The Twelve Gospels of the Passion of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

TheLord said to his disciples, "Now is the Son of man glorified, and inhim God is glorified; if God is glorified in him, God will also glorifyhim in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a littlewhile I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so nowI say to you, 'Where I am going you cannot come.' A new commandment Igive to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, thatyou also love one another. By this all men will know that you are mydisciples, if you have love for one another." Simon Peter said to him,"Lord, where are you going?" Jesus answered, "Where I am going youcannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward." Peter said tohim, "Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life foryou." Jesus answered, "Will you lay down your life for me? Truly,truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied methree times.

Let not your hearts be troubled; believe in God, believe also in me.In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, would I havetold you that I go to prepare a place for you? And when I go andprepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself,that where I am you may be also. And you know the way where I amgoing." Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going;how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and thetruth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me. If you hadknown me, you would have known my Father also; henceforth you know himand have seen him." Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, andwe shall be satisfied." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you solong, and yet you do not know me, Philip? He who has seen me has seenthe Father; how can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believethat I am in the Father and the Father in me? The words that I say toyou I do not speak on my own authority; but the Father who dwells in medoes his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father inme; or else believe me for the sake of the works themselves. Truly,truly, I say to you, he who believes in me will also do the works thatI do; and greater works than these will he do, because I go to theFather. Whatever you ask in my name, I will do it, that the Father maybe glorified in the Son; if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask theFather, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, becauseit neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells withyou, and will be in you. I will not leave you desolate; I will come toyou. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but youwill see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you willknow that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He who has mycommandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves mewill be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself tohim." Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, "Lord, how is it that you willmanifest yourself to us, and not to the world?" Jesus answered him, "Ifa man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, andwe will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love medoes not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but theFather's who sent me. These things I have spoken to you, while I amstill with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Fatherwill send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to yourremembrance all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; mypeace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let notyour hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. You heard me sayto you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved me, you wouldhave rejoiced, because I go to the Father; for the Father is greaterthan 1. And now I have told you before it takes place, so that when itdoes take place, you may believe. I will no longer talk much with you,for the ruler of this world is coming. He has no power over me; but Ido as the Father has commanded me, so that the world may know that Ilove the Father. Rise, let us go hence.

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branchof mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that doesbear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. You are already madeclean by the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in me, and I inyou. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in thevine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine, you arethe branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bearsmuch fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. If a man does notabide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branchesare gathered, thrown into the fire and burned. If you abide in me, andmy words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done foryou. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and soprove to be my disciples. As the Father has loved me, so have I lovedyou; abide in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will abide inmy love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in hislove. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, andthat your joy may be full. This is my commandment, that you love oneanother as I have loved you. Greater love has no man than this, that aman lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you dowhat I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servantdoes not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends,for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. Youdid not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should goand bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever youask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. This I command you,to love one another. If the world hates you, know that it has hated mebefore it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love itsown; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of theworld, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said toyou, 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me,they will persecute you; if they kept my word, they will keep yoursalso. But all this they will do to you on my account, because they donot know him who sent me. If I had not come and spoken to them, theywould not have sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. He whohates me hates my Father also. If I had not done among them the workswhich no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have seenand hated both me and my Father. It is to fulfill the word that iswritten in their law, 'They hated me without a cause.' But when theCounselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even theSpirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness tome; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from thebeginning.

I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. They willput you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoeverkills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will dothis because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have saidthese things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that Itold you of them. I did not say these things to you from the beginning,because I was with you. But now I am going to him who sent me; yet noneof you asks me, 'Where are you going?' But because I have said thesethings to you, sorrow has filled your hearts. Nevertheless I tell youthe truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not goaway, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send himto you. And when he comes, he will convince the world concerning sinand righteousness and judgment: concerning sin, because they do notbelieve in me; concerning righteousness, because I go to the Father,and you will see me no more; concerning judgment, because the ruler ofthis world is judged. I have yet many things to say to you, but youcannot bear them now. When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide youinto all the truth; for he will not speak on his own authority, butwhatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the thingsthat are to come. He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine anddeclare it to you. All that the Father has is mine; therefore I saidthat he will take what is mine and declare it to you. A little while,and you will see me no more; again a little while, and you will seeme." Some of his disciples said to one another, "What is this that hesays to us, 'A little while, and you will not see me, and again alittle while, and you will see me'; and, 'because I go to the Father'?" They said, "What does he mean by 'a little while"? We do not knowwhat he means." Jesus knew that they wanted to ask him; so he said tothem, "Is this what you are asking yourselves, what I meant by saying,'A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, andyou will see me'? Truly, truly, I say to you, you will weep and lament,but the world will rejoice; you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow willturn into joy. When a woman is in travail she has sorrow, because herhour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longerremembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. Soyou have sorrow now, but I will see you again and your hearts willrejoice, and no one will take your joy from you. In that day you willask nothing of me. Truly, truly, I say to you, if you ask anything ofthe Father, he will give it to you in my name. Hitherto you have askednothing in my name; ask, and you will receive, that your joy may befull. I have said this to you in figures; the hour is coming when Ishall no longer speak to you in figures but tell you plainly of theFather. In that day you will ask in my name; and I do not say to youthat I shall ask the Father for you; for the Father himself loves you,because you have loved me and have believed that I came from theFather. I came from the Father and have come into the world; again, Iam leaving the world and going to the Father." His disciples said, "Ah,now you are speaking plainly, not in any figure! Now we know that youknow all things, and need none to question you; by this we believe thatyou came from God." Jesus answered them, "Do you now believe? The houris coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, every man tohis home, and will leave me alone; yet I am not alone, for the Fatheris with me. I have said this to you, that in me you may have peace. Inthe world you have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcomethe world."

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heavenand said, "Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son mayglorify you, since you have given him power over all flesh, to giveeternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life,that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you havesent. I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work which yougave me to do; and now, Father, glorify me in your own presence withthe glory which I had with you before the world was made. I havemanifested your name to the men whom you gave me out of the world;yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word.Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you; for Ihave given them the words which you gave me, and they have receivedthem and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believedthat you did send me. I am praying for them; I am not praying for theworld but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours; allmine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. And nowI am no more in the world, but they are in the world, and I am comingto you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me,that they may be one, even as we are one. While I was with them, I keptthem in your name, which you have given me; I have guarded them, andnone of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture mightbe fulfilled. But now I am coming to you; and these things I speak inthe world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I havegiven them your word; and the world has hated them because they are notof the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not pray that youshould take them out of the world, but that you should keep them fromthe evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. As you did send me intothe world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake Iconsecrate myself, that they also may be consecrated in truth. I do notpray for these only, but also for those who believe in me through theirword, that they may all be one; even as you, Father, are in me, and Iin you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe thatyou have sent me. The glory which you have given me I have given tothem, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me,that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that youhave sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. Father, Idesire that they also, whom you have given me, may be with me where Iam, to behold my glory which you have given me in your love for mebefore the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, the world hasnot known you, but I have known you; and these know that you have sentme. I made known to them your name, and I will make it known, that thelove with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them. " WhenJesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples acrossthe Kidron valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciplesentered.

Atthat time, Jesus went forth with his disciples across the Kidronvalley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered.Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place; for Jesus often metthere with his disciples. So Judas, procuring a band of soldiers andsome officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there withlanterns and torches and weapons. Then Jesus, knowing all that was tobefall him, came forward and said to them, "Whom do you seek?" Theyanswered him, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus said to them, "I am he."Judas, who betrayed him, was standing with them. When he said to them,"I am he," they drew back and fell to the ground. Again he asked them,"Whom do you seek?" And they said, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus answered,"I told you that I am he; so, if you seek me, let these men go. " Thiswas to fulfill the word which he had spoken, "Of those whom you gave meI lost not one." Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struckthe high priest's slave and cut off his right ear. The slave's name wasMalchos. Jesus said to Peter, "Put your sword into its sheath; shall Inot drink the cup which the Father has given me?" So the band ofsoldiers and their captain and the officers of the Jews seized Jesusand bound him. First they led him to Annas; for he was thefather-in?law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. It wasCaiaphas who had given counsel to the Jews that it was expedient thatone man should die for the people. Simon Peter followed Jesus, and sodid another disciple. As this disciple was known to the high priest, heentered the court of the high priest along with Jesus, while Peterstood outside at the door. So the other disciple, who was known to thehigh priest, went out and spoke to the maid who kept the door, andbrought Peter in. The maid who kept the door said to Peter, "Are notyou also one of this man's disciples?" He said, "I am not." Now theservants and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold,and they were standing and warming themselves; Peter also was withthem, standing and warming himself. The high priest then questionedJesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, "I havespoken openly to the world; I have always taught in synagogues and inthe temple, where all Jews come together; I have said nothing secretly.Why do you ask me? Ask those who have heard me, what I said to them;they know what I said." When he had said this, one of the officersstanding by struck Jesus with his hand, saying, "Is that how you answerthe high priest?" Jesus answered him, "If I have spoken wrongly, bearwitness to the wrong; but if I have spoken rightly, why do you strikeme?" Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest. Now SimonPeter was standing and warming himself. They said to him, "Are not youalso one of his disciples?" He denied it and said, "I am not." One ofthe servants of the high priest, a kinsman of the man whose ear Peterhad cut off, asked, "Did I not see you in the garden with him?" Peteragain denied it; and at once the cock crowed. Then they led Jesus fromthe house of Caiaphas to the praetorium. It was early. They themselvesdid not enter the praetorium, so that they might not be defiled, butmight eat the passover.

Atthat time, the soldiers seized Jesus and led him to Caiaphas the highpriest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered. But Peterfollowed him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest,and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end. Now the chiefpriests and the whole council sought false testimony against Jesus thatthey might put him to death, but they found none, though many falsewitnesses came forward. At last two came forward and said, "This fellowsaid, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in threedays.'" And the high priest stood up and said, "Have you no answer tomake? What is it that these men testify against you?" But Jesus wassilent. And the high priest said to him, "I adjure you by the livingGod, tell us if you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him,"You have said so. But I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son ofman seated at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds ofheaven." Then the high priest tore his robes, and said, "He has utteredblasphemy. Why do we still need witnesses? You have now heard hisblasphemy. What is your judgment?" They answered, "He deserves death."Then they spat in his face, and struck him; and some slapped him,saying, "Prophesy to us, you Christ I Who is it that struck you?" NowPeter was sitting outside in the courtyard. And a maid came up to him,and said, "You also were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied itbefore them all, saying, "I do not know what you mean." And when hewent out to the porch, another maid saw him, and she said to thebystanders, "This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." And again he deniedit with an oath, "I do not know the man." After a little while thebystanders came up and said to Peter, "Certainly you are also one ofthem, for your accent betrays you." Then he began to invoke a curse onhimself and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately the cockcrowed. And Peter remembered the saying of Jesus, "Before the cockcrows, you will deny me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

Atthat time, when Judas, his betrayer, saw that he was condemned, herepented and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chiefpriests and the elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocentblood." They said, "What is that to us? See to it yourself." Andthrowing down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed; and hewent and hanged himself. But the chief priests, taking the pieces ofsilver, said, "It is not lawful to put them into the treasury, sincethey are blood money." So they took counsel, and bought with them thepotter's field, to bury strangers in. Therefore that field has beencalled the Field of Blood to this day. Then was fulfilled what had beenspoken by the prophet Jeremiah, saying, "And they took the thirtypieces of silver, the price of him on whom a price had been set by someof the sons of Israel, and they gave them for the potter's field, asthe Lord directed me." Now Jesus stood before the governor; and thegovernor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "Youhave said so." But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders,he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how manythings they testify against you?" But he gave him no answer, not evento a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly. Now at thefeast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any oneprisoner whom they wanted. And they had then a notorious prisoner,called Barabbas. So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whomdo you want me to release for you, Barabbas or Jesus who is calledChrist?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had deliveredhim up. Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wifesent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for Ihave suffered much over him today in a dream." Now the chief priestsand the elders persuaded the people to ask for Barabbas and destroyJesus. The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you wantme to release for you? " And they said, "Barabbas." Pilate said tothem, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They allsaid, "Let him be crucified." And he said, "Why, what evil has hedone?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified." So whenPilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot wasbeginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying,"I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." And all thepeople answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" Then hereleased for them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him tobe crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into thepraetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. And theystripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him, and plaiting a crown ofthorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. Andkneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!"And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head.And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and puthis own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. As they wentout, they came upon a man of Cyrene, Simon by name; this man theycompelled to carry his cross.

Atthat time, the soldiers led Jesus away inside the palace (that is, thepraetorium); and they called together the whole battalion. And theyclothed him in a purple cloak, and plaiting a crown of thorns they putit on him. And they began to salute him, "Hail, King of the Jews!" Andthey struck his head with a reed, and spat upon him, and they kneltdown in homage to him. And when they had mocked him, they stripped himof the purple cloak, and put his own clothes on him. And they led himout to crucify him. And they compelled a passer?by, Simon of Cyrene,who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus,to carry his cross. And they brought him to the place called Golgotha(which means the place of a skull). And they offered him wine mingledwith myrrh; but he did not take it. And they crucified him, and dividedhis garments among them, casting lots for them, to decide what eachshould take. And it was the third hour, when they crucified him. Andthe inscription of the charge against him read, "The King of the Jews."And with him they crucified two robbers, one on his right and one onhis left. And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads, andsaying, "Aha! You who would destroy the temple and build it in threedays, save yourself, and come down from the cross!" So also the chiefpriests mocked him to one another with the scribes, saying, "He savedothers; he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel,come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe." Those whowere crucified with him also reviled him.

Atthat time, when the soldiers came to a place called Golgotha (whichmeans the place of a skull), they offered him wine to drink, mingledwith gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. And when theyhad crucified him, they divided his garments among them by castinglots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And over hishead they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus theKing of the Jews." Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on theright and one on the left. And those who passed by derided him, waggingtheir heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build itin three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down fromthe cross." So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders,mocked him, saying, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is theKing of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we willbelieve in him. He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if hedesires him; for he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" And the robbers whowere crucified with him also reviled him in the same way.

Nowfrom the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until theninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice,"Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, my God, why have youforsaken me?" And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This man iscalling Elijah." And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filledit with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. Butthe others said, "Wait, let us see whether Elijah will come to savehim." And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up hisspirit.

And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two,from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; thetombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallenasleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrectionthey went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurionand those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw theearthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said,"Truly this was the Son of God!"

Atthat time, two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be putto death with him. And when they came to the place which is called TheSkull, there they crucified him, and the criminals, one on the rightand one on the left. And Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for theyknow not what they do." And they cast lots to divide his garments. Andthe people stood by, watching; but the rulers scoffed at him, saying,"He saved others; let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, hisChosen One!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering himvinegar, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!"There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, "Are younot the Christ? Save yourself and us! " But the other rebuked him,saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence ofcondemnation? And we indeed justly; for we are receiving the due rewardof our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he said toJesus, "Lord, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And he saidto him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise."It was now about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the wholeland until the ninth hour, while the sun's light failed; and thecurtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loudvoice, said, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit!" And havingsaid this he breathed his last. Now when the centurion saw what hadtaken place, he praised God, and said, "Certainly this man wasinnocent!" And all the multitudes who assembled to see the sight, whenthey saw what had taken place, returned home beating their breasts. Andall his acquaintances and the women who had followed him from Galileestood at a distance and saw these things.

Atthat time, standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and hismother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. WhenJesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, hesaid to his mother, "Woman, behold, your son!" Then he said to thedisciple, "Behold, your mother!" And from that hour the disciple tookher to his own home. After this Jesus, knowing that all was nowfinished, said (to fulfill the scripture), "I thirst." A bowl full ofvinegar stood there; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssopand held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the vinegar, he said,"It is finished"; and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Sinceit was the day of Preparation, in order to prevent the bodies fromremaining on the cross on the sabbath (for that sabbath was a highday), the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken, and thatthey might be taken away. So the soldiers came and broke the legs ofthe first, and of the other who had been crucified with him; but whenthey came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not breakhis legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and atonce there came out blood and water. He who saw it has borne witness ?his testimony is true, and he knows that he tells the truth? that youalso may believe. For these things took place that the scripture mightbe fulfilled, "Not a bone of him shall be broken." And again anotherscripture says, "They shall look on him whom they have pierced."

Atthat time, Joseph of Arimathea, a respected member of the council, whowas also himself looking for the kingdom of God, took courage and wentto Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. And Pilate wondered if hewere already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him whether hewas already dead. And when he learned from the centurion that he wasdead, he granted the body to Joseph. And he bought a linen shroud, andtaking him down, wrapped him in the linen shroud, and laid him in atomb which had been hewn out of the rock; and he rolled a stone againstthe door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses sawwhere he was laid.

Atthat time, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, butsecretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take awaythe body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him leave. So he came and took awayhis body. Nikodemos also, who had at first come to him by night, camebringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds' weight.They took the body of Jesus, and bound it in linen cloths with thespices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where hewas crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb where noone had ever been laid. So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, asthe tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.

Nextday, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and thePharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember how thatimpostor said, while he was still alive, 'After three days I will riseagain.' Therefore order the sepulcher to be made secure until the thirdday, lest his disciples go and steal him away, and tell the people, 'Hehas risen from the dead,' and the last fraud will be worse than thefirst." Pilate said to them, "You have a guard of soldiers; go, make itas secure as you can." So they went and made the sepulcher secure bysealing the stone and setting a guard.