SECTION XXV.

From the Examination of Christ before the High Priest, to that before Pilate and Herod.

PRAYER.

Almighty and everlasting God, who hatest nothing that thou hast made, and dost forgive the sins of all them that are penitent; create and make in us new and contrite hearts; that we worthily lamenting our sins, and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of thee, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

AND Simon Peter followed Jesus, afar off, unto the high priest's palace, and so did another disciple: that disciple was known unto the high priest, and went in with Jesus into the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. Then went out that other disciple, which was known unto the high priest, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought in Peter. And when they had kindled a fire in the midst of the hall, and were set down together, Peter sat down among them, and warmed himself at the fire; and sat with the servants, to see the end.

The high priest then asked Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine. Jesus answered him, I spake openly to the world; I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort;

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and in secret have I said nothing. Why askest thou me? ask them which heard me, what have I said nnto them: behold, they know what I said. And when he had thus spoken, one of the officers which stood by struck Jesus with the palm of his hand, saying, Answerest thou the high priest so? Jesus answered him, If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the evil; but if well, why smitest thou me ? Now Annas had sent him bound unto Caiaphas the high priest. Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death; but found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none: for many bore false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. At the last came two false witnesses, and bear false witness against him, saying, this fellow said, (We heard him say,) I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither did their witness agree together. And the high priest arose, and stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But Jesus 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?

I adjure thee by the living God,

that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ,

the Son of God.

Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said:

I am :

nevertheless I say unto you,

Hereafter shall ye see the Son of Man sitting on the right hand of power,

and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

And the men that held Jesus mocked him, and smote him: 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. Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands. And when they had blindfolded him, they struck him on the face, and asked him, saying, Prophesy, who is it that smote thee? Prophesy unto us, thou Christ, who is he that smote thee? And many other things blasphemously spake they against him.

Now Peter sat without in the palace: And there cometh one of the maids of the high priest (the damsel that kept the door) unto Peter, and beheld him as he sat by the fire. And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him earnestly, and said, This man was also with him. Art not thou also one of his disciples? He saith, I am not. And she said, thou wast with Jesus of Nazareth. And he denied him before them all, saying, I know not what thou sayest. Woman, I know him not. I know not, neither understand I what thou sayest. And the servants and officers stood there, who had made a fire of coals; for it was cold: and they

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warmed themselves: and Peter stood with them, and warmed himself. They said therefore unto him, Art not thou also one of his disciples ? He denied it, and said, I am not. One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did I not see thee in the garden with him? Peter then denied again. And he went out into the porch; and immediately the cock crew.

And when he was gone out into the porch, after a little while another saw him, and said, Thou art also one of them. And Peter said, Man, I am not. And another maid saw him, and began to say to them that stood by, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth. This is one of them. And again he denied with an oath, I do not know the man.

And about the space of one hour after, another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilæan. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And they that stood by said again to Peter, Surely thou also art one of them, for thou art a Galilæan: and thy speech agreeth thereto, for thy speech bewrayeth thee. Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, I know not the man; I know not this man of whom ye speak. And immediately while he yet spake, the cock crew; the second time the cock crew. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how that he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt again deny me thrice. And when he thought thereon, he wept; and went out, and wept bitterly.

And straightway in the morning, as soon as it was day, the chief priests held a consultation with the

elders of the people, and the scribes and the whole council, and took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. And they led him into their council, saying, Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe. And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right

go.

hand of the power of God.

Then said they all,

Art Thou then the Son of God?

And

And he said unto them, Ye say that I am.* they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth.

Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood. And they said,

What is that to us? see thou to that. And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood. And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter's field, to bury strangers in. Wherefore that field was called, The field of blood, unto this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value; and

"Ye say that I am," and "thou sayest," are phrases of the same import in the Jewish speech as the direct affirmative "I am;" even as ye say; even as thou sayest.,