The Gospels

by Sarah Ruden

  Chapter 16

  1 “I’ve told you these things to keep you from falling away. 2 They’ll ban you from the synagogues. More than that, the time is coming when everyone who kills you will think that he’s offering a service to god. 3 And they’ll do these things because they never knew the father or me. 4 But I’ve spoken of these things so that when the time comes for them, you’ll remember I told you about them. I didn’t tell you these things from the beginning, because I was with you. 5 But now I’m headed to the one who sent me, and not one of you asks me, ‘Where are you headed?’ 6 Still, because I’ve said these things, grief has filled your hearts. 7 Yet I tell you the truth: it’s better for you that I go away. If I didn’t go away, the advocate wouldn’t come to you. If I’m on my way, I’ll send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he’ll cross-examine the world about wrongdoing, and about doing right, and about what the verdict must be. 9 About wrongdoing: people do not trust in me. 10 About doing right: I’m headed to the father, so that you no longer perceive me. 11 About the verdict: the ruler of this world will be subject to the verdict.

  12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you can’t endure them just now. 13 When he comes, the life-breath of truth, he’ll lead you on the journey in all truth. He won’t speak on his own behalf; instead, he’ll bring you a message about the things to come. 14 He’ll glorify me, because he’ll take a message from me and bring it to you. 15 Everything the father has is mine. For this reason, I’ve said he’s going to take a message from me and bring it to you.*172

  16 “A little while, and you’ll no longer perceive me; a little while more, and you’ll see me.” 17 Then some of his students said to each other, “What’s this he’s talking to us about? ‘A little while, and you won’t perceive me; a little while more, and you’ll see me’? And ‘I’m headed to the father’?” 18 So they said, “What is this ‘a little while’ [that he’s talking about]? We don’t understand what he’s saying.”

  19 Iēsous knew they wanted to ask him, so he told them, “You’re asking each other what it meant when I said, ‘A little while, and you won’t perceive me; a little while more, and you’ll see me’? 20 Amēn amēn I tell you, you’ll cry and mourn, but the world will be delighted. You’ll have pain, but your pain will become joy. 21 When a woman is in labor, she has pain, because her time has come, but when she gives birth to the child, she no longer remembers her grinding suffering, because of her joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 So you have pain now, but I’ll see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy, and no one will take your joy from you.*173

  23 “And on that day, you won’t have any requests to make of me. Amēn amēn I tell you, whatever you ask the father for in my name, he’ll give it to you. 24 Until now, you asked for nothing in my name. Ask, and you’ll get it, so that your joy can be complete.

  25 “I’ve told you these things through figures of speech. The time is coming when I’ll no longer speak to you through figures of speech; no, in all openness I’ll give you the news about the father. 26 On that day, you’ll ask in my name, but I’m not telling you that I’ll ask the father on your behalf. 27 The father himself, you see, is your loving friend, because you’ve been my loving friends,*174 and you’ve come to believe that I came from god. 28 I came from the father, and I’ve come into the world. I’m leaving the world again and making my way to the father.”

  29 His students said, “Look, now you’re speaking in all openness, and not using any figure of speech. 30 Now we know that you know everything and don’t need anyone to question you. This is why we believe that you came from god.” 31 Iēsous responded to them: “Just now you believe? 32 Look, the time is coming, and it’s come, for you to be scattered, each one to his own home, and to leave me by myself. But I’m not by myself, because my father’s with me. 33 I’ve said these things to you so that you can have peace in me. In the world, you have grinding suffering, but be brave: I’ve conquered the world.”

  Chapter 17

  1 Iēsous finished saying these things. Then, lifting his eyes to the sky, he spoke: “Father, the time has come. Glorify your son, so that your son can glorify you; 2 insofar as you gave him authority over all mortal life, so that he could give life for all time to all those you gave to him. 3 And this is life without end, so that they know you, the only true god, and Iēsous, the Anointed One, whom you sent. 4 I glorified you on the earth, completing the work you gave me to do. 5 And now you must glorify me, father, by your side, with the glory I had by your side before there was a world.

  6 “I showed your name clearly to those you gave to me out of the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they’ve safeguarded what you spoke. 7 Now they know that everything you gave to me is from you; 8 because the words you gave to me, I gave to them; and they accepted them, and they know in truth that I came from you, and they believe that you sent me.

  9 “I ask you for their sake; I don’t ask for the sake of the world, but for the sake of those you gave me, because they’re yours. 10 And everything I have is yours, and everything you have is mine, and I have been glorified in these things. 11 But I’m no longer in the world, whereas they are in the world, and I’m going to you. Holy father, keep watch over them in your name, which you gave me, so that they can be one, as we’re one. 12 When I was with them, I kept watch over them in your name, which you gave me, and I kept on guard, and not one of them was destroyed except for the son of destruction, so that what was written could be fulfilled.*175 13 But now I’m going to you—yet I say these things in the world so that they have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I gave them what you’ve spoken, and the world hated them, because they’re not part of the world, just as I’m not part of the world. 15 I don’t ask for you to take them out of the world, but that you keep them safe from the malicious one.*176 16 They’re not part of the world, as I’m not part of the world. 17 Make them pure and holy in the truth; what you speak is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I sent them into the world. 19 And on behalf of them I make myself holy, so that they can also be made holy in the truth.

  20 “But I don’t ask on behalf of them alone, but also on behalf of all those trusting in me through what they say, 21 so that they can all be one; just as you, father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be in us, so that the world believes you sent me. 22 And I gave them the glory you gave me, so that they could be one, just as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me, so that they can be completed as one; so that the world knows that you sent me, and that you loved them just as you loved me.

  24 “Father, I want also those you gave me to be with me where I am, so that they look on my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the foundations of the universe were laid. 25 Just and lawful father, the world hasn’t known you, but I’ve known you, and these men have known you sent me. 26 And I made your name known to them, and I’ll keep making it known, so that the love with which you have loved me can be in them, and I can be in them.”

  Chapter 18

  1 Once he’d said these things, Iēsous went out with his students across the Kedrōn, a brook that flows only in winter, to where there was a cultivated grove, and he and his students went into the grove.

  2 Now Ioudas, who was handing him over, also knew the place, because Iēsous had often met there with his students.*177 3 So Ioudas, taking a military division, and retainers from the high priests and the Farisaioi, came there with lanterns and torches and weapons.*178 4 So Iēsous, noting everything that was coming at him, came forward and said to them, “Who are you looking for?” 5 They answered him, “Iēsous the Nazōraios.” He told them, “That’s me.” Ioudas, the one handing him over, was standing with them. 6 So when he told them, “It’s me,” they backed up and fell to the ground. 7 Again he asked them, “Who are you looking for?” And they said, “Iēsous the Nazōraios.” 8 Iēsous responded, “I told you it was me. So if it’s me you’re looking for, l
et these people get out of here.” 9 He said this so that what he had said would be borne out: “I didn’t lose a single one of those you gave me.”*179 10 Then Simōn Petros, who had a sword, drew it and struck the chief priest’s slave and cut off his right ear. And the name of the slave was Malchos. 11 Then Iēsous said to Petros, “Put that sword back in its sheath. My father gave me a drinking cup—don’t I have to drink out of it?”

  12 Then the division and its officer and the retinue of the Ioudaioi seized Iēsous, tied him up, 13 and led him to Annas first. He was the father-in-law of Kaïafas, who was the chief priest for that year; 14 and Kaïafas was the one who had advised the Ioudaioi that it was better for one man to die for the sake of the whole people.*180

  15 Simōn Petros and another student followed after Iēsous. But that student was known to the chief priest, so he went with Iēsous into the chief priest’s palace. 16 But Petros stood outside by the gate; so the other student, the one known to the chief priest, came out and spoke to the girl who was gatekeeper, and brought Petros inside.*181 17 Then that slave girl, the gatekeeper, said to Petros, “Aren’t you one of this man’s students too?” He said, “I’m not.” 18 The slaves and the retainers were standing there. They had made a coal fire, because it was cold, and they were warming themselves. And Petros was standing with them and warming himself.

  19 Meanwhile the high priest interrogated Iēsous about his students and his teachings. 20 Iēsous answered him, “I’ve spoken openly to the world. I’ve always taught in a synagogue and in the temple precinct, where all the Ioudaioi assemble, and I’ve said nothing in secret. 21 Why are you interrogating me? Interrogate the people who heard what I said to them! Look, they know what I said.” 22 Once he said this, one of the retainers who was standing near Iēsous gave him a slap and said to him, “Is this how you answer the high priest?” 23 Iēsous answered him, “If I’ve said something wrong, give your testimony that it’s wrong. But if I’m right, why do you beat me?” 24 Then Annas had him tied up and sent him to Kaïafas the chief priest.

  25 Meanwhile, Simōn Petros was standing and warming himself. So they said to him, “Aren’t you one of his students too?” He denied it, saying, “I’m not.” 26 One of the high priest’s slaves spoke up, as he was a relative of the one whose ear Petros had cut off: “Didn’t I see you in the grove with him?” 27 Again Petros denied it, and right away the rooster crowed.

  28 Then they led Iēsous from Kaïafas to the governor’s headquarters.*182 By now it was early morning. But they themselves didn’t go into the headquarters, for fear of being defiled; they needed, on the contrary, to be able to eat the pascha.*183 29 So Pilatos*184 came out to them and said: “What charge are you bringing [against] this man?” 30 They answered him by saying, “If he hadn’t been up to no good, we wouldn’t have turned him over to you.” 31 So Pilatos said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him under your law.” The Ioudaioi said to him, “It’s not permitted to us to kill anyone.” 32 This was so that the statements Iēsous had made could be borne out: he’d indicated the kind of death he was about to undergo.*185

  33 So Pilatos went back into the governor’s headquarters again, called Iēsous before him, and said to him, “You’re the king of the Ioudaioi?” 34 Iēsous answered: “Do you say this on your own, or have other people told you about me?” 35 Pilatos answered: “What? Am I a Ioudaios? Your own nation and the high priests handed you over to me. What did you do?” 36 Iēsous answered: “My kingdom isn’t part of this world. If my kingdom were part of this world, my retinue would fight to keep me from being handed over to the Ioudaioi. But as it is, my kingdom isn’t part of here.” 37 So Pilatos said to him, “Then you are a king?” Iēsous answered, “You say I’m a king. I was born for this, and for this I came into the world: to testify to the truth. Everyone partaking in the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilatos said to him, “What’s truth?”

  Having said this, he came out again to the Ioudaioi and told them: “I find no guilt in him. 39 But it’s your custom that I release one person to you on the pascha. So do you want me to release to you the ‘king of the Ioudaioi’?” 40 Then they screamed back at him the words “Not him! Barabbas!” Now, Barabbas was a bandit.*186

  Chapter 19

  1 So at this point Pilatos took Iēsous and had him flogged.*187 2 And the soldiers wove a garland out of thorny branches and put it on his head,*188 and they draped a purple robe over him. 3 And they came up to him, saying, “Joy to you, king of the Ioudaioi!” And they slapped him around. 4 And Pilatos came out again and said to the people, “Look, I’m bringing him out again to you, to let you know that I don’t find any guilt in him.” 5 So Iēsous came outside again, wearing the thorny garland and the purple robe. And Pilatos said to them, “Look at this guy.”*189

  6 So when the high priests and their retinue saw him, they screamed the words “Hang him on the stakes, hang him on the stakes!”*190 Pilatos said to them, “Take him yourselves and hang him there, as I don’t find any guilt in him.” 7 The Ioudaioi answered him: “We have a law, and according to that law he has to die, because he presented himself as the son of god.” 8 So when Pilatos heard this statement, he became more fearful. 9 Then he went into the headquarters again and said to Iēsous, “Where are you from?” But Iēsous didn’t give him any answer. 10 So Pilatos said to him, “You’re not talking to me? Don’t you know that I have the power to let you go and the power to hang you on the stakes?” 11 Iēsous answered [him], “You don’t have any power over me, unless it’s been given to you from above. This is why the one who handed me over to you is more in the wrong.”*191 12 After this, Pilatos kept trying to let him go. But the Ioudaioi screamed, saying, “If you let him go, you’re no friend of Kaisar. Anyone presenting himself as king opposes Kaisar.”*192 13 So once he heard them say these things, Pilatos brought Iēsous out and sat on the platform in the place called the Stone Pavement, but in Hebrew Gabbatha.*193 14 But it was the day of preparation for the pascha,*194 and it was about the sixth hour of the day, so he said to the Ioudaioi, “Look, it’s your king.” 15 Then they screamed, “Get rid of him! Get rid of him! Hang him on the stakes!” Pilatos said to them, “I’m supposed to hang your king on the stakes?” The high priests answered, “We don’t have any king but Kaisar.” 16 So then he handed him over to them to be hung on the stakes.

  Then they took Iēsous over from him.*195 17 And taking on the load of the stake,*196 he went out to what is called the Place of the Skull, which in Hebrew is called Golgotha,*197 18 where they hung him up, and with him two others, one on either side; he was in the middle. 19 And Pilatos wrote the notice and put it on the stake; and this was written there:

  Iēsous the Nazōraios, the king of the Ioudaioi.*198

  20 Many of the Ioudaioi read this notice, because the place where Iēsous was hung on the stakes was near the city, and the writing was in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek. 21 Now, the high priests of the Ioudaioi said to Pilatos, “Don’t write ‘the king of the Ioudaioi’; write, ‘He said, I’m the king of the Ioudaioi.’ ” 22 Pilatos answered, “I wrote what I wrote.”

  23 Now the soldiers, when they had Iēsous hung on the stakes, took his clothes and made four portions, a portion for each soldier; but there was also his tunic. The tunic was a seamless one, woven in a single piece from top to bottom. 24 So they said to each other, “Let’s not tear it—we can draw lots for who gets it.” This was so that what was written could be fulfilled, [which says,]

  “They divided up my clothes among themselves,

  And they threw lots for my clothing.”

  Accordingly, the soldiers did this.*199

  25 Beside Iēsous’ stake were standing his mother and his mother’s sister, and Maria the wife of Klōpas, and Maria the Magdalēnē.*200 26 So Iēsous, seeing his mother and the student he loved standing next to her, said to his mother, “Woman, look, it’s your son”; 27 then he said to the student, “Look, it’s your mother.
” And from that time onward, the student took her into his own home.*201

  28 After this, seeing that everything was at an end, Iēsous said—so that what was written could be fulfilled—“I’m thirsty.” 29 Lying there was a container full of vinegar, so they stuck a sponge full of the vinegar on a branch of hyssop and put it to his mouth. 30 Then, after he took in the vinegar, Iēsous said, “It’s at an end,” and he let his head fall and gave over his life-breath.*202

  31 Then the Ioudaioi, because it was the day of preparation, were unwilling to let the bodies remain on the stakes during the sabbaton—and in fact that sabbaton was an even more solemn day—they asked Pilatos for the legs of the men on the stakes to be broken and the bodies removed. 32 So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man, and then of the second who had been hung on the stakes along with him. 33 But when they came to Iēsous and saw that he was already dead, they didn’t break his legs; 34 instead, one of the soldiers pricked him in the side with his spear, and blood and water burst out.*203 35 And the one who saw it testified to it—and his testimony is true, and he knows he’s telling the truth—so that you can all believe too.*204 36 These things happened so that what is written would be fulfilled: “None of his bones are to be shattered.” 37 And yet another thing that was written says, “They’ll look at the one they stabbed.”*205

  38 After these things, Iōsēf of Arimathaia, as a student of Iēsous—a secret one, because of his fear of the Ioudaioi—asked Pilatos to let him take the body of Iēsous; and Pilatos allowed it; so he came and took his body. 39 And Nikodēmos—who had first come to him at night*206—came also, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes weighing about a hundred pounds. 40 They then took the body of Iēsous and wrapped it tightly with the aromatic spices in linen cloths, according to the custom of the Ioudaioi in burying their dead. 41 And in the place where he was hung on the stakes there was a cultivated grove, and in the grove was a new tomb where no one ever had been laid. 42 So there, as it was the day of preparation for the Ioudaioi, and because the tomb was close by, they laid Iēsous.*207