April 18, 2025 – Good Friday

+ From the Gospel according to John (18:1-19:42)

Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ

– They seized Jesus and bound him
At that time, Jesus went out with his disciples across the Kidron Valley, where there was a garden, which he and his disciples entered. Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, because Jesus had often met there with his disciples. So Judas, having received a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus, knowing all that was going to happen to him, went forward and said to them, “Whom are you looking for?” They answered him, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus said to them, “I am he.” Judas, who betrayed him, was with them. When he said to them, “I am he,” they turned back and fell to the ground. He asked them again, “Whom are you looking for?” They said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus answered, “I told you that I am he. So if you are looking for me, let these people go.” This was to fulfill the word that he had spoken: “Of those you gave me I have lost none.” Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus. Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Must I not drink the cup that the Father has given me?”

– They took him to Annas first
Then the soldiers, the captain, and the officers of the Jews arrested Jesus and bound him. They took him to Annas first, for he was the father-in-law of Caiaphas, who was high priest that year. Now Caiaphas was the one who had advised the Jews, “It is expedient that one man should die for the people.”

Simon Peter followed Jesus, and so did another disciple. Now that disciple was known to the high priest, and he went with Jesus into the courtyard of the high priest. But Peter stood outside at the door. Then the other disciple, the one known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the girl who kept the door, and brought Peter in. And the girl who kept the door said to Peter, “Are you not also one of this man’s disciples?” He said, “I am not.” Now the slaves and officers had made a charcoal fire, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves; and Peter also was standing with them and warming himself.

The high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching. Jesus answered him, “I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, where all the Jews come together, and in secret I have said nothing. Why do you question me? Ask those who heard me say to them; and behold, they know what I said.” When he had said this, one of the officials standing by struck Jesus, saying, “Is that how you answer the high priest?” Jesus answered him, “If I spoke wrongly, bear witness to the wrong; but if I spoke rightly, why do you strike me?” Annas then sent him bound to Caiaphas the high priest.

– Are you not also one of his disciples? I am not!
Now Simon Peter was standing there warming himself. They said to him, “Are you not also one of his disciples?” He denied it and said, “I am not.” But one of the servants of the high priest, a relative of the man whose ear Peter had cut off, said, “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” Again Peter denied it, and immediately the rooster crowed.

– My kingdom is not of this world
Then they led Jesus from Caiaphas to the Praetorium. It was early in the morning, and they did not want to enter the Praetorium, so that they would not be defiled and could eat the Passover. Pilate therefore went out to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” They answered him, “If this man were not a criminal, we would not have handed him over to you.” Then Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him according to your law.” The Jews answered him, “We are not permitted to put anyone to death.” This was to fulfill the word of Jesus that he had spoken, indicating the kind of death he was to die.

Then Pilate entered the Praetorium again, summoned Jesus, and said to him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus answered, “Do you say this on your own, or have others told you about me?” Pilate said, “Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests handed you over 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 that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but my kingdom is not from here.” Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this I was born, and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

When he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and said to them, “I find no guilt in him. But you have a custom that I should release one man to you at the Passover. Do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” Then they cried out, i again: “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Barabbas was a robber.

– Hail, King of the Jews!
Then Pilate took Jesus and had him flogged. And the soldiers twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on his head, and they dressed him in a purple robe. Then they came up to him and said, “Hail, King of the Jews!” And they struck him.

Pilate went out again and said to them, “Behold, I am bringing him out to you, that you may know that I find no guilt in him.” Then Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. And Pilate said to them, “Behold, the man!”

When the chief priests and the officers saw him, they cried out, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and crucify him; I find no guilt in him.” The Jews answered him, “We have a law, and according to that law he ought to die because he made himself the Son of God.”

When Pilate heard this, he became even more afraid. He entered the Praetorium again and said to Jesus, “Where are you from?” But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate said to him, “Do you not speak to me? Do you not know that I have authority to release you and authority to crucify you?” Jesus answered him, “You would have no authority over me if it had not been given to you from above. Therefore the one who handed me over to you has the greater sin.”

– Away with you! Away with you! Crucify him!
From that time Pilate sought to release him. But the Jews cried out, “If you release this man, you are not Caesar’s friend; anyone who makes himself a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus out and sat down on the judgment seat in a place called the Pavement, but in Hebrew, Gabbatha. It was the day of Preparation for the Passover, about noon. Pilate said to the Jews, “Behold, your king!” But they cried out, “Away with you! Away with you! Crucify him!” Pilate said to them, “Shall I crucify your king?” The chief priests answered, “We have no king but Caesar.” Then he handed him over to them to be crucified.

– They crucified him, and with him two others
They took Jesus, and carrying the cross himself, he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, in Hebrew, Golgotha. There they crucified him, and with him two others, one on either side, with Jesus in the middle. Pilate also wrote a title and put it on the cross. It read, “Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.” Many of the Jews read this title, for the place where Jesus was crucified was near the city; and it was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate, “Do not write, ‘The King of the Jews,’ but, ‘This man said, I am King of the Jews.’” Pilate answered, “What I have written, I have written.”

– They divided my garments among them
When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and made four parts, one for each soldier, and also his tunic. Now the tunic was seamless, woven from top to bottom. So they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it will be.” This was to fulfill the Scripture that says, “They divided my garments among them, and for my clothing they cast lots.” And the soldiers did so.

– Behold, your son! Behold, your mother!
Now standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother, and the disciple whom he loved standing near, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his home.

After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “I thirst.” Now there was set there a jar full of vinegar; so they put a sponge full of the vinegar on hyssop and 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.

(Here he kneels down and pauses briefly)

– And immediately there came out blood and water
Now it was Preparation, so that the bodies would not remain on the cross on the Sabbath (for that Sabbath was a high day) the Jews asked Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first, and of the other who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. But one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and immediately blood and water came out. He who saw it has borne witness, and his testimony is true, and he knows that he is telling the truth, so that you also may believe. For these things took place that the Scripture might be fulfilled: “Not a bone of him will be broken.” And again another Scripture says: “They will look on him whom they have pierced.”

– They took the body of Jesus and wrapped it in linen cloths with the spices
After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him leave. Then he came and took the body of Jesus. Nicodemus also went, or who had previously come to him by night—and brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy pounds. They took the body of Jesus and bound it in burial cloths with the spices, as the Jewish burial custom is. Now in the place where he had been crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So they laid Jesus there, because of the Jewish preparation, and the tomb was nearby.

The Word of the Lord