Thursday Before Easter

THE EPISTLE. 1 Cor. xi. 17.

In this that I declare unto you, I praise you not; that ye come
together not for the better, but for the worse. For first of all,
when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions
among you, and I partly believe it. For there must be also heresies
among you, that they who are approved may be made manifest among
you. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not
to eat the Lord's supper: for in eating every one taketh before
other his own supper; and one is hungry, and another is drunken.
What, have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the
church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to
you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. For I have
received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That
the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread;
and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat;
this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of
me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped,
saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as
oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat
this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he
come. Wherefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup
of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of
the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that
bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh
unworthily eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning
the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you,
and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be
judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that
we should not be condemned with the world. Wherefore, my brethren,
when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. And if any man
hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto
condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.

THE GOSPEL. St Luke xxiii. 1.

The whole multitude of them arose, and led him unto Pilate. And they
began to accuse him, saying, We found this fellow perverting the
nation, and forbidding to give tribute to Caesar, saying, That he
himself is Christ a King. And Pilate asked him, saying, Art thou
the King of the Jews? And he answered him, and said, Thou sayest
it. Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I
find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying,
He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning
from Galilee to this place. When Pilate heard of Galilee, he asked
whether the man were a Galilaean. And as soon as he knew that he
belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who
himself was also at Jerusalem at that time. And when Herod saw
Jesus he was exceeding glad; for he was desirous to see him of a
long season, because he had heard many things of him; and he hoped
to have seen some miracle done by him. Then he questioned with him
in many words; but he answered him nothing. And the chief priests
and scribes stood and vehemently accused him. And Herod with his
men of war set him at nought, and mocked him, and arrayed him in a
gorgeous robe, and sent him again to Pilate. And the same day
Pilate and Herod were made friends together; for before they were
at enmity between themselves. And Pilate, when he had called
together the chief priests and the rulers and the people, said unto
them, Ye have brought this man unto me, as one that perverteth
the people: and behold, I, having examined him before you, have
found no fault in this man touching those things whereof ye accuse
him: No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and lo, nothing
worthy of death is done unto him. I will therefore chastise him,
and release him. For of necessity he must release one unto them
at the feast. And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with
this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (who for a certain sedition
made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) Pilate
therefore, willing to release Jesus, spake again to them. But
they cried, saying, Crucify him, crucify him. And he said unto
them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found
no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let
him go. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he
might be crucified: and the voices of them and of the chief priests
prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they
required. And he released unto them him that for sedition and
murder was cast into prison, whom they had desired; but he delivered
Jesus to their will. And as they led him away, they laid hold upon
one Simon a Cyrenian, coming out of the country, and on him they
laid the cross, that he might bear it after Jesus. And there
followed him a great company of people, and of women, which also
bewailed and lamented him. But Jesus, turning unto them, said,
Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but weep for yourselves,
and for your children. For behold, the days are coming, in the
which they shall say, Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that
never bare, and the paps which never gave suck. Then shall they
begin to say to the mountains, Fall on us; and to the hills, Cover
us. For if they do these things in a green tree, what shall be
done in the dry? And there were also two other, malefactors, led
with him to be put to death. And when they were come to the place
which is called Calvary, there they crucified him; and the
malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left.
Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they
do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots. And the people
stood beholding; and the rulers also with them derided him, saying,
He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen
of God. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and
offering him vinegar, and saying, If thou be the King of the
Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over
him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING
OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors, which were hanged, railed
on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the
other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God,
seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly;
for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done
nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou
comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto
thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And it was about
the sixth hour: and there was a darkness over all the earth until
the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the vail of the
temple was rent in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud
voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and
having said thus, he gave up the ghost. Now when the centurion
saw what was done, he glorified God, saying, Certainly this was
a righteous man. And all the people that came together to that
sight, beholding the things that were done, smote their breasts
and returned. And all his acquaintance, and the women that followed
him from Galilee, stood afar off, beholding these things.