The Kingdom, Op. 51: III. Pentecost: "I Have Prayed for Thee" (Peter)

Peter:

'I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not, and thou, when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.'

Ye men of Judea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and give ear unto my words:

This is that which was spoken by the Prophet,

'It shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour forth of My Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions,

and your old men shall dream dreams, and it shall be that whosoever shall call on the Name of the Lord shall be saved.' Ye men of Israel, hear these words:

Jesus of Nazareth, a Man approved of God unto you by mighty works, and wonders, and signs,

which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know,

Him, being delivered up by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God,

ye, by the hand of lawless men did crucify and slay:

this Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we are all witnesses.

Chorus (sopranos and contraltos):

The Lord put forth His hand, and touched their mouth,

God hath spoken,

who can but prophesy?

Peter:

Therefore, being exalted at the right hand of God,

and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost,

He hath poured forth this, which ye now see and hear.

Let all the house of Israel know assuredly,

that God hath made Him both Lord and Christ:-

this Jesus Whom ye crucified.

The People (tenors and basses):

'His blood be on us, and on our children.'

Peter:

Whom ye crucified

Mezzo-soprano (Solo):

'Daughters of Jerusalem, weep not for Me, but weep for yourselves, and for your children.'

The People:

Men and brethren, what shall we do?

We have denied the Holy and Righteous One,

and asked for a murderer to be granted to us ,

we have killed the Prince of life.

Men and brethren, what shall we do?