St.

John
Passion
Johann Sebastian
Bach
 The text of

Passio secundum Joannem

by

Johann Sebastian Bach,

translated to English by

Neil Jenkins.

The text is from the 2003 New Novello edition of the St. John Passion by Neil Jenkins.

The text is avaliable in the booklet of the 2017 recording conducted by David Temple under the
label of Chandos, at http://www.chandos.net/chanimages/Booklets/CH5183.pdf.

Cover: Saint John the Evangelist, Pompeo Batoni (1743); Portrait of Johann Sebastian Bach, E.
G. Haussmann (1746); Christ Crucified, Diego Velázquez (1632).

This document constitutes a fair use of copyrighted material, which has not been authorized by the copyright owner, Novello &
Co. Ltd. Compiled by Rafael Bianchin in April 2019. Comments must be addressed to rafaelpbianchin@gmail.com.
 PART ONE
1 - Chorus
Hail! Lord and Master;
Every tongue shall offer praises to Thy name.
Show by Thy Cross and Passion
That Thou art God’s redeeming Son,
Who humbly came
To save Mankind from depths of shame;
And rose on high to reign.
Then blessed be Thy name!

2 - Recitative
Evangelist Jesus went with His disciples over the brook Cedron, where was a garden
into which He entered with His disciples.
Judas also, which did betray Him, knew the place full well, for Jesus resorted
thither oft, together with His disciples.
Therefore Judas, having received a band of men and of officers from the
Chief Priests and the Pharisees, he cometh thither with lanterns, torches,
and with weapons. Therefore Jesus, knowing all things that were to come
upon Him, He went forth and said unto them:
Jesus Whom seek ye?
Evangelist And they answered Him:

3 - Chorus
Jesus of Nazareth.

4 - Recitative
Evangelist Jesus saith to them:
Jesus I am He.
Evangelist Judas also, which did betray Him, was standing with them. As soon then
as He had said ‘I am He’ they went backward and fell to the ground.
Then asked He them a second time:
Jesus Whom seek ye?
Evangelist Again they answered:

5 - Chorus
Jesus of Nazareth.

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6 - Recitative
Evangelist Jesus answered them:

Jesus I told you but now, I am He. If ye seek for Me, let these men go their way.

7 - Chorale
O mighty love, O love beyond all measure,
That leads Thee on this path of such displeasure.
I live with all the joys the world can offer,
Yet Thou must suffer.

8 - Recitative
Evangelist So that the saying might be fulfilled which He had spoken: ‘Of them which
thou gavest to me, of them have I lost not one.’
Then Simon Peter, having a sword, he drew it out and smote at the High
Priest’s serving man, and cut his right ear off; and his name was Malchus.
Then said Jesus to Peter:

Jesus Put up thy sword in the scabbard! Shall I not drink the cup which now My
Father hath given Me?

9 - Chorale
Thy will, O God, be always done,
On earth as round thy heav’nly throne.
In time of sorrow patience give,
That we obediently may live.
With thy restraining Spirit fill
Each heart that strives against Thy will.

10 - Recitative
Evangelist The band then, together with the Captain and the soldiers of the Jews, took
hold of Jesus and bound Him fast, and led Him away at first unto Annas,
who was Caiaphas’ father-in-law, which that same year was the High Priest.
Now it was Caiaphas who had counselled the Jews that it was expedient
that one man should die for the people.

11 - Aria
From the bondage of iniquity
That ever binds me,
My Redeemer sets me free.
From the evils that immure me

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 Fully He’ll cure me
By His death upon the tree.

12 - Recitative
Evangelist Simon Peter followed Jesus afar off, with another disciple.

13 - Aria
I follow Thee gladly,
My Lord and my Master,
And keep Thee in sight,
My life and my light.
O let me not stray From Thy narrow way,
When dangers surround me,
And torments confound me.

14 - Recitative
Evangelist Now that other disciple was known unto the High Priest, and entered in
with Jesus to the palace of the High Priest.
Simon Peter stood outside at the door. And then that other disciple, who
was known unto the High Priest, went out and spake unto her that kept the
door and brought Peter also within.
Then saith the maid that kept the door to Peter:

Maid Art thou not also one of this man’s disciples?

Evangelist He said:

Peter I am not.

Evangelist The officers and the servants that stood there had made them a fire of coals
(for it was cold) and warmed themselves. Peter also stood among them
and warmed himself. Then did the High Priest Annas question Jesus of His
disciples and of His doctrine. Jesus made answer to him:

Jesus I always spake openly and freely to the world. And at all times I have taught
within the Synagogue and in the Temple, whither the Jews always do resort.
Nor have I spoken in secret at all. Why dost thou ask Me of this? Ask ye
rather them who have heard Me speaking what I have said, and what I have
taught them! See now! For they themselves know all the things that I have
said.

Evangelist And when he had thus spoken, an officer who was standing by struck Jesus
with the palm of his hand and said:

Officer Dost Thou dare make answer unto the High Priest so?

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Evangelist Jesus answered unto him:

Jesus If I have spoken evil, then do thou bear witness of the evil; but if I have
spoken well, why smitest thou Me?

15 - Chorale
O Lord, who dares to smite thee?
And falsely to indict thee?
Deride and mock thee so?
Thou canst not need confession,
Who knowest not transgression,
As we and all our children know.

Why doth the Saviour languish

Beneath this heavy anguish?
Whence comes this mortal woe?
The justice that we merit,
The Sinless doth inherit,
And pays the debts His debtors owe.

16 - Recitative
Evangelist Now Annas sent him bound unto the other High Priest, Caiaphas. Simon
Peter stood and warmed himself. Then said they unto him:

17 - Chorus
Art thou not one of His disciples?

18 - Recitative
Evangelist But Peter denied it and said:

Peter I am not.

Evangelist And then one of the High Priest’s servants, being kin to him whose ear Peter
cut off that night, said:

Servant Did I not see thee in the garden with Him?

Evangelist Then did Peter deny a third time; and immediately afterward the cock crew.
Then did Peter think upon the word of Jesus, and he went out and wept
bitterly.

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19 - Aria
Ah, my soul, where shall I hide my shame,
Where find some consolation?
Shall I stay till the mountain-tops
Fall on me in desolation?
Doth this world my guilt record?
And for vile and cruel denial
Shall I be abhorred?
Yea! The servant hath denied his Lord.

20 - Chorale
Peter, with his faithless lies
Thrice denied his Saviour.
One look from those pitying eyes
Saw him as a traitor.
Jesus, turn and look on me,
Who persist in sinning.
Set my fettered conscience free
For a new beginning.

PART TWO
21 - Chorale
Christ, whose life was as the light,
By His friends forsaken,
In the darkness of the night
Like a thief was taken.
Judgement of a godless court,
Witness falsely proffered;
Bitter taunts and cruel sport,
As foretold, He suffered.

22 - Recitative
Evangelist And then they led forth Jesus from Caiaphas to the Judgement Hall, and
it was early. And they went not into the Judgement Hall lest they should
become defiled, but that they might eat the Passover.
And then went Pilate out unto them and said:

Pilate What accusation bring ye now against this man?

Evangelist And they answered and said unto him:

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23 - Chorus
If this man were not a malefactor we had not delivered him.

24 - Recitative
Evangelist And Pilate said unto them:

Pilate Then take ye Him away, and judge ye Him according to your law.

Evangelist The Jews therefore said unto him:

25 - Chorus
For us it is not lawful to put a man to death.

26 - Recitative
Evangelist So that the saying might be fulfilled which He had spoken when He signified
by what manner of death He should die. And then went Pilate once more
again to the Judgement Hall, called for Jesus and said to Him:

Pilate Art Thou the King of the Jews?

Evangelist Jesus answered him:

Jesus Dost thou say this of thyself, or rather did others tell it thee of Me?

Evangelist And Pilate answered Him:

Pilate Am I a Jew? The Chief Priests and Thine own nation have delivered Thee
unto me; what hast Thou done?

Evangelist And Jesus answered him:

Jesus My kingdom is not of this world; were my kingdom of this world, then My
servants surely would be fighting, that I should not be delivered unto the Jews.
But, now is My kingdom not from hence.

27 - Chorale
O mighty King, how marvellous Thy glory!
How can our falt’ring tongues proclaim Thy story?
No human heart can ever rightly show Thee
How much we owe Thee.
With feeble power unworthy hymns we fashion
Wherewith to praise Thy mercy and compassion.
Thou wert, and art, the source of every blessing
That we’re possessing.

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28 - Recitative
Evangelist Then Pilate said unto Him:

Pilate Now tell me, art Thou a King then?

Evangelist Jesus answered him:

Jesus Thou say’st I am a King. To this end was I born, and for this cause came
hither, that I should witness to the truth. Each one that is of the truth shall
hearken to my voice.

Evangelist Pilate saith unto Him:

Pilate What is truth, then?

Evangelist And when he had thus spoken, he went out again to the Jews and saith to
them:

Pilate I find in Him no fault at all. But ye have a custom at this time that I release
one unto you. Will ye then, that I should release the King of the Jews?

Evangelist Then cried they all with one accord, saying:

29 - Chorus
Not this man, no not this man but Barabbas!

30 - Recitative
Evangelist Now this Barabbas was a robber.
Then Pilate therefore took Jesus and scourged Him.

31 - Arioso
Come ponder, O my soul, with fearful trepidation,
With trembling hope and anxious expectation:
Thy highest good is Jesu’s suffering.
For thee the sharp thorns He is wearing
Like Heaven’s fairest flowers will seem.
For thee the sweetest fruit
The wormwood tree is bearing.
Then gaze, for ever gaze on Him!

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32 - Aria
Behold Him! See His body,
Bruised and bleeding,
Is interceding
For us in Heaven above.
But when, our flood of sin declining,
And toward His saving grace inclining,
We find, at last, the rainbow shining,
Then God will welcome us with love.

33 - Recitative
Evangelist And when the soldiers had plaited Him a crown of thorns they put it upon
His head, and put on Him a purple robe and said:

34 - Chorus
See! We hail Thee, King of Jews.

35 - Recitative
Evangelist And they smote Him with their hands.
Then Pilate therefore went out again and said to them:

Pilate Behold, I bring Him forth unto you all, that ye may know that I find no
fault in Him.

Evangelist And then did Jesus come forth, still wearing the crown of thorns and the
purple robe. Then saith Pilate to them:

Pilate Behold, the man.

Evangelist And when the chief priests and the officers saw Him, they all cried out,
saying:

36 - Chorus
Crucify Him!

37 - Recitative
Evangelist Then Pilate saith to them:

Pilate Take ye Him away and crucify Him; for I find no fault in Him at all.

Evangelist The Jews therefore answered him:

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38 - Chorus
We have a sacred law, and by this same law He should die, for He made
Himself the Son of God.

39 - Recitative
Evangelist And when Pilate heard that saying, he was the more afraid, and he went in
again to the Judgement Hall and saith to Jesus:

Pilate From whence then art Thou?

Evangelist But Jesus gave him no answer. Then saith Pilate to Him:

Pilate Speakest Thou not to me? Knowest Thou not that I have the power to
crucify, and also the power to release Thee?

Evangelist Jesus answered him:

Jesus Thou couldest have no power over Me, had it not been given unto thee from
above; therefore he that delivered Me unto thee hath the greater sin.

Evangelist And from thenceforward Pilate sought that he might release Him.

40 - Chorale
Our Lord in prison cell confined,
Releases us from prison.
And through His throne of grace we find
Our freedom has arisen.
Had He not worn these bonds before,
Our bonds had lasted evermore.

41 - Recitative
Evangelist But the Jews cried out the more and said:

42 - Chorus
If thou let this man go, then thou art not Caesar’s friend; for, whoever
maketh himself a King, he speaketh against Caesar.

43 - Recitative
Evangelist And when Pilate heard that saying, straightway he brought Jesus forth,
and sat down upon the Judgement Seat in a place that is called the High
Pavement, but in the Hebrew: Gabbatha.
And it was the preparation of the Passover, about the sixth hour, and he
saith to the Jews:

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Pilate Behold your King!

Evangelist But they cried out:

44 - Chorus
Away with Him, crucify Him!

45 - Recitative
Evangelist Pilate saith unto them:

Pilate Shall I crucify your King then?

Evangelist The chief Priests answered and said to him:

46 - Chorus
We have no King but Caesar.

47 - Recitative
Evangelist And then he delivered Him to them, that they might crucify Him.
And therefore they took Jesus and led Him away. And He bore His cross,
and went forth to a place that is called the Place of a Skull; which is called
in the Hebrew Golgotha.

48 - Aria and Chorus

Haste, haste, all ye whose souls are weary.
Leave your daily toil so dreary.
Haste to Golgotha!
With the wings of faith be flying,
Fly where He is dying:
Your new life awaits you there.

Chorus O where?

49 - Recitative
Evangelist And there crucified they Him, and with Him two others, on either side one,
Jesus being in the midst.
And Pilate also wrote out a title, and put it upon the cross. And there
was written: ‘Jesus of Nazareth, the King of the Jews.’ This title then read
many of the Jews, for the place was nigh unto the city where Jesus was
crucified. And it was written in Hebrew, and in Greek, and in Latin also.
Then said the Chief Priests of the Jews unto Pilate:

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50 - Chorus
Write thou not the King of Jews; rather that He Himself said: I am the King
of the Jews.

51 - Recitative
Evangelist But Pilate answered:
Pilate The title I have written shall stay as I have written.

52 - Chorale
Thy name, O Lord, is shining
Upon me day and night,
With Thine own cross enshrining
My innermost delight.
Thy patience and endurance
In suff’ring on the tree
Will give my soul assurance
Thy blood was shed for me.

53 - Recitative
Evangelist And then did the soldiers, after they had crucified Jesus, take His garments
and make four parts, unto each of the soldiers there, a part; and also his
coat.
Now the coat was without a seam, and from the top was woven through and
through. They said therefore one to another:

54 - Chorus
Let us not divide it, but cast lots upon it, whose it shall be.

55 - Recitative
Evangelist So that the Scripture might be fulfilled, which is written: ‘They took my
raiment and they parted it among them, and for my vesture, yea my coat,
did they cast lots.’
These things therefore the soldiers did then. Now standing beside the cross
of Jesus was His mother and also His mother’s sister, Maria, Cleophas wife,
also Mary Magdalene. And when Jesus therefore saw His mother, and the
disciple standing by her, whom He loved, He saith unto His mother:
Jesus Woman, behold thy son.
Evangelist Then saith He to the disciple:
Jesus Behold thy mother!

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56 - Chorale
See Him, in His agony,
Thinking of another;
Bidding this disciple be
Son unto His mother.
O Mankind, be pure within;
Love both God and neighbour;
Live and die without a sin,
Like your guiltless Saviour.

57 - Recitative
Evangelist And from that hour he took her unto his own home.
After this, Jesus knowing that all was accomplished that was written in the
Scriptures, He saith:

Jesus I thirst.

Evangelist Now there was a vessel full of vinegar. They filled therefore a sponge with
the vinegar, and placing it upon an hyssop they put it up to His mouth.And
when Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said:

Jesus It is fulfilled.

58 - Aria
‘It is fulfilled.’
Those words to save us He is sending.
O tragic night;
His task on earth is ending.
The Lion of Judah fought the fight,
And hath prevailed:
‘It is fulfilled.’

59 - Recitative
Evangelist And, bowing His head, He gave up the ghost.

60 - Aria and Chorale

My Lord and Master, let me ask Thee:
At this Thy glorious Crucifixion
Was ‘all fulfilled’ with Thy last breath?
By dying hast Thou conquered death?
Through Thine own pain and desolation
Shall we attain salvation?

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 And has the World been saved today?
Although Thy sufferings sorely task Thee,
Yet bow for us Thy head, and say
In silence ‘Yea’.

Chorus Jesu, Thou who tasted death,

Livest now for ever.
When I take my final breath,
Lord, forsake me never.
Help me, God’s redeeming Son,
New life to inherit.
Grant me that which Thou hast won;
More I do not merit.

61 - Recitative
Evangelist And then behold, the veil of the Temple was rent in twain, e’en from the
top unto the bottom. And the earth and the rocks did quake, and were rent
asunder, and the graves were opened up, and there arose many bodies of the
Holy Ones.

62 - Arioso
My heart, see how the world itself is suff’ring
While our Lord is dying:
The sun eclipsed, its light denying;
The veil is torn; the rocks are rent
The earth doth quake; the dead are rising
To view their Maker lifeless lying.
And as for thee, what wilt thou do?

63 - Aria
O heart, melt in weeping,
With tears overflowing,
Your homage bestowing.
Reveal to the world
Every feeling of pain:
Thy Jesus is slain.

64 - Recitative
Evangelist The Jews therefore, because it was the Preparation, that the bodies should
not remain upon the cross on the Sabbath Day (for that same Sabbath Day
was an High Day) came they unto Pilate, beseeching their legs might be
broken, and that they might be taken away.

13
 Then came the soldiers and broke the legs of the first one and the other
which was crucified with Him. But when they came to Jesus, and they saw
that He was already dead, then did they break not His legs. But one of the
soldiers then pierced His side with a spear, and forthwith came there out
water and blood. And he that did see these things, he also bare record, and
his record is true, and he knoweth full well that he saith true, that ye might
believe.
For all these things were done that the Scriptures might then be fulfilled:
‘A bone of him shall not be broken.’ Again in the Scriptures another saith:
‘And they shall look on him whom they have pierced.’

65 - Chorale
Help us, Christ, God’s only Son,
By Thy bitter Passion,
Help us learn what Thou hast done
For Mankind’s salvation.
As we gaze upon the tree,
Watching Death enfold Thee,
Let us, helpless though we be,
With our thanks extol Thee.

66 - Recitative
Evangelist At last, after this Joseph of Arimathea, who was also Jesus’ disciple (but
secretly, for fear of the Jews) went to Pilate to beg for the body of Jesus.
And Pilate gave him leave. Therefore came he thither and took the body of
Jesus away.
sAnd also there came Nicodemus, he who at first had come to Jesus in the
night, and brought a mixture of Myrrh and of Aloes, about an hundred
pound in weight. And then they took the body of Jesus, and wound it in
the linen clothes with the precious spices, as the Jewish manner is to bury.
Now there was, in the place where He was crucified, a garden, and in the
garden a new tomb wherein was never man yet laid. Therein then laid they
Jesus, for the Jewish Preparation Day, because the tomb was nigh at hand.

67 - Chorus
Sleep well,
And rest in God’s safe-keeping,
Who makes an end of all our weeping.
Sleep well, And on his breast
Sleep well.
The grave that was prepared for Thee,
From all our sorrows sets us free,

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 And points the way to Heaven,
And shuts the gates of Hell.

68 - Chorale
O Jesus when I come to die
Let angels bear my soul on high
To Abraham’s protection.
And as in Death’s repose I lie
Watch o’er me with a Father’s eye
Until the Resurrection.
And when from Death you waken me,
Let my unworthy eyes then see,
With tears of joy, my soul’s reward;
My Saviour and my risen Lord!
Lord Jesus Christ, give ear to me,
And let me praise Thee endlessly.

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