Gospel of Nicodemus / The Acts of Pilate
Gospel of Nicodemus
Part I.-The Acts of Pilate
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First Greek Form.
Memorials of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Done in the Time of Pontius Pilate.
Prologue.-I Ananias, of the propraetor's body-guard, being learned in the law, knowing our Lord Jesus Christ from the Holy Scriptures, coming to Him by faith, and counted worthy of the holy baptism, searching also the memorials written at that time of what was done in the case of our Lord Jesus Christ, which the Jews had laid up in the time of Pontius Pilate, found these memorials written in Hebrew, and by the favour of God have translated them into Greek for the information of all who call upon the name of our Master Jesus Christ, in the seventeenth year of the reign of our Lord Flavius Theodosius, and the sixth of Flavius Valentinianus, in the ninth indiction.
All ye, therefore, who read and transfer into other books, remember me, and pray for me, that God may be merciful to me, and pardon my sins which I have sinned against Him.
Peace be to those who read, and to those who hear and to their households. Amen.
In the fifteenth year of the government of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the Romans, and Herod being king of Galilee, in the nineteenth year of his rule, on the eighth day before the Kalends of April, which is the twenty-fifth of March, in the consulship of Rufus and Rubellio, in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, Joseph Caiaphas being high priest of the Jews.
The account that Nicodemus wrote in Hebrew, after the cross and passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Saviour God, and left to those that came after him, is as follows:-
Having called a council, the high priests and scribes Annas and Caiaphas and Seines and Dathaes, and Gamaliel, Judas, Levi and Nephthalim, Alexander and Jairus, and the rest of the Jews, came to Pilate accusing Jesus about many things, saying: We know this man to be the son of Joseph the carpenter, born of Mary; and he says that he is the Son of God, and a king; moreover, he profanes the Sabbath, and wishes to do away with the law of our fathers. Pilate says: And what are the things which he does, to show that he wishes to do away with it? The Jews say: We have a law not to cure any one on the Sabbath; but this man has on the Sabbath cured the lame and the crooked, the withered and the blind and the paralytic, the dumb and the demoniac, by evil practices. Pilate says to them: What evil practices? They say to him: He is a magician, and by Beelzebul prince of the demons be casts out the demons, and all are subject to him. Pilate says to them: This is not casting out the demons by an unclean spirit, but by the god Aesculapius.
The Jews say to Pilate: we entreat your highness that he stand at thy tribunal, and be heard. And Pilate having called them, says: Tell me how I, being a procurator, can try a king? They say to him: W do not say that he is a king, but he himself says that he is. And Pilate having called the runner, says to him: Let Jesus be brought in with respect. And the runner going out, and recognising Him, adored Him, and took his cloak into his hand, and spread it on the ground, and says to him: My lord, walk on this, and come in, for the procurator calls thee. And the Jews seeing what the runner had done, cried out against Pilate, saying: Why hast thou ordered him to come in by a runner, and not by a crier? for assuredly the runner, when he saw him, adored him, and spread his doublet on the ground, and made him walk like a king.
And Pilate having called the runner, says to him: Why hast thou done this, and spread out thy cloak upon the earth, and made Jesus walk upon it? The runner says to him: My lord procurator, when thou didst send me to Jerusalem to Alexander, I saw him sitting upon an ass, and the sons of the Hebrews held branches in their hands, and shouted; and other spread their clothes under him saying, Save now, thou who art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
The Jews cry out, and say, to the runner: The soils of the Hebrews shouted in Hebrew; whence then hast thou the Greek? The runner says to them: I asked one of the Jews, and said, What is it they are shouting in Hebrew? And he interpreted it for me. Pilate says to them: And what did they shout in Hebrew? The Jews say to him: Hosanna Membrome Baruchamma Adonai. Pilate says to them: And this hosanna, etc., how is it interpreted? The Jews say to him: Save now in the highest; blessed is he; that cometh in the name of the Lord. Pilate says to them: If you bear witness to the words spoken by the children, in what has the runner done wrong? And they were silent. And the procurator says to the runner: Go out, and bring him in what way thou wilt. And the runner going out, did in the same manner as before, and says to Jesus: My lord, come in; the procurator calleth thee.
And Jesus going in, and the standard-bearers holding their standards, the tops of the standards were bent down, and adored Jesus. And the Jews seeing the bearing of the standards, how they were bent down and adored Jesus, cried out vehemently against the standard-bearers. And Pilate says to the Jews: Do you not wonder how the tops of the standards were bent down, and adored Jesus? The Jews say to Pilate: We saw how the standard-bearers bent them down, and adored him. And the procurator having called the standard-bearers, says to them: Why have you done this? They say to Pilate: We are Greeks and temple-slaves, and how could we adore him? and assuredly, as we were holding them up, the tops bent down of their own accord, and adored him.
Pilate says to the rulers of the synagogue and the elders of the people: Do you choose for yourselves men strong and powerful, and let them hold up the standards, and let us see whether they will bend down with them. And the elders of the Jews picked out twelve men powerful and strong, and made them hold up the standards six by six; and they were placed in front of the procurator's tribunal. And Pilate says to the runner: Take him outside of the praetorium, and bring him in again in whatever way may please thee. And Jesus and the runner went out of the praetorium. And Pilate, summoning those who had formerly held up the standards, says to them: I have sworn by tile health of Caesar, that if the standards do not bend down when Jesus comes in, I will cut off your heads. And the procurator ordered Jesus to come in the second time. And the runner did in the same manner as before, and made many entreaties to Jesus to walk on his cloak. And He walked on it, and went ill. And as He went in, the standards were again bent down, and adored Jesus.
And Pilate seeing this, was afraid, and sought to go away from the tribunal; but when he was still thinking of going away, his wife sent to him, saying: Have nothing to do with this just man, for many things have I suffered on his account this night. And Pilate, summoning the Jews, says to them: You know that my wife is a worshipper of God, and prefers to adhere to the Jewish religion along with you. They say to him: Yes; we know. Pilate says to them: Behold, my wife has sent to me, saying, Have nothing to do with this just man, for many things have I suffered on account of him this night. And the Jews answering, say unto Pilate: Did we not tell thee that he was a sorcerer? behold, he has sent a dream to thy wife.
And Pilate, having summoned Jesus, says to Him: What do these witness against thee? Sayest thou nothing? And Jesus said: Unless they had the power, they would say nothing; for every one has the power of his own mouth to speak both good and evil. They shall see to it.
And the eiders of the Jews answered, and said to Jesus: What shall we see? first, that thou wast born of fornication; secondly, that thy birth in Bethlehem was the cause of the murder of the infants; thirdly, that thy father Joseph and thy mother Mary fled into Egypt because they had no confidence in the people.
Some of the bystanders, pious men of the Jews, say: we deny that he was born of fornication; for we know that Joseph espoused Mary, and he was not born of fornication. Pilate says to the Jews who said that he was of fornication: This story of yours is not true, because they were betrothed, as also these fellow-countrymen of yours say. Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: All the multitude of us cry out that he was born of fornication, and are not believed; these are proselytes, and his disciples. And Pilate, calling Annas and Caiaphas, says to them: What are proselytes? They say to him: They are by birth children of the Greeks, and have now become Jews. And those that said that He was not born of fornication, viz.-Lazarus, Asterius, Antonius, James, Atones, Zeras, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Agrippas, and Judas -say: We are not proselytes, but are children of the Jews, and speak of the truth; for we were present at the betrothal of Joseph and Mary.
And Pilate, calling these twelve men who said that He was not born of fornication, says to them: I adjure you by the health of Caesar, to tell me whether it be true that you say, that he was not born of fornication. They say to Pilate: We have a law against taking oaths, because it is a sin; but they will swear by the health of Caesar, that it is not as we have said, and we are liable to death. Pilate says to Annas and Caiaphas: Have you nothing to answer to this? Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: These twelve are believed when they say that he was not born of fornication; all the multitude of us cry out that he was born of fornication, and that he is a sorcerer, and he says that he is the Son of God and a king, and we are not believed.
And Pilate orders all the multitude to go out, except the twelve men who said that He was not born of fornication, and he ordered Jesus to be separated from them. And Pilate says to them: For what reason do they wish to put him to death? They say to him: They are angry because he cures on the Sabbath. Pilate says: For a good work do they wish to put him to death? They say to him: Yes.
And Pilate, filled with rage, went outside of the praetorium, and said to them: I take the sun to witness that I find no fault in this man. The Jews answered and said to the procurator: Unless this man were an evil-doer, we should not have delivered him to thee. And Pilate said, Do you take him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews said to Pilate: It is not lawful for us to put any one to death. Pilate said: Has God said that you are not to put to death, but that I am?
And Pilate went again into the praetorium, and spoke to Jesus privately, and said to Him: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered Pilate: Dost thou say this of thyself, or have others said it to thee of me? Pilate answered Jesus: Am I also a Jew? Thy nation and the chief priests have given thee up to me. What hast thou done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world; for if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight in order that I should not be given up to the Jews: but now my kingdom is not from thence. Pilate said to Him: Art thou then a king? Jesus answered him: Thou sayest that I am a king. Because for this have I been born, and have I come, in order that every one who is of the truth might hear my voice. Pilate says to him: What is truth? Jesus says to him: Truth is from heaven. Pilate says: Is truth not upon earth? Jesus says to Pilate: Thou seest how those who speak the truth are judged by those that have the power upon earth.Chap. 4.
And leaving Jesus within the praetorium, Pilate went out to the Jews, and said to them: I find no fault in him. The Jews say to him: He said, I can destroy this temple, and in three days build it. Pilate says: What temple? The Jews say: The one that Solomon built in forty-six years, and this man speaks of pulling it down and building it in three days. Pilate says to them: I am innocent of the blood of this just man. See you to it. The Jews say: His blood be upon us, and upon our children.
And Pilate having summoned the eiders and priests and Levites, said to them privately: Do not act thus, because no charge that you bring against him is worthy of death; for your charge is about curing and Sabbath profanation. The elders and the priests and the Levites say: If any one speak evil against Caesar, is he worthy of death or not? Pilate says: He is worthy of death The Jews say to Pilate: If any one speak evil against Caesar, he is worthy of death; but this man has spoken evil against God.
And the procurator ordered the Jews to go outside of the praetorium; and summoning Jesus, he says to Him: What shall I do to thee? Jesus says to Pilate: As it has been given to thee. Pilate says: How given? Jesus says: Moses and the prophets have proclaimed beforehand of my death and resurrection. And the Jews noticing this, and hearing it, say to Pilate: What more wilt thou hear of this blasphemy? Pilate says to the Jews: If these words be blasphemous, do you take him for the blasphemy, and lead him away to your synagogue, and judge him according to your law. The Jews say to Pilate: Our law bears that a man who wrongs his fellow-men is worthy to receive forty save one; but he that blasphemeth God is to be stoned with stones.
Pilate says to them: Do you take him, and punish him in whatever way you please. The Jews say to Pilate: we wish that he be crucified. Pilate says: He is not deserving of crucifixion.
And the procurator, looking round upon the crowds of the Jews standing by, sees many of the Jews weeping, and says: All the multitude do not wish him to die. The elders of the Jews say: For this reason all the multitude of us have come, that he should die. Pilate says to the Jews: Why should he die? The Jews say: Because he called himself Son of God, and King.
And one Nicodemus, a Jew, stood before the procurator, and said: I beseech your honour, let me say a few words. Pilate says: Say on. Nicodemus says: I said to the elders and the priests and Levites, and to all the multitude of the Jews in the synagogue, What do you seek to do with this man? This man many miracles and strange things, which no one has done or will do. Let him go, and do not wish any evil against him. If the miracles which he does are of God, they will stand; but if man, they will come to nothing. For assuredly Moses, being sent by God into Egypt, did many miracles, which the Lord commanded him to do before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And there were there Jannes and Jambres, servants of Pharaoh, and they also did not a few of the miracles which Moses did; and the Egyptians took them to be gods-this Jannes and this Jambres. But, since the miracles which they did were not of God, both they and those who believed in them were destroyed. And now release this man, for he is not deserving of death.
The Jews say to Nicodemus: Thou hast become his disciple, and therefore thou defendest him. Nicodemus says to them: Perhaps, too, the procurator has become his disciple, because he defends him. Has the emperor not appointed him to this place of dignity? And the Jews were vehemently enraged, and gnashed their teeth against Nicodemus. Pilate says to I them: Why do you gnash your teeth against him when you hear the truth? The Jews say to Nicodemus: Mayst thou receive his truth and his portion. Nicodemus says: Amen, amen; may I receive it, as you have said.
One of the Jews, stepping up, asked leave of the procurator to say a word. The procurator says: If thou wishest to say any thing, say on And the Jew said: Thirty-eight years I lay in my bed in great agony. And when Jesus came, many demoniacs, and many lying ill of various diseases, were cured by him. And some young men, taking pity on me, carried me, bed and all, and took me to him. And when Jesus saw me, bed had compassion on me, and said to me: Take up thy couch and walk. And I took up my couch, and walked. The Jews say to pilate: Ask him on what day it was that he was cured. He that had been cured says: On a Sabbath. The Jews say: Is not this the very thing that we said, that on a Sabbath he cures and casts out demons?
And another Jew stepped up and said: I was born blind; I heard sounds, but saw not a face. And as Jesus passed by, I cried out with a loud voice, Pity me, O son of David. And he pitied me, and put his hands upon my eyes, and I instantly received my sight. And another Jew stepped up and said: I was crooked, and he straightened me with a word. And another said: I was a leper, and he cured me with a word.
And a woman cried out from a distance, and said: I had an issue of blood, and I touched the hem of his garment, and the issue of blood which I had had for twelve years was stopped. The Jews say: we have a law, that a woman's evidence is not to be received.
And others, a multitude both of men and women, cried out, saying: This man is a prophet, and the demons are subject to him. Pilate says to them who said that the demons were subject to Him: Why, then, were not your teachers also subject to him? They say to Pilate: We do not know. And others said: He raised Lazarus from the tomb after he had been dead four days. And the procurator trembled, and said to all the multitude of the Jews: Why do you wish to pour out innocent blood?
And having summoned Nicodemus and the twelve men that said He was not born of fornication, he says to them: What shall I do, because there is an insurrection among the people? They say to him: We know not; let them see to it. Again Pilate, having summoned all the multitude of the Jews, says: You know that it is customary, at the feast of unleavened bread, to release one prisoner to you. I have one condemned prisoner in the prison, a murderer named Barabbas, and this man standing in your presence, Jesus, in whom I find no fault. Which of them do you wish me to release to you? And they cry out: Barabbas. Pilate says: What, then, shall we do to Jesus who is called Christ? The Jews say: Let him be crucified. And others said: Thou art no friend of Caesar's if thou release this man, because he called himself Son of God and king. You wish, then, this man to be king, and not Caesar?
And Pilate, in a rage, says to the Jews: Always has your nation been rebellious, and you always speak against your benefactors. The Jews say: What benefactors? He says to them: Your God led you out of the land of Egypt from bitter slavery, and brought you safe through the sea as through dry land, and in the desert fed you with manna, and gave you quails, and quenched your thirst with water from a rock, and gave you a law; and in all these things you provoked your God to anger, and sought a molten calf. And you exasperated your God, and He sought to slay you. And Moses prayed for you, and you were not put to death. And now you charge me with hating the emperor.
And rising up from the tribunal, he sought to go out. And the Jews cry out, and say: We know that Caesar is king, and not Jesus. For assuredly the magi brought gifts to him as to a king. And when Herod heard from the magi that a king had been born, he sought to slay him; and his father Joseph, knowing this, took him and his mother, and they fled into Egypt. And Herod hearing of it, destroyed the children of the Hebrews that had been born in Bethlehem.
And when Pilate heard these words, he was afraid; and ordering the crowd to keep silence, because they were crying out, he said to them: So this is he whom Herod sought? The Jews say: Yes, it is he. And, taking water, Pilate washed his hands in the face of the sun, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man; see you to it. Again the Jews cry out: His blood be upon us, and upon our children.
Then Pilate ordered the curtain of the tribunal where he was sitting to be drawn, and says to Jesus: Thy nation has charged thee with being a king. On this account I sentence thee, first to be scourged, according to the enactment of venerable kings, and then to be fastened on the cross in the garden where thou wast seized. And let Dysmas and Gestas, the two malefactors, be crucified with thee.
And Jesus went forth out of the praetorium, and the two malefactors with Him. And when they came to the place, they stripped Him of his clothes, and girded Him with a towel, and put a crown of thorns on Him round His head. And they crucified Him; and at the same time also they hung up the two malefactors along with Him. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And the soldiers parted His clothes among them; and the people stood looking at Him. And the chief priests, and the rulers with them, mocked Him, saying: He saved others; let him save himself. If he be the Son of God, let him come down from the cross. And the soldiers made sport of Him, coming near and offering Him vinegar mixed with gall, and said: Thou art the king of the Jews; save thyself.
And Pilate, after the sentence, ordered the charge made against Him to be inscribed as a superscription in Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, according to what the Jews had said: He is king of the Jews.
And one of the malefactors hanging up spoke to Him, saying: If thou be the Christ, save thyself and us. And Dysmas answering, reproved him, saying: Dost thou not fear God, because thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the fit punishment of our deeds; but this man has done no evil. And he said to Jesus: Remember me, Lord, in Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Amen, amen; I say to thee, To-day shall thou be with me in Paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the earth until the ninth hour, the sun being darkened; and the curtain of the temple was split in the middle. And crying out with a loud voice, Jesus said: Father, Baddach Ephkid Ruel, which is, interpreted: Into Thy hands I commit my spirit. And having said this, He gave up the ghost. And the centurion, seeing what had happened, glorified God, and said: This was a just man. And all the crowds that were present at this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, beat their breasts and went away.
And the centurion reported what had happened to the procurator. And when the procurator and his wife heard it, they were exceedingly grieved, and neither ate nor drank that day. And Pilate sent for the Jews, and said to them: Have you seen what has happened? And they say: There has been an eclipse of the sun in the usual way.
And His acquaintances were standing at a distance, and the women who came with Him from Galilee, seeing these things. And a man named Joseph, a councillor from the city of Arimathaea, who also waited for the kingdom of God, went to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in clean linen, and placed it in a tomb hewn out of the rock, in which no one had ever lain.
And the Jews, hearing that Joseph had begged the booty of Jesus, sought him and the twelve who said that Jesus was not born of fornication, and Nicodemus, and many others who had stepped up before Pilate and declared His good works. And of all these that were hid, Nicodemus alone was seen by them, because he was a ruler of the Jews. And Nicodemus says to them: How have you come into the synagogue? The Jews say to him: How hast thou come into the synagogue? for thou art a confederate of his, and his portion is with thee in the world to come. Nicodemus says: Amen, amen. And likewise Joseph also stepped out and said to them: Why are you angry against me because I begged the body of Jesus? Behold, I have put him in my new tomb, wrapping him in clean linen; and I have rolled a stone to the door of the tomb. And you have acted not well against the just man, because you have not repented of crucifying him, but also have pierced him with a spear. And the Jews seized Joseph, and ordered him to be secured until the first day of the week, and said to him: Know that the time does not allow us to do anything against thee, because the Sabbath is dawning; and know that thou shall not be deemed worthy of burial, but we shall give thy flesh to the birds of the air. Joseph says to them: These are the words of the arrogant Goliath, who reproached the living God and holy David. For God has said by the prophet, Vengeance is mine, and I will repay, saith the Lord. And now he that is uncircumcised in flesh, but circumcised in heart, has taken water, and washed his hands in the face of the sun, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man; see ye to it. And you answered and said to Pilate, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. And now I am afraid lest the wrath of God come upon you, and upon your children, as you have said. And the Jews, hearing these words, were embittered in their souls, and seized Joseph, and locked him into a room where there was no window; and guards were stationed at the door, and they sealed the door where Joseph was locked in.
And on the Sabbath, the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, made a decree that all should be found in the synagogue on the first day of the week. And rising up early, all the multitude in the synagogue consulted by what death they should slay him. And when the Sanhedrin was sitting, they ordered him to be brought with much indignity. And having opened the door, they found him not. And all the people were surprised, and struck with dismay, because they found the seals unbroken. and because Caiaphas had the key. And they no longer dared to lay hands upon those who had spoken before Pilate in Jesus' behalf.
And while they were still sitting in the synagogue, and wondering about Joseph, there come some of the guard whom the Jews had begged of Pilate to guard the tomb of Jesus, that His disciples might not come and steal Him. And they reported to the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, what had happened: how there had been a great earthquake; and we saw an angel coming down from heaven, and he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the tomb, and sat upon it; and he shone like snow, and like lightning. And we were very much afraid, and lay like dead men; and we heard the voice of the angel saying to the women who remained beside the tomb, Be not afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here: He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay: and go quickly, and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and is in Galilee.
The Jews say: To what women did he speak? The men of the guard say: We do not know who they were. The Jews say: At what time was this? The men of the guard say: At midnight. The Jews say: And wherefore did you not lay hold of them? The men of the guard say: We were like dead men from fear, not expecting to see the light of day, and how could we lay hold of them? The Jews say: As the Lord liveth, we do not believe you. The men of the guard say to the Jews: You have seen so great miracles in the case of this man, and have not believed; and how can you believe us? And assuredly you have done well to swear that the Lord liveth, for indeed He does live. Again the men of the guard say: We have heard that you have locked up the man that begged the body of Jesus, and put a seal on the door; and that you have opened it, and not found him. Do you then give us the man whom you were guarding, and we shall give you Jesus. The Jews say: Joseph has gone away to his own city. The men of the guard say to the Jews: And Jesus has risen, as we heard from the angel, and is in Galilee.
And when the Jews heard these words, they were very much afraid, and said: We must take care lest this story he heard, and all incline to Jesus. And the Jews called a council, and paid down a considerable sum of money, and gave it to the soldiers, saying: Say, while we slept, his disciples came by night and stole him; and if this come to the ears of the procurator, we shall persuade him, and keep you out of trouble. And they took it, and said as the had been instructed.
And Phinees a priest, and Adas a teacher, and Haggai a Levite, came down from Galilee to Jerusalem, and said to the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites: We saw Jesus and his disciples sitting on the mountain called Mamilch; and he said to his disciples, Go into all the world, and preach to every creature: he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, and he that believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall attend those who have believed: in my name they shall cast out demons, speak new tongues, take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall by no means hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall be well. And while Jesus was speaking to his disciples, we saw him taken up to heaven.
The elders and the priests and Levites say: Give glory to the God of Israel, and confess to Him whether you have heard and seen those things of which you have given us an account. And those who had given the account said: As the Lord liveth, the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, we heard these things, and saw him taken up into heaven. The ciders and the priests and the Levites say to them: Have you come to give us this announcement, or to offer prayer to God? And they say: To offer prayer to God. The elders and the chief priests and the Levites say to them: If you have come to offer prayer to God, why then have you told these idle tales in the presence of all the people? Says Phinees the priest, and Atlas the teacher, and Haggai the Levite to the rulers of the synagogues. and the priests and the Levites: If what we have said and seen be sinful, behold, we are before you; do to us as seems good in your eyes. And they took the law, and made them swear upon it, not to give any more an account of these matters to any one. And they gave them to cat and drink, and sent them out of the city, having given them also money, and three men with them; and they sent them away to Galilee.And these men having gone into Galilee, the chief priests, and the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders, came together into the synagogue, and locked the door, and lamented with a great lamentation, saying: Is this a miracle that has happened in Israel? And Annas and Caiaphas said: Why are you so much moved? Why do you weep? Do you not know that his disciples have given a sum of gold to the guards of the tomb, and have instructed them to say that an angel came down and rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb? And the priests and the elders sand: Be it that his disciples have stolen his body; how is it that the life has come into his body, and that he is going, about in Galilee? And they being unable to give an answer to these things, said, after great hesitation: It is not lawful for us to believe the uncircumcised.
And Nicodemus stood up, and stood before the Sanhedrin, saying: You say well; you are not ignorant, you people of the Lord, of these men that come down from Galilee, that they fear God, and are men of substance, haters of covetousness, men of peace; and they have declared with an oath. We saw Jesus upon the mountain Mamilch with his disciples, and he taught what we heard from him, and we saw him taken up into heaven. And no one asked them in what form he went up. For assuredly, as the book of the Holy Scriptures taught us, Helias also was taken up into heaven, and Elissaeus cried out with a loud voice, and Helias threw his sheepskin upon Elissaeus, and Elissaeus threw his sheepskin upon the Jordan, and crossed, and came into Jericho. And the children of the prophets met him, and said, O Elissaeus, where is thy master Helias? And he said, He has been taken up into heaven. And they said to Elissaeus, Has not a spirit seized him, arid thrown him upon one of the mountains? But let us take our servants with us, and seek him. And they persuaded Elissaeus, and he went away with them. And they sought him three days, and did not find him; and they knew he had been taken up. And now listen to me, and let us send into every district of Israel, and see lest perchance Christ has been taken up by a spirit, and thrown upon one of the mountains? And this proposal pleased all. And they sent into every district of Israel, and sought Jesus, and did not find Him; but they found Joseph in Arimathaea, and no one dared to lay hands on him.
And they reported to the elders, and the priests, and the Levites: We have gone round to every district of Israel, and have not found Jesus; but Joseph we have found in Arimathaea. And hearing about Joseph, they were glad, and gave glory to the God of Israel. And the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, having held a council as to the manner in which they should meet with Joseph, took a piece of paper, and wrote to Joseph as follows:-
Peace to thee! We know that we have sinned against God, and against thee; and we have prayed to the God of Israel, that thou shouldst deign to come to thy fathers, and to thy children, because we have all been grieved. For having opened the door, we did not find thee. And we know that we have counselled evil counsel against thee; but the Lord has defended thee, and the Lord Himself has scattered to the winds our counsel against thee, O honourable father Joseph.
And they chose from all Israel seven men, friends of Joseph, whom also Joseph himself was acquainted with; and the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, say to them: Take notice: if, after receiving our letter, he read it, know that he will come with you to us; but if he do not read it, know that he is ill-disposed towards us. And having saluted him in peace, return to us. And having blessed the men, they dismissed them. And the men came to Joseph, and did reverence to him, and said to him: Peace to thee! And he said: Peace to you, and to all the people of Israel! And they gave him the roll of the letter. And Joseph having received it, read the letter and rolled it up, and blessed God, and said: Blessed be the Lord God, who has delivered Israel, that they should not shed innocent blood; and blessed be the Lord, who sent out His angel, and covered me under his wings. And he set a table for them; and they ate and drank, and slept there. And they rose up early, and prayed. And Joseph saddled his ass, and set out with the men; and they came to the holy city Jerusalem. And all the people met Joseph, and cried out: Peace to thee in thy coming in! And he said to all the people: Peace to you! and he kissed them. And the people prayed with Joseph, and they were astonished at the sight of him. And Nicodemus received him into his house, and made a great feast, and called Annas and Caiaphas, and the elders, and the priests, and the Levites to his house. And they rejoiced, eating and drinking with Joseph; and after singing hymns, each proceeded to his own house. But Joseph remained in the house of Nicodemus.
And on the following day, which was the preparation, the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites went early to the house of Nicodemus; and Nicodemus met them, and said: Peace to you! And they said: Peace to thee, and to Joseph, and to all thy house, and to all the house of Joseph! And he brought them into his house. And all the Sanhedrin sat down, and Joseph sat down between Annas and Caiaphas: and no one dared to say a word to him. And Joseph said: Why have you called me? And they signalled to Nicodemus to speak to Joseph. And Nicodemus, opening his mouth, said to Joseph: Father, thou knowest that the honourable teachers, and the priests and the Levites, see to learn a word from thee. And Joseph said: Ask. And Annas and Caiaphas having taken the law, made Joseph swear, saying: Give glory to the God of Israel, and give Him confession; for Achar being made to swear by the prophet Jesus, did not forsware himself, but declared unto him all, and did not hide a word from him. Do thou also accordingly not hide from us to the extent of a word. And Joseph said: I shall not hide from you one word. And they said to him: With grief were we grieved because thou didst beg the body of Jesus, and wrap it in clean linen, and lay it in a tomb. And on account of this we secured thee in a room where there was no windows: and we put locks and seals upon the doors and guards kept watching where thou wast locked in And on the first day of the week we opened, and found thee not, and were grieved exceedingly; and astonishment fell upon all the people of the Lord until yesterday. And now relate to us what has happened to thee.
And Joseph said: On the preparation, about the tenth hour, you locked me up, and I remained all the Sabbath. And at midnight, as I was standing and praying, the room where you locked me in was hung up by the four corners, and I saw a light like lightning into my eyes. And I was afraid, and fell to the ground. And some one took me by the hand, and removed me from the place where I had fallen; and moisture of water was poured from my head even to my feet, and a smell of perfumes came about my nostrils. And he wiped my face, and kissed me, and said to me, Fear not, Joseph; open thine eyes, and see who it is that speaks to thee. And looking up, I saw Jesus. And I trembled and thought it was a phantom; and I said the commandments, and he said them with me. Even so you are not ignorant that a phantom, if it meet anybody, and hear the commandments, takes to flight. And seeing that he said them with the, I said to him, Rabbi Helias. And he said to me, I am not Helias. And I said to him, Who art thou, my lord? And he said to me, I am Jesus, whose body thou didst beg from Pilate; and thou didst clothe me with clean, linen. and didst put a napkin on my face, and didst lay me in thy new tomb, and didst roll a great stone to the door of the tomb. And I said to him that was speaking to me, Show me the place where I laid thee. And he carried me away, and showed me the place where I laid him; and the linen cloth was lying in it, and the napkin for his face. And I knew that it was Jesus. And he took me by the hand, and placed me, though the doors were locked, in the middle of my house, and led me away to my bed, and said to me, Peace to thee! And he kissed me, and said to me, For forty days go not forth out of thy house; for, behold, I go to my brethren into Galilee.
And the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, when they heard these words from Joseph, became as dead, and fell to the ground, and fasted until the ninth hour. And Nicodemus, along with Joseph, exhorted Annas and Caiaphas, the priests and the Levites, saying: Rise up and stand upon your feet, and taste bread, and strengthen your souls, because to-morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord. And they rose up, and prayed to God, and ate and drank, and departed every man to his own house.
And on the Sabbath our teachers and the priests and Levites sat questioning each other, and saying: What is this wrath that has come upon us? for we know his father and mother. Levi, a teacher, says: I know that his parents fear God, and do not withdraw themselves from the prayers, and give the tithes thrice a year. And when Jesus was born, his parents brought him to this place, and gave sacrifices and burnt-offerings to God. And when the great teacher Symeon took him into his arms, he said, Now Thou sendest away Thy servant, Lord, according to Thy word, in peace; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all the peoples: a light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel. And Symeon blessed them, and said to Mary his mother, I give thee good news about this child. And Mary said, It is well, my lord. And Symeon said to her, It is well; behold, he lies for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against; and of thee thyself a sword shall go through the soul, in order that the reasoning of many hearts may be revealed.
They say to the teacher Levi: How knowest thou these things? Levi says to them: Do you not know that from him I learned the law? The Sanhedrin say to him: We wish to see thy father. And they sent for his father. And they asked him; and he said to them: Why have you not believed my son? The blessed and just Symeon himself taught him the law. The Sanhedrin says to Rabbi Levi: Is the word that you have said true? And he said: It is true. And the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, said to themselves: Come, let us send into Galilee to the three men that came and told about his teaching and his taking up, and let them tell us how they saw him taken up. And this saying pleased all. And they sent away the three men who had already gone away into Galilee with them; and they say to them: Say to Rabbi Adas, and Rabbi Phinees, and Rabbi Haggai: Peace to you, and all who are with you! A great inquiry having taken place in tile Sanhedrin, we have been sent to you to call you to this holy place, Jerusalem.
And the men set out into Galilee, and found them sitting and considering the law; and they saluted them in peace. And the men who were in Galilee said to those who had come to them: Peace upon all Israel! And they said: Peace to you! And they again said to them: Why have you come? And those who had been sent said: The Sanhedrin call you to the holy city Jerusalem. And when the men heard that they were sought by the Sanhedrin, they prayed to God, and reclined with the men, and ate and drank, and rose up, and set out in peace to Jerusalem.
And on the following day the Sanhedrin sat in the synagogue, and asked them, saying: Did you really see Jesus sitting on the mountain Mamilch teaching his eleven disciples, and did you see him taken up? And the men answered them, and said: As we saw him taken up, so also we said.
Annas says: Take them away from one another, and let us see whether their account agrees. And they took them away from one another. And first they call Adas, and say to him: How didst thou see Jesus taken up? Adas says: While he was yet sitting on the mountain Mamilch, and teaching his disciples, we saw a cloud overshadowing both him and his disciples. And the cloud took him up into heaven, and his disciples lay upon their face upon the earth. And they call Phinees the priest, and ask him also, saying: How didst thou see Jesus taken up? And he spoke in like manner. And they again asked Haggai, and he spoke in like manner. And the Sanhedrin said: The law of Moses holds: At the mouth of two or three every word shall be established. Buthem, a teacher, says: It is written in the law, And Enoch walked with God, and is not, because God took him. Jairus, a readier, said: And the death of holy Moses we have heard of, and have not seen it; for it is written in the law of the Lord, And Moses died from the mouth of the Lord, and no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. And Rabbi Levi said: Why did Rabbi Symeon say, when he saw Jesus, "Behold, he lies for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against?" And Rabbi Isaac said: It is written in the law, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall go before thee to keep thee in every good way, because my name has been called upon him.
Then Annas and Caiaphas said: Rightly have you said what is written in the law of Moses, that no one saw the death of Enoch, and no one has named the death of Moses; hut Jesus was tried before Pilate, and we saw him receiving blows and spittings on his face, and the soldiers put about him a crown of thorns, and he was scourged, and received sentence from Pilate, and was crucified upon the Cranium, and two robbers with him; and they gave him to drink vinegar with gall, and Longinus the soldier pierced his side with a spear; and Joseph our honourable father begged his body, and, as he says, he is risen; and as the three teachers say, We saw him taken up into heaven; and Rabbi Levi has given evidence of what was said by Rabbi Symeon, and that he said, Behold, he lies for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against. And all the teachers said to all the people of the Lord: If this was from the Lord, and is wonderful in your eyes, knowing you shall know, O house of Jacob, that it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree. And another Scripture teaches: The gods which have not made the heaven and the earth shall be destroyed. And the priests and the Levites said to each other: If his memorial be until the year that is called Jobel, know that it shall it endure for ever, and he hath raised for himself a new people. Then the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, announced to all Israel, saying: Cursed is that man who shall worship the work of man's hand, and cursed is the man who shall worship the creatures more than the Creator. And all the people said, Amen, amen.
And all the people praised the Lord, and said: Blessed is the Lord, who hath given rest to His people Israel, according to all that He hath spoken; there hath not fallen one word of every good word of His that He spoke to Moses His servant. May the Lord our God be with us, as He was with our fathers: let Him not destroy us. And let Him not destroy us, that we may incline our hearts to Him, that we may walk in all His ways, that we may keep His commandments and His judgments which He commanded to our fathers. And the Lord shall be for a king over all the earth in that day; and there shall he one Lord, and His name one. The Lord is our king: He shall save us. There is none like Thee, O Lord. Great art Thou, O Lord, and great is Thy name. By Thy power heal us. O Lord, and we shall be healed: save us, O Lord, and we shall be saved; because we are Thy lot and heritage. And the Lord will not leave His people, for His great name's sake; for the Lord has begun to make us into His people.
And all, having sung praises, went away each man to his own house, glorifying God; for His is the glory for ever and ever. Amen.
Second Greek Form.
A Narrative about the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His holy resurrection.
Written by a Jew, Aeneas by name, and translated out of the Hebrew tongue into the Romaic language by Nicodemus, a Roman toparch.
After the dissolution of the kingdom of the Hebrews, four hundred years having run their course, and the Hebrews also coming at last under the kingdom of the Romans, and the king of the Romans appointing them a king; when Tiberius Caesar at last swayed the Roman sceptre, in the eighteenth year of his reign, he appointed as king of Judaea, Herod, the son of the Herod who had formerly slaughtered the infants in Bethlehem, and he made Pilate procurator in Jerusalem; when Annas and Caiaphas held the high-priesthood of Jerusalem, Nicodemus, a Roman toparch, having summoned a Jew, Aeneas by name, asked him to write an account of the things done in Jerusalem about Christ in the times of Annas and Caiaphas. The Jew accordingly did this, and delivered it to Nicodemus; and he, again, translated it from the Hebrew writing into the Romaic language. And the account is as follows:-
Our Lord Jesus Christ having wrought in Judaea many and great and extraordinary miracles, and on account of this being hated by the Hebrews, while Pilate was procurator in Jerusalem, and Annas and Caiaphas high priests, there came of the Jews to the chief priests, Judas, Levi, Nephthalim, Alexander, Syrus, and many others, speaking against Christ. And these chief priests sent them away to say these things to Pilate also. And they went away, and said to him: A man walks about in this city whose father is called Joseph, and his mother Mary; and he calls himself king and Son of God; and being a Jew, he overturns the Scriptures, and does away with the Sabbath. Pilate then asked, in order to learn from them in what manner lie did away with the Sabbath. And they answered, saying: He cures tile sick on the Sabbath. Pilate says: If he makes the sick whole, he does no evil. They say to him: If he effected the cures properly, small would be the evil; but by using magic he does these things, and by having the demons on his side. Pilate says: To cure a person that is ill is not a diabolic work, but a grace from God.
The Hebrews said: We beseech your highness to summon him, in order that thou mayst make accurate inquiry into what we say. Pilate therefore, throwing off his cloak, gave it to one of his officers, saying: Go away, and show this to Jesus, and say to him, Pilate the procurator calls thee to come before him. The officer accordingly went away, and finding Jesus, summoned Him, having unfolded on the ground also Pilate's mantle, and urged Him to walk upon it. And the Hebrews, seeing this, and being greatly enraged, came to Pilate, murmuring against him, how he had deemed Jesus worthy of so great honour.
And he, having inquired of the officer who had been sent how he had done so, the officer answered: When thou didst send me to the Jew Alexander, I came upon Jesus entering the gate of the city, sitting upon an ass. And I saw that the Hebrews spread their garments in the way, and the ass walked upon the garments; and others cut branches, and they went forth to meet him, and cried out, Hosanna in the highest! Thus, therefore, it was necessary for me also to do.
The Jews, hearing these words, said to him: How didst thou, being a Roman, know what was said by the Hebrews? The officer answered: I asked one of the Hebrews, and he told the these things. Pilate said: What means Hosanna? The Jews said: Save us, O Lord. Pilate answered: Since you confess that your children said so, how now do you bring charges, and say against Jesus what you do say? The Jews were silent, and had nothing to answer.
Now, as Jesus was coming to Pilate, the soldiers of Pilate adored Him. And others also were standing before Pilate holding standards. And as Jesus was coming, the standards also bowed down, and adored Him. As Pilate, therefore, was wondering at what had happened, the Jews said to him: My lord, it was not the standards that adored Jesus, but the soldiers who were holding them carelessly.
Pilate says to the ruler of the synagogue: Choose twelve powerful men, and give them the standards, so that they may hold them firmly. And this having taken place, Pilate ordered the officer to take Jesus outside, and bring Him in again. And as He was coming in, the standards again bowed down, and adored Him. Pilate therefore wondered greatly. But the Jews said: He is a magician, and through that he does these things.
Pilate says to Jesus: Hearest thou what these testify against thee, and answerest thou not? And Jesus answered and said: Every man has power to speak either good or bad, as he wishes; these also, therefore, having power, say what they wish.
The Jews said to Him: What have we to say about thee? First, that thou wast begotten from sin; second, that on account of thee, when thou wast born, the infants were murdered; third, that thy father and thy mother fled into Egypt, because they had no confidence in the people.
To these the Jews who were there present, God-fearing men, answered and said: We say that his birth is not from sin; for we know that Joseph received into keeping his mother Mary, according to the practice of betrothal. Pilate said: Consequently you lie who say that his birth is from sin. They say again to Pilate: All the people testify that he is a magician. The God-fearing Jews answered and said: We also were at the betrothal of his mother, and we are Jews, and know all his daily life; but that he is a magician, that we do not know. And the Jews that thus said were these: Lazarus, Astharius, Antonius, James, Zaras, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Dagrippus, Amese, and Judas.
Pilate therefore says to them: By the life of Caesar, I wish you to swear whether the birth of this man is without sin. They answered: Our law lays down that we are to swear not at all, because an oath is great sin. Notwithstanding, by the life of Caesar we swear that his birth is without sin; and if we lie, order us all to be beheaded. And when they had thins spoken, the Jews that were bringing the charge answered Pilate, and said: And dost thou believe these twelve single Jews more than all the multitude and us, who know for certain that he is a magician and blasphemer, and that he names himself Son of God?
Then Pilate ordered them all to go forth out of the praetorium except the said twelve alone. And when this had been done, Pilate says to them privately: As to this man, it appears that from envy and madness the Jews wish to murder him: for of one thing-that he does away with the Sabbath-they accuse him; but he then does a good work, because he cures the sick. For this, sentence of death is not upon the man. The twelve also say to him: Assuredly, my lord, it is so.
Pilate therefore went outside in rage and anger, and says to Annas and Caiaphas, and to the crowd who brought Jesus: I take the sun to witness that I find no fault in this man. The crowd answered: If he were not a sorcerer, and a magician, and a blasphemer, we should not have brought him to your highness. Pilate said: Try him yourselves; and since you have a law, do as your law says. The Jews said: Our law permits to put no man to death. Pilate says: If you are unwilling to put him to death, how much more am I!
Then Pilate returned to the palace, and says to Jesus: Tell me, art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered: Dost thou say this, or have the other Jews said this to thee, that thou mightst question me? Pilate said: Thou dost not think that I am a Hebrew? I am not a Hebrew. Thy people and the chief priests have delivered thee into my hands; and tell me if thou art king of the Jews? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world; for if my kingdom were in this world, my soldiers would not be unconcerned at my being seized: wherefore my kingdom is not in this world. Pilate says: But art thou a king? Jesus said: Thou hast said: for this was I born, to bear witness to the truth; and if any one be a man of the truth, he believes my word, and does it. Pilate says: What is the truth? Jesus answered: The truth is from the heavens. Pilate says: On earth, then, is there no truth? Christ says: I am the truth; and how is the truth judged on earth by those that have earthly power!
Pilate therefore, leaving Christ alone, went outside, and says to the Jews: I find no fault in this man. The Jews answered: Let us tell your highness what he said. He said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days to build it. Pilate says: And what temple did he say that he was to destroy? The Hebrews say: The temple of Solomon, which Solomon built in forty-six years.
Pilate says privately to the chief priests and the scribes and the Pharisees: I entreat you, do nothing evil against this man; for if you do evil against him, you will do unjustly: for it is not just that such a man should die, who has done great good to many men. They said to Pilate: If, my lord, he who has dishonoured Caesar is worthy of death, how much more this man who dishonours God!
Then Pilate dismissed them, and they all went outside. Thereupon he says to Jesus: dost thou wish that I shall do to thee? Jesus says to Pilate: Do to me as is determined. Pilate says: How is it determined? Jesus answered: Moses and the prophets wrote about me being crucified, and rising again. The Hebrews, hearing this, said to Pilate: Why do you seek to hear a greater insult out of him against God? Pilate says: These words are not an insult against God, since they are written in the books of the prophets. The Hebrews said: Our Scripture says, If a man offend against a man, that is to say, if he insult him, he is worthy to receive forty strokes with a rod; but if any one insult God, to be stoned.
Then came a messenger from Procle, the wife of Pilate, to him; and the message said: Take care that thou do not agree that any evil should happen to Jesus the good man; because during this night I have seen fearful dreams on account of him. And Pilate spoke to the Hebrews, saying: If you hold as insult against God the words which you declare Jesus to have spoken, take and judge him yourselves according to your law. The Jews said to Pilate: We wish that you should crucify him. Pilate says: This is not good.
And Pilate, turning towards the people, saw many weeping, and said: To me it seems that it is not the wish of all the people that this man should die. The priests and the scribes say: We on this account have brought all the people, that thou mightst have full conviction that all wish his death. Pilate says: For what evil hath he done? The Hebrews said: He says that he is a king, and the Son of God.
A God-fearing Jew, therefore, Nicodemus by name, stood up in the midst, and said to Pilate: I entreat your highness to permit me to say a few words. Say on, said Pilate. Nicodemus says: I, being present in the synagogue, said to the priests, and the Levites, and the scribes, and the people, What have you to say against this man? This man does many miracles, such as man has never yet done nor will do. Let him go, therefore; and if indeed what he does be from God, it will stand; but if from man, it will be destroyed. Just as happened also when God sent Moses into Egypt, and Pharoah king of Egypt told him to do a miracle, and he did it. Then Pharoah had also two magicians, Jannes and Jambres; and they also did miracles by the use of magic art, but not such as Moses did. And the Egyptians held these magicians to be gods; but because they were not from God, what they did was destroyed. This Jesus, then, raised up Lazarus, and he is alive. On this account I entreat thee, my lord, by no means to allow this man to be put to death.
The Hebrews were enraged against Nicodemus, and said: Mayst thou receive the truth of Jesus, and have a portion with him. Nicodemus says: Amen, amen; be it to me as you say.
And when Nicodemus had thus spoken, another Hebrew rose up, and said to Pilate: I beg of thee, my lord Pilate, hear me also. Pilate answered: Say what thou wishest. The Hebrew says: I lay sick in bed thirty-eight years; and when he saw me he was grieved, and said to me, Rise, take up thy couch, and go into thine house. And while he was saying the word to me, I rose and walked about. The Hebrews say: Ask him on what day of the week this happened. He says: On Sabbath. The Jews said: And consequently we say truly, that he does not keep the Sabbath.
Another, again, standing in the midst, said: I was born blind; and as Jesus was going along the road, I cried to him, saying, Have mercy upon me, Lord, thou son of David. And he took clay, and anointed mine eyes; and straight, way I received my sight. Another said: I was crooked; and seeing him, I cried, Have mercy upon me, O Lord. And he took me by the hand, and I was immediately raised. Another said: I was a leper, and he healed me merely by a word.
There was found there also a woman named Veronica, and she said: Twelve years I was in an issue of blood, and I only touched the edge of his garment, and directly I was cured. The Jews say: Our law does not admit the testimony of a woman.
Other men cried: This man is a prophet, and the demons are afraid of him. Pilate says: And how were the demons not at all thus afraid of your parents also? They say: We do not know. Others, again, said: Lazarus, after having been four days in the tomb, he raised by a single word. Pilate therefore, hearing of the raising of Lazarus, was afraid, and said to the people: Why do you wish to shed the blood of a just man?
Then he summoned Nicodemus and the twelve God-fearing Jews, and said to them: What do you say that I should do? because the people are in commotion They say: We do not know: do as thou wilt; but what the people do, they do unjustly, in order to kill him. Pilate again went outside, and said to the people: You know that in the feasts of unleavened bread it is customary that I free on your account one of the criminals kept in custody. I have, then, one malefactor in the prison, a robber named Barabbas. I have also Jesus, who has never done any evil. Which of the two, then, do you wish that I release to you? The people answered: Release to us Barabbas. Pilate says: What then shall I do with Jesus? They say: Let him be crucified. Again, others of them cried out: If thou release Jesus, thou art no friend of Caesar, because he calls himself Son of God, and king. And if thou free him, he becomes a king, and will take Caesar's kingdom.
Pilate therefore was enraged, and said: Always has your nation been devilish and unbelieving; and ever have you been adversaries to your benefactors. The Hebrews say: And who were our benefactors? Pilate says: God, who freed you out of the hand of Pharaoh, and brought yon through the Red Sea as upon dry land, and fed you with quails, and gave you water to drink out of the dry rock, and who gave you a law which, denying God you broke; and if Moses had not stood and entreated God, you would have perished by a bitter death. All these, then, you have forgotten. Thus also, even now, you say that I do not at all love Caesar, but bate him, and wish to plot against his kingdom.
And having thus spoken, Pilate rose up from the throne with anger, wishing to flee from them. The Jews therefore cried out, saying: We wish Caesar to be king over us, not Jesus, because Jesus received gifts from the Magi. And Herod also heard this-that there was going to be a king-and wished to put him to death, and for this purpose sent and put to death all the infants that were in Bethlehem. And on this account also his father Joseph and iris mother fleet from fear of him into Egypt.
So then Pilate, hearing this, silenced all the people, and said: This, then, is the Jesus whom Herod then sought that he might put him to death? They say to him: Yes. Pilate therefore, having ascertained that he was of the jurisdiction of Herod, as being derived of the race of the Jews, sent Jesus to him. And Herod, seeing Him, rejoiced greatly, because he had been long desiring to see Him, hearing of the miracles which He did. He put on Him, therefore, white garments. Then he began to question Him. But Jesus did not give him an answer. And Herod, wishing to see also some miracle or other done by Jesus, and not seeing it, and also because He did not answer him a single word, sent Him back again to Pilate. Pilate. seeing this, ordered his officers to bring water. Washing, then, his bands with the water, he said to the people: I am innocent of the blood of this good man. See yon to it. that he is unjustly put to death, since neither I have found a fault in him, nor Herod; for because of this he has sent him back again to me. The Jews said: His blood be upon us, and upon our children.
Then Pilate sat down upon his throne to pass sentence. He gave order, therefore, and Jesus came before him. And they brought a crown of thorns, and put it on His head, and a reed into His right hand. Then he passed sentence, and said to Him: Thy nation says, and testifies against thee, that thou wishest to be a king. Therefore I decree that they shall beat thee first with a rod forty strokes, as the laws of the kings decree, and that they shall mock thee; and finally, that they shall crucify thee.
The sentence to this effect, then, having been passed by Pilate, the Jews began to strike Jesus, some with roots, others with their hands, others with their feet; some also spat in His face. Immediately, therefore, they got ready the cross, and gave it to Him, and flew to take the road. And thus going along, bearing also the cross, He came as far as the gate of the city of Jerusalem. But as He, from the many blows and the weight of the cross, was unable to walk, the Jews, out of the eager desire they had to crucify Him as quickly as possible, took the cross from Him, and gave it to a man that met them, Simon by name, who had also two sons, Alexander and Rufus. And he was from the city of Cyrene. They gave the cross, then, to him, not because they pitied Jesus, and wished to lighten Him of the weight, but because they eagerly desired, as has been said, to put Him to death more speedily.
Of His disciples, therefore, John followed Him there. Then he came fleeing to the mother of God. and said to her: Where hast thou been, that thou hast not come to see what has happened? She answered: What is it that has happened? John says: Know that the Jews have laid hold of my Master, and are taking Him away to crucify Him. Hearing this, His mother cried out with a loud voice, saying: My son, my son, what evil then hast thou done, that they are taking thee away to crucify thee? And she rose up as if blinded, and goes along the road weeping. And women followed her-Martha, and Mary Magdalene, and Salome, and other virgins. And John also was with her. When, therefore, they came to the multitude of the crowd, the mother of God says to John: Where is my son? John says: Seest thou Him bearing the crown of thorns, and having His hands bound? And the mother of God, hearing this, and seeing Him, fainted, and fell backwards to the ground, and lay a considerable time. And the women, as many as followed her, stood round her, and wept. And as soon as she revived and rose up, she cried out with a loud voice: My Lord, my son, where has the beauty of thy form sunk? how shall I endure to see thee suffering such things? And thus saying, she tore her face with her nails, and beat her breast. Where are they gone, said she, the good deeds which thou didst in Judaea? What evil hast thou done to the Jews? The Jews, then, seeing her thus lamenting and crying, came and drove her from the road; but she would not flee, but remained, saying: Kill me first, ye lawless Jews.
Then they got safe to the place called Cranium, which was paved with stone; and there the Jews set up the cross. Then they stripped Jesus, and the soldiers took His garments, and divided them among themselves; and they put on Him a tattered robe of scarlet, and raised Him, and drew Him up on the cross at the sixth hour of the day. After this they brought also two robbers, the one on His right, the other on His left.
Then the mother of God, standing and looking, cried out with a loud voice, saying: My son! my son: And Jesus, turning to her, and seeing John near her, and weeping with the rest of the women, said: Behold thy son! Then He says also to John: Behold thy mother! And she wept much, saying: For this I weep, my son, because thou sufferest unjustly, because the lawless Jews have delivered thee to a bitter death. Without thee, my son, what will become of me? How shall I live without thee? What sort of life shall I spend? Where are thy disciples, who boasted that they would die with thee? Where those healed by thee? How has no one been found to help thee? And looking to the cross, she said: Bend down, O cross, that I may embrace and kiss my son, whom I suckled at these breasts after a strange manner, as not having known than. Bend down, O cross; I wish to throw my arms round my son. Bend down, O cross, that I may bid farewell to my son like a mother. The Jews, hearing these words, came forward, and drove to a distance both her and the women and John.
Then Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Father, let not this sin stand against them; for they know not what they do. Then He says: I thirst. And immediately there ran one of the soldiers, and took a sponge, and filled it with gall and vinegar mixed, and put it on a reed, and gave Jesus to drink. And having tasted it, He would not drink it. And the Jews standing and looking on laughed at Him, and said: If thou truly sayst that thou art the Son of God, come down from the cross, and immediately, that we may believe in thee. Others said mocking: Others he saved, others he cured, and he healed the sick, the paralytic, the lepers, the demoniacs, the blind, the lame, the dead; and himself he cannot cure.
In the same manner also, the robber crucified on His left hand said to Him: If thou art the Son of God, come down and save both thyself and us. His name was Gistas. And he that was crucified on the right, Dysmas by name, reproved that robber, saying: O wretched and miserable man, dost thou not fear God? We suffer the due punishment of what we have done; but this man has done no evil at all. And turning to Jesus, he says to Him: Lord, when Thou shalt reign do not forget me. And He said to him: To-day, I tell thee truth, I shall have thee in paradise with me.
Then Jesus, crying out with a loud voice, Father, into Thy hands I shall commit my spirit, breathed His last. And immediately one could see the rocks rent: for there was an earthquake over all the earth; and from the earthquake being violent and great, the rocks also were rent. And the tombs of the dead were opened, and the curtain of the temple was rent, and there was darkness from the sixth hour till the ninth. And from all these things that had happened the Jews were afraid, and said: Certainly this was a just man. And Longinus, the centurion who stood by, said: Truly this was a son of God. Others coming and seeing Him, beat their breasts from fear, and again turned back.
And the centurion having perceived all these so great miracles, went away and reported them to Pilate. And when he heard, he wondered and was astonished, and from his fear and grief would neither eat nor drink that day. And he sent notice, and all the Sanhedrin came to him as soon as the darkness was past; and he said to the people: You know how the sun has been darkened; you know how the curtain has been rent. Certainly I did well in being by no means willing to put to death the good man. And the malefactors said to Pilate: This darkness is an eclipse of the sun, such as has happened also at other times. Then they say to him: We hold the feast of unleavened bread to-morrow; and we entreat thee, since the crucified are still breathing, that their bones be broken, and that they be brought down. Pilate said: It shall be so. He therefore sent soldiers, and they found the two robbers yet breathing, and they broke their legs; but finding Jesus dead, they did not touch Him at all, except that a soldier speared Him in the right side, and immediately there came forth blood and water.
And as the day of the preparation was drawing towards evening, Joseph, a man well-born and rich, a God-fearing Jew, finding Nicodemus, whose sentiments his foregoing speech had shown, says to him: I know that thou didst love Jesus when living, and didst gladly hear his words, and I saw thee fighting with the Jews on his account. If, then, it seem good to thee, let us go to Pilate, and beg the body of Jesus for burial, because it is a great sin for him to lie unburied. I am afraid, said Nicodemus, lest Pilate should be enraged, and some evil should befall me. But if thou wilt go alone, and beg the dead, and take him, then will I also go with thee, and help thee to do everything necessary for the burial. Nicodemus having thus spoken, Joseph directed his eyes to heaven, and prayed that he might not fail in his request; and he went away to Pilate, and having saluted him, sat down. Then he says to him: I entreat thee, my lord, not to be angry with me, if I shall ask anything contrary to what seems good to your highness. And he said: And what is it that thou askest? Joseph says: Jesus, the good man whom through hatred the Jews have taken away to crucify, him I entreat that thou give me for burial. Pilate says: And what has happened, that we should deliver to be honoured again the dead body of him against whom evidence of sorcery was brought by his nation, and who was in suspicion of taking the kingdom of Caesar, and so was given up by us to death? And Joseph, weeping and in great grief, fell at the feet of Pilate, saying: My lord, let no hatred fall upon a dead man; for all the evil that a man has done should perish with him in his death. And I know your highness, how eager thou wast that Jesus should not be crucified, and how much thou saidst to the Jews on his behalf, now in entreaty and again in anger, and at last how thou didst wash thy hands, and declare that thou wouldst by no means take part with those who wished him to be put to death; for all which reasons I entreat thee not to refuse my request. Pilate, therefore, seeing Joseph thus lying, and supplicating, and weeping, raised him up, and said: Go, I grant thee this dead man; take him, and do whatever thou wilt.
And then Joseph, having thanked Pilate, and kissed his hands and his garments, went forth, rejoicing indeed in heart as having obtained his desire, but carrying tears in his eyes. Thus also, though grieved, he was glad. Accordingly he goes away to Nicodemus, and discloses to him all that had happened. Then, having bought myrrh and aloes a hundred pounds, and a new tomb, they, along with the mother of God and Mary Magdalene and Salome, along with John, and the rest of the women, did what was customary for the body with white linen, and placed it in the tomb.
And the mother of God said, weeping: How am I not to lament thee, my son? How should I not tear my face with my nails? This is that, my son, which Symeon the elder foretold to me when I brought thee, an infant of forty days old, into the temple. This is the sword which now goes through my soul. Who shall put a stop to my tears, my sweetest son? No one at all except thyself alone, if, as thou saidst, thou shalt rise again in three days.
Mary Magdalene said, weeping: Hear, O peoples, tribes, and tongues, and learn to what death the lawless Jews have delivered him who did them ten thousand good deeds. Hear, and be astonished. Who will let these things be heard by all the world? I shall go alone to Rome, to the Caesar. I shall show him what evil Pilate hath done in obeying the lawless Jews. Likewise also, Joseph lamented, saying: Ah, me! sweetest Jesus, most excellent of men, if indeed it be proper to call thee man, who hast wrought such miracles as no man has ever done. How shall I enshroud thee? How shall I entomb thee? There should now have been here those whom thou fedst with a few loaves; for thus should I not have seemed to fail in what is due.
Then Joseph, along with Nicodemus, went home; and likewise also the mother of God, with the women, John also being present with them.
When the Jews were made acquainted with these things done by Joseph and Nicodemus, they were greatly stirred up against them. And the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas sent for Joseph, and said: Why hast thou done this service to Jesus? Joseph says: I know that Jesus was a man just, and true, and good in all respects; and I know also that you, through hatred, managed to murder him: and therefore I buried him. Then the high priests were enraged, and laid hold of Joseph, and threw him into prison, and said to him: If we had not to-morrow the feast of unleavened bread, tomorrow also should we have put thee, like him, to death; but being kept in the meantime, early in the morning of the Lord's day thou shall be given up to death. Thus they spoke, and affixed their seal to the prison, having secured it by fastenings of all sorts.
Thus, therefore, when the Preparation was ended, early on the Sabbath the Jews went away to Pilate, and said to him: My lord, that deceiver said, that after three days he should rise again. Lest, therefore, his disciples should steal him by night, and lead the people astray by such deceit, order his tomb to be guarded. Pilate therefore, upon this, gave them five hundred soldiers, who also sat round the sepulchre so as to guard it, after having put seals upon the stone of the tomb.
The Lord's day, then, having dawned, the chief priests, along with the Jews, called a council, and sent to take Joseph out of the prison, in order to put him to death. But having opened it, they found him not. And they were astonished at this-how, with the doors shut, and the bolts safe, and the seals unbroken, Joseph had disappeared.
And upon this there came up one of the soldiers guarding the tomb, and he said in the synagogue: Learn that Jesus has risen. The Jews say: How? And he said: First there was an earthquake; then an angel of the Lord, clothed with lightning, came from heaven, and rolled the stone from the tomb, and sat upon it. And from fear of him, all of us soldiers became as dead, and were able neither to flee nor speak. And we heard the angels saying to the women who came there to see the tomb: Be not you afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus. He is not here, but is risen, as He told you before. Bend down and see the tomb where His body lay; but go and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and let them go into Galilee, for there shall they find Him. For this reason I tell you this first.
The Jews say to the soldiers: What sort of women were they who came to the tomb? and why did you not lay hold of them? The soldiers say: From the fear and the mere sight of the angel, we were able neither to speak nor move. The Jews said: As the God of Israel liveth, we do not believe a word you say. The soldiers say: Jesus did so great wonders, and you believed not, and are you going to believe us? You say truly that God liveth; and certainly he whom you crucified truly liveth. But we have heard that you had Joseph shut up in the prison, and that you afterwards opened the doors, and did not find him. Do you then present Joseph, and so we also shall present Jesus. The Jews say: Joseph, that fled from the prison, you will find in Arimathaea, his own country. And the soldiers say: Go you too into Galilee, and you will find Jesus, as the angel said to the women.
At these words the Jews were afraid, and said to the soldiers: See that you tell this story to nobody, or all will believe in Jesus. And for this reason they gave them also much money. And the soldiers said: We are afraid lest by any chance Pilate hear that we have taken money, and he will kill us. And the Jews said: Take it; and we pledge ourselves that we shall speak to Pilate in your defence. Only say that you were asleep, and in your slumber the disciples of Jesus came and stole him from the tomb. The soldiers therefore took the money, and said as they were bid. And up to this day this same lying tale is told among the Jews.
And a few days after there came from Galilee to Jerusalem three men. One of them was a priest, by name Phinees; the second a Levite, by name Aggai; and the third a soldier, by name Adas. These came to the chief priests, and said to them and to the people: Jesus, whom you crucified, we have seen in Galilee with his eleven disciples upon the Mount of Olives, teaching them, and saying, Go into all the world, and proclaim the good news; and whosoever will believe and be baptized shall be saved; but whosoever will not believe shall be condemned. And having thus spoken, he went up into heaven. And both we and many others of the five hundred besides were looking on.
And when the chief priests and the Jews heard these things, they said to these three: Give glory to the God of Israel, and repent of these lies that you have told. They answered: As the God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob liveth, we do not lie, but tell you the truth. Then the high priest spoke, and they brought the old covenant of the Hebrews out of the temple, and he made them swear, and giving them also money, he sent them into another place, in order that they might not proclaim in Jerusalem the resurrection of Christ.
And when these stories had been heard by all the people, the crowd came together into the temple, and there was a great commotion. For many said: Jesus has risen from the dead, as we hear, and why did you crucify him? And Annas and Caiaphas said: Do not believe, ye Jews, what the soldiers say; and do not believe that they saw an angel coming down from heaven. For we have given money to the soldiers, in order that they should not tell such tales to any one; and thus also have the disciples of Jesus given them money, in order that they should say that Jesus has risen from the dead.
Nicodemus says: O children of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the prophet Helias went up into the height of heaven with a fiery chariot, and it is nothing incredible if Jesus too has risen; for the prophet Helias was a prototype of Jesus, in order that you, hearing that Jesus has risen, might not disbelieve. I therefore say and advise, that it is befitting that we send soldiers into Galilee, to that place where these men testify, that they saw him with his disciples, in order that they may go round about and find him, and that thus we may ask pardon of him for the evil which we have done to him. This proposal pleased them; and they chose soldiers, and sent them away into Galilee. And Jesus indeed they did not find; but they found Joseph in Arimathaea.
When, therefore, the soldiers had returned, the chief priests, having ascertained that Joseph was found, brought the people together, and said: What shall we do to get Joseph to come to us? After deliberating, therefore, they wrote to him a letter to the following effect:-O father Joseph, peace be to thee and all thy house, and thy friends! We know that we have offended against God, and against thee His servant. On account of this, we entreat thee to come here to us thy children. For we bare wondered much how thou didst escape from the prison, and we say in truth that we had an evil design against thee. But God, seeing that our designs against thee were unjust, has delivered thee out of our hands. But come to us, for thou art the honour of our people.
This letter the Jews sent to Arimathaea, with seven soldiers, friends of Joseph. And they went away and found him; and having respectfully saluted him, as they had been ordered, they gave him the letter, And after receiving it and reading it, he glorified God, and embraced the soldiers; and having set a table, ate and drank with them during all the day and the night.
And on the following day he set out with them to Jerusalem; and the people came forth to meet him, and embraced him. And Nicodemus received him into his own house. And the day after, Annas and Caiaphas, the chief priests, having summoned him to the temple, said to him: Give glory to the God of Israel, and tell us the truth. For we know that thou didst bury Jesus; and on this account we laid hold of thee, and locked thee up in the prison. Thereafter, when we sought to bring thee out to be put to death, we did not find thee, and we were greatly astonished and afraid. Moreover, we prayed to God that we might find thee, and ask thee. Tell us therefore the truth.
Joseph said to them: In the evening of the Preparation, when you secured me in prison, I fell a-praying throughout the whole night, and throughout the whole day of the Sabbath. And at midnight I see the prison-house that four angels lifted it up, holding it by the four corners. And Jesus came in like lightning, and I fell to the ground from fear. Taking hold of me, therefore, by the hand, he raised me, saying, Fear not, Joseph. Thereafter, embracing me, he kissed me, and said, Turn thyself, and see who I am. Turning myself, therefore, and looking, I said, My lord, I know not who thou art. He says, I am Jesus, whom thou didst bury the day before yesterday. I say to him, Show me the tomb, and then I shall believe. He took me, therefore, by the hand, and led me away to the tomb, which had been opened. And seeing the linen and the napkin, and recognising him, I said, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; and I adored him. Then taking me by the hand, and accompanied by the angels, he brought me to my house in Arimathaea, and said to me, Sit here for forty days; for I go to my disciples, in order that I may enable them fully to proclaim my resurrection.
When Joseph had thus spoken, the chief priests cried out to the people: We know that Jesus had a father and mother; how can we believe that he is the Christ? One of the Levites answered and said: I know the family of Jesus, noble-minded men, great servants of God, and receiving tithes from the people of the Jews. And I know also Symeon the eider, that he received him when he was an infant, and said to him: Now thou sendest away Thy servant, O Lord.
The Jews said: Let us now find the three men that saw him on the Mount of Olives, that we may question them, and learn the truth more accurately. They found them, and brought them before all, and made them swear to tell the truth. And they said: As the God of Israel liveth, we saw Jesus alive on the Mount of Olives, and going up into heaven.
Then Annas and Caiaphas took the three apart, one by one, and questioned them singly in private. They agreed with one another, therefore, and gave, even the three, one account. The chief priests answered, saying: Our Scripture says that every word shall be established by two or three witnesses. Joseph, then, has confessed that he, along with Nicodemus, attended to his body, and buried him, and how it is the truth that he has risen.
Source:
De verloren boeken van de Bijbel , [1926], op Sacred-Texts.com
Het EVANGELIE van NICODEMUS, voorheen de HANDELINGEN van PONTIUS PILAAT genoemd.
[Hoewel sommigen onder de geleerden veronderstellen dat dit evangelie in werkelijkheid geschreven is door Nikodemus, die een discipel van Jezus Christus werd en met hem sprak; Anderen vermoeden dat het een vervalsing was tegen het einde van de derde eeuw door een ijverige gelovige, die opmerkte dat er door de christenen uit die tijd een beroep was gedaan op de Handelingen van Pilatus, maar dat dergelijke Handelingen niet konden worden geproduceerd. hij dacht dat het het christendom van dienst zou zijn dit evangelie te verzinnen en te publiceren; omdat het zowel de christenen die vervolgd worden zou bevestigen, als de heidenen zou overtuigen van de waarheid van de christelijke religie. Eerw. Jeremiah Jones zegt dat dergelijke vrome fraudes zelfs in de eerste drie eeuwen heel gebruikelijk waren onder christenen; en dat een vervalsing van deze aard, met de hierboven genoemde opvatting, natuurlijk en waarschijnlijk lijkt. Dezelfde auteur, die opmerkt dat Eusebius in zijn Kerkgeschiedenis de heidenen ervan beschuldigt een boek te hebben vervalst en gepubliceerd, genaamd ‘De Handelingen van Pilatus’, maakt van de gelegenheid gebruik om op te merken dat het interne bewijs van dit Evangelie aantoont dat het niet het werk van elke heiden; maar dat als we aan het einde van de derde eeuw zien dat het onder christenen in gebruik is (zoals het toen zeker in sommige kerken was) en ongeveer tegelijkertijd een vervalsing van de heidenen onder dezelfde titel aantreffen, het buitengewoon waarschijnlijk lijkt dat sommigen Christenen zouden in die tijd een dergelijk stuk als dit moeten publiceren, om deels de valse heidenen te confronteren, en deels om de oproepen te ondersteunen die door voormalige christenen waren gedaan op de Handelingen van Pilatus; en de heer Jones zegt dat hij dit des te meer denkt, omdat we talloze voorbeelden hebben van vervalsingen door de gelovigen in de primitieve tijdperken, die op minder plausibele redenen zijn gebaseerd. Of het nu canoniek is of niet, het is van zeer grote ouderdom en er wordt door verschillende christenen uit de oudheid een beroep op gedaan. De huidige vertaling is gemaakt van het evangelie gepubliceerd door Grynæus in de Orthodoxographa, vol. i. Tom. ii. P. 643.]
Het Evangelie van NICODEMUS, de discipel, over het lijden en de opstanding van onze Meester en Verlosser JEZUS CHRISTUS.
KEREL. I.
1 Christus door de Joden bij Pilatus beschuldigd van genezing op de sabbat, 9 voor Pilatus gedagvaard door een boodschapper die hem eer betoont, 20 aanbeden door de standaarden die voor hem buigen .
ANNAS en Kajafas, en Summas, en Datam, Gamaliël, Judas, Levi, Neptalim, Alexander, Cyrus en andere Joden gingen naar Pilatus over Jezus en beschuldigden hem van vele ernstige misdaden.
2 En zei: Wij zijn er zeker van dat Jezus de zoon is van Jozef, de timmerman, 1 land geboren uit Maria, en dat hij zichzelf de Zoon van God en een koning noemt; 2 en niet alleen zo, maar probeert de sabbat te ontbinden, 3 en de wetten van onze vaderen.
3 Pilatus antwoordde; Wat is het dat hij verklaart? en wat probeert hij op te lossen?
4 De Joden zeiden tegen hem: Wij hebben een wet die het verrichten van genezingen op de sabbatdag verbiedt; 4 Maar hij geneest op die dag zowel de kreupelen als de doven, degenen die aan verlamming lijden, de blinden, de melaatsen en de demonen.
5 Pilatus antwoordde: Hoe kan hij dit op een slechte manier doen? Zij antwoordden: Hij is een tovenaar en drijft duivels uit door de prins van de duivels; 5 6 En zo worden alle dingen aan hem onderworpen.
6 Toen zei Pilatus: Het uitdrijven van duivels lijkt niet het werk van een onreine geest te zijn, maar voort te komen uit de kracht van God.
7 De Joden antwoordden Pilatus: Wij verzoeken u hoogheid om hem op te roepen voor uw rechtbank te verschijnen en hem zelf te horen.
8 Toen riep Pilatus een boodschapper en zei tegen hem: Op welke manier zal Christus hierheen worden gebracht?
9 Toen ging de boodschapper uit, en omdat hij Christus kende, aanbad hij hem; en nadat hij de mantel die hij in zijn hand had op de grond had uitgespreid, zei hij: Heer, loop hierop en ga naar binnen, want de gouverneur roept u.
10 Toen de Joden merkten wat de boodschapper had gedaan, riepen zij tegen Pilatus uit en zeiden: Waarom hebt u hem niet met een pedel opgeroepen en niet met een boodschapper? Want de boodschapper, toen hij hem zag, aanbad hem, spreidde de mantel die hij in zijn hand had voor hem op de grond en zei tegen hem: Heer, de stadhouder roept u.
11 Toen riep Pilatus de boodschapper en zei: Waarom hebt u dit gedaan?
12 De boodschapper antwoordde: Toen u mij van Jeruzalem naar Alexander stuurde, zag ik Jezus in een gemene gedaante op een ezelin zitten, en de kinderen van de Hebreeën riepen: Hosanna, terwijl ze takken van bomen in hun handen hielden.
13 Anderen spreidden hun kleding uit op de weg en zeiden: Red ons, jij die in de hemel bent; gezegend is hij die komt in de naam van de Heer. 7
14 Toen riepen de Joden tegen de boodschapper en zeiden: De kinderen van de Hebreeën spraken hun toejuichingen uit in de Hebreeuwse taal; en hoe zou jij, die een Griek bent, het Hebreeuws kunnen begrijpen?
Klik om te vergroten.
MARIA AANBIEDT IN DE TEMPEL. UIT EEN GRIEKSE DIPTYCHON UIT DE DERTIENDE OF VEERTIENDE EEUW.
15 De boodschapper antwoordde hen en zei: Ik vroeg het aan een van de Joden en zei: Wat roepen de kinderen nu uit in de Hebreeuwse taal?
16 En hij legde het mij uit, zeggende: Zij roepen Hosannah uit, wat uitgelegd wordt als: O Heer, red mij; of, o Heer, red.
17 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Waarom getuigt u zelf van de woorden die de kinderen hebben gesproken, namelijk door uw stilzwijgen? Waarin heeft de boodschapper iets verkeerd gedaan? En ze waren stil.
18 Toen zei de gouverneur tegen de boodschapper: Ga heen en probeer hem op welke manier dan ook binnen te brengen.
19 Maar de boodschapper ging uit en deed zoals voorheen; en zei: Heer, kom binnen, want de stadhouder roept u.
20 En toen Jezus naar binnen ging via de vaandels, die de standaards droegen, bogen de toppen ervan zich voorover en aanbaden Jezus.
21 Waarop de Joden nog heftiger tegen de vaandels riepen.
22 Maar Pilatus zei tegen de Joden: Ik weet dat het u niet bevalt dat de toppen van de standaarden uit zichzelf bogen en Jezus aanbaden; Maar waarom roept u tegen de vaandels, alsof zij hadden gebogen en aanbeden?
23 Zij antwoordden Pilatus: Wij hebben de vaandels zelf zien buigen en Jezus aanbidden.
24 Toen riep de stadhouder de vaandels bijeen en zei tegen hen: Waarom hebt u dit gedaan?
25 De vaandels zeiden tegen Pilatus: Wij zijn allemaal heidenen en aanbidden de goden in tempels; en wat moeten we ervan vinden om hem te aanbidden? Wij hielden alleen de normen in onze handen en zij bogen zich en aanbaden hem.
26 Toen zei Pilatus tegen de leiders van de synagoge: Kiest u zelf een paar sterke mannen, en laat hen de standaarden hooghouden, en wij zullen zien of zij dan voor zichzelf zullen buigen.
27 Dus zochten de oudsten van de Joden twaalf van de sterkste en bekwaamste oude mannen op, lieten hen de standaarden vasthouden en stonden in de aanwezigheid van de gouverneur.
28 Toen zei Pilatus tegen de boodschapper: Haal Jezus eruit en breng hem op de een of andere manier weer binnen. En Jezus en de boodschapper gingen de zaal uit.
29 En Pilatus riep de vaandels bijeen die voorheen de standaarden hadden gedragen, en zwoer hun dat als ze de standaarden niet op die manier hadden gedragen toen Jezus eerder binnenkwam, Hij hun hoofden zou afhakken.
30 Toen beval de stadhouder Jezus weer binnen te komen.
31 En de boodschapper deed zoals hij eerder had gedaan, en smeekte Jezus ten zeerste om op zijn mantel te gaan en erop te lopen, en hij liep erop en ging naar binnen.
32 En toen Jezus binnenkwam, bogen de standaarden zich als voorheen en aanbaden hem.
KEREL. II.
2 Heeft medelijden met de vrouw van Pilatus, 7 wordt ervan beschuldigd in hoererij geboren te zijn. 12 Getuigenis van de verloving van zijn ouders. Haat tegen de Joden tegen hem .
Toen Pilatus dit zag, werd hij bang en stond hij op het punt van zijn stoel op te staan.
2 Maar terwijl hij dacht op te staan, stuurde zijn eigen vrouw, die op een afstand stond, hem een boodschap met de mededeling:
[paragraaf gaat verder]Hebt u niets te maken met die rechtvaardige man; want ik heb deze nacht veel over hem geleden in een visioen. 1
3 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, zeiden ze tegen Pilatus: Hebben wij niet tegen u gezegd: Hij is een goochelaar? Zie, hij heeft uw vrouw laten dromen.
4 Pilatus riep toen Jezus en zei: Hebt u gehoord wat zij tegen u getuigen, en geeft u geen antwoord?
5 Jezus antwoordde: Als ze niet konden spreken, hadden ze niet kunnen spreken; maar omdat iedereen de beheersing van zijn eigen taal heeft, om zowel goed als slecht te spreken, laat hij ernaar kijken.
6 Maar de oudsten van de Joden antwoordden en zeiden tegen Jezus: Waar moeten we naar kijken?
7 In de eerste plaats weten wij dit over u, dat u door hoererij bent geboren; ten tweede dat vanwege uw geboorte de kinderen in Bethlehem werden gedood; ten derde dat uw vader en moeder Maria naar Egypte vluchtten, omdat zij hun eigen volk niet konden vertrouwen.
8 Sommige Joden die erbij stonden, spraken gunstiger: We kunnen niet zeggen dat hij door hoererij is geboren; maar we weten dat zijn moeder Maria verloofd was met Jozef, en dat hij dus niet door hoererij geboren werd.
9 Toen zei Pilatus tegen de Joden, die beweerden dat hij door hoererij geboren was: Dit verhaal is niet waar, aangezien er sprake was van een verloving, aangezien zij getuigen die tot uw eigen volk behoren.
10 Annas en Kajafas zeiden tegen Pilatus: Er moet rekening worden gehouden met deze hele menigte mensen, die uitroepen dat hij door hoererij is geboren en een goochelaar is; maar zij die ontkennen dat hij uit hoererij geboren is, zijn zijn proselieten en discipelen.
11 Pilatus antwoordde Annas en Kajafas: Wie zijn de proselieten? Zij antwoordden: Zij zijn kinderen van heidenen en zijn geen joden geworden, maar volgelingen van hem.
12 Toen antwoordde Eleazer, en Asterius, en Antonius, en Jakobus, Caras en Samuël, Isaak en Pinees, Crispus en Agrippa, Annas en Judas: Wij zijn geen bekeerlingen, maar kinderen van Joden, en spreken de waarheid, en waren aanwezig toen Maria was verloofd.
13 Toen richtte Pilatus zich tot de twaalf mannen die dit spraken, en zei tegen hen: Ik bezweer u bij het leven van Caesar, dat u getrouw verklaart of hij door hoererij is geboren, en dat de dingen waar zijn die u hebt verteld.
14 Zij antwoordden Pilatus: Wij hebben een wet die ons verbiedt te zweren, omdat dit een zonde is. Laat hen zweren bij het leven van Caesar dat het niet is zoals wij hebben gezegd, en wij zullen tevreden zijn als wij ter dood worden gebracht.
15 Toen zeiden Annas en Kajafas tegen Pilatus: Die twaalf mannen zullen niet geloven dat we weten dat hij een laaggeborene is en een goochelaar, ook al doet hij alsof hij de zoon van God is en een koning. 2 waarvan we zo ver verwijderd zijn van het geloven, dat we beven als we het horen.
16 Toen beval Pilatus iedereen naar buiten te gaan, behalve de twaalf mannen die zeiden dat hij niet door hoererij was geboren, en Jezus zich op een afstandje terug te trekken. Hij zei tegen hen: Waarom hebben de Joden zin om Jezus te doden?
17 Ze antwoordden hem: Ze zijn boos omdat hij op de sabbat een genezing heeft bewerkstelligd. Pilatus zei: Zullen ze hem vermoorden voor goed werk? 1 Ze zeggen tegen hem: Ja, heer.
KEREL. III.
1 Wordt vrijgesproken door Pilatus. 11 Geschillen met Pilatus over de waarheid .
TOEN liep Pilatus, vervuld van woede, de zaal uit en zei tegen de Joden: Ik roep de hele wereld op om te getuigen dat ik geen schuld in die man vind. 2
2 De Joden antwoordden Pilatus: Als hij geen slecht mens was geweest, hadden wij hem niet voor u gebracht.
3 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Neemt u hem mee en beproeft u hem volgens uw wet.
4 Toen zeiden de Joden: Het is ons niet geoorloofd iemand ter dood te brengen.
5 Pilatus zei tegen de Joden: Het bevel, daarom zult u niet doden, 3 is van jou, maar niet van mij.
6 En hij ging opnieuw de zaal binnen, riep Jezus bij zich en zei tegen hem: Bent u de koning van de Joden?
7 En Jezus antwoordde en zei tegen Pilatus: Spreekt u dit uit uzelf, of hebben de Joden u dit over mij verteld?
8 Pilatus antwoordde en zei tegen Jezus: Ben ik een Jood? Het hele volk en de heersers van de Joden hebben u aan mij overgeleverd. Wat heb je gedaan?
9 Jezus antwoordde en zei: Mijn koninkrijk is niet van deze wereld. Als mijn koninkrijk van deze wereld zou zijn, zouden mijn dienaren dan strijden, en zou ik niet aan de Joden zijn overgeleverd; maar nu komt mijn koninkrijk niet van hier.
10 Pilatus zei: Bent u dan een koning? Jezus antwoordde: Gij zegt dat ik een koning ben; met dit doel ben ik geboren, en met dit doel ben ik in de wereld gekomen; en met dit doel ben ik gekomen, om van de waarheid te getuigen; en iedereen die uit de waarheid is, hoort mijn stem.
11 Pilatus zei tegen hem: Wat is waarheid?
12 Jezus zei: De waarheid komt uit de hemel.
13 Pilatus zei: Daarom is de waarheid niet op aarde.
14 Jezus zei tegen Pilatus: Geloof dat de waarheid op aarde is onder degenen die, wanneer ze de macht hebben om te oordelen, zich door de waarheid laten leiden en een juist oordeel vormen.
KEREL. IV.
1 Pilatus vindt geen schuld in Jezus. 16 De Joden eisen zijn kruisiging .
Toen liet Pilatus Jezus achter in de hal, ging naar de Joden en zei: Ik vind geen enkele fout in Jezus.
2 De Joden zeiden tegen hem: Maar hij zei: Ik kan de tempel van God afbreken en in drie dagen weer opbouwen.
3 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Wat voor soort tempel is dat waarover hij spreekt?
4 De Joden zeiden tegen hem: Waar Salomo zesenveertig jaar aan heeft gebouwd, 4 Hij zei dat hij zou vernietigen en in drie dagen weer opbouwen.
5 Pilatus zei opnieuw tegen hen: Ik ben onschuldig aan het bloed van die man; kijk je ernaar. 5
6 De Joden zeggen tegen hem: Zijn bloed kome over ons en onze kinderen. Toen riep Pilatus de oudsten en schriftgeleerden, de priesters en de Levieten bijeen en zei tegen hen onder vier ogen: Handel niet zo; Ik heb niets in uw beschuldiging (tegen hem) gevonden met betrekking tot het genezen van zieken en het overtreden van de sabbat, wat de dood waard is.
7 De priesters en de Levieten antwoordden Pilatus: Door het leven van Caesar, als iemand een godslasteraar is, is hij de dood waard; 1 Maar deze man heeft tegen de Heer gelasterd.
8 Toen beval de stadhouder de Joden opnieuw de zaal te verlaten; en riep Jezus en zei tegen Hem: Wat moet ik met je doen?
9 Jezus antwoordde hem: Doe zoals er geschreven staat.
10 Pilatus zei tegen hem: Hoe staat het geschreven?
11 Jezus zei tegen hem: Mozes en de profeten hebben geprofeteerd over mijn lijden en opstanding.
12 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, waren ze ontsteld en zeiden tegen Pilatus: Waarom wil je nog langer de godslastering van die man horen?
13 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Als deze woorden u godslastering toeschijnen, neem dan hem mee, breng hem voor uw rechtbank en berecht hem volgens uw wet.
14 De Joden antwoordden Pilatus: Onze wet zegt dat hij negendertig zweepslagen zal moeten ontvangen, maar als hij op deze manier tegen de Heer lastert, zal hij worden gestenigd.
15 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Als die toespraak van hem godslastering was, beproeft u hem dan volgens uw wet.
16 De Joden zeggen tegen Pilatus: Onze wet gebiedt ons niemand ter dood te brengen. 2 wij verlangen dat hij gekruisigd wordt, omdat hij de dood aan het kruis verdient.
17 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Het past niet dat hij gekruisigd wordt; laat hem maar geselen en wegsturen. 3
18 Maar toen de stadhouder naar de aanwezigen en de Joden keek, zag hij velen van de Joden in tranen en zei tegen de hogepriesters van de Joden: Het hele volk verlangt niet naar zijn dood.
19 De oudsten van de Joden antwoordden Pilatus: Wij en het hele volk zijn hierheen gekomen met dit doel: dat hij zou sterven.
20 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Waarom zou hij sterven?
21 Ze zeiden tegen hem: Omdat hij zichzelf de Zoon van God en een Koning noemt.
KEREL. V.
1 Nicodemus spreekt ter verdediging van Christus en vertelt zijn wonderen. 12 Een andere Jood, 26 met Veronica, 34 Centurio en anderen, getuigen van andere wonderen .
MAAR Nicodemus, een zekere Jood, stond voor de gouverneur en zei: Ik smeek u, o rechtvaardige rechter, dat u mij de vrijheid wilt geven om een paar woorden te spreken.
2 Pilatus zei tegen hem: Spreek verder.
3 Nicodemus zei: Ik sprak tot de oudsten van de Joden, en de schriftgeleerden, en de priesters en de Levieten, en de hele menigte van de Joden, in hun vergadering; Wat zou u met deze man doen?
4 Hij is een man die vele nuttige en glorieuze wonderen heeft verricht, zoals geen mens op aarde ooit eerder heeft gedaan,
zal ook nooit werken. 1 Laat hem gaan en doe hem geen kwaad; als hij van God komt, zullen zijn wonderen (zijn wonderbaarlijke genezingen) doorgaan; maar als ze van mensen afkomstig zijn, zullen ze op niets uitlopen. 2
5 Zo verrichtte Mozes, toen hij door God naar Egypte werd gezonden, de wonderen die God hem had opgedragen in het aangezicht van Farao, de koning van Egypte; en hoewel de magiërs van dat land, Jannes en Jambres, 3 brachten door hun magie dezelfde wonderen tot stand die Mozes deed, maar toch konden ze niet alles tot stand brengen wat hij deed; 4
6 En de wonderen die de magiërs verrichtten, waren niet van God, zoals u weet, o schriftgeleerden en Farizeeën; maar zij die ze bedreven kwamen om, en allen die erin geloofden. 5
7 En laat deze man nu gaan; omdat juist de wonderen waarvan u hem beschuldigt, van God komen; en hij is de dood niet waard.
8 De Joden zeiden toen tegen Nikodemus: Bent u zijn discipel geworden en houdt u toespraken ten gunste van hem?
9 Nicodemus zei tegen hen: Is de stadhouder ook zijn discipel geworden, en houdt hij toespraken voor hem? Heeft Caesar hem niet op die hoge post geplaatst?
10 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, beefden zij en knarsetandden tegen Nikodemus en zeiden tegen hem: Moge u zijn leer als waarheid aanvaarden en uw lot met Christus hebben!
11 Nicodemus antwoordde: Amen; Ik zal zijn leer aanvaarden, en mijn lot met hem, zoals u hebt gezegd.
12 Toen stond een andere zekere Jood op en vroeg de gouverneur toestemming om hem een paar woorden te horen.
13 En de gouverneur zei: Zeg wat u wilt.
14 En hij zei: Achtendertig jaar lang heb ik bij de schaapskooi in Jeruzalem gelegen, terwijl ik onder een grote ziekte leed, en wachtte op een genezing die zou worden bewerkstelligd door de komst van een engel, die op een gegeven moment het water in beroering bracht. ; en wie het eerst na de onrust van het water erin stapte, werd genezen van welke ziekte hij ook had.
15 En toen Jezus mij daar zag wegkwijnen, zei Hij tegen mij: Wilt u genezen worden? En ik antwoordde: Mijnheer, ik heb niemand die mij in het water kan gooien als het water in beroering is.
16 En hij zei tegen mij: Sta op, neem uw bed op en loop. En ik werd onmiddellijk genezen, nam mijn bed op en liep. 6
17 Toen zeiden de Joden tegen Pilatus: Onze Heer, gouverneur, vraag hem alstublieft op welke dag het was waarop hij van zijn ziekte werd genezen.
18 De zieke antwoordde: Het was op de sabbat.
19 De Joden zeiden tegen Pilatus: Zeiden wij niet dat hij op de sabbat zijn genezingen tot stand bracht en door de prins der duivels duivels uitdreef?
20 Dan nog een bepaalde 7 De Jood kwam naar voren en zei: Ik was blind, kon geluiden horen, maar kon niemand zien; En terwijl Jezus verder ging, hoorde ik de menigte voorbijkomen en ik vroeg wat daar was?
21 Ze vertelden mij dat Jezus langskwam. Toen riep ik luid en zei: Jezus, Zoon van David, heb medelijden met mij. En hij
stond stil en beval dat ik naar hem toe moest worden gebracht, en zei tegen mij: Wat wilt u?
22 Ik zei: Heer, zodat ik weer kan zien.
23 Hij zei tegen mij: Krijg weer zicht, en weldra zag ik het en volgde hem, mij verheugend en dankzeggend.
24 Er kwam ook een andere Jood naar voren en zei: 1 Ik was melaats, en hij genas mij alleen door zijn woord, zeggende: Ik wil, wees rein; en weldra werd ik gereinigd van mijn melaatsheid.
25 En een andere Jood kwam naar voren en zei: Ik was krom, en hij maakte mij recht door zijn woord. 2
26 En een zekere vrouw genaamd Veronica zei: 3 Ik werd twaalf jaar lang getroffen door een bloedvloeiing, en ik raakte de zoom van zijn kleren aan, en weldra stopte de bloedvloeiing.
27 Toen zeiden de Joden: Wij hebben een wet die bepaalt dat een vrouw niet als bewijs mag worden toegelaten.
28 En na andere dingen zei een andere Jood: 4 Ik zag dat Jezus met zijn discipelen was uitgenodigd voor een bruiloft, en er was gebrek aan wijn in Kana, in Galilea;
29 En toen alle wijn gedronken was, gebood hij de dienaren dat ze zes potten die daar stonden met water moesten vullen, en zij vulden ze tot de rand, en hij zegende ze, en veranderde het water in wijn, en heel het volk dronk, verrast door dit wonder.
30 En een andere Jood kwam naar voren en zei: 5 Ik zag Jezus lesgeven in de synagoge van Kafarnaüm; en er was in de synagoge een zekere man die een duivel had; en hij riep het uit en zei: laat mij met rust; Wat hebben wij met U te maken, Jezus van Nazareth? Bent u gekomen om ons te vernietigen? Ik weet dat u de Heilige van God bent.
31 En Jezus bestrafte hem en zei: Zwijg, onreine geest, en ga uit van de man; en weldra kwam hij uit hem tevoorschijn en deed hem helemaal geen pijn.
32 De volgende dingen werden ook door een Farizeeër gezegd; Ik zag dat er een groot gezelschap naar Jezus kwam vanuit Galilea en Judea, en de zeekust, en vele landen rond de Jordaan, en veel zieke mensen kwamen naar Hem toe, en Hij genas ze allemaal. 6
33 En ik hoorde de onreine geesten roepen en zeggen: 7Gij zijt de Zoon van God. En Jezus gebood hen streng dat zij hem niet bekend mochten maken.
34 ¶ Hierna zei een andere persoon, wiens naam Centurio was: 8 Ik zag Jezus in Kapernaüm, en ik smeekte Hem en zei: Heer, mijn dienaar ligt verlamd thuis.
35 En Jezus zei tegen mij: Ik zal komen en hem genezen.
36 Maar ik zei: Heer, ik ben het niet waard dat U onder mijn dak komt; maar spreek alleen het woord, en mijn dienaar zal genezen worden.
37 En Jezus zei tegen mij: Ga heen; en zoals u hebt geloofd, zo zal u geschieden. En mijn dienaar werd vanaf datzelfde uur genezen.
38 Toen zei een zekere edelman: Ik had een zoon in Kapernaüm, die op het punt stond te sterven; En toen ik hoorde dat Jezus naar Galilea was gekomen, ging ik heen en smeekte hem dat hij naar mijn huis zou komen en mijn zoon zou genezen, want hij stond op het punt van overlijden.
39 Hij zei tegen mij: Ga heen, uw zoon leeft.
40 En vanaf dat moment was mijn zoon genezen.
41 Naast deze riepen ook vele anderen onder de Joden, zowel mannen als vrouwen, en zeiden: Hij is waarlijk de Zoon van God, die alle ziekten alleen door zijn woord geneest, en aan wie de duivels geheel onderworpen zijn.
42 Sommigen van hen zeiden verder: Deze macht kan van niemand anders komen dan van God.
43 zei Pilatus tegen de Joden
Waarom onderwerpen de duivels uw doktoren niet?
44 Seine van hen zei: De macht om duivels te onderwerpen kan alleen van God komen.
45 Maar anderen zeiden tegen Pilatus dat hij dat wel had gedaan Ik wekte Lazarus op uit de dood, nadat hij vier dagen in zijn graf had gelegen.
46 Toen de stadhouder dit hoorde, zei hij bevend tegen de menigte Joden: Wat zal het u baten onschuldig bloed te vergieten?
KEREL. VI.
1 Pilatus ontzet door de turbulentie van de Joden, 5 die eisen dat Barabbas wordt vrijgelaten en dat Christus wordt gekruisigd, 9 Pilatus spreekt hen hartelijk uit, 20 wast zijn handen met het bloed van Christus, 23 en veroordeelt hem tot zweepslagen en kruisiging .
Toen Pilatus Nikodemus en de vijftien mannen die zeiden dat Jezus niet uit hoererij geboren was, bijeenriep, zei hij tegen hen: Wat moet ik doen, aangezien er een soort tumult onder het volk dreigt te ontstaan. 2
2 Zij zeiden tegen hem: Wij weten het niet; laat hen ernaar kijken die het tumult veroorzaken.
3 Pilatus riep toen de menigte opnieuw bij zich en zei tegen hen: Jullie weten dat jullie de gewoonte hebben om op het paschafeest één gevangene aan jullie vrij te laten;
4 Ik heb een bekende gevangene, een moordenaar, die Barabbas wordt genoemd, en Jezus die Christus wordt genoemd, in wie ik niets vind dat de dood verdient; Wie van hen heeft daarom het idee dat ik aan jou moet vrijgeven? 3
5 Ze roepen allemaal en zeggen: Laat ons Barabbas vrij.
6 Pilatus zei tegen hen: Wat moet ik dan doen met Jezus, die Christus wordt genoemd?
7 Ze antwoorden allemaal: Laat hem gekruisigd worden.
8 Opnieuw schreeuwen ze en zeggen tegen Pilatus: 'Bent u niet de vriend van Caesar, als u deze man vrijlaat?' 4 want hij heeft verklaard dat hij de Zoon van God is, en een koning. Maar bent u geneigd dat hij koning zou moeten zijn, en niet Caesar?
9 Toen zei Pilatus vol woede tegen hen: Uw volk is altijd opruiend geweest, en u bent altijd tegen degenen die u van dienst zijn geweest?
10 De Joden antwoordden: Wie zijn degenen die ons van dienst zijn geweest?
11 Pilatus antwoordde hun: Uw God, die u heeft bevrijd uit de zware slavernij van de Egyptenaren, en u over de Rode Zee heeft geleid alsof het droog land was, en u in de woestijn heeft gevoed met manna en het vlees van
kwartels en haalde water uit de rots en gaf u een wet uit de hemel:
12 Jullie provoceerden hem op alle mogelijke manieren, en verlangden voor jezelf naar een gegoten kalf, en aanbaden het, brachten er offers aan en zeiden: Dit zijn uw goden, o Israël, die u uit het land Egypte hebben geleid.
13 Daarom wilde uw God u vernietigen; maar Mozes kwam voor u tussenbeide, en uw God hoorde hem en vergaf uw ongerechtigheid.
14 Daarna bent u woedend geworden op uw profeten, Mozes en Aäron, en zou u ze hebben gedood toen zij naar de tabernakel vluchtten, en u mopperde voortdurend tegen God en zijn profeten.
15 En hij zou van zijn rechterstoel zijn opgestaan en naar buiten zijn gegaan; maar de Joden riepen allemaal: Wij erkennen Caesar als koning, en niet Jezus.
16 Terwijl deze persoon, zodra hij geboren was, de wijzen kwamen en hem geschenken aanboden; Toen Herodes het hoorde, was hij buitengewoon verontrust en zou hij hem hebben gedood.
17 Toen zijn vader dit wist, vluchtte hij met hem en zijn moeder Maria naar Egypte. Herodes zou hem hebben gedood toen hij hoorde dat hij was geboren; en dienovereenkomstig stuurden en doodden alle kinderen die in Bethlehem waren, en in alle kustgebieden daarvan, van twee jaar en jonger. 1
18 Toen Pilatus dit verhaal hoorde, werd hij bang; En terwijl hij stilte beval onder het volk, dat lawaai maakte, zei hij tegen Jezus: Bent u daarom een koning?
19 Alle Joden antwoordden Pilatus: Hij is precies de persoon die Herodes wilde vermoorden.
20 Toen nam Pilatus water, waste zijn handen in het bijzijn van het volk en zei: Ik ben onschuldig aan het bloed van deze rechtvaardige; kijk ernaar 2 .
21 De Joden antwoordden en zeiden: Zijn bloed kome over ons en onze kinderen.
22 Toen beval Pilatus dat Jezus voor hem moest worden gebracht, en hij zei tegen hem:
23 Uw eigen volk heeft u opgedragen uzelf tot koning te maken; daarom veroordeel ik, Pilatus, dat u gegeseld zult worden volgens de wetten van voormalige gouverneurs; en dat u eerst wordt vastgebonden en vervolgens aan een kruis wordt gehangen op de plaats waar u nu een gevangene bent; en ook twee criminelen met jou, wier namen Dimas en Gestas zijn.
KEREL. VII.
1 Wijze van de kruisiging van Christus met de twee dieven .
Toen ging Jezus de zaal uit, en de twee dieven met hem.
2 En toen zij bij de plaats kwamen die Golgotha heet, 3 Zij ontdoen hem van zijn kleding, omgorden hem met een linnen doek, zetten een doornenkroon op zijn hoofd en geven hem een rietstok.
3 En op dezelfde manier deden ze dat met de twee dieven die samen met hem werden gekruisigd: Dimas aan zijn rechterhand en Gestas aan zijn linkerkant.
4 Maar Jezus zei: Mijn Vader, vergeef het hun; Want ze weten niet wat ze doen.
5 En zij verdeelden zijn klederen, en wierpen het lot over zijn kleed.
6 Het volk stond intussen erbij, en de overpriesters
Klik om te vergroten
LINKS: DE GEBOORTE VAN CHRISTUS. VAN EEN SCHILDERIJ OP HOUT DOOR FRA FILIPPO LIPPI. RECHTS: DE MOORD OP DE ONSCHULDEN. VAN EEN SCHILDERIJ OP HOUT DOOR MATTEO DI GIOVANNI.
en de oudsten van de Joden bespotten hem en zeiden: hij heeft anderen gered, laat hem nu zichzelf redden als hij kan; als hij de zoon van God is, laat hem dan nu van het kruis afkomen.
7 De soldaten bespotten hem ook, namen azijn en gal en boden hem dat te drinken aan, en zeiden tegen hem: Als u de koning van de Joden bent, bevrijd uzelf dan.
8 Toen pakte Longinus, een zekere soldaat, een speer, Ik doorboorde zijn zijde, en weldra kwam er bloed en water uit.
9 En Pilatus schreef de titel op het kruis in Hebreeuwse, Latijnse en Griekse letters, namelijk: Dit is de koning van de Joden. 2
10 Maar een van de twee dieven die samen met Jezus werden gekruisigd, wiens naam Gestas was, zei tegen Jezus: Als u de Christus bent, bevrijd uzelf en ons.
11 Maar de dief die aan zijn rechterhand werd gekruisigd, wiens naam Dimas was, antwoordde, bestrafte hem en zei: Vrees jij God niet, die tot deze straf is veroordeeld? We ontvangen inderdaad terecht en rechtvaardig de schade van onze daden; Maar deze Jezus, wat voor kwaad heeft Hij gedaan?
12 Na dit gekreun zei hij tegen Jezus: Heer, denk aan mij als u in uw koninkrijk komt.
13 Jezus antwoordde en zei tegen hem: Voorwaar, Ik zeg u dat u vandaag met mij in het paradijs zult zijn.
KEREL. VIII.
1 Wonderbaarlijke verschijning bij zijn dood. 10 De Joden zeggen dat de zonsverduistering natuurlijk was. 12 Jozef van Arimathea balsemt het lichaam van Christus en begraaft het .
EN het was ongeveer het zesde uur, 3 En er was duisternis over de hele aarde tot het negende uur.
2 En terwijl de zon verduisterd was, zie, het voorhangsel van de tempel scheurde van boven tot onder; en ook de rotsen scheurden, en de graven gingen open, en vele lichamen van heiligen, die sliepen, stonden op.
3 En omstreeks het negende uur riep Jezus met luide stem en zei: Hely, Hely, lama zabacthani? Wat uitgelegd wordt als: Mijn God, mijn God, waarom hebt Gij mij verlaten?
4 En na deze dingen zei Jezus: Vader, in uw handen beveel ik mijn geest; en nadat hij dit gezegd had, gaf hij de geest.
5 Maar toen de hoofdman zag dat Jezus aldus schreeuwend de geest gaf, verheerlijkte hij God en zei: In werkelijkheid was dit een rechtvaardig man.
6 En al het volk dat erbij stond, werd buitengewoon verontrust bij deze aanblik; en nadenkend over wat er was gebeurd, sloegen ze hen op de borst en keerden toen terug naar de stad Jeruzalem.
7 De hoofdman ging naar de stadhouder en vertelde hem alles wat er was gebeurd;
8 En toen hij al deze dingen had gehoord, werd hij buitengewoon bedroefd;
9 En hij riep de Joden bijeen en zei tegen hen: Hebt u het wonder van de zonsverduistering gezien, en de andere dingen die gebeurden toen Jezus stierf?
10 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, antwoordden zij tegen de stadhouder: De zonsverduistering gebeurde volgens het gebruikelijke gebruik.
11 Maar allen die Christus kenden, stonden op een afstand, net als de vrouwen die Jezus vanuit Galilea waren gevolgd, en keken naar al deze dingen.
12 En 1 Zie, een zekere man uit Arimathea, genaamd Jozef, die ook een discipel van Jezus was, maar niet openlijk, uit angst voor de Joden, kwam naar de stadhouder en smeekte de stadhouder hem toestemming te geven het lichaam weg te halen. van Jezus vanaf het kruis.
13 En de gouverneur gaf hem toestemming.
14 En Nicodemus kwam en bracht een mengsel van mirre en aloë met zich mee, ongeveer honderd pond zwaar; en zij haalden Jezus met tranen van het kruis en bonden Hem met linnen doeken met specerijen, volgens de gewoonte om te begraven onder de Joden.
15 En plaatste hem in een nieuw graf, dat Jozef had gebouwd, en liet het uit een rots hakken, waarin nog nooit iemand was geplaatst; en zij rolden een grote steen naar de deur van het graf.
KEREL. IX.
1 De Joden waren boos op Nikodemus; 5 en met Jozef van Arimathea, 7 die zij gevangen zetten .
TOEN de onrechtvaardige Joden hoorden dat Jozef had gesmeekt en het lichaam van Jezus had begraven, zochten zij naar Nicodemus; en die vijftien mannen die voor de gouverneur hadden getuigd dat Jezus niet door hoererij was geboren, en andere goede mensen die goede daden jegens hem hadden getoond.
2 Maar toen zij zich allemaal verborgen hielden uit angst voor de Joden, toonde Nicodemus alleen zichzelf aan hen en zei: Hoe kunnen zulke personen als deze de synagoge binnengaan?
3 De Joden antwoordden hem: Maar hoe durfde u de synagoge binnen te gaan, terwijl u een bondgenoot van Christus was? Laat uw lot met hem zijn in de andere wereld.
4 Nicodemus antwoordde: Amen; zo mag het zijn, dat ik mijn lot met hem mag hebben in zijn koninkrijk.
5 Op dezelfde manier zei Jozef, toen hij bij de Joden kwam, tegen hen: Waarom zijn jullie boos op mij omdat ik naar het lichaam van Jezus van Pilatus verlang? Zie, ik heb hem in mijn graf gelegd, hem in schoon linnen gewikkeld en een steen bij de ingang van het graf gelegd.
6 Ik heb juist jegens hem gehandeld; Maar u hebt ten onrechte verbijsterd gehandeld tegen die rechtvaardige persoon door hem te kruisigen, hem azijn te drinken te geven, hem met doornen te kronen, zijn lichaam met zwepen te verscheuren en de schuld van zijn bloed op u af te bidden.
7 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, waren ze verontrust en verontrust; en zij grepen Jozef en gaven opdracht hem vóór de sabbat in hechtenis te nemen, en daar vast te houden tot de sabbat voorbij was.
8 En zij zeiden tot hem: Doe een bekentenis; want op dit moment is het niet geoorloofd u enig kwaad te doen, totdat de eerste dag van de week aanbreekt. Maar we weten dat u niet waardig zult worden geacht voor een begrafenis; maar wij zullen uw vlees aan de vogels in de lucht en aan de dieren op aarde geven.
9 Jozef antwoordde: Deze toespraak lijkt op de toespraak van de trotse Goliath, die de levende God smaadde toen hij tegen David sprak. Maar jullie schriftgeleerden en artsen weten dat God door de profeet zegt: De wraak is van mij, en ik
zal aan u terugbetalen 1 kwaad gelijk aan datgene waarmee u mij hebt bedreigd.
10De God die u aan het kruis hebt gehangen, kan mij uit uw handen bevrijden. Al uw goddeloosheid zal op u terugkeren.
11 Want de gouverneur zei, toen hij zijn handen waste: Ik ben vrij van het bloed van deze rechtvaardige persoon. Maar jullie antwoordden en riepen: Zijn bloed zij over ons en onze kinderen. Moge u, zoals u hebt gezegd, voor altijd vergaan.
12 De oudsten van de Joden die deze woorden hoorden, werden buitengewoon woedend; Ze grepen Jozef en stopten hem in een kamer waar geen raam was; zij deden de deur dicht en plaatsten een zegel op het slot;
13 En Annas en Kajafas plaatsten er een wacht op en beraadslaagden met de priesters en Levieten, dat zij allen na de sabbat bijeen zouden komen, en zij bedachten tot welke dood zij Jozef moesten doden.
14 Toen ze dit hadden gedaan, gaven de heersers, Annas en Kajafas, opdracht om Jozef voort te brengen.
¶ Op deze plaats is een deel van het Evangelie verloren gegaan of weggelaten, dat niet kan worden aangevuld .
KEREL. X.
1 Jozefs ontsnapping. 2 De soldaten vertellen over de opstanding van Christus. 18 Men ziet Christus prediken in Galilea. 21 De Joden hebben berouw van hun wreedheid jegens hem .
Toen de hele vergadering dit hoorde, waren ze verbaasd en verbaasd, omdat ze hetzelfde zegel op het slot van de kamer vonden en Jozef niet konden vinden.
2 Toen gingen Annas en Kajafas uit, en terwijl zij allen bewondering hadden voor het feit dat Jozef weg was, sprak een van de soldaten, die het graf van Jezus bewaakte, in de vergadering.
3 Dat 2 Terwijl ze het graf van Jezus bewaakten, vond er een aardbeving plaats; en we zagen een engel van God de steen van het graf wegrollen en 3 ga erop zitten;
4 En zijn gelaat was als de bliksem en zijn kleed als sneeuw; en door angst werden wij als doden.
5 En wij hoorden een engel tegen de vrouwen bij het graf van Jezus zeggen: Wees niet bang; Ik weet dat je Jezus zoekt die gekruisigd werd; hij is opgestaan zoals hij voorspelde.
6 Kom en zie de plaats waar hij werd neergelegd; en ga nu meteen heen en vertel zijn discipelen dat hij uit de dood is opgestaan, en dat hij jullie voor zal gaan naar Galilea; daar zult u hem zien zoals hij u heeft verteld.
7 Toen riepen de Joden alle soldaten bijeen die het graf van Jezus bewaakten en zeiden tegen hen: Wie zijn die vrouwen tegen wie de engel sprak? Waarom hebt u ze niet gegrepen?
8 De soldaten antwoordden en zeiden: Wij weten niet wie de vrouwen waren; bovendien zijn we door angst als dode mensen geworden, en hoe konden we die vrouwen grijpen?
9 De Joden zeiden tegen hen: Zo waar de Heer leeft, wij geloven u niet.
10 De soldaten antwoordden en zeiden tegen de Joden: Toen u Jezus zoveel wonderen zag en hoorde doen en Hem niet geloofde, hoe kunt u ons dan geloven? U heeft terecht gezegd: Zo waar de Heer leeft, want de Heer leeft waarlijk.
11 Wij hebben gehoord dat u Jozef, die het lichaam van Jezus begroef, in een kamer hebt opgesloten onder een verzegeld slot; en toen u het opendeed, vond u hem daar niet.
12 Brengt u dan Jozef tevoorschijn die u in de kamer onder bewaking hebt geplaatst, en wij zullen Jezus tevoorschijn halen die we in het graf bewaakten.
13 De Joden antwoordden en zeiden: Wij zullen Jozef voortbrengen, brengt u Jezus voort? Maar Jozef is in zijn eigen stad Arimathea.
14 De soldaten antwoordden: Als Jozef in Arimathea was en Jezus in Galilea, hebben we de engel de vrouwen horen inlichten.
15 De Joden die dit hoorden, waren bang en zeiden onder elkaar: Als deze dingen op een of andere manier openbaar zouden worden, dan zal iedereen in Jezus geloven.
16 Toen verzamelden zij een grote som geld, gaven die aan de soldaten en zeiden: Vertelt u de mensen dat de discipelen van Jezus in de nacht zijn gekomen toen u sliep en het lichaam van Jezus hadden gestolen; en als Pilatus, de stadhouder, hiervan hoort, zullen wij hem tevreden stellen en u in veiligheid brengen.
17 De soldaten namen het geld dan ook aan en zeiden zoals de Joden hen hadden opgedragen: en hun bericht werd onder het volk in het buitenland verspreid.
18 Maar een zekere priester Pineäs, Ada, een schoolmeester, en een Leviet, Ageus genaamd, deze drie kwamen van Galilea naar Jeruzalem, en vertelden het aan de hogepriesters en aan allen die in de synagogen waren, zeggende:
19 Wij hebben Jezus, die gij hebt gekruisigd, met zijn elf discipelen zien praten, terwijl hij in hun midden op de Olijfberg zat en tegen hen zei: 1
20 Ga de hele wereld in, predik het Evangelie aan alle natiën en doop hen in de naam van de Vader, en de Zoon, en de Heilige Geest; en iedereen die gelooft en gedoopt wordt, zal gered worden.
21 En toen hij deze dingen tegen zijn discipelen had gezegd, zagen wij hem naar de hemel opstijgen.
22 Toen de hogepriesters, de oudsten en de Levieten deze dingen hoorden, zeiden zij tegen deze drie mannen: Geef eer aan de God van Israël en belijd Hem of de dingen waar zijn die u zegt te hebben gezien en gehoord. .
23 Zij antwoordden en zeiden: Zowaar de Heer van onze vaderen leeft, de God van Abraham, en de God van Isaak, en de God van Jakob, zoals wij Jezus met zijn discipelen hebben horen praten, en zoals wij Hem naar de hemel hebben zien opstijgen. , dus we hebben u de waarheid verteld.
24 En de drie mannen verder antwoordden en zeiden, en voegden deze woorden toe: Als we de woorden die we Jezus hoorden spreken niet zouden erkennen, en dat we Hem naar de hemel zagen opstijgen, zouden we schuldig zijn aan zonde.
25 Toen stonden de overpriesters onmiddellijk op, hielden het wetboek in hun handen en riepen deze mannen op, zeggende: U mag hierna niet meer verkondigen wat u over Jezus hebt gesproken.
26 En zij gaven hun een grote som geld, en stuurden andere personen met hen mee, die hen naar hun eigen land moesten leiden, zodat zij op geen enkele manier in Jeruzalem zouden blijven.
27 Toen kwamen de Joden allemaal bijeen en nadat ze hun meest betreurenswaardige bezorgdheid hadden geuit, zeiden ze: Wat is dit voor een buitengewone gebeurtenis die in Jeruzalem is gebeurd?
28 Maar Annas en Kajafas troostten hen met de woorden: Waarom zouden we de soldaten die het graf van Jezus bewaakten, moeten geloven als ze ons vertelden dat een engel de steen van de deur van het graf had weggerold?
29 Misschien hebben zijn eigen discipelen hun dit verteld en hun geld gegeven zodat zij het konden zeggen, en hebben zij zelf het lichaam van Jezus weggenomen.
30 Bedenk bovendien dat buitenlanders geen eer mogen krijgen, 1 Omdat ze ook een grote som van ons hebben afgepakt en ze ons hebben verklaard volgens de instructies die we hun hebben gegeven. Ze moeten ofwel trouw zijn aan ons, ofwel aan de discipelen van Jezus.
KEREL. XI.
1 Nicodemus geeft de Joden raad. 6 Jozef gevonden. 11 Uitgenodigd door de Joden om terug te keren. 19 Vertelt de manier van zijn wonderbaarlijke ontsnapping .
Toen stond Nikodemus op en zei: U zegt terecht, o zonen van Israël, u hebt gehoord wat die drie mannen hebben gezworen bij de Wet van God, die zeiden: Wij hebben Jezus met zijn discipelen zien spreken op de Olijfberg, en wij hebben hem gezien. opstijgend naar de hemel.
2 En de Schrift leert ons dat de gezegende profeet Elia naar de hemel werd opgenomen; en Elisa werd door de zonen van de profeten gevraagd: Waar is onze vader Elia? Hij zei tegen hen dat hij naar de hemel is opgenomen.
3 En de zonen van de profeten zeiden tegen hem: Misschien heeft de geest hem naar een van de bergen van Israël gebracht, misschien zullen we hem daar vinden. En zij smeekten Elisa, en hij liep drie dagen met hen rond, maar zij konden hem niet vinden.
4 En luister nu naar mij, o zonen van Israël, en laten wij mannen naar de bergen van Israël sturen, opdat de geest Jezus misschien niet heeft weggevoerd, en daar zullen wij hem misschien vinden en tevreden zijn.
5 En de raad van Nikodemus beviel het hele volk; en zij stuurden mannen uit die naar Jezus zochten, maar hem niet konden vinden; en zij keerden terug en zeiden: Wij zijn de hele omgeving rondgegaan, maar konden Jezus niet vinden, maar wij hebben Jozef gevonden in zijn stad Arimathea .
6 De heersers die dit hoorden, en het hele volk, waren blij en prezen de God van Israël, omdat Jozef was gevonden, die ze in een kamer hadden opgesloten en niet konden vinden.
7 En toen zij een grote vergadering hadden gevormd, zeiden de hogepriesters: Op welke manier zullen wij Jozef bij ons brengen om met hem te spreken?
8 En ze pakten een stuk papier en schreven hem: Vrede zij met jou en je hele gezin. Wij weten dat wij God en U hebben beledigd. Wees blij dat u ons, uw vaderen, kunt bezoeken, want we waren volkomen verrast door uw ontsnapping uit de gevangenis.
9 Wij weten dat wij kwaadwillige raad tegen u hebben beraamd, en dat de Heer voor u heeft gezorgd, en dat de Heer zelf u van onze plannen heeft verlost. Vrede zij met jou, Jozef, die eerzaam zijt onder het hele volk.
10 En zij kozen er zeven uit
[paragraaf gaat verder]Jozefs vrienden, en zei tegen hen: Als u bij Jozef komt, groet hem dan in vrede en geef hem deze brief.
11 Toen de mannen dus bij Jozef kwamen, groetten ze hem in vrede en overhandigden hem de brief.
12 En toen Jozef het had gelezen, zei hij: Gezegend zij de Heer God, die mij van de Israëlieten heeft bevrijd, zodat zij mijn bloed niet konden vergieten. Gezegend zij God, die mij onder uw vleugels heeft beschermd.
13 En Jozef kuste hen en nam hen in zijn huis. En de volgende dag besteeg Jozef zijn ezel en ging met hen mee naar Jeruzalem.
14 En toen alle Joden deze dingen hoorden, gingen zij hem tegemoet en riepen: Vrede zij met uw komst hier, vader Jozef.
15 Waarop hij antwoordde: Voorspoed van de Heer komt het hele volk ten deel.
16 En ze kusten hem allemaal; en Nikodemus nam hem mee naar zijn huis, nadat hij een groot feest had voorbereid.
17 Maar de volgende dag, omdat het een voorbereidingsdag was, zeiden Annas, Kajafas en Nikodemus tegen Jozef: Belijd de God van Israël en beantwoord ons al die vragen die wij u zullen stellen;
18 Want wij zijn zeer verontrust dat u het lichaam van Jezus hebt begraven; en dat we je niet konden vinden toen we je in een kamer hadden opgesloten; en sindsdien zijn we bang geweest voor uw verschijning onder ons, tot nu toe. Vertel ons daarom voor God wat er allemaal is gebeurd.
19 Toen antwoordde Jozef en zei: U hebt mij inderdaad op de voorbereidingsdag tot de ochtend in gevangenschap gehouden.
20 Maar terwijl ik midden in de nacht in gebed stond, werd het huis omringd door vier engelen; en ik zag Jezus als de helderheid van de zon en viel van angst op de aarde neer.
21 Maar Jezus pakte mijn hand vast en tilde mij van de grond, en de dauw werd op mij gesprenkeld; maar hij veegde mijn gezicht af, kuste mij en zei tegen mij: Wees niet bang, Jozef; kijk naar mij, want ik ben het.
22 Toen keek ik hem aan en zei: Rabboni Elias! Hij antwoordde mij: Ik ben Elias niet, maar Jezus van Nazareth, wiens lichaam jij hebt begraven.
23 Ik zei tegen hem: Laat mij het graf zien waarin ik u heb gelegd.
24 Toen nam Jezus mij bij de hand, leidde mij naar de plaats waar ik hem neerlegde, en toonde mij de linnen kleren en het servet dat ik om zijn hoofd legde. Toen wist ik dat het Jezus was, aanbad hem en zei: Gezegend hij die komt in de naam van de Heer.
25 Jezus nam mij opnieuw bij de hand, leidde mij naar Arimathea, naar mijn eigen huis, en zei tegen mij: Vrede zij u; maar ga uw huis niet uit vóór de veertigste dag; maar ik moet naar mijn discipelen gaan.
KEREL. XII.
1 De Joden waren verbaasd en verbijsterd. 17 De twee zonen van Simeon, Charinus en Lenthius, staan op uit de dood bij de kruisiging van Christus. 19 Jozef stelt voor om hen de mysteries van hun opstanding te laten vertellen. 21 Ze worden gezocht en gevonden, 22 naar de synagoge gebracht, 23 persoonlijk tot geheimhouding gezworen, 25 en ze verbinden zich ertoe op te schrijven wat ze hebben gezien .
Toen de hogepriesters dit allemaal hoorden
Ze waren verbaasd en vielen met hun gezichten op de grond als dode mannen. Ze riepen elkaar toe en zeiden: Wat is dit buitengewone teken dat in Jeruzalem is geschied? Wij kennen de vader en moeder van Jezus.
2 En een zekere Leviet zei: Ik ken veel van zijn familieleden, religieuze personen, die gewend zijn om in de tempel offers en brandoffers te brengen aan de God van Israël, met gebeden.
3 En toen nam de hogepriester Simeon hem in zijn armen. hij zei tegen hem, 1 Heer, laat nu uw dienaar in vrede vertrekken, overeenkomstig uw woord; want mijn ogen hebben uw redding gezien, die u voor het aangezicht van alle mensen hebt voorbereid: een licht om de heidenen te verlichten, en de glorie van uw volk Israël.
4 Simeon zegende op dezelfde manier Maria, de moeder van Jezus, en zei tegen haar: Ik verklaar u over dat kind; Hij is aangesteld voor de val en wederopstanding van velen, en tot een teken waartegen gesproken zal worden.
5 Ja, een zwaard zal ook uw eigen ziel doorboren, en de gedachten van vele harten zullen worden geopenbaard.
6 Toen zeiden alle Joden: Laten we een boodschap naar die drie mannen sturen, die zeiden dat ze hem op de Olijfberg met zijn discipelen hadden zien praten.
7 Hierna vroegen ze wat ze hadden gezien; die eenstemmig antwoordde: In de tegenwoordigheid van de God van Israël bevestigen wij dat wij Jezus duidelijk met zijn discipelen op de Olijfberg hebben zien praten en naar de hemel hebben zien opstijgen.
8 Toen brachten Annas en Kajafas ze naar aparte plaatsen en onderzochten ze afzonderlijk; die unaniem de waarheid beleden en zeiden dat ze Jezus hadden gezien.
9 Toen zeiden Annas en Kajafas: "Onze wet zegt: Door de mond van twee of drie getuigen zal elk woord vaststaan." 2
10 Maar wat hebben we gezegd? De gezegende Henoch behaagde God en werd vertaald door het woord van God; en de begraafplaats van de gezegende Mozes is bekend.
11 Maar Jezus werd aan Pilatus overgeleverd, gegeseld, met doornen gekroond, bespuugd, doorboord met een speer, gekruisigd, stierf aan het kruis en werd begraven, en zijn lichaam werd door de achtenswaardige Jozef in een nieuw graf begraven, en hij getuigt dat hij zag hem levend.
12 En bovendien hebben deze mannen verklaard dat ze hem met zijn discipelen op de Olijfberg hebben zien praten en naar de hemel hebben zien opstijgen.
13 ¶ Toen stond Jozef op. zei tegen Annas en Kajafas: Misschien bent u terecht verrast, omdat u is verteld dat Jezus leeft en naar de hemel is gegaan.
14 Het is inderdaad iets heel verrassends dat hij niet alleen zelf uit de dood opstond, maar ook anderen uit hun graven opwekte, die door velen in Jeruzalem zijn gezien. 3
15 En luister nu eens naar mij: we kenden allemaal de gezegende Simeon, de hogepriester, die Jezus als kind in zijn armen nam in de tempel.
16 Deze zelfde Simeon had zelf twee zonen, en wij waren allemaal aanwezig bij hun overlijden en begrafenis.
17 Ga daarom en bekijk hun graven, want deze zijn open, en
ze zijn opgestaan: en zie, ze zijn in de stad Arimathea en brengen hun tijd samen door in ambten van toewijding.
18 Sommigen hebben inderdaad het geluid van hun stemmen tijdens het gebed gehoord, maar ze willen met niemand praten, maar ze blijven zo stom als dode mannen.
19 Maar kom, laten we naar hen toe gaan en ons tegenover hen met alle respect en voorzichtigheid gedragen. En als we ze kunnen laten zweren, zullen ze ons misschien enkele mysteries van hun wederopstanding vertellen.
20 Toen de Joden dit hoorden, waren ze buitengewoon verheugd.
21 Toen gingen Annas en Kajafas, Nicodemus, Jozef en Gamaliël naar Arimathea, maar vonden hen niet in hun graven; maar terwijl ze door de stad liepen, bonden ze hen op hun gebogen knieën tijdens hun devoties:
22 Nadat ze hen met alle respect en eerbied voor God hadden gegroet, brachten ze hen naar de synagoge in Jeruzalem. Nadat ze de poorten hadden gesloten, namen ze het boek met de wet van de Heer mee,
23 En terwijl ik het hun in handen legde, zwoer ik hen bij God Adonai en de God van Israël, die door de wet en de profeten tot onze vaderen heeft gesproken, zeggende: Als u gelooft dat Hij die u uit de dood heeft opgewekt, Jezus is, zeg dan ons wat u hebt gezien en hoe u uit de dood bent opgewekt.
24 Charinus en Lenthius, de twee zonen van Simeon, beefden toen zij deze dingen hoorden, werden verstoord en kreunden; en terwijl ze tegelijkertijd naar de hemel keken, maakten ze het kruisteken met hun vingers op hun tong.
25 En onmiddellijk spraken zij en zeiden: Geef ons allemaal een papiertje, dan zullen we al wat we hebben gezien voor u opschrijven. En zij gingen ieder zitten en schreven:
KEREL. XIII.
1 Het verhaal van Charinus en Lenthius begint. 3 Een groot licht in de hel. 7 Simeon arriveert en kondigt de komst van Christus aan .
O HEER Jezus en Vader, die God zijt, ook de opstanding en het leven van de doden, geef ons toestemming om uw mysteries te verkondigen, die we na de dood hebben gezien, behorend bij uw kruis; want wij zijn gezworen bij uw naam.
2 Want u hebt uw dienaren verboden de geheime dingen bekend te maken die door uw goddelijke macht in de hel zijn bewerkstelligd.
3 ¶ Toen we met onze vaderen in de diepte van de hel werden geplaatst, in de duisternis van de duisternis, verscheen er plotseling de kleur van de zon als goud, en een substantieel paarskleurig licht dat de plaats verlichtte.
4 Kort daarop verheugde Adam, de vader van de gehele mensheid, zich samen met alle patriarchen en profeten en zei: Dat licht is de auteur van eeuwig licht, die heeft beloofd ons naar eeuwig licht te vertalen.
5 Toen riep de profeet Jesaja uit en zei: 1 Dit is het licht van de Vader en de Zoon van God, volgens mijn profetie, toen ik op aarde leefde.
6 Het land Zabulon en het land Neftalim aan de overkant van de Jordaan, een volk dat in duisternis wandelde, zag een groot licht; en voor hen die in het gebied van de schaduw van de dood woonden, is er licht ontstaan. En nu is hij dat
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ST. JOHANNES DE DOPER. EEN DRIETIEK VAN EEN ITALIAANSE SCHILDER UIT DE DERTIENDE OF VEERTIENDE EEUW.
kom, en heeft ons verlicht die in de dood zaten.
7 En terwijl wij ons allemaal verheugden over het licht dat op ons scheen, kwam onze vader Simeon bij ons en feliciteerde het hele gezelschap en zei: Verheerlijk de Heer Jezus Christus, de Zoon van God.
8 Die ik in mijn armen nam toen ik als kind in de tempel was, en geraakt door de Heilige Geest, tegen hem zei en erkende: 1 Dat nu mijn ogen uw redding hebben gezien, die u voor het aangezicht van alle mensen hebt voorbereid, een licht om de heidenen te verlichten en de glorie van uw volk Israël.
9 Toen alle heiligen die zich in de diepte van de hel bevonden, dit hoorden, verheugden zij zich des te meer.
10 Daarna kwam er iemand naar voren die leek op een kleine kluizenaar, en iedereen vroeg: Wie ben jij?
11 Waarop hij antwoordde: Ik ben de stem van iemand die roept in de woestijn, Johannes de Doper, en de profeet van de Allerhoogste, die vóór zijn komst uitging om zijn weg te bereiden, om de kennis van de verlossing aan zijn volk te geven voor de toekomst. vergeving van zonden.
12 En ik, Johannes, toen ik Jezus naar mij toe zag komen, bewogen door de Heilige Geest, zei ik: Zie het Lam van God, zie Hem die de zonden van de wereld wegneemt.
13 En ik doopte hem in de rivier de Jordaan, en zag de Heilige Geest op hem neerdalen in de vorm van een duif, en hoorde een stem uit de hemel, zeggende: Dit is mijn geliefde Zoon, in wie ik een welbehagen heb.
14 En terwijl ik nu voor hem uitging, ben ik hierheen gekomen om u bekend te maken dat de Zoon van God ons vervolgens zal bezoeken, en zoals de dageraad van boven naar ons zal komen, die in duisternis zijn en de schaduw van de dood.
KEREL. XIV.
1 Adam zorgt ervoor dat Seth vertelt wat hij hoorde van de aartsengel Michaël, toen hij hem naar het paradijs stuurde om God te smeken zijn hoofd te zalven in zijn ziekte.
MAAR toen de eerste man, onze vader Adam, deze dingen hoorde, dat Jezus gedoopt werd in de Jordaan, 2 Hij riep naar zijn zoon Seth en zei:
2 Vertel aan uw zonen, de aartsvaders en de profeten, al die dingen die u van de aartsengel Michaël hebt gehoord toen ik u naar de poorten van het paradijs stuurde om God te smeken dat hij mijn hoofd zou zalven als ik ziek was.
3 Toen kwam Seth in de buurt van de aartsvaders en profeten en zei: Ik Seth, toen ik tot God aan het bidden was bij de poorten van het Paradijs, zag ik de engel van de Heer, Michaël verscheen aan mij en zei: Ik ben door de Heer naar je toe gezonden. ; Ik ben aangesteld om menselijke lichamen te presideren.
4 Ik zeg je Seth: bid niet in tranen tot God en smeek hem om de olie van de boom van barmhartigheid waarmee je je vader Adam kunt zalven voor zijn hoofdpijn;
5 Omdat u het op geen enkele manier kunt verkrijgen tot de laatste dag en tijden, namelijk totdat er vijfduizendvijfhonderd jaar voorbij zijn.
6Dan zal Christus, de meest barmhartige Zoon van God, op aarde komen om het menselijke lichaam van Adam opnieuw op te wekken, en tegelijkertijd om de lichamen van de
dood, en als hij komt, zal hij in de Jordaan gedoopt worden:
7 Dan zal hij allen die in hem geloven zalven met de olie van zijn barmhartigheid; en de olie van zijn barmhartigheid zal doorgaan naar toekomstige generaties, voor degenen die geboren zullen worden uit het water en de Heilige Geest tot eeuwig leven.
8 En wanneer in die tijd de meest barmhartige Zoon van God, Christus Jezus, op aarde zal neerdalen, zal hij onze vader Adam in het paradijs introduceren, bij de boom van barmhartigheid.
9 Toen alle aartsvaders en profeten al deze dingen van Seth hoorden, werden ze nog blijer.
KEREL. XV.
1 Ruzie tussen Satan en de prins van de hel over de verwachte komst van Christus in de hel .
Terwijl alle heiligen zich verheugden, zie, Satan, de prins en kapitein van de dood, zei tegen de prins van de hel: 1
2 Bereid je voor om Jezus van Nazareth zelf te ontvangen, die pochte dat Hij de Zoon van God was, maar toch een man was die bang was voor de dood, en zei: 2Mijn ziel is bedroefd, zelfs tot de dood toe.
3 Bovendien heeft hij mij en vele anderen veel kwaad gedaan; want degenen die ik blind en kreupel maakte en ook degenen die ik met verschillende duivels kwelde, genas hij door zijn woord; ja, en degenen die ik dood bij u heb gebracht, neemt hij met geweld van u weg.
4 Hierop antwoordde de prins van de hel aan Satan: Wie is die zo machtige prins, en toch een man die bang is voor de dood?
5 Want alle machthebbers van de aarde zijn onderworpen aan mijn macht, die u door uw macht aan onderwerping hebt gebracht.
6 Maar als hij zo machtig is in zijn menselijke natuur, bevestig ik u voor de waarheid dat hij almachtig is in zijn goddelijke natuur, en dat geen mens zijn macht kan weerstaan.
7 Toen hij daarom zei dat hij bang was voor de dood, was hij van plan u in de val te lokken, en het zal voor eeuwig ongelukkig voor u zijn.
8 Toen antwoordde Satan en zei tegen de prins van de hel: Waarom hebt u uw twijfel geuit en was u bang om die Jezus van Nazareth te ontvangen, zowel uw tegenstander als de mijne?
9 Wat mij betreft, ik heb hem verleid en mijn oude volk, de Joden, met ijver en woede tegen hem opgehitst?
10 Ik heb de speer geslepen vanwege zijn lijden; Ik mengde de gal en de azijn en beval dat hij het moest drinken; Ik maakte het kruis gereed om hem te kruisigen, en de spijkers om de handen en voeten van Ibis te doorboren; en nu zijn dood nabij is, zal ik hem hierheen brengen, onderworpen aan zowel jou als mij.
11 Toen antwoordde de prins van de hel en zei: U hebt zojuist tegen mij gezegd dat hij de doden met geweld van mij heeft weggenomen.
12 Zij die hier zijn vastgehouden totdat zij weer op aarde zouden leven, werden van hier weggenomen, niet op eigen kracht, maar door gebeden tot God, en hun almachtige God heeft hen van mij weggenomen.
13 Wie is dan die Jezus van Nazareth, die door zijn woord de doden van mij heeft weggenomen zonder gebed tot God?
14 Misschien is het dezelfde wie
nam Lazarus van mij weg, nadat hij vier dagen dood was geweest, en zowel stonk als verrot was, en van wie ik als dode persoon bezit had, toch bracht hij hem door zijn kracht weer tot leven.
15 Toen Satan antwoordde, antwoordde hij de prins van de hel: Het is precies dezelfde persoon: Jezus van Nazareth.
16 Toen de prins van de hel het hoorde, zei hij tegen hem: Ik bezweer u bij de machten die u en mij toebehoren, dat u hem niet naar mij brengt.
17 Want toen ik hoorde van de kracht van zijn woord, beefde ik van angst, en tegelijkertijd werd heel mijn goddeloze gezelschap verstoord;
18 En wij konden Lazarus niet vasthouden, 1 Maar hij schudde zichzelf door elkaar, en met alle tekenen van boosaardigheid ging hij onmiddellijk van ons weg; en de aarde, waarin het dode lichaam van Lazarus lag, bracht hem weldra levend naar buiten.
19 En ik weet nu dat Hij de Almachtige God is die zulke dingen kan volbrengen, die machtig is in zijn heerschappij en machtig in zijn menselijke natuur, die de Redder van de mensheid is.
20 Breng deze persoon daarom niet hierheen, want hij zal allen in vrijheid stellen die ik onder ongeloof in de gevangenis houd, en gebonden aan de ketenen van hun zonden, en zal hen naar het eeuwige leven leiden.
KEREL. XVI.
1 Christus' aankomst bij de helpoorten; de verwarring daarop. 10 Hij daalt af in de hel .
EN terwijl Satan en de prins van de hel aldus met elkaar spraken, klonk er plotseling een stem als van donder en het ruisen van de wind, die zei: 2 Hef uw poorten op, o prinsen; en verhef u, o eeuwige poorten, en de Koning der Heerlijkheid zal binnenkomen.
2 Toen de prins van de hel dit hoorde, zei hij tegen Satan: Ga van mij weg en verlaat mijn woonplaatsen; als je een krachtige krijger bent, vecht dan met de Koning van Glorie. Maar wat heb je met hem te maken?
3 En hij wierp hem uit zijn woonplaatsen.
4 En de prins zei tegen zijn goddeloze officieren: Sluit de koperen poorten van wreedheid, en maak ze vast met ijzeren staven, en vecht moedig, anders worden we gevangengenomen.
5 Maar toen het hele gezelschap van de heiligen dit hoorde, spraken ze met een luide stem van woede tegen de prins van de hel:
6 Open uw poorten zodat de Koning van Glorie binnen kan komen.
7 En de goddelijke profeet David riep uit en zei: 3 Heb ik toen ik op aarde was niet waarlijk geprofeteerd en gezegd: O, dat de mensen de Heer zouden loven voor zijn goedheid en voor zijn wonderbare werken voor de mensenkinderen?
8 Want hij heeft de koperen poorten gebroken en de ijzeren grendels in stukken gesneden. Hij heeft hen gegrepen vanwege hun ongerechtigheid, en vanwege hun ongerechtigheid worden zij verdrukt.
9 Hierna nog een profeet, 4 namelijk de heilige Jesaja, die op dezelfde manier tot alle heiligen sprak, deed dat niet
Ik profeteerde u terecht toen ik nog op aarde leefde?
10 De doden zullen leven, en zij zullen opstaan die in hun graven zijn, en zij zullen zich verheugen die op aarde zijn; want de dauw die van de Heer komt, zal hen verlossing brengen.
11 En ik zei op een andere plaats: O dood, waar is uw overwinning? O dood, waar is uw prikkel?
12 Toen alle heiligen deze dingen van Jesaja hoorden, zeiden ze tegen de prins van de hel: 1 Open nu uw poorten en verwijder uw ijzeren grendels; want je zult nu gebonden zijn en geen macht meer hebben.
13 Toen klonk er een luide stem, als van een donderslag, die zei: Hef uw poorten op, o vorsten; en verhef u, gij poorten van de hel, en de Koning der Glorie zal binnengaan.
14 Toen de prins van de hel dezelfde stem hoorde herhalen, riep hij uit alsof hij onwetend was geweest: Wie is die Koning van Glorie?
15 David antwoordde de prins van de hel en zei: Ik begrijp de woorden van die stem, omdat ik ze door zijn geest heb gesproken. En nu, zoals ik hierboven heb gezegd, zeg ik u: de Heer is sterk en machtig, de Heer is machtig in de strijd: Hij is de Koning van Glorie, en Hij is de Heer in de hemel en op aarde;
16 Hij heeft naar beneden gekeken om het gekreun van de gevangenen te horen, en degenen die ter dood zijn veroordeeld, los te laten. 2
17 En nu, jij vuile en stinkende prins van de hel, open je poorten zodat de Koning der Glorie binnen kan komen; want hij is de Heer van hemel en aarde.
18 Terwijl David dit zei, verscheen de machtige Heer in de vorm van een man en verlichtte die plaatsen die ooit tevoren in duisternis waren geweest,
19 En verbrak de ketenen die voorheen niet konden worden verbroken; en met zijn onoverwinnelijke macht bezocht hij degenen die in de diepe duisternis zaten door ongerechtigheid, en in de schaduw van de dood door zonde. 3
KEREL. XVII.
1 De dood en de duivels zijn in grote afschuw over de komst van Christus. 13 Hij vertrapt de dood, grijpt de prins van de hel en neemt Adam mee naar de hemel .
De goddeloze Dood en haar wrede officieren die deze dingen hoorden, werden in hun verschillende koninkrijken door angst gegrepen, toen ze de helderheid van het licht zagen.
2 En Christus zelf verscheen plotseling in hun woonplaatsen; zij riepen daarom en zeiden: Wij zijn aan u gebonden; Het lijkt erop dat u onze verwarring voor de Heer bedoeld.
3 Wie bent u, die geen enkel teken van verdorvenheid vertoont, behalve die stralende verschijning die een volledig bewijs is van uw grootsheid, waar u toch geen aandacht aan lijkt te schenken?
4 Wie bent u, zo machtig en zo zwak, zo groot en zo klein, een gemiddelde en toch een soldaat van de eerste rang, die het bevel kan voeren in de vorm van een dienaar als een gewone soldaat?
5 De Koning der Glorie, dood en levend, hoewel hij ooit aan het kruis werd gedood?
6 Wie lag dood in het graf, en de kunst kwam levend naar ons toe, en in jouw dood beefden alle schepselen, en alle sterren werden bewogen, en nu heb jij je vrijheid onder de doden, en geef je onrust aan onze legioenen?
7 Wie bent u, die de gevangenen vrijlaat die door de erfzonde in ketenen werden vastgehouden, en hen in hun vroegere vrijheid brengt?
8 Wie bent u, wie doet dat?
zo’n glorieus en goddelijk licht verspreiden over hen die blind werden gemaakt door de duisternis van de zonde?
9 Op dezelfde manier werden alle legioenen duivels door dezelfde afschuw bevangen, en met de meest onderdanige angst riepen ze uit en zeiden:
10 Waar komt het vandaan, O Gij Jezus Christus, dat Gij een man zijt die zo machtig en glorieus is in majesteit, zo helder dat hij geen vlek heeft, en zo puur dat hij geen misdaad kent? Want die lagere wereld van de aarde, die tot nu toe aan ons onderworpen was, en vanwaar we eerbetoon ontvingen, heeft ons nog nooit zo'n dode man gestuurd, nooit zulke geschenken als deze naar de prinsen van de hel gestuurd.
11 Wie bent u dan, die met zoveel moed onze verblijfplaatsen binnentreedt, en niet alleen niet bang bent om ons met de zwaarste straffen te bedreigen, maar ook probeert alle anderen te redden van de ketenen waarin wij ze vasthouden?
12 Misschien bent u die Jezus, over wie Satan zojuist met onze prins sprak, van wie u door de dood aan het kruis op het punt stond de macht van de dood te ontvangen.
13 Toen greep de Koning der Glorie, die de dood vertrapte, de prins van de hel, beroofde hem van al zijn macht en nam onze aardse vader Adam mee naar zijn glorie.
KEREL. XVIII.
1 Beëlzebub, prins van de hel, verwijt Satan heftig dat hij Christus heeft vervolgd en hem naar de hel heeft gebracht. 4 . Christus geeft Beëlzebub voor altijd de heerschappij over Satan, als beloning voor het wegnemen van Adam en zijn zonen .
TOEN nam de prins van de hel Satan mee en zei met grote aanwijzingen tegen hem: O jij prins van de vernietiging, auteur van
Beëlzebuls nederlaag en verbanning, de minachting van Gods engelen en verafschuwd door alle rechtvaardige mensen! Wat bracht u ertoe zo te handelen?
2 U wilde de Koning der Glorie kruisigen, en door zijn vernietiging hebt u ons beloften gedaan van zeer grote voordelen, maar als een dwaas wist u niet waar u mee bezig was.
3 Want zie nu dat Jezus van Nazareth, met de helderheid van zijn glorieuze goddelijkheid, alle verschrikkelijke machten van duisternis en dood op de vlucht jaagt;
4 Hij heeft onze gevangenissen van top tot teen afgebroken, alle gevangenen weggestuurd, allen vrijgelaten die vastgebonden waren, en allen die vroeger gewoon waren te kreunen onder het gewicht van hun kwellingen, hebben ons nu beledigd, en het lijkt alsof we verslagen worden door hun gebeden.
5 Onze goddeloze heerschappij is onderworpen, en geen enkel deel van de mensheid is nu aan onze onderwerping overgelaten, maar aan de andere kant trotseren ze ons allemaal stoutmoedig;
6 Hoewel de doden zich voorheen nooit onbeschaamd jegens ons durfden te gedragen, noch als gevangenen ooit bij welke gelegenheid dan ook vrolijk konden zijn.
7 ¶ O Satan, jij prins van alle goddelozen, vader van de goddelozen en verlatenen, waarom zou jij deze exploit proberen, aangezien onze gevangenen tot nu toe altijd zonder de minste hoop op redding en leven waren?
8 Maar nu is er niet één van hen die ooit kreunt, noch is er de minste schijn van een traan op hun gezicht.
9 O prins Satan, jij grote bewaarder van de helse gebieden, al jouw voordelen die jij hebt verworven door de verboden boom, en het verlies van het Paradijs,
je hebt nu verloren door het hout van het kruis;
10 En uw geluk eindigde toen geheel, toen u Jezus Christus, de Koning der Glorie, kruisigde.
11 U hebt gehandeld tegen uw eigen belang en tegen het mijne, zoals u weldra zult merken aan de grote kwellingen en oneindige straffen die u op het punt staat te ondergaan.
12 O Satan, prins van alle kwaad, auteur van de dood en bron van alle trots, u had eerst onderzoek moeten doen naar de kwade misdaden van Jezus van Nazareth, en dan zou u hebben ontdekt dat hij zich niet schuldig had gemaakt aan een fout die de doodstraf waard was.
13 Waarom waagde u het, zonder reden of gerechtigheid, om hem te kruisigen, en hebt u een onschuldig en rechtvaardig persoon naar onze streken gebracht, en daardoor alle zondaars, goddeloze en onrechtvaardige personen in de hele wereld verloren?
14 Terwijl de prins van de hel aldus tot Satan sprak, zei de Koning der Glorie tegen Beëlzebub, de prins van de hel, Satan: de prins zal voor altijd aan uw heerschappij onderworpen zijn, in de kamer van Adam en zijn rechtvaardige zonen, die de mijne.
KEREL. XIX.
1 Christus neemt Adam bij de hand, de rest van de heiligen slaan de handen ineen, en ze stijgen allemaal met hem op naar het paradijs .
TOEN strekte Jezus zijn hand uit en zei: Kom naar mij, al mijn heiligen, die naar mijn beeld geschapen zijn, die veroordeeld werden door de boom van de verboden vrucht, en door de duivel en de dood;
2 Leef nu bij het hout van mijn kruis; de duivel, de prins van deze wereld, wordt overwonnen en de dood wordt overwonnen.
3 Toen werden alle heiligen verenigd onder de hand van de allerhoogste God; en de Heer Jezus greep Adams hand vast en zei tegen hem: Vrede zij met u en met al uw rechtvaardige nakomelingen, die van mij zijn.
4 Toen wierp Adam zich aan de voeten van Jezus en richtte zich tot hem, met tranen, in nederige taal en met luide stem, zeggende: 1
5 Ik zal U prijzen, o Heer, want U hebt mij verhoogd en mijn vijanden niet over mij laten verheugen. O Heer mijn God, ik riep tot U, en U hebt mij genezen.
6 O Heer, Gij hebt mijn ziel uit het graf opgewekt; Gij hebt mij in leven gehouden, zodat ik niet naar de put zou afdalen.
7 Zing voor de Heer, alle heiligen van Hem, en dank bij de gedachtenis aan zijn heiligheid. Want zijn woede duurt maar een ogenblik; in zijn voordeel is het leven.
8 Op dezelfde manier zeiden alle heiligen, neergeknield aan de voeten van Jezus, met één stem: Gij zijt gekomen, o Verlosser van de wereld, en hebt werkelijk alles volbracht, wat Gij hebt voorzegd door de wet en uw heilige profeten.
9 Gij hebt de levenden verlost door uw kruis, en zijt naar ons afgedaald, opdat Gij ons door de dood aan het kruis zou kunnen verlossen van de hel, en door uw macht van de dood.
10 O Heer, zoals Gij de tekenen van uw heerlijkheid in de hemel hebt geplaatst en het teken van uw heerlijkheid hebt opgezet
uw verlossing, zelfs uw kruis op aarde! Dus, Heer, zet het teken van de overwinning van uw kruis in de hel, zodat de dood geen dienst meer hoeft te doen.
11 Toen strekte de Heer zijn hand uit en maakte een kruisteken tegen Adam en tegen al zijn heiligen.
12 En Adam bij zijn rechterhand grijpend, steeg hij op uit de hel, en alle heiligen van God volgden hem.
13 Toen riep de koninklijke profeet David stoutmoedig en zei: 1 O, zing een nieuw lied voor de Heer, want Hij heeft wonderbaarlijke dingen gedaan; zijn rechterhand en zijn heilige arm hebben hem de overwinning bezorgd.
14 De Heer heeft zijn redding bekendgemaakt, zijn rechtvaardigheid heeft Hij openlijk getoond voor de ogen van de heidenen.
15 En de hele menigte heiligen antwoordde en zei: 2 Deze eer hebben al zijn heiligen: Amen, prijst de Heer.
16 Daarna de profeet Habakuk 3 riep het uit en zei: U bent uitgegaan voor de redding van uw volk, voor de redding van uw volk.
17 En alle heiligen zeiden: 4 Gezegend is hij die komt in de naam van de Heer; want de Heer heeft ons verlicht. Dit is onze God voor eeuwig en altijd; Hij zal over ons regeren tot in de eeuwigheid, Amen.
18 Op dezelfde manier spraken alle profeten de heilige dingen van zijn lof, en volgden de Heer.
KEREL. XX.
1 Christus levert Adam over aan de aartsengel Michaël. 3 . Ze ontmoeten Henoch en Elia in de hemel, 5 en ook de gezegende dief, die vertelt hoe hij om het Paradijs geeft .
TOEN hield de Heer Adam bij de hand en leverde hem over aan de aartsengel Michaël; en hij leidde hen naar het Paradijs, gevuld met genade en glorie;
2 En twee zeer oude mannen ontmoetten hen en werden door de heiligen gevraagd: Wie bent u, die nog niet met ons in de hel bent geweest en uw lichaam in het paradijs heeft geplaatst?
3 Eén van hen antwoordde en zei: Ik ben Henoch, die vertaald is door het woord van God: 5 En deze man die bij mij is, is Elia de Tishbiet, die werd overgebracht in een vurige wagen. 6
4 Hier zijn we tot nu toe geweest en hebben de dood niet geproefd, maar staan nu op het punt terug te keren bij de komst van de Antichrist, gewapend met goddelijke tekenen en wonderen, om met hem de strijd aan te gaan, en door hem te worden gedood in Jeruzalem, en om na drie en een halve dag weer levend in de wolken te worden opgenomen. 7
5 ¶ En terwijl de heilige Henoch en Elias dit vertelden, zie, daar kwam een andere man in een ellendige gestalte, die het kruisteken op zijn schouders droeg.
6 En toen alle heiligen hem zagen, zeiden zij tegen hem: Wie bent u? Want uw gelaat is als dat van een dief; En waarom draag je een kruis op je schouders?
7 Waarop hij antwoordde en zei: U zegt gelijk, want ik was een dief die op aarde allerlei goddeloosheid heeft begaan.
8 En de Joden kruisigden mij met Jezus; en ik observeerde de verrassende dingen die gebeurden
bij de schepping bij de kruisiging van de Heer Jezus.
9 En ik geloofde dat hij de Schepper van alle dingen was, en de Almachtige Koning; en ik bad tot hem en zei: Heer, gedenk mij, wanneer u in uw koninkrijk komt.
10 Weldra luisterde hij naar mijn smeekbede en zei tegen mij: Voorwaar, ik zeg u: vandaag zult u met mij in het paradijs zijn. 1
11 En hij gaf mij dit kruisteken en zei: Draag dit en ga naar het paradijs; en als de engel die de bewaker van het Paradijs is, u niet wil toelaten, toon hem dan het kruisteken en zeg tegen hem: Jezus Christus, die nu gekruisigd is, heeft mij hierheen naar u toe gestuurd.
12 Toen ik dit deed en al deze dingen aan de engel, die de bewaker van het Paradijs is, vertelde en hij ze hoorde, opende hij onmiddellijk de poorten, stelde mij voor en plaatste mij aan de rechterhand in het Paradijs.
13 Zeggende: Blijf hier nog een korte tijd, totdat Adam, de vader van de hele mensheid, zal binnenkomen, met al zijn zonen, die de heilige en rechtvaardige dienaren zijn van Jezus Christus, die werd gekruisigd.
14 Toen ze dit hele verhaal van de dief hoorden, zeiden alle aartsvaders met één stem: Gezegend zij U, o Almachtige God, de Vader van eeuwige goedheid en de Vader van barmhartigheid, die zoveel gunst heeft betoond aan hen die zondaars waren tegen hen. hem, en heeft ze aan de genade van het Paradijs gebracht, en ze te midden van uw grote en geestelijke voorzieningen geplaatst, in een geestelijk en heilig leven. Amen.
KEREL. XXI.
1 Charinus en Lenthius mochten slechts drie dagen op aarde blijven, 7 leveren hun verhalen op, die op wonderbaarlijke wijze overeenkomen; ze verdwijnen, 13 en Pilatus registreert deze transacties .
DIT zijn de goddelijke en heilige mysteries die we hebben gezien en gehoord. Ik, Charinus en Lenthius mogen de andere mysteries van God niet bekendmaken, zoals de aartsengel Michaël ons heeft bevolen:
2 Zeggende: Gij zult met mijn broeders naar Jeruzalem gaan en doorgaan met bidden, waarbij u de opstanding van Jezus Christus verkondigt en verheerlijkt, aangezien Hij u tegelijkertijd met zichzelf uit de dood heeft opgewekt.
3 En gij zult met niemand praten, maar als stomme mensen blijven zitten tot de tijd komt dat de Heer u zal toestaan de mysteries van zijn goddelijkheid te vertellen.
4 De aartsengel Michaël beval ons verder om voorbij de Jordaan te gaan, naar een voortreffelijk en vet land, waar velen samen met ons uit de dood zijn opgestaan als bewijs van de opstanding van Christus.
5 Want we hebben slechts drie dagen de tijd gekregen om uit de dood op te staan, om met onze ouders het Pascha van onze Heer te vieren en om ons getuigenis voor Christus de Heer te geven, en we zijn gedoopt in de heilige rivier van de Jordaan. En nu worden ze door niemand gezien.
6 Dit is zoveel als God ons toestond om met jou te communiceren; Geef Hem daarom lof en eer, en bekeer u, en Hij zal zich over u ontfermen. Vrede zij u van de Here God Jezus
Klik om te vergroten
DE DOOP VAN CHRISTUS IN JORDANIË. UIT EEN ''BOEK VAN DE EVANGELISTEN.'' GRIEKS MANUSCRIPT UIT DE TWAALFDE EEUW.
[paragraaf gaat verder]Christus, en de Verlosser van ons allemaal. Amen, Amen, Amen.
7 En nadat ze klaar waren met schrijven en op twee verschillende stukjes papier hadden geschreven, gaf Charinus wat hij schreef in de handen van Annas, en Kajafas, en Gamaliël.
8 Ook Lenthius gaf wat hij schreef in de handen van Nikodemus en Jozef; en onmiddellijk veranderden ze in buitengewoon witte vormen en werden ze niet meer gezien.
9 Maar wat zij hadden geschreven bleek volkomen overeen te komen, aangezien de ene letter niet meer of minder bevatte dan de andere.
10 Toen de hele vergadering van de Joden al deze verrassende relaties tussen Charinus en Lenthius hoorde, zeiden ze tegen elkaar: Waarlijk, al deze dingen zijn door God tot stand gebracht, en gezegend zij de Heer Jezus voor eeuwig en altijd. Amen.
11 En zij liepen rond met grote bezorgdheid, angst en beven, sloegen op hun borst en gingen ieder naar zijn huis.
12 Maar al deze dingen die door de Joden in hun synagogen over Jezus waren verteld, werden onmiddellijk door Jozef en Nikodemus aan de stadhouder verteld.
13 En Pilatus schreef al deze transacties op en plaatste al deze rekeningen in de openbare registers van zijn zaal.
KEREL. XXII.
1 Pilatus gaat naar de tempel; roept de heersers, schriftgeleerden en artsen bijeen. 2 beveelt dat de poorten worden gesloten; bestelt het boek van de Schrift; en zorgt ervoor dat de Joden vertellen wat ze werkelijk wisten over Christus. 14 Zij verklaren dat zij Christus in onwetendheid hebben gekruisigd, en dat zij nu weten dat Hij de Zoon van God is, volgens het getuigenis van de Schrift; die, nadat ze hem ter dood hebben gebracht, worden onderzocht .
NA deze dingen ging Pilatus naar de tempel van de Joden, riep alle heersers, schriftgeleerden en wetgeleerden bijeen en ging met hen naar een kapel van de tempel.
2 En terwijl hij beval dat alle poorten moesten worden gesloten, zei hij tegen hen: Ik heb gehoord dat u een zeker groot boek in deze tempel hebt; Ik verlang daarom naar u, dat het voor mij gebracht mag worden.
3 En toen het grote boek, gedragen door vier dienaren van de tempel, en versierd met goud en kostbare stenen, werd gebracht, zei Pilatus tegen hen allen: Ik bezweer u bij de God van uw vaderen, die deze tempel heeft gemaakt en bevolen gebouwd, zodat u de waarheid niet voor mij verborgen houdt.
4 U weet alles wat in dat boek staat geschreven; Vertel mij daarom nu of u in de Schriften iets hebt gevonden over die Jezus die u hebt gekruisigd, en in welke tijd van de wereld Hij had moeten komen: laat het mij zien.
5 Nadat zij Annas en Kajafas hadden gezworen, gaven zij de overigen die bij hen waren het bevel de kapel te verlaten.
6 En zij sloten de poorten van de tempel en van de kapel en zeiden tegen Pilatus: U hebt ons laten zweren, o rechter, bij de bouw van deze tempel, dat wij u zullen verkondigen wat waar en juist is.
7 Nadat we Jezus hadden gekruisigd, niet wetende dat hij de Zoon van God was, maar in de veronderstelling dat hij zijn wonderen had verricht door middel van magische kunsten, riepen we een grote bijeenkomst bijeen in deze tempel.
8 En toen wij met elkaar beraadslaagden over
Na de wonderen die Jezus had verricht, vonden we veel getuigen uit ons eigen land, die verklaarden dat ze hem na zijn dood levend hadden gezien, en dat ze hem met zijn discipelen hadden horen praten, en hem hadden zien opstijgen naar de hoogte van de hemel, en het aangaan ervan;
9 En we zagen twee getuigen, wier lichamen Jezus uit de dood opwekte, die ons vertelden over vele vreemde dingen die Jezus onder de doden deed, waarvan we een schriftelijk verslag in onze handen hebben.
10 En het is onze gewoonte jaarlijks dit heilige boek voor een gemeente te openen en daar naar de raad van God te zoeken.
11 En we vonden in het eerste van de zeventig boeken, waar Michaël, de aartsengel, spreekt tot de derde zoon van Adam, de eerste mens, een verslag dat na vijfduizendvijfhonderd jaar Christus, de meest geliefde Zoon van God, op aarde was gekomen:
12 En wij overwogen verder dat hij misschien wel de God van Israël was die tot Mozes sprak: Gij zult de ark met de getuigenis maken; twee el en een halve el zal zijn lengte zijn, en anderhalve el zijn breedte, en anderhalve el zijn hoogte. 1
13 Door deze vijf en een halve el voor de bouw van de ark van het Oude Testament, hebben wij begrepen en wisten dat Jezus Christus over vijfduizend en een half (duizend) jaar zou komen in de ark of tabernakel van een lichaam ;
14 En dus getuigen onze Schriften dat hij de zoon van God is, en de Heer en Koning van Israël.
15 En omdat onze hogepriesters na zijn lijden verbaasd waren over de tekenen die door zijn toedoen tot stand waren gebracht, hebben wij dat boek geopend om alle generaties te doorzoeken, tot aan de generatie van Jozef en Maria, de moeder van Jezus, in de veronderstelling dat hij tot de zaad van David;
16 En we vonden het scheppingsverhaal, en op welk tijdstip hij de hemel en de aarde maakte en de eerste mens Adam, en dat vanaf dat moment tot aan de vloed, tweeduizendtweehonderdtwaalf jaar duurde.
17 En vanaf de zondvloed tot Abraham: negenhonderdtwaalf. En van Abraham tot Mozes, vierhonderddertig. En van Mozes tot David, de koning, vijfhonderdtien.
18 En vanaf David tot de Babylonische ballingschap vijfhonderd jaar. En vanaf de Babylonische gevangenschap tot aan de incarnatie van Christus, vierhonderd jaar.
19 De som van alles bedraagt vijfduizend en een half (duizend).
20 En zo lijkt het erop dat Jezus, die wij hebben gekruisigd, Jezus Christus is, de Zoon van God, en de ware en almachtige God. Amen.
Maak aldus in naam van de Heilige Drie-eenheid een einde aan de Handelingen van onze Verlosser Jezus Christus, die keizer Theodosius de Grote in Jeruzalem vond in de zaal van Pontius Pilatus onder de openbare registers; deze dingen vonden plaats in het negentiende jaar van Tiberius Caesar, keizer van de Romeinen, en in het zeventiende jaar van de regering van Herodes, de zoon van Herodes, de koning van Galilea, op de achtste van de kalender van april, wat de drieëntwintigste is.
dag van de maand maart, tijdens de CCIIde Olympiade, toen Jozef en Kajafas heersers over de Joden waren; zijnde een geschiedenis geschreven in het Hebreeuws door Nicodemus, van wat er gebeurde na de kruisiging van onze Heiland .
Voetnoten
64:1 Matth. xiii. 55, en Johannes vi. 42.
64:2 Johannes v. 17, 18. Markus xv. 2.
64:3 Matth. xii. 2, enz.; Lucas xiii. 14. Johannes, vers 18.
64:4 Exod. xx. 8, enz.
64:5 Matth. vi. 24, en xi. 5.
64:6 Matth. iv. 34, en xii. 24, enz.
64:7 Matth. xxi. 8, 9, enz.
66:1 Matth. xxvii. 19.
66:2 Johannes v. 17, 18; Markeer xv. 2.
67:1 3 Johannes x. 32
67:2 Johannes xviii. 31, enz.
67:3 Exod. xx. 13.
67:4 Johannes ii. 19.
67:5 Matth. xxvii. 24.
68:1 Leviticus xxiv. 16.
68:2 Exodus xx. 13.
68:3 Lukas xxiii. 16.
69:1 Johannes iii. 2.
69:2 Handelingen v. 38.
69:3 Deze worden ook genoemd als de namen van de magiërs, 2 Tim. iii. 8.
69:4 Exod. viii. 18, enz.
69:5 Handelingen v. 35. Een toespeling op de toespraak van Gamaliël.
69:6 Johannes v. 1, 2. &c.
69:7 Markeer x. 46.
70:1 Matth. viii. 11, enz.
70:2 Lukas xiii. 11.
70:3 Matth. ix. 20, enz. Zie over deze vrouw genaamd Veronica, op wie dit wonder werd verricht, en het standbeeld dat zij ter ere van Christus in Euseb oprichtte. Geschiedenis eccl. l. 7, c. 18.
70:4 Johannes ii. 1, enz.
70:5 Lukas iv. 33, enz.
70:6 Matth. v. 23.
70:7 Markus iii. 11.
70:8 Matth. viii. 5, enz.
71:1 Johannes xi. 17, enz.
71:2 Matth. xxvii. 24.
71:3 Matth. xxvii. 21.
71:4 Johannes xix. 12.
72:1 Matth. ii.
72:2 Matth. xxvii. 24, enz.
72:3 Matth. xxvii. 33.
73:1 Johannes xix. 34.
73:2 Johannes xix. 19.
73:3 Matth. xxvii. 45, enz.
74:1 Johannes xix. 88.
75:1 Deut. xxxii. 35; Hebr. X. 40.
75:2 Matth. xxviii. 11, 12, enz.
75:3 Matth. xxviii. 1, 2, enz.
76:1 Matth. xxviii. 16. en Marcus XVI. 16.
77:1 heidenen.
79:1 Lukas, ii. 29.
79:2 Deut. xvii. 8.
79:3 Matth. xxvii. 53.
80:1 Isaï. xi. 1 Matth. iv. 16.
81:1 Lukas ii. 29.
81:2 Matth. iii. 13.
82:1 St. Hieronymus bevestigt dat de ziel van Christus naar de hel ging.
82:2 Matth. xxvi. 38.
83:1 Johannes xi.
83:2 Psalm xxiv. 7, enz.
83:3 Psalm cvii. 15, enz.
83:4 Jesaja xxvi. 19.
84:1 Psalm xxiv. 7, enz.
84:2 Psalm cii. 19, 20.
84:3 Lukas i. 79.
86:1 Psalmxxx. 1, enz.
87:1 Psalm xcviii. 1, enz.
87:2 Psalm cxlix. 2.
87:3 Geb. iii. 13.
87:4 Matth. xxiii. 39.
87:5 Gen. v. 24.
87:6 Koningen ii. 11.
87:7 Openb. xi. 11.
88:1 Lukas xxiii. 43.
90:1 Exod. xxv. 10.
Source:
The books of the Natsarim and the enlightened ones
Oxford: Oxford University Press, pages 94–118
THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS, OR ACTS OF PILATE
We have as yet no true critical edition of this book: one is in preparation, by E. von Dobschütz, to be included in the Berlin corpus of Greek Ante-Nicene Christian writers. A short statement of the authorities available at this moment is therefore necessary.
Tischendorf in his Evangelia Apocrypha divides the whole writing into two parts: (1) the story of the Passion; (2) the Descent into hell; and prints the following forms of each: six in all:
- Part I, Recession A in Greek from eight manuscripts, and a Latin translation of the Coptic version in the notes.
- Part I, Recession B in Greek from three late manuscripts.
- Part II (Descent into Hell) in Greek from three manuscripts.
- Part I in Latin, using twelve manuscripts, and some old editions.
- Part II in Latin (A) from four manuscripts.
- Part II in Latin (B) from three manuscripts.
Tischendorf’s must be described as an eclectic text not representing probably, any one single line of transmission: but it presents the book in a readable, and doubtless, on the whole, correct form.
There are, besides the Latin, three ancient versions of Part I of considerable importance, viz.:
Coptic, preserved in an early papyrus at Turin, and in some fragments at Paris. Last edited by Revillout in Patrologia orientalis, ix. 2.
Syriac, edited by Rahmaui in Studia Syriaca, II.
Armenian, edited by F. C. Conybeara in Studia Biblica, IV (Oxford, 1896): he gives a Greek rendering of one manuscript and a Latin one of another.
All of these conform to Tischelldorf’s Recession A of Part I: and this must be regarded as the most original form of the Acta which we have. Recession B is a late and diffuse working-over of the same matter: it will not be translated here in full.
The first part of the book, containing the story of the Passion and Resurrection, is not earlier than the fourth century. Its object in the main is to furnish irrefragable testimony to the resurrection. Attempts have been made to show that it is of early date—that it is, for instance, the writing which Justin Martyr meant when in his Apology he referred his heathen readers to the ‘Acts’ of Christ’s trial preserved among the archives of Rome. The truth of that matter is that he simply assumed that such records must exist. False ‘acts’ of the trial were written in the Pagan interest under Maximin, and introduced into schools early in the fourth century. It is imagined by some that our book was a counterblast to these.
The account of the Descent into Hell (Part II) is an addition to the Acta. It does not appear in any Oriental version, and the Greek copies are rare. It is in Latin that it has chiefly flourished, and has been the parent of versions in every European language.
The central idea, the delivery of the righteous fathers from Hades is exceedingly ancient. Second-century writers are full of it. The embellishments, the dialogues of Satan with Hades, which are so dramatic, come in later, perhaps with the development of pulpit oratory among Christians. We find them in fourth-century homilies attributed to Eusebius of Emesa.
This second part used to be called Gnostic, but there is nothing unorthodox about it save the choice of the names of the two men who are supposed to tell the story, viz. Leucius and Karinus. Leucius Charinus is the name given by church writers to the supposed author of the Apocryphal Acts of John, Paul, Peter, Andrew, and Thomas. In reality Leucius was the soi-disant author of the Acts of John only. His name was transferred to the other Acts in process of time, and also (sometimes disguised as Seleucus) to Gospels of the Infancy and narratives of the Assumption of the Virgin. With all these the original Leucius had nothing to do. When his name came to be attached to the Descent into Hell we do not yet know: nor do we know when the Descent was first appended to the Acts of Pilate. Not, I should conjecture, before the fifth century.
MEMORIALS OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST DONE IN THE TIME OF PONTIUS PILATE
Prologue
(Absent from some manuscripts and versions).
I Ananias (Aeneas Copt., Emaus Latt.), the Protector, of praetorian rank, learned in the law, did from the divine scriptures recognize our Lord Jesus Christ and came near to him by faith and was accounted worthy of holy baptism: and I sought out the memorials that were made at that season in the time of our master Jesus Christ, which the Jews deposited with Pontius Pilate, and found the memorials in Hebrew (letters), and by the good pleasure of God I translated them into Greek (letters) for the informing of all them that call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ: in the reign of our Lord Flavius Theodosius, in the seventeenth year, and of Flavius Valentinianus the sixth, in the ninth indiction [corrupt: Lat. has the eighteenth year of Theodosius, when Valentinian was proclaimed Augustus, i. e. A. D. 425].
All ye therefore that read this and translate (or copy) it into other books, remember me and pray for me that God will be gracious unto me and be merciful unto my sins which I have sinned against him.
Peace be to them that read and that hear these things and to their servants. Amen.
In the fifteenth (al. nineteenth) year of the governance of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the Romans, and of Herod, king of Galilee, in the nineteenth year of his rule, on the eighth of the Calends of April, which is the 25th of March, in the consulate of Rufus and Rubellio, in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, Joseph who is Caiaphas being high priest of the Jews:
These be the things which after the cross and passion of the Lord Nicodemus recorded[1] and delivered unto the high priest and the rest of the Jews: and the same Nicodemus set them forth in Hebrew (letters).
I
1 For the chief priests and scribes assembled in council, even Annas and Caiaphas and Somne (Senes) and Dothaim (Dothael, Dathaës, Datam) and Gamaliel, Judas, Levi and Nepthalim, Alexander and Jairus and the rest of the Jews, and came unto Pilate accusing Jesus for many deeds, saying: We know this man, that he is the son of Joseph the carpenter, begotten of Mary, and he saith that he is the Son of God and a king; more-over he doth pollute the sabbaths and he would destroy the law of our fathers.
Pilate saith: And what things are they that he doeth, and would destroy the law?
The Jews say: We have a law that we should not heal any man on the sabbath: but this man of his evil deeds hath healed the lame and the bent, the withered and the blind and the paralytic, the dumb and them that were possessed, on the sabbath day!
Pilate saith unto them: By what evil deeds?
They say unto him: He is a sorcerer, and by Beelzebub the prince of the devils he casteth out devils, and they are all subject unto him.
Pilate saith unto them: This is not to cast out devils by an unclean spirit, but by the god Asclepius.
2 The Jews say unto Pilate: We beseech thy majesty that he appear before thy judgement-seat and be heard. And Pilate called them unto him and said: Tell me, how can I that am a governor examine a king? They say unto him: We say not that he is a king, but he saith it of himself.
And Pilate called the messenger (cursor) and said unto him: Let Jesus be brought hither, but with gentleness. And the messenger went forth, and when he perceived Jesus he worshipped him and took the kerchief that was on his hand and spread it upon the earth and saith unto him: Lord, walk hereon and enter in, for the governor calleth thee. And when the Jews saw what the messenger had done, they cried out against Pilate saying: Wherefore didst thou not summon him by an herald to enter in, but by a messenger? for the messenger when he saw him worshipped him and spread out his kerchief upon the ground and hath made him walk upon it like a king!
3 Then Pilate called for the messenger and said unto him: Wherefore hast thou done this, and hast spread thy kerchief upon the ground and made Jesus to walk upon it? The messenger saith unto him: Lord governor, when thou sentest me to Jerusalem unto Alexander, I saw Jesus sitting upon an ass, and the children of the Hebrews held branches in their hands and cried out, and others spread their garments beneath him, saying: Save now, thou that art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
4 The Jews cried out and said unto the messenger: The children of the Hebrews cried out in Hebrew: how then hast thou it in the Greek? The messenger saith to them: I did ask one of the Jews and said: What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? and he interpreted it unto me.
Pilate saith unto them: And how cried they in Hebrew? The Jews say unto him: Hosanna membrome barouchamma adonai. Pilate saith unto them: And the Hosanna and the rest, how is it interpreted? The Jews say unto him: Save now, thou that art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Pilate saith unto them: If you yourselves bear witness of the words which were said of the children, wherein hath the messenger sinned? and they held their peace.
The governor saith unto the messenger: Go forth and bring him in after what manner thou wilt. And the messenger went forth and did after the former manner and said unto Jesus: Lord, enter in: the governor calleth thee.
5 Now when Jesus entered in, and the ensigns were holding the standards, the images (busts) of the standards bowed and did reverence to Jesus. And when the Jews saw the carriage of the standards, how they bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus, they cried out above measure against the ensigns. But Pilate said unto the Jews: Marvel ye not that the images bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus. The Jews say unto Pilate: We saw how the ensigns made them to bow and did reverence to him. And the governor called for the ensigns and saith unto them: Wherefore did ye so? They say unto Pilate: We are Greeks and servers of temples, and how could we do him reverence? for indeed, whilst we held the images they bowed of themselves and did reverence unto him.
6 Then saith Pilate unto the rulers of the synagogue and the elders of the people: Choose you out able and strong men and let them hold the standards, and let us see if they bow of themselves. And the elders of the Jews took twelve men strong and able and made them to hold the standards by sixes, and they were set before the judgement-seat of the governor; and Pilate said to the messenger: Take him out of the judgement hall (praetorium) and bring him in again after what manner thou wilt. And Jesus went out of the judgement hall, he and the messenger. And Pilate called unto him them that before held the image and said unto them: I have sworn by the safety of Caesar that if the standards bow not when Jesus entereth in, I will cut off your heads.
And the governor commanded Jesus to enter in the second time. And the messenger did after the former manner and besought Jesus much that he would walk upon his kerchief; and he walked upon it and entered in. And when he had entered, the standards bowed themselves again and did reverence unto Jesus.
II
1 Now when Pilate saw it he was afraid, and sought to rise up from the judgement-seat. And while he yet thought to rise up, his wife sent unto him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with this just man, for I have suffered many things because of him by night. And Pilate called unto him all the Jews, and said unto them: Ye know that my wife feareth God and favoureth rather the customs of the Jews, with you? They say unto him: Yea, we know it. Pilate saith unto them: Lo, my wife hath sent unto me, saying: Have thou nothing to do with this just man: for I have suffered many things because of him by night. But the Jews answered and said unto Pilate: Said we not unto thee that he is a sorcerer? behold, he hath sent a vision of a dream unto thy wife.
2 And Pilate called Jesus unto him and said to him: What is it that these witness against thee? speakest thou nothing? But Jesus said: If they had not had power they would have spoken nothing; for every man hath power over his own mouth, to speak good or evil: they shall see to it.
3 The elders of the Jews answered and said unto Jesus: What shall we see? Firstly, that thou wast born of fornication; secondly, that thy birth in Bethlehem was the cause of the slaying of children; thirdly, that thy father Joseph and thy mother Mary fled into Egypt because they had no confidence before the people.
4 Then said certain of them that stood by, devout men of the Jews: We say not that he came of fornication; but we know that Joseph was betrothed unto Mary, and he was not born of fornication. Pilate saith unto those Jews which said that he came of fornication: This your saying is not true for there were espousals, as these also say which are of your nation. Annas and Caiaphas say unto Pilate: The whole multitude of us cry out that he was born of fornication, and we are not believed: but these are proselytes and disciples of his. And Pilate called Annas and Caiaphas unto him and said to them: What be proselytes? They say unto him: They were born children of Greeks, and now are they become Jews. Then said they which said that he was not born of fornication, even Lazarus, Asterius, Antonius, Jacob, Amnes, Zenas, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Agrippa and Judas: We were not born proselytes (are not Greeks, Copt.), but we are children of Jews and we speak the truth; for verily we were present at the espousals of Joseph and Mary.
5 And Pilate called unto him those twelve men which said that he was not born of fornication, and saith unto them: I adjure you by the safety of Caesar, are these things true which ye have said, that he was not born of fornication? They say unto Pilate: We have a law that we swear not, because it is sin: But let them swear by the safety of Caesar that it is not as we have said, and we will be guilty of death. Pilate saith to Annas and Caiaphas: Answer ye nothing to these things? Annas and Caiaphas say unto Pilate: These twelve men are believed which say that he was not born of fornication, but the whole multitude of us cry out that he was born of fornication, and is a sorcerer, and saith that he is the Son of God and a king, and we are not believed.
6 And Pilate commanded the whole multitude to go out, saving the twelve men which said that he was not born of fornication and he commanded Jesus to be set apart: and Pilate saith unto them: For what cause do they desire to put him to death? They say unto Pilate: They have jealousy, because he healeth on the sabbath day. Pilate saith: For a good work do they desire to put him to death? They say unto him: Yea.
III
1 And Pilate was filled with indignation and went forth without the judgement hall and saith unto them: I call the Sun to witness that I find no fault in this man. The Jews answered and said to the governor: If this man were not a malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee. And Pilate said: Take ye him and judge him according to your law. The Jews said unto Pilate: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Pilate said: Hath God forbidden you to slay, and allowed me?
2 And Pilate went in again into the judgement hall and called Jesus apart and said unto him: Art thou the King of the Jews? Jesus answered and said to Pilate: Sayest thou this thing of thyself, or did others tell it thee of me? Pilate answered Jesus: Am I also a Jew? thine own nation and the chief priests have delivered thee unto me: what hast thou done? Jesus answered: My kingdom is not of this world; for if my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have striven that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. Pilate said unto him: Art thou a king, then? Jesus answered him: Thou sayest that I am a king; for this cause was I born and am come, that every one that is of the truth should hear my voice. Pilate saith unto him: What is truth? Jesus saith unto him: Truth is of heaven. Pilate saith: Is there not truth upon earth? Jesus saith unto Pilate: Thou seest how that they which speak the truth are judged of them that have authority upon earth.
IV
1 And Pilate left Jesus in the judgement hall and went forth to the Jews and said unto them: I find no fault in him. The Jews say unto him: This man said: I am able to destroy this temple and in three days to build it up. Pilate saith: What temple? The Jews say: That which Solomon built in forty and six years but which this man saith he will destroy and build it in three days. Pilate saith unto them: I am guiltless of the blood of this just man: see ye to it. The Jews say: His blood be upon us and on our children.
2 And Pilate called the elders and the priests and Levites unto him and said to them secretly: Do not so: for there is nothing worthy of death whereof ye have accused him, for your accusation is concerning healing and profaning of the sabbath. The elders and the priests and Levites say: If a man blaspheme against Caesar, is he worthy of death or no? Pilate saith: He is worthy of death. The Jews say unto Pilate: If a man be worthy of death if he blaspheme against Caesar, this man hath blasphemed against God.
3 Then the governor commanded all the Jews to go out from the judgement hall, and he called Jesus to him and saith unto him: What shall I do with thee? Jesus saith unto Pilate: Do as it hath been given thee. Pilate saith: How hath it been given? Jesus saith: Moses and the prophets did foretell concerning my death and rising again. Now the Jews inquired by stealth and heard, and they say unto Pilate: What needest thou to hear further of this blasphemy? Pilate saith unto the Jews: If this word be of blasphemy, take ye him for his blasphemy, and bring him into your synagogue and judge him according to your law. The Jews say unto Pilate: It is contained in our law, that if a man sin against a man, he is worthy to receive forty stripes save one: but he that blasphemeth against God, that he should be stoned with stoning.
4 Pilate saith unto them: Take ye him and avenge yourselves of him in what manner ye will. The Jews say unto Pilate: We will that he be crucified. Pilate saith: He deserveth not to be crucified.
5 Now as the governor looked round about upon the multitude of the Jews which stood by, he beheld many of the Jews weeping, and said: Not all the multitude desire that he should be put to death. The elder of the Jews said: To this end have the whole multitude of us come Hither, that he should be put to death. Pilate saith to the Jews: Wherefore should he die? The Jews said: Because he called himself the Son of God, and a king.
V
1 But a certain man, Nicodemus, a Jew, came and stood before the governor and said: I beseech thee, good (pious) lord, bid me speak a few words. Pilate saith: Say on. Nicodemus saith: I said unto the elders and the priests and Levites and unto all the multitude of the Jews in the synagogue: Wherefore contend ye with this man? This man doeth many and wonderful signs, which no man hath done, neither will do: let him alone and contrive not any evil against him: if the signs which he doeth are of God, they will stand, but if they be of men, they will come to nought. For verily Moses, when he was sent of God into Egypt did many signs, which God commanded him to do before Pharaoh, king of Egypt; and there were there certain men, servants of Pharaoh, Jannes and Jambres, and they also did signs not a few, of them which Moses did, and the Egyptians held them as gods, even Jannes and Jambres: and whereas the signs which they did were not of God, they perished and those also that believed on them. And now let this man go, for he is not worthy of death.
2 The Jews say unto Nicodemus: Thou didst become his disciple and thou speakest on his behalf. Nicodemus saith unto them: Is the governor also become his disciple, that he speaketh on his behalf? did not Caesar appoint him unto this dignity? And the Jews were raging and gnashing their teeth against Nicodemus. Pilate saith unto them: Wherefore gnash ye your teeth against him, wherens ye have heard the truth? The Jews say unto Nicodemus: Mayest thou receive his truth and his portion. Nicodemus saith: Amen, Amen: may I receive it as ye have said.
VI
1 Now one of the Jews came forward[2] and besought the governor that he might speak a word. The governor saith: If thou wilt say aught, speak on. And the Jew said: Thirty and eight years lay I on a bed in suffering of pains, and at the coming of Jesus many that were possessed and laid with divers diseases were healed by him, and certain (faithful) young men took pity on me and carried me with my bed and brought me unto him; and when Jesus saw me he had compassion, and spake a word unto me: Take up thy bed and walk. And I took up my bed and walked. The Jews say unto Pilate: Ask of him what day it was whereon he was healed? ⟨Pilate said unto him that was healed of his sickness: Tell me truly what day it was whereon he healed thee. Copt. only.⟩ He that was healed saith: On the sabbath. The Jews say: Did we not inform thee so, that upon the sabbath he healeth and casteth out devils?
2 And another Jew came forward and said:[3] I was born blind: I heard words but I saw no man’s face: and as Jesus passed by I cried with a loud voice: Have mercy on me, O son of David. And he took pity on me and put his hands upon mine eyes and I received sight immediately.[4]
And another Jew came forward and said: I was bowed and he made me straight with a word. And another said: I was a leper, and he healed me with a word.
VII
And a certain woman named Bernice (Beronice Copt., Veronica Lat.) crying out from afar off said: I had an issue of blood and touched the hem of his garment, and the flowing of my blood was stayed which I had twelve years. The Jews say: We have a law that a woman shall not come to give testimony.
VIII
And certain others, even a multitude both of men and women cried out, saying: This man is a prophet and the devils are subject unto him. Pilate saith to them which said: The devils are subject unto him: Wherefore were not your teachers also subject unto him? They say unto Pilate: We know not. Others also said: He raised up Lazarus which was dead out of his tomb after four days. And the governor was afraid and said unto all the multitude of the Jews: Wherefore will ye shed innocent blood?
IX
1 And he called unto him Nicodemus and those twelve men which said that he was not born of fornication, and said unto them: What shall I do, for there riseth sedition among the people? They say unto him: We know not, let them see to it. Again Pilate called for all the multitude of the Jews and saith: Ye know that ye have a custom that at the feast of unleavened bread I should release unto you a prisoner. Now I have a prisoner under condemnation in the prison, a murderer, Barabbas by name, and this Jesus also which standeth before you, in whom I find no fault: Whom will ye that I release unto you? But they cried out: Barabbas. Pilate saith: What shall I do then with Jesus who is called Christ? The Jews say: Let him be crucified. But certain of the Jews answered: Thou art not a friend of Caesar’s if thou let this man go; for he called himself the Son of God and a king: thou wilt therefore have him for king, and not Caesar.
2 And Pilate was wroth and said unto the Jews: Your nation is always seditious and ye rebel against your benefactors. The Jews say: Against what benefactors? Pilate saith: According as I have heard, your God brought you out of Egypt out of hard bondage, and led you safe through the sea as by dry land, and in the wilderness he nourished you with manna and gave you quails, and gave you water to drink out of a rock, and gave unto you a law. And in all these things ye provoked your God to anger, and sought out a molten calf, and angered your God and he sought to slay you: and Moses made supplication for you and ye were not put to death. And now ye do accuse me that I hate the king (emperor). 3 And he rose up from the judgement-seat and sought to go forth. And the Jews cried out, saying: We know our king, even Caesar and not Jesus. For indeed the wise men brought gifts from the east unto him as unto a king, and when Herod heard from the wise men that a king was born, he sought to slay him, and when his father Joseph knew that, he took him and his mother and they fled into Egypt. And when Herod heard it he destroyed the children of the Hebrews that were born in Bethlehem.
4 And when Pilate heard these words he was afraid. And Pilate silenced the multitude, because they cried still, and said unto them: So, then, this is he whom Herod sought? The Jews say: Yea, this is he. And Pilate took water and washed his hands before the sun, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man: see ye to it. Again the Jews cried out: His blood be upon us and upon our children.
5 Then Pilate commanded the veil to be drawn before the judgement-seat whereon he sat, and saith unto Jesus: Thy nation hath convicted thee (accused thee) as being a king: therefore have I decreed that thou shouldest first be scourged according to the law of the pious emperors, and thereafter hanged upon the cross in the garden wherein thou wast taken: and let Dysmas and Gestas the two malefactors be crucified with thee.
X
1 And Jesus went forth of the judgement hall and the two malefactors with him. And when they were come to the place they stripped him of his garments and girt him with a linen cloth and put a crown of thorns about his head: likewise also they hanged up the two malefactors.[5] But Jesus said: Father forgive them, for they know not what they do. And the soldiers divided his garments among them.
And the people stood looking upon him, and the chief priests and the rulers with them derided him, saying: He saved others let him save himself: if he be the son of God [let him come down from the cross]. And the soldiers also mocked him, coming and offering him vinegar with gall; and they said: If thou be the King of the Jews, save thyself.
And Pilate after the sentence commanded his accusation to be written for a title in letters of Greek and Latin and Hebrew according to the saying of the Jews: that he was the King of the Jews.
2 And one of the malefactors that were hanged [by name Gestas] spake unto him, saying: If thou be the Christ, save thyself, and us. But Dysmas answering rebuked him, saying: Dost thou not at all fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? and we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus: Remember me, Lord, in thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, that today thou shalt be (art) with me in paradise.
XI
1 And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened: and the veil of the temple was rent asunder in the midst. And Jesus called with a loud voice and said: Father, baddach ephkid rouel,[6] which is interpreted: Into thy hands I commend my spirit. And having thus said he gave up the ghost. And when the centurion saw what was done, he glorified God, saying: This man was righteous. And all the multitudes that had come to the sight, when they beheld what was done smote their breasts and returned.
2 But the centurion reported unto the governor the things that had come to pass: and when the governor and his wife heard, they were sore vexed, and neither ate nor drank that day. And Pilate sent for the Jews and said unto them: Did ye see that which came to pass? But they said: There was an eclipse of the sun after the accustomed sort.
3 And his acquaintance had stood afar off, and the women which came with him from Galilee, beholding these things. But a certain man named Joseph, being a counsellor, of the city of Arimathaea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of God this man went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth and laid it in a hewn sepulchre wherein was never man yet laid.
XII
1 Now when the Jews heard that Joseph had begged the body of Jesus, they sought for him and for the twelve men which said that Jesus was not born of fornication, and for Nicodemus and many others which had come forth before Pilate and declared his good works. But all they hid themselves, and Nicodemus only was seen of them, for he was a ruler of the Jews. And Nicodemus said unto them: How came ye into the synagogue? The Jews say unto him: How didst thou come into the synagogue? for thou art confederate with him, and his portion shall be with thee in the life to come. Nicodemus saith: Amen, Amen. Likewise Joseph also came forth and said unto them: Why is it that ye are vexed against me, for that I begged the body of Jesus? behold I have laid it in my new tomb, having wrapped it in clean linen, and I rolled a stone over the door of the cave. And ye have not dealt well with the just one, for ye repented not when ye had crucified him, but ye also pierced him with a spear.
But the Jews took hold on Joseph and commanded him to be put in safeguard until the first day of the week: and they said unto him: Know thou that the time alloweth us not to do anything against thee, because the sabbath dawneth: but knew that thou shalt not obtain burial, but we will give thy flesh unto the fowls of the heaven. Joseph saith unto them: This is the word of Goliath the boastful which reproached the living God and the holy David. For God said by the prophet: Vengeance is mine, and I will recompense, saith the Lord. And now, lo, one that was uncircumcised, but circumcised in heart, took water and washed his hands before the sun, saying: I am Innocent of the blood of this just person: see ye to it. And ye answered Pilate and said: His blood be upon us and upon our children. And now I fear lest the wrath of the Lord come upon you and upon your children, as ye have said. But when the Jews heard these words they waxed bitter in soul, and caught hold on Joseph and took him and shut him up in an house wherein was no window, and guards were set at the door: and they sealed the door of the place where Joseph was shut up.[7]
2 And upon the sabbath day the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites made an ordinance that all men should appear in the synagogue on the first day of the week. And all the multitude rose up early and took council in the synagogue by what death they should kill him. And when the council was set they commanded him to be brought with great dishonour. And when they had opened the door they found him not. And all the people were beside themselves and amazed, because they found the seals closed, and Caiaphas had the key. And they durst not any more lay hands upon them that had spoken in the behalf of Jesus before Pilate.
XIII
1 And while they yet sat in the synagogue and marvelled because of Joseph, there came certain of the guard which the Jews had asked of Pilate to keep the sepulchre of Jesus lest peradventure his disciples should come and steal him away. And they spake and declared unto the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites that which had come to pass: how that there was a great earthquake, and we saw an angel descend from heaven, and he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the cave, and sat upon it. And he did shine like snow and like lightning, and we were sore afraid and lay as dead men. And we heard the voice of the angel speaking with the women which waited at the sepulchre, saying: Fear ye not: for I know that ye seek Jesus which was crucified. He is not here: he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay, and go quickly and say unto his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and is in Galilee.
2 The Jews say: With what women spake he? They of the guard say: We know not who they were. The Jews say: At what hour was it? They of the guard say: At midnight. The Jews say: And wherefore did ye not take the women? They of the guard say: We were become as dead me through fear, and we looked not to see the light of the day; how then could we take them? The Jews say: As the Lord liveth, we believe you not. They of the guard say unto the Jews: So many signs saw ye in that man, and ye believed not, how then should ye believe us? verily ye sware rightly’as the Lord liveth', for he liveth indeed. Again they of the guard say: We have heard that ye shut up him that begged the body of Jesus, and that ye scaled the door; and when ye had opened it ye found him not. Give ye therefore Joseph and we will give you Jesus. The Jews say: Joseph is departed unto his own city. They of the guard say unto the Jews: Jesus also is risen, as we have heard of the angel, and he is in Galilee.
3 And when the Jews heard these words they were sore afraid, saying: Take heed lest this report be heard and all men incline unto Jesus. And the Jews took counsel and laid down much money and gave it to the soldiers, saying: Say ye: While we slept his disciples came by night and stole him away. And if this come to the governor’s hearing we will persuade him and secure you. And they took the money and did as they were instructed. [And this their saying was published abroad among all men. Lat.]
XIV
1 Now a certain priest named Phineës and Addas a teacher and Aggaeus (Ogias Copt., Egias Lat.) a Levite came down from Galilee unto Jerusalem and told the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites, saying: We saw Jesus and his disciples sitting upon the mountain which is called Mamilch (Mambre or Malech Lat., Mabrech Copt.), and he said unto his disciples: Go into all the world and preach unto every creature (the whole creation): he that believeth and is baptized shall be saved, but he that disbelieveth shall be condemned. [And these signs shall follow upon them that believe: in my name they shall cast out devils, they shall speak with new tongues, they shall take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it shall not hurt them: they shall lay hands upon the sick and they shall recover.] And while Jesus yet spake unto his disciples we saw him taken up into heaven.
2 The elders and the priests and Levites say: Give glory to the God of Israel and make confession unto him: did ye indeed (or that ye did) hear and see those things which ye have told us? They that told them say: As the Lord God of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob liveth, we did hear these things and we saw him taken up into heaven. The elders and the priests and the Levites say unto them: Came ye for this end, that ye might tell us, or came ye to pay your vows unto God? And they say: To pay our vows unto God. The elders and the chief priests and the Levites say unto them: If ye came to pay your vows unto God, to what purpose is this idle tale which ye have babbled before all the people? Phinees the priest and Addas the teacher and Aggaeus the Levite say unto the rulers of the synagogue and priests and Levites: If these words which ye have spoken and seen be sin, lo, we are before you: do unto us as seemeth good in your eyes. And they took the book of the law and adjured them that they should no more tell any man these words: and they gave them to eat and to drink, and put them out of the city: moreover they gave them money, and three men to go with them, and they set them on their way as far as Galilee, and they departed in peace.
3 Now when these men were departed into Galilee, the chief priests and the rulers of the synagogue and the elders gathered together in the synagogue, and shut the gate, and lamented with a great lamentation, saying: What is this sign which is come to pass in Israel? But Amlas and Caiaphas said: Wherefore are ye troubled? why weep ye? Know ye not that his disciples gave much gold unto them that kept the sepulchre and taught them to say that an angel came down and rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? But the priests and the elders said: Be it so, that his disciples did steal away his body; but how is his soul entered into his body, and how abideth he in Galilee? But they could not answer these things, and hardly in the end said: It is not lawful for us to believe the uncircumcised. [Lat. (and Copt., and Arm.): Ought we to believe the soldiers, that an angel came down from heaven and rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? but in truth his disciples gave . . . sepulchre. Know ye not that it is not lawful for Jews to believe any word of the uncircumcised, knowing that they who received much good from us have spoken according as we taught them.]
XV
And Nicodemus rose up and stood before the council, saying: Ye say well. Know ye not, O people of the Lord, the men that came down out of Galilee, that they fear God and are men of substance, hating covetousness (a lie, Lat.), men of peace? And they have told you with an oath, saying: We saw Jesus upon the mount Mamilch with his disciples and that he taught them all things that ye heard of them, and, say they, we saw him taken up into heaven. And no man asked them in what manner he was taken up. For like as the book of the holy scriptures hath taught us that Elias also was taken up into heaven, and Eliseus cried out with a loud voice, and Elias cast his hairy cloak upon Eliseus, and Eliseus cast the cloak upon Jordan and passed over and went unto Jericho. And the sons of the prophets met him and said: Eliseus, where is thy lord Elias? and he said that he was taken up into heaven. And they said unto Eliseus: Hath not a spirit caught him up and cast him upon one of the mountains? but let us take our servants with us and seek after him. And they persuaded Eliseus and he went with them, and they sought him three days and found him not: and they knew that he had been taken up. And now hearken unto me, and let us send into all the coasts (al. mountains) of Israel and see whether the Christ were not taken up by a spirit and cast upon one of the mountains. And this saying pleased them all: and they sent into all the coasts (mountains, Lat.) and sought Jesus and found him not. But they found Joseph in Arimathaea, and no man durst lay hands upon him.
2 And they told the elders and the priests and the Levites, saying: We went about throughout all the coasts of Israel, and we found not Jesus; but Joseph we found in Arimathaea.
And when they heard of Joseph they rejoiced and gave glory to the God of Israel. And the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites took counsel how they should meet with Joseph, and they took a volume of paper and wrote unto Joseph these words:
Peace be unto thee. We know that we have sinned against God and against thee, and we have prayed unto the God of Israel that thou shouldest vouchsafe to come unto thy fathers and unto thy children (Lat. But thou didst pray unto the God of Israel, and he delivered thee out of our hands. Now therefore vouchsafe, &c.) for we are all troubled, because when we opened the door we found thee not: and we know that we devised an evil counsel against thee, but the Lord helped thee. And the Lord himself made of none effect (scattered) our counsel against thee, O father Joseph, thou that art honourable among all the people.
3 And they chose out of all Israel seven men that were friends of Joseph, whom Joseph also himself accounted his friends, and the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites said unto them: See: if he receive our epistle and read it, know that he will come with you unto us: but if he read it not, know that he is vexed with us, and salute ye him in peace and return unto us. And they blessed the men and let them go.
And the men came unto Joseph and did him reverence, and said unto him: Peace be unto thee. And he said: Peace be unto you and unto all the people of Israel. And they gave him the book of the epistle, and Joseph received it and read it and embraced (or kissed) the epistle and blessed God and said: Blessed be the Lord God, which hath redeemed Israel from shedding innocent blood; and blessed be the Lord, which sent his angel and sheltered me under his wings. (And he kissed them) and set a table before them, and they did eat and drink and lay there.
4 And they rose up early and prayed: and Joseph saddled his she-ass and went with the men, and they came unto the holy city, even Jerusalem. And all the people came to meet Joseph and cried: Peace be to thine entering-in. And he said unto all the people: Peace be unto you, and all the people kissed him. And the people prayed with Joseph, and they were astonished at the sight of him.
And Nicodemus received him into his house and made a great feast, and called Annas and Caiaphas and the elders and the priests and the Levites unto his house. And they made merry eating and drinking with Joseph. And when they had sung an hymn (or blessed God) every man went unto his house. But Joseph abode in the house of Nicodemus.
5 And on the morrow, which was the preparation, the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites rose up early and came to the house of Nicodemus, and Nicodemus met them and said: Peace be unto you. And they said: Peace be unto thee and to Joseph and unto all thy house and to all the house of Joseph. And he brought them into his house. And the whole council was set, and Joseph sat between Annas and Caiaphas and no man durst speak unto him a word. And Joseph said: Why is it that ye have called me? And they beckoned unto Nicodemus that he should speak unto Joseph. And Nicodemus opened his mouth and said unto Joseph: Father, thou knowest that the reverend doctors and the priests and the Levites seek to learn a matter of thee. And Joseph said: Inquire ye. And Annas and Caiaphas took the book of the law and adjured Joseph saying: Give glory to the God of Israel and make confession unto him: [for Achar, when he was adjured of the prophet Jesus (Joshua), forsware not himself but declared unto him all things and hid not a word from him: thou therefore also hide not from us so much as a word. And Joseph: I will not hide one word from you.][8] And they said unto him: We were greatly vexed because thou didst beg the body of Jesus and wrappedst it in a clean linen cloth and didst lay him in a tomb. And for this cause we put thee in safeguard in an house wherein was no window, and we put keys and seals upon the doors, and guards did keep the place wherein thou wast shut up. And on the first day of the week we opened it and found thee not, and we were sore troubled, and amazement fell upon all the people of the Lord until yesterday. Now, therefore, declare unto us what befell thee.
6 And Joseph said: On the preparation day about the tenth hour ye did shut me up, and I continued there the whole sabbath. And at midnight as I stood and prayed the house wherein ye shut me up was taken up by the four corners, and I saw as it were a flashing of light in mine eyes, and being filled with fear I fell to the earth. And one took me by the hand and removed me from the place whereon I had fallen; and moisture of water was shed on me from my head unto my feet, and an odour of ointment came about my nostrils. And he wiped my face and kissed me and said unto me: Fear not, Joseph: open thine eyes and see who it is that speaketh with thee. And I looked up and saw Jesus and I trembled, and supposed that it was a spirit: and I said the commandments: and he said them with me. And [as][9] ye are not ignorant that a spirit, if it meet any man and hear the commandments, straightway fleeth. And when I perceived that he said them with me, I said unto him: Rabbi Elias? And he said unto me: I am not Elias. And I said unto him: Who art thou, Lord? And he said unto me: I am Jesus, whose body thou didst beg of Pilate, and didst clothe me in clean linen and cover my face with a napkin, and lay me in thy new cave and roll a great stone upon the door of the cave. And I said to him that spake with me: Show me the place where I laid thee. And he brought me and showed me the place where I laid him, and the linen cloth lay therein, and the napkin that was upon his face. And I knew that it was Jesus. And he took me by the hand and set me in the midst of mine house, the doors being shut, and laid me upon my bed and said unto me: Peace be unto thee. And he kissed me and said unto me: Until forty days be ended go not out of thine house: for behold I go unto my brethren into Galilee.
XVI
1 And when the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites heard these words of Joseph the became as dead men and fell to the ground, and they fasted until the ninth hour. And Nicodemus with Joseph comforted Annas and Caiaphas and the priests and the Levites, saying: Rise up and stand on your feet and taste bread and strengthen your souls, for tomorrow is the sabbath of the Lord. And they rose up and prayed unto God and did eat and drink, and departed every man to his house.
2 And on the sabbath the (al. our) teachers and the priests and Levites sat and questioned one another and said: What is this wrath that is come upon us? for we know his father and his mother. Levi the teacher saith: I know that his parents feared God and kept not back their vows and paid tithes three times a year. And when Jesus was born, his parents brought him up unto this place and gave sacrifices and burnt-offerings to God. And [when] the great teacher Symeon took him into his arms and said: Now lettest thou thy servant, Lord, depart in peace for mine eyes have seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, a light to lighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel. And Symeon blessed them and said unto Mary his mother: I give thee good tidings concerning this child. And Mary said: Good, my lord? And Symeon said to her : Good. Behold, he is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign spoken against: and a sword shall pierce through thine own heart also, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
3 They say unto Levi the teacher: How knowest thou these things? Levi saith unto them: Know ye not that from him I did learn the law? The council say unto him: We would see thy father. And they sent after his father, and asked of him, and he said to them: Why believed ye not my son? the blessed and righteous Symeon, he did teach him the law. The council saith: Rabbi Levi, is the word true which thou hast spoken? And he said: It is true.
Then the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites said among themselves: Come, let us send into Galilee unto the three men which came and told us of his teaching and his taking-up, and let them tell us how they saw him taken up. And this word pleased them all, and they sent the three men which before had gone with them into Galilee and said to them: Say unto Rabbi Addas and Rabbi Phinees and Rabbi Aggaeus: peace be to you and to all that are with you. Inasmuch as great questioning hath arisen in the council, we have sent unto you to call you unto this holy place of Jerusalem.
4 And the men went into Galilee and found them sitting and meditating upon the law, and saluted them in peace. And the men that were in Galilee said unto them that were come to them: Peace be upon all Israel. And they said: Peace be unto you. Again they said unto them: Wherefore are ye come? And they that were sent said: The council calleth you unto the holy city Jerusalem. And when the men heard that they were bidden by the council, they prayed to God and sat down to meat with the men and did eat and drink, and rose up and came in peace unto Jerusalem.
5 And on the morrow the council was set in the synagogue, and they examined them, saying: Did ye in very deed see Jesus sitting upon the mount Mamilch, as he taught his eleven disciples, and saw ye him taken up? And the men answered them and said: Even as we saw him taken up, even so did we tell it unto you.
6 Annas saith: Set them apart from one another, and let us see if their word agreeth. And they set them apart one from another, and they call Addas first and say unto him: How sawest thou Jesus taken up? Addas saith: While he yet sat upon the Mount Mamilch and taught his disciples, we saw a cloud that overshadowed him and his disciples: and the cloud carried him up into heaven, and his disciples lay (al. prayed, lying) on their faces upon the earth. And they called Phinees the priest, and questioned him also, saying: How sawest thou Jesus taken up? And he spake in like manner. And again they asked Aggaeus, and he also spake in like manner. And the council said: It is contained in the law of Moses: At the mouth of two or three shall every word be established.
Abuthem (Bouthem Gr., Abudem Lat., Abuden, Abuthen Arm., om. Copt.) the teacher saith: It is written in the law: Enoch walked with God and is not, because God took him. Jaeirus the teacher said: Also we have heard of the death of the holy Moses and have not seen him; for it is written in the law of the Lord: And Moses died at the mouth of the Lord, and no man knew of his sepulchre unto this day. And Rabbi Levi said: Wherefore was it that Rabbi Symeon said when he saw Jesus: Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign spoken against? And Rabbi Isaac said: It is written in the law: Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall go before thee to keep thee in every good way, for my name is named thereon.[10]
7 Then said Annas and Caiaphas: Ye have well said those things which are written in the law of Moses, that no man saw the death of Enoch, and no man hath named the death of Moses. But Jesus spake before Pilate, and we know that we saw him receive buffets and spittings upon his face, and that the soldiers put on him a crown of thorns and that he was scourged and received condemnation from Pilate, and that he was crucified at the place of a skull and two thieves with him, and that they gave him vinegar to drink with gall, and that Longinus the soldier pierced his side with a spear, and that Joseph our honourable father begged his body, and that, as he saith, he rose again, and that (lit. as) the three teachers say: We saw him taken up into heaven, and that Rabbi Levi spake and testified to the things which were spoken by Rabbi Symeon, and that he said: Behold this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel and for a sign spoken against.
And all the teachers said unto all the people of the Lord: If this hath come to pass from the Lord, and it is marvelous in our eyes, ye shall surely know, O house of Jacob, that it is written: Cursed is every one that hangeth upon a tree. And another scripture teacheth: The gods which made not the heaven and the earth shall perish.
And the priests and the Levites said one to another: If his memorial endure until the Sommos (Copt. Soum) which is called Jobel (i. e. the Jubilee), know ye that he will prevail for ever and raise up for himself a new people.
Then the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites admonished all Israel, saying: Cursed is that man who shall worship that which man’s hand hath made, and cursed is the man who shall worship creatures beside the Creator. And all the people said: Amen, Amen.
And all the people sang an hymn unto the Lord and said: Blessed be the Lord who hath given rest unto the people of Israel according to all that he spake. There hath not one word fallen to the ground of all his good saying which he spake unto his servant Moses. The Lord our God be with us as he was with our fathers: let him not forsake us. And let him not destroy us from turning our heart unto him, from walking in all his ways and keeping his statutes and his judgements which he commanded our fathers. And the Lord shall be King over all the earth in that day. And there shall be one Lord and his name one, even the Lord our King: he shall save us.
There is none like unto thee, O Lord. Great art thou, O Lord, and great is thy name.
Heal us, O Lord, by thy power, and we shall be healed: save us, Lord, and we shall be saved: for we are thy portion and thine inheritance.
And the Lord will not forsake his people for his great name’s sake, for the Lord hath begun to make us to be his people.
And when they had all sung this hymn they departed every man to his house, glorifying God. [For his is the glory, world without end. Amen.]
There is a considerable divergence of the versions in the concluding sections.
The Coptic agrees substantially with the Greek A as translated above.
The Armenian β (rendered into Latin by Conybeare) has only two clauses of the final hymn, thus:
Blessed be the Lord God who hath given rest unto all the people of Israel according as he hath said. And let the Lord our God be with us, as he was with our fathers.
And they went every man to his house praising God.
The Armenian α has (after ‘the people said Amen (thrice)’).
And all the people sang an hymn unto the Lord and departed every man to his house.
The Syriac ends at: the people said Amen (thrice).
The Latin, after ‘a sign spoken against’ has:
Then the teacher (Addas) said unto all the congregation: If all the things which these have testified came to pass in Jerusalem (al. Jesus), they are of God, and let them not be marvellous in our eyes. The rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites said one to another: It is contained in our law: His name shall be blessed for ever: his place shall endure before the sun and his seat before the moon: and in him shall all the tribes of the earth be blessed, and all nations shall serve him: and kings shall come from afar worshipping and magnifying him.
The Greek recension B, which abridges the latter part of the story (after the Crucifixion) very extensively, has this for its last paragraph:
Then Annas and Caiaphas separated the three by one and one, and questioned them in private singly. And they agreed, and the three of them told one tale. The chief priests answered and said: Our scripture saith that every word shall be established by two or three witnesses. Joseph therefore confessed that he tended him and buried him, with Nicodemus; and how it is true that he rose again.
This leads on to the opening words of Part II:
Joseph saith: And why marvel ye that Jesus is risen? &c.
The fact is that the two forms (Greek B and Latin) which have the Second Part—the Descent into Hell—attached to them, have been obliged on that account to modify the end of the First Part, so as to manage a plausible transition.
ACTS OF PILATE
PART I. RECENSION B OF THE GREEK
It has been said that this is a later working-over of the original text. No known copy of it is earlier than the fifteenth century, and the language in some of them is very mediaeval. A short review only of the principal additions to the story will be given here.
The title runs thus:
A narrative concerning the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ and his holy Resurrection. Written by a Jew named Aeneas, which Nicodemus, a Roman toparch, translated out of the Hebrew tongue into the Roman speech.
In two copies there is this prologue:
After the kingdom of the Hebrews was dissolved, and four hundred years had gone by, and the Hebrews also were subject to the empire of the Romans, the Emperor of the Romans appointing them aking: afterward, when Tiberius Caesar wielded the sceptre of the Romans, in the eighteenth year of his reign, when he had appointed Herod king in Judaea, the son of that Herod who aforetime killed the children in Bethlehem: and when he had Pilate as governor in Jerusalem, and Annas and Caiaphas had the high-priesthood of Jerusalem; Nicodemus, a Roman toparch, called unto him a Jew named Aeneas, and sought to record the things that were done in Jerusalem in the days of Annas and Caiaphas concerning Christ: which also the Jew having done and delivered it to Nicodemus, he translated these things from the Hebrew writing into the Roman speech: and the matter of this history is thus:
(Where it will be noted that Nicodemus is no longer the Biblical personage, but a Roman official. Roman (Romaïc) speech means here not Latin but Greek, and the term is an indication of very late date.)
Cap. i begins:
When our Lord Jesus Christ had wrought many and great and unwonted wonders in Judaea, and for that cause was envied by the Hebrews: Pilate being governor in Jerusalem, and Annas and Caiaphas being high priests: there came certain of the Jews unto the same high priests, even Judas, Levi, Nephthalim, Alexander, Syrus, and many others, speaking against Christ; whom also those high priests sent to tell Pilate also these things.
The story follows the same lines as A, naturally, but with differences great and small; and the individual manuscripts often make large insertions.
Pilate gives his own mantle (μανδύλιον) to the messenger, whom one manuscript calls Rachaab.
The Hebrew words except Hosanna are eliminated: one manuscript then interpolates a notice of the call of the apostles and a great many of the miracles of the ministry, and brings the narrative down to the denial of Peter. Malchus, it says, was the one who buffeted Jesus.
Another manuscript, omitting all that has preceded, begins the story with the repentance of Judas. He brings the money back to the priests, and they abuse him at some length for his treachery. Then he casts down the money and leaves them.
And departing to his house to make a halter of rope to hang himself, he found his wife sitting and roasting a cock on a fire of coals or in a pan before eating it: and saith to her: Rise up, wife, and provide me a rope, for I would hang myself, as I deserve. But his wife said to him: Why sayest thou such things? And Judas saith to her: Know of a truth that I have wickedly betrayed my master Jesus to the evil-doers for Pilate to put him to death: but he will rise again on the third day, and woe unto us! And his wife said to him: Say not nor think not so: for as well as this cock that is roasting on the fire of coals can crow, just so well shall Jesus rise again, as thou sayest. And immediately at her word that cock spread his wings and crowed thrice. Then was Judas yet more convinced, and straightway made the halter of rope and hanged himself.
The rest of the story is as we know it.
This story of the cock has made its way into Latin and thence into many mediaeval vernacular legends. The Latin copies say that it is found ‘in the books of the Greeks’.
In cap. ix the sending of Jesus to Herod is inserted: one of many harmonistic changes which this text makes, to include all that is told in the canonical Gospels.
In cap. x the Bearing of the Cross is greatly amplified. We have first of all Simon of Cyrene: ‘They gave the cross unto him, not because they had compassion on Jesus and would lighten him of his burden, but desiring, as has been said, to kill him more quickly.’ John followed with them, and then fled and went to the Mother of God (always called the Theotokos here) and told her. Her lament is given— and she and Martha and Mary Magdalene and Salome and the other women go to the place. John points out Jesus and the Virgin swoons and laments again. These lamentations are greatly expanded in one or other of the manuscripts. Dysmas is crucified on the right hand and Gestas on the left. At the end of cap. x, where the words of the thieves are narrated, two of the three manuscripts used by Tischendorf insert the story of the meeting with Dysmas in Egypt. First we have the incident of the palm-tree bowing to give its fruit. Then the Holy Family meet Dysmas, who is struck with the beauty of Mary and of the child in her arms, adores them, and says, ‘If God had a mother I would have said that thou art she’. He receives them into his house, and when he goes out hunting commends them to his wife’s care. He has a leprous child who is always crying, and is healed by the water in which Jesus was washed. Dysmas hearing of this on his return is moved to do all he can to help Mary: and on the return from Egypt he aids them again, and Mary promises him a reward for his goodness. ‘Therefore was he accounted worthy through the grace of the merciful ee and his Mother . . . to bear witness upon the cross together with Christ.’[11]
In cap. xi the episode of Joseph’s begging the body is expanded. The Virgin, in one copy, asks him to do this. In another he goes to Nicodemus, who will not accompany him to Pilate but is ready to help in the burial. There is a long address of Joseph to Pilate, every clause beginning with ‘Give me this stranger’.
At the burial there is a final lamentation of the Virgin and one of Mary Magdalene, who says: ‘Who shall make this known unto all the world? I will go alone to Rome unto Caesar: I will show him what evil Pilate hath done, consenting unto the wicked Jews.’ This story of Mary Magdalene’s going to Rome is one which appears in Byzantine chronicles and other late documents.
In cap. xii two of the copies mark a conclusion after the sealing of the tomb. In fact one of them actually ends here: the other has a doxology and colophon, but continues with xii. 2, ‘When the Lord’s day dawned the chief priests took counsel’, &c.
The remaining chapters, xiii–xvi, are most drastically abridged, containing 147 lines of print as against 333 of recension A. The concluding paragraph has been translated above, and the text runs on, as is there shown, into Part II, the Descent into Hell. Among the variations from the A narrative, of which the object is not clear, is this, that the three witnesses of the Ascension are here called ‘a priest named Phineës, a Levite named Aggaeus, and a soldier named Adas’.
ACTS OF PILATE
PART II. THE DESCENT INTO HELL
This writing, or the nucleus of it, the story of the Descent into Hell, was not originally part of the Acts of Pilate. It is—apart from its setting—probably an older document. When it was first attached to the Acts of Pilate is uncertain. The object of this prefatory note is to say that we have the text in three forms.
1. Greek, only in late manuscripts of Recension B. Tischendorf used three.
2. Latin A, found in the majority, perhaps, of the Latin manuscripts. Be it noted that all the Latin manuscripts have both parts of the Acts of Pilate.
3. Latin B, rather an abridged text in the account of the Descent, differing in order of contents and in setting from A.But the opening section is far longer than either of the others.
There are no early versions except the Latin. The Coptic, Syriac, and Armenian contain Part I only.
The order of the story in the three recensions demands a note. Latin A and Greek go together. Latin B differs.
i.The two men (nameless in Greek) are found and induced to write their story.i.The two men are found, write their story, and return to their tombs.ii.The story. A light shines in Hell. Adam, Esaias, Simeon speak (not in B). (In Greek, Abraham and Esaias.) John Baptist comes.ii.The story. A light shines. A voice: Lift up the gates. Satan has the doors secured.iii.Seth’s story of the oil of mercy.iii.Dialogue of Hell and Satan (A. iv).iv.Satan’s dialogue with Hell.iv.Seth’s story.v.First cry: Lift up the gates. David and Isaiah speak. Second cry. David speaks. Christ enters. (Greek, David speaks only once.)v.Isaiah and John Baptist (A. ii).vi.Address of Hell to Christ (not in B). Satan bound.vi.David and Jeremiah. Satan not allowed to leave hell.vii.Hell derides Satan.vii.Cry: Lift up the gates. The good thief appears (A. x). Second cry.viii.Christ greets Adam and takes all saints out of hell. David, Habacuc, Micheas speak (not in B). (Greek omits the prophecies.)viii.Doors broken. Christ enters. Satan bound.ix.They meet Enoch and Elias (not in B.).ix.Christ greets Adam and Eve (not in A).x.They meet the thief.x.Sets up his cross in hell (not in A). Leaves hell. Conclusion.xi.Conclusion.xii.The two men vanish, &c.
In order to place the material fairly before readers it seems necessary to give all three texts. Here the Greek, which, like the rest of Recension B, is of late type, shall be relegated to the second place, and preference given to Latin A. The chapter and verse-numberings are those of Tischendorf.
Latin A.
[Part I, cap. xvi, ends with words of the rulers of the synagogue, &c. All nations shall serve him, and kings shall come from afar worshipping and magnifying him. Part II, cap. i, runs on from this.]
I (XVII)
1 And Joseph arose and said unto Annas and Caiaphas: Truly and of right do ye marvel because ye have heard that Jesus hath been seen alive after death, and that he hath ascended into heaven. Nevertheless it is more marvellous that he rose not alone from the dead, but did raise up alive many other dead out of their sepulchres, and they have been seen of many in Jerusalem. And now hearken unto me; for we all know the blessed Simeon, the high priest which received the child Jesus in his hands in the temple. And this Simeon had two sons, brothers in blood, and we all were at their falling asleep and at their burial. Go therefore and look upon their sepulchres: for they are open, because they have risen, and behold they are in the city of Arimathaea dwelling together in prayer. And indeed men hear them crying out, yet they speak with no man, but are silent as dead men. But come, let us go unto them and with all honour and gentleness bring them unto us, and if we adjure them, perchance they will tell us concerning the mystery of their rising again.
2 When they heard these things, they all rejoiced. And Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus and Joseph and Gamaliel went and found them not in their sepulchre, but they went unto the city of Arimathaea, and found them there, kneeling on their knees and giving themselves unto prayer. And they kissed them, and with all reverence and in the fear of God they brought them to Jerusalem into the synagogue. And they shut the doors and took the law of the Lord and put it into their hands, and adjured them by the God Adonai and the God of Israel which spake unto our fathers by the prophets, saying: Believe ye that it is Jesus which raised you from the dead? Tell us how ye have arisen from the dead.
3 And when Karinus and Leucius heard this adjuration, they trembled in their body and groaned, being troubled in heart. And looking up together unto heaven they made the seal of the cross with their fingers upon their tongues, and forthwith they spake both of them, saying: Give us each a volume of paper, and let us write that which we have seen and heard. And they gave them unto them, and each of them sat down and wrote, saying:
II (XVIII)
1 O Lord Jesu Christ, the life and resurrection of the dead (al. resurrection of the dead and the life of the living), suffer us to speak of the mysteries of thy majesty which thou didst perform after thy death upon the cross, inasmuch as we have been adjured by thy Name. For thou didst command us thy servants to tell no ae the secrets of thy divine majesty which thou wroughtest in hell.
Now when we were set together with all our fathers in the deep, in obscurity of darkness, on a sudden there came a golden heat of the sun and a purple and royal light shining upon us. And immediately the father of the whole race of men, together with all the patriarchs and prophets, rejoiced, saying: This light is the beginning (author) of everlasting light which did promise to send unto us his co-eternal light. And Esaias cried out and said: This is the light of the Father, even the Son of God, according as I prophesied when I lived upon the earth: The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim beyond Jordan, of Galilee of the Gentiles, the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light, and they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them did the light shine. And now hath it come and shone upon us that sit in death.
2 And as we all rejoiced in the light which shined upon us, there came unto us our father Simeon, and he rejoicing said unto us: Glorify ye the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God; for I received him in my hands in the temple when he was born a child, and being moved of the Holy Ghost I made confession and said unto him: Now have mine eyes seen thy salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of thy people Israel. And when they heard these things, the whole multitude of the saints rejoiced yet more.
3 And after that there came one as it were a dweller in the wilderness, and he was inquired of by all: Who art thou? And he answered them and said: I am John, the voice and the prophet of the most High, which came before the face of his advent to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation unto his people, for the remission of their sins. And when I saw him coming unto me, being moved of the Holy Ghost, I said: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him that taketh away the sins of the world. And I baptized him in the river of Jordan, and saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him in the likeness of a dove, and heard a voice out of heaven saying: This is my: beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And now have I come before his face, and come down to declare unto you that he is at hand to visit us, even the dayspring, the Son of God, coming from on high unto us that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
III (XIX)
1 And when father Adam that was first created heard this, even that Jesus was baptized in Jordan, he cried out to Seth his son, saying: Declare unto thy sons the patriarchs and the prophets all that thou didst hear from Michael the archangel, when I sent thee unto the gates of paradise that thou mightest entreat God to send thee his angel to give thee the oil of the tree of mercy to anoint my body when I was sick. Then Seth drew near unto the holy patriarchs and prophets, and said: When I, Seth, was praying at the gates of paradise, behold Michael the angel of the Lord appeared unto me, saying: I am sent unto thee from the Lord: it is I that am set over the body of man. And I say unto thee, Seth, vex not thyself with tears, praying and entreating for the oil of the tree of mercy; that thou mayest anoint thy father Adam for the pain of his body: for thou wilt not be able to receive it save in the last days and times, save when five thousand and five hundred (al. 5,952) years are accomplished: then shall the most beloved Son of God come upon the earth to raise up the body of Adam and the bodies of the dead, and he shall come and be baptized in Jordan. And when he is come forth of the water of Jordan, then shall he anoint with the oil of mercy all that believe on him, and that oil of mercy shall be unto all generations of them that shall be born of water and of the Holy Ghost, unto life eternal. Then shall the most beloved Son of God, even Christ Jesus, come down upon the earth and shall bring in our father Adam into paradise unto the tree of mercy.
And when they heard all these things of Seth, all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced with a great rejoicing.
IV (XX)
1 And while all the saints were rejoicing, behold Satan the prince and chief of death said unto Hell: Make thyself ready to receive Jesus who boasteth himself that he is the Son of God, whereas he is a man that feareth death, and sayeth: My soul is sorrowful even unto death. And he hath been much mine enemy, doing me great hurt, and many that I had made blind, lame, dumb, leprous, and possessed he hath healed with a word: and some whom I have brought unto thee dead, them hath he taken away from thee.
2 Hell answered and said unto Satan the prince: Who is he that is so mighty, if he be a man that feareth death? for all the mighty ones of the earth are held in subjection by my power, even they whom thou hast brought me subdued by thy power. If, then, thou art mighty, what manner of man is this Jesus who, though he fear death, resisteth thy power? If he be so mighty in his manhood, verily I say unto thee he is almighty in his godhead, and no man can withstand his power. And when he saith that he feareth death, he would ensnare thee, and woe shall be unto thee for everlasting ages. But Satan the prince of Tartarus said: Why doubtest thou and fearest to receive this Jesus, which is thine adversary and mine? For I tempted him, and I have stirred up mine ancient people of the Jews with envy and wrath against him. I have sharpened a spear to thrust him through, gall and vinegar have I mingled to give him to drink, and I have prepared a cross to crucify him and nails to pierce him: and his death is nigh at hand, that I may bring him unto thee to be subject unto thee and me.
3 Hell answered and said: Thou hast told me that it is he that hath taken away dead men from me. For there be many which while they lived on the earth have taken dead men from me, yet not by their own power but by prayer to God, and their almighty God hath taken them from me. Who is this Jesus which by his own word without prayer hath drawn dead men from me? Perchance it is he which by the word of his command did restore to life Lazarus which was four days dead and stank and was corrupt, whom I held here dead. Satan the prince of death answered and said: It is that same Jesus. When Hell heard that he said unto him: I adjure thee by thy strength and mine own that thou bring him not unto me. For at that time I, when I heard the command of his word, did quake and was overwhelmed with fear, and all my ministries with me were © troubled. Neither could we keep Lazarus, but he like an eagle shaking himself leaped forth with all agility and swiftness, and departed from us, and the earth also which held the dead body of Lazarus straightway gave him up alive. Wherefore now I know that that man which was able to do these things is a God strong in command and mighty in manhood, and that he is the saviour of mankind. And if thou bring him unto me he will set free all that are here shut up in the hard prison and bound in the chains of their sins that cannot be broken, and will bring them unto the life of his godhead for ever.
V (XXI)
1 And as Satan the prince, and Hell, spoke thus together, suddenly there came a voice as of thunder and a spiritual cry: Remove, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. When Hell heard that he said unto Satan the prince: Depart from me and go out of mine abode: if thou be a mighty man of war, fight thou against the King of glory. But what hast thou to do with him? And Hell cast Satan forth out of his dwelling. Then said Hell unto his wicked ministers: Shut ye the hard gates of brass and put on them the bars of iron and withstand stoutly, lest we that hold captivity be taken captive.
2 But when all the multitude of the saints heard it, they spake with a voice of rebuking unto Hell: Open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. And David cried out, saying: Did I not when I was alive upon earth, foretell unto you: Let them give thanks unto the Lord, even his mercies and his wonders unto the children of men; who hath broken the gates of brass and smitten the bars of iron in sunder? he hath taken them out of the way of their iniquity. And thereafter in like manner Esaias said: Did not I when I was alive upon earth foretell unto you: The dead shall arise, and they that are in the tombs shall rise again, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice, for the dew which cometh of the Lord is their healing? And again I said: O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?
3 When they heard that of Esaias, all the saints said unto Hell: Open thy gates: now shalt thou be overcome and weak and without strength. And there came a great voice as of thunder, saying: Remove, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up ye doors of hell, and the King of glory shall come in. And when Hell saw that they so cried out twice, he said, as if he knew it not: Who is the King of glory? And David answered Hell and said: The words of this cry do I know, for by his spirit I prophesied the same; and now I say unto thee that which I said before: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle, he is the King of glory. And: The Lord looked down from heaven that he might hear the groanings of them that are in fetters and deliver the children of them that have been slain. And now, O thou most foul and stinking Hell, open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. And as David spake thus unto Hell, the Lord of majesty appeared in the form of a man and lightened the eternal darkness and brake the bonds that could not be loosed: and the succour of his everlasting might visited us that sat in the deep darkness of our transgressions and in the shadow of death of our sins.
VI (XXII)
1 When Hell and death and their wicked ministers saw that, they were stricken with fear, they and their cruel officers, at the sight of the brightness of so great light in their own realm, seeing Christ of a sudden in their abode, and they cried out, saying: We are overcome by thee. Who art thou that art sent by the Lord for our confusion? Who art thou that without all damage of corruption, and with the signs(?) of thy majesty unblemished, dost in wrath condemn our power? Who art thou that art so great and so small, both humble and exalted, both soldier and commander, a marvellous warrior in the shape of a bondsman, and a King of glory dead and living, whom the cross bare slain upon it? Thou that didst lie dead in the sepulchre hast come down unto us living: and at thy death all creation quaked and all the stars were shaken: and thou hast become free among the dead and dost rout our legions. Who art thou that settest free the prisoners that are held bound by original sin and restorest them into their former liberty? Who art thou that sheddest thy divine and bright light upon them that were blinded with the darkness of their sins? After the same manner all the legions of devils were stricken with like fear and cried out all together in the terror of their confusion, saying: Whence art. thou, Jesus, a man so mighty and bright in majesty, so excellent, without spot and clean from sin? For that world of earth which hath been alway subject unto us until now, and did pay tribute to our profit, hath never sent unto us a dead man like thee, nor ever dispatched such a gift unto Hell. Who then art thou that so fearlessly enterest our borders, and not only fearest not our torments, but besides essayest to bear away all men out of our bonds? Peradventure thou art that Jesus, of whom Satan our prince said that by thy death of the cross thou shouldest receive the dominion of the whole world.
2 Then did the King of glory in his majesty trample upon death, and laid hold on Satan the prince and delivered him unte the power of Hell, and drew Adam to him unto his own brightness.
VII (XXIII)
Then Hell, receiving Satan the prince, with sore reproach said unto him: O prince of perdition and chief of destruction, Beelzebub, the scorn of the angels and spitting of the righteous, why wouldest thou do this? Thou wouldest crucify the King of glory, and at his decease didst promise us great spoils of his death: like a fool thou knewest not what thou didst. For behold, now, this Jesus putteth to flight by the brightness of his majesty all the darkness of death, and hath broken the strong depths of the prisons, and let out the prisoners, and loosed them that were bound. And all that were sighing in our torments do rejoice against us, and at their prayers our dominions are vanquished and our realms conquered, and now no nation of men feareth us any more. And beside this, the dead which were never wont to be proud triumph over us, and the captives which never could be joyful do threaten us. O prince Satan, father of all the wicked and ungodly and renegades, wherefore wouldest thou do this? They that from the beginning until now have despaired of life and salvation—now is none of their wonted roarings heard, neither doth any groan from them sound in our ears, nor is there any sign of tears upon the face of any of them. O prince Satan, holder of the keys of hell, those thy riches which thou hadst gained by the tree of transgression and the losing of paradise, thou hast lost by the tree of the cross, and all thy gladness hath perished. When thou didst hang up Christ Jesus the King of glory thou wroughtest against thyself and against me. Henceforth thou shalt know what eternal torments and infinite pains thou art to suffer in my keeping for ever. O prince Satan, author of death and head of all pride, thou oughtest first to have sought out matter of evil in this Jesus: Wherefore didst thou adventure without cause to crucify him unjustly against whom thou foundest no blame, and to bring into our realm the innocent and righteous one, and to lose the guilty and the ungodly and unrighteous of the whole world?
And when Hell had spoken thus unto Satan the prince, then said the King of glory unto Hell: Satan the prince shall be in thy power unto all ages in the stead of Adam and his children, even those that are my righteous ones.
VIII (XXIV)
1 And the Lord stretching forth his hand, said: Come unto me, all ye my saints which bear mine image and my likeness. Ye that by the tree and the devil and death were condemned, behold now the devil and death condemned by the tree. And forthwith all the saints were gathered in one under the hand of the Lord. And the Lord holding the right hand of Adam, said unto him: Peace be unto thee with all thy children that are my righteous ones. But Adam, casting himself at the knees of the Lord, entreated him with tears and beseechings, and said with a loud voice: I will magnify thee, O Lord, for thou hast set me up and not made my foes to triumph over me: O Lord my God, I cried unto thee and thou hast healed me; Lord, thou hast brought my soul out of hell, thou hast delivered me from them that go down to the pit. Sing praises unto the Lord all ye saints of his, and give thanks unto him for the remembrance of his holiness. For there is wrath in his indignation and life is in his good pleasure. In like manner all the saints of God kneeled and cast themselves at the feet of the Lord, saying with one accord: Thou art come, O redeemer of the world: that which thou didst foretell by the law and by thy prophets, that hast thou accomplished in deed. Thou hast redeemed the living by thy cross, and by the death of the cross thou hast come down unto us, that thou mightest save us out of hell and death through thy majesty. O Lord, like as thou hast set the name of thy glory in the heavens and set up thy cross for a token of redemption upon the earth, so, Lord, set thou up the sign of the victory of thy cross in hell, that death may have no more dominion.
2 And the Lord stretched forth his hand and made the sign of the cross over Adam and over all his saints, and he took the right hand of Adam and went up out of hell, and all the saints followed him. Then did holy David cry aloud and say: Sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvellous things. His right hand hath wrought salvation for him and his holy arm. The Lord hath made known his saving health, before the face of all nations hath he revealed his righteousness. And the whole multitude of the saints answered, saying: Such honour have all his saints. Amen, Alleluia.
3 And thereafter Habacuc the prophet cried out and said: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people to set free thy chosen. And all the saints answered, saying: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. God is the Lord and hath showed us light. Amen, Alleluia.
Likewise after that the prophet Micheas also cried, saying: What God is like thee, O Lord, taking away iniquity and removing sins? and now thou withholdest thy wrath for a testimony that thou art merciful of free will, and thou dost turn away and have mercy on us, thou forgivest all our iniquities and hast sunk all our sins in the depths of the sea, as thou swarest unto our fathers in the days of old. And all the saints answered, saying: This is our God for ever and ever, he shall be our guide, world without end. Amen, Alleluia. And so spake all the prophets, making mention of holy words out of their praises, and all the saints followed the Lord, crying Amen, Alleluia.
IX (XXV)
But the Lord holding the hand of Adam delivered him unto Michael the archangel, and all the saints followed Michael the archangel, and he brought them all into the glory and beauty (grace) of paradise. And there met with them two men, ancients of days, and when they were asked of the saints: Who are ye that have not yet been dead in hell with us and are set in paradise in the body? then one of them answering, said: I am Enoch which was translated hither by the word of the Lord, and this that is with me is Elias the Thesbite which was taken up in a chariot of fire: and up to this day we have not tasted death, but we are received unto the coming of Antichrist to fight against him with signs and wonders of God, and to be slain of him in Jerusalem, and after three days and a half to be taken up again alive on the clouds.
X (XXVI)
And as Enoch and Elias spake thus with the saints, behold there came another man of vile habit, bearing upon his shoulders the sign of the cross; whom when they beheld, all the saints said unto him: Who art thou? for thine appearance is as of a robber; and wherefore is it that thou bearest a sign upon thy shoulders? And he answered them and said: Ye have rightly said: for I was a robber, doing all manner of evil upon the earth. And the Jews crucified me with Jesus, and I beheld the wonders in the creation which came to pass through the cross of Jesus when he was crucified, and I believed that he was the maker of all creatures and the almighty king, and I besought him, saying: Remember me, Lord, when thou comest into thy kingdom. And forthwith he received my prayer, and said unto me: Verily I say unto thee, this day shalt thou be with me in paradise: and he gave me the sign of the cross, saying: Bear this and go unto paradise, and if the angel that keepeth paradise suffer thee not to enter in, show him the sign of the cross; and thou shalt say unto him: Jesus Christ the Son of God who now is crucified hath sent me. And when I had so done, I spake all these things unto the angel that keepeth paradise; and when he heard this of me, forthwith he opened the door and brought me in and set me at the right hand of paradise, saying: Lo now, tarry a little, and Adam the father of all mankind will enter in with all his children that are holy and righteous, after the triumph and glory of the ascending up of Christ the Lord that is crucified. When they heard all these words of the robber, all the holy patriarchs and prophets said with one voice: Blessed be the Lord Almighty, the Father of eternal good things, the Father of mercies, thou that hast given such grace unto thy sinners and hast brought them again into the beauty of paradise and into thy good pastures: for this is the most holy life of the spirit. Amen, Amen.
XI (XXVII)
These are the divine and holy mysteries which we saw and heard, even I, Karinus, and Leucius: but we were not suffered to relate further the rest of the mysteries of God, according as
Michael the archangel strictly charged us, saying: Ye shall go with your brethren unto Jerusalem and remain in prayer, crying out and glorifying the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who hath raised you from the dead together with him: and ye shall not be speaking with any man, but sit as dumb men, until the hour come when the Lord himself suffereth you to declare the mysteries of his godhead. But unto us Michael the archangel gave commandment that we should go over Jordan unto a place rich and fertile, where are many which rose again together with us for a testimony of the resurrection of Christ the Lord. For three days only were allowed unto us who rose from the dead, to keep the passover of the Lord in Jerusalem with our kindred (parents) that are living for a testimony of the resurrection of Christ the Lord: and we were baptized in the holy river of Jordan and received white robes, every one of us. And after the three days, when we had kept the passover of the Lord, all they were caught up in the clouds which had risen again with us, and were taken over Jordan and were no more seen of any man. But unto us it was said that we should remain in the city of Arimathaea and continue in prayer.
These be all things which the Lord bade us declare unto you: give praise and thanksgiving (confession) unto him, and repent that he may have mercy upon you. Peace be unto you from the same Lord Jesus Christ which is the Saviour of us all. Amen.
And when they had finished writing all things in the several volumes of paper they arose; and Karinus gave that which he had written into the hands of Annas and Caiaphas and Gamaliel; likewise Leucius gave that which he had written into the hands of Nicodemus and Joseph. And suddenly they were transfigured and became white exceedingly and were no more seen. But their writings were found to be the same (lit. equal), neither more nor less by one letter.
And when all the synagogue of the Jews heard all these marvellous sayings of Karinus and Leucius, they said one to another: Of a truth all these things were wrought by the Lord, and blessed be the Lord, world without end, Amen. And they went out all of them in great trouble of mind, smiting their breasts with fear and trembling, and departed every man unto his own home.
And all these things which were spoken by the Jews in their synagogue, did Joseph and Nicodemus forthwith declare unto the governor. And Pilate himself wrote all the things that were done and said concerning Jesus by the Jews, and laid up all the words in the public books of his judgement hall (praetorium).
XII (XXVIII)
This chapter is not found in the majority of copies.
After these things Pilate entered into the temple of the Jews and gathered together all the chief of the priests, and the teachers (grammaticos) and scribes and doctors of the law, and went in with them into the holy place of the temple and commanded all the doors to be shut, and said unto them: We have heard that ye have in this temple a certain great Bible; wherefore I ask you that it be presented before us. And when that great Bible adorned with gold and precious jewels was brought by four ministers, Pilate said to them all: I adjure you by the God of your fathers which commanded you to build this temple in the place of his sanctuary, that ye hide not the truth from me. Ye know all the things that are written in this Bible; but tell me now if ye have found in the scriptures that this Jesus whom ye have crucified is the Son of God which should come for the salvation of mankind, and in what year of the times he must come. Declare unto me whether ye crucified him in ignorance or knowingly.
And Annas and Caiaphas when they were thus adjured commanded all the rest that were with them to go out of the temple; and they themselves shut all the doors of the temple and of the sanctuary, and said unto Pilate: Thou hast adjured us, O excellent judge, by the building of this temple to make manifest unto thee the truth and reason (or a true account). After that we had crucified Jesus, knowing not that he was the Son of God, but supposing that by some chance he did his wondrous works, we made a great assembly (synagogue) in this temple; and as we conferred one with another concerning the signs of the mighty works which Jesus had done, we found many witnesses of our own nation who said that they had seen Jesus alive after his passion, and that he was passed into the height of the heaven. Moreover, we saw two witnesses whom Jesus raised from the dead, who deciared unto us many marvellous things which Jesus did among the dead, which things we have in writing in our hands. Now our custom is that every year before our assembly we open this holy Bible and inquire the testimony of God. And we have found in the first book of the Seventy how that Michael the angel spake unto the third son of Adam the first man con- cerning the five thousand and five hundred years, wherein should come the most beloved Son of God, even Christ: and furthermore we have thought that peradventure this same was the God of Israel which said unto Moses: Make thee an ark of the covenant in length two cubits and.a half, and in breadth one cubit and a half, and in height one cubit and a half. For by those five cubits and a half we have understood and known the fashion of the ark of the old covenant, for that in five thousand and a half thousand years Jesus Christ should come in the ark.of his body: and we have found that he is the God of Israel, even the Son of God. For after his passion, we the chief of the priests, because we marvelled at the signs which came to pass on his account, did open the Bible, and searched out all the generations unto the generation of Joseph, and Mary the mother of Christ, taking her to be the seed of David: and we found that from the day when God made the heaven and the earth and the first man, from thet time unto the Flood are 2,212 years: and from the Flood unto the building of the tower 531 years: and from the building of the tower unto Abraham 606 years: and from Abraham unto the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt 470 years: and from the going of the children of Israel out of Egypt unto the building of the temple 511 years: and from the building of the temple unto the destruction of the same temple 464 years: so far found we in the Bible of Esdras: and inquiring from the burning of the temple unto the coming of Christ and his birth we found it to be 686 years, which together were five thousand and five hundred years,[12] like as we found it written in the Bible that Michael the archangel declared before unto Seth the third son of Adam, that after five thousand and a half thousand years Christ the Son of God hath (? should) come. Hitherto have we told no man, lest there should be a schism in our synagogues; and now, O excellent judge, thou hast adjured us by this holy Bible of the testimonies of God, and we do declare it unto thee: and we also have adjured thee by thy life and health that thou declare not these words unto any man in Jerusalem.XII (XXIX)
And Pilate, when he heard these words of Annas and Caiaphas, laid them all up amongst the acts of the Lord and Saviour in the public books of his judgement hall, and wrote a letter unto Claudius the king of the city of Rome, saying:
[The following Epistle or Report of Pilate is inserted in Greek into the late Acts of Peter and Paul (§ 40) and the Pseudo-Marcellus Passion of Peter and Paul (§ 19). We thus have it in Greek and Latin, and the Greek is used here as the basis of the version.]
Pontius Pilate unto Claudius, greeting.
There befell of late a matter which I myself brought to light (or made trial of): for the Jews through envy have punished themselves and their posterity with fearful judgements of their own fault; for whereas their fathers had promises (al. had announced unto them) that their God would send them out of heaven his holy one who should of right be called their king, and did promise that he would send him upon earth by a virgin; he, then (or this God of the Hebrews, then), came when I was governor of Judaea, and they beheld him enlightening the blind, cleansing lepers, healing the palsied, driving devils out of men, raising the dead, rebuking the winds, walking upon the waves of the sea dry-shod, and doing many other wonders, and all the people of the Jews calling him the Son of God: the chief priests therefore, moved with envy against him, took him and delivered him unto me and brought against him one false accusation after another, saying that he was a sorcerer and did things contrary to their law.
But I, believing that these things were so, having scourged him, delivered him unto their will: and they crucified him, and when he was buried they set guards upon him. But while my soldiers watched him he rose again on the third day: yet so much was the malice of the Jews kindled that they gave money to the soldiers, saying: Say ye that his disciples stole away his body. But they, though they took the money, were not able to keep silence concerning that which had come to pass, for they also have testified that they saw him arisen and that they received money from the Jews. And these things have I reported ⟨unto thy mightiness⟩ for this cause, lest some other should lie unto thee (Lat. lest any lie otherwise) and thou shouldest deem right to believe the false tales of the Jews.
Greek.
I (XVII)
[Part I ends in this text with words of the priests: Our scripture saith that every word shall be established at the mouths of two or three. Joseph therefore doth confess that he tended him and buried him, and how that it is true that he rose again.]
(Part II.) 1 Joseph saith: And why marvel ye that Jesus rose again. This is not marvellous: but this is marvellous, that he rose not alone, but raised up many other dead men which appeared in Jerusalem unto many. And if ye know not the others, yet Simeon at least, which received J esus, and his two sons, whom he hath raised up, these at least ye do know, for we buried them but a little while ago: and now their sepulchres are seen to be opened and empty, and they themselves are alive and dwelling in Arimathaea. They sent therefore men, and found their sepulchres opened and empty. Joseph saith: Let us go unto Arimathaea and find them. 2 Then rose up the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas, and Joseph and Nicodemus and Gamaliel and others with them, and went unto Arimathaea and found the men of whom Joseph spake. So they did offer prayer, and saluted one another: then they came with them to Jerusalem; and they brought them into the synagogue and made fast the doors, and set the Old Testament of the Jews in the midst: and the high priests said unto them: We would have you swear by the God of Israel and by Adonai, and so speak the truth, how ye arose and who raised you from the dead.
3 When the men that had arisen heard that, they made upon their faces the sign of the cross, and said unto the chief priests: Give us paper and ink and pen. So they brought these things. And they sat down and wrote thus:
II (XVIII)
1 O Lord Jesu Christ, the resurrection and the life of the world, give us grace that we may tell of thy resurrection and of thy marvellous works which thou didst in Hell (Hades).
We, then, were in hell together with all them that have fallen asleep since the beginning: and at the hour of midnight there rose upon those dark places as it were the light of the sun, and shined, and all we were enlightened and beheld one another. And straightway our father Abraham, together with the patriarchs and the prophets, were all at once filled with joy and said one to another: This light cometh of the great lightening. The prophet Esaias being there present said: This light is of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: concerning which I prophesied when I was yet alive, saying: The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim, the people that sat in darkness, hath seen a great light.
2 Then came there unto the midst another out of the wilderness, an anchorite (ascete), and the patriarchs said unto him: Who art thou? and he said: I am John, the end of the prophets, which made straight the ways of the Son of God, and preached repentance unto the people for the remission of sins.
And the Son of God came unto me, and when I saw him afar off I said unto the people: Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sins of the world. And with mine hands I baptized him in the river Jordan, and saw as it were a dove, and the Holy Ghost coming upon him, and I heard also the voice of God and the Father thus speaking: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And for this cause sent he me unto you also, to proclaim that the only begotten Son of God cometh hither, that whosoever believeth on him may be saved, and whoso believeth not on him may be condemned. Therefore say I unto you all, that when ye behold him ye shall worship him, for now only is the time of repentance for you, for that ye did worship idols in the vain world that is above, and for the sins which ye have committed: but at another time it is impossible that this should come to pass.
III (XIX)
And as John was thus teaching them that were in hell, the first-created Adam, the first father, also heard it, and said unto Seth his son: My son, I would have thee to tell the forefathers of the race of men, and the prophets; when I laid me down to . die, whither I did send thee. And Seth said: Ye prophets and patriarchs, hearken: My father Adam, the first-created, laid him down on a time to die, and sent me to make supplication unto God hard by the gate of paradise, that he would lead me by his angel unto the tree of mercy, and I should take the oil and anoint my father, and he should arise from his sickness. Which also I did; and after my prayer an angel of the Lord came and said unto me: What askest thou, Seth? askest thou for the oil that raiseth up the sick, or for the tree that floweth with that oil, for the sickness of thy father? this cannot be found at this time. Depart therefore and say unto thy father, that after there are accomplished from the creation of the world five thousand five hundred years, then shall the only-begotten Son of God become man and come down upon the earth, and he shall anoint him with that oil, and he shall arise: and with water and the Holy Ghost shall he wash him and them that come of him. And then shall he be healed of every disease: but now it is not possible that this should come to pass. And when the patriarchs and prophets heard these things, they rejoiced greatly.
IV (XX)
1 And while all of them were thus joyful, Satan the inheritor of darkness cometh and saith unto Hades: O thou that devourest all and art insatiable, hearken to my words. There is one of the race of the Jews, Jesus, who calleth himself the Son of God; but he is a man, and by our contrivance the Jews have crucified him. And now that he hath died, be thou prepared that we may make him fast here. For I know that he is a man, and I have heard him saying: My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. And he hath done me much hurt in the world that is above while he walked among men. For wheresoever he found my servants he did persecute them, and as many as I caused to be maimed, or blind, or lame, or leprous, or any such thing, he healed them with a word only: and whereas I made ready many to be buried, them also he quickened again only with a word.
2 Hades saith: And is he indeed so mighty that he can do such things with a word only? or, if he. be such, art thou able to withstand him? it seemeth to me, no man will be able to withstand him: but whereas thou sayest that thou hast heard him fearing death, this he said to mock thee and in sport, willing to seize on thee with a mighty hand: and woe, woe unto thee for everlasting! Satan saith: O thou Hades that devourest all and art insatiable, didst thou fear so much at that thou hast heard concerning our common adversary? I feared him not, but I did set on the Jews, and they crucified him and gave him also gall to drink mingled with vinegar. Prepare thyself, therefore, that when he cometh thou mayest hold him fast.
3 Hades answered: O inheritor of darkness, son of perdition, devil, thou saidst but now unto me that many of them whom thou hadst made ready to be buried he did quicken again with a word only: now if he hath set free many from burial, how and by what strength shall he be held by us? Tindeed of late swallowed up a certain dead man named Lazarus, and after a little, one of the living by force snatched him up out of mine entrails by a word only: and I think this is he of whom thou speakest. If, then, we receive him here, I fear lest we be imperilled for the rest also; for I have swallowed up all men from the beginning: behold, I perceive that they are unquiet, and my belly paineth me, and this Lazarus that before was caught away from me I take to be no good sign, for he flew away from me, not like to a dead man but to an eagle, so instantly did the earth cast him out. Wherefore also I adjure thee by thy gifts and by mine own, that thou bring him not to this place, for I believe that he cometh hither to raise up all the dead. And this I say unto thee: by the outer darkness, if thou bring him hither, not one of all the dead will be left in me.
V (XXI)
1 And as Satan and Hades spake thus with one another, there came a great voice as of thunder, saying: Lift up, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. When Hades heard, he said unto Satan: Go forth, if thou art able, and withstand him. So Satan went forth. Then said Hades unto his devils: Make fast the gates of brass well and strongly, and the bars of iron, and keep my locks, and stand upright, and beware at all points, for if he come in hither, woe will take hold on us.
2 When the forefathers heard that, they began all of them to insult him, saying: Thou that devourest all and art insatiate, open, that the King of glory may come in. David the prophet said: Knowest thou not, blind one, that when I lived in the world I did prophesy that word, Lift up, O princes, your gates. Esaias said: This I foresaw by the Holy Ghost and wrote: The dead shall arise, and they that are in the tombs shall awake, and they that are in the earth shall rejoice: and again: O death, where is thy sting? O Hell, where is thy victory?
VI (XXII)
1 Hades cried out straightway: We are overcome, woe unto us. But who art thou that hast so great authority and power? and what manner of man art thou that art come hither without sin? thou that appearest small and canst do great things, that art humble and exalted, a bondsman and a master, a soldier and a commander, that exercisest authority over the dead and the living? thou wast nailed to the cross, and laid in the sepulchre, and now art thou become free and hast destroyed our whole power.
Art thou then that Jesus of whom the chief ruler Satan said unto us, that by thy cross and death thou shouldest inherit the whole world?
2 Then the King of glory took hold upon the head of the chief ruler Satan, and delivered him unto the angels and said: Bind down with irons his hands and his feet and his neck and his mouth. And then he delivered him unto Hades, saying: Take him and keep him safely until my second coming.
VII (XXIII)
Then Hades, when he had taken Satan, said unto him: O Beelzebub, inheritor of fire and torment, adversary of the saints, what need hadst thou to provide that the King of glory should be crucified, so that he should come hither and strip us naked? Turn thee and see that not one dead man is left in me, but ali whatsoever thou didst gain by the tree of knowledge thou hast lost by the tree of the cross, and all thy joy is turned into sorrow, and when thou wouldest slay the King of glory thou hast slain thyself: for since I have received thee to keep thee safely, thou shalt learn by trial what evils I will practise upon thee. O thou head-devil, the beginning of death, and root of sin, and end of all evil, what ill didst thou find in Jesus that thou wentest about his destruction? how didst thou dare to do so great wickedness? how didst thou desire to bring down such an one into this darkness, whereby thou art bereaved of all them that have died since the beginning.
VIII (XXIV)
1 And as Hades talked thus with Satan, the King of glory spread forth his right hand and took hold on our forefather Adam and raised him up; and then turned himself unto the rest and said: Come with me all ye, as many as have suffered death through the tree which this man touched. For lo, I do raise you all up again through the tree of the cross. And with that he put them all forth, and our forefather Adam was seen full of gladness of soul and said: I give thanks to thy greatness, O Lord, for thou hast brought me up out of the lowest hell. Likewise also all the prophets and the saints said: We give thanks unto thee, O Christ, Saviour of the world, for that thou hast brought up our life from corruption.
2 And when they had thus said, the Saviour blessed Adam upon his forehead with the sign of the cross, and so did he also unto all the patriarchs and prophets and martyrs and forefathers. And he took them and leaped up out of hell. And as he went the holy fathers sang praises, following him and saying: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Unto him be the glory of all the saints.
IX (XXV)
He went therefore into paradise holding our forefather Adam by the hand, and delivered him, and all the righteous, unto Michael the archangel. And as they were entering in at the gate of paradise, there met them two aged men, unto whom said the holy fathers: Who are ye, which have not seen death nor come down into hell, but dwell in paradise with your bodies and souls? And one of them answered and said: I am Enoch that pleased God and was translated hither by him: and this is Elias the Thesbite: and we shall live unto the end of the world, but at that time we shall be sent by God to withstand Antichrist and to be slain of him, and after three days to rise and be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord.
X (XXVI)
And as they thus spake there came another man, humble of aspect, and bearing also a cross upon his shoulder, unto whom the holy fathers said: Who art thou that hast the appearance of a robber, and what is that cross that thou bearest on thy shoulder? He answered: I as ye say was a robber and a thief in the world, and therefore the Jews took me and delivered me unto the death of the cross together with our Lord Jesus Christ. When, therefore, he hung upon the cross, I beheld the signs which came to pass, and I believed on him and besought him and said: Lord, when thou shalt reign, forget not me. And straightway he said to me: Verily, verily, to-day, I say unto thee, thou shalt be with me in paradise.
I came, therefore, bearing my cross, into paradise, and found Michael the archangel, and said unto him: Our Lord Jesus Christ that was crucified hath sent me hither; bring me therefore unto the gate of Eden. And when the flaming sword saw the sign of the cross, it opened unto me and I entered in. Then said the archangel unto me: Tarry a little, for Adam the forefather of mankind cometh with the righteous, that they also may enter in. And now, having seen you, Iam come to meet you. And when the saints heard these things, they cried aloud with a great voice, saying: Great is our Lord, and great is his power.
XI (XXVIII)
All these things did we see and hear, even we the two brethren which also were sent by Michael the archangel and appointed to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord, but first to go unto Jordan and be baptized; whither also we went and were baptized, together with other dead that had risen again. Thereafter we went unto Jerusalem also and accomplished the passover of the resurrection: but now we depart, for we are not able to abide in this place. And the love of God and the Father, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and ⟨the fellowship⟩ of the Holy Ghost be with you all. Amen.
When they had thus written and had closed up the books, they gave the one half unto the high priests and the one half unto Joseph and Nicodemus: and they themselves vanished suddenly.
To the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Latin B.
I (XVII)
1 Then Rabbi Addas and Rabbi Fineës and Rabbi Egias, even the three men which had come out of Galilee testifying that they had seen Jesus taken up into heaven, arose in the midst of the multitude of the chief men of the Jews, and said before the priests and Levites which were assembled unto the council of the Lord: As we came from Galilee unto Jordan, there met us a great multitude of men: in white garments who had died aforetime. Among whom we beheld Karinus and Leucius to be present with them; and they came near unto us, and we kissed one another, for they were beloved friends of ours, and asked them, saying: Tell us, friends and brethren, what is this soul and flesh? and who are these with whom ye go? and how are ye which were dead remaining in the body.
2 And they answered and said: We arose with Christ out of hell, and he raised us up from the dead. And hereby may ye know that the gates of death and darkness are destroyed, and the souls of the saints are taken out thence, and have ascended into heaven with Christ the Lord. But we also have been commanded by the Lord himself that for a set time we should walk the banks of Jordan and the mountains, yet not being seen of all men, neither speaking with all men, but only with those with whom it shall please him. And even now we should not have been able to speak unto you or to be seen of you unless we had been suffered by the Holy Ghost.
3 Now when all the multitude that were present in the council heard these things they were stricken with fear and trembling, and wondered, saying, Did these things truly come to pass which these men of Galilee testify? Then Caiaphas and Annas said unto the council: Now shall it be made plain concerning all the things which these have testified, both first and last: if it shall be found true that Karinus and Leucius do remain alive in the body, and if we are able to behold them with our eyes, then that is true in all points which these testify; and if we find them, they will assure-us of all things: but if not, ye shall know that all are lying reports.
4 Then they took counsel quickly, and it pleased them to choose out fit men fearing God, which knew when these men had died and the sepulchre where they were buried, and should inquire diligently and see if it were so as they had heard. There went therefore to the place fifteen men which had been present throughout at their falling asleep, and had stood on their feet in the place where they were buried, and had seen their sepulchres. And these came and found their sepulchres and many others open, and found not any sign of the bones or the dust of them: and they returned with all speed and reported the things which they had seen.
5 Then was all their synagogue troubled with great sadness, and they said one to another: What shall we do? Annas and Caiaphas said: Let us send unto the place wherein we have heard that they are, and dispatch unto them men of the nobler sort, beseeching and supplicating them: peradventure they will vouchsafe to come unto us. Then they sent unto them Nicodemus and Joseph and the three men, the Rabbis of Galilee which had seen them, entreating them that they would vouchsafe to come to them. And these went and walked about all the region of Jordan and of the mountains and found them not, and returned back again.
6 And behold ona sudden there appeared coming down from Mount Amalech a very great multitude, about twelve thousand men, which had risen with the Lord. And though the men recognized many in that place, they were not able to speak a word unto them because of their fear, and the vision of angels; and they stood afar off beholding them and hearkening to them, how they went singing and saying: The Lord is risen from the dead as he said: let us all rejoice and be glad, for he reigneth for ever.
Then they that had been sent were amazed and fell down upon the earth for fear: and they were warned by an angel of the Lord which raised them up from the earth, that they should seek out Karinus and Leucius in their own house.
7 They arose then and went to their house and found them iving themselves unto prayer: and entering in unto them they ell on their faces to the earth and greeted them, and arose and said: O ye friends of God, the whole multitude of the Jews hath sent us unto you, for they have heard that ye are risen from the dead, entreating and beseeching you to come unto them, that we may all know the wonderful works of God which have been wrought upon us (or you?) in our days. And they rose immediately by the bidding of God and went with them, and entered into their synagogue. And when the chief of the priests saw them they were greatly troubled and trembling took hold upon them: and finally Annas and Caiaphas took the books of the law of God and put them into their hands, and adjured them by the god Heloi and the god Adonai and by the law and the prophets, saying: Tell us how ye arose from the dead, and what are these wonders which have been wrought in our days, even such as we have never heard to be done at any time: for now all our bones are confounded and dried up for fear, and the earth moveth itself beneath our feet: for verily we have joined together all our hearts to shed righteous and holy blood.
8 Then Karinus and Leucius beckoned to them with their hands that they should give them a volume of paper, and ink: and this they did because the Holy Ghost suffered them not to speak with them. And they gave unto each of them paper, and separated them one from the other in several chambers (cells). And they, making with their fingers the sign of the cross of Christ, began to write each his volume; and when they had ended, they cried out as it were with one voice out of their several chambers: Amen. And Karinus rose and gave his paper unto Annas and Leucius unto Caiaphas, and they saluted one another and went forth and returned unto their sepulchres.
9 Then Annas and Caiaphas opened the roll of paper and began each of them to read to himself privily. But all the people took it ill, and there was a cry from all of them: Read these writings unto us openly: and when they have been read, we will keep them, that this truth of God be not turned by blinding our eyes, unto deceit, by unclean and deceitful men. And thereupon Annas and Caiaphas, being seized with trembling, delivered the roll of paper unto Rabbi Addas and Rabbi Fineés and Rabbi Egias, which had come from Galilee and declared that Jesus was taken up into heaven: and unto'them all the multitude of the Jews gave credence that they should read this writing. And they read the paper, wherein was contained this that followeth.
II (XVIII)
1 I Karinus. O Lord Jesu Christ, son of the living God, suffer me to speak of thy marvellous works which thou didst in hell.
When therefore we were holden in hell in darkness and the shadow of death, suddenly there shone upon us a great light, and hell did tremble, and the gates of death. And there was heard the voice of the Son of the most high Father, as it were the voice of a great thundering, and it proclaimed aloud and began: Draw back, O princes, your gates, remove your everlasting doors: Christ the Lord the king of glory approacheth to enter in.
2 Then came Satan the prince of death, fleeing in fear and saying to his ministers and unto the hells: O my ministers and all the hells, come together, and shut your gates, set in place the bars of iron, and fight boldly and withstand, that we that hold them be not made captive in bonds. Then were all his evil ministers troubled, and began to shut the gates of death with all diligence, and by little to make fast the locks and the bars of iron, and to take fast in hand all their instruments, and to utter howlings with dreadful and hideous voice.
III (XIX)
1 Then said Satan unto Hell: Make thee ready to receive him whom I shall bring down unto thee. Thereupon did Hell make answer unto Satan thus: This voice was nothing else but the cry of the Son of the most high Father, that the earth and all the places of hell did so quake at it: wherefore I think that I and all my bonds are now wide open. But I adjure thee, O Satan, head of all evil, by thy might and mine own, bring him not unto me, lest when we would take him we be taken captive of him. For if by his voice only all my might hath been thus overthrown, what, thinkest thou, will he do when his presence is come unto us?
2 Unto whom Satan the prince of death answered thus: Why keepest thou this crying? Fear not, my friend of old time, thou most evil one, for I stirred up the people of the Jews against him, and commanded him to be smitten with buffets, and did contrive against him betrayal by his disciple: and he is a man that feareth death greatly, for he said in his fear: My soul is sorrowful even unto death: yet unto death have I brought him, for now he hangeth lifted up upon a cross.
3 Then saith Hell unto him: If it be he that by the word of his command alone made Lazarus, which was four days dead, to fly out of my bosom like an eagle, then is he not a man in his manhood, but God in his majesty. I beseech thee, bring him not unto me. Satan saith to him: Notwithstanding, make thyself ready, fear not: for already he hangeth upon a cross, and I can do no other. Then Hell spake thus unto Satan: If, then, thou canst do no other, lo thy destruction draweth near, and I shall at last be cast down and remain without honour; but thou wilt be tormented under my dominion.
IV (XX)
1 Now the saints of God heard the contention between Satan and Hell: but as yet they knew not each other among themselves: nevertheless they were at the point to know. But our holy father Adam made answer unto Satan thus: O prince of death, wherefore fearest thou and tremblest? Behold the Lord cometh which shall destroy all thy creatures, and thou shalt be taken captive of him and be bound, world without end.
2 Then all the saints, when they heard the voice of our father Adam, how valiantly he made answer unto Satan, were glad and were comforted: and all of them ran together unto father Adam and were gathered about him in that place. Then our father Adam, looking earnestly upon all that multitude, marvelled if they all were begotten of him into the world. And he embraced them that stood near round about him, and shed exceeding bitter tears, and spake unto Seth his son: Declare, my son Seth, unto the holy patriarchs and prophets that which the keeper of paradise said unto thee when I sent thee to bring me of the very oil of mercy that thou mightest anoint my body when I was sick.
3 Then he answered: I, when thou sentest me before the gates of paradise, prayed and besought the Lord with tears, and I called the keeper of paradise to give me thereof. Then Michael the archangel came forth and said unto me: Seth, wherefore mournest thou? know thou before, that thy father Adam shall not receive of this oil of mercy now, but after many generations of the world. For the most beloved Son of God shall come down from heaven into the world and shall be baptized of John in the river Jordan: and then shall thy father Adam receive of this oil of mercy, and all they that believe in him: and the kingdom of een which have believed in him shall endure, world without end.
V (XXI)
1 Then all the saints when they heard these things rejoiced again with great joy, and one of them that stood by, Isaias by name, proclaimed with a loud voice, saying: Father Adam and all ye that stand by hearken unto my sayings. While I was upon earth, and the Holy Ghost taught me, I did sing in prophecy concerning this light, saying: The people which sat in darkness have seen a great light: unto them which dwell in the land of the shadow of death hath the light shined. And at his word Father Adam and they all turned unto him and asked him: Who art thou? for that which thou sayest is true. And he answered and said: I am named Isaias.
2 Then appeared there another beside him, as it were a dweller in the wilderness, and they asked him and said: Who art thou that bearest in thy body such signs? and he answered stoutly: I am John the Baptist, the voice and the prophet of the Most High. I went before the face of the same Lord to make the desert and rough ways into plain paths. I did show with my finger unto them of Jerusalem the lamb of the Lord and the Son of God, and glorified him. I baptized him in the river Jordan. I heard the voice of the Father out of heaven thundering upon him and proclaiming: This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. I have received an answer from him that he would himself descend into hell.
Then Father Adam, when he heard that, cried with a loud voice, and shouted again and again Alleluia, which is, being interpreted: The Lord cometh.
VI (XXII)
1 After this another that stood by and was adorned as it were with the marks of an emperor, by name David, cried out thus and said: When I was upon earth I did reveal unto the people concerning the mercy of God and his visitation, and prophesied joyful things to come throughout all ages, saying: Let them give thanks unto the Lord, even his mercies: and his wonders unto the children of men.[13] For he hath broken the gates of brass and smitten the bars of iron in sunder.
Then did the holy patriarchs and prophets begin to recognize one another, and each one of them to speak words out of their prophecies. Then holy Jeremias, looking upon his prophecies, said to the patriarchs and prophets: When I was upon earth I prophesied of the Son of God, saying that he was seen upon earth and conversed among men.
2 Then all the saints rejoicing in the light of the Lord and at the sight of their father Adam, and at the answer of all the patriarchs and prophets, cried out, saying: Alleluia, blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. So that at the cry of them Satan feared, and sought a way to flee by, and could not, for Hell and his ministers did hold him bound in hell and fenced in on every side. And they said unto him: Why fearest thou? we will in no wise suffer thee to go out hence; but thou must receive these things as thou art worthy, at his hands whom thou didst fight against every day: and if not, know thou that thou shalt be bound by him and committed unto my keeping for ever.
VII (XXIII)
1 And again there came the voice of the Son of the most high Father, as the voice of a great thunder, saying: Lift up, O princes, your gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. Then Satan and Hell cried out, saying: Who is this King of glory? And it was answered them by the Lord’s voice: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
2 After that voice there came unto us a man whose appearance was as that of a robber, bearing a cross upon his shoulder, who cried without and said: Open unto me that I may enter in. And Satan opened the gate unto him a little way and brought him within into the house, and shut the gate again after him. And all the saints saw him that he shone brightly, and said unto him straightway: Thine appearance is that of a robber: show us, what is that which thou bearest on thy back? And he answered humbly and said: ‘Of a truth I was a robber altogether, and the Jews hanged me upon a cross with my Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the most high Father. And at the last I have come hither before him; but himself cometh after me immediately.
3 Then the holy David’s anger was kindled against Satan, and he cried aloud: Open, thou most foul one, thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. Likewise also all the saints of God rose up against Satan’ and would have laid hold on him and parted him among them.
And again there was a cry without: Lift up, ye princes, your gates, and be ye lift up, ye everlasting doors, and the King of glory shall come in. And again at that clear veice Hell and Satan inquired, saying: Who is this King of glory? and it was said unto ew by that marvellous voice: The Lord of hosts, he is the King of glory.
VIII (XXIV)
And lo, suddenly Hell did quake, and the gates of death and the locks were broken small, and the bars of iron broken, and fell to the ground, and all things were laid open. And Satan remained in the midst and stood put to confusion and cast down, and bound with a fetter about his feet. And behold, the Lord Jesus Christ coming in the glory of the light of the height, in meekness, great and yet humble, bearing a chain in his hands bound therewith the neck of Satan, and also, binding his hands behind his back, cast him backward into Tartarus, and set his holy foot upon his throat and said: Throughout all ages hast thou done much evil and hast never been quiet at any time. To-day do I deliver thee unto eternal fire. And he called Hell quickly and gave him commandment, saying: Take this most evil and wicked one and hold him in thy keeping until that day when I shall command thee. And he took him from beneath the Lord’s feet, and he was cast down together with him into the depth of the bottomless pit.
IX (XXV)
1 Then the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all men, pitiful and most gracious, greeted Adam with kindness, saying unto him: Peace be unto thee, Adam, and unto thy children unto everlasting ages. Amen. Then Father Adam cast himself at the Lord’s feet, and rose up and kissed his hands, and shed abundant tears, saying: Behold the hands which formed me: testifying unto all. And he said to the Lord: Thou art come, O King of glory, to set men free and gather them to thine everlasting kingdom. Then our mother Eve also in like manner cast herself at the fect of the Lord, and rose up and kissed his hands, and shed tears abundantly, ae S Behold the hands which fashioned me; testifying unto all.
2 Then all the saints adoring him cried out, saying: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord: God the Lord hath showed us light. Amen throughout all ages. Alleluia, world without end: laud, honour, might, and glory, because thou hast come from on high to visit us. And they gathered them beneath the hands of the Lord, singing always Alleluia, and rejoicing together at the glory. Then the Saviour searched throughout and did bite hell (al. hell was in affliction), forasmuch as he cast down part into Tartarus, and part he brought again with him on high.
X (XXVI)
Then all the saints of God besought the Lord that he would leave the sign of victory—even of the holy cross—in hell, that the wicked ministers thereof might not prevail to keep back any that was accused, whom the Lord absolved. And so it was done, and the Lord set his cross in the midst of hell, which is the sign of victory; and it shall remain there for ever.
Then all we went out thence with the Lord, and left Satan and Hell in Tartarus.
But unto us and many others was it commanded that we should rise again with our bodies, and bear witness in the world of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and concerning those things that were done in hell.
These are the things, brethren beloved, which we have seen, and do testify being adjured of you, as he beareth witness who died for us and rose again. For like as it is written, so was it performed in every point.
XI (XXVII)
But when the paper was wholly read through, all that heard it fell upon their faces weeping bitterly and smote hard upon their breasts, crying out and saying: Woe unto us: wherefore cometh this to pass unto us wretched men? Pilate did flee, Annas and Caiaphas did flee, the priests and Levites did flee, and all the people of the Jews beside, lamenting and saying: Woe unto us miserable men; we have shed innocent blood upon the earth.
Therefore for three days and three nights they tasted not at all either bread or water, neither did any of them return unto the synagogue. But on the third day the council gathered together again, and the other paper, to wit of Leucius, was read, and neither more nor less was found in it, even to one letter, than what was contained in the writing of Karinus.
Then was the synagogue troubled and they mourned all of them forty days and forty nights, looking for death at the hand of God and for the vengeance of God. But the Most High God, which is merciful and pitiful, destroyed them not immediately, but gave them freely a place of repentance: but they were not found worthy to be turned unto the Lord.
These be the testimonies, beloved brethren, of Karinus and Leucius, concerning Christ the Son of God and his holy acts in Hell: unto whom let us all give praise and glory unto ages without end. Amen.
Footnotes
- ↑ For ‘recorded’, &c., other manuscripts and Coptic and Latin have ‘recorded those things that were done by the high priests and the Jews’,
- ↑ ‘Came forward’, lit. ‘leaped’. The word is said to be technically used for the coming forward of a witness.
- ↑ MS. J has, ‘Another said with tears’.
- ↑ After the blind man, MS. J has, ‘Another, a dumb man, said: I was without speech and he touched my tongue and immediately I was healed.’
- ↑ Coptic, Latin, and others have, ‘Dysmas on the right and Gestas on the left’. MS. J has, ‘Gestas on the right and Dysmas on the left’, and makes Gestas the penitent thief. There is some evidence supporting this in the original story: Dumachus in the Arabic gospel is the bad thief, Titus the good one. But the view that Dysmas was the good one has prevailed.
- ↑ A Coptic fragment has: ‘Father, Abi (= my Father), Adach Ephkidrou, Adonai Aroa, Sabel, Louel, Eloeï, Elemas, Abakdanei (Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani), Orioth, Mioth, Ouaath, Soun, Perineth, Tothat. The prayer of the Saviour upon the cross concerning Adam.’
- ↑ MS. J alone adds; ‘and sealed the door with the finger-ring of Caiaphas.’
- ↑ om. Latt., Arm.
- ↑ om. Latt.
- ↑ Copt. for my name is in thee. Lat. for I have brought the (a) new name thereof, (or his new name): corrupt.
- ↑ See further on the Arabic Gospel, ch. xxiii, and note that the Vita Rhythmica (which draws on late Greek sources) has at l. 2234 a story of the Holy Family being captured by robbers, one of whom treats them kindly. Wounded robbers are healed by the water in which Jesus was washed.
- ↑ Really 5430: no MS. gives a correct calculation.
- ↑ So the Latin Psalter has it.
Source:
Gospel of Nicodemus
Part II.-The Descent of Christ into Hell
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Greek Form.
Joseph says: And why do you wonder that Jesus has risen? But it is wonderful that He has not risen alone, but that He has also raised many others of the dead who have appeared in Jerusalem to many. And if you do not know the others, Symeon at least, who received Jesus, and his two sons whom He has raised up-them at least you know. For we buried them not long ago; but now their tombs are seen open and empty, and they are alive, and dwelling in Arimathaea. They therefore sent men, and they found their tombs open and empty. Joseph says: Let us go to Arimathaea and find them.
Then rose up the chief priests Annas and Caiaphas, and Joseph, and Nicodemus, and Gamaliel, and others with them, and went away to Arimathaea, and found those whom Joseph spoke of. They made prayer, therefore, and saluted each other. Then they came with them to Jerusalem, and brought them into the synagogue, and secured the doors, and placed in the midst the old covenant of the Jews; and the chief priests said to them: We wish you to swear by the God of Israel and Adonai, and so that you tell the truth, how you have risen, and who has raised you from the dead.
The men who had risen having heard this, made upon their faces the sign of the cross, and said to the chief priests: Give us paper and ink and pen. These therefore they brought. And sitting down, they wrote thus:-
O Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life of the world, grant us grace that we may give an account of Thy resurrection, and Thy miracles which Thou didst in Hades. We then were in Hades, with all who had fallen asleep since the beginning of the world. And at the hour of midnight there rose a light as if of the sun, and shone into these dark regions; and we were all lighted up, and saw each other. And straightway our father Abraham was united with the patriarchs and the prophets, and at the same time they were filled with joy, and said to each other: This light is from a great source of light. The prophet Hesaias, who was there present, said: This light is from the Father, and from the Son, and from the Holy Spirit; about whom I prophesied when yet alive, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, the people that sat in darkness, have seen a great light.
Then there came into the midst another, an ascetic from the desert; and the patriarchs said to him: Who art thou? And he said: I am John, the last of the prophets, who made the paths of the Son of God straight, and proclaimed to the people repentance for the remission of sins. And the Son of God came to me; and I, seeing Him a long way off, said to the people: Behold the Lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world. And with my hand I baptized Him in the river Jordan, and I saw like a dove also the Holy Spirit coming upon Him; and I heard also the voice of God, even the Father, thus saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And on this account He sent me also to you, to proclaim how the only begotten Son of God is coming here, that whosoever shall believe in Him shall be saved, and whosoever shall not believe in Him shall be condemned. On this account I say to you all, in order that when you see Him you all may adore Him, that now only is for you the time of repentance for having adored idols in the vain upper world, and for the sins you have committed, and that this is impossible at any other time.
While John, therefore, was thus teaching those in Hades, the first created and forefather Adam heard, and said to his son Seth: My son, I wish thee to tell the forefathers of the race of men and the prophets where I sent thee, when it fell to my lot to die. And Seth said: Prophets and patriarchs, hear. When my father Adam, the first created, was about to fall once upon a time into death, he sent me to make entreaty to God very close by the gate of paradise, that He would guide me by an angel to the tree of compassion and that I might take oil and anoint my father, and that he might rise up from his sickness: which thing, therefore, I also did. And after the prayer an angel of the Lord came, and said to me: What, Seth, dost thou ask? Dost thou ask oil which raiseth up the sick, or the tree from which this oil flows, on account of the sickness of thy father? This is not to be found now. Go, therefore, and tell thy father, that after the accomplishing of five thousand five hundred years from the creation of the world, thou shall come into the earth the only begotten Son of God, being made man; and He shall anoint him with this oil, and shall raise him up; and shall wash clean, with water and with the Holy Spirit, both him and those out of him, and then shall he be healed of every disease; but now this is impossible.
When the patriarchs and the prophets heard these words, they rejoiced greatly.
And when all were in such joy, came Satan the heir of darkness, and said to Hades: O all-devouring and insatiable, hear my words. There is of the race of the Jews one named Jesus, calling himself the Son of God; and being a man, by our working with them the Jews have crucified him: and now when he is dead, be ready that we may secure him here. For I know that he is a man, and I heard him also saying, My soul is exceeding sorrowful, even unto death. He has also done me many evils when living with mortals in the upper world. For wherever he found my servants, he persecuted them; and whatever men I made crooked, blind, lame, lepers, or any such thing, by a single word he healed them; and many whom I had got ready to be buried, even these through a single word he brought to life again.
Hades says: And is this man so powerful as to do such things by a single word? or if he be so, canst thou withstand him? It seems to me that, if he be so, no one will be able to withstand him. And if thou sayest that thou didst hear him dreading death, he said this mocking thee, and laughing, wishing to seize thee with the strong hand; and woe, woe to thee, to all eternity!
Satan says: O all-devouring and insatiable Hades, art thou so afraid at hearing of our common enemy? I was not afraid of him, but worked in the Jews, and they crucified him, and gave him also to drink gall with vinegar. Make ready, then, in order that you may lay fast hold of him when he comes.
Hades answered: Heir of darkness, son of destruction, devil, thou hast just now told me that many whom thou hadst made ready to be buried, be brought to life again by a single word. And if he has delivered others from the tomb, how and with what power shall he be laid hold of by us? For I not long ago swallowed down one dead, Lazarus by name; and not long after, one of the living by a single word dragged him up by force out of my bowels: and I think that it was he of whom thou speakest. If, therefore, we receive him here, I am afraid lest perchance we be in danger even about the rest. For, lo, all those that I have swallowed from eternity I perceive to be in commotion, and I am pained in my belly. And the snatching away of Lazarus beforehand seems to me to be no good sign: for not like a dead body, but like an eagle, he flew out of me; for so suddenly did the earth throw him out. Wherefore also I adjure even thee, for thy benefit and for mine, not to bring him here; for I think that he is coming here to raise all the dead. And this I tell thee: by the darkness in which we live, if thou bring him here, not one of the dead will be left behind in it to me.
While Satan and Hades were thus speaking to each other, there was a great voice like thunder, saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of glory shall come in. When Hades heard, he said to Satan: Go forth, if thou art able, and withstand him. Satan therefore went forth to the outside. Then Hades says to his demons: Secure well and strongly the gates of brass and the bars of iron, and attend to my bolts, and stand in order, and see to everything; for if he come in here, woe will seize us.
The forefathers having heard this, began all to revile him, saying: O all-devouring and insatiable! open, that the King of glory may come in. David the prophet says: Dost thou not know, O blind, that I when living in the world prophesied this saying: Lift up your gates, O ye rulers? Hesaias said: I, foreseeing this by the Holy Spirit, wrote: The dead shall rise up, and those in their tombs shall be raised, and those in the earth shall rejoice. And where, O death, is thy sting? where, O Hades, is thy victory?
There came, then, again a voice saying: Lift up the gates. Hades, hearing the voice the second time, answered as if forsooth he did not know, and says: Who is this King of glory? The angels of the Lord say: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle. And immediately with these words the brazen gates were shattered, and the iron bars broken, and all the dead who had been bound came out of the prisons, and we with the n And the King of glory came in in the form of a man, and all the dark places of Hades were lighted up.
Immediately Hades cried out: We have been conquered: woe to us! But who art thou, that hast such power and might? and what art thou, who comest here without sin who art seen to be small and yet of great power, lowly and exalted, the slave and the master, the soldier and the king, who hast power over the dead and the living? Thou wast nailed on the cross, and placed in the tomb; and now thou art free, and hast destroyed all our power. Art thou then the Jesus about whom the chief satrap Satan told us, that through cross and death thou art to inherit the whole world?
Then the King of glory seized the chief satrap Satan by the head, and delivered him to His angels, and said: With iron chains bind his hands and his feet, and his neck, and his mouth. Then He delivered him to Hades, and said: Take him, and keep him secure till my second appearing.
And Hades receiving Satan, said to him: Beelzebul, heir of fire and punishment, enemy of the saints, through what necessity didst thou bring about that the King of glory should be crucified, so that he should come here and deprive us of our power? Turn and see that not one of the dead has been left in me, but all that thou hast gained through the tree of knowledge, all hast thou lost through the tree of the cross: and all thy joy has been turned into grief; and wishing to put to death the King of glory, thou hast put thyself to death. For, since I have received thee to keep thee safe, by experience shall thou learn how many evils I shall do unto thee. O arch-devil, the beginning of death, root of sin, end of all evil, what evil didst thou find in Jesus, that thou shouldst compass his destruction? how hast thou dared to do such evil? how hast thou busied thyself to bring down such a man into this darkness, through whom thou hast been deprived of all who have died from eternity?
While Hades was thus discoursing to Satan, the King of glory stretched out His right hand, and took hold of our forefather Adam, and raised him. Then turning also to the rest, He said: Come all with me, as many as have died through the tree which he touched: for, behold, I again raise you all up through the tree of the cross. Thereupon He brought them all out, and our forefather Adam seemed to be filled with joy, and said: I thank Thy majesty, O Lord, that Thou hast brought me up out of the lowest Hades. Likewise also all the prophets and the saints said: We thank Thee, O Christ, Saviour of the world, that Thou hast brought our life up out of destruction.
And after they had thus spoken, the Saviour blessed Adam with the sign of the cross on his forehead, and did this also to tire patriarchs, and prophets, and martyrs, and forefathers; and He took them, and sprang up out of Hades. And while He was going, the holy fathers accompanying Him sang praises, saying: Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Alleluia; to Him be the glory of oil the saints.
And setting out to paradise, He took hold of our forefather Adam by the hand, and delivered him, and all the just, to the archangel Michael. And as they were going into the door of paradise, there met them two old men, to whom the holy fathers said: Who are you, who have not seen death, and have not come down into Hades, but who dwell in paradise in your bodies and your souls? One of them answered, and said: I am Enoch, who was well-pleasing to God, and who was translated hither by Him; and this is Helias the Thesbite; and we are also to live until the end of the world; and then we are to be sent by God to withstand Antichrist, and to be slain by him, and after three days to rise again, and to be snatched up in clouds to meet the Lord.
While they were thus speaking, there came another lowly man, carrying also upon his shoulders a cross, to whom the holy fathers said: Who art thou, who hast the look of a robber; and what is the cross which thou bearest upon thy shoulders? He answered: I, as you say, was a robber and a thief in the world, and for these things the Jews laid hold of me, and delivered me to the death of the cross, along with our Lord Jesus Christ. While, then, He was hanging upon the cross, I, seeing the miracles that were done, believed in Him, and entreated Him, and said, Lord, when Thou shall be King, do not forget me. And immediately He said to me, Amen, amen: to-day, I say unto thee, shall thou be with me in paradise. Therefore I came to paradise carrying my cross; and finding the archangel Michael, I said to him, Our Lord Jesus, who has been crucified, has sent me here; bring me, therefore, to the gate of Eden. And the flaming sword, seeing the sign of the cross, opened to me, and I went in. Then the archangel says to me, Wait a little, for there cometh also the forefather of the race of men, Adam, with the just, that they too may come in. And now, seeing you, I came to meet you.
The saints hearing these things, all cried out with a loud voice: Great is our Lord, and great is His strength.
All these things we saw and heard; we, the two brothers, who also have been sent by Michael the archangel, and have been ordered to proclaim the resurrection of the Lord, but first to go away to the Jordan and to be baptized. Thither also we have gone, and have been baptized with the rest of the dead who have risen. Thereafter also we came to Jerusalem, and celebrated the passover of the resurrection. But now we are going away, being unable to stay here. And the love of God, even the Father, and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all.
Having written these things, and secured the rolls, they gave the half to the chief priests, and the half to Joseph and Nicodemus. And they immediately disappeared: to the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Latin Form.
I Aeneas was at first a protector of the Hebrews, and follower of the law; then the grace of the Saviour and His great gift took possession of me. I recognised Christ Jesus in holy Scripture; I came to Him, and embraced His faith, so that I might become worthy of His holy baptism. First of all I searched for the memoirs written in those times about our Lord Jesus Christ, which the Jews published in the age of Pontius Pilate, and we found them in Hebrew writings, drawn up in the age of the Lord Jesus Christ; and I translated them into the language of the Gentiles, in the reign of the eminent Theodosius, who was fulfilling his seventeenth consulship, and of Valentinian, consul for the fifth time in the ninth indiction. Whosoever of you read this book, and transfer it to other copies, remember me, and pray for me, Aeneas, least of the servants of God, that He be merciful to me, and pardon my sins which I have committed against Him. Peace be to all who shall read these, and to all their house, for ever! Amen.
Now it came to pass, in the nineteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the Romans, and of Herod, son of Herod king of Galilee, in the nineteenth year of his rule, on the eighth day before the kalends of April, which is the twenty-fifth day of the month of March, in the consulship of Rufinus and Rubellio, in the fourth year of the 202d Olympiad, under the rule of Joseph and Caiaphas, priests of the Jews: the things done by the chief priests and the rest of the Jews, which Nicodemus recorded after the cross and passion of the Lord, Nicodemus himself committed to Hebrew letters.
Annas and Caiaphas, Summas and Datam, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Neptalim, Alexander and Jairus, and the rest of the Jews, came to Pilate, accusing the Lord Jesus Christ of many things, and saying: We know him to be the son of Joseph the carpenter, born of Mary; and he says that he is the Son of God, and a king. Not only so, but he also breaks the Sabbath, and wishes to do away with the law of our fathers. Pilate says: What is it that he does, and wishes to destroy the law? The Jews say: We have a law, not to heal any one on the Sabbath; but he, by evil arts, heals on the Sabbath the lame and the hunchbacked, the blind, the palsied, the lepers, and the demoniacs. Pilate says to them: By what evil arts? They say to him: He is a sorcerer; and by Beelzebub, prince of the demons, he casts out demons, and they are all subject to him. Pilate says to them: It is not in an unclean spirit to cast out demons, but in the god of Scolapius.
The Jews say: We pray thy majesty to set him before thy tribunal to be heard. Pilate, calling the Jews to him, says to them: How can I, seeing that I am a governor, hear a king? They say to him: We do not say that he is a king, but he himself says he is. And Pilate, calling a runner, says to him: Let Jesus be brought in with kindness. And the runner, going out and recognising Him, adored Him, and spread on the ground the cloak which he carried in his hand, saying: My lord, walk upon this, and come in, because the governor calls thee. But the Jews, seeing what the runner did, cried out against Pilate, saying: Why didst not thou make him come in by the voice of a crier, but by a runner? for the runner, too, seeing him, has adored him, and has spread out before him on the ground the cloak which he held in his hand, and has said to him: My lord, the governor calls thee.
And Pilate, calling the runner, says to him: Wherefore hast thou done this, and honoured Jesus, who is called Christ? The runner says to him: When thou didst send me into Jerusalem to Alexander, I saw him sitting upon an ass, and the children of the Hebrews breaking branches from the trees, strewing them in the way; and others held branches in their hands; and others spread their garments in the way, shouting and saying, Save, therefore, Thou who art in the highest; blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord!
The Jews cried out, saying against the runner: The children of the Hebrews indeed cried out in Hebrew. How canst thou, a Gentile, know this? The runner says to them: I asked one of the Jews, and said, What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? and he explained to me. Pilate says to them: And how did they cry out in Hebrew? The Jews said: Osanna in the highest! Pilate says to them: What is the meaning of Osanna in the highest? They say to him: Save us, Thou who art in the highest. Pilate says to them: If you yourselves bear witness to the terms and words in which the children cried out, in what has the runner sinned? And they were silent. The governor says to the runner: Go out, and lead him in, in whatever way thou wilt. And the runner, going forth, did after the same form as before, and says to Jesus: My lord, go in, because the governor calls thee.
As Jesus, then, was going in, and the standard-bearers bearing the standards, the heads of the standards were bowed of themselves, and adored Jesus. And the Jews, seeing the standards, how they bowed themselves and adored Jesus, cried out the more against the standard-bearers. And Pilate says to the Jews: Do you not wonder at the way in which the standards have bowed themselves and adored Jesus? The Jews say to Pilate: we saw bow the men carrying the standards bowed themselves and adored Jesus. And the governor, calling the standard-bearers, says to them: Why have you so done? They say to Pilate: We are Gentile men, and slaves of the temples: how had we to adore him? for when we were holding the figures, they themselves bowed and adored him.
Pilate says to the chiefs of the synagogue and the elders of the people: Choose ye men powerful and strong, and let them hold the standards, and let us see whether they will bow of themselves. And the elders of the Jews, taking twelve men very strong and powerful, made them hold the standards, six and six; and they stood before the governor's tribunal. Pilate says to the runner: Take out Jesus outside of the praetorium, and bring him in again, In whatever way thou wilt. And Jesus and the runner went outside of the praetorium. And Pilate, calling those who had formerly held the standards, said to them: By the health of Caesar, if the standards do not bow themselves when Jesus comes in, I will cut off your heads. And the governor ordered Jesus to come in a second time. And the runner did after the same form as before, and besought Jesus much that He would go up and walk upon his cloak. And He walked upon it, and went in. And as Jesus was going in, immediately the standards bowed themselves, and adored Jesus.
And Pilate seeing, fear seized him, and immediately he wished to rise from the tribunal. And while he was thinking of this, viz., to rise and go away, his wife sent to him, saying: Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered much on account of him this night. And Pilate, calling the Jews, said to them: Ye know that my wife is a worshipper of God, and in Judaism thinks rather with you. The Jews say to him: So it is, and we know. Pilate says to them: Lo, my wife has sent to me, saying: Have nothing to do with that just man, for I have suffered much on account of him this night. And the Jews answering, said to Pilate: Did we not say to thee that he is a magician? Lo, he has sent a vision of dreams to thy wife.
Pilate called Jesus, and said to him: What is it that these witness against thee, and sayest thou nothing to them? And Jesus answered: If they had not the power, they would not speak. Every one has power over his own mouth to say good and evil; let them see to it.
And the elders of the Jews answering, say to Jesus: What shall we see? First, that thou wast born of fornication; second, that at thy birth in Bethlehem there took place a massacre of infants; third, that thy father Joseph and thy mother Mary fled into Egypt, because they had no confidence in the people.
Some of the bystanders, kind men of the Jews, say: We say that he was not born of fornication; but we know that Mary, was espoused to Joseph, and that he was not born of fornication. Pilate says to the Jews who said that he was of fornication: This speech of yours is not true, seeing that the betrothal took place, as these of your nation say. Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: We with all the multitude say that he was born of fornication, and that he is a magician; but these are proselytes, and his disciples. And Pilate, calling Annas and Caiaphas, says to them: What are proselytes? They say to him: They have been born sons of the Gentiles, and then have become Jews. Then answered those who testified that Jesus was not born of fornication, Lazarus and Asterius, Antonius and James, Annes and Azaras, Samuel and Isaac, Finees and Crispus, Agrippa and Judas: We were not born proselytes, but are sons of the Jews, and we speak the truth; for we were present at the betrothal of Mary.
And Pilate, calling to him those twelve men who proved that Jesus had not been born of fornication, said to them: I adjure you by the health of Caesar, tell me if it be true that Jesus was not born of fornication. They say to Pilate We have a law not to swear, because it is a sin; but let them swear by the health of Caesar that it is not as we say, and we are worthy of death. Then said Pilate to Annas and Caiaphas: Answer you nothing to those things which these testify? Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: Those twelve are believed that he is not born of fornication; we-all the people-cry out that he was born of fornication, and is a magician, and says that he himself is the Son of God and a king, and we are not believed.
And Pilate ordered all the multitude to go outside, except the twelve men who said that He was not born of fornication, and ordered to separate Jesus from them. And Pilate says to them: For what reason do the Jews wish to put Jesus to death? And they say to him: They are angry because he heals on the Sabbath. Pilate said: For a good work do they wish to put him to death? They say to him: Yes, my lord.
Pilate, filled with fury, went forth outside of the praetorium, and says to them: I take the sun to witness that I find in this man not even one fault. The Jews answered and said to the governor: If he were not an evil-doer, we should never have delivered him to thee. Pilate says to them: Take him, and judge him according to your law. The Jews answered: It is not permitted to us to put any one to death. Pilate says to them: Has God said to you not to put any one to death? has He therefore said to me that I am to kill?
Pilate, having again gone into the praetorium, called Jesus to him privately, and said to Him: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus answered Pilate: Speakest thou this of thyself, or have others said it to thee of me? Pilate answered: Am I a Jew? Thy nation and the chief priests have delivered thee to me. What hast thou done? Jesus answering, said: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would assuredly strive that I should not be delivered to the Jews; but now my kingdom is not from hence. Pilate said to Him: Art thou then a king? Jesus said to him: Thou sayest that I am a king. For I for this was born, and for this have I come, that I should bear witness to the truth; and every one who is of the truth hears my voice. Pilate says to him: What is truth? Jesus says: Truth is from heaven. Pilate says: Is not there truth upon earth? Jesus says to Pilate: Notice now the truth-speaking are judged by those who have power upon earth.
Pilate therefore, leaving Jesus within the praetorium, went out to the Jews, and says to them: I find not even one fault in him. The Jews say to him: He said, I can destroy that temple, and in three days raise it again. Pilate said to them: What temple? The Jews say to him: The temple which Solomon built in forty and six years; and he says that he can destroy and build it in three days. Pilate says to them: I am innocent of the blood of this man; see ye to it. The Jews say to him: His blood be upon us, and upon our children.
And Pilate, calling the elders and priests and Levites, says to them privately: Do not do so; for in nothing, though you accuse him, do I find him deserving of death, not even about the healing and the breaking of the Sabbath. The priests and Levites and elders say: Tell us, if any one blaspheme Caesar, is he deserving of death or not? Pilate says to them: He deserves to die. The Jews answered him: How much more is he who has blasphemed God deserving to die!
And the governor ordered the Jews to go outside of the praetorium; and calling Jesus, said to Him: What am I to do to thee? Jesus says to Pilate: As it has been given thee. Pilate says: How has it been given? Jesus says: Moses and the prophets made proclamation of my death and resurrection. And the Jews, hearing this, say to Pilate: Why do you desire any more to hear blasphemy? And Pilate said: If this speech is blasphemous, do you take him, and lead him to your synagogue, and judge him according to your law. The Jews say to Pilate: Our law holds, If a man have sinned against a man, he is worthy to receive forty less one; but he who has blasphemed against God, to be stoned.
Pilate says to them: Then judge him according to your law. The Jews say to Pilate: we wish that he be crucified. Pilate says to them: He does not deserve to be crucified.
And the governor, looking upon the people of the Jews standing round, saw very many of the Jews weeping, and said: All the multitude does not wish him to die. The elders say to Pilate: And for this reason have we come-the whole multitude-that he should die. Pilate said to the Jews: What has he done that he should die? They say: Because he said that he was the Son of God, and a king.
But one Nicodemus, a Jew, stood before the governor, and said: I entreat, mercifully allow me to say a few words. Pilate says to him: Say on. Nicodemus says: I said to the elders and the priests and the Levites, and to all the multitude of the Jews, in the synagogue, What have you to do with this man? This man does many wonders and signs, which no one of men has done or can do, Let him go, and do not devise any evil against him: if the signs which he does are of God, they will stand; but if of men, they will come to nothing. For Moses also, being sent by God into Egypt, did many signs, which God told him to do before Pharaoh king of Egypt. And the sorcerers Jamnes and Mambres were there healing, and they did, they also, the signs which Moses did, but not all; and the Egyptians deemed them as gods, Jamnes and Mambres. And since the signs which they did were not of God, they perished, both they and those who believed in them. And now let this man go, for he is not deserving of death.
The Jews say to Nicodemus: Thou hast become his disciple, and takest his part. Nicodemus says to them: Has the governor also become his disciple, and does he take his part? Has not Caesar set him over that dignity? And the Jews were raging and gnashing with their teeth against Nicodemus. Pilate says to them: Why do you gnash with your teeth against him, when you are hearing the truth? The Jews say to Nicodemus: Mayst thou receive his truth, and a portion with him! Nicodemus says: Amen, amen, amen; may I receive it, as you have said!
And of the Jews a certain other one, starting up, asks the governor that he might say a word. The governor says: What thou wishest to say, say. And he said: For thirty-eight years I lay in infirmity in my bed in very grievous pain. And at the coming of Jesus, many demoniacs, and persons held down by divers infirmities, were healed by him. And some young men had pity on me; and carrying me in my bed, laid me before him. And Jesus, seeing, had pity on me, and said the word to me, Take up thy bed, and walk. And immediately I was made whole; I took up my bed, and walked. The Jews say to Pilate: Ask him what was the day on which he was healed. He said: The Sabbath. The Jews say: Have we not so informed thee, that on the Sabbath he heals, and drives out demons?
And a certain other Jew starting up, said: I was born blind; I heard a voice, and saw no man. And as Jesus was passing by, I cried out with a loud voice, Have pity upon me, thou son of David. And he had pity upon me, and laid his hands upon my eyes, and I saw immediately. And another Jew starting up, said: I was hunchbacked, and he straightened me with a word. And another said: I was leprous, and he healed me with a word.
And also a certain woman, Veronica by name, from afar off cried out to the governor: I was flowing with blood for twelve years; and I touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately the flowing of my blood stopped. The Jews say: We have a law, that a woman does not come to bear witness.
And certain others, a multitude of men and women, cried out, saying: That man is a prophet, and the demons are subject to him. Pilate says to those who said the demons are subject to him: And your masters, why are they not subject to him? They say to Pilate: We do not know. And others said to Pilate: He raised up dead Lazarus from the tomb after four days. The governor, hearing this, said trembling to all the multitude of the Jews: Why do you wish to shed innocent blood?
And Pilate, calling Nicodemus and the twelve men who said that He was not born of fornication, says to them: What am I to do, seeing that there is a sedition among the people? They say to him: We do not know; let them see to it. Again Pilate, calling all the multitude of the Jews, said: You know that you have a custom during the day of unleavened bread, that I should release to you one that is bound. I have a notable one bound in the prison, a murderer who is called Barabbas, and Jesus who is called Christ, in whom I find no cause of death. Whom do you wish that I should release unto you? And they all cried out, saying: Release unto us Barabbas. Pilate says to them: What, then, am I to do with Jesus who is called Christ? They all say: Let him be crucified. Again the Jews said: Thou art no friend of Caesar's if thou release; this man, for he called himself the Son of God, and a king; unless, perhaps, thou wishest this man to be king, and not Caesar.
Then, filled with fury, Pilate said to them: Always has your nation been seditious, and always have you been opposed to those who were for you. The Jews answered: Who are for us? Pilate says to them: Your God,-who rescued you from the hard slavery of the Egyptians, and led you forth out of Egypt through the sea as if through dry land, and fed you in the desert with manna and quail, and brought water to you out of the rock, and gave you to drink, and gave you a law; and in all these things you provoked your God, and sought for yourselves a god, a molten calf. And you exasperated your God, and He wished to slay you; and Moses made supplication for you, that ye should not die. And now you say that I hate the king.
And rising up from the tribunal, he wished to go outside. And the Jews cried out, and said to him: We know that Caesar is king, and not Jesus. For the Magi also presented gifts to him as to a king; and Herod, hearing from the Magi that a king was born, wished to slay him. But when this was known, his father Joseph took him and his mother, and fled into Egypt; and Herod hearing, destroyed the infants of the Jews which were born in Bethlehem.
Pilate, hearing those words, was afraid. And silence being made among the people, who were crying out, Pilate said: This, then, is he whom Herod sought? They say to him: It is he. And taking water, Pilate washed his hands in presence of the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man; see ye to it. Again the Jews cried out, saying: His blood be upon us, and upon our children.
Then Pilate ordered the veil to be loosened, and said to Jesus: Thine own nation have brought charges against thee as a king; and therefore I have sentenced thee first to be scourged on account of the statutes of the emperors, and then to be crucified on a cross.
And when Jesus was scourged, he delivered Him to the Jews to be crucified, and two robbers with Him; one by name Dismas, and the other by name Gestas. And when they came to the place, they stripped Him of His garments, and girt Him about with a linen cloth, and put a crown of thorns upon His head. Likewise also they hanged the two robbers with Him, Dismas on the right and Gestas on the left. And Jesus said: Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. And the soldiers parted His garments among them. And the people stood waiting; and their chief priests and judges mocked Him, saying among themselves: He saved others, now let him save himself; if he is the Son of God, let him come down from the cross. And the soldiers mocked Him, falling prostrate before Him, and offering vinegar with gall, and saying: If thou art the King of the Jews, set thyself free.
And Pilate, after sentence, ordered a title to be written in Hebrew. Greek, and Latin letters, according to what the Jews said: This is the King of the Jews.
And one of the robbers who were hanged, by name Gestas, said to Him: If thou art the Christ, free thyself and us. And Dismas answering, rebuked him, saying: Dost not even thou fear God, who art in this condemnation? for we justly and deservedly have received those things which we endure; but He has done no evil. And he kept saying to Jesus: Remember me, Lord, in Thy kingdom. And Jesus said to him: Verily I say unto thee, that to-day shalt thou be with me in paradise.
And it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over the whole earth; and the sun was obscured, and the veil of the temple was rent in the midst. And crying out with a loud voice, He said: Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit. And thus saying, He gave up the ghost. And the centurion, seeing what was done, glorified God, saying: This was a just man. And all the people who were present at that spectacle, seeing what was done, beating their breasts, returned.
And the centurion reported to the governor what was done. And the governor and his wife hearing, were very sorrowful, and neither ate nor drank that day. And Pilate, calling together the Jews, said to them: Have you seen what has been done? And they said to the governor: There has been an eclipse of the sun, as is usual.
And his acquaintances also stood afar off, and the women who had followed Him from Galilee, seeing these things. And lo, a certain man, by name Joseph, holding office, a man good and just, who did not consent to their counsels nor their deeds, from Arimathaea, a city of the Jews, waiting, he also, for the kingdom of God, went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus. And taking Him down from the cross, he wrapped Him in clean linen, and laid Him in his own new tomb, in which no one had been laid.
And the Jews, hearing that Joseph had begged the body of Jesus, sought for him; and those twelve men who had said that He was not born of fornication, and Nicodemus, and many others, who had stood before Pilate and declared His good works. And all of them being hid, Nicodemus alone appeared to them, because he was a chief man of the Jews; and he says to them: How have ye come into the synagogue? The Jews say to him: And thou, how hast thou come into the synagogue, seeing that thou consentest with him? May his portion be with thee in the world to come! Nicodemus said: Amen, amen, amen. Likewise also Joseph, coming forth, said to them: Why are you enraged against me because I begged the body of Jesus? Lo, I have laid him in my own new tomb, wrapping him in clean linen; and I have rolled a stone to the door of the cave. And ye have not acted well against a just man, since you have not borne in mind how you crucified him, and pierced him with a lance. The Jews therefore, laying hold of Joseph, ordered him to be imprisoned because of the Sabbath-day; and they say to him: Know that the hour compels us not to do anything against thee, because the Sabbath is dawning. But understand that thou art worthy not even of burial, but we will give thy, flesh to the birds of the air and the beasts of the earth. Joseph says to them: That is the speech of proud Goliath, who reviled the living God against holy David. And God hath said, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. And Pilate, intercepted in his heart, took water, and washed his hands before the sun, saying, I am innocent of the blood of this just man; see ye to it. And you answered and said to Pilate, His blood be upon us, and upon our children. And now I fear that some time or other the wrath of God will come upon you and your children, as you have said. And the Jews, hearing this, were embittered in heart; and taking Joseph, shut him up in a house where there was no window, and set guards at the gates, and sealed the gate where Joseph had been shut up.
And on the Sabbath morning they took counsel with the priests and the Levites, that they should all be assembled after the Sabbath-day. And awaking at dawn, all the multitude in the synagogue took counsel by what death they should slay him. And when the assembly was sitting, they ordered him to be brought with much indignity; and opening the gate, they found him not. All the people therefore were in terror, and wondered with exceeding astonishment, because they found the seals sealed, and because Caiaphas had the keys. And no longer did they dare to lay hand upon those who spoke before Pilate in Jesus' defence.
And while they were sitting in the synagogue, and recriminating about Joseph, there came certain of the guards whom they had asked from Pilate to guard the sepulchre of Jesus, lest His disciples coming should steal Him. And they reported, saying to the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, what had happened: how there had happened a great earthquake, and we saw how an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb, and sat upon it; and his countenance was like lightning, and his raiment like snow. And for fear. we became as dead. And we heard the voice of the angel speaking to the women who had come to the sepulchre, and saying, Be not ye afraid; for I know that ye seek Jesus who was crucified: He is not here; He has risen, as He said: come and see the place where the Lord was laid. And go immediately and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead, and will go before you into Galilee, as He said to you.
The Jews say: To what women was he speaking? The soldiers say: We do not know who the women were. The Jews say: At what hour was it? The guards say: At midnight. The Jews say: And why did you not detain them? The guards say: We became as dead from fear of the angel, not hoping now to see the light of day; and how could we detain them? The Jews says: As the Lord God liveth, we do not believe you. And the guards said to the Jews: You have seen so great signs in that man, and have not believed; and how can you believe us, that the Lord lives? For well have ye sworn that the Lord Jesus Christ lives. Again the guards say to the Jews: we have heard that you have shut up Joseph, who begged the body of Jesus, in the prison, and have sealed it with your rings; and on opening, that you have not found him. Give us Joseph, then, and we shall give you Jesus Christ. The Jews said: Joseph has gone to Arimathea, his own city. The guards say to the Jews: And Jesus, as we have heard from the angel, is in Galilee.
And the Jews, hearing these sayings, feared exceedingly, saying: Lest at some time or other this saying be heard, and all believe in Jesus. And the Jews, taking counsel among themselves, brought forth a sufficient number of silver pieces, and gave to the soldiers, saying: Say that, while we slept, his disciples came and stole him. And if this be heard by the governor, we shall persuade him, and make you secure. And the soldiers, taking the money, said as they were advised by the Jews; and their saying was spread abroad among all.
And Finees a certain priest, and Addas a teacher, and Egias a Levite, coming down from Galilee to Jerusalem, reported to the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, how they had seen Jesus sitting, and his disciples with him, on tile Mount of Olivet, which is called Mambre or Malech. And he said to his disciples: Go into all the world, and declare to every creature the Gospel of the kingdom of God. He who believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he who believeth not shall be condemned. And these signs shall follow them who believe: In my name shall they cast out demons; they shall speak in new tongues; they shall take up serpents; and if they have drunk any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands upon the sick, and they shall be well. And as Jesus was thus speaking to his disciples, we saw him taken up into heaven.
The priests and the Levites and the elders say to them: Give glory to the God of Israel, and give confession to Him, whether you have both heard and seen those things which you have related. Those who had made the report say: As the Lord God of our fathers liveth, the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, we have heard and seen. The Jews say to them: Have you come for this-to tell us? or have you come to give prayer to God? They said: We have come to give prayer to God. The elders and chief priests and Levites say to them: And if you have come to give prayer to God, why have you murmured before all the people about that foolish tale? Finees the priest, and Addas the teacher, and Egias the Levite, say to the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites: If those words which we have spoken, which we have seen and heard, be sin, behold, we are in your presence; do unto us according to that which is good in your eyes. And they, taking the law, adjured them to report the words to no one thereafter. And they gave them to eat and drink, and put them outside of the city, giving them silver and pieces, and three men with them, who should conduct them as far as Galilee.
Then the Jews took counsel among themselves when those men had gone up into Galilee; and the rulers of the synagogue shut themselves in, and were cut up with great fury, saying: What sign is this which hath come to pass in Israel? And Annas and Caiaphas say: Why are your souls sorrowful? Are we to believe the soldiers, that an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb? No; but that his disciples have given much gold to those who were guarding the sepulchre, and have taken Jesus away, and have taught them thus to say: Say ye that an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, and rolled away the stone from the door of the tomb. Do you not know that it is unlawful for Jews to believe foreigners in a single word, knowing that these same who received sufficient gold from us have said as we taught them?
And Nicodemus rising up, stood in the midst of the counsel, and said: You have said rightly. And are not the men who have come down from Galilee God-fearing, men of peace, hating a lie? And they recounted with an oath, how "we saw Jesus sitting on Mount Mambre with his disciples, and he taught them in our hearing," and that they saw him taken up into heaven. And no one asked them this: How he was taken up into heaven. And, as the writing of the holy book teaches us, holy Elias too was taken up into heaven, and Elisaeus cried out with a loud voice, and Elias threw his sheepskin over Elisaeus; and again Elisaeus threw that sheepskin over the Jordan, and went over and came to Jericho. And the sons of the prophets met him, and said to Elisaeus, Where is thy master Elias? And he said, He has been taken up into heaven. And they said to Elisaeus, Has a spirit snatched him away, and thrown him upon one of the mountains? But rather let us take our boys with us and seek him. And they persuaded Elisaeus, and he went with them. And they sought him for three days and three nights, and found him not, because he was taken up. And now, men, hear me, and let us send into all Israel, and see lest Jesus can have been taken up somewhere or other, and thrown upon one of the mountains. And that saying pleased all. And they sent to all the mountains of Israel to seek Jesus, and they found Him not; but they found Joseph of Arimathaea, and no one dared to lay hold of him.
And they reported to the elders and priests and Levites: We have gone round all the mountains of Israel, and not found Jesus; but we have found Joseph in Arimathaea. And hearing of Joseph, they rejoiced, and gave glory to the God of Israel. And the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, taking counsel in what manner they should send to Joseph, took paper, and wrote to Joseph:-
Peace to thee and all that is thine! We know that we have sinned against God, and against thee; and thou hast prayed to the God of Israel, and He has delivered thee out of our hands. And now deign to come to thy fathers and thy children, because we have been vehemently grieved. We have all sought for thee-we who opened the door, and found thee not. We know that we counselled evil counsel against thee; but the Lord hath supplanted our counsel against thee. Thou art worthy to be honoured, father Joseph, by all the people.
And they chose out of all Israel seven men friendly to Joseph, whom also Joseph knew to be friendly; and the rulers of the synagogue and the priests and the Levites say to them: See, if he take the letter and read it, for certain he will come with you to us; but if he do not read it, you may know that he is ill-disposed toward us, and, saluting him in peace, return to us. And blessing them, they sent them away. And they came to Arimathaea to Joseph, and adored him on their face upon the ground, and said: Peace to thee and all thine! And Joseph said: Peace to you, and to all the people of Israel! And they gave him the roll of the letter. And Joseph took and read it, and rolled up the letter, and blessed God, and said: Blessed be the Lord God, who hath delivered Israel from shedding innocent blood; and blessed be God, who sent His angel, and covered me under his wings. And he kissed them, and set a table for them; and they ate and drank, and slept there.
And they rose in the morning; and Joseph saddled his ass, and travelled with them, and they came into the holy city Jerusalem. And there met them all the people, crying out, and saying: Peace be in thy coming in, father Joseph! To whom he answered and said: The peace of the Lord be upon all the people! And they all kissed him. And they prayed with Joseph, and were terrified at the sight of him. And Nicodemus took him into his house, and made a great feast, and called Annas and Caiaphas, and the elders and chief priests and Levites, to his house. And making merry, and eating and drinking with Joseph, they blessed God, and went every one to his own house. And Joseph remained in the house of Nicodemus.
And on the next day, which is the preparation, the priests and the rulers of the synagogue and the Levites rose early, and came to the house of Nicodemus. And Nicodemus met them, and said to them: Peace to you! And they said to him: Peace to thee and Joseph, and to thy house and Joseph's house! And Nicodemus brought them into his house. And the council sat; and Joseph sat between Annas and Caiaphas, and no one dared to say a word. And Joseph said to them: Why have you called me? And they made signs with their eyes to Nicodemus, that he should speak with Joseph. And Nicodemus, opening his mouth, said: Father Joseph, thou knowest that the reverend teachers, priests, and Levites seek to hear a word from thee. And Joseph said: Ask. And Annas and Caiaphas, taking up the law, adjured Joseph, saying: Give glory to the God of Israel, and give confession to Him, that thou wilt not hide any word from us. And they said to him: With grief were we grieved that thou didst beg the body of Jesus, and wrap it in clean linen, and lay it in a tomb. Therefore we shut thee up in a house where there was no window, and put a lock and a seal on the gate; and on the first day of the week we opened the gates, and found thee not. We were therefore exceedingly grieved, and astonishment came over all the people of God. And therefore hast thou been sent for; and now tell us what has happened.
Then said Joseph: On the day of the Preparation, about the tenth hour, you shut me in, and I remained there the whole Sabbath in full. And when midnight came, as I was standing and praying, the house where you shut me in was hung up by the four corners, and there was a flashing of light in mine eyes. And I fell to the ground trembling. Then some one lifted me up from the place where I had fallen, and poured over me an abundance of water from the head even to the feet, and put round my nostrils the odour of a wonderful ointment, and rubbed my face with the water itself, as if washing me, and kissed me, and said to me, Joseph, fear not; but open thine eyes, and see who it is that speaks to thee. And looking, I saw Jesus; and being terrified, I thought it was a phantom. And with prayer and the commandments I spoke to him, and he spoke with me. And I said to him: Art thou Rabbi Elias? And he said to me: I am not Elias. And I said: Who art thou, my lord? And he said to me: I am Jesus, whose body thou didst beg from Pilate, and wrap in clean linen; and thou didst lay a napkin on my face, and didst lay me in thy new tomb, and roll a stone to the door of the tomb. Then I said to him that was speaking to me: Show me, Lord, where I laid thee. And he led me, and showed me the place where I laid him, and the linen which I had put on him, and the napkin which I had wrapped upon his face; and I knew that it was Jesus. And he took hold of me with his hand, and put me in the midst of my house though the gates were shut, and put me in my bed, and said to me: Peace to thee! And he kissed me, and said to me: For forty days go not out of thy house; for, lo, I go to my brethren into Galilee.
And the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, hearing these words from Joseph, became as it were dead, and fell to the ground, and fasted until the ninth hour. And Joseph and Nicodemus entreated them, saying: Arise and stand upon your feet, and taste bread, and comfort your souls, seeing that to-morrow is the Sabbath of the Lord. And they arose, and entreated the Lord, and ate and drank, and went every man to his own house.
And on the Sabbath the teachers and doctors sat questioning each other, and saying: What is this wrath that has come upon us? because we know his father and mother. Levi the teacher said: I know that his parents fear God, and never depart from prayer, and give tithes thrice a-year. And when Jesus was born, his parents brought him up to this place, and gave to God sacrifices and burnt-offerings. And assuredly the great teacher Simeon took him into his arms, saying: Now Thou sendest away Thy servant, O Lord, according to Thy word, in peace; for mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all peoples, a light for the revealing of the nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel. And he blessed Mary his mother, and said, I make an announcement to thee concerning this child. And Mary said, Well, my lord. And Simeon said, Well. And he said again, Lo, he has been set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against; and a sword shall pierce thine own soul, that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.
And the Jews said to Levi: And how knowest thou these things? Levi says: Do you note know that from him I learned the law? They of the council say: We wish to see thy father. And they searched out his father, and got information; for he said: Why did you not believe my son? The blessed and just Simeon taught him the law. The council says to Rabbi Levi: The saying which thou hast spoken is true. The chief priests and rulers of the synagogue, and Levites, said to each other: Come, let us send into Galilee to the three men who came hither and gave an account of his teaching and his being taken up, and let them tell us how they saw him taken up into heaven. And that saying pleased all. Then they sent three men into Galilee; and Go, said they, say to Rabbi Addas and Rabbi Finees and Rabbi Egias, Peace to you and yours! Many investigations have been made in the council concerning Jesus; therefore have we been instructed to call you to the holy place, to Jerusalem.
The men went to Galilee, and found them sitting, and meditating on the law. And they saluted them in peace. And they said: Why have you come? The messengers said: The council summon you to the holy city Jerusalem. And the men, hearing that they were sought for by the council, prayed to God, and reclined with the men, and ate and drank with them. And rising in the morning, they went to Jerusalem in peace.
And on the morrow the council sat; and they questioned them, saying: Did you plainly see Jesus sitting on Mount Mambre teaching his disciples, and taken up into heaven?
First Addas the teacher says: I really saw him sitting on Mount Mambre teaching his disciples; and a shining cloud overshadowed him and his disciples, and he went up into heaven; and his disciples prayed upon their faces on the ground. And calling Finees the priest, they questioned him also, saying: How didst thou see Jesus taken up? And he said the same as the other. And again they called the third, Rabbi Egias, and questioned him, and he said the same as the first and second. And those who were in the council said: The law of Moses holds that by the mouth of two or three every word should stand. Abudem, a teacher, one of the doctors, says: It is written in the law, Enoch walked with God, and was translated; for God took him. Jairus, a teacher, said: And we have heard of the death of holy Moses, and have not seen it; for it is written in the law of the Lord, And Moses died according to the word of the Lord, and no man knoweth of his burying even to the present day. Rabbi Levi said: What is it that Rabbi Simeon said: Lo, he lies for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against? Rabbi Isaac said: It is written in the law, Lo, I send mine angel, who shall go before thy face to keep thee in every good way, because I have brought his new name.
Then Annas and Caiaphas said: Rightly have ye said that these things are written in the law of Moses, that no one saw the death of Enoch, and no one has named the burying of holy Moses. And Jesus gave account to Pilate, and we saw him scourged, and receiving spitting on his face; and the soldiers put a crown of thorns on him, and he received sentence from Pilate; and then he was crucified, and they gave him gall and vinegar to drink, and two robbers were crucified with him, and the soldier Longinus pierced his side with a lance; and our honourable father Joseph begged his body, and he has risen again, and, as they say, the three teachers have seen him taken up into heaven. And Rabbi Levi has borne witness to what was said by Simeon the elder-that he has been set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.
Then Didas, a teacher, said to all the assembly: If all the things which these have borne witness to have come to pass in Jesus, they are from God, and let it not be wonderful in our eyes. The chiefs of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, said to each other how our law holds, saying: His name shall be blessed for ever: His place endureth before the sun, and His seat before the moon: and all the tribes of earth shall be blessed in Him, and all nations shall serve Him; and kings shall come from far, adoring and magnifying Him.
Latin. First Version
And Joseph rose up and said to Annas and Caiaphas: Truly and well do you wonder, since you have heard that Jesus has been seen alive from the dead, ascending up into heaven. But it is more to be wondered at that he is not the only one who has risen from the dead: but he has raised up alive out of their tombs many others of the dead, and they have been seen by many in Jerusalem. And hear me now, that we all know the blessed Simeon, the great priest, who took up with his hands Jesus, when an infant, in the temple. And Simeon himself had two sons, full brothers; and we all were at their filling asleep, and at their burial. Go, therefore, and see their tombs: for they are open, because they have risen; and, behold, they are in the city of Arimathaea, living together in prayers. And, indeed, they are heard crying out, but speaking with nobody, and they are silent as the dead. But come, let us go to them; let us conduct them to us with all honour and respect. And if we adjure them, perhaps they will speak to us of the mystery of their resurrection.
At hearing this they all rejoiced. And Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus, and Joseph, and Gamaliel, went, and did not find them in their sepulchres; but, walking into the city of Arimathea, they found them there, on their bended knees, and spending their time in prayer. And kissing them, they conducted them to Jerusalem, into the synagogue, with all veneration and fear of God. And shutting the doors, and lifting up the law of the Lord, they put it in their hands, adjuring them by the God Adonai, and the God of Israel, who by the law and the prophets spoke to our fathers, saying: Do you believe that it was Jesus who raised you from the dead? Tell us how you have risen from the dead.
Karinus and Leucius, hearing this adjuration, trembled in their body, and groaned, being disturbed in heart. And together they looked towards heaven, and with their fingers made the sign of the cross on their tongues, and immediately they spoke together, saying: Give each of us sheets of paper, and let us write what we have seen and heard. And they gave it to them. And they sat down, and each of them wrote, saying:-
O Lord Jesus Christ, the resurrection and the life of the dead, permit us to speak mysteries through the death of Thy cross, because we have been adjured by Thee. For Thou didst order Thy servants to relate to no one the secrets of Thy divine majesty which Thou didst in Hades. And when we were, along with all our fathers, lying in the deep, in the blackness of darkness, suddenly there appeared a golden heat of the sun, and a purple royal light shining upon us. And immediately the father of all the human race, with all the patriarchs and prophets, exulted, saying: That light is the source of eternal light, which hath promised to transmit to us co-eternal light. And Esaias cried out, and said: This is the light of the Father, the Son of God, as I predicted when I was alive upon earth: The land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim across Jordan, Galilee of the nations, the people who sat in darkness, have seen a great light; and light was shining among those who are in the region of the shadow of death. And now it has come and shone upon us sitting in death.
And when we were all exulting in the light which shone over us, there came up to us our father Simeon; and he said, exulting: Glorify the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God; because I took Him up when born, an infant, in my hands in the temple; and instigated by the Holy Spirit, I said to Him, confessing: Now mine eyes have seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared in the sight of all peoples, a light for the revealing of the nations, and the glory of Thy people Israel. When they beard this, all the multitude of the saints exulted more.
And after this there comes up, as it were, a dweller in the desert; and he is asked by all: Who art thou? To whom he says in answer: I am John, the voice and prophet of the Most High, going before the face of His coming to prepare His ways, to give the knowledge of salvation to His people for the remission of their sins. And seeing Him coming to me, instigated by the Holy Spirit, I said: Behold the Lamb of God! behold Him who taketh away the sins of the world! And I baptized Him in the river of Jordan, and I saw the Holy Spirit descending upon Him in the form of a dove; and I heard a voice from the heavens saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And now I have gone before His face, and have descended to announce to you that the rising Son of God is close at hand to visit us, coming from on high to us sitting in darkness and the shadow of death.
And when the first created, father Adam, had heard this, that Jesus was baptized in Jordan, he cried out to his son Seth: Tell thy sons, the patriarchs and the prophets, all that thou heardest from Michael the archangel when I sent thee to the gates of paradise to implore God that he might send thee His angel to give thee oil from the tree of mercy, with which to anoint my body when I was sick. Then Seth, coming near to the holy patriarchs and prophets, said: When I, Seth, was praying to the Lord at the gates of paradise, behold Michael, the angel of the Lord, appeared to me, saying, I have been sent to thee by the Lord. I am set over the human race. And to thee, Seth, I say, do not labour with tears in prayers and supplications on account of the oil of the tree of mercy to anoint thy father Adam for the pain of his body, because in no wise shalt thou receive of it, except in the last days and times, except when five thousand and five hundred years have been fulfilled: then will come upon the earth the most beloved Son of God, to raise up again the body of Adam, and the bodies of the dead; and He, when He comes, will be baptized in Jordan. And when he shall have come out of the water of Jordan, then with the oil of His mercy shall He anoint all that believe on Him; and that oil of mercy shall be for the generation of those who shall be born out of water and the Holy Spirit into life eternal. Then, descending upon earth, Christ Jesus, the most beloved Son of God, will lead our father Adam into paradise to the tree of mercy.
And when they heard all these things from Seth, all the patriarchs and prophets exulted with great exultation.
And when all the saints were exulting, lo, Satan, the prince and leader of death, said to Hades: Make thyself ready to receive Jesus, who boasts himself to be the Son of God, and is a man fearing death, and saying, My soul is sorrowful, even unto death. And he has withstood me much, doing me evil; and many whom I made blind, lame, deaf, leprous, and demoniac, he has healed with a word; and those whom I have brought to thee dead, he has dragged away from thee.
Hades, answering, said to Prince Satan: Who is he that is so powerful, when he is a man in fear of death? For all the powerful of the earth are kept in subjection by my power, whom thou hast brought into subjection by thy power. If then, thou art powerful, what is that man Jesus like, who, though fearing death, withstands thy power? If he is so powerful in humanity, verily I say unto thee, he is all-powerful in divinity, and his power can no one resist. And when he says that he fears death, he wishes to lay hold on thee, and woe will be to thee to the ages of eternity. And Satan, prince of Tartarus, answered and said: Why hast thou doubted, and feared to receive this Jesus, thy adversary and mine? For I have tempted him, and I have roused up my ancient people the Jews with hatred and anger against him; I have sharpened a lance to strike him; I have mixed gall and vinegar to give him to drink; and I have prepared wood to crucify him, and nails to pierce him, and his death is near at hand, that I may bring him to thee, subject to thee and me.
Tartarus answered and said: Thou hast told me that it is he himself who has dragged away the dead from me. Now there are many who are here kept by me, who, while they lived on earth, took the dead from me, not by their own powers, but by godly prayers, and their almighty God dragged them away from me. Who is that Jesus, who by his word has withdrawn the dead from me without prayers? Perhaps he is the same who, by, the word of his command, brought alive Lazarus, after he had been four days in stench and corruption, whom I kept dead. Satan prince of death answered and said: That Jesus is the same. And when Hades heard this he said to him: I adjure thee by thy powers and mine, do not bring him to me. For I at that time, when I heard the command of his word, trembled with terror and dismay, and all my officers at the same time were confounded along with me. Nor could we keep that Lazarus; but, shaking himself like an eagle, he sprang out, and went forth from us with all activity and speed, and the same ground which held the dead body of Lazarus immediately gave him forth alive. So now, I know that that man who could do these things is God, strong in authority, powerful in humanity, and He is the Saviour of the human race. But if thou bring Him to me, all who are here shut up in the cruelty of the prison, and bound by their sins in chains that cannot be loosened, He will let loose, and will bring to the life of His divinity for ever.
And as Prince Satan and Hades were thus speaking to each other in turn, suddenly there was a voice as of thunders, and a shouting of spirits: Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of glory shall come in. Hades hearing this, said to Prince Satan: Retire from me, and go outside of my realms: if thou art a powerful warrior, fight against the King of glory. But what hast thou to do with Him? And Hades thrust Satan outside of his realms. And Hades said to his impious officers: Shut the cruel gates of brass, and put up the bars of iron, and resist bravely, that we, holding captivity, may not take Him captive.
And all the multitude of the saints, hearing this, said to Hades, with the voice of reproach: Open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. And David cried out, saying: Did I not, when I was alive upon earth, prophesy to you: Let them confess to the Lord His tender mercies and His wonderful works to the children of men: for He has shattered the brazen gates, and burst the iron bars; He has taken them up out of the way of their iniquity? And after this, in like manner, Esaias said: Did not I, when I was alive upon earth, prophesy to you: The dead shall rise up, and those who are in their tombs shall rise again, and those who are upon earth shall exult; because the dew, which is from the Lord, is their health? And again I said, Where, O Death, is thy sting? where, O Hades, is thy victory?
And when all the saints heard this from Esaias, they said to Hades: Open thy gates. Since thou art now conquered, thou wilt be weak and powerless. And there was a great voice, as of thunders, saying: Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye infernal gates; and the King of glory shall come in. Hades, seeing that they had twice shouted out this, says, as if not knowing: Who is the king of glory? David says, in answer to Hades: I recognise those words of the shout, since I prophesied the same by His Spirit. And now, what I have said above I say to thee, The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle; He is the King of glory. And the Lord Himself hath looked down from heaven upon earth, to hear the groans of the prisoners, and to release the sons of the slain. And now, most filthy and most foul Hades, open thy gates, that the King of glory may come in. While David was thus speaking, there came to Hades, in the form of a man, the Lord of majesty, and lighted up the eternal darkness, and burst asunder the indissoluble chains; and the aid of unconquered power visited us, sitting in the profound darkness of transgressions, and in the shadow of death of sins.
When this was seen by Hades and Death, and their impious officers, along with their cruel servants, they trembled at perceiving in their own dominions the clearness of so great a light, when they saw Christ suddenly in their abodes; and they cried out, saying: We have been overcome by thee. Who art thou, that to the Lord directest our confusion? Who art thou, that, undestroyed by corruption, the uncorrupted proof of thy majesty, with fury condemnest our power? Who art thou, so great and little, lowly and exalted, soldier and commander, wonderful warrior in the form of a slave, and the king of glory dead and alive, whom slain the cross has carried? Thou, who didst lie dead in the sepulchre, hast come down to us alive; and in thy death every creature trembled, and the stars in a body were moved; and now thou hast been made free among the dead, and disturbest our legions. Who art thou, that settest free those who art held captive, bound by original sin, and recallest them to their former liberty? Who art thou, who sheddest a divine, and splendid, and illuminating light upon those who have been blinded by the darkness of their sins?
In like manner, also, all the legions of the demons, terror-stricken with like fear from their fearful overthrow, cried out, saying: Whence art thou, O Jesus, a man so powerful and splendid in majesty, so excellent, without spot, and free from guilt? For that world of earth which has been subject to us always until now, which used to pay tribute for our uses, has never sent us such a dead man, has never destined such gifts for the powers below. Who therefore art thou, that hast so intrepidly entered our bounds, and who hast not only no fear of our punishments, but, moreover, attemptest to take all away from our chains? Perhaps thou art that Jesus of whom our prince Satan said, that by thy death of the cross thou wast destined to receive the dominion of the whole world.
Then the King of glory, trampling on death by His majesty, and seizing Prince Satan, delivered him to the power of Hades, and drew Adam to His brightness.
Then Hades, receiving Prince Satan, said to him, with vehement revilings: O prince of perdition, and leader of extermination, Beelzebub, derision of angels, to be spit upon by the just, why didst thou wish to do this? Didst thou wish to crucify the King of glory, in whose death thou didst promise us so great spoils? Like a fool, thou didst not know what thou wast doing. For, behold, that Jesus by the splendour of His divinity is putting to flight all the darkness of death, and He has broken into the strong lowest depths of our dungeons, and has brought out the captives, and released those who were bound. And all who used to groan under our torments insult us, and by their prayers our dominions are taken by stem, and our realms conquered, and no race of men has now any respect for us. Moreover, also, we are grievously threatened by the dead, who have never been haughty to us, and who have not at any time been joyful as captives. O Prince Satan, father of all impious wretches and renegades, why didst thou wish to do this? Of those who from the beginning, even until now, have despaired of salvation and life, no bellowing after the usual fashion is now heard here; and no groaning of theirs resounds, nor in any of their faces is a trace of tears found. O Prince Satan, possessor of the keys of the lower regions, all thy riches which thou hadst acquired by the tree of transgression and the loss of paradise, thou hast now lost by the tree of the cross, and all thy joy has perished. When thou didst hang up that Christ Jesus the King of glory, thou wast acting against thyself and against me. Henceforth thou shall know what eternal torments and infinite punishments thou art to endure in my everlasting keeping. O Prince Satan, author of death, and source of all pride, thou oughtest first to have inquired into the bad cause of that Jesus. Him in whom thou perceivedst no fault, why, without reason, didst thou dare unjustly to crucify? and why hast thou brought to our regions one innocent and just, and lost the guilty, the impious, and the unjust of the whole world?
And when Hades had thus spoken to Prince Satan, then the King of glory said to Hades: Satan the prince will be in thy power for ever, in place of Adam and his sons, my just ones.
And the Lord stretched out His hand, and said: Come to me, all my saints, who have my image and likeness. Do you, who have been condemned through the tree and the devil and death, now see the devil and death condemned through the tree. Immediately all the saints were brought together under the hand of the Lord. And the Lord, holding Adam by the right hand, said to him: Peace be to thee, with all thy children, my righteous ones! And Adam fell down at the knees of the Lord, and with tearful entreaty praying, said with a loud voice: I will extol Thee, O Lord; for Thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. O Lord God, I cried unto Thee, and Thou hast healed me. O Lord, Thou hast brought out my soul from the powers below; Thou hast saved me from them that go down into the pit. Sing praises to the Lord, all His saints, and confess to the memory of His holiness; since there is anger in His indignation, and life in His goodwill. In like manner also all the saints of God, falling on their knees at the feet of the Lord, said with one voice: Thou hast come, O Redeemer of the world: as Thou hast foretold by the law and Thy prophets, so hast Thou fulfilled by Thy deeds. Thou hast redeemed the living by Thy cross; and by the death of the cross Thou hast come down to us, to rescue us from the powers below, and from death, by Thy majesty. O Lord, as Thou hast set the title of Thy glory in heaven, and hast erected as the title of redemption Thy cross upon earth, so, O Lord, set in Hades the sign of the victory of Thy cross, that death may no more have dominion.
And the Lord, stretching forth His hand, made the sign of the cross upon Adam and upon all His saints; and holding Adam by the right hand, went up from the powers below: and all the saints followed Him. Then holy David cried out aloud, saying: Sing unto the Lord a new song, for He hath done wonderful things; His right hand and His holy arm have brought salvation to Himself. The Lord hath made known His salvation; His righteousness hath He revealed in the sight of the heathen. And all the multitude of the saints answered, saying: This is glory to all His saints. Amen, alleluia.
And after this the prophet Habacuc cried out, saying: Thou wentest forth for the salvation of Thy people, to deliver Thine elect. And all the saints answered, saying: Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord; God is the Lord, and He hath shone upon us. Amen, alleluia. In like manner after this the prophet Michae as also cried out, saying: Who is a God like unto thee, O Lord, taking away iniquities and passing by sins? And now Thou dost withhold Thine anger for a testimony against us, because Thou delightest in mercy. And Thou turnest again, and hast compassion upon us, and pardonest all our iniquities; and all our sins hast Thou sunk in the multitude of death, as Thou hast sworn unto our fathers in the days of old. And all the saints answered, saying: This is our God to eternity, and for ever and ever; and He will direct us for evermore. Amen, alleluia. So also all the prophets, quoting the sacred writings concerning His praises, and all the saints crying, Amen, alleluia, followed the Lord.
And the Lord, holding the hand of Adam, delivered him to Michael the archangel: and all the saints followed Michael the archangel, and he led them all into the glorious grace of paradise. And there met them two men, ancient of days. The saints asked them: Who are you, that have not yet been dead, along with us in the regions below, and have been placed in paradise in the body? One of them answered, and said: I am Enoch, who by the word of the Lord have been translated hither; and he who is with me is Elias the Thesbite, who was taken up by a fiery chariot. Here also even until now we have not tasted death, but have been reserved to the coming of Antichrist, by divine signs and wonders to do battle with him, and, being killed by him in Jerusalem, after three days and half a day to be taken up alive again in the clouds.
And while the saints Enoch and Elias were thus speaking, behold, there came up another man, most wretched, carrying on his shoulders the sign of the cross. And seeing him, all the saints said to him: Who art thou? because thy appearance is that of a robber. And what is the sign which thou carriest on thy shoulders? In answer to them, he said: Truly have you said that I was a robber, doing all sorts of evil upon the earth. And the Jews crucified me along with Jesus; and I saw the miracles in created things which were done through the cross of Jesus crucified, and I believed Him to be the Creator of all created things, and the King omnipotent; and I entreated Him, saying, Be mindful of me, Lord, when Thou shall have come into Thy kingdom. Immediately He accepted my entreaty, and said to me, Amen; I say to thee, To-day shalt thou be with me in paradise. And He gave me this sign of the cross, saying, Walk into paradise carrying this; and if the guardian angel of paradise will not let thee go in, show him the sign of the cross, and thou shall say to him, Jesus Christ, the Son of God, who has now been crucified, has sent me. Having done so, I said all this to the guardian angel of paradise. And when he heard this, he immediately opened, and led me in, and placed me at the right of paradise, saying, Lo, hold a little, and there will come in the father of the whole human race, Adam, with all his children, holy and just, after the triumph and glory of the ascension of Christ the crucified Lord. Hearing all these words of the robber, all the holy patriarchs and prophets with one voice said: Blessed art Thou, O Lord Almighty, Father of everlasting benefits, and Father of mercies, who hast given such grace to Thy sinners, and hast brought them back into the grace of paradise, and into Thy rich pastures; for this is spiritual life most sure. Amen, amen.
These are the divine and sacred mysteries which we saw and heard, I Karinus, and Leucius. More we are not allowed to tell of the other mysteries of God, as Michael the archangel adjured us, and said: You shall go into Jerusalem with your brethren, and continue in prayers, and you shall cry out, and glorify the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, who has raised you up again from the dead with Himself. And with none of men shall you speak; and you shall sit as if dumb, until the hour shall come when the Lord Himself shall permit you to relate the mysteries of His divinity. And Michael the archangel ordered us to walk across Jordan into a place rich and fertile, where there are many who rose again along with us for an evidence of the resurrection of Christ the Lord; because only three days were allowed to us who have risen from the dead to celebrate in Jerusalem the passover of the Lord, with our living relations, for an evidence of the resurrection of Christ the Lord: and we have been baptized in the holy river of Jordan, receiving each of us white robes. And after three days, when we had celebrated the passover of the Lord, all who rose again along with us were snatched up into the clouds. and taken across the Jordan, and were no longer seen by any one. But we were told to remain in the city of Arimathaea in prayers.
These are the things which the Lord commanded us to relate to you. Give Him praise and confession, and be penitent, that He may have mercy upon you. Peace be to you from the same Lord Jesus Christ, and the Saviour of all of us! Amen.
And after they had finished all, writing on separate sheets of paper, they arose. And Karinus gave what he wrote into the hands of Annas and Caiaphas and Gamaliel; in like manner also Leucius gave what he wrote into the hands of Nicodemus and Joseph. And being suddenly transfigured, they became exceedingly white, and were seen no more. And their writings were found exactly the same, not one letter more or less.
All the synagogue of the Jews, hearing all these wonderful sayings of Karinus and Leucius, said to each other: Truly all these things have been done by the Lord, and blessed be the Lord for ever and ever. Amen. And they all went out with great anxiety, beating their breasts with fear and trembling; and they went away, each to his own house.
All these things which were said by the Jews in their synagogue Joseph and Nicodemus immediately reported to the proconsul. And Pilate himself wrote all which had been done and said concerning Jesus by the Jews, and he placed all the words in the public records of his praetorium.
After this, Pilate going into the temple of the Jews, assembled all the chief priests, and learned men, and scribes, and teachers of the law, and went in with them into the sanctuary of the temple, and ordered that all the gates should be shut, and said to them: We have heard that you have a certain great collection of books in this temple: therefore I ask you that it be presented before us. And when four officers brought in that collection of books, adorned with gold and precious gems, Pilate said to all: I adjure you by the God of your fathers, who ordered you to build this temple in the place of his sanctuary, not to conceal the truth from me. You all know what is written in that collection of books; but now say whether you have found in the writings that Jesus, whom you have crucified, to be the Son of God that was to come for the salvation of the human race, and in how many revolutions of the seasons he ought to come. Declare to me whether you crucified him in ignorance of this, or knowing it.
Being thus adjured, Annas and Caiaphas ordered all the others who were with them to go out of the sanctuary; and themselves shut all the gates of the temple and the sanctuary, and said to Pilate: We have been adjured by thee, O good judge, by the building of this temple, to give thee the truth, and a clear account of this matter. After we had crucified Jesus, not knowing Him to be the Son of God, thinking that He did miracles by means of some charm, we made a great synagogue in this temple. And conferring with each other of the signs of the miracles which Jesus had done, we found many witnesses of our nation who said that they had seen Jesus alive after suffering death, and that He had penetrated into the height of heaven. And we have seen two witnesses, whom Jesus raised up again from the dead, who told us many wonderful things that Jesus did among the dead, which we have in our hands, written out. And our custom is, every year before our synagogue, to open that holy collection of books, and seek out the testimony of God. And we have found in the first book of the LXX., where the archangel Michael spoke to the third son of Adam, the first man, of five thousand and five hundred years, in which the Christ, the most beloved Son of God, was to come from the heavens; and upon this we have considered that perhaps He was the God of Israel who said to Moses, Make to thee the ark of the covenant, two cubits and a half in length, one cubit and a half in breadth, one cubit and a half in height. In these five and a half cubits we have understood and recognised, from the structure of the ark of the old covenant, that in five and a half thousands of years, Jesus Christ was to come in the ark of the body; and we have found Him to be the God of Israel, the Son of God. Because after His passion, we, the chief priests, wondering at the signs which happened on account of Him, opened this collection of books, searching out all the generations, even to the generation of Joseph, and reckoning that Mary the mother of Christ was of the seed of David; and we have found that from the time that God made the heaven and the earth and the first man, to the deluge, are two thousand two hundred and twelve years; and from the deluge to the building of the tower, five hundred and thirty-one years; and from the building of the tower to Abraham, six hundred and six years; and from Abraham to the arrival of the children of Israel from Egypt, four hundred and seventy years; from the coming of the children of Israel out of Egypt to the building of the temple, five hundred and eleven years; and from the building of the temple to the destruction of the same temple, four hundred and sixty-four years. Thus far have we found in the book of Esdras. After searching, we find that from the burning of the temple to the advent of Christ, and His birth, there are six hundred and thirty-six years, which together were five thousand five hundred years, as we have found written in the book that Michael the archangel foretold to Seth the third son of Adam, that in five and a half thousands of years Christ the Son of God would come. Even until now we have told no one, that there might be no dissension in our synagogues. And now thou hast adjured us, O good judge, by this holy book of the testimonies of God, and we make it manifest to thee. And now we adjure thee, by thy life and safety, to make manifest these words to no one in Jerusalem.
Pilate, hearing these words of Annas and Caiaphas, laid them all up in the acts of our Lord and Saviour, in the public records of his praetorium, and wrote a letter to Claudius, king of the city of Rome, saying:-
Pontius Pilate to Claudius his king, greeting. It has lately happened, as I myself have also proved, that the Jews, through envy, have punished themselves and their posterity by a cruel condemnation. In short, when their fathers had a promise that their God would send them from heaven his holy one, who should deservedly be called their king, and promised that he would send him by a virgin upon the earth: when, therefore, while I was procurator, he had come into Judaea, and when they saw him enlightening the blind, cleansing the lepers, curing the paralytics, making demons flee from men, even raising the dead, commanding the winds, walking dryshod upon the waves of the sea, and doing many other signs of miracles; and when all the people of the Jews said that he was the Son of God, the chief priests felt envy against him, and seized him, and delivered him to me; and, telling me one lie after another, they said that he was a sorcerer, and was acting contrary to their law.
And I believed that it was so, and delivered him to be scourged, according to their will. And they crucified him, and set guards over him when buried. And he rose again on the third day, while my soldiers were keeping guard. But so flagrant was the iniquity of the Jews, that they gave money to my soldiers, saying, Say that his disciples have stolen his body. But after receiving the money they could not keep secret what had been done; for they bore witness both that he had risen again, that they had seen him, and that they had received money from the Jews.
This accordingly I have done, lest any one should give a different and a false account of it, and lost thou shouldst think that the lies of the Jews are to be believed.
Latin. Second Version.
Then Rabbi Addas, and Rabbi Finees, and Rabbi Egias, the three men who had come from Galilee, testifying that they had seen Jesus taken up into heaven, rose up in the midst of the multitude of the chiefs of the Jews, and said before the priests and the Levites, who had been called together to the council of the Lord: When we were coming from Galilee, we met at the Jordan a very great multitude of men, fathers who had been some time dead. And present among them we saw Karinus and Leucius. And they came up to us, and we kissed each other, because they were dear friends of ours; and we asked them, Tell us, friends and brothers, what is this breath of life and flesh? and who are those with whom you are going? and how do you, who have been some time dead, remain in the body?
And they said in answer: We have risen again along with Christ from the lower world, and He has raised us up again from the dead. And from this you may know that the gates of death and darkness have been destroyed, and the souls of the saints have been brought out thence, and have ascended into heaven along with Christ the Lord. And indeed to us it has been commanded by the Lord Himself, that for an appointed time we should walk over the banks of Jordan and the mountains; not, however, appearing to every one, nor speaking to every one, except to those to whom He has permitted us. And just now we could neither have spoken nor appeared to you, unless it had been allowed to us by the Holy Spirit.
And when they heard this, all the multitude who were present in the council were struck with fear and trembling, and wondered whether these things had really happened which these Galilaeans testified. Then Caiaphas and Annas said to the council: What these have testified, first and last, must shortly be altogether made clear: If it shall be found to be true that Karinus and Leucius remain alive in the body, and if we shall be able to behold them with our own eyes, then what they testify is altogether true; and if we find them, they will inform us of everything; but if not, you may know that it is all lies.
Then the council having suddenly risen, it pleased them to choose men fit for the duty, fearing God, and who knew when they died, and where they were buried, to inquire diligently, and to see whether it was as they had heard. The men therefore proceeded to the same place, fifteen in number, who through all were present at their falling asleep, and had stood at their feet when they were buried, and had beheld their tombs. And they came and found their tombs open, and very many others besides, and found a sign neither of their bones nor of their dust. And they returned in all haste, and reported what they had seen.
Then all their synagogue was in great grief and perplexity, and they said to each other: What shall we do? Annas and Caiaphas said: Let us turn to where we have heard that they are, and let us send to them men of rank, asking and entreating them: perhaps they will deign to come to us. Then they sent to them Nicodemus and Joseph, and the three men, the Galilaen rabbis who had seen them, asking that they should deign to come to them. And they went, and walked round all the region of Jordan and of the mountains, and they were coming back without finding them.
And, behold, suddenly there appeared coming down from Mount Amalech a very great number, as it were, twelve thousand men, who had risen with the Lord. And though they recognised very many there, they were not able to say anything to them for fear and the angelic vision; and they stood at a distance gazing and hearing them, how they walked along singing praises, and saying: The Lord has risen again from the dead, as He had said; let us all exult and be glad, since He reigns for ever. Then those who had been sent were astonished, and fell to the ground for fear, and received the answer from them, that they should see Karinus and Leucius in their own houses.
And they rose up and went to their houses, and found them spending their time in prayer. And going in to them, they fell on their faces to the ground, saluting them; and being raised up, they said: O friends of God, all the multitude of the Jews have directed us to you, hearing that you have risen from the dead, asking and beseeching you to come to them, that we all may know the great things of God which have happened around us in our times. And they immediately, at a sign from God, rose up, and came with them, and entered their synagogue. Then the multitude of the Jews, with the priests, put the books of the law in their hands, and adjured them by the God Heloi, and the God Adonai, and by the law and the prophets, saying: Tell us how you have risen from the dead, and what are those wonderful things which have happened in our times, such as we have never heard to have happened at any other time; because already for fear all our bones have been benumbed, and have dried up, and the earth moves itself under our feet: for we have joined all our hearts to shed righteous and holy blood.
Then Karinus and Leucius signed to them with their hands to give them a sheet of paper and ink. And this they did, because the Holy Spirit did not allow them to speak to them. And they gave each of them paper, and put them apart, the one from the other in separate cells. And they, making with their fingers the sign of the cross of Christ, began to write on the separate sheets; and after they had finished, as if out of one mouth from the separate cells, they cried out, Amen. And rising up, Karinus gave his paper to Annas, and Leucius to Caiaphas; and saluting each other, they went out, and returned to their sepulchres.
Then Annas and Caiaphas, opening the sheet of paper, began each to read it in secret. But all the people took it ill, and so all cried out: Read these writings to us openly; and after they have been read through we shall keep them, lest perchance this truth of God be turned through wilful blindness, by unclean and deceitful men, into falsehood. At this Annas and Caiaphas fell a-trembling, and delivered the sheet of paper to Rabbi Addas, and Rabbi Finees, and Rabbi Egias, who had come from Galilee, and announced that Jesus had been taken up into heaven. All the multitude of the Jews trusted to them to read this writing. And they read the paper containing these words:-
I Karinus. 0 Lord Jesus Christ, Son of the living God, permit me to speak of Thy wonders which Thou hast done in the lower world. When, therefore, we were kept in darkness and the shadow of death in the lower world, suddenly there shone upon us a great light, and Hades and the gates of death trembled. And then was heard the voice of the Son of the Father most high, as if the voice of a great thunder; and loudly proclaiming, He thus charged them: Lift up your gates, ye princes; lift up the everlasting gates; the King of glory, Christ the Lord, will come up to enter in.
Then Satan, the leader of death, came up, fleeing in terror, saying to his officers and the powers below: My officers, and all the powers below, run together, shut your gates, put up the iron bars, and fight bravely, and resist, lest they lay hold of us, and keep us captive in chains. Then all his impious officers were perplexed, and began to shut the gates of death with all diligence, and by little and little to fasten the locks and the iron bars, and to hold all their weapons grasped in their hands, and to utter howlings in a direful and most hideous voice.
Then Satan said to Hades: Make thyself ready to receive him whom I shall bring down to thee. Thereupon Hades thus replied to Satan: That voice was from nothing else than the cry of the Son of the Father most high, because the earth and all the places of the world below so trembled trader it: wherefore I think that myself and all my dungeons are now lying open. But I adjure thee, Satan, head of all evils, by thy power and my own, bring him not to me, lest, while we wish to take him, we be taken captive by him. For if, at his voice only, all my power has been thus destroyed, what do you think he will do when he shall come in person?
To him Satan, the leader of death, thus replied: What art thou crying out about? Do not be afraid, my old most wicked friend, because I have stirred up the people of the Jews against him; I have told them to strike him with blows on the face, and I have brought upon him betrayal by one of his disciples; and he is a man in great fear of death, because from fear he said, My soul is sorrowful, even unto death; and I have brought him to this, that he has just been lifted up and hanged on the cross.
Then Hades said to him: If he be the same who, by the mere word of his command, made Lazarus fly away like an eagle from my bosom, when he had already been dead four days, he is not a man in humanity, but God in majesty. I entreat thee not to bring him to me. And Satan says to him: Make thyself ready nevertheless; be not afraid; because he is already hanging on the cross, I can do nothing else. Then Hades thus replied to Satan: If, then, thou canst do nothing else, behold, thy destruction is at hand. I, in short, shall remain cast down and dishonoured; thou, however, wilt be tortured under my power.
And the saints of God heard the wrangling of Satan and Hades. They, however, though as yet not at all recognising each other, were, notwithstanding, in the possession of their faculties. But our holy father Adam thus replied to Satan at once: O captain of death, why dost thou fear and tremble? Behold, the Lord is coming, who will now destroy all thy, inventions; and thou shalt be taken by Him, and bound throughout eternity.
Then all the saints, hearing the voice of our father Adam, how boldly he replied to Satan in all points, were strengthened in joy; and all running together to father Adam, were crowded in one place. Then our father Adam, gazing on all that multitude, wondered greatly whether all of them had been begotten from him into the world. And embracing those who were standing everywhere around him, and shedding most bitter tears, he addressed his son Seth, saying: Relate, my son Seth, to the holy patriarchs and prophets what the guardian of paradise said to thee, when I sent thee to bring to me of that oil of compassion, in order to anoint my body when I was ill.
Then he answered: I, when thou sentest me before the gates of paradise, prayed and en-treated the Lord with tears, and called upon the guardian of paradise to give me of it therefrom. Then Michael the archangel came out, and said to me, Seth, why then dost thou weep? Know, being informed beforehand, that thy father Adam will not receive of this oil of compassion now, but after many generations of time. For the most beloved Son of God will come down from heaven into the world, and will be baptized by John in the river Jordan; and then shall thy father Adam receive of this oil of compassion, and all that believe in him. And of those who have believed in him, their kingdom will endure for ever.
Then all the saints, hearing this again, exulted in joy. And one of those standing round, Isaias by name, cried out aloud, and thundered: Father Adam, and all standing round, hear my declaration. When I was on earth, and by the teaching of the Holy Spirit, in prophecy I sang of this light: The people who sat in darkness have seen a great light; to them dwelling in the region of the shadow of death light has arisen. At these words father Adam, and all of them, turned and asked him: Who art thou? because what thou sayest is true. And he subjoined, and said: My name is Isaias.
Then appeared. another near him, as if a hermit. And they asked him, saying: Who art thou, who bearest such an appearance in thy body? And he firmly answered: I am John the Baptist, voice and prophet of the Most High. I went before the face of the same Lord, that I might make the waste and rough places into plain ways. I with my finger pointed out and made manifest the Lamb of the Lord, and Son of God, to the inhabitants of Jerusalem. I baptized Him in the river Jordan. I heard the voice of the Father from heaven thundering over Him, and proclaiming, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. I received from Him the answer that He would descend to the lower world
Then father Adam, hearing this, cried with a loud voice, exclaiming: Alleluia! which is, interpreted, The Lord is certainly coming.
After that, another standing there, pre-eminent as it were, with a certain mark of an emperor, David by name, thus cried out, and said: When I was upon earth, I made revelations to the people of the mercy of God and His visitation, prophesying future joys, saying through all ages, Let them make confession to the Lord of His tender mercy and His wonderful works to the sons of men, because He has shattered the gates of brass, and broken the bars of iron. Then the holy patriarchs and prophets began mutually to recognise each other, and each to quote his prophecies.
Then holy Jeremias, examining his prophecies, said to the patriarchs and prophets: When was upon earth, I prophesied of the Son of God, that He was seen upon earth, and dwelt with men.
Then all the saints, exulting in the light of the Lord, and in the sight of father Adam, and in the answering of all the patriarchs and prophets, cried out, saying: Alleluia! blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord; so that at their crying out Satan trembled, and sought a way of escape. And he could not, because Hades and his satellites kept him bound in the lower regions, and guarded at all points. And they said to him: Why dost thou tremble? We by no means allow thee to go forth hence. But receive this, as thou art worthy, from Him whom thou didst daily assail; but if not, know that thou, bound by Him, shall be in my keeping.
And again there came the voice of the Son of the Father most high, as it were the voice of a great thunder, saying: Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory will come in. Then Satan and Hades cried out, saying: Who is the king of glory? And it was answered to them in the voice of the Lord: The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.
After this voice there came a man, whose appearance was that of a robber, carrying a cross on his shoulder, crying from the outside of the door, and saying: Open to me, that I may come in. And Satan, opening to him a little, brought him inside into his dwelling, and again shut the door after him. And all the saints saw him most clearly, and said to him forthwith: Thy appearance is that of a robber. Tell us what it is that thou carriest on thy back. And he answered, and said with humility: Truly I was a robber altogether; and the Jews hung me up on a cross, along with my Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father most high. I, in fine, have come heralding Him; He indeed is coming immediately behind me.
Then holy David, inflamed with anger against Satan, cried out aloud: Open thy gates, most vile wretch, that the King of glory may come in. In like manner also all the saints of God rose up against Satan, and would have seized him, and divided him among them. And again a cry was heard within: Lift up your gates, ye princes; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates; and the King of glory shall come in. Hades and Satan, at that clear voice, again asked, saying: Who is this king of glory? And it was said to them by that wonderful voice: The Lord of powers, He is the King of glory.
And, behold, suddenly Hades trembled, and the gates of death and the bolts were shattered, and the iron bars were broken and fell to the ground, and everything was laid open. And Satan remained in the midst, and stood confounded and downcast, bound with fetters on his feet. And, behold, the Lord Jesus Christ, coming in the brightness of light from on high, compassionate, great, and lowly, carrying a chain in His hand, bound Satan by the neck; and again tying his hands behind him, dashed him on his back into Tartarus, and placed His holy foot on his throat, saying: Through all ages thou hast done many evils; thou hast not in any wise rested. To-day I deliver thee to everlasting fire. And Hades being suddenly summoned, He commanded him, and said: Take this most wicked and impious one, and have him in thy keeping even to that day in which I shall command thee. And he, as soon as he received him, was plunged under the feet of the Lord along with him into the depth of the abyss.
Then the Lord Jesus, the Saviour of all, affectionate and most mild, saluting Adam kindly, said to him: Peace be to thee, Adam, with thy children, through immeasurable ages of ages! Amen. Then father Adam, falling forward at the feet of the Lord, and being raised erect, kissed His hands, and shed many tears, saying, testifying to all: Behold. the hands which fashioned me! And he said to the Lord: Thou hast come, O King of glory, delivering men, and bringing them into Thy everlasting kingdom. Then also our mother Eve in like manner fell forward at the feet of our Lord, and was raised erect, and kissed His hands, and poured forth tears in abundance, and said, testifying to all: Behold the hands which made me!
Then all the saints, adoring Him, cried out, saying: Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord! The Lord God hath shone upon us-amen-through all ages. Alleluia for ever and ever! Praise, honour, power, glory! because Thou hast come from on high to visit us. Singing Alleluia continually, and rejoicing together concerning His glory, they ran together under the hands of the Lord. Then the Saviour, inquiring thoroughly about all, seized Hades, immediately threw some down into Tartarus, and led some with Him to the upper world.
Then all the saints of God asked the Lord to leave as a sign of victory the sign of His holy cross in the lower world, that its most impious officers might not retain as an offender any one whom the Lord had absolved. And so it was done. And the Lord set His cross in the midst of Hades, which is the sign of victory, and which will remain even to eternity.
Then we all went forth thence along with the Lord, leaving Satan and Hades in Tartarus. And to us and many others it was commanded that we should rise in the body, giving in the world a testimony of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, and of those things which had been done in the lower world.
These are the things, dearest brethren, which we have seen, and which, adjured by you, we testify, He bearing witness who died for us, and rose again; because, as it was written, so has it been done in all points.
And when the paper was finished and read through, all that heard it fell on their faces, weeping bitterly, and cruelly beating their breasts, crying out, and saying through all: Woe to us! Why has this happened to us wretched? Pilate flees; Annas and Caiaphas flee; the priests and Levites flee; moreover also the people of the Jews, weeping and saying, Woe to us wretched! we have shed sacred blood upon the earth.
For three days, therefore, and three nights, they did not taste bread and water at all; nor did any of them return to the synagogue. But on the third day again the council was assembled, and the other paper of Leucius was read through; and it was found neither more nor less, to a single letter, than that which the writing of Karinus contained. Then the synagogue was perplexed; and they all lamented forty days and forty nights, looking for destruction from God, and the vengeance of God. But He, pitier affectionate and most high, did not immediately destroy them, bountifully giving them a place of repentance. But they were not found worthy to be turned to the Lord.
These are the testimonies of Karinus and Leucius, dearest brethren, concerning Christ the Son of God, and His holy deeds in the lower world; to whom let us all give praise and glory through immeasurable age of ages. Amen.
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