answered, and said, "His blood be on us, and on our 26 children." Then he released Barabbas unto them: and, when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him up to be crucified.

27

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus with them into the judgement-hall, and gathered unto him the whole 28 band. And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet 29 robe. And when they had platted a crown of thorns*,

they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand : and they kneeled down before him, and derided him, 30 saying, "Hail, King of the Jews." And they spat on

him; and took the reed, and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had derided him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own garments on him, and led him away to crucify him.

32

And as they were coming out, they met with a Cyrenian, named Simon: whom they compelled to carry his 33 cross. And when they were come to a place called Gol34 gotha, which signifieth a place of skulls, they gave him

vinegar to drink, mingled with gall: and when he had 35 tasted of it he would not drink. And when they had

crucified him, they parted among them his garments, 36 casting lots +. And, sitting down, they watched him 37 there. And they set up over his head his accusation 38 written, THIS IS JESUS The King of thE JEWS. At the same time two robbers were crucified with him: one on his right hand, and another on his left,

39

And those who passed by reviled him, shaking their 40 heads, and saying, "Thou who destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself. If thou be

* More probably of acanthus, or bearsfoot. The design was to insult, not to torture, See Bp. Pearce.

The received text adds, "that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.'" This clause is omitted in the Alex. Vat. and Ephr. and many other valuable manuscripts, and in most of the ancient versions. It was, probably, a marginal note.

41 the son of God, come down from the cross." In like

manner the chief-priests also, and the scribes and elders 42 derided him, and said, "He saved others; cannot he

save himself? If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusted in God; let him now deliver him, if he will 44 have him for he said, I am the Son of God."" The robbers also, that were crucified with him, reproached him in the same manner.

45

Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all 46 the land until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, " Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, My God, my God, 47 why hast thou forsaken me? Then some of those who stood there, when they heard it, said, "This man calleth 48 for Elijah." And immediately one of them ran, and took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it about 49 a reed, and gave him to drink. And the rest said, "For

bear: let us see whether Elijah will come and save him." 50 Then Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, expired +.

51

And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom: and the earth quaked, and 52 the rocks were rent; and the sepulchres were opened; 53 and many bodies of saints who slept arose and they came out of the sepulchres after the resurrection of Jesus, and entered into the holy city, and appeared to many.

54

55

Now when the centurion, and those who were with him watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and the things which had passed, they feared greatly, saying, "Truly this was a son of a god."

And many women were there, beholding at a distance; who had also followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering

*himself he cannot save. N.

gave up his spirit, or breath; breathed his last. N.

the Son of God, N,

56 unto him: among whom was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and of Joses, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

57

Now when it was evening, there came a rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself also was a dis58 ciple of Jesus. This man went to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded the body to 59 be delivered. And when Joseph had taken the body, 60 he wrapped it in a clean linen cloth; and laid it in his own new sepulchre, which he had hewn in a rock and he rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and 61 departed. And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary; sitting over against the sepulchre.

62

66

Now on the morrow, which followeth the day of preparation, the chief-priests and the Pharisees came to63 gether unto Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember that this deceiver said, while he was yet alive, Within three 64 days I will rise again.' Command therefore that the sepulchre be made secure till the third day; lest his disciples come [by night] and steal him away, and say to the people, He is risen from the dead:' so the last 65 deceit will be worse than the first." Pilate said unto them, "Take a guard: depart, secure it as ye know." 66 So they went and secured the sepulchre; having sealed the stone, and set the guard.

CH. XXVIII. But after the sabbath, as it began to dawn to

ward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene, 2 and the other Mary, to view the sepulchre. And, lo, there had been a great earthquake*: for an angel of the Lord had descended from heaven, and had come near and rolled back the stone from the door, and was sitting upon 3 itt. Now his appearance was as lightning, and his raiment 4 white as snow and for fear of him the keepers trembled,

* a great disturbance had happened, W.

+ sitten

on,

N. See W.

5 and became as dead men.
to the women, "Fear not
6 Jesus, who was crucified.

But the angel spake and said ye: for I know that ye seek He is not here: for he is

risen, as he said: come, see the place where [the Lord] 7 lay*. And depart quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead: and, lo, he will go before you into Galilee; there ye shall see him. Lo, I have told 8 you." And they quickly went out of the sepulchre, 9 with fear and great joy; and ran to tell his disciples. And [as they went to tell his disciples,] lo, Jesus met them, saying, "Hail." And they came near, and took hold 10 of his feet, and did him obeisance. Then saith Jesus unto them, "Fear not: go, tell my brethren that they depart into Galilee; and there shall they see me."

11

Now, as they were going, lo, some of the guard came into the city, and told the chief-priests all the things which 12 had been done. And when they had assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave much money to 13 the soldiers, saying, "Tell the people, His disciples came 14 by night, and stole him away while we slept.' And if

this be heard of by the governor, we will prevail on him, 15 and render you secure." So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this report is spread abroad among the Jews until this day.

16

Afterward the eleven disciples went into Galilee, to a 17 mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw him, they did obeisance to him: but some had doubted +.

18

And Jesus came near, and spake unto them, saying, "All power is given unto me in heaven and on earth.

"where he lay," is the reading of the Vat. MS. and of the Ethiopic and some

other ancient versions.

+ Or, "some doubted," i. e. while Jesus was at a distance, and till he came near enough to be distinctly seen and heard, ver. 18. See Bp. Pearce. Beza conjectured that instead of old the true reading is ovde, “nor did they doubt at all;" but this conjecture, though very plausible, is unsupported by manuscripts.

19 Go ye and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the 20 holy spirit*; teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, to the end of the aget."

*As a symbolical profession of that holy religion which originated with the Father, was taught by Christ, the son, that is, the servant and messenger of God, and confirmed by the gifts of the holy spirit. Some have called in question the genuineness of this verse, but without sufficient authority. It is, however, evident that it was not intended to prescribe an invariable formula in the administration of baptism, for the apostles themselves baptized simply into the name of Jesus. See Acts viii. 16; xix. 5; x. 49. That the holy spirit is here named in connexion with the Father and the Son is no proof that the spirit has a distinct personal existence. See Acts xx. 32; Eph. vi. 10. Much less can this phraseology be alleged as an argument that the three names express three divine and equal persons. See 1 Chron. xxix. 20. Some would render the passage, upon, or concerning, the name, &c. that is, receiving them to instruction upon these subjects. See Cappe's Dissertations.

+ To the end of the age, i. e. to the end of the Jewish dispensation; till the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple;—soon after which miraculous powers were withdrawn, and no personal appearances of Jesus Christ are recorded. See Bp. Pearce, Wakefield, &c.

The postscripts to Matthew's History are various, and of little authority, viz. "The end of Matthew's gospel: which was written by him at Jerusalem [or in Palestine] in the Hebrew language, eight years after Christ's ascension, and was translated by James, the Lord's brother."