Tuesday Before Easter

FOR THE EPISTLE. Isaiah l. 5.

Lord God hath opened mine ear, and I was not rebellious, neither
turned away back. I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to
them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and
spitting. For the Lord God will help me, therefore shall I not be
confounded: therefore have I set my face like a flint, and I know
that I shall not be ashamed. He is near that justifieth me; who
will contend with me? Let us stand together; who is mine adversary?
let him come near to me. Behold, the Lord God will help me; who is
he that shall condemn me? Lo, they all shall wax old as a garment:
the moth shall eat them up. Who is among you that feareth the Lord,
that obeyeth the voice of his servant, that walketh in darkness, and
hath no light? let him trust in the name of the Lord, and stay upon
his God. Behold, all ye that kindle a fire, that compass yourselves
about with sparks; walk in the light of your fire, and in the sparks
that ye have kindled. This shall ye have of mine hand, ye shall
lie down in sorrow.

THE GOSPEL. St Mark xv. 1.

And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation
with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus,
and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate
asked him, Art thou the King of the Jews? And he answering said
unto him, Thou sayest it. And the chief priests accused him of
many things: but he answered nothing. And Pilate asked him again,
saying, Answerest thou nothing? behold how many things they witness
against thee. But Jesus yet answered nothing: so that Pilate
marvelled. Now at that feast he released unto them one prisoner,
whomsoever they desired. And there was one named Barabbas, which
lay bound with them that had made insurrection with him, who had
committed murder in the insurrection. And the multitude, crying
aloud, began to desire him to do as he had ever done unto them. But
Pilate answered them, saying, Will ye that I release unto you the
King of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered
him for envy. But the chief priests moved the people, that he should
rather release Barabbas unto them. And Pilate answered, and said
again unto them, What will ye then that I shall do unto him whom ye
call the King of the Jews? And they cried out again, Crucify him.
Then Pilate said unto them, Why, what evil hath he done? And they
cried out the more exceedingly, Crucify him. And so Pilate, willing
to content the people, released Barabbas unto them, and delivered
Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified. And the soldiers
led him away into the hall, called Praetorium; and they call together
the whole band. And they clothed him with purple, and platted a
crown of thorns, and put it about his head: and began to salute
him, Hail, King of the Jews. And they smote him on the head with a
reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.
And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him,
and put his own clothes on him, and led him out to crucify him. And
they compel one Simon a Cyrenian, who passed by, coming out of the
country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to bear his cross. And
they bring him unto the place Golgotha, which is, being interpreted,
The place of a skull. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with
myrrh; but he received it not. And when they had crucified him they
parted his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should
take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him. And the
superscription of his accusation was written over, THE KING OF THE
JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves, the one on his right
hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled,
which saith, And he was numbered with the transgressors. And they
that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah,
thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days,
save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also the chief
priests mocking said among themselves, with the scribes, He saved
others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel
descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they
that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour
was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth
hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying,
_Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?_ which is, being interpreted, My
God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that stood
by, when they heard it, said, Behold, he calleth Elias. And one ran
and filled a spunge full of vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave
him to drink, saying, Let alone; let us see whether Elias will come
to take him down. And Jesus cried with a loud voice, and gave up the
ghost. And the vail of the temple was rent in twain from the top to
the bottom. And when the centurion, which stood over against him,
saw that he so cried out, and gave up the ghost, he said, Truly this
man was the Son of God.