Good Friday
First Collect
O God who, by the Passion of Thy Christ, our Lord, hast loosened the bonds of death, that heritage of the first sin to which all men of later times did succeed: make us so conformed to Him that, as we must needs have borne the likeness of earthly nature, so we may by sanctification bear the likeness of heavenly grace. Through the same Christ our Lord.
First Lesson
Osee 6. 1-6
Thus saith the Lord: In their affliction they will rise early to Me: Come, and let us return to the Lord, for He hath taken us, and He will heal us, He will strike, and He will cure us. He will revive us after two days: on the third day He will raise us up and we shall live in His sight. We shall know and we shall follow on, that we may know the Lord.
First Responsory
Habacuc 3:2-3
O Lord, I have heard Thy hearing and was afraid: I have considered Thy works and trembled. In the midst of two animals Thou shalt be made known: when the years shall draw nigh Thou shalt be known: when the time shall come, Thou shalt be manifested. When my soul shall be in trouble, Thou wilt remember mercy, even in Thy wrath. God will come from Libanus, and the Holy One from the shady and thickly covered mountain.
Second Collect
O God, from whom Judas received the punishment of his guilt, and the thief the reward of his confession: grant unto us the full fruit of Thy clemency; that even as in His Passion, our Lord Jesus Christ gave to each a retribution according to his merits, so having taken away our old sins, He may bestow upon us the grace of His Resurrection. Who with Thee liveth and reigneth.
Second Lesson
Exodus 12:1-11
In those days the Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt: This month shall be to you the beginning of months: it shall be the first in the months of the year. Speak ye to the whole assembly of the children of Israel, and say to them: On the tenth day of this month let every man take a lamb by their families and houses. But if the number be less than may suffice to eat the lamb, he shall take unto him his neighbour that joineth to his house, according to the number of souls which may be enough to eat the lamb.
Second Responsory
Psalm 139:2-10,14
Deliver me, O Lord, from the evil man: rescue me from the unjust man. Who have devised iniquities in their hearts: all the day long they designed battles. They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; the venom of asps is under their lips. Keep me, O Lord, from the hand of the wicked: and from unjust men deliver me. Who have proposed to supplant my steps. The proud have hidden a net for me.
Gospel
John 18:1-40; 19:1-42
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to St. John.
The apprehension of Jesus
At that time Jesus went forth with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where there was a garden, into which He entered with His disciples. And Judas also, who betrayed Him, knew the place: because Jesus had often resorted thither together with His disciples. Judas therefore having received a band of soldiers and servants from the chief priests and the Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns and torches and weapons. Jesus therefore, knowing that all things that should come upon Him, went forth and said to them: Whom seek ye? C. They answered Him: S. Jesus of Nazareth. C. Jesus saith to them: I am He. C. And Judas also, who betrayed Him, stood with them. As soon therefore as He had said to them: I am He; they went backward and fell to the ground. Again therefore He asked them: Whom seek ye? C. And they said: S. Jesus of Nazareth. C. Jesus answered: I have told you that I am He. If therefore you seek Me, let these go their way; C. That the word might be fulfilled which He said: Of them whom Thou hast given Me, I have not lost anyone. Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear. And the name of the servant was Malchus. Jesus therefore said to Peter: Put up thy sword in the scabbard. The chalice which My Father hath given Me, shall I not drink it? C.Then the band and the tribune and the servants of the Jews took Jesus, and bound Him. And they led Him away to Annas first, for he was father-in-law to Caiphas, who was the high priest that year.
Jesus at the palace of the High Priest
Now Caiphas was he who had given the counsel to the Jews: that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. And Simon Peter followed Jesus: and so did another disciple. And that disciple was known to the high priest and went in with Jesus into the court of the high priest. But Peter stood at the door without. The other disciple therefore, who was known to the high priest, went out and spoke to the portress and brought in Peter. The maid therefore that was portress saith to Peter: S. Art not thou also one of this man’s disciples? C. He saith: S. I am not. C. Now the servants and ministers stood at a fire of coals, because it was cold, and warmed themselves. And with them was Peter, also, standing and warming himself. The high priest therefore asked Jesus of His disciples and of His doctrine. Jesus answered him: I have spoken openly to the world. I have always taught in the synagogue and in the temple, whither all the Jews resort: and in secret I have spoken nothing. Why asketh thou Me? Ask them who have heard what I have spoken unto them. Behold they know what things I have said. C. And when He had said these things, one of the servants, standing by, gave Jesus a blow, saying: S. Answerest Thou the high priest so? C. Jesus answered him: If I have spoken evil, give testimony of the evil; but if well, why strikest thou Me? C. And Annas sent Him bound to Caiphas the high priest. And Simon Peter was standing and warming himself. They said therefore to him: S. Art not thou also one of His disciples? C. He denied it and said: S. I am not. C. One of the servants of the high priest (a kinsman to him whose ear Peter cut off) saith to him: S. Did I not see thee in the garden with Him? C. Again therefore Peter denied; and immediately the cock crew.
Jesus before Pilate
Then they led Jesus from Caiphas to the governor’s hall. And it was morning; and they went not into the hall, that they might not be defiled, but that they might eat the Pasch. Pilate therefore went out to them, and said: S. What accusation bring you against this man? C. They answered and said to him: S. If He were not a malefactor, we would not have delivered Him up to thee. C. Pilate therefore said to them: S. Take Him you, and judge Him according to your law. C. The Jews therefore said to him: S. It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. C. That the word of Jesus might be fulfilled, which He said, signifying what death He should die. Pilate therefore went into the hall again and called Jesus and said to Him: S. Art Thou the King of the Jews? C. Jesus answered: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or have other told it thee of Me? C. Pilate answered: S. Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered Thee up to me. What hast Thou done? C. Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, My servants would certainly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now My kingdom is not from hence. C. Pilate therefore said to Him: S. Art Thou a King then? C. Jesus answered: Thou sayest I am a king. For this was I born, and for this came I into the world; that I should give testimony of the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth My voice. C. Pilate saith to Him: S. What is truth? C. And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and saith to them: S. I find no cause in Him. But you have a custom that I should release one unto you at the Pasch. Will you, therefore, that I release unto you the King of the Jews? C. Then cried they all again, saying: S. Not this man, but Barabbas. C. Now Barabbas was a robber.
Then therefore Pilate took Jesus and scourged Him. And the soldiers plaiting a crown of thorns, put it upon His head; and they put on Him a purple garment. And they came to Him and said: S. Hail, King of the Jews. C. And they gave Him blows. Pilate therefore went forth again and saith to them: S. Behold, I bring Him forth unto you, that you may know that I find no cause in Him. C. (Jesus therefore came forth, bearing the crown of thorns and the purple garment.) And he saith to them: S. Behold the man. C. When the chief priests, therefore, and the servants had seen Him, they cried out, saying: S. Crucify Him, crucify Him. C. Pilate saith to them: S. Take Him you, and crucify Him; for I find no cause in Him. C. The Jews answered him: S. We have a law, and according to the law He ought to die, because He made Himself the Son of God. C. When Pilate, therefore, had heard this saying, he feared the more. And he entered into the hall again; and he said to Jesus: S. Whence art Thou? C. But Jesus gave him no answer. Pilate therefore saith to Him: S. Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have power to crucify Thee, and I have power to release Thee? C. Jesus answered: Thou shouldst not have any power against Me, unless it were given thee from above. Therefore, he that hath delivered Me to thee hath a greater sin. C.And from henceforth Pilate sought to release Him. But the Jews cried out, saying: S. If thou release this Man, thou art not Caesar’s friend. For whosoever maketh himself a king speaketh against Caesar. C.Now when Pilate had heard these words, he brought Jesus forth and sat down in the judgment seat, in the place that is called Lithostrotos, and in Hebrew Gabbatha. And it was Parasceve of the Pasch, about the sixth hour; and he saith to the Jews: S. Behold your King. C. But they cried out: S. Away with Him. Away with Him: Crucify Him. C. Pilate saith to them: S. Shall I crucify your King? C. The chief priests answered: S. We have no king but Caesar. C. Then, therefore, he delivered Him to them to be crucified.
The Crucifixion
And they took Jesus and led Him forth. And bearing His cross, He went forth to that place which is called Calvary but in Hebrew Golgotha.; where they crucified Him, and with Him two others, one on each side and Jesus in the midst. And Pilate wrote a title also: and he put it upon the cross. And the writing was: Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews. This title therefore many of the Jews did read: because the place where Jesus was crucified was nigh to the city. And it was written in Hebrew, Greek and in Latin. Then the chief priests of the Jews said to Pilate: S. Write not: The King of the Jews; but that He said: I am the King of the Jews. C.Pilate answered: S. What I have written, I have written. C. The soldiers therefore, when they had crucified Him, took His garments (and they made four parts, to every soldier a part) and also His coat. Now the coat was without seam, woven from the top throughout. They said then one to another: S. Let us not cut it, but let us cast lots for it, whose it shall be: that the Scripture might be fulfilled which saith: They have parted My garments among them, and upon My vesture they have cast lots. And the soldiers indeed did these things. Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His Mother, and His Mother’s sister, Mary of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalen. When Jesus therefore had seen His Mother and the disciple standing whom He loved, He saith to His Mother: Woman, behold thy son. C. After that, He saith to the disciple: Behold thy mother. C. And from that hour, the disciple took her to his own.
The death of Christ
Afterwards, Jesus, knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said: I thirst. C. Now there was a vessel set there, full of vinegar. And they, putting a sponge full of vinegar about hyssop, put it to His mouth. Jesus therefore, when He had taken the vinegar, said: It is consummated. C. And bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.
Then the Jews (because it was the Parasceve), that the bodies might not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath day (for that was a great Sabbath day), besought Pilate that their legs might be broken and that they might be taken away. The soldiers therefore came, and they broke the legs of the first, and of the other that was crucified with Him. But after they were come to Jesus, when they saw that He was already dead, they did not break His legs. But one of the soldiers with a spear opened His side, and immediately there came out blood and water. And he that saw it hath given testimony: and his testimony is true. And he knoweth that he saith true: that you also may believe. For these things were done that the Scripture might be fulfilled: you shall not break a bone of Him. And again another Scripture saith: They shall look on Him whom they pierced.
The Burial of Jesus
And after these things, Joseph of Arimathea (because he was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews) besought Pilate that he might take away the Body of Jesus. And Pilate gave leave. He came therefore and took away the Body of Jesus. And Nicodemus also came (he who at the first came to Jesus by night), bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pound weight. They took therefore the Body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths, with the spices, as the manner of the Jews is to bury. Now there was in the place where He was crucified a garden: and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein no man yet had been laid. There, therefore, because of the Parasceve of the Jews, they laid Jesus, because the sepulchre was nigh at hand.