Voices: Narrator - Jesus - Everyone - Women - Men
Chapters 22 and 23 Suitably incorporated as the Gospel-in-dialogue on Passion Sunday (The Sunday of the Palms) or on Good Friday
Narrator Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people. Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the twelve; he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray him to them. They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray him to them when no crowd was present. Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying,
Jesus Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.
Everyone Where do you want us to make preparations for it?
Jesus Listen, when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" ’ He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.
Narrator
So they went and found
everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He
said to them,
Jesus I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
Narrator Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said,
Jesus Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.
Narrator Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying,
Jesus This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
Narrator And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying,
Jesus This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But see, the one who betrays me is with me, and his hand is on the table. For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom he is betrayed!
Narrator Then they began to ask one another, which one of them it could be who would do this. A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. But he said to them,
Jesus
The kings of the
Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called
benefactors. But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like
the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who
is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am
among you as one who serves.
You are those who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer on you, just as my
Father has conferred on me, a kingdom, so that you may eat and drink at my table
in my kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I
have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have
turned back, strengthen your brothers.
Men Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death!
Jesus I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know me. When I sent you out without a purse, bag, or sandals, did you lack anything?
Everyone No, not a thing.
Jesus But now, the one who has a purse must take it, and likewise a bag. And the one who has no sword must sell his cloak and buy one. For I tell you, this scripture must be fulfilled in me, ‘And he was counted among the lawless’; and indeed what is written about me is being fulfilled.
Everyone Lord, look, here are two swords.
Jesus It is enough.
Narrator He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. When he reached the place, he said to them,
Jesus Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.
Narrator Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed,
Jesus Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.
Narrator Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, and he said to them,
Jesus Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.
Narrator While he was still speaking, suddenly a crowd came, and the one called Judas, one of the twelve, was leading them. He approached Jesus to kiss him; but Jesus said to him,
Jesus Judas, is it with a kiss that you are betraying the Son of Man?
Narrator When those who were around him saw what was coming, they asked,
Men Lord, should we strike with the sword?
Narrator Then one of them struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said,
Jesus No more of this!
Narrator And he touched his ear and healed him. Then Jesus said to the chief priests, the officers of the temple police, and the elders who had come for him,
Jesus Have you come out with swords and clubs as if I were a bandit? When I was with you day after day in the temple, you did not lay hands on me. But this is your hour, and the power of darkness!
Narrator Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house. But Peter was following at a distance. When they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat among them. Then a servant-girl, seeing him in the firelight, stared at him and said,
Women This man also was with him."
Narrator But he denied it, saying,
Men Woman, I do not know him."
Narrator A little later someone else, on seeing him, said,
Men You also are one of them."
Narrator But Peter said,
Men Man, I am not!"
Narrator Then about an hour later still another kept insisting,
Men Surely this man also was with him; for he is a Galilean."
Narrator But Peter said,
Men Man, I do not know what you are talking about!
Narrator At that moment, while he was still speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him,
Jesus Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.
Narrator And he went out and wept bitterly. Now the men who were holding Jesus began to mock him and beat him; they also blindfolded him and kept asking him,
Everyone Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?
Narrator
They kept heaping many
other insults on him.
When day came, the assembly of the elders of the people, both chief priests and
scribes, gathered together, and they brought him to their council. They said,
Women If you are the Messiah, tell us.
Jesus If I tell you, you will not believe; and if I question you, you will not answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.
Everyone Are you, then, the Son of God?
Jesus You say that I am.
Men What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips!
Narrator Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying,
Women We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king."
Narrator Then Pilate asked him,
Men Are you the king of the Jews?
Jesus You say so.
Narrator Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds,
Men I find no basis for an accusation against this man.
Narrator But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began even to this place."
Narrator
When Pilate heard this,
he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under
Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at
that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see
him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him
perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no
answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even
Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an
elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. That same day Herod and Pilate
became friends with each other; before this they had been enemies. Pilate
then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to
them,
Men You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. will therefore have him flogged and release him.
Narrator Then they all shouted out together,
Women Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!
Narrator (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting,
Everyone Crucify, crucify him!
Narrator A third time he said to them,
Men Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.
Narrator
But they kept urgently
demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices
prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He
released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for
insurrection and murder, and he handed
Jesus over as they wished. As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon
of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and
made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and
among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But
Jesus turned to them and said,
Jesus
Daughters of Jerusalem,
do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days
are surely coming when they will say, ‘Blessed are the barren, and the wombs
that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.’ Then they will begin to
say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us’; and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’ For if
they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?
Narrator
Two others also, who
were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the
place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals,
one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said,
Jesus Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.
Narrator And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying,
Women He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!"
Narrator The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying,
Men If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!
Narrator There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews." One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying,
Men Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!
Narrator But the other rebuked him, saying,
Men Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong. Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.
Jesus Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise.
Narrator
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon, while the sun’s light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn
in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said,
Jesus Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.
Narrator Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said,
Men Certainly this man was innocent.
Narrator
And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had
taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his
acquaintances, including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a
distance, watching these things.
Now there was a good and righteous man named Joseph, who, though a member of the
council, had not agreed to their plan and action. He came from the Jewish town of
Arimathea, and he was waiting expectantly
for the kingdom of God. This man went to
Pilate
and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it
in a linen cloth, and laid it in a
rock-hewn tomb where no one had ever been laid. It
was the day of Preparation, and the sabbath was beginning. The women who had come
with him from Galilee followed, and they saw the tomb and how his body was laid.
Then they returned, and prepared spices and ointments. On the sabbath they
rested according to the commandment.
(New Revised Standard Version)
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