The Gospel According to Matthew

A.N. Wilson, AN Wilson

• Publisher: Canongate Books
• Year: 2010
• Print ISBN: 9780862417956
• eBook ISBN: 9780857860965
• Topic: Theology & Religion
• Subtopic: Bibles

Recounting the birth, baptism, crucifixion and resurrection of Christ, Matthew is regarded as the most ideological portayal of Jesus's life. Some view it as a deliberate parallel to the written teachings of Judaism while the Catholic Church sees the book as a marker for its own authority. With an introduction by A.N. Wilson.

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And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished all these sayings, he said unto his disciples, ²‘Ye know that after two days is the feast of the passover, and the Son of man is betrayed to be crucified.’ ³Then assembled together the chief priests, and the scribes, and the elders of the people, unto the palace of the high priest, who was called Caiaphas, ⁴and consulted that they might take Jesus by subtilty, and kill him. ⁵But they said, ‘Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar among the people.’

⁶Now when Jesus was in Bethany, in the house of Simon the leper, ⁷there came unto him a woman having an alabaster box of very precious ointment, and poured it on his head, as he sat at meat. ⁸But when his disciples saw it, they had indignation, saying, ‘To what purpose is this waste? ⁹For this ointment might have been sold for much, and given to the poor.’ ¹⁰When Jesus understood it, he said unto them, ‘Why trouble ye the woman? For she hath wrought a good work upon me. ¹¹For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always. ¹²For in that she hath poured this ointment on my body, she did it for my burial. ¹³Verily I say unto you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her.’

¹⁴Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests, ¹⁵and said unto them, ‘What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you?’ And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver. ¹⁶And from that time he sought opportunity to betray him.

¹⁷Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, ‘Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?’ ¹⁸And he said, ‘Go into the city to such a man, and say unto him, “The Master saith, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples.’”’ ¹⁹And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover. ²⁰Now when the even was come, he sat down with the twelve. ²¹And as they did eat, he said, ‘Verily I say unto you that one of you shall betray me.’ ²²And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, ‘Lord, is it I?’ ²³And he answered and said, ‘He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. ²⁴The Son of man goeth as it is written of him, but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.’ ²⁵Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, ‘Master, is it I?’ He said unto him, ‘Thou hast said.’

²⁶And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ ²⁷And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink ye all of it, ²⁸for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ²⁹But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ ³⁰And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives. ³¹Then saith Jesus unto them, ‘All ye shall be offended because of me this night, for it is written, “I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.” ³²But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.’ ³³Peter answered and said unto him, ‘Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.’ ³⁴Jesus said unto him, ‘Verily I say unto thee that this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ ³⁵Peter said unto him, ‘Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee.’ Likewise also said all the disciples.

³⁶Then cometh Jesus with them unto a place called Gethsemane, and saith unto the disciples, ‘Sit ye here, while I go and pray yonder.’ ³⁷And he took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be sorrowful and very heavy. ³⁸Then saith he unto them, ‘My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death; tarry ye here, and watch with me.’ ³⁹And he went a little farther, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.’ ⁴⁰And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, ‘What, could ye not watch with me one hour? ⁴¹Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ ⁴²He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, ‘O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.’ ⁴³And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words. ⁴⁵Then cometh he to his disciples, and saith unto them, ‘Sleep on now, and take your rest: behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Rise, let us be going: behold, he is at hand that doth betray me.’

⁴⁷And while he yet spake, lo, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude with swords and staves, from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now he that betrayed him gave them a sign, saying, ‘Whomsoever I shall kiss, that same is he; hold him fast.’ ⁴⁹And forthwith he came to Jesus, and said, ‘Hail, master,’ and kissed him. ⁵⁰And Jesus said unto him, ‘Friend, wherefore art thou come?’ Then came they, and laid hands on Jesus, and took him. ⁵¹And, behold, one of them which were with Jesus stretched out his hand, and drew his sword, and struck a servant of the high priest’s, and smote off his ear. ⁵²Then said Jesus unto him, ‘Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword. ⁵³Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be?’ ⁵⁵In that same hour said Jesus to the multitudes, ‘Are ye come out as against a thief with swords and staves for to take me? I sat daily with you teaching in the temple, and ye laid no hold on me. ⁵⁶But all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled.’ Then all the disciples forsook him, and fled.

⁵⁷And they that had laid hold on Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. ⁵⁸But Peter followed him afar off unto the high priest’s palace, and went in, and sat with the servants, to see the end. ⁵⁹Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death, ⁶⁰but found none; yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, ⁶¹and said, ‘This fellow said, “I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days.”’ ⁶²And the high priest arose, and said unto him, ‘Answerest thou nothing? What is it which these witness against thee?’ ⁶³But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, ‘I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God.’ ⁶⁴Jesus saith unto him, ‘Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven.’ ⁶⁵Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, ‘He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. ⁶⁶What think ye?’ They answered and said, ‘He is guilty of death.’ ⁶⁷Then did they spit in his face, and buffeted him; and others smote him with the palms of their hands, ⁶⁸saying, ‘Prophesy unto us, thou Christ. Who is he that smote thee?’

⁶⁹Now Peter sat without in the palace, and a damsel came unto him, saying, ‘Thou also wast with Jesus of Galilee.’ ⁷⁰But he denied before them all, saying, ‘I know not what thou sayest.’ ⁷¹And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, ‘This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth.’ ⁷²And again he denied with an oath: ‘I do not know the man.’ ⁷³And after a while came unto him they that stood by, and said to Peter, ‘Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth thee.’ ⁷⁴Then began he to curse and to swear, saying, ‘I know not the man.’ And immediately the cock crew. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the word of Jesus, which said unto him, ‘Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.’ And he went out, and wept bitterly.

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When the morning was come, all the chief priests and elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death: ²and when they had bound him, they led him away, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.

³Then Judas, which had betrayed him, when he saw that he was condemned, repented himself, and brought again the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴saying, ‘I have sinned in that I have betrayed the innocent blood.’ And they said, ‘What is that to us? See thou to that.’ ⁵And he cast down the pieces of silver in the temple, and departed, and went and hanged himself. ⁶And the chief priests took the silver pieces, and said, ‘It is not lawful for to put them into the treasury, because it is the price of blood.’ ⁷And they took counsel, and bought with them the potter’s field, to bury strangers in. ⁸Wherefore that field was called ‘the field of blood’ unto this day. ⁹Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, ‘And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was valued, whom they of the children of Israel did value, ¹⁰and gave them for the potter’s field, as the Lord appointed me.’ ¹¹And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying, ‘Art thou the King of the Jews?’ And Jesus said unto him, ‘Thou sayest.’ ¹²And when he was accused of the chief priests and elders, he answered nothing. ¹³Then said Pilate unto him, ‘Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee?’ ¹⁴And he answered him to never a word; insomuch that the governor marvelled greatly. ¹⁵Now at that feast the governor was wont to release unto the people a prisoner, whom they would. ¹⁶And they had then a notable prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷Therefore when they were gathered together, Pilate said unto them, ‘Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called Christ?’ ¹⁸For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.

¹⁹When he 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.’ ²⁰But the chief priests and elders persuaded the multitude that they should ask Barabbas, and destroy Jesus. ²¹The governor answered and said unto them, ‘Whether of the twain will ye that I release unto you?’ They said, ‘Barabbas.’ ²²Pilate saith unto them, ‘What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?’ They all say unto him, ‘Let him be crucified.’ ²³And the governor said, ‘Why, what evil hath he done?’ But they cried out the more, saying, ‘Let him be crucified.’

²⁴When Pilate saw that he could prevail nothing, but that rather a tumult was made, he took water, and washed his hands before the multitude, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it.’ ²⁵Then answered all the people, and said, ‘His blood be on us, and on our children.’

²⁶Then released he Barabbas unto them, and when he had scourged Jesus, he delivered him to ...

Table of contents

• The Gospel According to Matthew
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• a note about pocket canons
• introduction by a. n. wilson
• the gospel according to st matthew
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• 6
• 7
• 8
• 9
• 10
• 11
• 12
• 13
• 14
• 15
• 16
• 17
• 18
• 19
• 20
• 21
• 22
• 23
• 24
• 25
• 26
• 27
• 28
• About the Author
• Copyright