Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be 28 scattered. But after that I am risen, I will go 29 before you into Galilee. But Peter said unto

him, Although all shall be offended, yet will 30 not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say

unto thee, that this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny 31 me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all. 32 And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and he saith to his disciples, Sit 33 ye here, while I shall pray. And he taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be in great distress. 34 And saith unto them, My soul is exceeding

sorrowful unto death: tarry ye here and watch. 35 And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground and prayed, that if it were possible, 36 the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless, 37 not what I will, but what thou wilt. And he cometh and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest 38 not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit 39 truly is ready, but the flesh is weak. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake 40 the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again (for their eyes were heavy) neither wist they what to answer him.

41 And he cometh the third time, and saith unto them, Sleep on afterward, and take your rest: it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sin42 ners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.

43

And immediately, while he yet spake, cometh Judas, one of the twelve, and with him a great multitude, with swords and staves, from the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders. 44 And he that betrayed him had given them a token, saying, Whomsoever I shall kiss, the same is he: take him and lead him away safely. 45 And as soon as he was come, he goeth immediately to him, and saith, Master, master; and kissed him.

46

And they laid their hands on him, and took 47 him. And one of them that stood by drew a sword, and smote a servant of the high priest, 48 and cut off his ear. And Jesus answered and said unto them, Are ye come out as against a thief, with swords and with staves, to take me? 49 I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and

ye took me not: but the scriptures must be 50 fulfilled. And they all forsook him, aud fled. 51 And there followed him a certain young man,

having a linen cloth cast about his naked body; 52 and the young men laid hold on him. And he left the linen cloth, and fled from them naked.

53 And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief 54 priests, and the elders, and the scribes. And Peter followed him afar off, even into the palace of the high priest; and he sat with the

55 servants, and warmed himself at the fire. And the chieft priests, and all the council, sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; 56 and found none. For many bare false witness

against him, but their witness agreed not 57 together. And there arose certain, and bare 58 false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build 59 another made without hands. But neither 60 did their testimony agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what 61 is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? 62 And Jesus said, I am : and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and 63 coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What 64 need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard

the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all 65 condemned him to be guilty of death. And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy and the servants did strike him. with the palms of their hands.

66

And as Peter was beneath in the palace, there cometh one of the maids of the high priest: 67 And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also 68 wast with Jesus of Nazareth. But he denied, saying, I know not, neither understand I what

thou sayest. And he went out into the porch: 69 and the cock crew. And a maid saw him

again, and began to say to them that stood by, 70 This is one of them. And he denied it again. And a little after, they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou art one of them for thou art a Galilean, and thy speech agreeth thereto. 71 But he began to curse and to swear, saying, 72 I know not this man of whom ye speak. And the second time the cock crew. And Peter called to mind the word that Jesus said unto him, Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. And when he thought there

on, he wept.

CHAP. XV.

AND immediately in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes, and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him 2 to Pilate. And Pilate asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering, 3 said unto them, Thou sayest it.

And the

chief priests accused him of many things: but 4 he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again, saying, Answerest thou nothing? hehold how many things they witness against thee. 5 But Jesus yet answered nothing; so that Pi6 late marvelled. Now at that feast he released

unto them one prisoner whomsoever they de7 sired. And there was one named Barabbas, who lay bound with them that had made in

surrection with him, who had committed mur8 der in the insurrection. And the multitude crying aloud, began to desire him to do as he 9 had ever done for them. But Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you 10 him ye call King of the Jews? (For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for en11 vy.) But the chief priests moved the people to desire that he should rather release Barabbas 12 unto them. And Pilate answered, and said again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye call the King of 13 the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify 14 him. Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.*

15

And Pilate, willing to please the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be cru16 cified. And the soldiers led him away into the

hall, called Pretorium; and they call together 17 the whole military band; and they clothed him

with purple, and platted a crown of thorns, and 18 put it on his head, and put his own clothes upon him, and began to salute him, saying, Hail, King 19 of the Jews. And they smote him on the head

with a reed, and spit upon him, and bowing their 20 knees, worshipped him. And when they had

mocked him, they took off the purple robe from 21 him, and led him out to crucify him. And they

*A melancholy proof of the awful effects of passion and prejudice. They could not alledge nothing against Jesus : yet insisted he should be crucified.