INT. HOUSE OF MARTHA – DAY
Jesus and his disciples are in the home of MARTHA and her sister MARY. While Martha serves them, Mary sits at the feet of Jesus listening.
MARTHA
Lord, doesn’t it matter to you
that my sister left me alone to serve?
So tell her that she should help me.
JESUS
Martha, Martha, you are worried
and bothered about many things,
but there is need of few things or one;
for Mary selected the good part,
which will not be taken from her.
EXT. IN THE COUNTRYSIDE – DAY
Jesus is praying, and his disciples approach him.
PETER
Lord, teach us to pray,
just as John also taught his disciples.
JESUS
When you pray, say:
“Father, let your name be holy;
let your sovereignty come;
give us our daily bread each day;
and forgive us our sins,
for we ourselves also forgive everyone owing us;
and do not bring us into temptation.“
Suppose one of you has a friend,
and he goes to him in the middle of the night
and says to him, “Friend,
lend me three loaves of bread,
since my friend has come to me from a journey
and I have nothing that I may set before him;”
and that one inside answers, “Don’t bother me;
the door has already been locked,
and my children are with me in bed;
I can’t get up to give to you.”
I tell you, even if he will not give to him,
getting up because he is his friend,
yet because of his persistence,
rising he will give him whatever he needs.
INT. HOUSE OF A PHARISEE – DAY
Jesus and his disciples are dining with the INVITING PHARISEE.
INVITING PHARISEE
I noticed that you did not wash your hands.
Don’t you and your disciples wash before eating?
JESUS
Now you Pharisees clean
the outside of the cup and dish,
but inside you are full of greed and corruption.
Fools! Did not the one
who made the outside also make the inside?
Yet give the inner things as charity,
and look, everything is clean for you.
But woe to you Pharisees,
because you tithe the mint
and the rue and every herb,
and pass by justice and the love of God;
and these are necessary to do,
not passing by those either.
Woe to you, Pharisees,
because you love the best seat in the synagogues
and the greetings in the marketplaces.
Woe to you,
because you are like unmarked graves,
and the people walking over do not know it.
OBJECTING LAWYER
Teacher, by saying these things you insult us also.
JESUS
Woe to you lawyers also,
because you took the key of knowledge;
you yourselves did not enter,
and you hindered the ones entering.
For you are like a dog
sleeping in the manger of the oxen;
neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat.
Jesus and his disciples get up and leave.
INVITING PHARISEE
What ingratitude!
See if you can interrogate him
and catch something from his mouth
so that we can prosecute him.
EXT. JORDAN VALLEY – DAY
As a large crowd gathers, Jesus speaks to his disciples.
JESUS
Beware yourselves of the yeast of the Pharisees,
which is hypocrisy.
MAN IN THE CROWD
Teacher, tell my brother
to divide the inheritance with me.
JESUS
Human, who appointed me
a judge or divider over you?
(To his disciples) I am not a divider, am I?
See that you guard against every greed,
for a person’s life does not consist of
the abundance of his possessions.
The land of a certain wealthy person yielded well,
and he reasoned within himself
saying, “What should I do?
for I have nowhere I may store my fruit.”
Then he said, “I will do this:
I will tear down my barns and build larger ones;
there I will store all my grain and goods,
and I will say to my soul, ‘Soul,
you have many goods laid up for many years;
rest, eat, drink, be merry.’”
But God said to him, “Fool,
this night they demand back your soul from you;
and the things you prepared, whose will they be?”
Thus is the one treasuring for himself,
and not being wealthy in God.
Fear not, little flock;
for your Father is pleased
to give you the sovereignty.
Sell your possessions and give charity;
make yourselves purses that do not get old,
inexhaustible treasure in heaven,
where a thief does not come near
nor does a moth destroy;
for where your treasure is
there also will be your heart.
I came to throw fire on the earth,
and I wish it were already kindled.
But I have to be baptized with a baptism,
and how I am absorbed until it be completed.
Do you think that
I have come to give peace on earth?
No, I tell you, but rather division.
For there will be from now on
five in one house divided;
three will be divided against two
and two against three,
father against son and son against father,
mother against daughter
and daughter against the mother,
mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law
and daughter-in-law against the mother-in-law.
(To the crowd)
When you see a cloud rising in the west,
immediately you say that a rainstorm is coming,
and so it occurs;
and when a south wind is blowing,
you say that it will be hot, and it occurs.
Hypocrites, you know how to examine
the face of the earth and of heaven,
but do you not know how to examine this time?
Do you think that
the Galileans whom Pilate executed
were sinners beyond all the Galileans,
because they have suffered this?
No, I tell you,
but unless you change your minds,
you will all die similarly.
Or those eighteen
on whom fell the tower in Siloam killing them,
do you think they are debtors
beyond all the people living in Jerusalem?
No, I tell you,
but unless you change your minds,
you will die all the same.
Someone had a fig tree planted in his vineyard,
and he went looking for fruit on it
and did not find any.
He said to the gardener,
“Look, for three years
I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree,
and I do not find any;
cut it down; why should it even waste the land?”
But he answered him,
“Lord, leave it again this year,
until I dig around it and throw on dung;
it might produce fruit in the future;
but if not, cut it down.“
INT. SYNAGOGUE IN JUDEA – DAY
Jesus is teaching in a synagogue on the Sabbath. A BENT-OVER WOMAN who has been ailing for eighteen years is there, and Jesus calls her forward and puts his hands on her.
JESUS
Woman, you have been released from your ailment,
BENT-OVER WOMAN
Praise God almighty.
SYNAGOGUE RULER
There are six days on which work is to be done;
therefore come be healed on them
and not on the day of the Sabbath.
JESUS
Hypocrites! Does not each of you on the Sabbath
untie his ox or donkey from the manger
and leading it away give it something to drink?
And this woman being a daughter of Abraham,
whom Satan bound for ten and eight years,
should she not be released from this bond
on the day of the Sabbath?
EXT. SOLOMON’S COLONADE IN THE TEMPLE – DAY
Jews surround Jesus and challenge him.
CHALLENGING JEW
Until when will you keep us in suspense?
If you are the Christ, tell us openly.
JESUS
I told you, and you do not believe;
the works which I do in the name of my Father,
these testify about me;
however, you do not believe,
because you are not sheep from my flock.
My sheep listen to my voice;
I know them, and they follow me;
and I give them eternal life, and they never die;
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.
My Father who has given them to me
is greater than all,
and no one can snatch them
out of the Father’s hand.
The Father and I are one.
Some Jews pick up stones to stone Jesus.
JESUS
I showed you many noble works from the Father;
because of which work do you stone me?
CHALLENGING JEW
We do not stone you for a noble work
but for blasphemy,
and because you being human make yourself God.
JESUS
Is it not written in your law,
“I have said, ‘You are gods’”?
If he called those gods
to whom the word of God came,
and scripture cannot be broken,
are you telling the one the Father sanctified
and sent into the world, “You blaspheme,”
because I said, “I am God’s son”?
If I do not do the works of my Father,
do not believe me;
but if I do, even if you do not believe me,
believe the works,
so that you may know and be aware
that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.
Attendant Jews try to arrest Jesus again, but he escapes through the crowd.
EXT. VILLAGE ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM – DAY
Jesus is teaching a small group.
VILLAGER
Lord, are only a few being saved?
JESUS
Strive to enter through the narrow door,
because many, I tell you, will try to enter
and will not be able to.
As soon as the master of the house
rises and shuts the door,
you will begin to stand outside
and knock on the door,
saying, “Lord, open for us,”
and he will answer you,
“I don’t know where you are from.”
Then you will begin to say,
“We ate before you and drank,
and in our streets you taught;”
and he will say to you,
“I don’t know where you are from;
keep away from me,
all you workers of injustice.”
There will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth,
when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob
and all the prophets in the sovereignty of God,
but you are outside thrown out.
They will come from east and west
and from north and south,
and they will recline in the sovereignty of God.
There are last ones who will be first,
and there are first ones who will be last.
WARNING PHARISEE
Go out and leave here
because Herod wishes to kill you.
JESUS
Go tell that fox: look, I expel demons
and perform cures today and tomorrow,
and on the third day I am perfected.
Nevertheless today and tomorrow
and on the following day I must travel,
for it is not permitted
for a prophet to die outside of Jerusalem.
INT. HOME OF A PHARISEE LEADER – DAY
Pharisees are watching Jesus closely as a PERSON WITH EDEMA is in front of him.
JESUS
Is it permitted to heal on the Sabbath or not?
They are silent. Jesus takes ahold of the person with edema, cures him, and lets him go.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Which of you if your son or ox falls into a pit,
would not also immediately pull him up
on a Sabbath day?
When you are invited by someone to a wedding,
do not sit in the best seat,
lest someone more honored than you
be invited by him;
and when he comes, the one who invited you
will say to you, “Give this one a place,”
and then you will begin with shame
to take the last place.
But when you are invited, go sit in the last place,
so that when the one who invited you comes,
he will say to you, “Friend, go up higher;”
then you will be praised
before all the ones sitting with you.
For whoever exalts oneself will be humbled,
and whoever humbles oneself will be exalted.
When you give a luncheon or dinner,
do not call your friends nor your brothers
nor your relatives nor wealthy neighbors,
lest they also invite you in return
and it becomes repayment to you.
But when you give a banquet,
invite the poor, crippled, lame, and blind;
and you will be blessed,
because they have nothing to repay you;
for it will be repaid to you
in the resurrection of the just.
DINNER GUEST
Blessed is the one
who will eat bread in the sovereignty of God.
JESUS
A certain man gave a great dinner and invited many,
and he sent his servant at the hour of the dinner
to say to those invited,
“Come, for it is already prepared.”
Yet they all began to decline, one after another.
The first said to him, “I bought a farm,
and I must go out to see it; I will have no time.
I ask you, let me be excused.”
Another said, “I bought five yoke of oxen,
and I am going to try them out;
I ask you, let me be excused.”
Another said, “I married a woman,
and for this reason I can’t come.”
The servant came back
and reported these things to his lord.
Then getting angry the master of the house
said to his servant, “Go out quickly
into the streets and alleys of the city,
and bring in here the poor
and crippled and blind and lame.”
The servant said, “Lord,
what you ordered has occurred,
and there is still room.”
So the Lord said to the servant,
“Go out to the roads and hedges
and have them come in so that they may dine
and my house may be filled;
for I tell you that
none of those invited will taste my dinner.“
EXT. ROAD IN JUDEA – DAY
Jesus and his disciples are traveling along with a large crowd and stop for a discourse.
JESUS
If anyone comes to me
and does not hate one’s father and mother
and wife and children and brothers and sisters,
and even his own life also,
that one cannot be my disciple.
Whoever does not bear one’s cross
and come after me, cannot be my disciple.
For which of you intending to build a tower
does not first sit so you may calculate the cost,
whether you have enough for completion?
lest when you have laid a foundation
and are not able to finish
all those seeing will begin to make fun of you,
saying, “This person began to build
and was not able to finish.”
Or what king going to attack another king in war
will not sit so he may decide
whether he is able with ten thousand to oppose
the one with twenty thousand coming upon him?
If not, while he is still far away,
sending an embassy he asks for peace.
So also anyone of you
who does not give up all your possessions
cannot be my disciple.
Which of you having a servant plowing or herding,
when he is coming in from the field
will tell him, “Come sit down at once,”
but will not tell him,
“Prepare something so I may dine,
and girding yourself serve me until I eat and drink,
and after that you may eat and drink”?
Does he thank the servant
because he did what he was ordered?
So you also, when you do
all that you are ordered to do,
say, “We are useless servants;
we have done what we ought to do.”
Let the one having ears to hear hear.
CRITICAL PHARISEE
This one welcomes sinners and eats with them.
JESUS
What person among you having a hundred sheep
and losing one of them wandering astray
does not leave the ninety-nine on the hills
and go search for the wandering one
until you find it?
and finding it you put it
on your shoulders rejoicing,
and going home you call together
friends and neighbors, saying to them,
“Rejoice with me, for I found my lost sheep.”
I tell you that there will be more joy in heaven
over one sinner repenting
than over ninety-nine just persons
who have no need of repentance.
Thus it is not your Father’s will in heaven
that one of these small ones should be lost.
Or what woman having ten silver coins,
if she should lose one coin,
does not light a lamp and sweep the house
and search carefully until she finds it?
and finding it
she calls together friends and neighbors saying,
“Rejoice with me, for I found the coin which I lost.”
Thus I tell you,
there is joy before the angels of God
over one sinner repenting.
A certain person had two sons.
The younger one said to the father,
“Father, give me my share of the estate.”
So he divided his living between them.
After not too many days the younger son
getting everything together
moved away to a far country,
and there he squandered his property
in profligate living.
When he had spent everything,
a severe famine occurred throughout that country,
and he began to be in need.
So he went and was hired
by one of the citizens of that country,
and he sent him into his fields to feed pigs.
He longed to fill his stomach
from the carob pods which the pigs ate,
and no one gave him anything.
But coming to himself he said,
“My father has so many hired laborers
and abundance of bread,
but I am dying of hunger here.
I will travel to my father and say to him,
‘Father, I sinned against heaven and before you;
no longer am I worthy to be called your son;
make me like one of your hired laborers.’”
So he went to his own father.
But while he was still far away,
his father saw him and was compassionate,
and he ran and embraced his neck and kissed him.
The son said to him, “Father,
I sinned against heaven and before you;
no longer am I worthy to be called your son.”
But the father said to his servants,
“Quickly bring out my best robe
and put it on him,
and put a ring on his hand
and sandals on his feet,
and bring the fattened calf, sacrifice it,
and eating let us celebrate,
for this son of mine was dead and lives again,
was lost and is found.”
So they began to celebrate.
But his older son was in the field;
and as he was coming near the house,
he heard music and dancing,
and calling to one of the servants
he inquired what this might be.
He told him, “Your brother has come,
and your father sacrificed the fattened calf,
for he has gotten him back safe and sound.”
He was angry and did not wish to go in,
but his father came out and pleaded with him.
He answered the father,
“Look, so many years I serve you,
and never did I go against your command,
and you never gave a goat to me
so that I might celebrate with my friends;
but when this son of yours
who ate up your living with prostitutes came,
you sacrificed for him the fattened calf.”
He said to him, “Child, you are always with me,
and all my things are yours;
but we must celebrate and rejoice,
because this brother of yours was dead and lives,
and was lost and is found.“
There was a rich person who had a manager,
and charges were brought to him
that this one was squandering his possessions.
Calling him he said to him,
“What is this I hear about you?
Give back the account of your management;
for you can no longer be manager.”
The manager said to himself, “What should I do,
since my lord is taking away
the management from me?
I am not strong enough to dig;
I am ashamed to beg.
I know what I should do,
so that when I am removed from the management
they may welcome me into their houses.”
So calling each one of his lord’s debtors
he said to the first,
“How much do you owe my lord?”
He said, “A hundred baths of oil.”
He said to him, “Take your bill
and sitting quickly write fifty.”
Then he said to another,
“And how much do you owe?”
He said, “A hundred barrels of wheat.”
He told him, “Take your bill and write eighty.”
The lord commended the manager of injustice
because he acted shrewdly;
for the sons of this age are more shrewd
with their own generation than the sons of light.
I tell you, make friends for yourselves
from the money of injustice,
so that when it fails
they may welcome you into eternal dwellings.
The one faithful with the smallest
is also faithful with much,
and the one unjust with the smallest
is also unjust with much.
Therefore if you were not faithful
with the unjust money,
who will trust you with the true?
If you were not faithful with another’s,
who will give you ours?
No domestic can serve two lords;
for either one will hate the one and love the other,
or one will hold to one and disregard the other.
You cannot serve God and money.
The Pharisees who are money-lovers hear this and sneer at Jesus.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
You are the ones justifying
yourselves before people,
but God knows your hearts;
for what is highly valued by people
is an abomination before God.
The law and the prophets were until John;
since then the sovereignty of God
is the good message
and everyone is pushing into it.
There was a rich person,
and he wore purple and fine linen
celebrating splendidly every day.
Someone poor named Lazarus
had been laid at his gate,
covered with sores and longing to satisfy his hunger
from the things falling from the table of the rich one;
moreover dogs coming licked his sores.
It happened that the poor one died,
and was taken away by the angels
to the bosom of Abraham;
and the rich one also died and was buried.
In Hades lifting his eyes, while in torment,
he saw Abraham from a distance
and Lazarus in his bosom.
Calling he said, “Father Abraham,
have mercy on me and send Lazarus
so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water
and cool down my tongue,
for I am in pain in this flame.”
But Abraham said, “Child, remember
that you received your good things during your life,
and Lazarus similarly the bad things;
now he is comforted here, but you are in pain.
Besides all this,
between us and you a great chasm has been fixed,
so that those wishing to pass
from here to you cannot,
and no one may cross from there to us.”
He said, “Then I ask you, father,
to send him into my father’s house;
for I have five brothers;
so that he may warn them,
lest they also come to this place of torment.”
But Abraham said,
“They have Moses and the prophets;
let them listen to them.”
But he said, “They don’t, father Abraham,
but if someone from the dead goes to them,
they will change their minds.”
He said to him,
“If they don’t listen to Moses and the prophets,
neither will they be convinced
if someone rises from the dead.“
EXT. ON A ROAD NEAR BETHANY – DAY
Martha and her sister Mary approach Jesus.
MARTHA
Lord, look, our brother Lazarus,
whom you love, is ailing.
JESUS
This ailment is not for death
but for the glory of God,
so that the son of God may be glorified by it.
Let us go into Judea again.
PETER
Rabbi, the Jews were just trying to stone you,
and are you going back there again?
JESUS
Are there not twelve hours of day?
If one walks by day, one does not stumble,
because one sees by the light of this world;
but if one walks at night, one stumbles,
because there is no light in one.
Lazarus our friend has fallen asleep;
but I am going so I may awaken him.
JOHN
Lord, if he has fallen asleep, he will be saved.
JESUS
Lazarus died.
I am glad for your sake that I was not there
so that you may believe; but let us go to him.
THOMAS
Let us go also so that we may die with him.
EXT. TOMB OF LAZARUS – DAY
Martha greets Jesus as he arrives with his disciples.
MARTHA
Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
Even now I know that whatever you ask of God,
God will give you.
JESUS
Your brother will rise up.
MARTHA
I know that he will rise up
in the resurrection on the last day.
JESUS
I am the resurrection and life;
whoever believes in me
even though they die, they will live,
and all who live and believe in me never die;
do you believe this?
MARTHA
Yes, Lord; I have believed that you are the Christ,
the son of God, the one coming into the world.
I will get my sister Mary.
Martha goes away.
INT. HOUSE OF MARTHA – DAY
Martha calls her sister Mary.
MARTHA
Mary, the teacher is here and is calling you.
Mary rises quickly and goes out with Martha. Jews who are with her in the house and consoling her, seeing that Mary quickly gets up and goes out, follow her.
EXT. TOMB OF LAZARUS – DAY
Mary and Martha come to where Jesus is. Mary falls at his feet weeping. They are followed by weeping Jews.
MARY
Lord, if you had been here,
my brother would not have died.
JESUS
Where have you put him?
MARTHA
Lord, come and see.
Jesus weeps.
FIRST MOURNING JEW
See how he loved him!
SECOND MOURNING JEW
Could not this one
who opened the eyes of the blind
make it so that this one also would not die?
Jesus comes to the tomb, which is in a cave with a stone laid upon it.
JESUS
Take away the stone.
MARTHA
Lord, by now he will smell; for it is the fourth day.
JESUS
Did I not tell you that if you believe,
you will see the glory of God?
Some men move the stone. Jesus lifts up his eyes to heaven.
JESUS
Father, I thank you that you did hear me.
I knew that you always do hear me;
yet because of the crowd standing around I said it
so that they may believe that you sent me.
(In a loud voice) Lazarus, come out!
LAZARUS who had died comes out with his feet and hands bound with bandages and his face wrapped around with a handkerchief.
JESUS
Untie him and let him go.
INT. COUNCIL OF HIGH PRIESTS AND PHARISEES – DAY
The high priests and the Pharisees have assembled a council.
CONCERNED PHARISEE
What do we do,
for this person performs many miracles?
If we let him go on like this,
everyone will believe in him,
and the Romans will come
and will take both our place and the nation.
CAIAPHAS
You don’t know anything,
nor do you reason that it is better for us
that one person should die on behalf of the people
than that the whole nation should perish.
EXT. VILLAGE IN GALILEE – DAY
Jesus and his disciples are passing through a town. TEN LEPERS appeal to Jesus.
FIRST LEPER
Jesus, master, have mercy on us.
JESUS
Go show yourselves to the priests.
As they go, they are cleansed. A SAMARITAN LEPER, seeing that he is cured, turns back and shouts.
SAMARITAN LEPER
Praise God!
He falls on his face at the feet of Jesus thanking him.
JESUS
Were not ten cleansed?
Where are the nine?
Was no one found turning back
to give praise to God except this foreigner?
Stand up and go; your faith has saved you.
ONE OF THE PHARISEES questions Jesus.
ONE OF THE PHARISEES
When is the sovereignty of God coming?
JESUS
The sovereignty of God is
not coming with observation,
nor will they say, “Look, here,” or “There;”
for look, the sovereignty of God is within you.
If those who lead you say to you,
“Look, the sovereignty is in heaven,”
then the birds of heaven will precede you.
If they say to you, “It is in the sea,”
then the fish will precede you.
But the sovereignty is within and outside you.
When you know yourselves,
then you will be known
and you will know that
you are the sons of the living Father.
But if you do not know yourselves,
then you are in poverty, and you are poverty.
There was a judge in a certain town
neither fearing God nor regarding a person.
A widow was in that town, and she came to him
saying, “Vindicate me against my opponent.”
He would not for some time;
but after awhile he said to himself,
“Even though I do not fear God or regard a person,
because this widow keeps causing me trouble
I will vindicate her,
lest in the end she wear me out with her coming.”
Listen to what the judge of injustice said.
Will not God also make vindicated his chosen ones
who cry to him day and night,
and be patient with them?
I tell you that he will make them vindicated quickly.
Nevertheless when the human son comes,
will he find faith on the earth?
Two people went up to the temple to pray,
one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
The Pharisee standing prayed to himself these things:
“God, I thank you
that I am not like the rest of humanity,
greedy, unjust, adulterers,
or even like this tax collector;
I fast twice a week,
and I tithe a tenth of everything I acquire.”
But the tax collector standing at a distance
would not even lift his eyes to heaven,
but beat his breast,
saying, “God, be gracious to me, a sinner.”
I tell you, this one went down to his home
justified rather than the other;
for everyone exalting oneself will be humbled,
and the one humbling oneself will be exalted.
EXT. IN JUDEA ACROSS THE JORDAN – DAY
A crowd has gathered, and Jesus is teaching and healing. Pharisees have come to question Jesus.
INQUIRING PHARISEE
Is it permitted
for a man to divorce his wife for any cause?
JESUS
What did Moses command you?
INQUIRING PHARISEE
Moses allowed one
to write a divorce certificate to divorce.
JESUS
For your hardness of heart
he wrote you this commandment.
But from the beginning of creation
he made them male and female;
on account of this
a person will leave his father and mother
and be united with his wife,
and two will be one flesh;
so they are no longer two, but one flesh.
Therefore what God joined together,
let a person not separate.
I tell you that whoever divorces his wife,
except for fornication,
and marries another, commits adultery;
and if she having divorced her husband
marries another, she commits adultery.
INT. HOUSE IN JUDEA – DAY
In the house the disciples want Jesus to explain more.
JOHN
If such is the case of a person with a wife,
it is better not to marry.
JESUS
Not all can accept this word,
but those to whom it has been given.
For there are eunuchs who were born so
from a mother’s womb,
and there are eunuchs
who were made eunuchs by people,
and there are eunuchs
who made themselves eunuchs
because of the sovereignty of heaven.
Let the one who can accept this accept it.
SOME WOMEN bring in their CHILDREN so that JESUS might touch them and pray.
PETER
We have asked people not to come in here.
JESUS
Allow the children to come to me
and do not prevent them;
for of such is the sovereignty of God.
Amen, I tell you, whoever does not welcome
the sovereignty of God like a child,
may not enter it.
The person old in days will not hesitate
to ask a child of seven days about the place of life,
and he will live.
Jesus takes them in his arms and blesses them, putting his hands on them.
EXT. ROAD IN JUDEA – DAY
Jesus and his disciples are traveling, followed by a crowd. A RICH MAN runs up to Jesus and kneels before him.
RICH MAN
Good teacher, what should I do
so that I may obtain eternal life?
JESUS
Why do you call me good?
No one is good except God alone.
There is one good;
if you intend to enter into life,
keep the commandments.
RICH MAN
Which ones?
JESUS
Do not murder, do not commit adultery,
do not steal, do not testify falsely, do not defraud,
honor your father and mother,
and you shall love your neighbor as yourself.
RICH MAN
All these things
I have guarded against from my youth.
JESUS
You are missing one thing;
if you intend to be perfect,
go sell all your possessions and give to the poor,
and you will have treasure in heaven;
and come follow me.
The rich man is shocked by this and goes away very upset.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
How hard it is for those having property
to enter the sovereignty of God.
Children, how hard it is
to enter the sovereignty of God;
it is easier for a camel
to go through the eye of a needle
than for a rich person
to enter the sovereignty of God.
PHILIP
Who then can be saved?
JESUS
With humans this is impossible,
but not with God;
for all things are possible with God.
PETER
Look, we left everything and followed you.
JESUS
Amen, I tell you there is no one
who has left home or brothers or sisters
or mother or father or wife or children or fields
on account of me
and the good message of the sovereignty of God,
who will not receive manifold now in this time
homes and brothers and sisters and mothers
and children and fields with persecutions,
and in the coming age eternal life.
Amen, I tell you that
you who have followed me, in the rebirth
when the human son sits on his throne of glory,
you also will sit on twelve thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
But many first will be last, and the last first;
and they will become a single one.
For the sovereignty of heaven is like
a master of an estate,
who went out early in the morning
to hire workers for his vineyard.
Agreeing with the workers on a day’s wages,
he sent them into his vineyard.
He went out about the third hour and saw others
standing in the marketplaces idle,
and to those he said,
“You go also into the vineyard,
and whatever is fair I will give you.”
So they went.
Again he went out
about the sixth and the ninth hour
and did the same thing.
He went out about the eleventh hour
and found others standing, and he said to them,
“Why are you standing here the whole day idle?”
They told him, “Because no one hired us.”
He said to them,
“You go also into the vineyard.”
When evening had come,
the lord of the vineyard said to his foreman,
“Call the workers and pay the wage,
beginning from the last up to the first.”
Those coming about the eleventh hour
each received a day’s wages.
Those coming first thought that
they would receive more;
and they also each received a day’s wages.
Receiving it they complained
to the master of the estate
saying, “These last ones did one hour,
and you made them equal to us
who bore the burden of the day and the heat.”
But he answered one of them,
“Friend, I am not unfair to you;
did you not agree with me on a day’s wages?
Take yours and go;
but I wish to give this last one
as I have given also to you;
is it not permitted for me
to do what I wish with my own things?
Or is your eye bad because I am good?”
Thus the last will be first, and the first last.
EXT. ON THE ROAD TO JERUSALEM – DAY
Jesus takes his disciples aside.
JESUS
Look, we are going up to Jerusalem,
and everything written through the prophets
about the human son will be completed;
for the human son will be given over
to the high priests and the scholars;
they will condemn him to death
and give him over to the nations,
and they will mock him and spit on him
and whip him and kill him;
and on the third day he will rise.
SALOME ZEBEDEE (mother of James and John), approaches Jesus with her sons bowing.
SALOME ZEBEDEE
Teacher, we wish that
whatever we ask you, you do for us.
JESUS
What do you wish me to do for you?
SALOME ZEBEDEE
Grant that these two sons of mine
may sit one on your right
and one on your left in your sovereignty.
JESUS
You do not know what you are asking.
Can you drink the cup which I am about to drink,
or be baptized with the baptism
with which I am baptized?
JAMES
We can.
JESUS
The cup which I drink you will drink,
and with the baptism with which I am baptized
you will be baptized;
but to sit on my right or on my left
is not mine to grant, but it is for those
for whom it has been prepared by my Father.
The other ten disciples hear this and become indignant about James and John. Jesus calls them forward.
JESUS
You know that those thinking to rule the nations
lord it over them,
and their great ones exercise authority over them.
But it is not so among you;
instead whoever wishes to become great among you,
shall be your servant,
and whoever wishes to be first among you,
shall be slave of all;
just as the human son did not come to be served,
but to serve and to give his life
as a ransom for many.
EXT. A ROAD OUT OF JERICHO – DAY
As Jesus, his disciples, and the crowd are leaving Jericho, the blind beggar BARTIMAEUS, son of Timaeus, is sitting beside the road. Hearing a crowd passing through, he has inquired who they are, and he cries out.
BARTIMAEUS
Jesus, son of David, have mercy on me!
Those leading reprimand him so that he will be quiet, but he shouts even more.
BARTIMAEUS (Cont’d.)
Son of David, have mercy on me!
JESUS
Call him.
THOSE NEAR BARTIMAEUS
Courage.
Rise.
He calls you.
Bartimaeus throws away his garment, jumps up, and comes to Jesus.
JESUS
What do you want that I may do for you?
BARTIMAEUS
Rabbi, that I may see again.
Feeling compassion, Jesus touches his eyes.
JESUS
Go, your faith has saved you.
Immediately he can see again, and he follows Jesus on the road praising God.
Also all the people seeing give praise to God. Jesus continues on the road. ZACCHAEUS, a rich tax collector, tries to see Jesus, but he is too short to see over the crowd. So he runs ahead and climbs a sycamore tree by which Jesus is about to pass. Jesus looks up and sees him.
JESUS
Zacchaeus, hurry, come down;
for I must stay in your house today.
Zacchaeus hurries down and welcomes Jesus gladly. Others, seeing this, grumble.
GRUMBLING JEW
He is going to lodge with a sinful man,
for he is a chief tax collector.
ZACCHAEUS
Look, Lord,
half of my possessions I give to the poor,
and if I have extorted something from someone,
I pay back fourfold.
JESUS
Today salvation has come to your house,
because even he is a son of Abraham;
for the human son came to seek and save the lost.
A certain person of noble birth,
traveling to a far country
to receive a kingdom for himself and return,
called his own servants
and gave over to them his possessions;
to one he gave five talents,
and to another two, and to another one,
each according to his own ability.
He said to them, “Do business until I come.”
Then he left home.
But his citizens hated him,
and sent a delegation after him saying,
“We do not want this person to be king over us.”
The one receiving five talents
immediately proceeded to trade with them
and gained five more;
similarly the one with two gained two more.
But the one receiving one went away
and dug in the ground
and hid the silver of his lord.
After a long time the lord returned
having received the kingdom.
He asked those servants to be called to him
to whom he had given the money,
so that he might know
what business they had transacted.
The one who received five talents
approaching brought five more talents
saying, “Lord, you gave over five talents to me;
look, I have gained five more talents.”
His lord said to him,
“Well done, good and faithful servant,
since with the smallest you have been faithful,
I will put you in charge of much;
you are to have authority over five cities.
Come in to the joy of your lord.”
The one with two talents also approached and said,
“Lord, you gave over two talents to me;
look, I have gained two more talents.”
His lord said to him,
“Well done, good and faithful servant,
since with the smallest you have been faithful,
I will put you in charge of much;
you are to be over two cities.
Come in to the joy of your lord.”
The one who received one talent
also approached and said,
“Lord, knowing you that you are a strict person,
taking what you did not put in,
and reaping what you did not sow,
and being afraid
I went away and hid your talent in the ground;
look, you have yours.”
But his lord answered him, “Bad and lazy servant,
out of your own mouth I will judge you.
Did you know that I am a strict person,
taking what I did not put in,
and reaping what I did not sow?
Why did you not deposit
my silver at the banker’s table?
And coming I would have collected it with interest.”
To those standing by he said,
“Take from him the talent
and give it to the one who has ten talents.”
They said to him, “Lord, he has ten talents.”
“I tell you that to everyone having it will be given,
and he will have abundance;
but from the one not having
even what one has will be taken away from one.
Throw out the useless servant
into the outer darkness;
there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Nevertheless bring here those enemies of mine,
the ones not wanting me to be king over them,
and slaughter them in front of me.“
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – DAY
Jesus instructs Philip and Andrew.
JESUS
Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately upon entering it
you will find a colt tied
upon which no person has ever sat;
untie it and bring it back here.
If anyone asks you, “Why are you untying it?”
say, “The Lord has need of it,”
and immediately he will send it.
They go away.
EXT. A STREET IN A VILLAGE NEAR BETHANY – DAY
Philip and Andrew find a colt tied at a door outside in the street. As they are untying the colt, the OWNER of it questions them.
OWNER
What are you doing untying my colt?
ANDREW
The Lord has need of it.
OWNER
Then you may use it.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – DAY
Philip and Andrew bring the colt to Jesus. They throw clothes on the colt, and Jesus sits upon it.
EXT. NEAR AND IN JERUSALEM – DAY
A large crowd takes the branches of palms and goes out to meet Jesus. As he is drawing near to the descent from the Mount of Olives, all the many disciples
begin joyfully to praise God with loud voices.
VOICES IN THE CROWD
Hosanna!
Praised is the one coming in the name of the Lord!
Praised is the coming sovereignty of our father David!
In heaven peace and glory in the highest!
ANGRY PHARISEE
Teacher, reprimand your disciples.
JESUS
I tell you, if these will be quiet,
the stones will shout.
ANOTHER PHARISEE
You see that you do not help at all;
look, the world has gone away after him.
JESUS
If you only knew on this day,
even you, the things for peace;
but now they have been hidden from your eyes.
For days will come upon you
when your enemies will put up a palisade to you
and surround you and attack you on all sides;
they will raze you to the ground
and your children in you,
and they will not leave a stone upon a stone
in return for your not knowing
the time of your visitation.
Jesus enters Jerusalem.
VOICES IN THE CROWD
Who is this?
This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.
Hosanna to the son of David.
INDIGNANT HIGH PRIEST
Do you hear what these are saying?
JESUS
Yes; have you never read,
“Out of the mouth of infants and suckling ones
you prepared praise”?
EXT. ROAD FROM BETHANY TO JERUSALEM – DAWN
Jesus and his disciples are coming early to Jerusalem. They are hungry and search a fig tree for fruit but find none.
JESUS
May no fruit come from you ever again.
EXT. THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM – MORNING
Jesus and his disciples enter the temple. Jesus sees the money-changers seated and those selling cattle and sheep and doves. He makes a whip out of rope and drives them all out of the temple. He pours out the coins and overturns the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those selling doves.
JESUS
Take these away from here;
do not make my Father’s house a market.
It has been written,
“My house shall be called
a house of prayer for all the nations,”
but you have made it a den of robbers.
PETER
It has also been written:
“Zeal for your house will consume me.”
VOCAL JEW
What sign do you show us,
since you do these things?
JESUS
Destroy this temple,
and in three days I will raise it.
VOCAL JEW
This temple was built in forty-six years,
and will you raise it in three days?
EXT. ROAD FROM BETHANY TO JERSUALEM – DAWN
Passing along early in the morning Jesus and his disciples see the fig tree dried up from the roots.
PETER
Rabbi, look,
the fig tree which you cursed has dried up.
JOHN
How was the fig tree dried up?
JESUS
Amen, I tell you, if you have faith in God
and do not doubt in your heart
but believe that what you speak happens,
not only will you do
what was done with the fig tree,
but also if you say to this mountain,
“Be picked up and thrown into the sea,”
it will happen.
For this reason I tell you,
everything for which you pray and ask,
believe that you received it, and it will be for you.
When you stand praying,
forgive if you have anything against anyone,
so that your Father in heaven
may also forgive you your transgressions.
EXT. THE TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM – MORNING
Jesus is walking in the temple and teaching. The high priests, the scholars, and the elders approach him.
QUESTIONING HIGH PRIEST
By what authority are you doing these things?
Or who gave you this authority
so that you could do these things?
JESUS
I also will ask you one question;
if you answer me, I will tell you
by what authority I do these things.
Was the baptism of John
from heaven or from humans?
Answer me.
The high priest discusses it with the others.
QUESTIONING HIGH PRIEST
If we say, “From heaven,”
he will say, “Then why did you not believe him?”
But if we say, “From humans,”
I am afraid the crowd will stone us down;
for everyone holds that John was really a prophet.
(To Jesus) We don’t know.
JESUS
Neither will I tell you
by what authority I do these things.
What do you think?
A person had two children.
Approaching the first he said, “Child,
go work today in the vineyard.”
He answered, “I am going, lord,”
but he did not go.
Approaching the second he said the same thing.
He answered, “I will not;”
later regretting it he went.
Which of the two did the will of the Father?
QUESTIONING HIGH PRIEST
The latter.
JESUS
Amen, I tell you that
the tax collectors and the prostitutes are going
ahead of you into the sovereignty of God.
For John came to you with a way of justice,
and you did not believe him;
but the tax collectors and prostitutes believed him;
but you seeing did not regret later
changing to believe him.
Listen to another parable.
A master of an estate planted a vineyard,
and he put a fence around it
and dug in a wine-press and built a tower;
then he rented it to farmers
and went away on a journey.
When the season of the fruit drew near,
he sent a servant to the farmers
so that from the farmers
he might receive from the fruit of the vineyard;
taking him they beat him
and sent him away empty-handed.
Again he sent to them another servant,
and that one they hit in the head and insulted.
He sent another in addition,
and that one they killed.
There were many others also,
some beaten, others killed.
The lord of the vineyard said,
“What should I do?
I will send my beloved son;
perhaps this one they will respect.”
But the farmers seeing the son
said among themselves, “This is the heir;
come let’s kill him,
so that the inheritance may become ours.”
Taking him they threw him out of the vineyard
and killed him.
When the lord of the vineyard comes,
what will he do to those farmers?
QUESTIONING HIGH PRIEST
The bad ones he will destroy,
and the vineyard he will rent to other farmers,
who will give him back the fruit in their seasons.
JESUS
Have you never read in the scriptures:
“A stone which the builders rejected,
this became the corner-stone;
it was from the lord,
and it is marvelous in our eyes”?
The one falling on this stone will be shattered;
but whomever it falls upon, it will crush him.
For this reason I tell you that
the sovereignty of God will be taken from you
and will be given to a nation producing its fruit.
The sovereignty of heaven is like a king,
who gave a wedding for his son.
He sent his servants to call
those invited to the banquet,
and they would not come.
Again he sent other servants
saying, “Tell those invited:
look, I have prepared my luncheon;
my oxen and fattened calves have been butchered,
and everything is ready; come to the banquet.”
But not caring they went off,
one to his field, another to his business;
and the rest, seizing his servants,
insulted and killed them.
The king became angry, and sending his armies
he destroyed those murderers
and burned their city.
Then he said to his servants,
“The banquet is ready,
but those invited were not worthy;
therefore go to the street corners,
and call as many as you find to the banquet.”
Those servants going out into the streets
gathered everyone they found,
both bad and good;
and the wedding hall was filled with guests.
But coming in to see the guests
the king saw there a person
not wearing wedding clothes;
and he said to him, “Friend,
how did you get in here
without having wedding clothes?”
He was silent.
Then the king said to the attendants,
“Tie his feet and hands
and throw him out into the outer darkness;
there will be the weeping and gnashing of teeth.”
For many are called, but few are selected.
The Pharisees send their disciples with the HERODIANS as spies to try to catch Jesus by a word so that he could be arrested by authority of the governor.
FIRST HERODIAN
Teacher, we know that you are honest
and do not care about anyone’s opinion;
for you do not look at the appearance of people,
but teach truthfully the way of God.
Therefore tell us, what do you think?
Is it permitted for us to pay tax to Caesar or not?
Should we pay, or shouldn’t we?
JESUS
Why are you testing me, hypocrites?
Bring me the coin of the tax so that I may see it.
A Pharisee hands him a Roman coin.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Whose image and inscription is this?
FIRST HERODIAN
Caesar’s.
JESUS
Then pay back Caesar’s things to Caesar
and God’s things to God.
FIRST SADDUCEE
Teacher, Moses wrote for us
that if someone’s brother dies
and leaves behind a wife and no child,
the brother should take his wife
and raise up seed for his brother.
Now there were seven brothers;
the first having taken a wife died childless,
and not having seed
he left his wife to his brother;
the second took her,
and he died leaving behind no seed;
the third similarly up to the seventh,
and the seven left no seed.
Last of all the woman died too.
In the resurrection then, when they rise again,
whose wife will she be?
For the seven had her as a wife?
JESUS
Do you not go astray because of this,
not knowing the scriptures or the power of God?
The sons of this age marry
and are given in marriage,
but those considered worthy
of attaining that age and the resurrection
neither marry nor are they given in marriage;
for they can no longer die,
but they are like angels in heaven;
they are sons of God
being sons of the resurrection.
Concerning the dead that they are raised,
even Moses made known
at the part about the bush
when God said to him,
“I am the God of Abraham
and the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
He is not God of the dead but of the living;
for to him everyone lives.
You Sadducees are going far astray.
BRIGHT SCHOLAR
Teacher, well said.
What is the foremost of the commandments?
JESUS
The foremost is: “Hear, Israel,
the Lord your God is one Lord,
and you shall love the Lord your God
with your whole heart
and with your whole soul
and with your whole intelligence
and with your whole strength.”
The second is like it:
“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
On these two commandments
hang the whole law and the prophets.
BRIGHT SCHOLAR
Beautifully said, teacher,
in truth you say that there is one
and there is no other except him;
and the love for him from the whole heart
and from the whole intelligence
and from the whole strength
and the love for the neighbor as oneself
is more than all the burnt offerings and sacrifices.
JESUS
You are not far from the sovereignty of God.
Jesus questions the Pharisees who are gathered together.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
What do you think about the Christ?
Whose son is he?
QUICK PHARISEE
David’s.
JESUS
How is it then that David himself
said in the Holy Spirit,
“The Lord said to my Lord: ‘Sit on my right
until I put your enemies under your feet.’”
If David calls him Lord, then how is he his son?
Jesus speaks to the crowd and to his disciples.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
On the seat of Moses
sit the scholars and the Pharisees.
Therefore do and keep whatever they tell you,
but do not do according to their actions;
for they talk and do not do.
They burden people with heavy loads hard to bear,
but they themselves are not willing
to move them with their finger.
Watch out for the scholars
who devour the houses of widows
and in pretense make long prayers.
All their actions they do to be seen by people;
for they broaden their phylacteries
and lengthen the tassels,
and they love the places of honor at the dinners
and the best seats in the synagogues
and walking in robes
and the greetings in the marketplaces
and to be called by people “Rabbi.”
But you are not to be called “Rabbi;”
for one is your teacher, and you are all brothers.
Call no one your father on earth;
for one is your heavenly Father.
Nor be called leaders,
because your leader is one, the Christ.
The greatest of you will be your servant.
Whoever will exalt oneself will be humbled,
and whoever will humble oneself will be exalted.
But woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you shut the sovereignty of heaven
in front of people;
for you do not enter,
nor do you allow those coming in to enter.
Woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you go around the sea and the dry land
to make one convert; and when he becomes one,
you make him twice the son of hell you are.
Woe to you, blind guides who say,
“Whoever swears by the temple, it is nothing;
but whoever swears by the gold of the temple,
he is obligated.”
Fools and blind ones, for which is greater,
the gold or the temple sanctifying the gold?
Also you say,
“Whoever swears by the altar, it is nothing;
but whoever swears by the gift upon it,
he is obligated.”
Blind ones, for which is greater,
the gift or the altar sanctifying the gift?
Therefore whoever swears by the altar
swears by it and everything on it;
whoever swears by the temple
swears by it and the one dwelling in it;
and whoever swears by heaven
swears by the throne of God
and the one sitting on it.
Woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you tithe mint and dill and cumin,
and have left the weightier part of the law,
justice and mercy and faith;
but these are necessary to do,
and those are not to be left either.
Blind guides, who strain out the gnat,
but swallow the camel.
Woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you clean
the outside of the cup and the dish,
but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.
Blind Pharisee, clean first the inside of the cup
so that the outside of it may also be clean.
Woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you resemble whitewashed tombs,
which outwardly appear pleasant,
but inside they are full of the dead’s bones
and everything unclean.
So also you outwardly appear to be just people,
but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
Woe to you, scholars and Pharisees, hypocrites,
because you build the tombs of the prophets
and adorn the monuments of the just,
and your fathers killed them.
You say, “If we had been in the days of our fathers,
we would not have participated with them
in the blood of the prophets.”
So you testify against yourselves
that you approve of your fathers’ deeds;
for they killed them, and you build their tombs.
Snakes, products of vipers!
How are you to escape from the judgment of hell?
For this reason also the wisdom of God said,
“I will send you prophets and the wise and scholars;
some of them you will kill and crucify,
and some of them you will whip in your synagogues
and persecute from town to town.”
So comes upon you all the just blood shed on earth
from the blood of the just Abel
up to the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachiah,
whom you murdered
between the sanctuary and the altar.
Amen, I tell you,
all these will come upon this generation.
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets
and stones those sent to you,
how often have I wished to gather your children,
the way a bird gathers her young under her wings,
and you were not willing.
Look, your house is forsaken.
For I tell you, you may not see me
until the time comes when you say,
“Praised be the one
coming in the name of the Lord.“
EXT. TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM BY THE CONTRIBUTION BOX – DAY
Jesus is sitting opposite the contribution box and sees how the people are putting money into the box; many rich people put in large amounts, and one POOR WIDOW puts in two copper coins, which is a penny. Jesus comments to his disciples.
JESUS
Amen, I tell you that this poor widow
has put in more than all those contributing;
for they all put in gifts out of their abundance,
but she out of her need
put in everything she had, her whole living.
Jesus and his disciples walk out of the temple.
JOHN
Teacher, look, what beautiful stones and buildings!
JESUS
Do you see these great buildings?
Amen, I tell you, days will come in which
no stone will be left here on a stone
which will not be thrown down.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES - AFTERNOON
Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives and can see the temple. Peter and James and John and Andrew question him privately.
PETER
Tell us, when will these things be,
and what is the sign
when all these things are about to be accomplished
and of your presence and of the ending of the age?
JESUS
See that no one leads you astray.
For many will come in my name saying, “I am he,”
and “The time has drawn near;”
and they will lead many astray.
Do not go after them.
When you hear of wars,
rumors of wars, and revolutions,
do not be disturbed;
for it must happen, but it is not yet the end.
For nation will be raised against nation
and sovereignty against sovereignty;
there will be earthquakes
and plagues and famines in various places,
and there will be terrors
and great signs from heaven;
but all these things
are the beginning of birth pangs.
But watch yourselves;
before all these things
they will lay their hands on you
and persecute you;
they will give you over to councils,
and you will be beaten in synagogues,
and you will stand before governors
and kings for my sake,
for testimony to them.
When they lead you delivering you,
do not worry about what you should say,
but put it into your hearts
not to practice beforehand your defense;
for I will give you a mouth and wisdom,
and whatever is given to you in that hour,
speak that;
for it is not you speaking but the Holy Spirit,
which all those opposing you
will not be able to resist or contradict.
Brother will give over brother
to death and father child,
and children will rebel against parents
and put them to death;
and you will be hated by all the nations
because of my name.
Many false prophets will be raised
and will lead many astray,
and because of the increase of lawlessness
the love of many will grow cold.
Yet not a hair of your head will perish;
by your patience you will win your souls.
The one enduring to the end,
this one will be saved.
This good message of the sovereignty
will be preached in the whole world
as a testimony to all the nations,
and the end will come.
So when you see the devastating abomination
spoken of through the prophet Daniel
standing in the holy place,
and when you see Jerusalem
surrounded by armies,
then know that its devastation has drawn near.
Then let those in Judea flee to the mountains,
and let those in the middle of it depart,
and let those in the country not go into it;
let the one on the roof
not come down to take things out of his house,
and let the one in the field
not turn back to get one’s coat;
for these are days of punishment
to fulfill all that has been written.
Woe to those in pregnancy
and nursing in those days,
and pray that your flight
not be in winter or on a Sabbath;
for there will be great distress on the earth
and wrath upon this people,
and they will fall by the edge of the sword
and will be led captive to all the nations;
and Jerusalem will be trampled on by nations,
until the seasons of the nations are fulfilled.
Those will be days of great affliction,
such as has not occurred from the beginning
of God’s creation of the world until now
and which may never happen.
Unless the Lord had not cut short those days,
no flesh would be saved;
but because of the chosen ones he selected,
he will cut short the days.
Then if anyone tells you,
“Look, here is the Christ, look there,”
do not believe;
for false Christs and false prophets will be raised,
and they will perform miracles and wonders,
in order to lead astray, if possible,
even the chosen ones.
But you watch; I have foretold you everything.
Days will come when you will long to see
one of the days of the human son,
and you will not see it.
So if they say to you,
“Look, he is in the desert,” do not go out;
“Look, in the inner rooms,” do not pursue it.
For as the lightning flashes out of the east
and shines to the west,
so will be the presence of the human son.
After the affliction of those days
the sun will be darkened;
the moon will not give its light;
and the stars will fall from heaven.
There will be signs in sun and moon and stars,
and on the earth anguish of nations in confusion
at the noise of the sea and waves,
people fainting from fear and expectation
of what is coming to the world;
for the powers of heaven will be shaken.
Then will appear the sign
of the human son in heaven,
and then all the tribes of earth will mourn
and will see the human son coming
in a cloud of heaven with power and much glory.
Then he will send his angels with a great trumpet,
and they will gather his chosen ones
out of the four winds
from the end of earth to the end of heaven.
As these things begin to happen,
stand up and lift your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near.
From the fig tree learn the parable:
when its branch is already tender
and the leaves sprout,
you know that summer is near;
so also when you see all these things happening,
know that it is near at the doors.
Amen, I tell you that this generation
may not pass away until all these things happen.
Heaven and earth will pass away,
but my words will not pass away.
But about that day and hour no one knows,
neither the angels of heaven nor the son,
but only the Father.
As it was in the days of Noah,
so will be the presence of the human son.
For as they were in those days before the flood
eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage,
until the day Noah entered the ark,
and they knew nothing
until the flood came and took all;
so also will be the presence of the human son.
Similarly as it was in the days of Lot,
they were eating, drinking,
buying, selling, planting, building;
but on the day Lot went away from Sodom,
it rained fire and sulfur from heaven
and destroyed all.
It will be the same way
on the day the human son is revealed.
Remember the wife of Lot.
Whoever seeks to preserve one’s life, will lose it;
and whoever will lose it, will give it life.
I tell you, on that night
there will be two in one bed;
one will be taken, and the other will be left.
There will be two in the field;
one is taken, and one is left.
Two will be grinding in the mill;
one is taken, and one is left.
JOHN
Where, Lord?
JESUS
Wherever the corpse may be,
there also the eagles will be gathered together.
Watch, keep awake;
for you do not know when your Lord is coming.
It is like a person away from home
leaving his house
and giving his servants authority,
to each his work,
and he commands the doorkeeper to be alert.
Therefore be alert;
for you do not know
when the lord of the house is coming,
whether late or at midnight
or at cockcrow or in the morning;
lest coming suddenly he should find you sleeping.
What I tell you, I tell everyone: be alert.
Pay attention to yourselves
lest your hearts become burdened
with dissipation and drunkenness
and the anxieties of life,
and that day appear to you suddenly like a trap;
for it will come upon everyone
sitting on the face of all the earth.
But be awake in every season
asking that you may be able to escape
all these things that are about to happen,
and be able to stand in front of the human son.
Let your loins be girded
and your lamps be burning;
and be like people waiting for their lord
to return from the wedding,
so that when he comes and knocks
they may immediately open to him.
Blessed are those servants,
whom the lord will find awake when he comes;
amen, I tell you that he will gird himself
and invite them to dine
and coming by he will serve them.
If he comes in the second or third watch
and finds such, blessed are those.
But be aware that if the master of the house
knew at what hour the thief was coming,
he would be alert
and would not have allowed him
to break into his house.
For this reason you also be ready,
because in the hour you do not think,
the human son is coming.
PETER
Lord, are you telling this parable to us,
or to everyone?
JESUS
Who then is the faithful, sensible manager,
whom the lord will put in charge of his household
to give out food allowance at the proper time?
Blessed is that servant,
whom his lord will find doing so when he comes;
amen, I tell you that he will
put him in charge of all his possessions.
But if that servant says in his heart,
“My lord is taking a long time to come,”
and starts to beat his fellow servants,
and to eat and drink with those getting drunk,
the lord of that servant will come
on a day he does not expect
and in an hour he is not aware,
and he will cut him in two
and put his part with the unfaithful hypocrites.
That servant who is aware of his lord’s will
and not ready or not doing according to his will
will be beaten much;
but the one who is not aware,
but doing things deserving of blows,
will be beaten a little.
Everyone to whom much was given,
much will be demanded from one;
and whomever was entrusted with much
they will ask one for much more.
Then the sovereignty of heaven
will be like ten virgins,
who taking their lamps
went out to a meeting with the bridegroom.
Five of them were foolish, and five were wise.
For the fools taking their lamps
did not take oil with them,
but the wise took oil in flasks with their lamps.
The bridegroom being delayed
they all dozed off and slept.
In the middle of the night there was a shout:
“Look, the bridegroom is going out to a meeting.”
Then all those virgins got up
and trimmed their lamps.
The fools said to the wise,
“Give us some of your oil,
for our lamps are going out.”
But the wise answered,
“There may not be enough for us and for you;
go instead to those selling and buy for yourselves.”
While they were going away to buy,
the bridegroom came;
and the ones who were ready
went in with him to the wedding,
and the door was shut.
Later the rest of the virgins also came
saying, “Lord, lord, open for us.”
But he answered, “Amen, I tell you,
I do not know you.”
Therefore be alert,
for you do not know the day nor the hour.
When the human son comes in his glory
and all the angels with him,
then he will sit on his glorious throne;
all the nations will be gathered before him,
and he will separate them from each other,
as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;
he will put the sheep on his right,
and the goats on his left.
Then the king will say to those on his right,
“Come blessed ones of my Father,
inherit the kingdom prepared for you
from the foundation of the world.
For I was hungry,
and you gave me something to eat;
I was thirsty, and you gave me a drink;
I was a stranger, and you welcomed me;
I was naked, and you clothed me;
I was ailing, and you visited me;
I was in prison, and you came to me.”
Then the just will answer him, “Lord,
when did we see you hungering and feed you,
or thirsty and give you a drink?
When did we see you a stranger and welcome you,
or naked and clothe you?
When did we see you ailing or in prison
and come to you?”
The king will answer them,
“Amen, I tell you, as you did it
for one of the smallest of these brothers of mine,
you did it for me.”
Then also he will say to those on the left,
“Go from me cursed ones into the eternal fire
prepared for the devil and his angels.
For I was hungry,
and you did not give me anything to eat;
I was thirsty, and you did not give me a drink;
I was a stranger, and you did not welcome me;
I was naked, and you did not clothe me;
I was ailing and in prison,
and you did not visit me.”
Then they also will answer, “Lord,
when did we see you hungry or thirsty
or a stranger or naked or ailing or in prison
and not minister to you?”
Then he will answer them, “Amen, I tell you,
as you did not do it
for one of the smallest of these,
you did not do it for me.”
These will go away into eternal punishment,
but the just into eternal life.
You know that after two days the Passover occurs,
and the human son is given over to be crucified.
INT. COURT OF THE HIGH PRIEST CAIAPHAS – DAY
The high priests and the elders of the people gather in the court of CAIAPHAS,
and they plot so that by deceit they might arrest and kill Jesus.
PROMINENT HIGH PRIEST
We must get rid of this Jesus
before he destroys us.
CAIAPHAS
Not at the feast,
lest there be a disturbance among the people.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES - AFTERNOON
Some GREEKS who are attending the feast approach Philip, who takes them to the disciples and Jesus.
FIRST GREEK
Lord, we wish to see Jesus.
PHILIP
Andrew, these Greeks want to see Jesus.
ANDREW
Jesus, some Greeks are here to see you.
JESUS
The hour has come
so that the human son may be glorified.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
unless a grain of wheat falling into the earth dies,
it remains alone;
but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
SECOND GREEK
This teaching confirms the Eleusinian mysteries.
JESUS
Whoever loves one’s life loses it,
and whoever hates one’s life in this world
will preserve it for eternal life.
If anyone serves me, let him follow me;
and where I am, there also my servant will be;
if anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.
Now my life has been troubled,
and what should I say?
Father, save me from this hour.
But for this reason I came to this hour.
Father, glorify your name.
NARRATOR (v. o.)
I glorified it, and I will glorify it again.
THIRD GREEK
Was that thunder?
FOURTH GREEK
An angel has spoken to him.
JESUS
Not for me has this voice occurred, but for you.
Now is the judgment of this world;
now the ruler of this world will be thrown out;
and if I am lifted from the earth,
I will draw everyone to myself.
THOMAS
We heard from the law
that the Christ remains forever,
and how is it you say that
the human son must be lifted up?
Who is this human son?
JESUS
For a short time longer the light is among you.
Walk while you have the light,
lest darkness overtake you;
and whoever walks in the dark
does not know where one is going.
While you have the light, believe in the light,
so that you may become sons of light.
If they ask you, “Where have you come from?”
say to them, “We have come from the light,
where the light has originated through itself.
It revealed itself in their image.”
If they ask you, “Who are you?”
say, “We are his sons,
and we are the elect of the living Father.”
If they ask you,
“What is the sign of your Father within you?”
say to them, “It is a movement and a rest.”
The images appear to people,
and the light which is within them
is hidden in the image of the light of the Father.
He will manifest himself;
his image is concealed by his light.
Whoever believes in me
does not believe in me but in the one who sent me,
and whoever sees me sees the one who sent me.
I have come as light into the world,
so that everyone who believes in me
may not remain in the dark.
If anyone hears my sayings
and does not keep them,
I do not judge him;
for I did not come so that I might judge the world,
but so that I might save the world.
Whoever rejects me and does not accept my sayings
has judging him the word which I have spoken;
that will judge him on the last day.
For I have not spoken from myself,
but the Father who sent me
he has given me commands
what I should say and what I should speak.
I know that his command is eternal life.
Therefore what I speak is just
as the Father has said to me; that I speak.
INT. HOME OF SIMON THE LEPER – DAY
Jesus, his disciples, and Lazarus are dining in the home of SIMON THE LEPER. Martha is serving, and her sister Mary takes a pound of expensive genuine nard perfume and breaks the alabaster flask. She pours it on the head of the sitting Jesus and anoints his feet. Then she wipes off his feet with her hair. Some of the disciples become angry.
JAMES
Why has this waste of the perfume happened?
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Why was this perfume not sold
for three hundred days’ wages
and given to the poor?
JESUS
Let her go; why are you bothering her?
She did a beautiful thing for me;
for you have the poor with you all the time,
and whenever you wish,
you can do good for them;
but me you do not have all the time.
What she had she did;
beforehand she has anointed my body for burial.
Amen, I tell you, wherever
this good message is preached in the whole world,
what she did will also be spoken in memory of her.
INT. HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS - NIGHT
Judas Iscariot is secretly meeting with a Caiaphas and a few high priests.
PLOTTING HIGH PRIEST
Judas, we are glad that you came to us.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
What are you willing to give me,
if I give Jesus over to you?
PLOTTING HIGH PRIEST
If you turn him over to us away from the crowd,
we shall give you thirty silver coins.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES - AFTERNOON
Jesus instructs Peter and John.
JESUS
Go prepare for us the Passover,
so that we may eat.
PETER
Where do you wish us to prepare it?
JESUS
As you are entering the city,
you will meet a person carrying a jar of water;
you will follow him to the house that he enters,
and you will tell the master of the house
that the teacher asks, “Where is the guest room
where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”
That one will show you
a large upper room already furnished;
there prepare for us.
INT. LARGE UPPER ROOM – EVENING
Jesus and his twelve disciples are getting ready to celebrate the Passover.
JESUS
With longing I have desired
to eat this Passover with you before my suffering;
for I tell you that I will not eat it any more
until it is fulfilled in the sovereignty of God.
As they sit down, the disciples compete to sit close to Jesus.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
The kings of the nations lord it over them,
and those having authority over them
are called benefactors.
But let it not be so with you,
rather let the greater among you
become like the younger,
and the governing like the serving.
For who is greater,
the one dining or the one serving?
Is it not the one dining?
But I in the middle of you am like one serving.
You are the ones remaining with me
during my tests;
and I confer upon you
as my Father conferred upon me a sovereignty,
so that you may eat and drink
at my table in my sovereignty,
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Jesus rises from the dinner and puts aside his robe, and taking a towel he wraps it around his waist. Next he pours water into a basin, and he begins to wash the feet of the disciples and wipe them off with the towel. When he comes to Peter, he finds he is reluctant.
PETER
Lord, do you wash my feet?
JESUS
What I am doing you do not understand now,
but you will afterward.
PETER
You shall never wash my feet.
JESUS
Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.
PETER
Lord, not only my feet,
but also my hands and head.
JESUS
One who has bathed
has no need to wash except for the feet,
but he is completely clean;
and you are clean, but not everyone.
After Jesus has washed their feet, he puts on his robe and sits down again.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Do you know what I have done for you?
You call me “Teacher” and “Lord,”
and you are right; for I am.
Therefore if I, Lord and teacher, washed your feet,
you also ought to wash each other’s feet;
for I gave you an example
so that as I have done for you, you also should do.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
no servant is greater than his lord,
nor is the messenger greater
than the one sending him.
If you know these things,
you are blessed if you do them.
I am not talking about everyone;
I know those I have selected;
but so that scripture may be fulfilled:
“The one eating my bread
has lifted his heel against me.”
I am telling you now before the occurrence,
so that you may believe
when it occurs that I am he.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
whoever accepts anyone I may send accepts me,
and whoever accepts me
accepts the one who sent me.
Amen, I tell you that
one of you will give me over,
one who is eating with me.
The disciples look at each other uncertain about whom he means. John is sitting close to Jesus, and Peter speaks to him.
PETER
Ask who it is he means.
JOHN
Lord, who is it?
JAMES
Is it I, Lord?
ANDREW
Is it I, Lord?
MATTHEW
Is it I, Lord?
THOMAS
Is it I, Lord?
PHILIP
Is it I, Lord?
THADDEUS
Is it I, Lord?
JAMES, SON OF ALPHAEUS
Is it I, Lord?
PETER
Is it I, Lord?
NATHANAEL
Is it I, Lord?
SIMON THE ZEALOT
Is it I, Lord?
Jesus dips his hand in the dish, and he looks at Judas Iscariot as he dips into the dish at the same time.
JESUS
The one who is dipping his hand
with me in the dish,
he will give me over.
The human son is going
as it has been written about him,
but woe to that person through whom
the human son is given over;
it would have been better for him
if that person had not been born.
JUDAS
Is it I, Rabbi?
JESUS
You said it;
what you are doing do quickly.
Judas takes the piece of bread, gets up, and goes out.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Now the human son is glorified,
and God is glorified in him;
God will both glorify him in himself,
and will immediately glorify him.
Children, for a little while I am still with you;
you will search for me,
and just as I told the Jews
that where I am going you cannot come,
I say it also to you now.
I give you a new commandment,
that you love each other;
as I have loved you, so also you love each other.
By this everyone will know
that you are my disciples,
if you have love for each other.
As they are eating, Jesus takes bread, and blessing it he breaks it and gives it to John and Peter, who take a piece and pass it on to the other disciples.
JESUS
Take it, eat; this is my body.
Jesus takes a cup and giving thanks, he gives it to John, who drinks from it and passes it on.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Take this and share it among yourselves.
This is my blood of the covenant
which is shed on behalf of many
for the release of sins.
Do this in remembrance of me.
Amen, I tell you that
I will not drink any more from the fruit of the vine
until that day when I drink it anew
with you in the sovereignty of God.
Do not let your heart be troubled;
trust in God, and trust in me.
In my Father’s house are many rooms;
if not, I would have told you;
for I am going to prepare a place for you;
and if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again and welcome you to myself,
so that where I am you may be also.
Where I am going you know the way.
THOMAS
Lord, we don’t know where you are going;
how can we know the way?
JESUS
I am the way and the truth and life;
no one comes to the Father except through me.
If you had known me,
you also would have known my Father.
From now on you know him and have seen him.
PHILIP
Lord, show us the Father,
and it is enough for us.
JESUS
So long have I been with you
and have you not known me, Philip?
Whoever has seen me has seen the Father;
how can you say, “Show us the Father”?
Do you not believe that I am in the Father
and the Father is in me?
The sayings which I tell you
I do not speak from myself;
but the Father living in me does his works.
Believe me that I am in the Father
and the Father in me;
or else believe because of the works themselves.
Amen, amen, I tell you, whoever believes in me
the works which I do that one also will do,
and one will do greater than these,
because I am going to the Father;
whatever you ask for in my name, this I will do,
so that the Father may be glorified by the son.
If you ask me for anything in my name, I will do it.
If you love me, keep my commandments.
I will ask the Father,
and he will give you another intermediary,
so that he may be with you forever,
the spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees it nor knows it;
you know it, because it stays with you
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans;
I am coming to you.
A little while and the world no longer sees me,
but you see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will know that I am in the Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and keeps them,
that one is the one loving me;
and whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and I will reveal myself to him.
THADDEUS
Lord, but what has happened
that you are about to reveal yourself to us
and not to the world?
JESUS
If someone loves me, he will keep my word;
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him
and make our home with him.
Whoever does not love me
does not keep my words;
and the word which you hear is not mine
but the Father’s who sent me.
These things I have spoken to you
remaining with you;
the intermediary, the Holy Spirit
which the Father will send in my name,
that one will teach you everything
and remind you of everything I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you;
not as the world gives do I give to you.
Do not let your heart be troubled nor timid.
You heard that I told you,
“I am going and am coming to you.”
If you loved me, you would be glad
that I am going to the Father,
for the Father is greater than I.
Now I have told you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.
I will not speak much longer with you,
for the ruler of the world is coming;
he has nothing on me,
but so that the world may know
that I love the Father,
and as the Father commands me, thus I do.
I am the true vine,
and my Father is the farmer.
Every branch in me not bearing fruit, he removes it;
and every branch bearing fruit,
he cleans so that it may bear more fruit.
You are already clean
because of the word which I have spoken to you;
remain in me, and I in you.
As the branch cannot bear fruit from itself
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
I am the vine, you the branches.
The one remaining in me and I in him,
this one bears much fruit,
for without me you cannot do anything.
If someone does not remain in me,
he is thrown out like the branch and dried out;
and they gather them
and throw them into the fire,
and they are burned.
If you remain in me
and my sayings remain in you,
ask for whatever you wish,
and it will happen to you.
By this my Father is glorified,
that you bear much fruit
and you will be my disciples.
As the Father loved me, I also loved you;
remain in my love.
If you will keep my commandments,
you will remain in my love,
as I have kept my Father’s commandments
and I remain in his love.
These things I have spoken to you
so that my joy may be in you,
and your joy may be fulfilled.
This is my commandment,
that you love each other as I loved you.
No one has greater love than this,
that he lay down his life on behalf of his friends.
You are my friends,
if you do what I command you.
I no longer call you servants,
for the servant does not know what his lord does;
but I have called you friends,
because everything I heard from my Father
I made known to you.
You did not select me, but I selected you;
and I have appointed you
so that you may go and bear fruit,
and your fruit may remain,
that whatever you ask the Father for in my name
he may give you.
This I command you, that you love each other.
If the world hates you,
know that it has hated me before you.
If you were from the world,
the world would have loved its own;
but you are not from the world,
because I selected you out of the world;
for this reason the world hates you.
Remember the word which I told you:
a servant is not greater than his lord.
If they persecuted me,
they will also persecute you;
if they kept my word,
they will also keep yours.
But they will do all these things to you
because of my name,
for they do not know who sent me.
If I had not come and spoken to them,
they would not have sin;
but now they have no excuse for their sin.
Whoever hates me also hates my Father.
If I had not done works among them
which no other person did,
they would not have sin,
but now they have both seen and hated
both me and my Father.
But it is so that the word written in their law
may be fulfilled:
“They hated me without reason.”
When the intermediary comes
whom I will send to you from the Father,
the spirit of truth
which proceeds out from the Father,
that one will testify about me;
and you also will testify
because you have been with me
from the beginning.
I have spoken these things to you
so that you may not fall away.
They will make you excommunicated;
but the hour is coming
when everyone who kills you
may think he is offering a service to God.
They will do these things
because they do not know the Father or me.
But I have spoken these things to you
so that when their hour comes
you may remember them, what I told you.
I did not tell you these things from the beginning,
because I was with you.
But now I am going to the one who sent me,
and none of you asks me,
“Where are you going?”
But because I have spoken these things to you,
grief has filled your heart.
But I tell you the truth;
it is to your advantage that I should go away.
For unless I go away,
the intermediary may not come to you;
but if I go, I will send it to you.
That one coming will correct the world
concerning sin and justice and judgment:
concerning sin,
because they did not believe in me;
concerning justice,
because I am going to the Father
and you will see me no more;
and concerning judgment,
because the ruler of this world has been judged.
I still have many things to tell you,
but you cannot bear them now;
but when that one comes, the spirit of truth,
it will guide you into all truth;
for it will not speak from itself,
but whatever it hears it will speak;
and it will report to you what is coming.
That one will glorify me,
because it will receive from me and report to you.
Everything which the Father has is mine;
for this reason I said
that it receives from me and will report to you.
A little while and you will no longer see me,
and a little while again and you will see me.
PETER
What is this he tells us:
“A little while and you will not see me,
and a little while again and you will see me”?
JOHN
And what is “Because I am going to the Father”?
THOMAS
What is this he says, “A little while”?
ANDREW
We don’t understand what he is saying.
JESUS
About this are you searching with each other
because I said,
“A little while and you will not see me,
and a little while and you will see me”?
Amen, amen, I tell you that
you will weep and mourn,
and the world will rejoice;
you will be grieved,
but your grief will turn into joy.
The woman when she gives birth has grief,
because her hour has come;
but when the child is born,
she no longer remembers the pain
because of the joy
that a person was born into the world.
You therefore now have grief;
but I will see you again,
and your heart will rejoice,
and no one can take your joy away from you.
On that day you will not ask me anything.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
whatever you ask the Father
he will give you in my name.
Until now you have not asked
for anything in my name;
ask, and you will receive,
so that your joy may be filled.
I have spoken these things to you in allegories;
an hour is coming
when I will no longer speak to you in allegories,
but I will announce to you openly about the Father.
On that day you will ask in my name,
and I am not saying that
I will ask the Father about you;
for the Father himself loves you,
because you have loved me
and have believed that I came from God.
I came out of the Father
and have come into the world;
again I am leaving the world
and going to the Father.
JOHN
Look, now you are speaking openly,
and you are telling no allegory.
Now we understand that you know everything
and have no need for anyone to question you;
by this we believe that you came from God.
JESUS
Do you now believe?
Look, an hour is coming and has come
when you will be scattered each to his own things,
and you will leave me alone;
yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me.
I have spoken these things to you
so that in me you may have peace.
In the world you have affliction;
but courage! I have overcome the world.
Father, the hour has come;
glorify your son, so that the son may glorify you,
as you gave him authority over all flesh,
so that everyone you have given to him
he may give to them eternal life.
This is eternal life,
that they may know you, the only true God,
and whom you sent, Jesus the Christ.
I glorified you on earth, completing the work
which you have given me to do;
and now you glorify me, Father,
with yourself with the glory I had with you
before the world existed.
I revealed your name
to the people you gave me out of the world.
Yours they were and to me you gave them,
and they have kept your word.
Now they know that
everything you gave me was from you,
because the sayings you gave me
I have given to them;
they accepted them,
and truly know that I came from you;
and they have believed that you sent me.
I ask about them;
I do not ask about the world,
but about those you have given me,
because they are yours;
all mine are yours, and yours are mine,
and I have been glorified in them.
I am no longer in the world;
yet they are in the world,
and I am coming to you.
Holy Father, keep them in your name
which you have given me,
so that they may be one as we are.
When I was with them,
I kept them in your name
which you have given me;
I guarded them, and none of them was lost
except the son of destruction,
so that the scripture might be fulfilled.
But now I am coming to you,
and I speak these things in the world
so that they may have my joy fulfilled
within themselves.
I have given them your word,
and the world hated them,
because they are not of the world
just as I am not of the world.
I do not ask that you take them out of the world,
but that you keep them out of evil.
They are not of the world
just as I am not of the world.
Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.
Just as you sent me into the world,
I also sent them into the world;
and on their behalf I sanctify myself,
so that they also may be sanctified in truth.
But I do not ask only about these,
but also about those believing in me
because of their word,
so that everyone may be one,
just as you, Father, are in me and I in you,
that they also may be in us,
so that the world may believe that you sent me.
I have given to them the glory
which you have given to me,
so that they may be one just as we are one:
I in them and you in me,
so that they may be perfected into one,
that the world may know that you sent me
and loved them just as you loved me.
Father, what you have given to me,
I wish that where I am
those also may be with me,
so that they may see my glory,
which you have given me
because you loved me
before the foundation of the world.
Just Father, even the world did not know you,
but I know you,
and these know that you sent me;
I made known your name to them
and will make it known,
so that the love with which you loved me
may be in them and I in them.
Rise, let us go from here.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – NIGHT
Jesus and his disciples settle down in the place where they are staying.
JESUS
You will all fall away from me on this night;
for it has been written:
“I will strike the shepherd,
and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.”
But after I am raised,
I will lead you to Galilee.
PETER
Lord, where are you going?
JESUS
Where I am going
you cannot follow me now,
but you will follow later.
PETER
Lord, why can’t I follow you now?
Even if everyone falls away from you,
yet I will not.
JESUS
Amen, I tell you
that today on this night before the cock crows
you will deny knowing me three times.
PETER
Even if I must die with you,
I will not deny you.
JOHN
We shall all stand by you.
JAMES
Certainly.
JESUS
Simon, Simon, look,
Satan demanded to sift you like wheat;
but I begged for you
so that your faith might not fail;
and when you have returned,
support your brothers.
When I sent you without purse
and wallet and sandals,
were you lacking anything?
PETER
Nothing.
JESUS
But now whoever has a purse let him take it,
likewise also a wallet,
and whoever does not have one
let him sell his clothes and buy a sword.
For I tell you that what has been written
must be completed in me:
“And he was counted with transgressors;”
for the thing about me has an end.
SIMON THE ZEALOT
Lord, look, here are two swords.
JESUS
It is sufficient.
They walk across the ravine of Kidron to the garden called Gethsemane.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Sit here while I go over there to pray.
Jesus takes along Peter and James and John with him. He begins to be sad and anxious.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
My soul is sorrowful till death;
stay here and keep awake with me.
Pray not to enter into temptation.
Jesus goes forward about a stone’s throw away from them and falls upon the ground and prays.
JESUS (v. o.)
Father, all things are possible with you;
if you choose, remove this cup from me;
nevertheless, not what I will,
but let your will be done.
Jesus comes to his disciples and finds them sleeping from the sorrow.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Simon, are you asleep?
Were you not able
to keep awake with me for one hour?
Keep awake; stand up and pray,
lest you enter into temptation;
the spirit is eager, but the flesh is weak.
Jesus goes away again a second time and prays.
JESUS (v. o.)
My Father, if this cannot pass away
unless I drink it,
let your will be done.
Jesus comes again to the disciples and finds them sleeping. They awake with heavy eyes and do not know what to say. Leaving them again, Jesus goes away and prays a third time. An angel from heaven appears to him strengthening him. Being in agony he prays more fervently, and his sweat is like drops of blood falling down upon the ground. Jesus stands up and comes to his disciples.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Sleep the remainder and rest up;
it is enough; the hour has come;
look, the human son is given over
into the hands of sinners.
Rise, let us go;
look, the one giving me over has drawn near.
The disciple Judas Iscariot arrives with the COHORT and the OFFICIALS from the high priests and Pharisees who are carrying torches, lanterns, swords, and clubs. Judas Iscariot tells them the signal.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Whomever I kiss is he;
seize him and lead him away securely.
JESUS
Who are you looking for?
COHORT COMMANDER
Jesus the Nazarene.
JESUS
I am he.
Judas draws near to Jesus.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Judas, do you give over
the human son with a kiss?
JUDAS ISCARIOT
Hello, Rabbi.
Judas kisses Jesus.
JESUS
Comrade, what have you come for?
The cohort of Roman soldiers approaches and seizes Jesus.
JESUS
Who are you looking for?
COHORT COMMANDER
Jesus the Nazarene.
JESUS
I told you that I am he;
therefore if you are looking for me,
allow these to go.
The disciples around him see what is going to happen.
SIMON THE ZEALOT
Lord, shall we strike with a sword?
Simon Peter has a sword, draws it, and strikes the high priest’s servant MALCHUS, cutting off his right ear. Jesus reprimands Peter.
JESUS
No more of this!
Put the sword into the sheath;
for all who take a sword will die by a sword.
Or do you think that
I cannot appeal to my Father,
and he will provide me now
with more than twelve legions of angels?
Then how may the scriptures be fulfilled
that it must happen like this?
The cup which the Father has given to me,
shall I not drink it?
Jesus touches the ear of the servant and cures him. Jesus speaks to the high priests and officers of the temple and elders who have come against him.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
As against a robber have you come out
with swords and clubs to arrest me?
I was with you every day teaching in the temple,
and you did not reach out your hands
against me and seize me;
but this is your hour
and the authority of darkness.
This whole thing has happened so that
the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.
Then all the disciples leave him and flee. A certain YOUTH accompanying him is wearing a tunic. When they seize him, he leaves behind the tunic and flees naked. The cohort binds Jesus and takes him away.
INT. HOUSE OF ANNAS – NIGHT
The cohort takes the bound Jesus before ANNAS, the father-in-law of Caiaphas.
ANNAS
Who are your disciples,
and what is your teaching?
JESUS
I have spoken clearly to the world;
all the time I taught in synagogues
and in the temple,
where all the Jews come together,
and in secret I spoke nothing.
Why are you asking me?
Ask those who have heard
what I have spoken to them;
look, these people know what I said.
An official standing by him gives Jesus a slap.
OFFICIAL
Do you answer the high priest so?
JESUS
If I have spoken wrongly,
testify about the wrong;
but if I have spoken correctly,
why do you hit me?
ANNAS
Send him to Caiaphas;
He is the chief high priest this year.
The cohort leads Jesus away.
EXT. COURTYARD OF THE HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS – NIGHT
The cohort leads Jesus into the house. John confers with the DOORKEEPER to the courtyard, and Peter is allowed into the courtyard. Peter and John warm themselves by the fire as they wait.
INT. HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS – NIGHT
The cohort has brought Jesus before the high priests and the council, and they are arguing among themselves.
FIRST WITNESS
This man said, “I will tear down
this handmade temple of God,
and in three days
I will build another not handmade.“
FIRST COUNCILOR
The testimonies we have heard do not agree.
Therefore some of them must be testifying falsely.
CAIAPHAS
Are you not going to answer anything
of what these are testifying against you?
Jesus is silent.
CAIAPHAS (Cont’d.)
I adjure you by the living God
that you should tell us
if you are the Christ, the son of God.
JESUS
If I tell you, you will not believe;
and if I were to question you,
you would not answer.
But from now on you will see the human son
sitting at the right hand of power
and coming on the clouds of heaven.
CAIAPHAS
Then are you the son of God?
JESUS
You are saying that I am.
Caiaphas rips his robe.
CAIAPHAS
He blasphemed!
What need have we of any more witnesses?
Now you have heard
the blasphemy from his mouth.
What does it look like to you?
SECOND COUNCILOR
We should condemn him.
THIRD COUNCILOR
He is deserving of death.
CAIAPHAS
Take him to Governor Pilate.
Let the Romans put him to death.
The soldiers remove Jesus from the council and abuse him by spitting in his face and beating him. One officer covers his face and slaps him.
MOCKING OFFICER
Prophesy to us, Christ;
who is the one who struck you?
EXT. COURTYARD OF THE HOUSE OF CAIAPHAS – NIGHT
The servants and attendants are also standing by the fire warming themselves. The doorkeeper sees Peter sitting by the fire-light and stares at him.
DOORKEEPER
Are you not also one of the disciples
of the Nazarene Jesus?
PETER
I don’t know nor understand
what you mean, woman.
Peter goes outside into the forecourt, and after a short while a MAN WAITING sees him and speaks to those standing by.
MAN WAITING
This one is one of them.
PETER
Man, I am not.
The cohort brings Jesus out of the house. A SERVANT OF THE HIGH PRIEST has been looking at Peter and questions him.
SERVANT OF THE HIGH PRIEST
Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?
Upon the truth you are also one of them,
for you are also a Galilean;
even your speech makes it clear.
PETER
I swear I don’t know this person you mean.
A cock crows, and Jesus looks at Peter, who remembers what Jesus told him. Peter goes out of the courtyard and weeps bitterly. The cohort takes Jesus away. Judas Iscariot, seeing that Jesus is condemned, regrets what he did, and tries to return the thirty silver coins to the high priests and elders.
JUDAS ISCARIOT
I sinned giving over innocent blood.
THIRD COUNCILOR
What is that to us? You see to it.
EXT. TEMPLE IN JERUSALEM – BEFORE DAWN
Judas Iscariot throws the silver coins into the temple and goes away. Two TEMPLE PRIESTS pick up the silver coins.
FIRST TEMPLE PRIEST
It is not permitted to put this into the treasury,
since it is the price of blood.
SECOND TEMPLE PRIEST
Why don’t we buy the potter’s field
for the burial of foreigners?
FIRST TEMPLE PRIEST
That is a good plan.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAWN
The high priests and the cohort have led Jesus to the praetorium, but the Jews refuse to go inside. A HIGH PRIEST OFFICIAL speaks to the ROMAN GUARD.
HIGH PRIEST OFFICIAL
If we enter the praetorium,
we will be defiled and may not eat the Passover.
Please ask Governor Pilate to come outside.
PILATE comes outside to them.
PILATE
What accusation are you bringing
against this person?
FIRST COUNCILOR
If he were not doing evil,
we would not have given him over to you.
SECOND COUNCILOR
We found this one perverting our nation
and forbidding us to pay taxes to Caesar,
and saying that he himself is Christ a king.
PILATE
You take him,
and judge him according to your law.
THIRD COUNCILOR
It is not permitted for us to kill anyone.
Pilate goes back into the praetorium.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAWN
Pilate is sitting on his throne and has called Jesus before him.
PILATE
Are you the king of the Jews?
JESUS
You say it.
Do you say this from yourself,
or did others tell you about me?
PILATE
Am I a Jew?
Your nation and the high priests
gave you over to me;
what did you do?
JESUS
My sovereignty is not of this world;
if my sovereignty were of this world,
my attendants would have fought,
so that I might not be given over to the Jews;
but now my sovereignty is not from here.
PILATE
So are you a king?
JESUS
You say that I am a king.
I have been born for this
and for this I have come into the world,
so that I might testify to the truth;
everyone who is of the truth hears my voice.
PILATE
What is truth?
Pilate goes out again to the Jews.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAWN
Pilate comes out to the Jews, and the Roman soldiers bring Jesus outside.
PILATE
I find no guilt in this person.
THIRD COUNCILOR
He stirs up the people,
teaching throughout all Judea,
beginning from Galilee even up to here.
Then Pilate questions Jesus again.
PILATE
Are you not answering anything?
Don’t you hear how many things
they are testifying against you?
Jesus does not answer him. Pilate is perplexed and turns to the Jews.
PILATE (Cont’d.)
Is this person a Galilean?
THIRD COUNCILOR
Yes, he is from Galilee.
PILATE
Then he is under the authority of Herod.
Take him to Tetrarch Herod Antipas.
I hear he is visiting Jerusalem during these days.
INT. HOUSE OF HEROD ANTIPAS IN JERUSALEM – MORNING
Herod Antipas is glad to see Jesus.
HEROD ANTIPAS
Jesus, you seem to be in some trouble.
How about performing a miracle for us?
Jesus does not answer Herod at all.
THIRD COUNCILOR
He is guilty of blasphemy
and deserves to be executed.
HEROD ANTIPAS
Speak to us, Jesus.
Don’t you have anything to say for yourself?
Jesus remains silent.
HEROD ANTIPAS (Cont’d.)
I hear you claim to be a king.
Take off his clothes
and dress him in bright garments.
I wonder what we could use for a crown.
The soldiers remove his robe and wrap Jesus in a red cloth. They also abuse him with slaps and rough treatment.
HEROD ANTIPAS (Cont’d.)
This is useless. Take him back to Pilate.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
Pilate has called together the high priests and the rulers of the people.
PILATE
You brought me this person
as one alienating the people,
and look, I having examined him before you
found nothing in this person guilty
of what you accuse against him.
Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us.
Look, nothing has been done by him
that is worthy of death;
therefore disciplining him I will release him.
It is your custom
that I should release one to you at the Passover;
therefore will you choose
that I may release to you the rebel Barabbas
or Jesus the one called Christ,
the king of the Jews?
While they are deciding, an official brings a message to Pilate.
PILATE’S OFFICIAL
I have a message from your wife who says
“Have nothing to do with that just person,
for I suffered many things today
in a dream because of him.”
PILATE
Which of the two
do you want me to release to you?
LOUD JEW
Take this one, and release to us Barabbas.
PILATE
Then what should I do with Jesus called Christ
whom you call king of the Jews?
JEWS
Crucify him!
PILATE
Whip him. Maybe that will satisfy them.
Pilate goes back inside, and the soldiers take Jesus inside.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
The soldiers whip Jesus and put a crown woven out of thorns on his head. They dress him in a purple robe, slap him, and mock him.
FIRST ROMAN SOLDIER
Hail, king of the Jews.
Pilate goes outside again to show them Jesus.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
Pilate comes out.
PILATE
Look, I am bringing him out to you,
so that you may know
that I find no guilt in him.
The soldiers bring Jesus outside wearing the thorn crown and the purple robe.
PILATE (Cont’d.)
Look, the person.
The high priests get the crowd to chant for death.
CROWD
Crucify, crucify!
PILATE
Then what evil has this one done?
I found nothing deserving of death in him;
therefore having disciplined him, I will release him.
CROWD
Crucify him!
PILATE
You take him and crucify him,
for I find no guilt in him.
THIRD COUNCILOR
We have a law,
and according to the law he ought to die;
for he made himself son of God.
Pilate goes back into the praetorium, and Jesus is taken inside too.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
Pilate questions Jesus again.
PILATE
Where are you from?
Jesus does not answer.
PILATE (Cont’d.)
Aren’t you speaking to me?
Don’t you know that
I have authority to release you
and I have authority to crucify you?
JESUS
You do not have any authority against me
unless it has been given to you from above;
for this reason the one who gave me over to you
has a greater sin.
Pilate goes outside again.
EXT. OUTSIDE THE ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
Pilate speaks to the crowd.
PILATE
I am going to release Jesus.
THIRD COUNCILOR
If you release this one,
you are not a friend of Caesar;
everyone who makes oneself king
speaks against Caesar.
Pilate goes in and has Jesus brought outside. Pilate sits on the judicial bench
called Stone Pavement.
PILATE
Look, your king.
CROWD
Take him.
Take him.
Crucify him!
PILATE
Shall I crucify your king?
LOYAL HIGH PRIEST
We have no king except Caesar.
The angry people in the crowd keep yelling with loud voices, and their voices prevail. Pilate realizes that an uproar is occurring. So he takes water and washes his hands in front of the crowd.
PILATE
I am innocent of this blood; you see to it.
THIRD COUNCILOR
His blood be on us and on our children.
Pilate goes back inside, and Jesus is taken inside too.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
Pilate issues his order to an officer.
PILATE
Release the murderer Barabbas
who was captured during the rebellion.
Jesus is to be whipped and then crucified.
The soldiers of the governor call together the cohort and gather around Jesus.
Having dressed him in purple with the thorn crown on him, they put a reed in his right hand, and kneeling they worship him.
SOLDIERS
Hail, king of the Jews!
They spit on Jesus and take the reed to beat his head. After mocking him they take the purple off him and dress him in his clothes.
EXT. STREETS OF JERUSALEM – DAY
The soldiers lead Jesus away to be crucified. After a while he has difficulty carrying the cross, and the soldiers enlist SIMON THE CYRENIAN to carry it behind Jesus. A large number of people follow him, and women mourn and lament.
JESUS
Daughters of Jerusalem,
do not weep for me;
but weep for yourselves and for your children,
for days come on which they will say,
“Blessed are the barren,
and the wombs that have not borne,
and breasts that have not nursed!”
Then they will begin to say
to the mountains, “Fall on us,”
and to the hills, “Cover us;”
for if they do these things
when the wood is green,
what will happen when it is dry?
EXT. MOUNT GOLGOTHA – DAY
Jesus and TWO CRIMINALS are nailed to crosses that are erected with Jesus in the center. A sign with the inscription “KING OF THE JEWS” is nailed to the cross of Jesus.
JESUS
Father, forgive them;
for they do not know what they are doing.
OUTSPOKEN HIGH PRIEST
Do not write, “King of the Jews,”
but that that one said, “I am king of the Jews.“
ROMAN SOLDIER
This is what Pilate ordered written.
The four soldiers take the clothes of Jesus and make four parts, one for each. They see that the tunic is seamless.
SECOND SOLDIER
Let us not split it,
but decide about it by lot whose it shall be.
So they throw lots for his robe. After a while the soldiers give to each of the three myrrh-flavored wine mixed with gall to drink; but after Jesus tastes it, he does not drink it. People stand watching.
REVILING PERSON
Ah, the one tearing down the temple
and building it in three days!
Save yourself, if you are the son of God,
and come down from the cross.
MOCKING HIGH PRIEST
He saved others, but he cannot save himself;
let the Christ, the king of Israel,
come down now from the cross,
so that we may see and believe in him.
He has trusted in God;
let him rescue him now if he wants him;
for he said, “I am God’s son.“
THIRD SOLDIER
If you are the king of the Jews, save yourself.
FIRST CRIMINAL
Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.
SECOND CRIMINAL
Do you not fear God,
for you are under the same verdict?
And we justly, for we did things deserving
of what we are receiving back;
but this one did nothing out of place.
Jesus, remember me
when you come into your kingdom.
JESUS
Amen, I tell you,
today you will be with me in paradise.
Standing near the cross are the mother of Jesus, the WIFE OF CLOPAS, and MARY MAGDALENE. Jesus sees his mother and the disciple John standing by her, and he speaks to them.
JESUS
Woman, look, your son.
Look, your mother.
John puts his arm around the mother of Jesus. The sun is eclipsed.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Eli, Eli lama sabachthani.
COMMENTATOR
He is calling Elijah.
INTERPRETER
No, he is quoting the Hebrew scripture,
It is the first line of the 22nd Psalm.
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
JESUS
I thirst.
A HELPFUL PERSON sees a jar full of vinegar, fills a sponge with vinegar, puts it around a hyssop reed, and gives it to Jesus to drink.
COMMENTATOR
Let go;
let us see if Elijah comes to save him.
Jesus takes the vinegar.
JESUS
It is completed,
Father, into your hands I entrust my spirit.
Jesus bows his head and expires. An earthquake occurs. The GOLGOTHA CENTURION keeping watch on Jesus is amazed.
GOLGOTHA CENTURION
Truly this person was the son of God.
The crowd sees that Jesus died and begins to leave. The soldiers break the legs of the two criminals; but seeing that Jesus is already dead, they do not break his legs. However, a soldier pierces his side with a spear.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA has an audience before Pilate.
JOSEPH OF ARIMATHEA
Your eminence, I humbly request that
I may put the body of Jesus in a tomb.
PILATE
Has he died already?
Centurion, is this true? Is Jesus dead?
GOLGOTHA CENTURION
Yes, Governor, Jesus died first.
We broke the legs of the others so that
they would not be on crosses on the Sabbath.
PILATE
All right. You may have the body of Jesus.
EXT. MOUNT GOLGOTHA – DAY
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus take down the body of Jesus and wrap it in clean linen. Nicodemus has a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes. They carry the body to a nearby garden and place it in a tomb that has been hewn in the rock. The two men roll a large stone to the door of the tomb. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Jesus, have followed them and watch them place the body in the tomb.
INT. ROMAN PRAETORIUM – DAY
High priests and Pharisees have assembled before Pilate.
HIGH PRIEST SPOKESMAN
Lord, we were reminded that
that deceiver said while living,
“After three days I rise.”
Therefore command the grave to be secured
until the third day,
lest the disciples come and steal him
and say to the people,
“He was raised from the dead,”
and the last deception will be worse than the first.
PILATE
Take a guard;
go secure it as you know how.
EXT. BY THE TOMB NEAR GOLGOTHA – DAWN
As the sun is rising, Mary Magdalene, Mary (mother of Jesus), and Salome Zebedee come to the tomb with spices they have prepared.
MARY MAGDALENE
Who will roll the stone away
from the door of the tomb for us?
Arriving at the tomb, they see that the large stone has been rolled back. They enter the tomb but do not find the body of Jesus. Looking around in confusion, they see an ANGELIC YOUTH who is dressed in a gleaming white robe. The GUARDS keeping watch are asleep. The women become frightened and bow their faces to the ground.
ANGELIC YOUTH
Do not be alarmed;
for I know that you are looking for Jesus
the crucified Nazarene.
But why are you looking
for the living with the dead?
He is not here, for he was raised just as he said;
look at the place where they laid him.
But go tell his disciples and Peter
that he was raised from the dead,
and that he is leading you into Galilee;
there you will see him.
Remember how he spoke to you
while he was still in Galilee,
saying, “The human son must be given over
into the hands of sinful people
and be crucified and on the third day rise up.”
Look, I have told you.
They flee from the tomb, trembling and bewildered.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – EARLY MORNING
Mary Magdalene, Mary (mother of Jesus), and JOANNA find the disciples Peter and John.
MARY MAGDALENE
They took the Lord out of the tomb,
and we don’t know where they put him.
Peter and John hurry together to go to the tomb.
EXT. BY THE TOMB NEAR GOLGOTHA – EARLY MORNING
John comes to the tomb before Peter and sees the bandages lying there, but he does not go in. Peter arrives, sees the bandages, and goes into the tomb where he finds the handkerchief, which had been on his head, folded up separately in one place. Then John enters the tomb. The two disciples go away. Mary Magdalene comes back and stands outside the tomb weeping. She bends over into the tomb and she sees TWO ANGELS in white sitting, one at the head and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
FIRST ANGEL
Woman, why are you weeping?
MARY MAGDALENE
They took my Lord,
and I don’t know where they put him.
Mary Magdalene turns around and she sees Jesus standing there, but she does not recognize him.
JESUS
Woman, why are you weeping?
Who are you looking for?
MARY MAGDALENE
Lord, if you carried him away,
tell me where you put him, and I will take him.
JESUS
Hello, Mary.
MARY MAGDALENE
Rabboni.
She touches his feet and worships him.
JESUS
Do not be afraid;
do not hold on to me,
for I have not yet ascended to the Father.
But go report to my brothers
so that they may go away to Galilee,
and there they will see me; tell them:
I am ascending to my Father and your Father
and my God and your God.
EXT. ON THE MOUNT OF OLIVES – MORNING
Mary Magdalene finds the disciples mourning and weeping.
MARY MAGDALENE
I have seen the Lord.
PETER
We went to the tomb.
He is not there.
INT. HOUSE IN JERUSALEM – MORNING
High priests and elders have gathered to respond to a report by the guards about the tomb.
AUTHORITATIVE HIGH PRIEST
So we have decided to give silver
to the soldiers who were guarding the tomb.
Say: “His disciples coming at night
stole him while we were sleeping.”
If this is heard by the Governor,
we will persuade him and
keep you out of trouble.
The guards are given silver coins and agree.
EXT. ON THE ROAD TO EMMAUS – DAY
CLEOPAS and his COMPANION are traveling from Jerusalem to Emmaus and are conversing. Jesus joins them on the road, but they do not recognize him.
JESUS
What are these accounts you are exchanging
with each other while walking?
They stop and are depressed.
CLEOPAS
Are you only a stranger in Jerusalem
and are you not aware of the things
happening in it on these days?
JESUS
What things?
CLEOPAS
About Jesus the Nazarene,
who was a powerful prophet in deed and word
before God and all the people,
how both the high priests and our rulers
gave him over to the verdict of death
and crucified him.
But we were hoping that he was the one
who was going to redeem Israel;
moreover with all these things
this is the third day since this happened.
But also some of our women astounded us,
having been at the tomb early in the morning,
and not finding his body they came saying also
they had seen a vision of angels,
who said that he was alive.
Some of those with us went away to the tomb,
and found it just as the women had said,
but him they did not see.
JESUS
O unintelligent and slow of heart
to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
Did not the Christ have to suffer these things
and enter his glory?
They resume walking as Jesus explains to them how the scriptures were fulfilled. They come near Emmaus, and Jesus makes as though he were traveling farther.
CLEOPAS
Stay with us; for it is nearly evening,
and the day has already faded.
Jesus goes in to stay with them.
INT. HOUSE IN EMMAUS – DAY
Jesus sits down with Cleopas and his companion. Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, breaks it, and gives it to them. Suddenly they realize that he is Jesus, and he disappears.
COMPANION
Were not our hearts burning within us,
as he spoke to us on the way,
as he opened the scriptures to us?
INT. IN THE UPPER ROOM – EVENING
The disciples are dining and talking when Jesus appears and stands in the middle.
JESUS
Peace to you.
They are frightened because they think they are seeing a spirit.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Why are you troubled,
and why are doubts coming up in your hearts?
See my hands and my feet, for I am myself;
touch me and see,
for a spirit does not have flesh and bones
as you see me having.
He shows them his hands and his side. They are still disbelieving from joy and wondering.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Do you have any food here?
James hands him part of a broiled fish; and taking it he eats it in front of them. The disciples are glad to see him.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
I told you to believe in me.
Why do you doubt?
Peace to you;
as the Father has sent me, I also send you.
Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whosever sins you forgive, they are forgiven them;
whosever sins you retain, they have been retained.
INT. IN THE UPPER ROOM – DAY
Thomas was not with them when Jesus came, and the others tell him what happened.
PETER
We have seen the Lord.
THOMAS
Unless I see the mark of the nails on his hands
and put my finger into the place of the nails
and put my hand into his side,
I will not believe it.
Super: Eight days later
Again Thomas is with the disciples inside the locked room. Jesus appears and stands in the middle.
JESUS
Peace to you.
Jesus speaks to Thomas.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Bring your finger here and see my hands,
and bring your hand and put it into my side,
and do not be faithless but faithful.
THOMAS
My Lord and my God.
JESUS
Because you have seen me, have you believed?
Blessed are those not seeing yet believing.
EXT. BY THE SEA OF TIBERIAS – NIGHT
Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples are together.
PETER
I am going fishing.
JOHN
We are also going with you.
They go and embark in the boat.
EXT. BY THE SEA OF TIBERIAS – EARLY MORNING
The disciples have caught nothing all night. Jesus is standing on the shore;
but the disciples do not recognize that it is Jesus.
JESUS
Children, do you have any fish?
PETER
No.
JESUS
Cast the net on the right side of the boat,
and you will find some.
So they cast the net there, and they are not able to haul it in because of the quantity of fish. John speaks to Peter.
JOHN
It is the Lord.
Peter, hearing this, ties a coat around him, throws himself into the sea, and swims to shore. The other disciples come in the boat, dragging the net full of fish. When they get out on the land, they see a charcoal fire laid with a cooked fish lying on it and bread.
JESUS
Bring some of the fish
that you have just caught.
Peter goes up to the boat and drags the net on to the land full of a hundred fifty-three big fish; yet the net is not torn.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Come have breakfast.
Jesus takes the bread and gives it to them along with the fish. They eat breakfast.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Simon, son of John,
do you love me more than these?
PETER
Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
JESUS
Feed my lambs.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
PETER
Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.
JESUS
Be shepherd of my sheep.
Simon, son of John, do you love me?
Simon is sad that he asked him a third time.
PETER
Lord, you know everything;
you know that I love you.
JESUS
Feed my sheep.
Amen, amen, I tell you,
when you were younger, you dressed yourself
and walked where you wished;
but when you grow old,
you will reach out your hands,
and another will dress you
and carry you where you do not wish.
Jesus speaks to John.
JESUS (Cont’d.)
Follow me.
Peter turns and sees John following Jesus.
PETER
Lord, what about him?
JESUS
If I wish him to stay until I come,
what is that to you?
You follow me.
EXT. ON A MOUNTAIN IN GALILEE – DAY
The eleven disciples see Jesus approaching them.
JESUS
These are my words
which I spoke to you while I was still with you,
that everything written in the law of Moses
and the prophets and psalms
about me must be fulfilled.
Thus it was written for the Christ to suffer
and rise up from the dead on the third day,
and to be preached in his name
repentance for the forgiveness of sins
to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.
You are witnesses of these things.
Look, I am sending out
the promise of my Father upon you;
but sit in the city
until you are dressed with power from on high.
All authority in heaven and on earth
has been given to me.
Therefore traveling into all the world
preach the good message to all creation
and make disciples of all the nations,
baptizing them in the name of the Father
and the son and the Holy Spirit,
teaching them to observe all
that I have commanded you.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved,
but whoever disbelieves will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those believing:
in my name they will expel demons,
speak in new languages, pick up snakes,
and if they drink anything deadly
it will not harm them;
they will put their hands upon the sick,
and they will get well.
Look, I am with you all the days
until the completion of eternity.
Jesus leads them, and they follow. He stops, turns around, lifts his hands, and blesses them. Then he disappears, and the disciples continue their journey.
—end of Part 2—