The Passion of Our Lord according to St John
by Johann Sebastian Bach
Credits:
English version prepared by Peter Pears and Andrew Raeburn
Transcribed from the booklet insert from the 1960 album published on Argo
Watch album: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_lRW9AQtSnHZEoC2uaxiGIlvYPsGdSHXxo&si=ihb1PwaJUEhAe_8N
PART ONE
Chorus
Lord, our redeemer, thou whose name in all the world is highly praised,
show us in this thy passion, that thou, the true and only son for evermore,
e'en from humiliation sore dost rise with victory crowned.
Recitative
Jesus went with his disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden,
into which he entered and his disciples.
Judas Iscariot, which did betray him, also knew the place: for Jesus resorted
thither oft together with his disciples. And when Judas had received a band
of men and of officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, he cometh
thither with lanterns, torches and with weapons. Then as Jesus knew of all
things that were to come upon him, he went forth and said unto them,
Whom seek ye? And they answered him,
Chorus
Jesus of Nazareth.
Recitative
Jesus saith to them, I am he.
Judas also, which did betray him, was standing by them. As soon then as
he had said, I am he, they all moved backward, and fell to the ground.
Then asked he them a second time, Whom seek ye? Again they said,
Chorus
Jesus of Nazareth.
Recitative
Jesus answered them, I told you but now, I am he: if you are seeking me,
let these men go their way.
Chorale
O wondrous love, o love of depth unbounded.
That brought thee here by sin and grief surrounded.
I live, the pleasures of this world enjoying,
And thou art dying.
Recitative
So that the word might be fulfilled, which he had spoken: Of them that
thou gavest to me, of them have I lost not one.
Then Simon Peter having a sword, he drew it out and smote at the high
priest's serving-man, and cut his right ear off. And his name was Malchus.
Then said Jesus to Peter, Put up thy sword in the scabbard. Shall I not drink
that cup, the which my Father has given me?
Chorale
Thy will, o Lord our God, be done
On earth, as round thy heavenly throne.
In time of sorrow patience give,
Obedient ever make us live.
With thy restraining spirit fill
Each heart that strives against thy will.
Recitative
The band then, together with the captain and the servants of the Jews, took
hold on Jesus, and bound him fast, and led him away at first unto Annas,
who was Caiaphas' father-in-law, who that same year was the high priest.
Now it was Caiaphas, who counselled the Jews, that it was expedient that
one man should die for the people.
Aria
From the bondage of transgression to give me freedom is my holy saviour
bound.
And from every taint of sickness fully to heal me doth he bear this grievous
wound.
Recitative
Simon Peter also followed Jesus afar with another disciple.
Aria
I follow thee also, my saviour, with gladness.
Go not from my sight, my life and my light.
Then show me thy way, and let me not stray,
Thyself, Lord, to guide me, to draw me, to help me.
Recitative
Now that same disciple was known unto the high priest, and went with
Jesus within to the palace of the high priest. But Peter stood outside at the
door. And then the other disciple, who was known unto the high priest.
went out, and spake unto her that kept the door, and brought Peter also
within. Then said the maid that kept the door to Peter. Art thou not one
of this man's disciples? He saith, I am not.
The officers and the servants that stood there had made them a fire of
coals; for it was cold; and they warmed themselves: Peter also stood among
them and warmed himself.
Then the high priest questioned Jesus of his disciples, and of his doctrine.
Jesus made answer to him. I always spake openly and freely to the world, and at all times I have spoken in the synagogue and in the temple, whither the Jews always resort; and in secret I have spoken nothing. Wherefore askest thou me? Ask ye rather them who have heard me speaking, what it is that I have spoken. Behold, they themselves know what I have spoken to them.
And when he had thus spoken, an officer who was standing by struck
Jesus with the palm of his hand, and said, Dost thou answer then the high
Priest so? Jesus answered unto him, If I had spoken evil, then do thou bear witness of the evil: but if I had spoken well, why smites thou me?
Chorale
O Lord. who dares to smite thee,
And falsely to indict thee,
Deride and mock thee also.
We and our sons in blindness
Have scorned God's loving-kindness,
But spot of sin didst thou not know.
I, I have done this wounding
By countless sins abounding
As sands upon the shore.
'Twas I, Lord, who forsook thee,
When cruel soldiers took thee,
To bring thee tribulation sore.
Recitative
And Annas sent him bound unto the high priest Caiaphas. Simon Peter
stood and warmed himself. Then said they unto him.
Chorus
Art thou not one of his disciples?
Recitative
He denied it and said, I am not. And a certain high priest's servant. one that
was a kinsman of him whose ear Peter had cut off. saith. Did I not see thee
in the garden with him? Then did Peter deny a third time. and while he
spake immediately the cock crew.
Then did Peter think upon the words of Jesus: and he went forth and wept
Bitterly.
Aria
Ah! my soul, o whither wilt thou fly? Where shall I seek for comfort?
Shall I stay, or depart and leave the hills and mountains far behind me?
In the world is no relief; on my heart remains the burden; mine the evil
deed, since the servant has denied his Lord.
Chorale
Peter, faithless, thrice denies
That his Lord he knoweth.
When he meets those earnest eyes,
Weeping, forth he goeth.
Jesu, when I will not turn,
Look on me in kindness;
Make my heart within me burn,
Rouse me from my blindness.
PART TWO
Chorale
Christ, the Lord of life and light,
Saviour meek and lowly,
Taken like a thief at night,
Bound by hands unholy.
See the saviour crowned with thorn,
Falsely judged and smitten;
See the soldiers spit and scorn,
As by prophet written.
Recitative
Then led they Jesus from Caiaphas to the judgement hall; and it was early;
and they went not into the judgement hall lest they should become defiled;
but that they might keep the passover.
And then went Pilate out unto them and said, What accusation bring ye
now against this man? And they answered and said unto him,
Chorus
If this man were not a malefactor, to thee we would not have delivered
him.
Recitative
And Pilate said unto them, Then take ye him away, and judge ye him according
to your law. Then answered the Jews unto him,
Chorus
It is not lawful for us to put a man to death.
Recitative
That the saying of Jesus might be fulfilled, which he had spoken, when he
signified by what manner of death he should die.
Then Pilate entered again into the judgement hall, called Jesus, and said
to him, Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered him, Dost thou say
this of thyself, or did others rather tell it thee of me? And Pilate answered,
Am I a Jew. The chief priests and thine own nation have delivered thee
unto me: what hast thou done. And Jesus answered, My kingdom is not
of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then my servants would
be fighting, that I should not be delivered unto the Jews; but now is my
kingdom not from hence.
Chorale
O mighty king. eternal is thy glory,
How can I fitly tell thy wondrous story?
No heart can find a worthy gift to proffer,
None dare I offer.
In vain on thy perfections, Lord, I ponder,
Thy boundless mercy still transcends my wonder.
How then shall I do aught that can delight thee,
Or e'er requite thee?
Recitative
And Pilate said unto him, Art thou indeed then a king? Jesus answered him,
Thou sayest, I am a king. To this end was I born, and came into the world,
that I should witness to the truth. Each one that is of the truth heareth my
voice. Pilate saith unto him, What is truth?
And when he had thus spoken, he went out again to the Jews, and said
unto them. I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a custom at this time.
that I should release one unto you. Will ye, now that I should release the
King of the Jews?
Then cried they all with one accord, saying,
Chorus
Not this man, no, not this. Not this man, rather Barabbas.
Recitative
Now Barabbas was a robber.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged him.
Arioso
Consider, o my soul, with fearful joy consider, with bitter anguish in thy
heart afflicted, thy highest good is Jesus' sorrow. For thee, from the thorns
that pierce him, lo! heaven-blessed roses spring; thou canst the sweetest
fruit from his sharp wormwood gather. Then look for evermore to him.
Aria
Behold ye, how his limbs with blood are stained, a wondrous vision of
heaven's glory bright. So then, after the heavy torrents of our transgression
cease their flowing, shines out the beauteous rainbow, a sign of God's unending love.
Recitative
And when the soldiers had plaited a crown of thorns, they put it upon his
head, and put on him a purple robe, and said,
Chorus
We salute thee, mighty King of Judah.
Recitative
And they smote him with their hands. Then Pilate therefore went forth
again and said unto them, Behold, I bring him hither unto you, that ye may
know that I find no fault in him.
And then did Jesus come forth, wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe. And he said to them, Behold the man! And forthwith, when
the priests and officers saw him, they cried out and said,
Chorus
Crucify.
Recitative
And Pilate saith unto them, Take ye him away, and crucify him: for I find
no fault at all in him. The Jews therefore answered him,
Chorus
We have an old decree, and by that decree he must die; for he made himself
the Son of God most high.
Recitative
And when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid; and he went
in again to the judgement hall, and said to Jesus, From whence then art
thou?
But Jesus gave him no answer. Then said Pilate to him, Speakest thou not
unto me? Knowest thou not that I have the power to crucify, and also the
power to release thee? Jesus made answer, Thou couldest have no power
against me, had it not been given to thee from above: therefore he that
delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.
From thenceforth Pilate therefore sought how he might release him.
Chorale
Thy bonds, o Son of God most high,
Have perfect freedom brought us;
And free, we to thy throne come nigh,
As thou by grace hast taught us.
Hadst thou disdained this bondage sore.
'vV e had been bound for evermore.
Recitative
But the Jews cried out and said,
Chorus
If thou let this man go, then art thou no friend of Caesar; for the man that
maketh himself a king is enemy to Caesar.
Recitative
And when Pilate heard that saying, he brought Jesus forth, and sat down
upon the judgement seat in a place that is called High Pavement, that is in
the Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of the passover, about
the sixth hour. And he saith unto the Jews, Behold the King of the Jews!
They cried out,
Chorus
Away with him, crucify him.
Recitative
Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your king? The chief priests answered
and said,
Chorus
We have no king but Caesar.
Recitative
Then delivered he him unto them, that they might crucify him. And they
took hold on Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth
unto a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew
Golgotha.
Aria with chorus
Haste, ye deeply wounded spirits, come and bring your heavy burdens.
O where?
To Golgotha.
Take, o take the wings of faith and fly.
O where?
To the cross of Jesus; find relief and healing there.
Recitative
And there crucified they him, and with him two others, on either side one
and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote out a title and put it upon the cross.
And the writing was, JESUS OF AZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
This title then read many of the Jews, for the place was nigh unto the
city, where Jesus was crucified. And it was written in the Hebrew and the
Greek, and in Latin also.
Then said the chief priests of the Jews unto Pilate,
Chorus
Write thou not the King of Judah, rather write thou that he hath said, I am
the King of Judah.
Recitative
But Pilate made answer, What I have written I have written.
Chorale
Within my inmost being
Thy name and cross alone,
(The light of all my seeing),
Prevailing influence own .
O breathe this comfort o'er me
When low in grief I lie,
That thou, Lord Jesu, for me
Hast given thyself to die.
Recitative
And then did the soldiers, after they had crucified Jesus, take hold of his
garments and made four parts, unto every soldier each a part; and also
his coat.
The coat was however without seam, and from the top was woven
through and through. They said therefore one to another,
Chorus
Let us therefore not divide it, but cast lots for it, whose it shall be.
Recitative
So that the scripture might be fulfilled, which is written: They parted all
my raiment among them, and over my vesture did they cast lots. These
things therefore the soldiers did.
Now standing there by the cross of Jesus was his mother, and his mother's
sister Mary, Cleophas' wife, also Mary Magdalene. And when Jesus there-
fore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by her, whom he loved, he sait unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! And he saith to the disciple, Behold thy mother!
Chorale
While his parting spirit sinks
Ere its flight be taken, Jesu son his mother thinks, Lest she be forsaken.
Hearts that emulate his love
They shall rise to realms above,
Where he liveth ever.
Recitative
And from that hour he took her unto his own home.
After this, as Jesus knew that now all was accomplished, that the scripture
might be fulfilled, he saith, I thirst. There was near a vessel full of vinegar:
they filled therefore a sponge with the vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and
put it thereupon to his mouth. And when Jesus had received of the vinegar.
he said, It is finished.
Aria
All is fulfilled. O rest for all afflicted spirits.
This night of woe makes me upon my last hour ponder.
Victorious Judah's hero comes, and ends the fight.
It is finished.
Recitative
And he bowed his head and was gone.
Aria with chorus
Beloved saviour, wilt thou answer
As thou hast now the cross endured,
And thyself hast said, It is finished.
Am I from death delivered?
Can I through thy eternal merit
The heavenly realm inherit?
Shall all the world redemption see?
Thou canst for anguish now say nothing.
Yet thou dost bow thy head and say,
In silence, yea.
Jesu, thou who knewest death.
Livest now forever.
When I yield my dying breath.
Lord, forsake me never.
Other savior need I none,
Since thou dost receive me.
Lord, to share what thou hast won, Of thy mercy give me.
Recitative
And then behold, the veil of the temple, as rent into t, twain e’en from the
top unto the bottom; and the earth did quake, and the rocks were rent;
and the graves were opened up, and there arose many bodies of the saints.
Arioso
My heart, behold how all the world at Jesus' sufferings likewise suffers.
The sun his beams in sorrow covers, the veil divides, the rocks are rent.
The earth doth quake, the graves are opened, when they behold the creator
dying. And as for thee. what wilt thou do?
Aria
Dissolve now, my spirit, in bitterest mourning, the highest to honour. Pro
claim to the world and to heaven thy grief: thy Jesus is dead.
Recitative
The Jews therefore, because it was the preparation, that the bodies should
not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day (for that Sabbath day was an
high day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken, and that they
might be taken away. Then came the soldiers, and brake the legs of the first
one, and of the other who was crucified with him. But when they were come
to Jesus, and they saw that he was already dead, they brake not his legs;
but one of the soldiers pierced his side with a spear, and forthwith came
there out blood and water.
And he that saw it, he also bare witness and his witness is true: and
the same man knoweth that that which he saith is true, that ye might
believe. For all these things were done, so that the scripture might be fulfilled:
A bone of him shall not be broken. And again another scripture
saith: They shall look on him whom they have pierced.
Chorale
Help us, Christ, almighty Son,
By thy bitter anguish,
Faithfully our course to run,
Every sin to vanquish.
Teach us, Lord, thy grace to know;
Guide our weak endeavour,
Our redeemer's praise to shew
Thankfully for ever.
Recitative
And after this Joseph of Arimath~a. being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly
for fear of the Jews, besought Pilate that he might take the body of Jesus :
and Pilate gave him leave. He therefore came, and took the body of Jesus
away,
There came also then Niodemus, he who at first had come to Jesus in
the night, and brought a mixture of myrrh and of aloes, about a hundred
pound weight. And they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in the linen
clothes with the spices also, as is the manner of the Jews to bury. Now there,
as in the place where he was crucified a garden, and in the garden a new
tomb, wherein never yet a man was laid. There therefore laid they Jesus,
because of the Jews' preparation; for the tomb was nigh at hand.
Chorus
Rest calm, o body pure and holy,
For I no longer shall bewail thee;
And bring thou me to rest.
The grave, where all must come at last,
Where pain and grief no more can reach,
Flings wide the doors of heaven
And bars the gates of hell.
Chorale
Lord Jesu, thy dear angel send,
Whene'er my mortal life shall end,
And bear my soul to heaven.
Within its narrow chamber keep
My body safe in painless sleep,
Till thy last call be given.
And when from death thou wakest me,
In bliss untold mine eyes shall see,
O Son of God, thy glorious face,
My saviour and my fount of grace.
Lord Jesu Christ, o hear thou me.
Thee will I praise eternally.
After searching for these lyrics everywhere online, I found an original album with a booklet containing the words. I am providing them here so that others can find it easier.