Chapter 27

  And when morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put him to death.  

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  And they brought him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate the governor.  

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  Then Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and ancients,  

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  Saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it.  

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  And casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and went and hanged himself with an halter.  

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  But the chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood.  

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  And after they had consulted together, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a burying place for strangers.  

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  For this cause the field was called Haceldama, that is, The field of blood, even to this day.  

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  Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was prized, whom they prized of the children of Israel.  

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  And they gave them unto the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me.  

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  And Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying: Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it.  

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  And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he answered nothing.  

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  Then Pilate saith to him: Dost not thou hear how great testimonies they allege against thee?  

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  And he answered him to never a word; so that the governor wondered exceedingly.  

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  Now upon the solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner, whom they would.  

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  And he had then a notorious prisoner, that was called Barabbas.  

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  They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus that is called Christ?  

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  For he knew that for envy they had delivered him.  

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  And as he was sitting in the place of judgment, his wife sent to him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I have suffered many things this day in a dream because of him.  

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  But the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people, that they should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away.  

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  And the governor answering, said to them: Whether will you of the two to be released unto you? But they said, Barabbas.  

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  Pilate saith to them: What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They say all: Let him be crucified.  

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  The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.  

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  And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult was made; taking water washed his hands before the people, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you to it.  

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  And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and our children.  

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  Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him unto them to be crucified.  

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  Then the soldiers of the governor taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto him the whole band;  

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  And stripping him, they put a scarlet cloak about him.  

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  And platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews.  

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  And spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head.  

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  And after they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.  

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  And going out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon: him they forced to take up his cross.  

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  And they came to the place that is called Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary.  

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  And they gave him wine to drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink.  

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  And after they had crucified him, they divided his garments, casting lots; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided my garments among them; and upon my vesture they cast lots.  

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  And they sat and watched him.  

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  And they put over his head his cause written: THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS.  

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  Then were crucified with him two thieves: one on the right hand, and one on the left.  

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  And they that passed by, blasphemed him, wagging their heads,  

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  And saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it: save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.  

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  In like manner also the chief priests, with the scribes and ancients, mocking, said:  

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  He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him.  

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  He trusted in God; let him now deliver him if he will have him; for he said: I am the Son of God.  

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  And the selfsame thing the thieves also, that were crucified with him, reproached him with.  

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  Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth, until the ninth hour.  

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  And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

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  And some that stood there and heard, said: This man calleth Elias.  

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  And immediately one of them running took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar; and put it on a reed, and gave him to drink.  

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  And the others said: Let be, let us see whether Elias will come to deliver him.  

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  And Jesus again crying with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.  

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  And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top even to the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent.  

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  And the graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept arose,  

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  And coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared to many.  

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  Now the centurion and they that were with him watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake, and the things that were done, were sore afraid, saying: Indeed this was the Son of God.  

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  And there were there many women afar off, who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him:  

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  Among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.  

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  And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a disciple of Jesus.  

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  He went to Pilate, and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered.  

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  And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth.  

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  And laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he rolled a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way.  

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  And there was there Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over against the sepulchre.  

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  And the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate,  

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  Saying: Sir, we have remembered, that that seducer said, while he was yet alive: After three days I will rise again.  

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  Command therefore the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day: lest perhaps his disciples come and steal him away, and say to the people: He is risen from the dead; and the last error shall be worse than the first.  

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  Pilate saith to them: You have a guard; go, guard it as you know.  

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  And they departing, made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting guards.  

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