twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and elders of the people. 48 And his betrayer had given them a sign, saying, Whom49 ever I shall kiss, he is the man; seize him. And imme

diately going up to Jesus, he said, Hail, Rabbi! and kissed 50 him. And Jesus said to him, Friend, for what hast thou come! Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and seized him.

51

And, lo! one of those who were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck the servant of 52 the high-priest, and cut off his ear. Then Jesus saith to him, Put back thy sword into its place; for all they that 53 take the sword will perish by the sword. Dost thou think that I cannot pray to my Father, and he will now 54 give me more than twelve legions of angels? But how

then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? 55 In that hour Jesus said to the multitudes, Ye have come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take me; I sat daily teaching in the temple, and ye did not lay hands But all this hath been done, that the Scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled. Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

56 on me.

57

And they who seized Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high-priest, where the scribes and the elders were 58 assembled. But Peter followed him at a distance, as far as to the court of the high-priest's palace, and went in, and sat with the officers to see the end.

59

And the chief priests and the whole council sought 60 false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; and

they found none, though many false witnesses came for61 ward. But at last came two, and said, This man affirmed, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it

Ver. 57-75. Comp. Mark xiv. 53-72; Luke xxii. 54-71; John xviii. 12-27.

62 within three days. And the high-priest arose, and said to him, Dost thou make no answer to what these men 63 testify against thee? But Jesus was silent. And the

high-priest answering said to him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Christ, 64 the Son of God. Jesus saith to him, I am. Moreover I say to you, Henceforth ye will see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of 65 heaven. Then the high-priest rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we 66 of witnesses? See! ye have now heard the blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He should be Then they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and some smote him with the palms of their 68 hands, saying, Prophesy to us, O Messiah! who it was that struck thee.

67 punished with death.

69

Now Peter was sitting outside in the court. And a maid-servant came to him, saying, Thou also wast with 70 Jesus the Galilæan. But he denied before them all, say71 ing, I know not what thou sayest. And when he had gone out into the porch, another woman saw him, and said to those who were there, This man was with Jesus the 72 Nazarene. And again he denied with an oath: I do not 73 know the man. And shortly after, they who were standing by came and said to Peter, Surely thou too art one 74 of them; for thy speech betrayeth thee. Then he began

to curse and to swear, saying, I do not know the man. 75 And immediately a cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, who had said, Before a cock crows, thou wilt thrice deny me. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

XXVII. And when it was morning, all the chief priests

and the elders of the people consulted together against Je

Chap. XXVII. 1-26. Comp. Mark xv. 1-15; Luke xxiii. 1-25; John xviii. 28-40.

2 sus, to put him to death. And having bound him, they led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor. 3 Then Judas, who betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented, and brought back the thirty 4 pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I sinned in betraying innocent blood. And they said, 5 What is that to us? See thou to it. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and withdrew; and went away and hanged himself.

6

And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, since they 7 are the price of blood. And they consulted together, and bought with them the potter's field, for a burial-place for 8 strangers. Wherefore that field hath been called, The 9 Field of Blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet, saying, "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, whom they of the sons of Israel 10 priced, and gave them for the potter's field; as the Lord commanded me."*

11 And Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor

questioned him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? 12 And Jesus said, I am. And when he was accused by 13 the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then

saith Pilate to him, Dost thou not hear what things 14 they are testifying against thee? And he made him

no answer, not even to one word; so that the governor 15 greatly wondered. Now at the feast the governor was

wont to release to the multitude one prisoner, whom 16 they would. And they had then a notorious prisoner, 17 called Barabbas. When therefore they were assembled,

Pilate said to them, Whom will ye that I release to 18 you? Barabbas, or Jesus, who is called Christ? For he knew that for envy they had delivered him up.

* Zech. xi. 12, 13; see also Jer. xviii. 1, 2.

19

20

And while he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his wife sent to him, saying, Have nothing to do with that righteous man; for I have suffered much this day in a dream because of him.

But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the mul21 titudes to ask for Barabbas, and to destroy Jesus. And the

governor answering said to them, Which of the two will ye 22 that I release to you? And they said, Barabbas. Pilate saith to them, What then shall I do with Jesus, who is 23 called Christ? They all say, Let him be crucified. And

he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried 24 out the more, saying, Let him be crucified. And when Pilate saw that it availed nothing, but that rather a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of this blood; see ye 25 to it. And all the people answering said, His blood be 26 on us, and on our children. Then he released Barabbas to them, and having scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to be crucified.

27

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor's palace, and gathered to him the whole 28 band. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet 29 robe. And having platted a crown of thorns, they put it

on his head, and a reed in his right hand; and bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying, Hail, king of the 30 Jews! And they spit upon him, and took the reed and 31 struck him on the head. And after they had made sport of him, they took off the robe from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.

32

And as they were going out, they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, whom they compelled to carry 33 his cross. And having come to a place called Golgotha, 34 that is, Place of a Skull, they gave him wine to drink

Ver. 27-56. Comp. Mark xv. 16-41; Luke xxiii. 26-49; John xix. 1-30.

mingled with gall; and when he had tasted it, he refused 35 to drink. And when they had crucified him, they divided 36 his garments among them, casting lots. And sitting down, 37 they watched him there. And they set up over his head the charge against him in writing: "This is Jesus the king of the Jews."

38

Then are crucified with him two robbers, one on the 39 right hand, and one on the left. And they who passed 40 by reviled him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou

that destroyest the temple, and buildest it up in three days, save thyself, if thou art the Son of God, and come down 41 from the cross. So also the chief priests, mocking, with 42 the scribes and elders, said, He saved others, cannot he

save himself? He is the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusteth in God; let him now deliver him, if he 44 desireth him; for he said, I am the Son of God. The robbers also, who were crucified with him, reviled him in the same manner.

45

And from the sixth hour there was darkness over all 46 the land, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani? that is to say, My God, my God, why hast 47 thou forsaken me?* Some of those standing there, when 48 they heard this, said, This man is calling for Elijah. And

one of them immediately ran and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to 49 drink. But the rest said, Hold! let us see whether Eli50 jah will come to save him. And Jesus, crying out again with a loud voice, yielded up his spirit.

51

And, lo! the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the 52 rocks were rent, and the tombs were opened; and many

* Ps. xxii. 1.