结构上,巴赫依循了传统弥撒曲的五个部份。可是在标题和编排上,却不是沿用传统的划分方式。他把全曲分为四个部份:第一部份称为“弥撒”(Missa),包括了垂怜经和光荣颂;第二部份为“尼西亚信经”(Symbolum Nicenum),相应为信经;第三部份是圣哉经,这和拉丁弥撒相同;最后是“赞美颂、迎主曲、羔羊经及请赐平安”(Osanna, Benedictus, Agnus Dei et Dona nobis pacem),其中在圣哉经中,巴赫把本来罗马天主教所采用的“你的光明充满了天地”(Pleni sunt coeli et terra Gloria tua)变成为路德派所采纳的“祂的光明充满了天地”(Pleni sunt coeli et terra Gloria ejus)。
我们颂扬祢,我们祝福祢,我们崇拜祢,我们赞美显扬祢 (We praise thee, we bless thee, we worship thee, we glorify thee.)
(4部合唱) Gratias agimus tibi propter magnam gloriam tuam.
我们感谢祢伟大的荣耀 (We thank thee for thy great glory).
(男女高音二重唱) Domine Deus, rex coelestis, Deus Pater omnipotens. Domine Fili unigenite, Jesu Christe, Altissime, Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.
主,神,天上的王,万能的父,主啊,神之子,至高无上的耶稣基督,主,神,上帝的羔羊,天父之子 (Lord God, heavenly King, Father Almighty. O Lord, the only begotten Son, Jesus Christ Highest, Lord God, Lamb of God, son of the Father.)
(4部合唱) Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis. Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostram.
祢拿去世上的罪愆,垂怜我们,祢拿去世上的罪愆,接受我们的祈祷 (Thou who takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us. Thou who takest away the sins of the world, receive our prayer.)
(假声男高音独唱)Qui sedes ad dextram Patris, miserere nobis.
祢坐在天父之右,垂怜我们 (Thou that sittest at the right hand of God the Father, have mercy upon us.)
(男低音独唱)Quoniam tu solus sanctus, tu solus Dominus, tu solus Altissimus, Jesu Christe.
因为唯有祢是神圣的,唯有祢是主,唯有祢,基督,是至高无上 (For thou only art holy, thou only art the Lord, thou only, Christ, art most high.)
(5部合唱)Cum Sancto Spiritu in gloria Dei Patris. Amen.
与圣灵一起在天父的荣耀中,阿门 (With the Holy Ghost in the glory of God the Father. Amen.)
II. SYMBOLUM NICENUM(尼西亚信经)
(5部合唱)Credo in unum Deum.
我信唯一的天主 (I believe in one God.)
(4部合唱)Patrem omnipotentem, factorem coeli et terrae, visibilium omnium et invisibilium.
全能的圣父,天地万物,无论有形无形,都是祂所创造的(The Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.)
(女高音二重唱)Et in unum Dominum, Jesum Christum, Filium Dei unigenitum, et ex Patre natum ante omnia saecula, Deum de Deo, lumen de lumine, Deum verum de Deo vero, genitum, non factum, consubstantialem Patri, per quem omnia facta sunt, qui propter nos homines et propter nostram salutem descendit de coelis.
我信唯一的主、耶稣基督、天主的独生子。祂在万世之前,由圣父所生。祂是出自天主的天主,出自光明的光明,出自真天主的真天主。祂是圣父所生,而非圣父所造,与圣父同性同体,万物是借着祂而造成的。祂为了我们人类,并为了我们的得救,从天降下 (And in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God, begotten of his Father before all worlds, God of God, light of light, true God of true God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Father by who all things were made: who for us men and for our salvation came down from heaven.)
(5部合唱)Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria virgine, et homo factus est.
祂因圣神由童贞玛利亚取得肉躯,而成为人 (And was incarnate by the Holy Ghost of the Virgin Mary, and was made man
(4部合唱)Crucifixus etiam pro nobis sub Pontio Pilato, passus et sepultus est.
祂在般雀比拉多执政时,为我们被钉在十字架上,受难而被埋葬。(And was crucified also under Pontius Pilate, suffered, and was buried.)
(5部合唱)Et resurrexit tertia die secundum scripturas, et ascendit in coelum, sedet ad dexteram Patris, et iterum venturus est cum gloria judicare vivos et mortuos, cujus regni non erit finis.
祂正如圣经所载,第三日复活了。祂升了天,坐在圣父的右边。祂还要光荣地降来,审判生者死者,祂的神国万世无疆。(And the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of the Father: and he shall come again with glory to judge both the living and the dead; whose kingdom shall have no end.)
(男低音独唱)Et in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem, qui ex Patre Filioque procedit, qui cum Patre et Filio simul adoratur et conglorificatur, qui locutus est per prophetas. Et unam sanctam catholicam et apostolicam Ecclesiam.
我信圣神,祂是主及赋予生命者,由圣父圣子所共发。祂和圣父圣子,同受钦崇,同享光荣,祂曾藉先知们发言。我信唯一、至圣、至公、从宗徒传下来的教会(And I believe in the Holy Ghost, the Lord and Giver of Life, who prodeedeth from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son together is worshipped and glorified, who spake by the Prophets. And I believe in one holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.)
(5部合唱)Confiteor unum baptisma in remissionem peccatorum.
我承认赦罪的圣洗,只有一个 (I acknowledge baptism for the remission of sins.)
(5部合唱)Et exspecto resurrectionem mortuorum et vitam venturi saeculi. Amen.
我期待死人的复活,及来世的生命,阿门 (And I look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.)
III. SANCTUS(圣哉经)
(6部合唱)Sanctus, sanctus, snactus Dominus Deus Sabaoth. Pleni sunt coeli et terra gloria ejus.
圣哉,圣哉,圣哉,上主、万有的天主,祢的荣耀充满天地 (Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of Thy glory.)
IV. OSANNA, BENEDICTUS, AGNUS DEI(颂扬,上帝的羔羊)
(8部重唱)Osanna in excelsis.
颂扬至高无上的主 (Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high.)
(男高音独唱)Benedictus qui venit in nomine Domini.
被祝福的是信主的人(Blessed is he, who cometh in the name of the Lord.)
(8部重唱)Osanna in excelsis.
颂扬至高无上的主 (Glory be to Thee, O Lord most high.)
(假声男高音独唱)Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.
啊,上帝的羔羊,祢拿去世上的罪愆,垂怜我们 (O Lamb of God, that takest away the sins of the world, have mercy upon us.)