A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land. The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?

The chief priests and all the council sought for witness against Jesus to put him to death; and found none. For many bare false witness against him, but their witness agreed not together. And there arose certain, and bare false witness against him, saying, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and within three days I will build another made without hands. But neither so did their witness agree together. And the high priest stood up in the midst, and asked Jesus, saying, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? But he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him, and said unto him, Art thou the Christ, the Son of the Blessed? And Jesus said, I am : and ye shall see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, and saith, What need we any further witnesses? Ye have heard the blasphemy: what think ye? And they all condemned him to be guilty of death.

BLESSED ARE THEY WHICH ARE PERSECUTED FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS' SAKE FOR THEIRS IS THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN.

Jer. v. 30, 31; St. Mark xiv. 55-64; St. Matt. v. 10.

I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair.

He was oppressed and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth. It pleased the Lord to bruise him: he hath put him to grief.

He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living : for the transgression of my people was he stricken.

When Pilate was set down on the judgment-seat, his wife sent unto him, saying, Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.

WHOM THE LORD LOVETH HE CHASTENETH, AND SCOURGETH EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVETH. IF YE ENDURE CHASTENING, GOD DEALETH WITH YOU AS WITH SONS; FOR WHAT SON IS HE WHOM THE FATHER CHASTENETH NOT? BUT IF YE BE WITHOUT CHASTISEMENT, WHEREOF ALL ARE PARTAKERS, THEN ARE YE BASTARDS AND NOT SONS.

CHRIST ALSO HATH ONCE SUFFERED FOR SINS, THE JUST FOR THE UNJUST, THAT HE MIGHT BRING US TO GOD.

THIS IS THANKWORTHY, IF A MAN FOR CONSCIENCE TOWARD GOD
ENDURE GRIEF, SUFFERING WRONGFULLY.
FOR WHAT GLORY IS IT,

IF, WHEN YE BE BUFFETED FOR YOUR FAULTS, YE SHALL TAKE IT
PATIENTLY? BUT IF, WHEN YE DO WELL, AND SUFFER FOR IT, YE
TAKE IT PATIENTLY, THIS IS ACCEPTABLE WITH GOD.
FOR EVEN
HEREUNTO WERE YE CALLED: BECAUSE CHRIST ALSO SUFFERED FOR
US, LEAVING US AN EXAMPLE, THAT YE SHOULD FOLLOW HIS STEPS:
WHO DID NO SIN, NEITHER WAS GUILE FOUND IN HIS MOUTH: WHO,
WHEN HE WAS REVILED, REVILED NOT AGAIN: WHEN HE SUFFERED,
HE THREATENED NOT; BUT COMMITTED HIMSELF TO HIM THAT JUDGETH
RIGHTEOUSLY WHO HIS OWN SELF BARE OUR SINS IN HIS OWN BODY
ON THE TREE, THAT WE, BEING DEAD TO SINS, SHOULD LIVE UNTO
RIGHTEOUSNESS: BY WHOSE STRIPES YE WERE HEALED.

Isa. 1. 6; liii. 7, 8, 10; Matt. xxvii. 19; Heb. xii. 6–8; 1 Pet. iii. 18, ii. 19—24.