And I had heard and read of with the rest

But to despise, in spite of all the blood

By which the chosen few their faith confess’d—

The prophet-carpenter of Nazareth,

Poor, persecuted, buffeted, reviled,

Spit upon, crown’d with thorns, and crucified

With thieves—the Son of God—the Son of man,

Whose shape He took to teach them how to live,

And doff’d upon the cross to do away

The sin and death you and your devil-deities