.

bellion and behold, I have examined him before you, but find no fault in this man, touching those things whereof you accuse him : 15 Nor has even Herod; for I sent you to him;

and it appears nothing deserving death has been 16 done by him I will therefore chastise him, 17 and release him. (For of necessity, according

to custom, he must release one unto them at 18 the feast.) And they all cried out with one

voice, saying, Away with this man, and release 19 unto us Barabbas: (Who for some sedition made

in the city, and for murder, was cast into pris20 on.) Pilate, however, desirous to release Jesus, 21 spake again to them. But they still cried out, 22 Crucify him, crucify him. Then he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. 23 And they arose, and with loud voices required that he should be crucified and the voices of 24 of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate decreed that it should be according to their request.

25

And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison; 26 but he delivered Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they laid the cross, that he might carry it after Jesus.*

27

And there followed him a great company of

It was usual to make the condemned person take his own cross to the place of execution. But the officer seemed to have pity on Jesus, and obliged the man here mentioned to carry it for him.

people, and of women, who also bewailed and 28 lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them, said, Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. 29 For behold, the days are coming, in which it shall be said, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs which never bare, and the breasts which 30 never gave suck. Then they will begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, 31 Cover us. Now if they do these things in a

green tree, what shall be done in the dry?* 32 And there were also two other malefactors led 33 with him to be put to death. And when they

34

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.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And they parted his 35 raiment, and cast lots. And the people stood beholding and the rulers also with them derided him, saying, He saved others, let him save himself, if he be the Christ, the chosen of 36 God. And the soldiers also mocked him, 37 coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and

saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save 38 thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

39

And one of the malefactors, who were hanged,

* If such evils come upon the innocent, how great will be the sufferings of the unbelieving and impenitent Jews.

railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save 40 thyself and us. But the other answering, rebuked him, saying, Dost thou not fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? 41 And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done 42 nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord,

remember me when thou comest into thy king43 dom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, to-day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

44 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth 45 hour. And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the temple was rent in the midst.

46

And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit and having said thus, he expired. 47 Now, when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly 48 this was a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that sight, beholding the things that were done, smote their breasts, and 49 returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.

50

And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor, and a worthy, upright man; 51 (the same had not consented to the counsel and conduct of the Jewish rulers,) he was of

* The Jews reckoned the hours of the day from six in the morning, or at sunrise: so that the sixth hour was the middle of the day. The darkness was probably confined to the land of Judea.

Arimathea, a city of the Jews; who also himself 52 waited for the kingdom of God.* This man

went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Je53 sus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn

in stone, wherein never man before was laid. 54 And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on.†

55

And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the 56 sepulchre, and how his body was laid. And they returned, and prepared spices and ointment; and rested the sabbath-day, according to the commandment.

1

CHAP. XXIV.

NOW, upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had 2 prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sep3 ulchre. And they entered in, and found not 4 the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to

pass, as they were much perplexed at this, behold two men stood by them in shining gar5 ments. And as they were afraid, and, bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, 6 Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he

*Was expecting the coming of Christ.

This was the Jewish Saturday, or day next before the Sabbath.

spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and 8 the third day rise again. And they remembered 9 his words. And returned from the sepulchre,

and told all these things unto the eleven, and 10 to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary, the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told 11 these things unto the apostles. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

12

13

Then Peter arose, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to

pass.

And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was 14 from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. And they talked together of all these things which 15 had happened. And it came to pass, that while they communed together, and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden, that they should 17 not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And one of them whose name was Cleopas, answering, said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Naz