Passion Narrative for Palm Sunday, Cycle A (Short Form - Matthew 27:11-54)

N. Narrator O. Other Voice J. Jesus C. Crowd

N. The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ O. "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. according to Matthew…. I suffered much in a dream today because of Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he him." questioned him, N. The chief priests and the elders persuaded the O. "Are you the king of the Jews?" crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. N. Jesus said, The J. "You say so." governor said to them in reply, N. And when he was accused by the chief O. "Which of the two do you want me to release priests and elders, he made no answer. Then to you?" Pilate said to him, N. They answered, O. "Do you not hear how many things they are C. "Barabbas!" testifying against you?" N. Pilate said to them, N. But he did not answer him one word, so that O. "Then what shall I do with Jesus called the governor was greatly amazed. Now on the Christ?" occasion of the feast N. They all said, the governor was accustomed to release to the C. "Let him be crucified!" crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at N. But he said, that time they had a notorious prisoner called O. "Why? What evil has he done?" Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate N. They only shouted the louder, said to them, C. "Let him be crucified!" O. "Which one do you want me to release to N. When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he N. For he knew that it was out of envy that they took water and washed his hands in the sight of had handed him over. While he was still seated the crowd, saying, on the bench, his wife sent him a message, 1 O. "I am innocent of this man's blood. Look to N. Likewise the chief priests with the scribes it yourselves." and elders mocked him and said, N. And the whole people said in reply, C. "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So O. "His blood be upon us and upon our he is the king of Israel! Let him come down children." from the cross now, and we will believe in him. N. Then he released Barabbas to them, but after He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be wants him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor took N. The revolutionaries who were crucified with Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the him also kept abusing him in the same way. whole cohort around him. They stripped off his From noon onward, darkness came over the clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about whole land until three in the afternoon. And him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud placed it on his head, and a reed in his right voice, hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked J. "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" him, saying, N. which means, "My God, my God, why have C. "Hail, King of the Jews!" you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who N. They spat upon him and took the reed and heard it said, kept striking him on the head. And when they C. "This one is calling for Elijah." had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, N. Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, to crucify him….. gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian C. "Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save named Simon; this man they pressed into him." service to carry his cross…. N. But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit. And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Here all kneel and pause for a short time. Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they N. And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was had crucified him, they divided his garments by torn in two from top to bottom. The earth casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, over him there. And they placed over his head and the bodies of many saints who had fallen the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the asleep were raised. And coming forth from their King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were tombs after his resurrection, they entered the crucified with him, one on his right and the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, and the men with him who were keeping watch shaking their heads and saying, over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the C. "You who would destroy the temple and earthquake and all that was happening, and they rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are said, the Son of God, and come down from the C. "Truly, this was the Son of God!" cross!"

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