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Part 39

All Four Gospels for Readers · Lightheart [Editor] — chapter 39 of 40 · ~2,246 words · public domain

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I pray for them. I do not pray for the world, but for those you have given me, because they are yours. All of mine are yours, just as yours are mine; and I am glorified in them. Now I am in the world no more but they are in the world. I come to thee, Holy Father. Keep, through your own name, those you have given me, so they may be one, just as we are one.

While I was with them in the world I kept them in your name. I have kept those that you gave me. None of them is lost, except the son of perdition so that the scripture would be fulfilled. Now I come to you and speak these things in the world so they will have my joy fulfilled in themselves.

I have given them your word. The world has hated them because they are not of the world as I am not of the world. I do not pray that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from evil. They are not of the world as I am not of the world. Perfect them through your truth. Your word is truth. As you have sent me into the world, so I have also sent them into the world. And, for their sakes, I sanctify myself that they also might be perfected through the truth.

Neither do I pray for these alone. But I pray also for those who will believe in me through their word so that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you. They also may be one in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. And the glory which you gave me, I have given them, so they may be made perfect in one, as we are one, and so the world may know that you have sent me, and love them as you love me.

Father, I wish those you gave me may also be with me where I am. May they behold my glory, which you have given me because you loved me before the world began. O righteous Father, the world has not known you. But I have known you, and the ones you have sent me have known you. I have declared your name to them. And I declare that the love, with which you have loved me, be in them, and I in them.

18. When Jesus had spoken these words, He took His disciples across the Cedron valley and went into the garden. Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew this place because Jesus often went there with His disciples. Judas then, having been given a band of officers from the chief priests and Pharisees, approached the spot with lanterns, torches, and weapons.

Jesus, knowing the things that were to happen, stepped forward and said to them, Who are you looking for? They answered, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus then said, I am. Judas, who betrayed Him, also stood with them. As soon as Jesus said, I am, they were astonished and fell to the ground.

Then He asked them again, Who are you looking for? They said, Jesus of Nazareth. Then Jesus said to them, I have told you that I am. If you are looking for me, let the others go their way. He said this because of His earlier words: Of those you gave me, I have lost none.

Then Peter, having a sword, struck the high priest's servant and cut his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Jesus immediately said to Peter, Put away your sword. Will I not drink the cup my Father has given me? Then the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus, bound Him, and took Him to Annas, who was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, the high priest that year. It was Caiaphas who advised the Jews that it was expedient for one man to die for the sake of the people.

Peter followed Jesus and so did another disciple who was known to the high priest and went inside the palace with Jesus. Peter stood outisde the door. The other disciple arranged with the woman who kept the door for Peter to go inside. Then she asked him, Are you also one of this man's disciples? He said, I am not. Peter stood by the fire along with the officers and servants who were warming themselves in the cold night.

The high priest then asked Jesus about His disciples, and about His teachings. Jesus said to him, I have spoken openly in public. I taught in the synagogue, in the very temple the Jews always attend. There is nothing I have said in secret. Why do you ask me? Ask those who have listened to me about what I have said to them? They know what I said. When He had thus spoken, one of the officers struck Jesus with the palm of his hand and said, Why do you answer the high priest that way? Jesus said to him, If I have spoken evil, tell me what it is. If not, why strike me? Then Annas had Him bound and sent to Caiaphas, the high priest.

As Simon Peter stood and warmed himself, they said to him, Are you not also one of His disciples? He denied it and said, I am not. Then one of the high priest's servants, a relative of the one whose ear Peter cut, said, Did I not see you in the garden with Him? Peter denied again. Immediately the cock crowed.

Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the hall of judgment. It was early and they themselves did not go into the judgment hall lest they be defiled and not be able to eat the passover. Pilate went outside to them and said, What accusation do you make against this man? They said to him, If He were not a criminal we would not have brought Him to you. Then Pilate said to them, Take Him and judge Him according to your law. The Jews said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. This agreed with Jesus' words when He spoke of what death He would die.

Pilate went into the judgment hall again. He called Jesus and said to Him, Art Thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Do you ask this on your own or did others tell you to ask this? Pilate answered, Am I a Jew? Your own people and the chief priests have delivered you to me. What have you done? Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight so I would not be turned over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from here.

Pilate therefore said to Him, Are you a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. For this I was born and for this reason I came into the world: to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate muttered, What is truth? Then he went out again to the Jews and said, I find no fault in Him at all. But you have a custom that I release someone to you at the passover. Is it your request, therefore, that I release to you the King of the Jews? They all said, Not this man, but Barabbas. Barabbas was a robber.

19. Then Pilate took Jesus and had Him scourged. The officers platted a crown of thorns and put it on His head. They put a purple robe on Him and said, Hail, King of the Jews! They slapped Him with their hands. Pilate came out again and said, I bring Him to you so you know that I find no fault in Him. Then Jesus was brought out wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, Behold the man!

When the chief priests and officers saw Him they cried out, Crucify Him. Crucify Him. Pilate said to them, You take Him and crucify Him. I find no fault in Him. The Jews said, We have a law and, by our law, He ought to die because He made Himself the Son of God. When Pilate heard this, he became concerned. He went back into the judgment hall and asked Jesus, Where are you from? But Jesus gave him no answer.

Then Pilate said to Him, Will you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have the power to crucify or release you? Jesus answered, You would have no power over me unless it was given from above. The one who delivered me to you has the greater sin. From then on Pilate tried to release Him but the Jews cried out, saying, If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Whoever makes himself a king, speaks against Caesar.

When Pilate heard this, he took Jesus to the judgment seat in a place called Gabbatha. It was the preparation for the passover and around the sixth hour. Pilate said to the Jews, Behold your King! But they cried out, Away with Him. Away with Him. Crucify Him. Pilate said to them, will I crucify your king? The chief priest answered, We have no king but Caesar. Then Pilate handed Him over to them to be crucified. They took Jesus and led Him away.

Bearing His cross, He went into a place called Golgotha. Here they crucified Him and two others, one on either side and Jesus in the middle. Pilate made a sign and put it on the cross. The writing was, Jesus of Nazareth, The King Of The Jews.

This sign was read by many of the Jews because the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city and the words were written in Hebrew, Greek, and Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, Do not write The King of the Jews, but write, He said, I am King of the Jews. Pilate answered, What I have written, I have written.

When they put Jesus on the cross, the officers took His garments and made four parts. Each officer took a part. But His coat was seamless and woven from the top down. They said to eachother, Let us not tear it up but cast lots for whose it will be. Thus the scripture was fulfilled: They parted my raiment among them and, for my vesture, they did cast lots.

By the cross of Jesus stood His mother, His mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw His mother and the disciple whom He loved standing by, He said to His mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then He said to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her to his own home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, and so that the scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. A vessel full of vinegar was nearby. They filled a sponge, put it on a reed of hyssop and put it to His mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, He bowed His head and said, It is finished.

During the preparation for the sabbath, a high day, it was not fit that the bodies should remain on the cross. The Jews besought Pilate to break their legs so the dead bodies could then be taken away. The officers broke the legs of the first and then of the other who was crucified alongside Jesus. But when they came to Him and saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. Instead, one of the officers pierced His side with a spear and, from His side, came blood and water.

He who saw it bore record, and his record is true. He knows that he told the truth so that you might believe. These things were done so that this scripture would be fulfilled: A bone of Him will not be broken. And another scripture said: They will look on Him whom they pierced.

After this, Joseph of Arimathaea, who, for fear of the Jews, was a secret disciple of Jesus, asked Pilate if he could take Jesus' body. Pilate gave him permission. Nicodemus, who went to Jesus at night, was with Joseph. He brought myrrh and aloes. They took the body of Jesus, wound it in linen cloth, and prepared it with the spices as was the Jewish burial custom. In the place where He was crucified there was a new sepulchre in the garden area. There they laid Jesus.

20. Early on the first day of the week, when it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the sepulchre. She saw that the stone had been taken away from the entrance. She ran to find Simon Peter and the other disciple whom Jesus loved. She said to them, They have taken the Lord out of the sepulchre and we do not know where they have laid Him. Peter and the other disciple started toward the sepulchre. They began running together. But the other disciple, having outrun Peter, arrived at the entrance first. Stooping down, he looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there but he did not go inside.

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