not beseech my Father, and he shall even now send me more than twelve legions of 54 angels? How then should the scriptures be fulfilled, that 55 thus it must be? In that hour said Jesus to the multitudes, Are ye come out as against a robber with swords and staves to seize me? I sat daily in the temple teaching, and ye took 56 me not. But all this is come to pass, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled. Then all the disciples left him, and fled.

57

And they that had taken Jesus led him away to the house of Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered to58 gether. But Peter followed him afar off, unto the court of the high priest, and entered in, and sat with the officers, 59 to see the end. Now the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against Jesus, that they might 60 put him to death; and they found it not, though many false witnesses came. But 61 afterward came two, and said, This man said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest stood up, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against 63 thee? But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the

1 Or, sanctuary: as in ch. xxiii. 35; with rods

Christ, the Son of God. Je- 64 sus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest 65 rent his garments, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy: what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard the blasphemy: what 66 think ye? They answered and said, He is 2 worthy of death. Then did they spit in his 67 face and buffet him: and some smote him with the palms of their hands, saying, Pro- 68 phesy unto us, thou Christ: who is he that struck thee?

Now Peter was sitting with- 69 out in the court: and a maid came unto him, saying, Thou also wast with Jesus the Galilæan. But he denied before 70 them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. And when 71 he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and saith unto them that were there, This man also was with Jesus the Nazarene. And again he denied with 72 an oath, I know not the man. And after a little 73 while they that stood by came and said to Peter, Of a truth thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began 74 he to curse and to swear, I know not the man. And straightway the cock crew. And Peter remembered the 75 xxvii. 5. 2 Gr. liable to. 3 Or,

27 1

word which Jesus had said, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And he went out, and wept bitterly.

Now when morning was come, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put 2 him to death: and they bound him, and led him away, and delivered him up to Pilate the governor.

3

Then Judas, which betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, 4 saying, I have sinned in that I betrayed 1innocent blood. But they said, What is that 5 to us? see thou to it. And he cast down the pieces of silver into the sanctuary, and departed; and he went away 6 and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the pieces of silver, and said, It is not lawful to put them into the 2 treasury, since it is the price 7 of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury 8 strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of 9 blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was priced, 5 whom certain of the children 10 of Israel did price; and they

gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed me.

Now Jesus stood before the 11 governor: and the governor asked him, saying, Art thou the King of the Jews? And Jesus said unto him, Thou sayest. And when he was 12 accused by the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing.

Then saith Pilate 13 unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? And he gave 14 him no answer, not even to one word: insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. Now at 7 the feast the governor 15 was wont to release unto the multitude one prisoner, whom they would. And they had 16 then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. When therefore 17 they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ? For 18 he knew that for envy they had delivered him up. And 19 while he was sitting on the judgement-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. Now 20 the chief priests and the elders persuaded the multitudes that they should ask for Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. But the 21 governor answered and said

unto them, Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? And they said, 22 Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What then shall I do unto Jesus which is called Christ? They all say, Let 23 him be crucified. And he said, Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out exceedingly, saying, Let him 24 be crucified. So when Pilate saw that he prevailed nothing, but rather that a tumult was arising, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man: see ye to it. 25 And all the people answered and said, His blood be on us, 26 and on our children. Then released he unto them Barabbas: but Jesus he scourged and delivered to be crucified.

27

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the 2 palace, and gathered unto 28 him the whole 3 band. And they stripped him, and put 29 on him a scarlet robe. And they plaited a crown of thorns and put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand; and 'they kneeled down before him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, 30 King of the Jews! And they spat upon him, and took the reed and smote him on the 31 head. And when they had mocked him, they took off from him the robe, and put on him his garments, and led him away to crucify him.

Then 38

And as they came out, they 32 found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name: him they 5 compelled to go with them, that he might bear his cross. And 33 when they were come unto a place called Golgotha, that is to say, The place of a skull, they gave him wine to drink 34 mingled with gall: and when he had tasted it, he would not drink. And when they had 35 crucified him, they parted his garments among them, casting lots: and they sat and 36 watched him there. And they 37 set up over his head his accusation written, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. are there crucified with him two robbers, one on the right hand, and one on the left. And they that passed by railed 39 on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Thou that de- 40 stroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself: if thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross. In like manner also 41 the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; 7him- 42 self he cannot save. He is the King of Israel; let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe on him.

He trusteth on God; 43 let him deliver him now, if he desireth him: for he said, I am the Son of God. And 44 the robbers also that were crucified with him cast upon him the same reproach.

2 Gr. Præto

45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the 1land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani? that is, My God, my God, 2 why hast thou forsaken 47 me? And some of them that stood there, when they heard it, said, This man calleth Eli48 jah. And straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave him 49 to drink. And the rest said, Let be; let us see whether Elijah cometh to save him.3 50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice, and yielded up his 51 spirit. And behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom; and the earth did quake; and the rocks were 52 rent; and the tombs were opened; and many bodies of the saints that had fallen 53 asleep were raised; and coming forth out of the tombs after his resurrection they entered into the holy city and ap54 peared unto many. Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus, when they saw the earthquake, and the things that were done, feared exceedingly, saying, Truly this was 5 the 55 Son of God. And many women were there beholding from afar, which had followed Jesus from Galilee, minister

ing unto him: among whom 56 was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

And when even was come, 57 there came a rich man from Arimathæa, named Joseph, who also himself was Jesus' disciple: this man went to 58 Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded it to be given up. And Joseph took the body, 59 and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in his 60 own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock: and he rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, and departed. And Mary Magdalene 61 was there, and the other Mary, sitting over against the sepulchre.

Now on the morrow, which 62 is the day after the Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees were gathered together unto Pilate, saying, 63 Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I rise again. Command there- 64 fore that the sepulchre be made sure until the third day, lest haply his disciples come and steal him away, and say unto the people, He is risen from the dead: and the last error will be worse than the first. Pilate said 65 unto them, 6 Ye have a guard: go your way, 7 make it as sure