But Pi-late was to blame for Je-sus' death; for he gave him up to the Jews that he might please them, and keep the place that he had.
Now it was the law of the land that a man should be scourged ere he was hung. So Je-sus was stripped to the waist, and his hands were bound to a low post in front of him so as to make him stoop, and while he stood in this way he was struck with rods, or a whip of cords, till the blood burst through the skin.
BE-HOLD THE MAN.
Then Pi-late's men of war led him to a room, and took off his own robe, and put on him one of a red and blue tint. Then they made a crown of thorns and put it on his head; and they put a reed in his right hand. Then they bowed down to him, as if he were a king, and mocked at him and said, Hail, King of the Jews! And they spat on him, and took the reed and struck him on the head, and smote him with their hands.
When Ju-das saw that Je-sus was to be put to death, he was in great grief to think he had brought such a fate on one who had done no wrong. And he took back to the chief priests the sum they had paid him, and he said to them, I have done a great sin to give up to you one who had done no wrong. They said to him, What is that to us? See thou to that. Then Ju-das threw down the sil-ver, and went out and hung him-self.
Then the men of war took off the gay robe from Je-sus, and put his own clothes on him and led him out to put him to death.
They met a man named Si-mon, and made him bear the cross. And a great crowd of men and wo-men went with them who wept and mourned for Je-sus. Je-sus told them not to weep for him, but for them-selves and their chil-dren, be-cause of the woes that were to come on the Jews.
They brought him to a place called Cal-va-ry, not far from the gates of Je-ru-sa-lem. And they nailed his feet and hands to the cross, which was then set up in the ground. And all the while Je-sus prayed, Fa-ther for-give them, for they know not what they do. He meant that they did not know how great was their sin; nor that they had in truth put to death the son of God. With him they hung two thieves, one on his right hand, and one on his left.
