And the mult.i.tude crying aloud began to desire _him to do_ as he had ever done unto them. Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ, the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him for envy.

When he was set down on the judgment seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man: for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him. But the chief priests and elders persuaded the mult.i.tude that they should ask, that he should rather release Barabbas unto them, and destroy Jesus. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this _man_, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.)

Pilate therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you? They said Barabbas. Pilate saith unto them, What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ? _unto him_ whom ye call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, saying, Crucify _him_; let him be crucified.

And the governor said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let _him_ go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And they cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him.

When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but _that_ rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed _his_ hands before the mult.i.tude, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye _to it_. Then answered all the people, and said, His blood _be_ on us, and on our children. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And _so_ Pilate, willing to content the people, gave sentence that it should be as they required.

And he released unto them him that for sedition and murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered Jesus, when he had scourged _him_, to their will, to be crucified.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

JESUS CRUCIFIED--HE PRAYS FOR HIS ENEMIES.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the common hall, called Pretorium; and gathered unto him the whole band _of soldiers_.

And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet robe.

And when they had platted a crown of thorns, they put _it_ on his head, and a reed in his right hand: and they bowed the knee before him, and began to salute him, and mocked him, saying, Hail, King of the Jews! And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing _their_ knees worshipped him. And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him.

And as they led him away, they laid hold upon one Simon, a Cyrenian, who pa.s.sed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus: him they compelled, and on him they laid the cross, that he might bear _it_ after Jesus.

And there followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus turning unto them said,

Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children. For, behold, the days are coming, in the which they shall say, blessed _are_ the barren, and the wombs that never bare, and the paps that never gave suck. Then shall they begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us: and to the hills, Cover us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be done in the dry.

And there were also two other malefactors, led with him to be put to death. And he bearing his cross went forth, and when they were come to a place called Golgotha, which is called Calvary, which is, being interpreted, the place of a skull, they gave him vinegar to drink mingled with gall: and when he had tasted _thereof_, he would not drink.

There they crucified him, and two malefactors with him, one on the right hand, and the other on the left, and Jesus in the midst. Then said Jesus,

Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.

And Pilate wrote a t.i.tle, and put _it_ on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS. This t.i.tle then read many of the Jews: for the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city: and it was written in Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate, Write not, The King of the Jews; but that he said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written.

Then the soldiers, when they had crucified Jesus, took his garments, and made four parts, to every soldier a part; and also _his_ coat: now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said therefore among themselves, Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the scripture might be fulfilled, which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots. These things therefore the soldiers did. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

And sitting down they watched him there, and set up over his head his accusation. And the superscription of his accusation was written over, THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors.

CHAPTER LXXIV.

THE TWO THIEVES--JESUS THIRSTS--HE GIVES UP THE GHOST.

And the people stood beholding. And they that pa.s.sed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest _it_ in three days, Save thyself. If thou be the Son of G.o.d, come down from the cross.

Likewise also the chief priests mocking _him_, with the scribes and elders, and the rulers also with them derided _him_, saying, He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of G.o.d. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, that we may see, and we will believe him. He trusted in G.o.d; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of G.o.d.

And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS.

The thieves also, which were crucified with him, cast the same in his teeth. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us.

But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear G.o.d, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him,

Verily I say unto thee, to day shalt thou be with me in paradise.

Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the _wife_ of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother,

Woman, behold thy son!

Then saith he to the disciple,

Behold thy mother!

And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own _home_.

And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,

ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?

which is, being interpreted, My G.o.d, my G.o.d, why hast thou forsaken me?

And some of them that stood by, when they heard _it_, said, Behold, he calleth for Elias. After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith,

I thirst.

Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and straightway one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled _it_ with vinegar, and put _it_ on a reed, and gave him to drink. The rest said, Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to save him. When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said,

It is finished.

And the vail of the temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said,

Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit!

And having said thus, he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

CHAPTER LXXV.

JESUS TAKEN DOWN FROM THE CROSS--BURIED--TOMB SEALED.