MATTHEW.

CHA P. XXVII.

20 But the chief II But the chief 18 And they cried 40 Then cried they priests and elders per- priefts moved the peo- out all at once, faying, all again, faying, Not Iwaded the multitude ple, that he should Away with this man, this man, but Barabthat they should ask rather release Barabbas and releafe unto us Barabbas, and deftroy to them. Jefus.

21 The governour

Barabbas :

19 (Who for a certain fedition made in the city, and for mur

bas.

Now Barabbas

der, was caft in prifon) was a robber.

20 Pilate therefore

anfwered and faid unto fwered, and faid again * spake again to them,

them,

12 And Pilate an

to them,

having thus left it to the choice of the Multitude, the Sanhedrim inftigated them to defire that Jefus might be put to death, and to have Barabbas freed, who was accus'd of Robbery and Murder. But Pilat choofing rather to fet Jefus free because of his Innocency, and his Wife's Dream, ask'd them again aloud whom they chofe, Jefus or Barabbas? The Multitude incens'd, and urg'd to it by the Sanhedrim, again replied, Barabbas. Pilat then ask'd them what they would have done with Jefus, who was call'd the Meffiah or King of the Jews. They told him, they were fo far from being willing to have him fet free, that they defir'd he might be crucified. Pilat, ftill endeavoring to foften their Rage, told 'em he had not upon examination found him guilty of any thing that deferv'd death according Xxx

to

JOHN.

CHA P. XIX.

I HEN Pilate

THE

therefore took Jefus, and scourged him.

2 And the fouldiers platted a crown of thorns, and put it on his head, and they put on him a purple robe, 3 And faid, Hail king of the Jews: and they fmote him with their hands.

4 Pilate therefore went forth again, and faith unto them, Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I find no fault in him.

5 Then came Jefus forth, wearing the

to the Roman Laws; wherefore, faid he, I will chaftife him, and difmifs him. But the Jews notwithstanding continued their Clamors to have him crucified.

Pilat however was not yet prevail'd with to gratify their Requeft, but commanded Jefus to be fcourg'd, hoping by that Punishment to appease the Malice of his Enemies. The Soldiers not only did what they were commanded, but made a Mock of him, putting a Crown of Thorns upon his Head, and a Purple Robe about him. Having thus a while derided him, and faluted him King of the Jews, they abus'd him more outrageously by ftriking him. After this Pilar came again out of the Judgment-Hall, and commanded Jefus to follow him, telling the Jews he came on purpofe to teftify to them that he had not found Jefus guilty of any crime, and that if he had offended in any particular, by being fcourg'd he thought he had fufficiently aton'd for it. At the fame time Jefus alfo appear'd, having

the

crown of thorns, and the purple robe. And Pilate faith unto them, Behold the man.

6 When the chief priests therefore and officers faw him, they cried out, faying, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate faith unto them, Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find no fault in him.

7 The Jews answered him, We have a law, and by our law he ought to die, because he made himself the Son of God.

8 When Pilate therefore heard that faying, he was the more afraid;

9 And went again into the judgment-hall, and faith unto Jefus, Whence art thou? But Jefus gave him no answer.

10 Then faith Pilate unto him, Speakeft thou not unto me? knoweft thou not that I have power to crucify thee, and have power to release thee?

the Crown on, and the Purple Robe, whom Pilat fhow'd to 'em, that he might excite their Compaffion by a view of the Punishment and ignominious Ufage one of their own Countrymen had fuffer'd undefervedly. When the High Priefts and their Followers (who came on purpose to incite the Multitude) beheld him, they again cried out he ought to be crucified. Pilat then bid them take him and crucify him if they would, but as for his part he faw no manner of crime in him. The Jews then told him, that by their Law he ought to be put to death, inafmuch as he made himself the Son of God, or the Meffiah. Which Pilat hearing, who was not ignorant of the many Miracles that Jefus was faid to perform, he began the more to be afraid left he fhould be forc'd by their Clamors to condemn not only an innocent Perfon, but one begotten by a God, as many among the Heathens were by them fuppos'd to have bin.

Being in the Judgment-Hall, he again interrogated Jefus, that he might know who that Man was, from whence he came, of whom he had heard fo many ftrange Relations, and on whofe destruction the Jews were fo eagerly bent. But Jesus made him no reply, that he might not feem to fhun the Death he was to fuffer. Whereupon Pilat faid to him, Knoweft thou not that I have Power to crucify thee, or fet thee free, notwithstanding all the Malice of the Jews against thee? Why then anfwereft thou me nothing? Jefus told him, he could have no fuch PowXXX 2

er,

JOHN.

CHAP. XIX.

11 Jefus answered, Thou couldeft have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater fin.

12 And from thenceforth Pilate fought to release him: but the Jews cried out, faying, If thou let this man go, thou art not Cefars friend: whofoever maketh himself a king, fpeaketh against Cefar.

13 When Pilate therefore heard that faying, he brought Jefus forth, and fat down in the judgment-feat, in a place that is called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew, Gabbatha.

14 And it was the preparation of the paffover, and about the fixth hour: and he faith unto the Jews, Behold your king.

15 But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him. Pilate faith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The

er, but by the Divine permiffion. But of thefe things, faid he, and many others with which the Jews are acquainted, thou art ignorant; they therefore offend more against the Divine Justice than thou doft, tho thou haft greater respect to the Favor of the Jews than to the Laws, fince thou haft commanded me to be scourg'd whom thou thy felf haft openly declar'd innocent.. Pilat reflecting on this Reply of Jefus, greatly defir'd to abfolve him; upon which the Jews redoubl'd their Cries to have him crucified, faying, If he difmiffed him, he was none of Cafar's Friend, fince whoever fet himself up for a King in a Roman Province without Cafar's Appointment, was to be accounted an Enemy to Cafar. Pilat was not yet fo terrifi ed, but that he was ftill defirous to rescue Jefus. He therefore brought him out to 'em again, and fat down on the Judgment Seat, in a place call'd the Stone Pavement, in Hebrew, Gabbatha. (Now this happen'd on a Friday, the 25th of April, one of the Pafchal Days, which according to the Jewish Cuftom are reckon'd from the preceding Evening about three hours after the Sun was rifen.) Then faid he to the Jews; Behold your King: The Divine Providence inftructing them what they ought to think of him by the Mouth of a Heathen. But they with greater fury demanded to have him crucified. What then, faid Pilat, Thall I crucify

your

CHAP. XXVII CHAP. XV... CHAP. XXIII.

JOHN.

CHA P. XIX. chief priests anfwered, We have no king bug Cefar.

24 When Pilate faw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, faying, I am innocent of the blood of this juft perfon fee ye to it.

25 Then answered all the people, and faid, His blood be on us, and on our children.

K

15 And Pilate, willing to content the people,

releafed Barabbas

26 Then releafed he Barabbas unto them: unto them,

24 And Pilate gave fentence that it should be as they required.

25 And he releafed unto them, him that for fedition and murder was caft into priand deli- fon, whom they had and when he had fcour- vered Jefus, when he defired; but he deliged Jefus, he deliver- had fcourged him, to vered Jefus to their

ed him to be crucified. be crucified.

27 Then the foul- 16 And the fouldiers of the gover- diers led him away in

will.

16 Then delivered he him therefore unto

them to be crucified. And they took Jefus, and led him away.

your King? God by him feeming to upbraid them with their nefarious cruelt The Chief Priests replied, they had no King but Cefar.

Pilat perceiving he could no way mitigate their Rage, but that they were more and more inflam'd, to fhow that he gave him up unwillingly, he call'd for a Bafon of Water to be brought into Court; and having wash'd his hands before them all, he faid unto them, I am no way the Author of this innocent Man's death: Look ye to it. Whereupon the whole Multitude cried out, If he be innocent, may the punishments due for the shedding of his Blood light upon us and our Chil

dren.

Pilat then, willing to gratify the Jews, commanded Barabbas, who was committed for Murder and Sedition, to be releas'd according to their defire; and having already commanded Jefus to be fcourg'd, he now deliver'd him up to the Soldiers to be crucified; who having gather'd a whole Cohort, carried Jefus into the Common