While they were considering what to do, Simon, a Cyrenian, coming from an opposite direction, met the crowd, was seized at the instigation of the priests, and compelled to carry the cross of Christ. The sons of Simon were disciples of Jesus, but he himself had never been connected with him. This occasion was a profitable one for him. The cross he was forced to bear became the means of his conversion. His sympathies were deeply stirred in favor of Jesus; and the events of Calvary, and the words uttered by Jesus, caused him to acknowledge that he was the Son of God. Simon ever after felt grateful to God for the singular providence which placed him in a position to receive evidence for himself that Jesus was the world’s Redeemer. {3SP 150.3}

Medens de overvejede, hvad de skulle gøre, kom Simon fra Kyrene gående imod dem. Han blev grebet i følge præsternes befaling og tvunget til at bære Kristi kors. Simons sønner var Jesu disciple, men han havde aldrig selv forenet sig med ham. Denne begivenhed var nyttig for (151) ham. Korset, som han blev tvunget til at bære, blev et middel til hans omvendelse. Han fik en dyb medfølelse for Jesus, og de begivenheder, som fandt sted på Golgata, såvel som de ord, Jesus ytrede, bevirkede at han erkendte ham for at være Guds Søn. Simon var siden da altid taknemmelig til Gud for den vise styrelse, som bragte ham i en stilling, hvor han selv kunne opnå et vidnesbyrd om, at Jesus var verdens Forløser.