�� The GOSPEL of NICODEMUS, formerly called

�� the ACTS of

�� PONTIUS PILATE.

�� [Although this Gospel is, by some among the learned, supposed to have been really written by Nicodemus, who became a

�� disciple of Jesus Christ, and conversed with him; others conjecture that it was a forgery towards the close of the third

�� century by some zealous believer, who observing that there had been appeals made by the Christians of the former age, to

�� the Acts of Pilate, but that such Acts could not be produced, imagined it would be of service to Christianity to

�� fabricate and publish this Gospel; as it would both confirm the Christians under persecution, and convince the Heathens

�� of the truth of the Christian religion. The Rev. Jeremiah Jones says, that such pious frauds were very common among

�� Christians even in the first three centuries; and that a forgery of this nature, with the view above mentioned, seems

�� natural and probable.

�� The same author, in noticing that Eusebius, in his Ecclesiastical history. charges the Pagans with having forged and

�� published a book, called "The Acts of Pilate," takes occasion to observe, that the internal evidence of this Gospel

�� shows it was not the work of any Heathen; but that if in the latter end of the third century we find it in use among

�� Christians (as it was then certainly in some churches) and about the same time find a forgery of the Heathens under the

�� same title, it seems exceedingly probable that some Christians, at that time, should publish such a piece as this, in

�� order partly to confront the spurious one of the Pagans, and partly to support those appeals which had been made by

�� former Christians to the Acts of Pilate; and Mr. Jones says, he thinks so more particularly as we have innumerable

�� instances of forgeries by the faithful in the primitive ages, grounded on less plausible reasons. Whether it be

�� canonical or not, it is of very great antiquity, and is appealed to by several of the ancient Christians. The present

�� translation is made from the Gospel published by Grynaeus in the Orthodoxographa, vol. i. tom. ii. p.643.]

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�� The Gospel of Nicodemus the disciple, concerning the sufferings and

�� Resurrection of our master and Saviour Jesus Christ.

�� CHAP. I

�� ( 1 Christ accused to Pilate by the Jews of healing on the Sabbath,

�� 9 summoned before Pilate by a messenger who does him honour,

�� 20 worshipped by the standards bowing down to him.)

�� Annas and Caiaphas, and Summas, and Datam, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Nepthalim, Alexander, Cyrus, and other

�� Jews, went to Pilate about Jesus, accusing him with many bad crimes.

�� 2 And said, We are assured that Jesus is the son of Joseph the carpenter, and born of Mary, and

�� that he declares himself the Son of God, and a king ; and not only so, but attempts the dissolution of

�� the sabbath, and the laws of our fathers.

�� 3 Pilate replied; What is it which he declares? and what is it which he attempts dissolving?

�� 4 The Jews told him, We have a law which forbids doing cures on the Sabbath day; but he

�� cures both the lame and the deaf, those afflicted with the palsy, the blind, and lepers, and demoniacs,

�� on that day by wicked methods.

�� 5 Pilate replied, How can he do this by wicked methods? They answered,

�� He is a conjurer, and casts out devils by the prince of the devils ; and so all things become subject to him.

�� 6 Then said Pilate, Casting out devils seems not to be the work of an unclean spirit,

�� but to proceed from the power of God.

�� 7 The Jews replied to Pilate, We entreat your highness to summon him to appear before your

�� tribunal, and hear him yourself.

�� 8 Then Pilate called a messenger and said to him, By what means will Christ be brought hither?

�� 9 Then went the messenger forth, and knowing Christ, worshipped him; and having spread

�� the cloak which he had in his hand upon the ground, he said, Lord, walk upon this, and go in,

�� for the governor calls thee.

�� 10 When the Jews perceived what the messenger had done they exclaimed (against him) to

�� Pilate, and said, Why did you not give him his summons by a beadle, and not by a messenger? ‑

�� For the messenger, when he saw him, worshipped him, and spread the cloak which he had in his

�� hand upon the ground before him, and said to him, Lord, the governor calls thee.

�� 11 Then Pilate called the messenger, and said, Why hast thou done thus?

�� 12 The messenger replied, When thou sentest me from Jerusalem to Alexander, I saw Jesus

�� sitting in a mean figure upon a she‑ass, and the children of the Hebrews cried out, Hosannah,

�� holding boughs of trees in their hands.

�� 13 Others spread their garments in the way, and said, Save us, thou who art in heaven;

�� blessed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord.?

�� 14 Then the Jews cried out, against the messenger, and said,

�� The children of the Hebrews made their acclamations in the Hebrew language;

�� and how couldst thou, who art a Greek, understand the Hebrew?

�� MARY OFFERING IN THE TEMPLE.

�� From a Greek diptychon of the thirteenth or fourteenth century.

�� 15 The messenger answered them and said, I asked one of the Jews and said, What is this

�� which the children do cry out in the Hebrew language?

�� 16 And he explained it to me, saying, they cry out Hosannah, which being interpreted,

�� is, 0, Lord, save me; or, 0 Lord, save.

�� 17 Pilate then said to them, Why do you yourselves testify to the words spoken by the children,

�� namely, by your silence?

�� In what has the messenger done amiss? And they were silent.

�� 18 Then the governor said unto the messenger, Go forth and endeavour by any means to

�� bring him in.

�� 19 But the messenger went forth, and did as before; and said, Lord, come in, for the governor calleth thee.

�� 20 And as Jesus was going in by the ensigns, who carried the standards, the tops of them

�� bowed down and worshipped Jesus.

�� 21 Whereupon the Jews exclaimed more vehemently against the ensigns.

�� 22 But Pilate said to the Jews, I know it is not pleasing to you that the tops of the standards

�� did of themselves bow and worship Jesus; but why do ye exclaim against the ensigns,

�� as if they had bowed and worshipped?

�� 23 They replied to Pilate, We saw the ensigns themselves bowing and worshipping Jesus.

�� 24 Then the governor called the ensigns and said unto them, Why did you do thus?

�� 25 The ensigns said to Pilate, We are all Pagans and worship the gods in temples; and how

�� should we think anything about worshipping him?

�� We only held the standards in our hands and they bowed themselves and

�� worshipped him.

�� 26 Then said Pilate to the rulers of the synagogue, Do ye yourselves choose some strong men,

�� and let them hold the standards, and we shall see whether they will then bend of themselves.

�� 27 So the elders of the Jews sought out twelve of the most strong and able old men,

�� and made them hold the standards and they stood in the presence of the governor.

�� 28 Then Pilate said to the messenger, Take Jesus out, and by some means bring him in again.

�� And Jesus and the messenger went out of the hall.

�� 29 And Pilate called the ensigns who before had borne the standards, and swore to them,

�� that if they had not borne the standards in that manner when Jesus before entered in,

�� he would cut off their heads.

�� 30 Then the governor commanded Jesus to come in again.

�� 31 And the messenger did as he had done before, and very much entreated Jesus that he

�� would go upon his cloak, and walk on it, and he did walk upon it, and went in.

�� 32 And when Jesus went in, the standards bowed themselves as before, and worshipped him.

�� CHAP. II

�� (2 Is compassionated by Pilate's wife,

�� 7 charged with being born in fornication.

�� 12 Testimony to the betrothing of his

�� parents. Hatred of the Jews to him.)

�� Now when Pilate saw this, he was afraid, and was about to rise from his seat.

�� 2 But while he thought to rise, his own wife who stood at a distance, sent to him, saying,

�� Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered much concerning him in a

�� Vision this night.

�� 3 When the Jews heard this they said to Pilate, Did we not say unto thee,

�� He is a conjuror?

�� Behold, he hath caused thy wife to dream.

�� 4 Pilate then calling Jesus, said, thou hast heard what they testify against thee,

�� and makest no answer?

�� 5 Jesus replied, If they had not a power of speaking, they could not have spoke;

�� but because every one has the command of his own tongue, to speak both good and bad,

�� let him look to it.

�� 6 But the elders of the Jews answered, and said to Jesus,

�� What shall we look to?

�� 7 In the first place, we know this concerning thee, that thou wast born through fornication;

�� secondly, that upon the account of thy birth the infants were slain in Bethlehem;

�� thirdly, that thy father and mother Mary fled into Egypt, because they could

�� not trust their own people.

�� 8 Some of the Jews who stood by spake more favourably, We cannot say that he was born

�� through fornication ; but we know that his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, and so he

�� was not born through fornication.

�� 9 Then said Pilate to the Jews who affirmed him to be born through fornication,

�� This your account is not true, seeing there was a betrothment, as they testify

�� who are of your own nation.

�� 10 Annas and Caiaphas spake to Pilate, All this multitude of people is to be regarded,

�� who cry out, that he was born through fornication, and is a conjuror;

�� but they who deny him to be born through fornication, are his proselytes and disciples.

�� 11 Pilate answered Annas and Caiaphas, Who are the proselytes?

�� They answered, They are those who are the children of Pagans, and are not become Jews, but

�� followers of him.

�� 12 Then replied Eleazer, and Asterius, and Antonius, and James, Caras and Samuel, Isaac

�� and Phinees, Crispus and Agrippa, Annas and Judas, We are not proselytes, but children of

�� Jews, and speak the truth, and were present when Mary was betrothed.

�� 13 Then Pilate addressing himself to the twelve men who spake this, said to them, I conjure you

�� by the life of Caesar, that ye faithfully declare whether he was born through fornication, and

�� those things be true which ye have related.

�� 14 They answered Pilate, We have a law, where by we are forbid to swear, it being a sin:

�� Let them swear by the life of Caesar that it is not as we have said, and we

�� will be contented to be put to death.

�� 15 Then said Annas and Caiaphas to Pilate, Those twelve men will not believe that we know

�� him to be basely born, and to be a conjuror, although he pretends that he is the son of God,

�� and a king :

�� which we are so far from believing, that we tremble to hear.

�� 16 Then Pilate commanded every one to go out except the twelve men who said he was not

�� born through fornication, and Jesus to withdraw to a distance, and said to them,

�� Why have the Jews a mind to kill Jesus?

�� 17 They answered him, They are angry because he wrought cures on the Sabbath day.

�� Pilate said, Will they kill him for a good work ? They say unto him, Yes, Sir.

�� CHAP. III.

�� (1 Is exonerated by Pilate.

�� 11 Disputes with Pilate

�� concerning Truth.)

�� THEN Pilate, filled with anger, went out of the hall, and said to the Jews,

�� I call the whole world to witness that I find no fault in that man.

�� 2 The Jews replied to Pilate, If he had not been a wicked person, we had not brought him before thee.

�� 3 Pilate said to them, Do ye take him and try him by your law.

�� 4 Then the Jews said, It is not lawful for us to put any one to death.

�� 5 Pilate said to the Jews, The command, therefore thou shalt not kill, belongs to you, but not

�� to me.

�� 6 And he went again into the hall, and called Jesus by himself, and said to him,

�� Art thou the king of the Jews?

�� 7 And Jesus answering, said to Pilate,

�� Dost thou speak this of thyself, or did the Jews tell it thee concerning me?

�� 8 Pilate answering, said to Jesus, Am I a Jew?

�� The whole nation and rulers of the Jews have delivered thee up to me.

�� What hast thou done?

�� 9 Jesus answering, said, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world,

�� then would my servants fight, and I should not have been delivered to the Jews; but now my

�� kingdom is not from hence.

�� 10 Pilate said, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered,

�� Thou sayest that I am a king: to this end was I born, and for this end came I into the world;

�� and for this purpose I came, that I should bear witness to the truth; and

�� every one who is of the truth, heareth my voice.

�� 11 Pilate saith to him, What is truth?

�� 12 Jesus said, Truth is from heaven.

�� 13 Pilate said, Therefore truth is not on earth.

�� 14 Jesus said to Pilate, Believe that truth is on earth among those, who when they have the power of judgment, are governed by truth,

�� and form right judgment.

�� CHAP. IV.

�� (1 Pilate finds no fault in Jesus.

�� 16 The Jews demand his crucifixion.)

�� THEN Pilate left Jesus in the hall, and went out to the Jews, and said, I find not any one fault in Jesus.

�� 2 The Jews say unto him, But he said, I can destroy the temple of God, and in three days

�� build it up again.

�� 3 Pilate saith unto them, What sort of temple is that of which he speaketh?

�� 4 The Jews say unto him, That which Solomon was forty‑six years in building, he said he

�� would destroy, and in three days build up.

�� 5 Pilate said to them again, I am innocent from the blood of that man; do ye look to it.

�� 6 The Jews say to him, His blood be upon us and our children.

�� Then Pilate calling together the elders and scribes, priests and Levites, saith to them

�� privately, Do not act thus; I have found nothing in your charge (against him) concerning

�� his curing sick persons, and breaking the Sabbath, worthy of death.

�� 7 The Priests and Levites replied to Pilate, By the life of Caesar, if any one be a blasphemer,

�� he is worthy of death , but this man hath blasphemed against the Lord.

�� 8 Then the governor again commanded the Jews to depart out of the hall; and calling Jesus,

�� said to him, What shall I do with thee?

�� 9 Jesus answered him, Do according as it is written.

�� 10 Pilate said to him, How is it written?

�� 11 Jesus saith to him, Moses and the prophets have prophesied concerning my suffering and resurrection.

�� 12 The Jews hearing this, were provoked, and said to Pilate, Why wilt thou any longer

�� hear the blasphemy of that man?

�� 13 Pilate saith to them, If these words seem to you blasphemy, do ye take him, bring

�� him to your court, and try him according to your law.

�� 14 The Jews reply to Pilate, Our law saith, he shall be obliged to receive nine and thirty stripes,

�� but if after this manner he shall blaspheme against the Lord, he shall be stoned.

�� 15 Pilate saith unto them, If that speech of his was blasphemy, do ye try him according to your law.

�� 16 The Jews say to Pilate, Our law commands us not to put any one to death :

�� we desire that he may be crucified, because he deserves the death of the cross.

�� 17 Pilate saith to them, It is not fit he should be crucified:

�� let him be only whipped and sent away.

�� 18 But when the governor looked upon the people that were

�� present and the Jews, he saw many of the Jews in tears, and said to the chief priests of the

�� Jews, All the people do not desire his death.

�� 19 The elders of the Jews answered to Pilate, We and all the people came hither for this very

�� purpose, that he should die.

�� 20 Pilate saith to them, Why should he die?

�� 21 They said to him, Because he declares himself to be the Son of God, and a King.

�� CHAP. V.

�� (1 Nicodemus speaks in defense of Christ,

�� and relates his miracles. 12 Another

�� Jew, 26 with veronica, 34 Centurio,

�� and others, testify of other miracles.)

�� BUT Nicodemus, a certain Jew, stood before the governor, and said, I entreat thee,

�� O righteous judge, that thou wouldst favour me with the liberty of speaking a few words.

�� 2 Pilate said to him, Speak on.

�� 3 Nicodemus said, I spake to the elders of the Jews, and the scribes, and priests and Levites,

�� and all the multitude of the Jews, in their assembly; What is it ye would do with this man?

�� 4 He is a man who hath wrought many useful and glorious miracles, such as no man

�� on earth ever wrought before, nor will ever work. Let him go, and do him no harm; if he cometh from God, his miracles, (his miraculous

�� Cures) will continue; but if from men, they will Come to nought.

�� 5 Thus Moses, when he was sent by God into Egypt, wrought the miracles which God commanded him, before Pharaoh king of Egypt;

�� and though the magicians of that country, Jannes and Jambres,

�� wrought by their magic the same miracles which Moses did , yet they could not work all which he did;

�� 6 And the miracles which the magicians wrought, were not of God,

�� as ye know, 0 Scribes and Pharisees; but they who wrought them perished, and all who believed them.

�� 7 And now let this man go; because the very miracles for which ye accuse him, are from God;

�� and he is not worthy of death.

�� 8 The Jews then said to Nicodemus, Art thou become his disciple, and making speeches in his favour?

�� 9 Nicodemus said to them, Is the governor become his disciple also and does he make speeches for him?

�� Did not Caesar place him in that high post?

�� 10 When the Jews heard this they trembled, and gnashed their teeth at Nicodemus, and said to him,

�� Mayest thou receive his doctrine for truth, and have thy lot with Christ!

�� 11 Nicodemus replied, Amen; I will receive his doctrine, and my lot with him, as ye have said.

�� 12 � Then another certain Jew rose up, and desired leave of the governor to hear him a few words.

�� 13 And the governor said, Speak what thou hast a mind.

�� 14 And he said, I lay for thirty ‑ eight years by the sheep‑ pool at Jerusalem, labouring

�� under a great infirmity, and waiting for a cure which should be wrought by the coming of an

�� angel, who at a certain time troubled the water; and whosoever first after the troubling of the

�� water stepped in, was made whole of whatsoever disease he had.

�� 15 And when Jesus saw me languishing there, he said to me, Wilt thou be made whole? And

�� I answered, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the pool.

�� 16 And he said unto me, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. And I was immediately made whole,

�� and took up my bed and walked.

�� 17 The Jews then said to Pilate, Our Lord Governor, pray ask him what day it was on which

�� he was cured of his infirmity.

�� 18 The infirm person replied, It was on the Sabbath.

�� 19 The Jews said to Pilate, Did we not say that he wrought his cures on the Sabbath, and cast

�� out devils by the prince of devils?

�� 20 Then another certain Jew came forth, and said, I was blind, could hear sounds, but could not

�� see any one; and as Jesus was going along, I heard the multitude passing by, and I asked

�� what was there?

�� 21 They told me that Jesus was passing by: then I cried out, saying, Jesus, Son of David,

�� have mercy on me. And he stood still, and commanded that I should be brought to him, and

�� said to me, What wilt thou?

�� 22 I said, Lord, that I may receive my sight.

�� 23 He said to me, Receive thy sight: and presently I saw, and followed him, rejoicing and

�� giving thanks.

�� 24 Another Jew also came forth, and said, I was a leper, and he cured me by his word only,

��saying, I will, be thou clean; and presently I was cleansed from my leprosy.

�� 25 And another Jew came forth, and said, I was crooked, and he made me straight by his word.

�� 26 And a certain woman named Veronica, said, I was afflicted with an issue of blood

�� twelve years, and I touched the hem of his garments, and presently the issue of my blood stopped.

�� 27 The Jews then said, We have a law, that a woman shall not be allowed as an evidence.

�� 28 And, after other things, another Jew said, I saw Jesus invited to a wedding with his disciples,

�� and there was a want of wine in Cana of Galilee;

�� 29 And when the wine was all drank, he commanded the servants that they should fill six

�� pots which were there with water, and they filled them up to the brim, and he blessed them,

�� and turned the water into wine, and all the people drank, being surprised at this miracle.

�� 30 And another Jew stood forth, and said, I saw Jesus teaching in the synagogue at

�� Capernaum; and there was in the synagogue a certain man who had a devil; and he cried

�� out, saying, let me alone; what have we to do with thee, Jesus of Nazareth?

�� Art thou come to destroy us? I know that thou art the Holy One of God.

�� 31 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, unclean spirit, and come out of the man;

�� and presently he came out of him, and did not at all hurt him.

�� 32 The following things were also said by a Pharisee; I saw that a great company came to

�� Jesus from Galilee and Judaea, and the sea‑coast, and many countries about Jordan, and

�� many infirm persons came to him, and he healed them all.

�� 33 And I heard the unclean spirits crying out, and saying, Thou art the Son of God.

�� And Jesus strictly charged them, that they should not make him known.

�� 34 � After this another person, whose name was Centurio, said, I saw Jesus in Capernaum,

�� and I entreated him, saying, Lord, my servant lieth at home sick of the palsy.

�� 35 And Jesus said to me, I will come and cure him.

�� 36 But I said, Lord, I am not worthy that thou shouldst come under my roof;

�� but only speak the word, and my servant shall be healed.

�� 37 And Jesus said unto me, Go thy way; and as thou hast believed, so be it done unto thee.

�� And my servant was healed from that same hour.

�� 38 Then a certain nobleman said, I had a son in Capernaum, who lay at the point of death;

�� and when I heard that Jesus was come into Galilee, I went and besought him that he would come

�� down to my house, and heal my son, for he was at the point of death.

�� 39 He said to me, Go thy way, thy son liveth.

�� 40 And my son was cured from that hour.

�� 41 Besides these, also many others of the Jews, both men and women, cried out and said,

�� He is truly the Son of God, who cures all diseases only by his word, and to whom

�� the devils are altogether subject.

�� 42 Some of them farther said, This power can proceed from none but God.

�� 43 Pilate said to the Jews, Why are not the devils subject to your doctors?

�� 44 Some of them said, The power of subjecting devils cannot proceed but from God.

�� 45 But others said to Pilate, That he had raised Lazarus from the dead, after he had been

�� four days in his grave.

�� 46 The governor hearing this, trembling said to the multitude of the Jews,

�� What will it profit you to shed innocent blood?

�� CHAP. VI.

�� (1 Pilate dismayed by the turbulence of

�� the Jews, 5 who demand Barabbas to

�� be released, and Christ to be crucified,

�� 9 Pilate warmly expostulates with

�� them, 20 washes his hands of Christ's

�� blood, 23 and sentences him to be

�� whipped and crucified.)

�� THEN Pilate having called together Nicodemus, and the fifteen men who said that

�� Jesus was not born through fornication, said to them, What shall I do, seeing there is like to

�� be a tumult among the people.

�� 2 They said unto him, We know not; let them look to it who raise the tumult.

�� 3 Pilate then called the multitude again, and said to them, Ye know that ye have a custom, that

�� I should release to you one prisoner at the feast of the Passover;

�� 4 I have a noted prisoner, a murderer, who is called Barabbas, and Jesus who is called

�� Christ, in whom I find nothing that deserves death; which of them therefore have

�� you a mind that I should release to you?'

�� 5 They all cry out, and say, Release to us Barabbas.

�� 6 Pilate saith to them, What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?

�� 7 They all answer, Let him be crucified.

�� 8 Again they cry out and say to Pilate, You are not the friend of Caesar, if you release this

�� man? for he hath declared that he is the Son of God, and a king.

�� But are you inclined that he should be king, and not Caesar?

�� 9 Then Pilate filled with anger said to them, Your nation hath always been seditious, and

�� you are always against those who have been serviceable to you?

�� 10 The Jews replied, Who are those who have been serviceable to us?

�� 11 Pilate answered them, Your God who delivered you from the hard bondage of the Egyptians,

�� and brought you over the Red Sea as though it had been dry land, and fed you in the wilderness

�� with manna and the flesh of quails, and brought water out of the rock, and gave you a law

�� from heaven:

�� 12 Ye provoked him all ways, and desired for yourselves a molten calf, and worshipped it,

�� and sacrificed to it, and said, These are Thy Gods, 0 Israel, which brought thee out of the

�� land of Egypt!

�� 13 On account of which your God was inclined to destroy you;

�� but Moses interceded for you, and your God heard him, and forgave your iniquity.

�� 14 Afterwards ye were enraged against, and would have killed your prophets, Moses and Aaron,

�� when they fled to the tabernacle, and ye were always murmuring against God and his prophets.

�� 15 And arising from his judgment seat, he would have gone out; but the Jews all cried out,

�� We acknowledge Caesar to be king, and not Jesus.

�� 16 Whereas this person, as soon as he was born, the wise men came and offered gifts unto

�� him; which when Herod heard, he was exceedingly troubled, and would have killed him.

�� 17 When his father knew this, he fled with him and his mother Mary into Egypt. Herod, when

�� he heard he was born, would have slain him; and accordingly sent and slew all the children which

�� were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under.

�� 18 When Pilate heard this account, he was afraid; and commanding silence among the people,

�� who made a noise, he said to Jesus, Art thou therefore a king?

�� 19 All the Jews replied to Pilate, he is the very person whom Herod sought to have slain.

�� 20 Then Pilate taking water, washed his hands before the people and said, I am innocent of

�� the blood of this just person; look ye to it.

�� 21 The Jews answered and said, His blood be upon us and our children.

�� 22 Then Pilate commanded Jesus to be brought before him, and spake to him in the following words:

�� 23 Thy own nation hath charged thee as making thyself a king; wherefore I,

�� Pilate sentence thee to be whipped according to the laws of former governors; and that thou be first

�� bound, then hanged upon a cross in that place where thou art now a prisoner; and also two

�� criminals with thee, whose names are Dimas and Gestas.

�� CHAP. VII

�� (1 Manner of Christ's crucifixion with

�� the two thieves.)

�� THEN Jesus went out of the hall, and the two thieves with him.

�� 2 And when they came to the place which is called Golgotha, they stript him of his raiment,

�� and girt him about with a linen cloth, and put a crown of thorns upon his head, and put a reed in

�� his hand.

�� 3 And in like manner did they to the two thieves who were crucified with him, Dimas on his

�� right hand and Gestas on his left.

�� 4 But Jesus said, My Father, forgive them; For they know not

�� what they do.

�� 5 And they divided his garments, and upon his vesture they

�� cast lots.

�� 6 The people in the mean time stood by, and the chief priests and elders of the Jews mocked

�� him, saying, he saved others, let him now save himself if he can;

�� if he be the son of God, let him now come down from the cross.

�� 7 The soldiers also mocked him, and taking vinegar and gall

�� offered it to him to drink, and said to him, If thou art king of

�� the Jews deliver thyself.

�� 8 Then Longinus, a certain soldier, taking a spear, pierced his

�� side, and presently there came forth blood and water.

�� 9 And Pilate wrote the title upon the cross in Hebrew, Latin,

�� and Greek letters, viz. This is the king of the Jews.

�� 10 But one of the two thieves who were crucified with Jesus,

�� whose name was Gestas, said to Jesus, If thou art the Christ, deliver thyself and us.

�� 11 But the thief who was crucified on his right hand, whose

�� name was Dimas, answering, rebuked him, and said, Dost not

�� thou fear God, who art condemned to this punishment? We indeed

�� receive rightly and justly the demerit of our actions; but this

�� Jesus, what evil bath he done?

�� 12 After this groaning, he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me

�� when thou comest into thy kingdom.

�� 13 Jesus answering, said to him, Verily I say unto thee, that

�� this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

�� CHAP. VIII.

�� (1 Miraculous appearance at his death.

�� 10 The Jews say the eclipse was natural.

�� 12 Joseph of Arimathaea embalms

�� Christ's body and buries it.)

�� AND it was about the sixth hour, and darkness was upon the face of the whole earth until

�� the ninth hour.

�� 2 And while the sun was eclipsed, behold the vail of the temple was rent from the top to

�� the bottom; and the rocks also were rent, and the graves opened, and many bodies of saints,

�� which slept, arose.

�� 3 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice,

�� saying, Hely, Hely, lama zabacthani ?

�� which being interpreted, is, My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?

�� 4 And after these things, Jesus said, Father, into thy hands I

�� commend my spirit; and having said this, he gave up the ghost

�� 5 But when the centurion saw that Jesus thus crying out gave

�� up the ghost, he glorified God, and said, Of a truth this was a just man.

�� 6 And all the people who stood by, were exceedingly troubled at

�� the sight; and reflecting upon what had passed, smote upon their

�� breasts, and then returned to the city of Jerusalem.

�� 7 The centurion went to the governor, and related to him all that had passed;

�� 8 And when he had heard all these things, he was exceeding sorrowful ;

�� 9 And calling the Jews together, said to them, Have ye seen the miracle of the sun's eclipse,

�� and the other things which came to pass, while Jesus was dying?

�� 10 Which when the Jews heard, they answered to the governor,

�� The eclipse of the sun happened according to its usual custom.

�� 11 But all those who were the acquaintance of Christ, stood at a distance,

�� as did the women who had followed Jesus from Galilee,

�� observing all these things.

�� THE BIRTH OF CHRIST . THE MURDER OF THE INNOCENTS.

�� FROM A PAINTING ON WOOD BY FRA FILIPPO LIPPI. FROM A PAINTING ON WOOD BY

�� MATTEO DI GIOVANNI.

�� 12 And behold a certain man of Arimathaea, named Joseph,

�� who also was a disciple of Jesus, but not openly so, for fear of the

�� Jews, came to the governor, and entreated the governor that he

�� would give him leave to take away the body of Jesus from the cross.

�� 13 And the governor gave him leave.

�� 14 And Nicodemus came, bringing with him a mixture of myrrh and aloes about a hundred

�� pound weight; and they took down Jesus from the cross with tears, and bound him with linen

�� cloths with spices, according to the custom of burying among the Jews,

�� 15 And placed him in a new tomb, which Joseph had built, and caused to be cut out of a rock,

�� in which never any man had been put; and they rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre.

�� CHAP. IX.

�� ( 1 The Jews angry with Nicodemus;

�� 5 and with Joseph of Arimathaea,

�� 7 whom they imprison.)

�� WHEN the unjust Jews heard that Joseph had begged and buried the body of Jesus,

�� they sought after Nicodemus; and those fifteen men who had testified before the Governor,

�� that Jesus was not born through fornication, and other good persons who had shewn any good

�� actions towards him.

�� 2 But when they all concealed themselves through fear of the Jews

�� Nicodemus alone shewed himself to them, and said, How can such persons as these enter

�� into the synagogue?

�� 3 The Jews answered him, But how durst thou enter into the synagogue who

�� wast a confederate with Christ? Let thy lot be along with him in the other world.

�� 4 Nicodemus answered, Amen; so may it be, that I may have my lot with him in his kingdom.

�� 5 In like manner Joseph, when he came to the Jews, said to them

�� Why are ye angry with me for desiring the body of Jesus of Pilate?

�� Behold, I have put him in my tomb, and wrapped him up in clean linen, and

�� put a stone at the door of the sepulchre:

�� 6 I have acted rightly towards him; but ye acted unjustly towards

�� aginst that just person, In crucifying him, giving him vinegar to drink,

�� crowning him with thorns, tearing his body with whips, and

�� prayed down the guilt of his blood upon you.

�� 7 The Jews at the hearing of this were disquieted, and troubled;

�� and they seized Joseph, and commanded him to be put in custody before the Sabbath,

�� and kept there till the Sabbath was over.

�� 8 And they said to him, Make confession; for at this time it is

�� not lawful to do thee any harm, till the first day of the week come.

�� But we know that thou wilt not be thought worthy of a burial;

�� but we will give thy flesh to the birds of the air, and the beasts of the earth.

�� 9 Joseph answered, That speech is like the speech of proud Goliath,

�� who reproached the living God in speaking against David. But ye scribes and doctors

�� know that God saith by the prophet, Vengeance is mine, and I

�� will repay to you evil equal to that which ye have threatened to me.

�� 10 The God whom you have hanged upon the cross, is able to deliver me

�� out of your hands.

�� All your wickedness will return upon you.

�� 11 For the governor, when he washed his hands, said, I am clear from the

�� blood of this just person. But ye answered and cried out,

�� His blood be upon us and our children. According as ye have said,

�� may ye perish for ever.

�� 12 The elders of the Jews hearing these words, were exceedingly enraged;

�� and seizing Joseph, they put him into a chamber where there was no window;

�� they fastened the door, and put a seal upon the lock;

�� 13 And Annas and Caiaphas placed a guard upon it, and took counsel

�� with the priests and Levites, that they should all meet after the Sabbath,

�� and they contrived to what death they should put Joseph.

�� 14 When they had done this, the rulers, Annas and Caiaphas,

�� ordered Joseph to be brought forth.

�� In this place there is a portion of the Gospel lost or omitted, which cannot be supplied.

�� CHAP. X.

�� (1 Joseph's escape. 2 The soldiers relate

�� Christ's resurrection. 18 Christ is seen

�� preaching in Galilee. 21 The Jews repent

�� of their cruelty to him.)

�� When all the assembly heard this, they admired and were astonished,

�� because they found the same seal upon the lock of the chamber, and could

�� not find Joseph.

�� 2 Then Annas and Caiaphas went forth, and while they were

�� all admiring at Joseph's being gone, behold one of the soldiers,

�� who kept the sepulchre of Jesus, spake in the assembly.

�� 3 That while they were guarding the sepulchre of Jesus, there

�� was an earthquake; and we saw an angel of God roll away the

�� stone of the sepulchre and sit upon it;

�� 4 And his countenance was like lightning and his garment

�� like snow; and we became through fear like persons dead.

�� 5 And we heard an angel saying to the women at the sepulchre of Jesus, Do not fear;

�� I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified; he is risen as he foretold.

�� 6 Come and see the place where he was laid; and go presently, and tell his disciples that

�� he is risen from the dead, and he will go before you into Galilee;

�� there ye shall see him as he told you.

�� 7 Then the Jews called together all the soldiers who kept the

�� sepulchre of Jesus, and said to them, Who are those women, to

�� whom the angel spoke? Why did ye not seize them?

�� 8 The soldiers answered and said, We know not whom the women were;

�� besides we became as dead persons through fear, and

�� how could we seize those women?

�� 9 The Jews said to them, As the Lord liveth we do not believe you.

�� 10 The soldiers answering said to the Jews, when ye saw and

�� heard Jesus working so many miracles, and did not believe him,

��how should ye believe us? Ye well said, As the Lord liveth, for

�� the Lord truly does live.

�� 11 We have heard that ye shut up Joseph, who buried the body

�� of Jesus, in a chamber, under a lock which was sealed, and when

�� ye opened it, found him not there.

�� 12 Do ye then produce Joseph whom ye put under guard in the

�� chamber, and we will produce Jesus whom we guarded in the sepulchre.

�� 13 The Jews answered and said, We will produce Joseph, do ye produce Jesus.

�� But Joseph is in his own city of Arimathaea.

�� 14 The soldiers replied If Joseph be in Arimathaea, and Jesus in Galilee,

�� we heard the angel inform the women.

�� 15 The Jews hearing this, were afraid, and said among themselves,

�� If by any means these things should become public, then every body will believe

�� in Jesus.

�� 16 Then they gathered a large sum of money, and gave it to the soldiers, saying, Do ye tell the

�� people that the disciples of Jesus came in the night when ye were asleep and stole away the body

�� of Jesus; and if Pilate the governor should hear of this, we will satisfy him and secure you

�� 17 The soldiers accordingly took the money, and said as they were instructed by the Jews,

�� and their report was spread abroad among all the people.

�� 18 � But a certain priest Phinees, Ada a schoolmaster, and a Levite, named Ageus, they three

�� came from Galilee to Jerusalem, and told the chief priests and all

�� who were in the synagogues, saying,

�� 19 We have seen Jesus, whom ye crucified, talking with his eleven disciples,

�� and sitting in the midst of them in Mount Olivet, and saying to them,

�� 20 Go forth into the whole world, preach the Gospel to all nations, baptizing them in the

�� name of the Father, and the son, and the Holy Ghost; and whosoever shall believe

�� and be baptized, shall be saved.

�� 21 And when he had said these things to his disciples, we saw him ascending up to heaven.

�� 22 When the chief priests, and elders, and Levites heard these

�� things, they said to these three men, Give glory to the God of Israel,

�� and make confession to him, whether those things are true, which ye say ye

�� have seen and heard.

�� 23 They answering said, As the Lord of our fathers liveth, the God of Abraham,

�� and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, according as we heard Jesus talking

�� with his disciples, and according as we saw him ascending up to heaven,

�� so we have related the truth to you.

�� 24 And the three men farther answered, and said, adding these words,

�� If we should not own the words which we heard Jesus speak, and that we saw him

�� ascending into heaven, we should be guilty of sin.

�� 25 Then the chief priests immediately rose up, and holding the book of the law in their

�� hands, conjured these men, saying, Ye shall no more here after declare those things

�� which ye have spoke concerning Jesus.

�� 26 And they gave them a large sum of money, and sent

�� other persons along with them, who should conduct them to

�� their own country, that they might not by any means make any stay at Jerusalem.

�� 27 Then the Jews did assemble all together, and having expressed the most lamentable

�� concern, said, What is this extraordinary thing which is come

�� to pass in Jerusalem?

�� 28 But Annas and Caiaphas comforted them, saying, Why should we believe the soldiers

�� who guarded the sepulchre of Jesus, in telling us, that an angel rolled away the stone from the

�� door of the sepulchre?

�� 29 Perhaps his own disciples told them this, and gave them money that they should say so,

�� and they themselves took away the body of Jesus.

�� 30 Besides, consider this, that there is no credit to be given to foreigners, because they also

�� took a large sum of us, and they have declared to us according to the instructions

�� which we gave them. They must either be faithful to us, or to the disciples of Jesus.

�� CHAP. XI.

�� (1 Nicodemus counsels the Jews.

�� 6 Joseph found. 11 invited by the

�� Jews to return. 19 Relates the

�� manner of his miraculous escape.)

�� THEN Nicodemus arose, and said, Ye say right, 0 sons of Israel, ye have heard what

�� those three men have sworn by the Law of God, who said, We have seen Jesus speaking with

�� his disciples upon Mount Olivet, and we saw him ascending up to heaven.

�� 2 And the scripture teacheth us that the blessed prophet Elijah was taken up to

�� heaven; and Elisha being asked by the sons of the prophets, Where is our

�� father Elijah? He said to them, that he is taken up to heaven.

�� 3 And the sons of the prophets said to him, Perhaps the spirit hath carried him into one of the

�� mountains of Israel, there perhaps we shall find him. And they besought Elisha,

�� and he walked about with them three days, and they could not find him.

�� 4 And now hear me, 0 sons of Israel, and let us send men into the mountains of Israel, lest

�� perhaps the spirit hath carried away Jesus, and there perhaps we shall find him, and be satisfied.

�� 5 And the counsel of Nicodemus pleased all the people; and they sent forth men who sought

�� for Jesus, but could not find him:

�� and they returning, said, We went all about, but could not find Jesus, but we have found

�� Joseph in his city of Arimathea.

�� 6 The rulers hearing this, and all the people, were glad, and praised the God of Israel, because

�� Joseph was found, whom they had shut up in a chamber, and could not find.

�� 7 And when they had formed a large assembly, the chief priests said,

�� By what means shall we bring Joseph to us to speak with him?

�� 8 And taking a piece of paper, they wrote to him, and said, Peace be with thee,

�� and all thy family. We know that we have offended against God and thee.

�� Be pleased to give a visit to us your fathers, for we were perfectly surprised

�� at your escape from prison.

�� 9 We know that it was malicious counsel which we took against thee, and that the Lord

�� took care of thee, and the Lord himself delivered thee from our designs.

�� Peace be unto thee, Joseph, who art honourable among all the people.

�� 10 And they chose seven of Joseph's friends, and said them, When ye come to Joseph,

�� salute him in peace, and give him this letter.

�� 11 Accordingly, when the men came to Joseph, they did salute him in peace, and gave him the

�� letter.

�� 12 And when Joseph had read it, he said, Blessed be the Lord God, who didst deliver me from

�� the Israelites, that they could not shed my blood. Blessed be God, who has protected

�� me under thy wings.

�� 13 And Joseph kissed them, and took them into his house.

�� And on the morrow, Joseph mounted his ass, and went along

�� with them to Jerusalem.

�� 14 And when all the Jews heard these things, they went out to meet him, and cried out

�� saying, Peace attend thy coming hither, father Joseph.

�� 15 To which he answered, Prosperity from the Lord attend all the people.

�� 16 And they all kissed him;

�� and Nicodemus took him to his house, having prepared a large entertainment.

�� 17 But on the morrow, being a preparation‑day, Annas, and Caiaphas, and Nicodemus, said

�� to Joseph, Make confession to the God of Israel, and answer to us all those questions

�� which we shall ask thee;

�� 18 For we have been very much troubled, that thou didst bury the body of Jesus;

�� and that when we had locked thee in a chamber, we could not find thee;

�� and we have been afraid ever since, till this time of thy appearing among us.

�� Tell us therefore before God, all that came to pass.

�� 19 Then Joseph answering, said, Ye did indeed put me under confinement, on the day of

�� preparation, till the morning.

�� 20 But while I was standing at prayer in the middle of the night, the house was surrounded

�� with four angels; and I saw Jesus as the brightness of the sun, and fell down upon the

�� earth for fear.

�� 21 But Jesus laying hold on my hand, lifted me from the ground, and the dew was then

�� sprinkled upon me; but he, wiping my face, kissed me, and said unto me,

�� Fear not, Joseph; look upon me, for it is I.

�� 22 Then I looked upon him, and said, Rabboni Elias! He answered me, I am not Elias,

�� but Jesus of Nazareth, whose body thou didst bury.

�� 23 I said to him, Shew me the tomb in which I laid thee.

�� 24 Then Jesus, taking me by the hand, led me unto the place

�� where I laid him, and shewed me the linen clothes, and napkin which I put round his head.

�� Then I knew that it was Jesus, and worshipped him, and said,

�� Blessed be he who cometh in the name of the Lord.

�� 25 Jesus again taking me by the hand, led me to Arimathaea to my own house, and said to me,

�� Peace be to thee; but go not out of thy house till the fortieth day;

�� but I must go to my disciples.

�� CHAP. XII

�� (1 The Jews astonished and confounded.

�� 17 Simeon's two sons, Charinus and

�� Lenthius, rise from the dead at Christ's

�� crucifixion. 19 Joseph proposes to get

�� them to relate the mysteries of their resurrection.

�� 21 They are sought and found,

�� 22 brought to the synagogue,

�� 23 privately sworn to secrecy,

�� 25 and undertake to write what they had seen.)

�� WHEN the chief priests and Levites heard all these things, they were astonished,

�� and fell down with their faces on the ground as dead men, and crying out

�� to one another said, What is this extraordinary sign which is come to pass in Jerusalem?

�� We know the father and mother of Jesus.

�� 2 And a certain Levite said, I know many of his relations, religious persons,

�� who are wont to offer sacrifices and burnt ‑ offerings to the God of Israel, in the temple, with prayers.

�� 3 And when the high priest Simeon took him up in his arms he said to him,

�� Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine

�� eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people:

�� a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

�� 4 Simeon in like manner blessed Mary the mother of Jesus, and said to her,

�� I declare to thee concerning that child; He is appointed for the fall and rising again

�� of many, and for a sign which shall be spoken against.

�� 5 Yea, a sword shall pierce through thine own soul also, and the thoughts

�� of many hearts shall be revealed.

�� 6 Then said all the Jews, Let us send to those three men, who said they saw him talking with

�� his disciples in Mount Olivet.

�� 7 After this, they asked them what they had seen; who answered with one accord,

�� In the presence of the God of Israel we affirm, that we plainly saw Jesus

�� talking with his disciples in Mount Olivet, and ascending up

�� to heaven.

�� 8 Then Annas and Caiaphas took them into separate places,

�� and examined them separately; who unanimously confessed the

�� truth, and said, they had seen Jesus.

�� 9 Then Annas and Caiaphas said "Our law saith,

�� By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word shall be established."

�� 10 But what have we said?

�� The blessed Enoch pleased God,

�� and was translated by the word of God; and the burying ‑ place of

�� the blessed Moses is known.

�� 11 But Jesus was delivered to Pilate, whipped, crowned with thorns,

�� spit upon, pierced with a spear, crucified, died upon the cross, and was buried,

�� and his body the honorable Joseph buried in a new sepulchre, and he

�� testifies that he saw him alive

�� 12 And besides these men have declared, that they saw him

�� talking with his disciples in Mount Olivet, and ascending up

�� to heaven.

�� 13 � Then Joseph rising up, said to Annas and Caiaphas, Ye

�� may be justly under a great surprise, that you have been told,

�� that Jesus is alive, and gone up to heaven.

�� 14 It is indeed a thing really surprising, that he should not

�� only himself arise from the dead, but also raise others from their graves,

�� who have been seen by many in Jerusalem.

�� 15 And now hear me a little:

�� We all knew the blessed Simeon, the high ‑ priest, who took Jesus

�� when an infant into his arms in the temple.

�� 16 This same Simeon had two sons of his own, and we were all present at

�� their death and funeral.

�� 17 Go therefore and see their tombs, for these are open, and they are risen:

�� and behold, they are in the city of Arimathaea, spending their time together in

�� offices of devotion.

�� 18 Some, indeed, have heard the sound of their voices in prayer, but they will not discourse

�� with any one, but they continue as mute as dead men.

�� 19 But come, let us go to them, and behave ourselves towards

�� them with all due respect and caution. And if we can bring

�� them to swear, perhaps they will tell us some of the mysteries of their resurrection.

�� 20 When the Jews heard this, they were exceedingly rejoiced.

�� 21 Then Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus, Joseph, and Gamaliel, went to Arimathaea,

�� but did not find them in their graves; but walking about the city, they found them on their

�� bended knees at their devotions:

�� 22 Then saluting them with all respect and deference to God, they brought them to the

�� synagogue at Jerusalem: and having shut the gates, they took the book of the law of the Lord,

�� 23 And putting it in their hands, swore them by God Adonai, and the God of Israel,

�� who spake to our fathers by the law and the prophets, saying,

�� If ye believe him who raised you from the dead, to be Jesus, tell

�� us what ye have seen, and how ye were raised from the dead.

�� 24 Charinus and Lenthius, the two sons of Simeon, trembled when they heard these things,

�� and were disturbed, and groaned; and at the same time looking up to heaven,

�� they made the sign of the cross with their fingers on their tongues,

�� 25 And immediately they spake, and said, Give each of us some paper, and we will write

�� down for you all those things which we have seen.

�� And they each sat down and wrote, saying,

�� CHAP. XIII.

�� (1 The narrative of Charinus and Lenthius

�� commences. 3 A great light in hell.

�� 7 Simeon arrives, and announces

�� the coming of Christ.)

�� O LORD Jesus and Father, who art God, also the resurrection and life of the dead,

�� give us leave to declare thy mysteries,

�� which we saw after death, belonging to thy cross; for we are sworn by thy name.

�� 2 For thou hast forbid thy servants to declare the secret things, which were wrought by

�� by divine power in hell.

�� 3 � When we were placed with our fathers in the depth of hell,

�� in the blackness of darkness, on a sudden there appeared the colour of the sun like gold,

�� and a substantial purple ‑ coloured light enlightening the place.

�� 4 Presently upon this, Adam, the father of all mankind, with all the patriarchs and prophets,

�� rejoiced and said, That light is the author of everlasting light, who hath promised to translate

�� us to everlasting light.

�� 5 Then Isaiah the prophet cried out, and said, This is the light of the Father,

�� and the Son of God, according to my prophecy, when I was alive upon earth.

�� 6 The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim beyond Jordan,

�� a people who walked in darkness, saw a great light; and to them who dwelled in the

�� region of the shadow of death, light is arisen. And now he is come, and hath enlightened us

�� who sat in death.

�� 7 And while we were all rejoicing in the light which shone upon us, our father Simeon came

�� among us, and congratulating all the company, said, Glorify the

�� Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God.

�� 8 Whom I took up in my arms when an infant in the temple, and being moved by the

�� Holy Ghost, said to him, and acknowledged, That now mine eyes have seen

�� thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before the face of all people, a light to

�� enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of thy people Israel.

�� 9 All the saints who were in the depth of hell, hearing this, rejoiced the more.

�� 10 Afterwards there came forth one like a little hermit, and was asked by every one,

�� Who art thou?

�� 11 To which he replied, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness,

�� John the Baptist, and the prophet of the Most High, who went before his coming to

�� prepare his way, to give the knowledge of salvation to his people for the forgiveness of sins.

�� 12 And I John, when I saw Jesus coming to me, being moved by the Holy Ghost, I said,

�� Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world.

�� 13 And I baptized him in the river Jordan, and saw the Holy Ghost descending upon him in

�� the form of a dove, and heard a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom

�� I am well pleased.

�� 14 And now while I was going before him, I came down hither to acquaint you, that

�� the son of God will next visit us, and, as the day ‑ spring from on high,

�� will come to us, who are in darkness and the shadow of death.

�� ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.

�� From a Triptychon by an Italian painter of the

�� thirteenth or fourteenth century.

�� CHAP. XIV.

�� ( 1 Adam causes Seth to relate what he

�� heard from Michael the archangel,

�� when he sent him to Paradise to entreat

�� God to anoint his head in his sickness.)

�� BUT when the first man our father Adam heard these things, that Jesus was baptized in Jordan,

�� he called out to his son, Seth, and said,

�� 2 Declare to your sons, the patriarchs and prophets, all those things, which thou didst hear

�� from Michael, the archangel, when I sent thee to the gates of Paradise, to entreat God that he

�� would anoint my head when I was sick.

�� 3 Then Seth, coming near to the patriarchs and prophets, said, I Seth, when I was

�� praying to God at the gates of Paradise, beheld the angel of the Lord, Michael appear unto me

�� saying, I am sent unto thee from the Lord; I am appointed to preside over human bodies.

�� 4 I tell thee Seth, do not pray to God in tears, and entreat him for the oil of the tree of mercy

�� wherewith to anoint thy father Adam for his head ‑ ache;

�� 5 Because thou canst not by any means obtain it till the last day and times, namely,

�� till five thousand and five hundred years be past.

�� 6 Then will Christ, the most merciful Son of God, come on earth to raise again the human

�� body of Adam, and at the same time to raise the bodies of the dead,

�� and when he cometh he will be baptized in Jordan:

�� 7 Then with the oil of his mercy he will anoint all those who believe on him;

�� and the oil of his mercy will continue to future generations, for those who

�� shall be born of the water and the Holy Ghost unto eternal life.

�� 8 And when at that time the most merciful Son of God, Christ Jesus,

�� shall come down on earth, he will introduce our father Adam into Paradise, to the tree

�� of mercy.

�� 9 When all the patriarchs and prophets heard all these things from Seth, they rejoiced more.

�� CHAP. XV,

�� (1 Quarrel between Satan and

�� the prince of hell concerning

�� the expected arrival

�� of Christ in hell.)

�� WHILE all the saints were rejoicing, behold Satan, the prince and captain of death,

�� said to the prince of hell,

�� 2 Prepare to receive Jesus of Nazareth himself, who boasted that he was the Son of God,

�� and yet was a man afraid of death, and said, My soul is sorrowful even to death.

�� 3 Besides he did many injuries to me and to many others; for those whom I made blind

�� and lame and those also whom I tormented with several devils, he cured by his word;

�� yea, and those whom I brought dead to thee, he by force takes away from thee.

�� 4 To this the prince of hell replied to Satan, Who is that so ‑ powerful prince, and yet a man

�� who is afraid of death?

�� 5 For all the potentates of the earth are subject to my power, whom thou broughtest to

�� subjection by thy power.

�� 6 But if he be so powerful in his human nature, I affirm to thee for truth, that he is almighty

�� in his divine nature, and no man can resist his power.

�� 7 When therefore he said he was afraid of death, he designed to ensnare thee,

�� and unhappy it will be to thee for everlasting ages.

�� 8 Then Satan replying, said to the prince of hell, Why didst thou express a doubt,

�� and wast afraid to receive that Jesus of Nazareth, both thy adversary and mine?

�� 9 As for me, I tempted him and stirred up my old people the Jews with zeal and anger

�� against him?

�� 10 I sharpened the spear for his suffering; I mixed the gall and vinegar, and commanded

�� that he should drink it; I prepared the cross to crucify him,

�� and the nails to pierce through his hands and feet; and now his

�� death is near at hand, I will bring him hither, subject both to thee and me.

�� 11 Then the prince of hell answering, said, Thou saidst to me just now, that he took

�� away the dead from me by force.

�� 12 They who have been kept here till they should live again upon earth, were taken away

�� hence, not by their own power, but by prayers made to God, and their almighty

�� God took them from me.

�� 13 Who then is that Jesus of Nazareth that by his word bath taken away the dead

�� from me without prayer to God?

�� 14 Perhaps it is the same who took away from me Lazarus, after

�� he had been four days dead, and did both stink and was rotten, and

�� of whom I had possession as a dead person, yet he brought him

�� to life again by his power.

�� 15 Satan answering, replied to the prince of hell, It is the very same person,

�� Jesus of Nazareth.

�� 16 Which when the prince of hell heard, he said to him, I adjure thee by the powers which

�� belong to thee and me, that thou bring him not to me.

�� 17 For when I heard of the power of his word, I trembled for fear,

�� and all my impious company were at the same time disturbed;

�� 18 And we were not able to detain Lazarus, but he gave himself a shake,

�� and with all the signs of malice, he immediately went away from us;

�� and the very earth, in which the dead body of Lazarus was lodged,

�� presently turned him out alive.

�� 19 And I know now that he is Almighty God who could perform such things,

�� who is mighty in his dominion, and mighty in his human nature, who is the

�� Saviour of mankind.

�� 20 Bring not therefore this person hither, for he will set at liberty all those whom I hold in

�� prison under unbelief, and bound with the fetters of their sins, and will conduct

�� them to everlasting life.

�� CHAP. XVI

�� (1 Christ's arrival at hell ‑ gates;

�� the confusion thereupon.

�� 10 He descends into hell.)

�� AND while Satan and the prince of hell were discoursing thus to each other,

�� on a sudden there was a voice as of thunder and the rushing of winds,

�� saying, Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lift up, 0 everlasting gates,

�� and the King of Glory shall come in.

�� 2 When the prince of hell heard this, he said to Satan, Depart from me, and begone out of

�� my habitations; if thou art a powerful warrior, fight with the King of Glory.

�� But what hast thou to do with him?

�� 3 And he cast him forth from his habitations.

�� 4 And the prince said to his impious officers, Shut the brass gates of cruelty,

�� and make them fast with iron bars, and fight courageously, lest we be taken

�� captives.

�� 5 But when all the company of the saints heard this they spake

�� with a loud voice of anger to the prince of hell:

�� 6 Open thy gates that the King of Glory may come in.

�� 7 And the divine prophet David, cried out saying, Did not I when on earth truly prophesy

�� and say, 0 that men would praise the Lord for his goodness, and for his

�� wonderful works to the children of men.

�� 8 For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder.

�� He hath taken them because of their iniquity, and because of their unrighteousness

�� they are afflicted.

�� 9 After this another prophet, namely, holy Isaiah, spake in like

�� manner to all the saints, did not I rightly prophesy to you when I

�� was alive on earth?

�� 10 The dead men shall live, and they shall rise again who are

�� in their graves, an they shall rejoice who are in earth; for the

�� dew which is from the Lord shall bring deliverance to them.

�� 11 And I said in another place, O death, where is thy victory?

�� O death, where is thy sting?

�� 12 When all the saints heard these things spoken by Isaiah,

�� they said to the prince of hell, Open now thy gates, and take

�� away thine iron bars; for thou wilt now he bound, and have no

�� power.

�� 13 Then there was a great voice, as of the sound of thunder saying,

�� Lift up your gates, 0 princes; and be ye lifted up, ye

�� gates of hell, and the King of Glory will enter in.

�� 14 The prince of hell perceiving the same voice repeated,

�� cried out as though he had been ignorant,

�� Who is that King of Glory?

�� 15 David replied to the prince of hell, and said, I understand the words of that voice,

�� because I spake them by his spirit. And now, as I have above said, I say

�� unto thee, the Lord strong and powerful, the Lord mighty in battle:

�� he is the King of Glory, and he is the Lord in heaven and in earth;

�� 16 He hath looked down to hear the groans of the prisoners,

�� and to set loose those that are appointed to death.

�� 17 And now, thou filthy and stinking prince of hell, open thy gates,

�� that the King of Glory may enter in;

�� for he is the Lord of heaven and earth.

�� 18 While David was saying this, the mighty Lord appeared in the form of a man,

�� and enlightened those places which had ever before been in darkness,

�� 19 And broke asunder the fetters which before could not be broken;

�� and with his invincible power visited those who sate in the deep

�� darkness by iniquity, and the shadow of death by sin.

�� CHAP XVII.

�� ( 1 Death and the devils in great horror at Christ's coming.

�� 13 He tramples on death, seizes the prince of hell, and

�� takes Adam with him to heaven.)

�� IMPIOUS Death and her cruel officers hearing these things,

�� were seized with fear in their several kingdoms, when they saw

�� the clearness of the light,

�� 2 And Christ himself on a sudden appearing in their habitations;

�� they cried out therefore, and said, We are bound by thee;

�� thou seemest to intend our confusion before the Lord.

�� 3 Who art thou, who hast no sign of corruption, but that bright appearance

�� which is a full proof of thy greatness, of which yet thou seemest to take no

�� notice?

�� 4 Who art thou, so powerful and so weak, so great and so little,

�� a mean and yet a soldier of the first rank, who can command in the form of a servant

�� as a common soldier?

�� 5 The King of Glory, dead and alive, though once slain upon the cross?

�� 6 Who layest dead in the grave, and art come down alive to us, and in thy death all the

�� creatures trembled, and all the stars were moved, and now hast thou thy liberty

�� among the dead, and givest disturbance to our legions?

�� 7 Who art thou, who dost release the captives that were held in chains by original sin,

�� and bringest them into their former liberty?

�� 8 Who art thou, who dost spread so glorious and divine a light over

�� those who were made blind by the darkness of sin?

�� 9 In like manner all the legions of devils were seized with the like horror, and with the

�� most submissive fear cried out, and said,

�� 10 Whence comes it, 0 thou Jesus Christ, that thou art a man so powerful and

�� glorious in majesty, so bright as to have no spot, and so pure as to have no crime?

�� For that lower world of earth, which was ever till now subject to us,

�� and from whence we received tribute, never sent us such a dead man

�� before, never sent such presents as these to the princes of hell.

�� 11 Who therefore art thou, who with such courage enterest among our abodes,

�� and art not only not afraid to threaten us with the greatest punishments,

�� but also endeavourest to rescue all others from the chains in

�� which we hold them?

�� 12 Perhaps thou art that Jesus, of whom Satan just now spoke to our prince, that by the

�� death of the cross thou wert about to receive the power of death.

�� 13 Then the King of Glory trampling upon death, seized the prince of hell, deprived him

�� of all his power, and took our earthly father Adam with him to his glory.

�� CHAP. XVIII.

�� ( 1 Beelzebub, prince of hell, vehemently

�� upbraids Satan for persecuting Christ and

�� bringing him to hell. 4 Christ gives

�� Beelzebub dominion over Satan for ever,

�� as a recompense for taking away Adam

�� and his sons.)

�� THEN the prince of hell took Satan, and with great indignation said to him, 0 thou

�� prince of destruction, author of Beelzebub's defeat and banishment,

�� the scorn of God's angels and loathed by all righteous persons!

�� What inclined thee to act thus?

�� 2 Thou wouldst crucify the King of Glory, and by his destruction,

�� hast made us promises of very large advantages, but as a fool wert

�� ignorant of what thou wast about.

�� 3 For behold now that Jesus of Nazareth, with the brightness of his glorious

�� divinity, puts to flight all the horrid powers of darkness and death;

�� 4 He has broke down our prisons from top to bottom, dismissed all the captives, released

�� all who were bound, and all who were wont formerly to groan under the weight

�� of their torments have now insulted us, and we are like to be defeated by their

�� prayers.

�� 5 Our impious dominions are subdued, and no part of mankind is now left in our

�� subjection, but on the other hand, they all boldly defy us;

�� 6 Though, before, the dead never durst behave themselves insolently towards us,

�� nor, being prisoners, could ever on any occasion be merry.

�� 7 � 0 Satan, thou prince of all the wicked, father of the impious and abandoned,

�� why wouldest thou attempt this exploit, seeing our prisoners were hitherto

�� always without the least hopes of salvation and life?

�� 8 But now there is not one of them does ever groan, nor is there the least

�� appearance of a tear in any of their faces.

�� 9 0 prince Satan, thou great keeper of the infernal regions, all thy advantages

�� which thou didst acquire by the forbidden tree, and the loss of Paradise,

�� thou hast now lost by the wood of the cross;

�� 10 And thy happiness all then expired, when thou didst

�� crucify Jesus Christ the King of Glory.

�� 11 Thou hast acted against thine own interest and mine,

�� as thou wilt presently perceive by those large torments and

�� infinite punishments which thou art about to suffer.

�� 12 0 Satan, prince of all evil, author of death, and source of all pride,

�� thou shouldest first have inquired into the evil crimes of Jesus of Nazareth,

�� and then thou wouldest have found that he was guilty of no fault worthy of death.

�� 13 Why didst thou venture, without either reason or justice to crucify him,

�� and hast brought down to our regions a person innocent and righteous, and thereby

�� hast lost all the sinners, impious and unrighteous persons in the whole world?

�� 14 While the prince of hell was thus speaking to Satan, the King of Glory

�� said to Beelzebub, the prince of hell, Satan, the prince shall he subject to

�� thy dominion for ever, in the room of Adam and his righteous sons, who are mine.

�� CHAP. XIX

�� (1 Christ takes Adam by the hand, the

�� rest of the saints join hands, and they

�� all ascend with him to Paradise.)

�� THEN Jesus stretched forth his hand, and said, Come to me, all ye my saints,

�� who were created in my image, who were condemned by the

�� tree of forbidden fruit, and by the devil and death;

�� 2 Live now by the wood of my cross; the devil, the prince of this world, is overcome,

�� and death is conquered.

�� 3 Then presently all the saints were joined together under the hand of the most high God;

�� and the Lord Jesus laid hold on Adam's hand and said to him,

�� Peace be to thee, and all thy righteous posterity, which is mine.

�� 4 Then Adam, casting himself at the feet of Jesus, addressed himself to him,

�� with tears, in humble language, and a loud voice, saying,

�� 5 I will extol thee, 0 Lord, for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice

�� over me. 0 Lord my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me.

�� 6 0 Lord thou hast brought up my soul from the grave;

�� thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.

�� 7 Sing unto the Lord, all ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

�� For his anger endureth but for a moment; in his favour is life.

�� 8 In like manner all the saints, prostrate at the feet of Jesus,

�� said with one voice, Thou art come, 0 Redeemer of the world,

�� and hast actually accomplished all things, which thou didst foretell by the law

�� and thy holy prophets.

�� 9 Thou hast redeemed the living by thy cross, and art come

�� down to us, that by the death of the cross thou mightest deliver us from hell,

�� and by thy power from death.

�� 10 0, Lord, as thou hast put the ensigns of thy glory in heaven,

�� and hast set up the sign of thy redemption, even thy cross on earth!

�� so, Lord, set the sign of the victory of thy cross in hell,

�� that death may have dominion no longer.

�� 11 Then the Lord stretching forth his hand, made the sign of

�� the cross upon Adam, and upon all his saints.

�� 12 And taking hold of Adam by his right hand, he ascended

�� from hell, and all the saints of God followed him.

�� 13 Then the royal prophet David boldly cried, and said,

�� O sing unto the Lord a new song, for he hath done marvelous things;

�� his right hand and his holy arm have gotten him the victory.

�� 14 The Lord hath made known his salvation, his righteousness hath he openly shewn

�� in the sight of the heathen.

�� 15 And the whole multitude of saints answered, saying,

�� This honour have all his saints, Amen, Praise ye the Lord.

�� 16 Afterwards, the prophet Habakkuk cried out, and said,

�� Thou wentest forth for the salvation of thy people, even for

�� the salvation of thy people.

�� 17 And all the saints said, Blessed is he who cometh in the

�� name of the Lord; for the Lord hath enlightened us. This is

�� our God for ever and ever; he shall reign over us to everlasting

�� ages, Amen.

�� 18 In like manner all the prophets spake the sacred things

�� of his praise, and followed the Lord.

�� CHAP. XX.

�� ( 1 Christ delivers Adam to Michael

�� the archangel. 3 They meet Enoch

�� and Elijah in heaven, 5 and also the

�� blessed thief, who relates how he

�� came to Paradise.)

�� THEN the Lord holding Adam by the hand, delivered him to Michael the archangel;

�� and he led them into Paradise, filled with mercy and glory;

�� 2 And two very ancient men met them, and were asked by the saints,

�� Who are ye, who have not yet been with us in hell, and

�� have had your bodies placed in Paradise?

�� 3 One of them answering, said, I am Enoch, who was translated by the word of God :

�� and this man who is with me, is Elijah the Tishbite, who was

�� translated in a fiery chariot.

�� 4 Here we have hitherto been and have not tasted death, but

�� are now about to return at the coming of Antichrist, being

�� armed with divine signs and miracles, to engage with him in battle,

�� and to be slain by him at Jerusalem, and to be taken up

�� alive again into the clouds, after three days and a half.

�� 5 � And while the holy Enoch and Elias were relating this,

�� behold there came another man in a miserable figure carrying

�� the sign of the cross upon his shoulders.

�� 6 And when all the saints saw him, they said to him, Who art thou?

�� For thy countenance is like a thief's;

�� and why dost thou carry a cross upon thy shoulders?

�� 7 To which he answering, said, Ye say right, for I was a thief,

�� who committed all sorts of wickedness upon earth.

�� 8 And the Jews crucified me with Jesus; and I observed the surprising

�� things which happened in the creation at the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus.

�� 9 And I believed him to be the Creator of all things, and the

�� Almighty King; and I prayed to him, saying, Lord, remember me,

�� when thou comest into thy kingdom.

�� 10 He presently regarded my supplication, and said to me,

�� Verily I say unto thee, this day thou shalt be with me in Paradise.

�� 11 And he gave me this sign of the cross saying,

�� Carry this, and go to Paradise; and if the angel who is the guard of Paradise

�� will not admit thee, shew him the sign of the cross, and

�� say unto him:

�� Jesus Christ who is now crucified, hath sent me hither to thee.

�� 12 When I did this, and told the angel who is the guard of

�� Paradise all these things, and he heard them, he presently opened the gates,

�� introduced me, and placed me on the right ‑ hand In Paradise,

�� 13 Saying, Stay here a little time, till Adam, the father of all mankind, shall enter in,

�� with all his sons, who are the holy and righteous servants of

�� Jesus Christ, who was crucified.

�� 14 When they heard all this account from the thief, all the patriarchs said with one voice,

�� Blessed be thou, 0 Almighty God, the Father of everlasting goodness,

�� and the Father of mercies, who hast shewn such favour to those who were sinners

�� against him, and hast brought them to the mercy of Paradise, and hast

�� placed them amidst thy large and spiritual provisions, in a spiritual and holy life.

�� Amen.

�� CHAP. XXI

�� ( 1 Charinus and Lenthius being only

�� allowed three days to remain on earth,

�� 7 deliver in their narratives, which

�� miraculously correspond; they vanish,

�� 13 and Pilate records these transactions.)

�� THESE are the divine and sacred mysteries which we saw and heard.

�� I, Charinus and Lenthius are not allowed to declare the other mysteries of God,

�� as the archangel Michael ordered us,

�� 2 Saying, ye shall go with my brethren to Jerusalem, and shall

�� continue in prayers, declaring and glorifying the resurrection

�� of Jesus Christ, seeing he hath raised you from the dead at the

�� same time with himself.

�� 3 And ye shall not talk with any man, but sit as dumb persons

�� till the time come when the Lord will allow you to relate the mysteries of his divinity.

�� 4 The archangel Michael farther commanded us to go beyond

�� Jordan, to an excellent and fat country, where there are many

�� who rose from the dead along with us for the proof of the resurrection of Christ

�� 5 For we have only three days allowed us from the dead, who

�� arose to celebrate the Passover of our Lord with our parents, and

�� to bear our testimony for Christ the Lord, and we have been

�� baptized in the holy river of Jordan. And now they are not

�� seen by any one.

�� 6 This is as much as God allowed us to relate to you; give ye

�� therefore praise and honour to him, and repent, and he will have

�� mercy upon you. Peace be to you from the Lord God Jesus Christ,

�� and the Saviour of us all.

�� Amen, Amen, Amen.

�� 7 And after they had made an end of writing and had wrote in

�� two distinct pieces of paper, Charinus gave what he wrote into the

�� hands of Annas, and Caiaphas, and Gamaliel.

�� 8 Lenthius likewise gave what he wrote into the hands of Nicodemus and Joseph;

�� and immediately they were changed into exceeding white forms and were

�� seen no more.

�� 9 But what they had wrote was found perfectly to agree, the one

�� not containing one letter more or less than the other.

�� 10 When all the assembly of the Jews heard all these surprising relations of

�� Charinus and Lenthius, they said to each other,

�� Truly all these things were wrought by God, and blessed be

�� the Lord Jesus for ever and ever, Amen.

�� 11 And they went about with great concern, and fear, and trembling,

�� and smote upon their breasts and went away every one

�� to his home.

�� 12 But immediately all these things which were related by the

�� Jews in their synagogues concerning Jesus, were presently

��told by Joseph and Nicodemus to the governor.

�� 13 And Pilate wrote down all these transactions, and placed all

�� these accounts in the public records of his hall.

�� THE BAPTISM OF CHRIST IN THE JORDAN.

�� From a "Book of the Evangelists" Greek manuscript of the twelfth century.

�� CHAP XXII.

�� (1Pilate goes to the temple; calls together

�� the rulers, and scribes, and doctors.

�� 2 Commands the gates to be shut; orders

�� the book of the Scripture; and causes

�� the Jews to relate what they really

�� knew concerning Christ. 14 They

�� declare that they crucified Christ in

�� ignorance, and that they now know

�� him to be the Son of God, according

�� to the testimony of the Scriptures;

�� which, after they put him to death,

�� they are examined.)

�� AFTER these things Pilate went to the temple of the

�� Jews, and called together all the rulers and scribes, and doctors of

�� the law, and went with them into a chapel of the temple.

�� 2 And commanding that all the gates should be shut, said to them,

�� I have heard that ye have a certain large book in this temple;

�� I desire you therefore, that it may be brought before me.

�� 3 And when the great book, carried by four ministers of the

�� temple, and adorned with gold and precious stones, was brought,

�� Pilate said to them all, I adjure you by the God of your Fathers,

�� who made and commanded this temple to be built, that ye conceal

�� not the truth from me.

�� 4 Ye know all the things which are written in that book; tell me

�� therefore now, if ye in the Scriptures have found any thing of

�� that Jesus whom ye crucified, and at what time of the world

�� he ought to have come: Shew it me.

��5 Then having sworn Annas and Caiaphas, they commanded

�� all the rest who were with them to go out of the chapel.

�� 6 And they shut the gates of the temple and of the chapel, and

�� said to Pilate, Thou hast made us to swear, 0 judge, by the

�� building of this temple, to declare to thee that which is true and

�� right.

�� 7 After we had crucified Jesus, not knowing that he was the Son of God,

�� but supposing he wrought his miracles by some magical arts,

�� we summoned a large assembly in this temple.

�� 8 And when we were deliberating among one another about the miracles

�� which Jesus had wrought, we found many witnesses of our own country,

�� who declared that they had seen him alive after his death, and that

�� they heard him discoursing with his disciples, and saw him ascending

�� unto the height of the heavens, and entering into them;

�� 9 And we saw two witnesses, whose bodies Jesus raised from the dead,

�� who told us of many strange things which Jesus did among the dead,

�� of which we have a written account in our hands.

�� 10 And it is our custom annually to open this holy hook

�� before an assembly, and to search there for the counsel of God.

�� 11 And we found in the first of the seventy books,

�� where Michael the archangel is speaking to the third son of Adam

�� the first man, an account that after

�� five thousand five hundred years,

�� Christ the most beloved Son of God was come on earth,

�� 12 And we further considered, that perhaps he was the very

�� God of Israel who spoke to Moses, Thou shallot make the ark

�� of the testimony; two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof,

�� and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof; and

�� a cubit and a half the height thereof.

�� 13 By these five cubits and a half for the building of the ark

�� of the Old Testament, we perceived and knew that in

�� five thousand years and a half (one thousand) years,

�� Jesus Christ was to come in the ark or tabernacle of a body;

�� 14 And so our scriptures testify that he is the son of God,

�� and the Lord and King of Israel.

�� 15 And because after his suffering, our chief priests were surprised at the

�� signs which were wrought by his means, we opened that book to search

�� all the generations down to the generation of Joseph and Mary the mother of Jesus,

�� supposing him to be of the seed of David;

�� 16 And we found the account of the creation, and at what

�� time he made the heaven and the earth and the first man Adam,

�� and that from thence to the flood, were

�� two thousand, two hundred and twelve years.

�� l7 And from the flood to Abraham, nine hundred and twelve.

�� And from Abraham to Moses, four hundred and thirty.

�� And from Moses to David the king, five hundred and ten.

�� 18 And from David to the Babylonish captivity, five hundred years.

�� And from the Babylonish captivity to the incarnation of Christ,

�� four hundred years.

�� 19 The sum of all which amounts to five thousand and half (a thousand).

�� 20 And so it appears, that Jesus whom we crucified, is Jesus Christ the Son of God,

�� and true and Almighty God. Amen.

�� In the name of the Holy Trinity, thus end the Acts of our Saviour Jesus Christ,

�� which the Emperor Theodosius the Great found at Jerusalem, in the hall of Pontius Pilate

�� among the public records; the things were acted in the nineteenth year of Tiberius Caesar,

�� Emperor of the Romans, and in the seventeenth year of the government of Herod the son

�� of Herod king of Galilee, on the eighth of the calends of April, which is the twenty‑third

�� day of the month of March, in the CCIId Olympiad, when Joseph and Caiaphas

�� were Rulers of the Jews; being a History written in Hebrew by Nicodemus,

�� of what happened after our Saviour's crucifixion.

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