His lord cried, Thou wicked and slothful servant. Thou knew that I reap where I sow not and gather where I do not toil. Thou ought to have, at least, put my money out to the exchangers so, upon my return, I should have received my own money with interest. Take the talent and give it to the one who has ten talents.

To the one who uses his talent wisely, more shall be given, and he shall have abundance. But to the one who does not, any talent he has shall be taken away. The unprofitable servant shall be cast into outer darkness. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

When the Son of man comes with His holy angels, He shall sit upon the throne of His glory. Before Him shall be gathered all nations. He shall separate them one from another as a shepherd divides his sheep from his goats. He shall set the sheep on His right hand, and the goats on the left.

Then the King shall say to those on His right, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the beginning of the world. For I was hungry and ye gave me food. I was thirsty and ye gave me a drink. I was a stranger and ye took me in. I was naked and ye clothed me. I was sick and ye visited me. I was in prison and ye came to me.

Then the righteous shall ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee? Or thirsty and gave thee drink? When did we see thee a stranger and take thee in? Or naked and clothe thee? When did we see thee sick, or in prison and come to thee? The King shall answer, Verily, I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it to one of the least of my brethren, ye have done it to me.

Then He shall say to those on the left, Depart from me into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels. I was hungry and ye gave me no food. I was thirsty and ye gave me no drink. I was a stranger and ye did not take me in. I was naked and ye did not clothe me. I was sick and in prison and ye did not visit me.

Then they shall also ask Him, Lord, when did we see thee hungry or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and not minister unto thee? He shall answer them, Inasmuch as ye did not do these things to one of the least of my brethren, ye did not do it to me. These shall go to everlasting punishment. And the righteous shall have life eternal.

26 It came to pa.s.s, when Jesus finished instructing His disciples, He said, The feast of the pa.s.sover is in two days. The Son of man will be betrayed and crucified.

The chief priests, scribes, and elders of the people held a meeting in the palace of the high priest, Caiaphas. They discussed how they might take Jesus by stealth and kill Him. But they said, It cannot happen on the feast day lest there be an uproar among the people.

Jesus was now in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper. There He was approached by a woman carrying an alabaster box containing very precious ointment. She annointed His head as He sat at dinner. When His disciples saw it they were indignant and said, To what purpose is this waste? This ointment could have been sold for much and the money given to the poor.

When Jesus overheard them He said, Why bother this woman? She has wrought a good work upon me. The poor you have always to care for; but you will not always have me. In annointing me, she prepared me for my burial. Anywhere in the world this gospel is preached it will also be told what this woman has done.

Then, one of the twelve, Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests. He asked, What will you give me if I will deliver Jesus to you? They agreed on thirty pieces of silver and, from that time, Judas looked for an opportunity to betray Him.

On the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, Where shall we prepare for thee to eat the pa.s.sover?

Jesus told them to go into the city to a certain man and tell him that the Master says His time is at hand and that He will keep the pa.s.sover there with His disciples. Then the disciples did as Jesus told them and they prepared the pa.s.sover.

When it was evening, Jesus sat down with the twelve. While they ate, He said, Verily, I say unto you, one of you will betray me. The disciples heard this with great sorrow. They uttered, Lord, is it me? Jesus only said, He who dips his hand in the dish with me will betray me.

It is written: Woe unto the one by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been better for him if he had not been born. Then Judas, who betrayed Him, asked, Master, is it me? Jesus turned to him and quietly said, Thou has said right.

While they ate, Jesus took up the bread and blessed it. He then broke it and gave it to the disciples saying, Take this and eat for this is my body. Then He took the cup and gave thanks. He pa.s.sed it to them saying, Drink ye all from this for this is my blood of the new testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins. I say unto you, I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it with you in my Father's kingdom. Following the meal, they sang hymns and went out into the mount of Olives.

Jesus said to the disciples, Ye shall all be offended this night because of me for it is written: I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But, after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter said to Him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, I will never be offended. Jesus answered Peter, This night, before the c.o.c.k 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 pa.s.s 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 pa.s.s 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 mult.i.tude. 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 mult.i.tude, 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 a.s.sembled. 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 G.o.d 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 G.o.d, tell us whether thou are the Christ, the Son of G.o.d. 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 c.o.c.k crowed. Peter remembered the words of Jesus to him: Before the c.o.c.k 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 out 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 pa.s.sover 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 mult.i.tude 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 mult.i.tude, 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 from 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 pa.s.sed 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 G.o.d, 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 G.o.d. Let G.o.d deliver Him now, if G.o.d will have Him, for He said, I am the Son of G.o.d.

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 G.o.d, my G.o.d, 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.