will never be offended. Jesus answered Peter, This night, before the
cock crows, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter replied, Though I should
die with thee, I will not deny thee. Then all the disciples said the
same.
Jesus took them into a place called Gethsemane and said, Sit here while
I go yonder to pray. He took Peter and the two sons of Zebedee with
Him. He said to these three, My soul is exceedingly sorrowful and heavy
unto death. Stay here and watch with me.
He went off a little farther and fell on His face. Jesus prayed,
saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me.
Nevertheless, be it not as I will, but as Thou wilt.
Then He went to the three disciples and found them asleep. He said to
Peter, Could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray so ye do not
give in to this temptation again because, while the spirit may be
willing, the flesh is weak.
He went away a second time and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup
may not pass away from me unless I drink it, then Thy will be done.
Returning to the three, He, again, found that they had been asleep for
their eyes were heavy. He left them and went to pray a third time,
saying the same words.
When Jesus went back to all the disciples He said, Behold, the hour is
at hand. The Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. The one
who betrays me is at hand.
While He spoke, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came with a great
multitude. They were armed with swords and staves from the chief
priests and elders of the people. Judas had agreed on a sign saying,
Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is He. Hold Him fast. Judas
approached Jesus, greeted Him; then kissed Him. Jesus said to him,
Friend, wherefore art thou come? Then they came and took hold of Jesus.
Behold, one who was with Jesus drew his sword, and, striking out at one
of the high priest's servants, smote off his ear. Jesus said to him,
Put thy sword back into its place. All who take to the sword shall
perish by the sword. Think thou that I cannot pray to my Father and He
shall give me more than twelve legions of angels? But, then, how shall
the scriptures be fulfilled that this is the way it must be?
Jesus said to this multitude, Do ye come at me as against a thief with
swords and staves to take me? Daily I sat with you teaching in the
temple and ye did not lay hold of me. This was done so the scriptures
of the prophets might be fulfilled.
When they took hold of Jesus, all the disciples left Him and fled. They
led Him away to Caiaphas the high priest where the scribes and elders
were assembled. But Peter followed far behind to the high priest's
palace. He went in and sat with the servants.
The chief priests, elders, and all the council sought false witness
against Jesus in order to put Him to death. At last, two false
witnesses came and said, This one said He was able to destroy the
temple of God and build it up again in three days.
The high priest arose and said to Jesus, Answerest thou nothing? What
is it that they witness against thee? But Jesus said nothing. Then the
high priest said to Him, I adjure thee, by the living God, tell us
whether thou are the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus replied, Thou has
said so. I say unto you, hereafter, ye shall see the Son of man sitting
on the right hand of power and appearing in the clouds of heaven.
Then the high priest cried, He has spoken blasphemy. What further need
have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard His blasphemy. What
think ye? They answered, He is guilty of death. Then they spit in His
face. Others struck Him with the palms of their hands and said,
Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, Who is he that struck thee?
During this, Peter sat outside the palace. A damsel came up to him and
said, Thou also was with Jesus of Galilee. But Peter denied this and he
went out on the porch. Another maid saw him and said to the others
standing there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. Peter
denied this with an oath and said, I do not know the man.
Later, one of the bystanders came up to Peter and said, Surely, by thy
voice I know thou art one of them. Peter began to curse and swear and
said, I know not the man. Then the cock crowed. Peter remembered the
words of Jesus to him: Before the cock crows, thou shall deny me
thrice. He went out and wept bitterly.
27
The next morning all the chief priests and elders met concerning Jesus.
They agreed to put Him to death. They bound Him, led Him away, and
delivered Him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
When Judas realized that Jesus was condemned, he repented. He took the
thirty pieces of silver back to the chief priests and elders. He said,
I have sinned. I have betrayed the innocent. They retorted, What is
that to us? So Judas cast down the pieces of silver in the temple.
Immediately he went away and hung himself.
At the same time, the chief priests took up the silver pieces and said,
It is not lawful to put this into the treasury because it is blood
money. After they took counsel, they bought the potter's field for the
burial of strangers, which became known as The Field of Blood. The
prophecy of Jeremy was fulfilled: They took the thirty pieces of
silver, the price for Him that was valued of the children of Israel,
and gave them for the potter's field, as the Lord appointed.
Jesus now stood before Pilate, the governor. Pilate asked Him, Art thou
the King of the Jews? Jesus replied, Thou sayest so. When Jesus was
accused by the chief priests and elders, He answered nothing. Then
Pilate asked Him, Hearest thou the things they witness against thee?
Jesus said never a word. At this the governor marvelled greatly.
The custom at the passover feast was for the governor to release a
prisoner of the people's choosing. A notable prisoner named Barabbas
was in the prison. Therefore, when the people were gathered together,
Pilate said, Whom will ye that I release, Barabbas or Jesus, who is
called Christ?
While he was seated on the judgment seat, Pilate's wife sent a message
to him that said, Have nothing to do with that just man. Today I have
suffered many things in a dream because of Him. But the chief priests
and elders persuaded the multitude to choose Barabbas and destroy
Jesus.
When Pilate, the governor, asked which of the two they chose they said,
Barabbas. Pilate asked, What shall I do then with Jesus who is called
Christ? They all said, Let Him be crucified.
The governor asked, Why, what evil has He done? But they cried out the
more and shouted, Let Him be crucified. Pilate realized he could not
prevail without making a tumult among the people. So he took water,
washed his hands before the multitude, and said, I am innocent of the
blood of this just person. See ye to it. The people said, His blood be
on us, and on our children. Then Pilate released Barabbas. He had Jesus
scourged and delivered Him to be crucified.
Pilate's soldiers took Jesus into the common hall where the whole band
of soldiers gathered around Him. They stripped Him and put a scarlet
robe on Him. They platted a crown of thorns and put it on His head.
Then they put a reed in His right hand. Bowing down, they mocked Him
saying, Hail, King of the Jews! They spit on Him, took the reed, and
struck Him on the head. As they were leading Him away to be crucified,
they found a man of Cyrene, Simon by name, and compelled him to carry
the cross for Jesus.
They took Him to a place called Golgotha, or the place of a skull.
There they gave Him vinegar to drink mixed with gall. When Jesus tasted
it, He would not drink it. They crucified Him and parted out His
garments by casting lots. Thus the prophecy was fulfilled: They parted
my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. Then
the soldiers placed a written accusation over His head. It read: This
Is Jesus, The King Of The Jews.
Two thieves were crucified alongside Jesus, one on His right hand and
the other on His left. As people passed by they reviled Him and called
out: Thou that destroys the temple and builds it again in three days,
save thyself. If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
The chief priests, along with the scribes and elders, mocked Him. They
said, He saved others but He cannot save Himself. If He is the King of
Israel, let Him come down from the cross and we will believe Him. He
trusts in God. Let God deliver Him now, if God will have Him, for He
said, I am the Son of God.
From the sixth until the ninth hour there was darkness over all the
land. At about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, Eli, Eli,
lama sabachthani? My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?
When some of those standing by heard this, they said, This man calls
for Elias. Presently, one of them ran to get a sponge. He filled it
with vinegar, put it on a reed, and gave it to Jesus to drink. The rest
said, Leave it alone. Let us see whether Elias will come to save Him.
Then Jesus cried again in a loud voice and yielded Himself up.
Behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The
earth shook and the rocks split apart. Graves were opened. The bodies
of many saints who slept rose up and, after His resurrection, went into
the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurions who were
watching Jesus saw the earthquake and the things that were done, they
became afraid and said, Truly this was the Son of God.
Many of the women who followed Jesus of Galilee and ministered to Him
were there looking on. Among them was Mary Magdalene; another Mary; and
the mother of Zebedee's children. When evening came, a rich man of
Arimathaea, named Joseph, who was also Jesus' disciple arrived. He went
to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
When Joseph had taken the body, he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth
and laid it in his own new tomb which was hewn out of rock. He rolled a
great stone across the door of the sepulchre and departed. Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary sat alongside the sepulchre.
The next day following the day of the preparation, the chief priests
and Pharisees went to Pilate and said, Sir, that deceiver, while he was
yet alive, said that, in three days, He would rise up again. Command
that the sepulchre be made secure until the third day lest His
disciples come by night, steal Him away, and tell the people that He is
risen from the dead. Then the last error will be worse than the first.
Pilate said to them, Ye have a watch. Go your way. Make it as secure as
ye can. The chief priests and the Pharisees went and made the sepulchre
secure by sealing the stone and setting guards to watch.
28
After the sabbath, near dawn of the first day of the week, Mary
Magdalene and the other Mary came to the sepulchre. Behold, there was a
great earthquake. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, came and
rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance
was like lightning with raiment white as snow. The guards shook with
fear of Him and became as dead men.
The angel said to the women, Fear not for I know that ye seek Jesus who
was crucified. He is not here for, as He said, He is risen. Come, see
the place where the Lord lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples
that He is risen from the dead. Behold, He goes before you into
Galilee. There ye shall see Him. Lo, I have told you.
The women quickly left the sepulchre filled with both fear and great
joy. They ran to bring word to Jesus' disciples. As they went along
Jesus met them and greeted them. They went to Him, held Him by the
feet, and worshipped Him. Then Jesus said to them, Be not afraid. Go
and tell my brethren to go into Galilee and there they shall see me.
Some of the guards on watch went into the city and told the chief
priests the things that were done. After an assembly of the elders the
soldiers were offered a large amount of money to say that Jesus'
disciples came by night and stole Him away while they slept. The
soldiers were assured they would be protected if this came to the
governor's ears. They took the money and did as they were told. This
report is common among the Jews until this day.
The eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain appointed by
Jesus. When they saw Him, they worshipped Him. Jesus came to them and
said, All power is given to me in heaven and on earth. Go and teach all
nations. Baptize them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of
the Holy Ghost. Teach them to observe all the things I have commanded
you.
I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Amen.
---------------
11-2002
edited by Lightheart
PracticeGodsPresence.com
End of Project Gutenberg's The Gospel of Matthew for Readers, by Lightheart