Page images
PDF
EPUB

people, that he should rather re-ging their heads, and saying, Ah, lease Barabbas unto them. And thou that destroyest the temple, Pilate answered, and said again unto and buildest it in three days, save them, What will ye then that I shall thyself, and come down from the do unto him whom ye call the King cross. Likewise also the chief priests of the Jews? And they cried ou mocking, said among themselves, again, Crucify him. Then Pilate with the scribes, He saved others, said unto them, Why, what evil himself he cannot save. Let Christ hath he done? And they cried out the King of Israel descend now from the more exceedingly, Crucify him. the cross, that we may see and heAnd so Pilate, willing to content lieve. And they that were crucithe people, released Barabbas unto fied with him reviled him. And them; and delivered Jesús, when when the sixth hour was come, he had scourged him, to be crucified. there was darkness over the whole And the soldiers led him away into land, until the ninth hour. And at the hall, called Pretorium; and the ninth hour, Jesus cried with a they called together the whole band. loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama And they clothed him with purple, sabachthani? which is, being in and platted a crown of thorns, and terpreted, My God, my God, why put it about his head, and began to hast thou forsaken me? And some salute him, Hail, King of the Jews. of them that stood by, when they And they smote him on the head heard it, said, Behold, he calleth with a reed, and did spit upon him, Elias. And one ran and filled a and bowing their knees worshipped spunge full of vinegar, and put it on him. And when they had mocked a reed, and gave him to drink, sayhim they took off the purple from ing, Let alone; let us see whether him, and put his own clothes on him, Elias will come to take him down. and led him out to crucify him. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, And they compel one Simon, a Cy-and gave up the ghost. And the renian, who passed by, coming out vail of the temple was rent in twain, of the country, the father of Alex-from the top to the bottom. And ander and Rufus, to bear his cross. when the Centurion, which stood And they bring him unto the place over against him, saw that he so Golgotha, which is, being interpret- cried out, and gave up the ghost, he ed, the place of a skull. And they said, Truly this man was the Son gave him to drink wine mingled of God.

with myrrh; but he received it not. And when they had crucified him,|

Wednesday before Easter. they parted his garments, casting The Episile. Heb. ix. 16. lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the thiWHERE, a testament is, there

must also of necessity be the hour, and they crucified him. And death of the testator for a testathe superscription of his accusation ment is of force after men are dead; was written over, THE KING OF otherwise it is of no strength at all, THE JEWS. And with him they whilst the testator liveth. Wherecrucify two thieves; the one on his upon, neither the first testament right hand, and the other on his left. was dedicated without blood. For And the scripture was fulfilled, when Moses had spoken every prewhich saith, And he was numbered cept to all the people, according to with the transgressors. And they the law, he took the blood of calves that passed by railed on him, wag-and of goats, with water, and scarlet

wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled betray him unto them in the absence both the book, and all the people, of the multitude. Then came the saying, This is the blood of the tes-day of unleavened bread, when the tament which God hath enjoined passover must be killed. And he unto you. Moreover, he sprinkled sent Peter and John, saying, Go, likewise with blood both the taber-land prepare us the passover, that nacle, and all the vessels of the mi- we may eat. And they said unto nistry. And almost all things are him, Where wilt thou that we preby the law purged with blood; and pare? And he said unto them, Bewithout shedding of blood is no re-hold, when ye are entered into the mission. It was therefore neces-city, there shall a man meet you sary that the patterns of things in bearing a pitcher of water; follow the heavens should be purified with him into the house where he enter these; but the heavenly things them-eth in. And ye shall say unto the selves with better sacrifices than good man of the house, The Master these. For Christ is not entered saith unto thee, Where is the guestinto the holy places made with chamber, where I shall eat the passhands, which are the figures of the lover with my disciples? And he true; but into heaven itself, now to shall show you a large upper room appear in the presence of God for furnished: there make ready. And us: nor yet that he should offer tney went and found as he had said himself often, as the high priest unto them; and they made ready encereth into the holy place every the passover. And when the hour year with blood of others: (for then was come, he sat down, and the must he often have suffered since twelve Apostles with him. And the foundation of the world) but he said unto them, With desire I now once, in the end of the world, have desired to eat this passover hath he appeared to put away sin with you before I suffer. For I say by the sacrifice of himself. And as unto you, I will not any more eat it is appointed unto men once to thereof, until it be fulfilled in the die, but after this the judgment: so kingdom of God. And he took the Christ was once offered to bear the cup, and gave thanks, and said, sins of many; and unto them that Take this, and divide it among your look for him shall he appear the selves. For I say unto you, I will second time, without sin, unto sal-not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come And he took bread, and gave thanks,

vation.

The Gospel. St. Luke xxii. 1. NOW the feast of unleavened and brake it, and gave unto them, bread drew nigh, which is cal-saying, This is my body, which is led the Passover. And the chief given for you: this do in remempriests and scribes sought how they brance of me. Likewise also the might kill him; for they feared the cup after supper, saying, This cup people. Then entered Satan into is the new testament in my blood, Judas, surnamed Iscariot, being of which is shed for you. But behold, the number of the twelve, And he the hand of him that betrayeth me went his way, and comm'ned with is with me on the table. And truly the chief priests and captains how the Son of man goeth as it was dehe might betray him unto them. termined; but woe unto that man And they wereglad, and covenanted by whom he is betrayed. And they to give him money. And he pro-began to inquire among themselves, mised, and sought opportunity to which of them it was that should

do this thing. And there was also And he came out, and went, as a strife among them, which of them he was wont, to the mount of should be accounted the greatest. Olives; and his disciples also folAnd he said unto them, The kings lowed him. And when he was of the Gentiles exercise lordship at the place, he said unto them, over them; and they that exercise Pray that ye enter not into tempauthority upon them are called be-tation. And he was withdrawn nefactors. But ye shall not be so from them about a stone's cast, and but he that is greatest among you, kneeled down, and prayed, saying, let him be as the younger; and he Father, if thou be willing, remove that is chief, as he that doth serve. this cup from me: revertheless, not For whether is greater, he that sit-my will, but thine be done. And teth at meat, or he that serveth? there appeared an angel unto him is not he that sitteth at meat? But from heaven, strengthening him. I am among you as he that serveth. And being in an agony, he prayed Ye are they which have continued more earnestly; and his sweat was with me in my temptations. And as it were great drops of blood fall. I appoint unto you a kingdom, asing down to the ground. And when my Father hath appointed unto me: he rose up from prayer, and was that ye may eat and drink at my come to his disciples, he found them table in my kingdom, and sit ca sleeping for sorrow; and said unto thrones, judging the twelve tribes them, Why sleep ye? rise and pray, of Israel. And the Lord said, Si- lest ye enter into temptation. And mon, Simon, behold, Satan hath while he yet spake, behold, a mul. desired to have you, that he may titude, and he that was called Judas, sift you as wheat: but I have pray-one of the twelve, went before them, ed for thee, that thy faith fail not; and drew near unto Jesus to kiss and when thou art converted, him. But Jesus said unto him, Justrengthen thy brethren, And he das, betrayest thou the Son of man said unto him, Lord, I am ready to with a kiss? When they which were go with thee both into prison and about him saw what would follow, to death. And he said, I tell thee, they said unto him, Lord, shall we Peter, the cock shall not crow this smite with the sword? And one of day, before that thou shalt thrice them smote the servant of the high deny that thou knowest me. And priest, and cut off his right car, he said unto them, When I sent And Jesus answered and said, Suf. you without purse, and scrip, and fer ye thus far. And he touched shoes, lacked ye any thing? And his car, and healed him. Then Je. they said, Nothing. Then said he sus said unto the chief priests and unto them, But now he that hath captains of the temple, and the el, a purse, let him take it, and like-ders which were come to him, Be wise his scrip: and he that hath ye come out as against a thief, with no sword, let him sell his garment swords and staves? When I was and buy one, For I say unto you, daily with you in the temple, ye that this that is written must yet stretched forth no hands against me: be accomplished in me, And he but this is your hour, and the powwas reckoned among the transgres-er of darkness. Then took they sors: for the things concerning me him, and led him, and brought him have an end. And they said, Lord, into the high priest's house. And behold. here are two swords, And Peter followed afar off. And when Je said unto them, It is enough, they had kindled a fire in the mid

[ocr errors]

of the hall, and were set down to-together not for the better, but for gether, Peter sat down among them. the worse. For first of all, when But a certain maid beheld him, as he ye come together in the Church, I sat by the fire, and earnestly looked hear that there be divisions among upon him, and said, This man was you; and I partly believe it. For also with him. And he denied him, there must be also heresies among saying, Woman, I know him not. you, that they which are approved And after a little while another saw may be made manifest among yon, him, and said, Ihou art also of When ye come together therefore them. And Peter said, Man, I am into one place, this is not to eat the not. And about the space of one hour Lord's Supper. For, in eating, after, another confidently affirmed, every one taketh before other his saying, Of a truth, this fellow also own supper: and one is hungry, and was with him; for he is a Galilean. another is drunken. What, have And Peter said, Man, I know not ye not houses to eat and to drink in? what thou sayest. And immediate-for despise ye the Church of God, ly, while he yet spake, the cock and shame them that have not? crew. And the Lord turned, and What shall I say to you? shall I looked upon Peter; and Peter re-praise you in this? I praise you not. membered the word of the Lord, For I have received of the Lord how he had said unto him, Before that which also I delivered unto you, the cock crow, thou shalt deny me That the Lord Jesus, the same night thrice. And Peter went out and in which he was betrayed, took wept bitterly. And the men that held bread; and when he had given Jesus, mocked him, and smote him. thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, And when they had blindfolded him, eat; this is my body, which is bro they struck him on the face, and ask-ken for you: this do in remembrance ed him, saying, Prophesy, who is it of me. After the same manner also that smote thee? And many other he took the cup, when he had supthings blasphemously spake they ped, saying, This cup is the new against him. And, as soon as it was testament in my blood: this do ye, day, the elders of the people, and as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance the chief priests, and the scribes of me. For as often as ye eat this came together, and led him into bread, and drink this cup, ye do their council, saying, Art thou the show the Lord's death till he come. Christ? Tell us. And he said unto Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this them, If I tell you, ye will not be-bread, and drink this cup of the lieve: And if I also ask you, ye Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of will not answer me, nor let me go. the body and blood of the Lord. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit But let a man examine himself, and on the right hand of the power of so let him eat of that bread, and God. Then said they all, Art thou drink of that cup. For he that cateth then the Son of God? And he said and drinketh unworthily, eateth unto them, Ye say that I am. And and drinketh damnation to himself, they said, What need we any fur-not discerning the Lord's body. For ther witness? for we ourselves have this cause many are weak and sick. heard of his own mouth.

Thursday before Easter.

The Epistle. 1 Cor. xi. 17. this that I declare unto you, I praise you not; that you come

ly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be

condemned with the world. Where-and the rulers, and the people, sald fore, my brethren, when ye come unto them, Ye have brought this together to eat, tarry one for ano-man unto me, as one that pervertther. And if any man hunger, let eth the people: and behold, I, havhim eat at home; that ye come not ing examined him before you, have together unto condemnation. And found no fault in this man, touching the rest will I set in order when I those things whereof ye accuse him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. I will there

come.

The Gospel. St. Luke xxiii. 1. THE whole multitude of them

arose, and led him unto Pilate. fore chastise him, and release him. And they began to accuse him, say-(For of necessity he must release ing, We found this fellow pervert-one unto them at the feast.) And ing the nation, and forbidding to they cried out all at once, saying, give tribute to Cæsar, saying, that Away with this man, and release he himself is Christ a king. And unto us Barabbas: (who for a cer Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou tain sedition made in the city, and the king of the Jews? And he an- for murder, was cast into prison.) swered him, and said, Thou sayest Pilate, therefore, willing to release it. Then said Pilate to the chief Jesus, spake again to them. But priests and to the people, I find no they cried, saying, Crucify him, fault in this man. And they were crucify him. And he said unto them the more fierce, saying, He stirreth the third time, Why, what evil hath up the people, teaching throughout he done? I have found no cause of all Jewry, beginning from Galilee death in him: I will therefore chas to this place. When Pilate heard tise him, and let him go. And they of Galilee, he asked whether the were instant with loud voices, reman were a Galilean. And as soon quiring that he might be crucified: as he knew that he belonged unto and the voices of them, and of the Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him chief priests prevailed. And Pilate to Herod, who himself was also at gave sentence that it should be as Jerusalem at that time. And when they required. And he released Herod saw Jesus, he was exceeding unto them him that for sedition and glad; for he was desirous to see murder was cast into prison, whom him of a long season, because he had they had desired: but he delivered heard many things of him; and he Jesus to their will. And as they hoped to have seen some miracle led him away, they laid hold upon done by him. Then he questioned one Simon, a Cyrenian, coming out with him in many words; but he of the country, and on him they laid answered him nothing. And the the cross, that he might bear it afchief priests and scribes stood and ter Jesus. And there followed him vehemently accused him. And He- a great company of people, and of rod with his men of war set him at women, who also bewailed and lanaught, and mocked him, and ar-mented him. But Jesus turning rayed him in a gorgeous robe, and unto them, said, Daughters of Je sent him again to Pilate. And the rusalem, weep not for me, but same day Pilate and Herod were weep for yourselves, and for your made friends together; for before, children. For behold, the days they were at enmity between them-are coming, in the which they shall selves. And Pilate, when he had say, Blessed are the barren, and the called together the chief priests, wombs that never bare, and the

« EelmineJätka »