: in that moment, the former criminal was repenting from the bottom of his heart, and accepting the son of God and everything he represents. That action washed him clean, and God forgave his sins.