St John's Passion

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.