Arvo Pärt

Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi secundum Joannem

Text and Translation

Arvo Pärt Arvo Pärt

Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
secundum Joannem according to St John

••• •••

John 18: 1-40 John 18: 1-40

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Passio Domini nostri Jesu Christi The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ
secundum Joannem. according to St John.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Haec cum dixisset Jesus, egressus est When Jesus had spoken these words, he
cum discipulis suis trans torrentem went forth with his disciples over the
Cedron, ubi erat hortus, in quem introivit brook Cedron, where was a garden, into
ipse et discipuli ejus. Sciebat autem et the which he entered, and his disciples.
Judas, qui tradebat eum, locum, quia And Judas also, which betrayed him,
frequenter Jesus convenerat illuc cum knew the place: for Jesus ofttimes
discipulis suis. Judas ergo cum resorted thither with his disciples. Judas
accepisset cohortem et a pontificibus et then, having received a band of men and
pharisaeis ministros, venit illuc cum officers from the chief priests and
lanternis et facibus et armis. Jesus Pharisees, cometh thither with lanterns
itaque sciens omnia, quae ventura erant and torches and weapons. Jesus
super eum, processit et dixit eis: therefore, knowing all things that should
come upon him, went forth, and said
unto them:

JESUS: JESUS:
Quem quaeritis? Whom seek ye?
EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Responderunt ei: They answered him:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Jesum Nazarenum. Jesus of Nazareth.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit eis Jesus: Jesus saith unto them:

JESUS: JESUS:
Ego sum. I am he.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Stabat autem et Judas, qui tradebat And Judas also, which betrayed him,
eum, cum ipsis. Ut ergo dixit eis: Ego stood with them. As soon then as he had
sum, abierunt retrorsum et ceciderunt in said unto them, I am he, they went
terram. Iterum ergo interrogavit eos: backward, and fell to the ground. Then
asked he them again:

JESUS: JESUS:
Quem quaeritis? Whom seek ye?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Illi autem dixerunt: And they said:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Jesum Nazarenum. Jesus of Nazareth.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Jesus: Jesus answered:

JESUS: JESUS:
Dixi vobis, quia ego sum: Si ergo me I have told you that I am he: if therefore
quaeritis, sinite hos abire. ye seek me, let these go their way:

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Ut impleretur sermo, quem dixit: Quia That the saying might be fulfilled, which
quos dedisti mihi, non perdidi ex eis he spake: Of them which thou gavest me
quemquam. Simon ergo Petrus, habens have I lost none. Then Simon Peter
gladium, eduxit eum et percussit having a sword drew it, and smote the
pontificis servum et abscidit auriculam high priest’s servant, and cut off his right
ejus dexteram. Erat autem nomen servo ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.
Malchus. Dixit ergo Jesus Petro: Then said Jesus unto Peter:

JESUS: JESUS:
Mitte gladium tuum in vaginam. Calicem, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the
quem dedit mihi Pater, non bibam illum?
 cup which my Father hath given me,
shall I not drink it?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Cohors ergo et tribunus et ministri Then the band and the captain and
Judaeorum comprehenderunt Jesum et officers of the Jews took Jesus, and
ligaverunt eum et adduxerunt eum ad bound him, and led him away to Annas
Annam primum; erat enim socer first; for he was father in law to
Caiphae, qui erat pontifex anni illius. Erat Caiaphas, which was the high priest that
autem Caiphas, qui consilium dederat same year. Now Caiaphas was he, which
Judaeis: Quia expedit, unum hominem gave counsel to the Jews, that it was
mori pro populo. Sequebatur autem expedient that one man should die for
Jesum Simon Petrus, et alius discipulus. the people. And Simon Peter followed
Discipulus autem ille erat notus pontifici Jesus, and so did another disciple: that
et introivit cum Jesu in atrium pontificis. disciple was known unto the high priest,
Petrus autem stabat ad ostium foris. and went in with Jesus into the palace of
Exivit ergo discipulus alius, qui erat the high priest. But Peter stood at the
notus pontifici, et dixit ostiariae et door without. Then went out that other
introduxit Petrum. Dixit ergo Petro disciple, which was known unto the high
ancilla ostiaria: priest, and spake unto her that kept the
door, and brought in Peter. Then saith
the damsel that kept the door unto Peter:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Numquid et tu ex discipulis es hominis Art not thou also one of this man’s
istius? disciples?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit ille: He saith:

PETRUS: PETER:
Non sum. I am not.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Stabant autem servi, et ministri ad And the servants and officers stood
prunas, quia frigus erat, et caleficiebant there, who had made a fire of coals; for it
se; erat autem cum eis et Petrus stans et was cold: and they warmed themselves:
calefaciens se. Pontifex ergo interrogavit and Peter stood with them, and warmed
Jesum de discipulis suis, et de doctrina himself. The high priest then asked
ejus. Respondit ei Jesus: Jesus of his disciples, and of his
doctrine. Jesus answered him:

JESUS: JESUS:
Ego palam locutus sum mundo; ego I spake openly to the world; I ever taught
semper docui in synagoga et in templo, in the synagogue, and in the temple,
quo omnes Judaei conveniunt, et in whither the Jews always resort; and in
occulto locutus sum nihil. Quid me secret have I said nothing. Why askest
interrogas? Interroga eos, qui audierunt thou me? Ask them which heard me,
quid locutus sum ipsis; ecce hi sciunt what I have said unto them: behold, they
quae dixerim ego. know what I said.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Haec autem cum dixisset, unus And when he had thus spoken, one of
assistens ministrorum dedit alapam the officers which stood by struck Jesus
Jesu, dicens: with the palm of his hand, saying:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Sic respondes pontifici? Answerest thou the high priest so?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit ei Jesus: Jesus answered him:

JESUS: JESUS:
Si male locutus sum, testimonium If I have spoken evil, bear witness of the
perhibe de malo; si autem bene, quid me evil: but if well, why smitest thou me?
caedis?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et misit eum Annas ligatum ad Caipham Now Annas had sent him bound unto
pontificem. Erat autem Simon Petrus Caiaphas the high priest. And Simon
stans et calefaciens se. Dixerunt ergo ei: Peter stood and warmed himself. They
said therefore unto him,

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Numquid et tu ex discipulis ejus es? Art not thou also one of his disciples?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Negavit ille, et dixit: He denied it, and said:

PETRUS: PETER:
Non sum. I am not.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit ei unus ex servis pontificis, One of the servants of the high priest,
cognatus ejus, cujus abscidit Petrus being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut
auriculam: off, saith:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Nonne ego te vidi in horto cum illo? Did not I see thee in the garden with
him?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Iterum ergo negavit Petrus; et statim Peter then denied again: and
gallus cantavit. Adducunt ergo Jesum a immediately the cock crew. Then led
Caipha in praetorium. Erat autem mane they Jesus from Caiaphas unto the hall
et ipsi non introierunt in praetorium, ut of judgment: and it was early; and they
non contaminarentur, sed manducarent themselves went not into the judgment
Pascha. Exivit ergo Pilatus ad eos foras, hall, lest they should be defiled; but that
et dixit: they might eat the passover. Pilate then
went out unto them, and said:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Quam accusationem affertis adversus What accusation bring ye against this
hominem hunc? man?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Responderunt et dixerunt ei: They answered and said unto him:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Si non esset hic malefactor, non tibi If he were not a malefactor, we would
tradidissemus eum. not have delivered him up unto thee.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dixit ergo eis Pilatus: Then said Pilate unto them:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Accipite eum vos et secundum legem Take ye him, and judge him according to
vestram judicate eum! your law.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dixerunt ergo ei Judaei: The Jews therefore said unto him:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Nobis non licet interficere quemquam. It is not lawful for us to put any man to
death:

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Ut sermo Jesu impleretur, quem dixit, That the saying of Jesus might be
significans qua morte esset moriturus. fulfilled, which he spake, signifying what
Introivit ergo iterum in praetorium death he should die. Then Pilate entered
Pilatus et vocavit Jesum et dixit ei: into the judgment hall again, and called
Jesus, and said unto him:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Tu es rex Judaeorum? Art thou the King of the Jews?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Jesus: Jesus answered him:
JESUS: JESUS:
A temetipso hoc dicis, an alii dixerunt tibi Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did
de me? others tell it thee of me?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Pilatus: Pilate answered:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Numquid ego Judaeus sum? Gens tua et Am I a Jew? Thine own nation and the
pontifices tradiderunt te mihi; quid chief priests have delivered thee unto
fecisti? me: what hast thou done?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Jesus: Jesus answered:

JESUS: JESUS:
Regnum meum non est de hoc mundo. My kingdom is not of this world: if my
Si ex hoc mundo esset regnum meum, kingdom were of this world, then would
ministri mei utique decertarent ut non my servants fight, that I should not be
traderer Judaeis; nunc autem regnum delivered to the Jews: but now is my
meum non est hinc. kingdom not from hence.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dixit itaque ei Pilatus: Pilate therefore said unto him:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Ergo rex es tu? Art thou a king then?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Jesus: Jesus answered:

JESUS: JESUS:
Tu dicis quia rex sum ego. Ego in hoc Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end
natus sum et ad hoc veni in mundum, ut was I born, and for this cause came I into
testimonium perhibeam veritati; omnis, the world, that I should bear witness
qui est ex veritate, audit vocem meam. unto the truth. Every one that is of the
truth heareth my voice.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit ei Pilatus: Pilate saith unto him:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Quid est veritas? What is truth?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et cum hoc dixisset, iterum exivit ad And when he had said this, he went out
Judaeos, et dicit eis: again unto the Jews, and saith unto
them:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Ego nullam invenio in eo causam. Est I find in him no fault at all. But ye have a
autem consuetudo vobis, ut unum custom, that I should release unto you
dimittam vobis in Pascha; vultis ergo one at the passover: will ye therefore
dimittam vobis regem Judaeorum? that I release unto you the King of the
Jews?
EVANGELISTA:
Clamaverunt ergo rursum omnes, EVANGELIST:
dicentes: Then cried they all again, saying:

CHORUS:
Non hunc, sed Barabbam. CHORUS:
Not this man, but Barabbas.
EVANGELISTA:
Erat autem Barabbas latro. EVANGELIST:
Now Barabbas was a robber.

John 19: 1-42 John 19: 1-42

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Tunc ergo apprehendit Pilatus Jesum et Then Pilate therefore took Jesus, and
flagellavit. Et milites plectentes coronam scourged him. And the soldiers platted a
de spinis, imposuerunt capiti ejus et crown of thorns, and put it on his head,
veste purpurea circumdederunt eum. Et and they put on him a purple robe. And
veniebant ad eum, et dicebant: said:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Ave, rex Judaeorum! Hail, King of the Jews!

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et dabant ei alapas. Exivit ergo iterum And they smote him with their hands.
Pilatus foras et dicit eis: Pilate therefore went forth again, and
saith unto them:
PILATUS:
Ecce adduco vobis eum foras, ut PILATE:
cognoscatis quia nullam invenio in eo Behold, I bring him forth to you, that ye
causam. may know that I find no fault in him.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Exivit ergo Jesus, portans coronam Then came Jesus forth, wearing the
spineam et purpureum vestimentum. Et crown of thorns, and the purple robe.
dicit eis: And Pilate saith unto them:
PILATUS: PILATE:
Ecce homo! Behold the man!

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Cum ergo vidissent eum Pontifices et When the chief priests therefore and
ministri, clamabant dicentes: officers saw him, they cried out, saying:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Crucifige, crucifige eum! Crucify him, crucify him.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit eis Pilatus: Pilate saith unto them:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Accipite eum vos et crucifigite; ego enim Take ye him, and crucify him: for I find
non invenio in eo causam. no fault in him.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Responderunt ei Judaei: The Jews answered him:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Nos legem habemus, et secundum We have a law, and by our law he ought
legem debet mori, quia Filium Dei se to die, because he made himself the Son
fecit. of God.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Cum ergo audisset Pilatus hunc When Pilate therefore heard that saying,
sermonem, magis timuit. Et ingressus he was the more afraid. And went again
est praetorium iterum et dixit ad Jesum: into the judgment hall, and saith unto
Jesus:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Unde es tu? Whence art thou?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Jesus autem responsum non dedit ei. But Jesus gave him no answer. Then
Dicit ergo ei Pilatus: saith Pilate unto him:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Mihi non loqueris? Nescis quia Speakest thou not unto me? Knowest
potestatem habeo crucifigere te et thou not that I have power to crucify
potestatem habeo dimittere te? thee, and have power to release thee?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Jesus: Jesus answered:

JESUS: JESUS:
Non haberes potestatem adversum me Thou couldest have no power at all
ullam, nisi tibi datum esset desuper. against me, except it were given thee
Propterea, qui me tradidit tibi, majus from above: therefore he that hath
peccatum habet. delivered me unto thee hath the greater
sin.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et exinde quaerebat Pilatus dimittere And from thenceforth Pilate sought to
eum. Judaei autem clamabant dicentes: release him: but the Jews cried out,
saying:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Si hunc dimittis, non es amicus Caesaris. If thou let this man go, thou art not
Omnis enim, qui se regem facit, Caesar’s friend: whosoever maketh
contradicit Caesari. himself a king speaketh against Caesar.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Pilatus autem, cum audisset hos When Pilate therefore heard that saying,
sermones, adduxit foras Jesum et sedit he brought Jesus forth, and sat down in
pro tribunali, in loco, qui dicitur the judgment seat in a place that is
Lithostrotos, Hebraice autem Gabbatha. called the Pavement, but in the Hebrew,
Erat autem Parasceve Paschae, hora Gabbatha. And it was the preparation of
quasi sexta et dicit Judaeis: the passover, and about the sixth hour:
and he saith unto the Jews:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Ecce rex vester. Behold your King!

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Illi autem clamabant: But they cried out:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Tolle, tolle, crucifige eum! Away with him, away with him, crucify
him.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Dicit eis Pilatus: Pilate saith unto them:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Regem vestrum crucifigam? Shall I crucify your King?

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Responderunt Pontifices: The chief priests answered:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Non habemus regem, nisi Caesarem. We have no king but Caesar.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Tunc ergo tradidit eis illum, ut Then delivered he him therefore unto
crucifigeretur. Susceperunt autem them to be crucified. And they took
Jesum et eduxerunt. Et bajulans sibi Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing
crucem exivit in eum, qui dicitur his cross went forth into a place called
Calvariae locum, Hebraice autem the place of a skull, which is called in the
Golgotha; ubi crucifixerunt eum, et cum Hebrew Golgotha: where they crucified
eo alios duos hinc et hinc medium him, and two other with him, on either
autem Jesum. Scripsit autem et titulum side one, and Jesus in the midst. And
Pilatus et posuit super crucem. Erat Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the
autem scriptum: Jesus Nazarenus Rex cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF
Judaeorum. Hunc ergo titulum multi NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
Judaeorum legerunt, quia prope This title then read many of the Jews: for
civitatem erat locus, ubi crucifixus est the place where Jesus was crucified was
Jesus. Et erat scriptum Hebraice, nigh to the city: and it was written in
Graece, et Latine. Dicebant ergo Pilato Hebrew, and Greek, and Latin. Then said
pontifices Judaeorum: the chief priests of the Jews to Pilate:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Noli scribere, Rex Judaeorum, sed quia Write not, The King of the Jews; but that
ipse dixit: Rex sum Judaeorum. he said, I am King of the Jews.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Respondit Pilatus: Pilate answered:

PILATUS: PILATE:
Quod scripsi, scripsi. What I have written I have written.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Milites ergo cum crucifixissent eum, Then the soldiers, when they had
acceperunt vestimenta ejus, et fecerunt crucified Jesus, took his garments, and
quattuor partes, unicuique militi partem, made four parts, to every soldier a part;
et tunicam. Erat autem tunica and also his coat: now the coat was
inconsutilis, desuper contexta per totum. without seam, woven from the top
Dixerunt ergo ad invicem: throughout. They said therefore among
themselves:

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Non scindamus eam, sed sortiamur de Let us not rend it, but cast lots for it,
illa cujus sit. whose it shall be:

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Ut Scriptura impleretur, dicens: Partiti That the scripture might be fulfilled,
sunt vestimenta mea sibi et in vestem which saith: They parted my raiment
meam miserunt sortem. Et milites among them, and for my vesture they did
quidem haec fecerunt. Stabant autem cast lots. These things therefore the
juxta crucem Jesu mater ejus, et soror soldiers did. Now there stood by the
matris ejus, Maria Cleopae, et Maria cross of Jesus his mother, and his
Magdalene. Cum vidisset ergo Jesus mother’s sister, Mary the wife of
matrem, et discipulum stantem, quem Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene. When
diligebat, dicit matri suae: Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the
disciple standing by, whom he loved, he
saith unto his mother:

JESUS: JESUS:
Mulier, ecce filius tuus. Woman, behold thy son!

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Deinde dicit discipulo: Then saith he to the disciple.

JESUS: JESUS:
Ecce mater tua. Behold thy mother!

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et ex illa hora accepit eam discipulus in And from that hour that disciple took her
sua. Postea sciens Jesus quia omnia unto his own home. After this, Jesus
consummata sunt, ut consummaretur knowing that all things were now
Scriptura, dicit: accomplished, that the scripture might
be fulfilled, saith:

JESUS: JESUS:
Sitio. I thirst.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Vas ergo erat positum aceto plenum. Illi Now there was set a vessel full of
autem spongiam plenam aceto hyssopo vinegar: and they filled a spunge with
circumponentes, obtulerunt ori ejus. vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put
Cum ergo accepisset Jesus acetum, it to his mouth. When Jesus therefore
dixit: had received the vinegar, he said:

JESUS: JESUS:
Consummatum est. It is finished.

EVANGELISTA: EVANGELIST:
Et inclinato capite tradidit spiritum. And he bowed his head, and gave up the
ghost.

CHORUS: CHORUS:
Qui passus es pro nobis, miserere nobis. You who have suffered for us, have
mercy upon us.

Amen. Amen.