Passio secundum Joannem

General information

The Passion according to St. John occupies chapters 18 & 19 of his Gospel. On Good Friday it is read by 3 chanters, taking the parts of Evangelist, Jesus, and the remaining characters, designated "Parte Synagogus". The later sings both speech by individuals and the crowd or turba. Such turbae or turbarum voces are the part usually chosen for polyphonic setting; they are 13 in number, not counting the announcement of the reading and the 2-fold repetition of "Jesum Nazarene".

Settings by composers

• William Byrd ATB All editions withdrawn
• Teodoro Clinio SAATTB
• Orlando di Lasso 4vv
• Giovan Nasco TTBB (includes Pilate's speeches)
• José Maurício Nunes Garcia SATB
• Heinrich Schütz SWV 481 SATB (in German, with Introitus & a closing motet)
• Ludovico da Viadana SATB (in English, page has complete text)
• Tomás Luis de Victoria SATB

Text and translations

In the garden Jesus asks the soldiers whom they seek (1). After his arrest and hearing before Caiphas, his disciple Peter is challenged (2). At the trial before Pilate a mob insists on Jesus' death (3-5, 7-12) and soldiers mock him (6). When Jesus has been crucified soldiers cast lots for his garment (13).

Latin text Jesum Nazarenum. Numquid et tu ex discipulis eius es? Si non esset hic malefactor non tibi tradidissemus eum. Nobis non licet interficere quemquam. Non hunc sed Barabbam. Ave Rex Judaeorum. Crucifige, crucifige eum. Nos legem habemus et secundum legem debet mori, quia Filium Dei, se fecit. Si hunc dimittis non es amicus Caesaris. Omnis enim qui se regem facit contradicit Caesari. Tolle, tolle, crucifige eum. Non habemus regem, nisi Caesarem. Noli scribere: 'Rex Judaeorum' sed quia ipse dixit: "Rex sum Judaeorum." Non scindamus eam sed sortiamur de illa cuius sit.

English translation Jesus of Nazareth. (twice) Say, art thou not one of that man's disciples? If this man here were not a criminal we should not hand him over to you. For us it is not lawful for to kill a man. Not him, but Barabbas. Hail, King of all Jewry. Crucify him, crucify him. For us there is a law, and according to that law he ought to die, for he called himself the Son of God. If you release him, thou of Caesar art not a friend. Everyone who makes himself a king wrongly against Caesar speaks. Take him, take him, crucify him. We accept the rule of no king except Caesar's rule. Write thou not 'King of all Jewry', but that think man himself said "King of all Jewry." Let us not divide it, but let us cast lots upon it, for who shall have it. Translation by Edward Tambling