remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou 62 shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.

63 And the men who held Jesus, mocked him, 64 and smote him. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and said to him, Prophesy, who it is that smote 65 thee. And they spake many other things blasphemeously against him.

66

And when it was day, the elders of the people, and the chief priests and scribes, came to67 gether, and led him into their council, and said, Tell us, if thou art the Messiah. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe, 68 And if I also ask any thing, ye will not answer 69 me, nor release me. Hereafter the Son of man

shall sit on the right hand of the power of God. * 70 Then they all said, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I 71 am.† And they said, Why need we any further witness? for, we ourselves have heard from his own mouth.

CHAP. XXIII.

1 AND the whole multitude of them arose, 2 and led him unto Pilate. And they began to accuse him, saying, We found this man per

* See John v. 22; Acts ii. 36; v. 31.

t I do not deny it-or, what ye say is true I am the Messiah.

verting the nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Cæsar, saying, that he himself is Christ 3 a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou the king of the Jews? And he answered 4 him, and said, Thou sayest it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests, and to the people, I find 5 no fault in this man. And they were the more earnest, saying, He causeth the people to rebel, teaching throughout all Judea even from Gali6 lee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked whether the man was a Gal7 lilean. And as soon as he knew that he belonged to Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who was also in Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw Jesus, he was exceedingly glad for he had long been desirous to see him, because he had heard many things of him ; and he hoped to have 9 seen some miracle done by him. Then he proposed many questions to him but he 10 answered him nothing. And the chief priests and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. 11 And Herod with his military men derided and insulted him, and arrayed him in a gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate.

8

12

And the same day Pilate and Herod were made friends together: for before they were at enmity with each other.

13

And when Pilate had called together the chief priests, and the rulers, and the people, 14 he said unto them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one who exciteth the people to re

This was a false charge; he had not forbidden them to give tribute to Cæsar,

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.

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

25

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 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.

34 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, re

buked 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

46

of the temple was rent in the midst. 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.