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T T N T N T T T N; T T T N N N T N N N N T N T T N N N; T T T T T T T T T N T T T T T T T N T T T T T N T T T T T N; T T T T T T T T T T N; T

De la Passioun Jhesu [L’Évangile de Nicodème, La Tradition A] [art. 3] I. [Préface] Çoe avint al quinzime an que Tyberie Cesar aveit esté emperur de Rome, e al disnefime an qui Herodes le fiz Herode aveit esté rei de Galilee, e en l’utisine kalende d’averil, ki est el vint e neofime jor de marz, e al quart an del cunte Rufin e Leun. En l’an quant furent evesques Joseph e Cayphas, el quint an aproef la passiun Nostre Seignur, Nichodemus escrist ceste hystorie en ebreu e en latin. II. [Le Procès de Jésus] (1) Anna e Chayphas e Sobna, Datan e Abiron, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Neptalim, Alixandre, Esyr, e li altre Judeu vindrent a Pilate encontre Jhesu si l’acuserent de multes paroles, e distrent: “Nus savum que cest est fiz Joseph le fevre, nez de Marie. E il dit qu’il est le Fiz Deu e Rai. E nun solement viole nostre sabat mes la lei Nostre Pere volt defere.” Dist Pilate: “Que fait il?” Li Judeu dient: “Sulunc nostre lei, nul ne deit altre guarir d’enfermeté el sabat. Icist acertes guarist les surz, e les clops, e les curvés, e les paralitikes, e les ciuz, e les leprus, e les encumbrez de Deable, e çoe par mals feiz!” Pilate dist: “Coment est ‘per mals feiz’?” Il li dient: “Sorciere est. E par le prince des deables Beelzebub, jete hors les deables, e totes choses li sunt a diu.” | Dist Pilate: “Çoe n’est mie par le maligne espirit geter hors deables, enz est par vertu de Deu.” Li Judeu dient a Pilate: “Nus te prium que tu le facez venir devant tei e si l’oiez parler.” (2) Pilate apele sun bedel, si li dit: “Sire, alez si m’amenez amiablement Jhesu.” Le bedel s’en eissi. Il [le] conuit si l’aura. E un drapel qu’il portout en sa main a tere le estendit, sil dit: “Sire, alez sur cel drap si venez al prince parler.” Li Judeu virent que li bedels firent, crierent a Pilate, si distrent: “Purquai nel faites a altre apeler, e ne mie al bedel? Kar nus veimes ke le bedel l’aura, si li dit: ‘Sire, le prince vus apele.’” Pilate apele le bedel, si li demande: “Purquai faites tu çoe?” Le bedel li dit: “Quant vus m’enveastes a Alisandre en Jerusalem, dunc vi joe Jhesu seir sur le asnun e les enfanz des Ebreus criant, ‘Osanna!’ E tindrent en lur mains raims de palmes. Li altre getoent lur vestemenz en sa veie, si distrent: ‘Salvé seiez tu ki ies en halt! Beneit seit qui vient el nun Deu!’” E li Judeu crierent envers le bedel: “Li enfant crient en ebreu, e tu, coment crias en ebreu puis ke tu es greu?” Respondi le bedel: “Joe demandai a un Judeu, ‘Çoe que est ke li enfant crient en ebreu?’ E il me dist.” E Pilate lur demanda: “Coment crient il en ebreu?” E il distrent: “Osanna!” E Pilate dist: “Quei est içoe?” Il li distrent: “Çoe est ‘Sire, salvez nus!’” Dunc dist Pilate: “Vus testemoinez çoe qui li enfanz distrent. Quel mal fist?” Dunc le bedel e il se turent. Dunc dist Pilate al bedel: “Eissez la hors e, sicum vus volez, si l’amenez çaenz.” Dunc eissi le bedel, si fist cum il aveit devant. Puis si dist a Jhesu: “Sire, entrez. Li prince vus mande.” Cum Jhesu fud entré, les enseines ke l’um teneit devant Pilate se abaisierent e aurerunt Jhesu. E cum il se baiserent encuntre lui, dunc escrierent li Judeu icels qui porterent les enseignes. Pilate dist idunc as Judeus: “Ne vus plaist nient çoe que les enseignes se baiserunt par sai mesmes e aurerent Jhesu. E vus blasmés ceus kis portent cum si il les baisacent pur li aurer.” Dunc dient li Judeu a Pilate: “Nus veimes cum cels kis portent les enseines se abaisierent si aurerent Jhesu.” Dunc apela Pilate cels ki portouent les enseines, si lur demanda: “Purque feistes vus çoe?” Il dient a Pilate: “Nus sumes paens e serfs as ydles. Purquai l’aureiem nus? Veirement, nus tenimes fermement les enseines, mes els maismes se abaisierent.” Dunc dist Pilate as mestres de la synagoge: “Eslisiez de vus meismez forz homes, e il tingent les enseignes. Si verrum | si il s’abaisient par eles mesmes.” Dunc pristerunt duze fors homes si lur firent tenir les enseignes devant Pilate. Dunc dist Pilate al bedel: “Menez Jhesu hors del pretorie, e puis sil ramenez en quele manere ke vus voldrez.” Dunc eissi fors Jhesu od le bedel. Dunc apelat Pilate cels qui tindrent les enseignes, si jura par la saluz Cesar que si les enseignes abeiasent quant Jhesu vendreit enz arere, que il lur freit trencher lé testes. Quant il out çoe dit, si comanda remener Jhesu el pretorie. E le [bedel] qui l’aveit amené devant le remainé. E quant reentrat, les enseignes ses baiserent si aurerunt Jhesu sicum il aveient devant fait. Pilate, quant çoe veit, si out mut grant pour. Si se levat sus de sun sege si ne sout que faire. Sa femme par nun Procula li enveia un message. Si li manda ke nient ne li afereit a juger cel just home. E si li mande ke mult aveit suffert cele nuit grant peine en avisiun pur cel saint home. [Compare Matthew 27:19.] Dunc distrent li Judeu a Pilate: “Dun ne vus deismes bien qu’il est enchantere? Veez cum il ad feit a vostre femme suffrir grant peine en sunge pur çoe qu’ele le deust deliverer.” (3) Pilate apele Jhesu, si lui dist: “Dun n’oiz tu de ces Judeus cum il t’acusent en multe choses? E tu ne respons nient.” E Jhesu lui respundi: “Si il n’osent poesté de parler de lur bouche bien et mal, nient ne parlassent, mes il verrunt çoe qu’il parolent.” Dunc respundirent les plus vielz des Judeus, si dient a Jhesu: “Que verrum nus dunc? Primes, es nez en fornicatiun, e puis par ta naisance fud faite l’occisiun des enfanz en Bedleem. E puis s’en fuirent Marie e Joseph en Egypte pur çoe qu’il n’orent nient de fiance en vostre pople.” Li asquant des Judeus qui iloec erent parolent ben de Jhesu, e distrent: “Nus ne dium pas ke il fust nez en fornicatiun. Einz, savum ben que Marie sa mere fud esposé a Joseph, ne est pas nez en fornicatiun.” Dunc dist Pilate as Judeus qui distrent qu’il ert nez en fornicatiun: “La vostre parole n’est pas verraie kar sa mere fud espusee, sicum partie de vostre gent testemoine.” Dunc distrent a Pilate Anna et Cayphas: “Tuz dient qu’il est nez en fornicatiun e qu’il est enchantere fors ces ki sunt si disciple e proselite, nez de fornicatiun cum il.” Dunc apelad | Pilate Anna e Cayphas, si lur demanda: “Ki sunt li proselite?” Cil qui distrent Lazar e Astaron, e Autonon e Jacob, Ezras e Samuel, Ysaac e Phinees, Cripon e Agrippe, Annes e Judas: “Nus ne sumes pas en fornicatiun nez, en sumes fiz des Judeus, e dium verité, kar nus fumes as espusails Marie.” Dunc conjura Pilate les duze par la salue de Cesar si çoe ert veir que il n’ert pas nez en fornicatiun. Il dient a Pilate: “Nus ne devum pas jurer, sulunc nostre lei. Mes il dient que nus ne dium pas verité par la salu de Cesar, e nus serrum cupable de mort.” Dunc distrent Annas e Cayphas a Pilate: “Verité est çoe que ces duze dient, qu’il n’est pas nez de fornicatiun. Mes enchantere est, e dist qu’il est le Fiz Deu e Rei. E nus pas nel le creum.” Dunc comanda Pilate tut le pople eissir hors fors les duze que diseient qu’il n’esteit pas nez de fornicatiun. E Jhesu fist aler par sei a une part. Puis si lur demanda par quele raisun volent il occir Jhesu. E il li dient: “Envie unt de çoe que il guarist la gent per lur sabat.” E Pilate respunt: “Pur bon ovre le volent oscire?” E il responderent: “Sire, oil.” Pilate, repleniz de ire, eissid fors del pretorie, si lur dist: “Joe ne trois nule chaisun de mort en cest home.” Li Judeu respondirent: “Se il ne fust culpable, nus nel te livresiem pas.” E respondi Pilate: “Menez l’en e sil jugez sulunc vostre lei.” E il respondirent: “A nus ne list oscire nul home.” [Compare John 18:30–31.] (4) Dunc entrat Pilate el pretorie, si apela Jhesu sulement, si li demanda: “Es tu Reis dé Judeus?” Respondi Jhesu, si li dist: “Diz tu çoe de tai memes, u altres le te distrent de mei?” Pilate respondi: “Sui joe dunc Judeu? Vostre gent e voz evesques te livererent a mai. Quei avez vus forfait?” Respondi Jhesu: “Mun regne n’est pas de cest munde. Se il fuist de cest munde, mes menestrels cuntrestusent, si ne fuisse pas livré as Judeus. Mes mun regne n’est pas ici.” Respont Pilate: “Ies tu dunc Rei?” Respondi Jhesu: “Tu diz qui sui Rez. A içoe sui joe nez, e a içoe vinc joe. E chascun qui est de verité oit ma voiz.” E Pilate demanda: “Quei est verité?” E Jhesu li dit: “Verité est del ciel.” Pilate dit: “N’est pas verité en tere?” Respondi Jhesu: “Cels qui verité dient en tere, coment poent il estre jugez par cels | qui sunt poent en tere?” Pilate laissat Jhesu el pretorie, si eissi fors as Judeus, si lur dist: “Neis unc achaisun ne truis joe en cest home.” [Compare John 18:32–38.] (5) Li Judeu li distrent: “Icestui dist, ‘Joe puis destrure le temple, e en treis jurz le puis refaire.’” [Compare Matthew 26:61.] Dunc lur dist Pilate: “Lequel temple?” E il dient: “Le temple u Salamon mist quarante e siz anz al faire. E cil dist qu’il defra le e refra en treis jurz.” E dunc dist Pilate: “Joe ne sui pas culpable del sanc de cest juste home. Vus le verrez.” Dunc dient li Judeu: “Sun sanc seit sur nus e sur noz fiz.” [Compare Matthew 27:24–25.] Dunc apela Pilate les plus vielz prestres, si lur dist priveement: “Laissez voz accusatiuns, kar joe n’i truis nul achaisun digne de mort, ne pur la curatiun ne pur le trespasement del sabat.” Dunc dient li provere a Pilate: “Coment est dunke? Ki contredit a Cesar si est digne de mort, e cist contredite a Deu e a Cesar.” (6) Dunc comanda Pilate as Judeus que eisseisent tuz fors del pretorie. E apela Jhesu, si li dist: “Que vols tu ke joe te face?” E Jhesu respundi: “Sicume doné est.” E dit Pilate: “Coment est doné?” Respundi Jhesu: “Moyses e les prophetes profetizerunt de ceste passiun e ma resurrectiun.” Cum çoe oirent les Judeus, si distrent a Pilate: “A quei volez plus oir les mensunges a cest enchanteur?” E dit Pilate: “Si çoe est mençunge qu’il dit, menez l’en a vostre synagoge e sil jugez sulunc vostre lei.” (7) Dunc dient li Judeu a Pilate: “En nostre lei, est dreit si home mesfait a altre, ke hom li doinst trent e noef cops. Ki encontre Deu parole deist estre lapidé.” Dunc lur dist Pilate: “Si il contre Deu parole, menez l’en sil jugez sulunc vostre lei.” E li Judeu dient: “Nus volums qu’il seit crucifiez.” E Pilate dit: “Soe n’est mie ben.” Pilate esguardat al pople, si vit plusurs des Judeus pluranz, si dist: “Tut cest pople ne volt pas qu’il murge.” Dunc dient li plus viel provere a Pilate: “Pur çoe est il venu, qu’il deit murir.” Dunc dit Pilate: “Que ad il mesfait, purquai il deive murir?” Il respundirent: “Kar il dit qu’il est Fiz Deu e Rei.” Nichodemus s’estut devant Pilate, si dist: “Sire, joe vus pri, donez mei congé de dire un poi | des paroles.” Respondi Pilate: “Di.” “Joe diz as proveres e as deacres e a tuit le pople des Judeus en le synagoge: Que volez voz de cest home? Il fait teles signes glorius ke unkes mes home ne fist. Laissez le ester. Ne lui faites nul mal. Se il est de part Deu, ses signes esterrunt, e si nun, li chairrunt. Kar Moyses, enveiez de Deu, fist mulz signes en Egypte, sicum Deu le comanda, devant Pharaoi le rei. E deus e de ces nurriz, Jamnes e Mambres, refirent ces meismes signes, mes nient tanz. E les Egypciens les ourent si cum pur Deu. E pur çoe que les signes qu’il fesaient nen erent de depart Deu, si perirent e tuz icels qui en els creirent. E, pur çoe, vus di joe que cestui laissiez, kar il n’est pas digne de mort.” Dunc distrent li Judeu a Nichodeme: “Tu iés sun desciple si parlés pur lui.” Dist Nichodeme: “Est dunc le prince sun disciple la parole il pur li? Dun n’at il la poesté de Cesar de ceste digneté?” Des, idunc, erent li Judeu irré vers Nichodeme, si li distrent: “Tu creis en sa vertu e si aiz part od lui.” E Nichodemus dist: “Amen.” (8) Un altre des Judeus sailli sus, si prea a Pilate que il osast parler. E Pilate dit: “Parole.” E il dit: “Joe giseie en mun lit de dolur trente anz e oit, e Jhesu me sana. E mils altres pursis del Diable sunt sanez par li. E milz purpris de diverses enfermetés sunt par li gariz. Kar si tost cum il me vit, si out merci de mei, si me dit: ‘Leve sus si porte tun lit si va.’ E joe levai si alai.” [Compare Matthew 9:6–7; Mark 2:3–12; Luke 5:18–25; John 5:5–9.] Dient li Judeu a Pilate: “Dun ne vus deismes nus altresi qu’il sanout la gent el sabbat e jetout les diables hors de lur cors?” E uns altres levat sus, si dit: “Joe fui cieu de ma naisance, e sicum Jhesu passa par mei, joe criai a halte voiz, ‘Le fiz David, aied merci de mei!’ E il out merci de mei, si mist sa main sur mes oilz, e joe aneire vi.” [Compare Mark 10:46–52.] E un altre levat sus, si dist: “Joe ere curf, e il me sana par parole.” E un altre dist: “Joe ere lepros, e il me sana par parole.” E une femme par nun Veronica dist: “Joe currui de sanc duze anz, e joe atuchai la frenge de sun vestement, e aneire fui garie.” [Compare Mark 5:25–34.] Dient li Judeu: “Nostre lei ne receit pas testimoine de femme.” E mulz autre Judeus e les femmes diseient: “Icist home est prophete, e les debles li sunt suziez.” Dunc lur dist Pilate: “Purquei ne sunt | [quire 4] il suziét a voz maistres?” E il li dient: “Nus ne savum.” E li altre diseient a Pilate: “Il resuscitat le mort Lazarum aprés le quart jour qu’il fust mis en monument.” Dunc out pour Pilate, si dist as Judeus: “Purquai volez voz espandre le sanc de nunnuisant?” (9) Puis si apele Pilate Nichodemus e les duze Judeus qui aveient dit ke Jhesu n’ert pas nez de fornicatiun, e si lur dist: “Ke frai joe de cest poeple que tel tumulte fait?” E il li dient: “Nus ne savum. Il le verrunt.” Dunc apela Pilate tuz les Judeus, si lur dist: “Dun n’est vostre coustume ke hom vus laist un home culpable a vostre Pascha? E joe en ai un noble home des homicides en la chartre qui est apelé Barraban, kar en Jhesu ne truis joe nul achaisun de mort. Lequel volez ke joe vus laise?” Dunc crierent li Judeu, si distrent: “Barraban laissez ester!” E Pilate lur demanda: “Ke frum nus de Jhesu qui est apelé Crist?” E il distrent: “Seit crucifié!” [Compare Matthew 27:15–17, 20–22.] Altre feiz distrent: “Tu n’es pas ami Cesar si tu cestui laissez, kar il se fait Fiz Deu e Rei! Se vus ne volez qu’il seit rei, e nient Cesar!” [Compare John 19:12.] Dunc se coruceat Pilate, si lur dit: “Tuz jurz fustes gent estrivose e contraliouse a cels ke pur vus furent.” Respundirent li Judeu: “Ki fust pur nus?” Pilate lur dist: “Vostre Deu, qui vus deliverad del dur servage de Egypte, si en menat par la mer si cum par seche tere, e el desert vus pout de manne e euue vus dona de la freide pere, e lai vus [dona] par Moysen. E en tutes maneres li fuistes contralius si que il vus volt oscire si Moyses ne eust depreié pur vus — lequel volsistes puis lapider! E vus dites ore que jo haz Cesar nostre rei!” Puis si levad sus de sun sege irrément, ne volt eissir fors od els. E li Judeu crierent: “Cesar est nostre rei, ne mie Jhesu! Ja seit içoe que li Treis Reis aportasent duns cum a Rei. E quant Herodes oi par ceus que uns Reis esteit nez, sil volt oscire. E quant sun pere Joseph oi ceo, si s’en fui en Egypte od lui e od Marie sa mere. E quant Herodes sot que les Treis Reis l’aveient deceu, si fist oscire tuz les enfanz de Bethleem e de tute la cuntree.” (10) Quant Pilate oit ses paroles, si out grant pour. Si fist le pople taisir, e dit: “Est çoe, dunc, cestui que Herodes quist?” E il li dient: “Icist.” Dunc prist Pilate Jhesu si l’enveia a Herodes, kar | il esteit a Jerusalem a icel jur. Herodes, cum il vit Jerusalem, si s’esbai mult, kar il aveit lungementes covetise eue de lui veir, pur çoe qu’il aveit multes choses del lui oi dire. E il esperout de veir acun miracle de li. Il li demanda mutes choses, e il nel li volt rien respundre. Li provere des Judeus e li escrivain l’acusouent forment devant Herode. Herode od tut sun ost despit Jhesu si l’escharni. E vestu d’un blanc vestement sil renvead a Pilate. A icel jur furent acordez Herodes e Pilate, kar devant çoe aveient esté enemiz. (11) Dunc dist Pilate a cels k’il remenerent e a tut le pople: “Vus m’amenez cest home cum celui qui tresturne le pople, e vus veez que joe ne Herodes ne trovum en lui nul achaisun digne de mort, de quanque que vus l’acusez.” E respondirent li Judeu, sil ramenerunt devant sun sege, disant: “Cestui se fait Rei des Judeus, e, pur çoe, volums nus que vus cestui crucifiez e Barraban laissiez.” Dunc dist Pilate ces paroles pur sentence envers Jhesu: “Le tuen lignage te comprove que tu te fais Reis, e, por ceo, comand joe a flaeler tei sulum la custume de premerains princes.” Dunc si comanda mettre en la croiz el liu mesmes u il le pristrent, e dous larruns ensemble od lui, orent nun Dismas e Gestas. III. [La Crucifixion] (1) E cum il monouent Jhesum hors del pretorie, e dous larruns od lui, si encontrerent un home par nun Symun de Cyrenee, si li enchargierent la croiz aporter aprés Jhesum. Si cum il vindrent al liu u il mistrent la croiz, sil despoillerent de ces dras, cil ceinstrent de un lintel, e une corone d’espines li mistrent el chief, si l’aurerent en gabbant. Puis sil suspendirent en la croiz e dous larruns dé dous pars de li: Dismas a destre e Gestan a senestre. (2) Dunc dist Jhesu: “Pere, pardonez lur, kar il ne sevent quei il funt.” Puis esguarda sa mere e le disciple qu’il tant amad, si dist a sa mere: “Meere, veez ci tun fiz.” E a saint Johan sun disciple, redist: “Johan, veez ci ta mere.” E des icel, le agarda Johan cum sa mere. Puis si deviserent ces vestemenz par sort. E le pople, e les princes des Judeus, | e les jugeurs esturent, sil gabberent, e distrent: “Il salva les altres. Ore salt sei meimes! S’il est fiz Deu, descende de la croiz, e nus crerrum en lui!” E les chevalers le gaboent, si li offrirent a beivre vin medlé oud aisil e fiel, e distrent: “Si tu ies Reis des Judeus, delivre tei mesme!” Dunc prist Longui le chevaler sa lance, sil feri el costé, e sanc e ewe en eissi. Dunc comanda Pilate escrivere un title en ebreu, e en latin, e en griu, e mettre sur sun chef en la croiz. E tel fut le title: “Cist est Jhesu de Nazerene, Rei des Judeus.” Uns des larruns ki pendeit delez li, Gestas par nun, si dist: “Si tu es Fiz Deu, delivre tei e nus.” Respondi Dismas par coruz, si li dist: “Tu n’as nient de pour de Deu en cest turment? Nus avum par dreit la paine pur noz desertes, mes ne deservi unques mal.” E puis qu’il out çoe dit a sun cumpaignun, si dist a Jhesu: “Sire, remembre tei de mei en tun regne.” Respundi Jhesu, si dist: “Veirement le te di, ui serras od mei en parais.” E dunc ert le siste ure del jur. E tenebres sunt faites sur universe tere tresque a uro de noune, e puis li solail fu devenu oscur. La coverture del temple si defendi en dous meitez del sumet desqu’al val. E Jhesu criat od grant voiz, si dist: “En tes mains, Pere, comant joe mun esperit.” E cum il out çoe dit, si rendi l’essperit. [Compare Luke 23:34–46; John 19:19–34.] IV. [La Résurrection et l’Ascension] (1) Cum li maistre des chivalers out veues le mervailles ki erent avenues, si glorifia Dampnedeu e dist: “Veirement, cist home fu Fiz Deu.” E tut le pople qui ert pur esgarder ourent grant pour de la marvaille qu’il virent. E baterent lur piz si s’en returnerent. [Compare Luke 23:47–48.] E le cunestable qui i aveit esté recuntat tut a Pilate cum esteit avenu. Si cum il oi la mervaille, si out mult doel, si ne manja ne beut en tuit icel jur. Puis si apela les Judeus, si dist: “Avez oi la mervaille ki est avenue?” E li Judeu respondirent: “Ja avint l’oscurté del solail, ki sout avenir.” Tuz cels ki [le] conurent e les femmes ki l’aveient sywi de Galilee | virent tutes ses mervailes. (2) E quant Jhesu fud mort, si vint Joseph ab Arimathie, la cité que ert en Galilee. Icist esteit prodome e dreiturel si attendeit le regne Deu. Icist ne fud pas consentant as volentez ne as fais as Judeus. Il demanda a Pilate le cors Jhesu, e Pilate li dona. E Joseph l’osta de la croiz, si l’envolupa en un drap mult net, si mist en sun monument noef u unkes home n’aveit jeu. [Compare Luke 23:50–53.] (3) Quant li Judeu oirent çoe que Joseph aveit demandé a Pilate le cors Jhesu, sil quistrent pur oscire, e les duze baruns qui distrent devant Pilate que Jhesu ne fut pas nez de fornicatiun, e Nichodeme, e les altres ki aveint testemoiné devant Pilate les bones ovres que il aveit faites. Mes tuz se muscerent fors Nichodemus, kar il ert lur prince. Il lur demanda: “Coment osez vus entrer en la synagoge puisque vus esteiez homicides?” E il respondirent: “Mes vus cum i osez entrer, ki es consentant a Jhesu? Parçunier seiez tu de sun regne.” E respunt Nichodemus: “Amen, amen.” Estes vus Joseph ki vint a eles, si dist: “Purquei vus corociez vers mei pur le cors Jhesu que joe demandai a Pilate? Pur Deu, joe l’ai mis en un monumente, envolupé en un net drap, e si ai mise la pere devant l’us del monumente. Vus le verrez e aillurs e ici — çoe que crucifiastes le just home e feristes de lance.” Cum çoe oirent lé Judeus, si pristrent Joseph, si li tindrent, puis si li distrent: “Nus te gardirum dreske aprés le sabbat. E saciez ke tun cors n’avera nient de sepulture. Einz, le durrum as oicels del ciel e as bestes de la tere pur devorer.” Respundi Joseph, si lur dist: “Vus resemblez Golie ki se prist vers Deu e envers seint David sun serf. Ja dist Nostre Seignur: ‘Maie seit la venjance e jo gueredonerai.’ E quant Pilate od tristur od laveez mains, si dist, ‘Jo sui net del sanc de cest juste home. Vus le verrez.’ E vus respondistes, e deistes, ‘Li suen sanc seit sur nus et sur noz fiz.’ E quid si serra cum vus deistes.” Quant çoe oirent li Judeu, irrément pristrent Joseph, si l’encloistrent fermement en une | maisun u il n’aveit nient de fenestre. E Anna e Caypfas enselerent la cloistre si mistrent gardes devant. Puis si pristrent consail que il s’asemblerent tuz pur esguarder de quele mort il le fereient morir. Quant il furent tuit assemblé, si comanderent Anna e Cayphas qu’il avant Josep amenassent. E cum il orent overt les us de la maisun, si ne troverent pas Josep. Quant il oierent ke pas n’i ert Joseph, si s’esmervaillerent, kar il troverent la maisun close sicum il l’aveient laissé. E Anna e Cayfas dolenz s’en alerent. (4) Dunc si vint uns des chevalers ki aveient gardé le sepulchre. Si entra en la synagoge, si dist: “Sicum nus gardeum le sepulchre, grant terremote avint. E si veimes l’angle Dé cum il tresturna la pere devant le monument e sist desure. E sun esguard esteit sicum fuildre e ses vestemens tels cum neif. E pur la pour de li devenimes si cum morz. E nus oimes l’ange dire as femmes qui esteient venueus al sepulcre Jhesu: ‘N’en aiez nient de pour. Jo sai ben que vus querez Jhesu qui fud crucifié, mes il est resuscité. N’est pas ici — venez e si veez le liu u il [l’]aveint mis. E alez tost, e si dites a ses disciples qu’il est resuscité de mort, e qu’il irra devant els en Galilee. Iloec le verrunt, sicum il lur dist devant.’” [Compare Matthew 28:2–7.] Dunc vindrent li Judeu, si assemblerent tuz les chuvalers qui aveient gardé le sepulcre, si lur demanderent: “Ki furent les femmes a qui l’angle parlat? E purquei nes preistes vus?” Il distrent: “Nus ne savum, kar nus fuimes cum mort pur la pour de l’angle. Cument le pensum nus dunc prendre?” Respundirent li Judeu: “Saciez nus vus creium ben!” Respondirent li chevaler, e distrent: “Tantes merveilles veistes faire a Jhesu e oistes e pas nel creistes. Coment crerriez dunc nus? Bien savum que cel sire vit, que vus crucifiastes. E bien savum que vus enclosistes Joseph en une chambre senz fenestre. E quant vus l’uveristes, nel trovastes pas. Donez nus, dunc, Joseph que vus enclosistes, e nus vus durrum Jhesu que nus gardames el | sepulcre.” Respondirent li Judeu: “Nus vus rendrum Joseph. Rendez nus Jhesu. Kar Joseph est en Aramathie sa cité.” Respondirent li chevaler: “Si Joseph est en Aramathie, e Jhesu est en Galilee, sicum nus oimes l’angle dire as femmes ke nus veimes.” Cum çoe oirent li Judeu, od pour se purpenserent, e distrent: “Si ses paroles sunt oies que ces dient, tuz crerrunt en Jhesu.” Si assemblerent grant aveir dunc, si donerunt as chevalers pur çoe qu’il deuissent dire que les disciples Jhesu fuissent venuz al sepulchre quant il dormirent, e eussent emblé le cors Jhesu, e si Pilate l’oit dire, “nus serrum pur vus envers lui.” E li chevaler pristrent l’aveir, si distrent cum il aveient prié. Mes cele parole fud tost espandue par tote la cité. (5) Dunc vindrent treis proveres a tuz del sinagoge: “Nus veimus Jhesu que vus crucifiastes seant od ses disciples e parlant od eus. Si lur dist: ‘Alez par tut le mund, si prechiez ma resurrectiun, si baptizez en le nun del Pere, e del Fiz, e del Seint Espirit. E qui en mei crerra e baptizié serra salf serra.’ E cum il out çoe dit a ces disciples, veant lur oilz muntat el ciel.” Cum çoe oirent, des princes des proveres distrent as Judeus: “Distes nus veir, par la glorie Deu, ci çoe est veirs ke vus dites, e que vus l’oistes e veistis.” E il responderunt: “Par le Deu de noz peres Abraham e Ysaac e Jacob, en verité le vus diums sicum nus l’oimes. E veimes munter el ciel. E si nus taisum la verité, pecchié en averum.” Dunc esturent sus les princes des provers, si pristrent la lei en lur main. Si conjurerent qu’il ne deient mes icels paroles de Jhesu, si lur donerent grant aveir. Sis renveerent en lur cuntree, kar il ne voleient mes qu’il estuissent en Jerusalem. (6) Dunc s’asemblerent tuz li Judeu, si distrent, en plurant: “Deus, qu’est içoe qu’est avenu en Israel?” Dunc distrent Anna e Cayfas, sis conforterent: “Devum nus creire as chevalers ke guarderent le sepulcre Jhesu, qui dis|trent que le angle tresturnat la piere de l’us del monumente? Poet cel estre que ces desciples lur donerent aveir qu’il duissent ceo dire, puis si pristrent si porterent le cors. Saciez que l’um ne deit craire as estranges de nule parole, kar il pristrent luier de nus si distrent çoe que nus lur preames dire. As quels devient il melz porter fei? As disciples Jhesu u a nus?” Dunc se leva Nichodemus, si dist: “Parlez adreit, li fil de Israel. Vus avez oi quei les treis baruns jurerent sur la lei, e distrent: ‘Nus veismes Jhesu seant sur Munte Olivete od ces disciples, e nus le veimes munter el ciel.’ Ja dit l’Escripture que Elyas fud ravi. E les fiz as prophetes demanderent a Helyseu: ‘U est nostre pere Helyas?’ E il lur dist: ‘Ravi est.’ E les fiz as prophetes li distrent: ‘Poet cel estre que espirit l’ad ravi si l’ad mis eus munz de Israel. Mes elisum homes od nus, si l’alum quere es munz de Israel. Poet cel estre sil purrum trover.’ E praierent Helyseu qu’il alast od els, e il alad od els treis jurz. Sil ne troverent pas. [Compare 2 Kings 2:16–17.] E ore me creez, le fiz Israel: enveium es munz de Israel quere. E poet cel estre qu’alcun esperit ad ravi Jhesu sil troverum. Puz, si pernum nostre penitence de çoe que nus nel voleiem creire.” E a tuz plout le consail de Nichodeme. Dunc enveient pur quere Jhesu. E cum furent repairé, distrent: “Nus avum quis Jhesu, mes nel poum pas trover. Mes nus avum trové Joseph en Aramathie.” (7) Cum çoe oirent les princes des proveres e tuit le pople, si s’esmervaillerent si loerent Deu que Joseph ert trové. Dunc firent li Judeu grant assemblé, si pristrent consail cum il puissent mander Joseph pur parler od lui. Dunc escristrent lur chartres, si li manderent ces paroles: “Bel sire Josep, pais seit od tei. Bel sire, ben savum que pecchié avum vers tei, e que Deus t’ad deliveré de noz meins e de nostre maligne consail. Or vus plaise venir a voz peres e voz fiz, que nus puissum a vus parler. Pais seit od tei, honurable en tuit | le pople.” Dunc si elistrent set baruns, amis Joseph, si lur distrent: “Vus irrez a Joseph si li porterez ceste chartre.” Cum il vindrent a Joseph, sil saluerent. Si li donerent la chartre, e il la list. E cum il aveit lite, si benequist Deus ki l’oud deliverez de lur mains qu’il n’espandirent sun sanc. E cum il out çoe dit, si receut honurablement en sa maisun les messages. A l’altre jur si alerent en Jerusalem. E cum li Judeu oirent sa venue, si eissirent tuz encontre lui. Sil saluerent, e Nichodemus receut le en sa maisun od grant honur. A l’altre jur Annas e Cayphas e Nichodemus distrent a Joseph: “Regeisiez nus verité de çoe ke nus vus demanderum.” E Joseph respunt: “Volenters.” “Coment fud çoe que vus ne fustes pas trové u fustes enclos? Saciez que pour e grant mervaille en avum sufferte einz que nus ussum od tei parlé. Mes, ore, nus di cum en fus delivré.” Respondi Joseph, e dit: “Quant vus me eustes pris e mis en la chartre, entur minuit suzleva la chambre par les quatre angles, si vi Jhesu si cum fuldre de lumere. E de la pour si chai en tere. E il prist ma main, si me leva de tere, e de rose arusat ma face. Puis si me terst e baisa, e dit: ‘Joseph, n’aiez pour. Reguarde, çoe sui joe.’ E l’esgardei, si dis: ‘Maistre Helyas!’ E il me dist: ‘Joe ne su pas Helyas. Einz, su Jhesu ki cors vus sevelistes.’ E jo li dis: ‘Sire, mustrez mai le monument u jo vus mis.’ E il prist ma main si m’amena al liu u jo l’enseveli, si me mustra le drap u jo l’envolupai, e le suarie de sun chief. Dunc soi jo bien que çoe fu Jhesu. Si l’aurai, e dis: ‘Beneit seit que vint el nun Deu Nostre Seignur.’ Puis si m’amena par la main a mun ostel en Aramathie. Puis si me dist: ‘Pais seit a tei. Ne devant quarante jurz ne issir de ta maisun. E jo m’en voiz a mes disciples.’” E si cum les princes des Judeus oirent ces paroles, si chairent en tere cum morz sur faces, e, en criant, distrent: “Deus, quel aventure est avenue en Israel?” Dunc se leva un bon home, Levi, si dist: “Joe coneu del lignage Jhesu tels qui mult crienstrent Deu e od ureisuns portouent lur oblatiuns | el temple Deu de Israel. E quant le suverain provere, li dreiturier Symeun, le receut en ses mains, si dist: ‘Ore laisez tu, Bel Sire, tun serf, sulunc ta parole, en pais.’ E si benqui sainte Marie, si li dist: ‘Jo te di de cest enfant, Il iert a mulz de Israel a resurrectiun, e a mulz a trebuchement, e li contredirent. E la dolur de sa mort passera cum espee tun quor. E les pensez des mulz quors serrunt descovert.’” [Compare Luke 2:25–35.] (8) Dunc distrent tuit li Judeu: “Enveium pur les treis baruns qui distrent qu’il virent Jhesu en Munt Olivete od ces disciples.” Cum il furent venu, si lur demanderent: “Veistes voz Jhesu?” E il respondirent: “Par le Deu de Israel, nus le veimes veirement munter el ciel.” Dunc vint Annas e Cayphas, sil partirent. E a chescun par sai, demandirent s’il eussent veu Jhesu. E chascun jura qu’il l’aveit veu munter el ciel. (9) Dunc distrent Annas e Cayphas: “Nostre lei deit estre tele que le testimoine de dous u de trais est verrai. Mes que dirrum nus? Dun ne plot Enoch a Deus, e il fu ravi par la parole Deu? Ne la sepulture Moyses ne [puet] estre trovee, ne la mort Helye le prophete. E Jhesu fud livré a Pilate, e flaelé, e escopi, e d’espines coroné, e feru de lance, e crucifié el fust, mort e ensevili. E Joseph l’onurable dist que il le vit vif, e les treis baruns distrent qu’il le virent en Munt Olivete, od ses disciples, munter el ciel.” [Compare Deuteronomony 19:15; Genesis 5:24; Deuteronomony 34:6.] V. [La Descente aux Enfers] (1) Dunc dist Joseph a Annas e Cayphas: “Ne vus devez mie sulement esmerveiller qu’il vif munta el ciel. Mes plus vus devez esmarvailler de çoe qu’il resuscita de mort e mulz altres morz fist resusciter od lui, e de ceus mult sunt veuz en Jerusalem. E tuz savum bien ke le benurez Symeon, le halt proveire, le receut od ses mainz el temple, e qu’il od dous fiz, germain freres. E nus tuz fumes a lur mort e a lur sepulture. Or aleez veir a lur monumente: e il sunt overt. E il sunt resuscité e si sunt en Aramathie ma cité, u il vivent en ureisuns. Iloc les ot hom crianz e od nul home parlant. Mes ore alum a els od grant amur, les faimes venir a nus, e sis conjurrum qu’il nus dient alcune chose de la | resurrectiun Jhesu.” E cum il oirent ces paroles, si s’en merveillerent tuz. Si alerent Annas, e Caiphas, e Nichodemus, e Joseph, [e] Gamaliel. E n’es troverent pas en lur sepultures. Dunc se alerent a la cité de Aramathie. Iloec sis troverunt en ureisuns a genuilz flechiz, sis saluerent od grant reverence, puis si baisierent, sis menerent od els en Jerusalem en lur synagoge. Puis si cloestrent les portes. E pristrent la lei Nostre Seignur, si conjurerent: “Par la Deu, Adonay, e par le Deu Israel, qui par la lei e par les prophetes parla a noz peres, si çoe est Jhesu que vus resuscita de mort, et coment il vus resuscita.” Cum oirent ceste conjureisun, Carinus e Leucius si tremblerent des cors, e geistrent des quers, si esgarderent vers le ciel, e firent signacle de la croiz en lur lenges. E si disttrent ensemble: “Donez a chescun de nus un foil de parchemin ke nus puissum escrivre çoe ke nus oimes e veismes.” E il lur distrent qu’il volenters, si lur donerent. E il sistrent chascun par sai. Si escritrent, e distrent: “Bel Sire Jhesu Crist, veir Deu, rescitere de morz e veire vie, otriez que nus puissum reconter les secrez overaines de vostre mort e de vostre croiz, kar nus sumes par tei conjurez. Vus comandastes a nus, voz serfs, ke nus ne deuissum reconter les secrez de vostre majesté que vus faites en enfern.” (2) Cum nus fumes en emfern od noz peres en la profundesce des tenebres, hastive chalur de l’orin soleil, e la real lumere espandi sur nus. Anaire le pere de humaine ligne Adam, od tuz lé patriarches e od les prophetes, esleeça, si dist: “Ceste lumere est la faiture de la pardurable Lumere, ki nus pramist a enveir sa pardurable lumiere.” Dunc s’escria Ysaie le prophete, si dit: “Çoe est la lumere del Fiz Deu le Pere, sicum jo dis quant joe ere vif en tere: ‘Le pople qui seed en regne de umbre de mort vit grant lumere, e ele resplendira sur els.’ E ore est avenue e resplendi sur nus seanz en mort.” [Compare Isaiah 9:2.] E cum nus eusum | grant joie de la lumere ki resplendiset sur nus, nostre pere Symeon, esjoiant, dist a tuz: “Glorifiez Crist Nostre Sire, Seignur le Fiz Deu, kar jol receu en mes mains el temple, e par le Saint Espirit si li dis: ‘Ore virent mi oil, Bel Sire, la tue salu, que vus apparilastes en le reguard de tut le pople.’”[Compare Luke 2:30–31.] Quant oi la compaignie des seinz, si s’esjoi plus. Dunc s’escria Johan, e dist: “Joe sui voiz e prophete Deu le Treshaltime. Joe alai devant li pur apparailler sa veie, pur doner science de salu. E quant jol vi, si dis: ‘Veez si l’Aignel Deu ki tolt les pecchez del mund.’ E jol baptizai el Flum Jordan, e jo vi le Saint Espirit descendre sur li en la guise de colum, e jo oi la voiz del ciel, ki dit: ‘Icist est mis cher Fiz ki mult plout a mei.’ Ore su jo venu devant sa face, e sa su descendu a vus pur annuntier vus qu’il viseterat nus, qui seuun en tenebres e en umbre de mort.” [Compare Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:29.] E cum nostre premerain pere Adam oi qu’il fud baptizé el Flum Jordan, e dist a sun fiz Sech: “Cunte a tes fiz, as patriarches, e as prophetes çoe que seint Michel l’angle dist quant joe renveiai as portes de parais pur depreier Nostre Seignur qu’il m’enveast sun angle, qui me donast oile de Arbre de Misericorde pur uindre mun cors quant jo fui malade.” Dunc s’aprosça Sech as patriarches e as prophetes, si dist: “Cum joe fui as portes de parais depreant Deu, dunc vint seint Michel l’angle, si me dist: ‘Joe sui enveié a tei de par Deu, ki sui establi sur home. Ne t’estuet laborer pas en plurant pur preiere le Oile de Misericorde a uindre Adam tun pere pur l’enfermeté de sun cors, kar en nule manere nel purras aver devant les drains tenz quant serrunt acompliz des le commencement del mund desqu’al incarnatiun de Crist, cinc milie e cinc cenz anz. Dunc vendra en tere le tres amé Fiz Deu Jesu Crist pur resusciter le cors Adam e des altres morz. E il serra baptizé el Flum Jordan. Dunc se oindra de l’Oile de Misericorde cels qui crerrunt en lui e ki serrunt a regenerer de l’ewe e del Seint Espirit | en vie permanable. Dunc descenderat en enfern le tré cher Fiz Deu Jhesu Crist si merrat Adam tun pere a l’Arbre de Misericorde.’” Quant çoe oirent tuz lé patriarches e les prophetes, si s’esjoierent. Dunc vint Sathan, le prince e le duitre de Mort, si dit a Enfern: “Apparaille tei de receivre Jhesu Crist le Fiz Deu, qui s’est glorifié. E home fud cremant mort quant il dist: ‘M’aume est triste desqu’a la mort.’ [Compare Matthew 26:38.] Il est celui qui me tolit cels ke jo aveie fait cius, e clops, e curvés, e leprus, e il par parole les sana. E les morz qui jo t’amenai, il les traist vif de tai.” Dunc respundi Enfern, si dist a Sathan le prince d’enfern: “E ki est cest puissant home cremant mort? Tuz les puissanz que sunt en tere sunt susgez a ma poesté, que tu menas par ta poesté. Ne ies tu, dunc, si puissant cum cel home Jhesu, ki crient mort e est cuntre ta puissance? Se il est tel si puissant en humanité, dunc te di jo qu’il [est] tut puissance en deité, e a la sue puissance nuls ne poent contrester. Çoe qu’il dit — qu’il creint mort — par çoe, te volt deceivre, e ce li ert a pardurable glorie.” Respundi Sathan e Enfern: “Que dotes tu a receivre Jhesu, mun adversarie e le tuen? Ja l’ai jo tempté, en mun ancien pople de Judeus ai jo commou vers li. Si ai la lance aguisé pur lui ferir, si ai medlé le fiel e l’aisil pur doner lui a beivre, e si ai apparillé le fust pur lui crucifier e les clous pur lui cloifier. E proceinement si murra, e joe l’enmerrai susget a mei e a tei.” Respond Enfern, si dist: “Tu me diz qu’il traist de mei les morz ki sunt de mei trait par preieres de seinz homes. E Deu Omnipotent les me toli. E ki est cest Jhesu ki les morz ad trait de mai ne mie par praieres fors par sul parole? Puet cel estre, que çoe est celui qui resuscitat Lazarum, que teneie mort pudlent de quatre jurz? E il le liverat a vie par la force de sa parole.” E respundi Sathan, e dist: “Çoe est cel Jhesu.” Quant çoe oi Enfern, si dit: “Joe te conjur par les tues vertues e par les meies ke tu pas ne l’amenez a mai! Kar quant jo oi la parole de | sun comandement, si tremblai tut esbai de pour, e tutes mes felunesses overaines sunt trublez od mei. Ne nus ne puemes retenir Lazarum, mes il s’escust cum egle si s’en sailli ignelement de nus. E cele qui teneit li mortel cors de Lazre aneire le rendi vif. E, pur içoe, sai que cel home, qui çoe puet fare, est fort Deu, puissant par comandement en humanité, e par li serra salvee humaine ligné. E si vus le m’amenez, tuz cels qui si sunt en cruel chartre enclos e eisterent de lienz de pecché deslierat, e a la vie de sa deité les amerrat.” E cum Sathan e Enfern parolent issi entr’els, si oierent une voiz cum tunere, e espiritel cri disant: “Uverez voz porte, princes d’enfern, si entra le Rei de Glorie!” [Compare Psalm 23:7.] E cum çoe oi Enfern, si dist a Sathan le prince: “Departiez vus de mei, si t’en is hors des mes seges! Si tu es malveis cumbateur, coment te combateras tu od Jhesu?” Puis sil chaça hors. Si dist a ses malvetsses overaignes: “Cloez voz portes d’raim, si i metez voz sereures de fer, e contresteiez forment, que nus ne seium pris od nostre preiere que nus tenum.” Cum çoe oie la compaignie dé seinz, si escria Enfern, si dit: “Ovre tes portes, e laisse entrer le Rai de Glorie!” Dunc escria David, si dist: “Quant joe ere vif, dun ne vus di jo devant: ‘Les misericordes Nostre Seignur regehisent a lui e ses mervailles as fiz des homes, kar il destruit les portes d’araim e les cloistres de fer depescha, sis delivera de la veie de lur felenies’?” [Compare Psalm 106:15–17.] E en aprés dist Ysaie a tuz les seinz: “Dun ne vus dis jo quant ere vif en tere: ‘Li mort qui sunt en tere s’esjoierunt, kar la rosee de Nostre Seignur est lur sancté’? E altre feit si dis: ‘Mort, u est ore tun agulun? E u est ore ta victorie?’” [Compare Isaiah 26:19, 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55.] Quant çoe oirent li saint de Ysaie, si distrent a Enfern: “Tu vencu, ovre tes portes, kar des ore serras nunpuissant!” E altre feid crierent od voiz cum tunere, e distrent: “Overez voz portes, princes d’enfern, si entra li Rai de Glorie!” Quant Enfern oi qu’il orent dous feiz crié, si cum il n’en oit pas si dist: “Ki est cel Rei de Glorie?” E dist David a Enfern: “Icist cri e ceste voiz conuis jo bien, kar ce est le fort Seignur e le puissant en | bataille, e il est Rei de Glorie e li Sires del ciel des ciels. E esguardat en tere pur oir le gemissement dé empecchiez e qu’il desliast les fiz des meschatez. E tu — tres vil e tres puillenz en enfern — ovre tes portes, si entra li Rei de Glorie!” [Compare Psalm 23:8–9.] (3) E cum David diseit ses paroles a Enfern, este vus si survint, le Rei de Glorie e cum Deu de majesté en forme de home, ki prdurables tenebres enlumina e les nundesliables nuiz defist par l’aie de sa nunvencue force. E nus, seant en tenebres, des deliz visita.” E cum ço oi Enfern e Mort od lur felenesses overaignes e od lur cruel ministres, si s’espoenterent en propres realtez cum il oirent la lumere de si grant clarté. E quant il virent Crist sudeement seeir en lur seges, si s’escrierent, e distrent: “Nus sumes de tei vencuz! Ki es tu qui mustres a nostre seignur nostre confessiun? Ki es tu qui, senz corruptiun, de majesté destrus nostre poesté? Ki es tu — si grant e si petit, si halt e si baz, chevaler e emperur, e en furme de serf, merveillus guerreur e Rei de Glorie, morz e vif — que la croiz portat, oscis? Morz justes el sepulcre, e vif descendistes a nus. E en la tue mort tute creature trembla, e tutes les esteilles furent commus. E ore es tu entre les morz francs si trubles nos cumpaignuns! Ki es tu qui desliez cels qui furunt lié par le premerein pecchié? Ki es tu qui enlumines ces qui furent fait cieus par tenebres de pecché e sis remaines en anciene franchise?” Ensement tutes les compaignies des deables, trublés de pour, si escrient pourusement, si distrent: “Dunc, es tu si fort home, si resplendisant de majesté, si cler senz tache, si net senz crimine? Cel munde terrien que tuteveie nus fud sujet des que ore, ki nus soleit servir, ne nus enveiat unkes mes tel mort home, ne unkes mes ne dona a enfern teles dons. Ki es tu, ki si nun tremblement entres en noz noz contreez e n’avez mie pour de nos tormenz? Einz, t’esforces de tolir nus cels ki nus tenum en noz lienz! Puet cel estre que | tu ies cel Jhesu de qui nostre prince Sathan diseit ke par la mort de ta croiz averés la posté de tut le mund?” Dunc se calçat Mort le Rei de Glorie, Seignur en sa majesté, ki prist Sathan. E li livera a la poesté d’Enfern e traist Adam a sa clarté. Dunc dist Enfern od escharn al prince Sathan: “O prince de mort Beelzebub — duitre de mort, escharn as angles, despit as dreiturez — purquei volsistes vus crucifier le Rei de Glorie, en qui mort vus nus pramisces tel conquest? Vus mesconuistes, cum fol, çoe que vus faites! Veez ci Jhesu, qui chace les tenebres de mort par la resplendissur de sa deité, e les forces de noz chartres depiece, si en jette les chaitifs, e deslie les liez. E tuz cels qui suelent estre suz noz turmenz si nus escharnissent, e par lur preierez sunt noz regnes desturiz. E humaine ligne nient ne nus crient. Einz, nus manace forement, ki unkes ne sourent vers els enorguiller — tant il furent chaitif en nostre poesté. O prince Sathan, piere de tuz mals, purquai volsistes vus çoe faire? Icez qui furent desperé tresque ore de salu e de vie, ore n’i ad nul ki giense. E en els ne pert trace de lerme. O prince Sathan, maistre clavier d’enfern, celes tues richieisez que tu aveiez purchasiez par le trespassement de Adam e del fust deveé e par la perte de parais, ore, par le fust de la croiz Jhesu as tu tut çoe perdu, e ovec, tote la leesse! E quant tu cest Rai de Glorie Crist crucifias, encontre mei e encontre tei mesovras. Des ore, conuistras tuz les pardurable turmenz que tu suffras en ma garde. O prince Sathan, auctor de mort e comencement de orguil, tu duissez primes aver conu la malice Jhesu, e puis sil deusez aver trai. Mes vus n’i poutes nule trover. E purquei le crucifiates vus, dunc, a tort e senz raisun? Tu amenas en noz regiuns un home nun nuissant, e, pur çoe, as tu perdu tuz les nuisanz del mund, e tuz les nunpuissanz, e tuz les nundreiturels!” E cum Enfern e Sathan parlerent ensemble, si dit li Rai de Glorie a Enfern: “Sathan iert en ta poesté tres|qu’as pardurables siecles el liu Adam e ses fiz mes dreiturels.” (4) Dunc estendi Nostre Seignur sa main, si dist: “Venez a mai, tuz mes fiz, ky avez ma ymage e ma figure, e ki par le fust deveé e par le Diable fuistes dampné a mort. Ore venqueiz par le fust de la croiz e Deable e Mort!”’ Aneire s’asemblerent tut li saint desuz la main destre Adam, si li dist: “Pais seit a tei e a tuz cels fidels e les miens.” E Adam se geta a ces piez e od plurant voiz, si dist: “Jo t’eshalcerai, Bel Sire, kar tu me as receu ensement!” E tuit li saint chairent a ses piez, e distrent a une voiz: “Tu es venu, le Reintur del mund, sicum nus pramaisistes par voz prophetes, e par fait avez aempli e reinsistes les Jus par ta croiz. E par la mort de ta croiz a nus descendis pur nus reindre d’enfern e de mort par ta majesté. Bel Sire, sicum tu as mis la croiz, signe de redemptiun, en tere, si la metét en enfern en signe de ta victorie, que mort ne s’estende nient plus.” Dunc estendi Nostre Sire sa main, si fist signe de la sainte croiz sur Adam e sur tuz les seinz. Dunc escria a halte voiz David le prophete, si dist: “Chantez a Nostre Seignur novel chant, kar il ad fait merveilles!” [Compare Psalm 97:1.] E tute la compaignie dé seinz respundi, e dit: “Çoe est la glorie a tuz seinz! Amen! Alleluya!” Aprés çoe s’escria Abbacus, si dist: “Tu eisis, Sire, en la salu de tun poeple, pur deliverer tes esliz!” [Compare Habakkuk 3:13.] E tut li saint respundirent, “Amen,” e distrent: “Beneit seit qui vint el nun Nostre Seignur! Deus Nostre Seignur il nus enlumina! Amen! Alleluya! Cest loenge e glorie seit a Deu!” E puis aprés Micheas le prophete s’escria, si dist: “Ki est Deus sicum tu, Sire, tolant les felenies e trespassant les pecchez? E de ta volenté est misericorde.” [Compare Micah 7:18–20.] E tute returnes ci: “As merci de nus, e tu asoldras totes noz felunies e tuz nos pecchez as plungié en la merci, cum tu juras a nos peres ces anciens jurz.” E tuit li saint respondirent, e distrent: “Icist Nostre Sire pardurablement e el sicles des secles! Amen! Alleluya!” E tuz crient, “Alleluya,” e sywirent Nostre Seignur. Dunc prist Nostre Seignur Adam par la main sil livera a seint Michel l’archangle. E tut li seint sywirent seint | Michel, e il les mena es delitabletez de parais. (5) Dunc lur vindrent encontre dous baruns anciens de jurz. Si lur demanderent li saint: “Ki estes vus ki ne fustes pas morz ne od nus en enfern? E en paradis estes od cors?” Respundi l’un d’eus, si dist: “Joe sui Enoc ki par la parole Deu sui ci mis. Icestui qui est ci od mai si est Helyas qui fui ravi el currie fuin e ici aporté. Tresque ore pas ne gustames mort, mes en advenement Antecrist, nus cumbaterum od ces disciples e od lui, par signes e par miracles. E al drain, si serrum de lui oscis en Jerusalem. E aprés le tierz jur e demi, altre feid es nues serrum vif repris.” E cum il parolent eissi seint Helias e saint Enoc, dunc i survint un home portant une croiz sur les espaldles. E quant tut li seint le virent, si li demanderent: “Ki es tu? Ta veue semble vue de larrun. E que est içoe que tu portes a tes espaldles?” Il respondi, si dist: “Veirement, [fui larrun] tut mal en tere, e li Jueu me crucifierent od Jhesu. E joe vi les signes k’avindrent en sa mort, si crei qu’il fud Creatur de tutes creatures e Rei tuit puissant. Si li preiai merci, e dis: ‘Sire, membre tei de mei en tun regné.’ E il aneire receut me praiere, si me dist: ‘Senz falte, te dis, tu serras ui od mei en parais.’ [Compare Luke 23:42–43 .] Si me dona le signe de ceste croiz, e dist: ‘Porte içoe, si va en parais. E si l’angle ki la garde te contredit l’entree, si di: “Veez ci ceste croiz. Jhesu Crist le Fiz m’enveia ça.”’ E aneire m’amena en la destre part de parais, ci me dist: ‘Ici t’esta, si entra le pere de humaine ligné Adam, od tut les fideilz Nostre Seignur Jhesu Crist le crucifié.’” A ces paroles, tuit li seint a une voiz loerunt Deu, e distrent: “Benait sait Deu Omnipotent, Pere de Misericorde, qui tele grace dona as peccheurs, e ki en parais les mena pur aver part des delices espiritels. Amen! Amen!” Çoe sunt les secrez que nus, Leucius e Karinus, veismes e oimes. Ne plus ne nus osum cunter des secrez Nostre Seignur, kar l’Archangle le nus defendi, si nus dist: “Aiez a vos freres en Jerusalem, e iloec serrez en oreisuns criant e glorifiant la resurrectiun Nostre Seignur Jhesu Crist, qui ensemble od lui vus resucita de mort. Ne vus ne parlerez od nul ho|me. Einz, serrez cum meu tresque l’ure vienge que Nostre Seignur vus doinst cungié pur cunter les secrez de sa deité.” E aprés çoe, nus dist l’archangle saint Michiel que nus alisiem ultre le Flum Jordan, u out mulz d’iceus qui resusciterent od nus, el testimoine de la resurrectiun Jhesu Crist. Tant solement nus est otrié: pur estre en Jerusalem treis jurz pur celebrer la Pascha od noz parenz vifz, el testimoine de la resurrectiun Jhesu Crist. E nus sumes baptizez el seint Flum Jordan, dunc chascun de nus ad receu blanc estole. E quant nus averum celebré la Pasche, si serrum ravi as nuues od tuz cels qui od nus resusciterent, si serrunt porté ultre le Flum Jordan. Nul home ne nus verrat fors nus. “E çoe est le cunte que Nostre Seignur nus ad otrié que nus vus cuntissum. Ore l’en rendez loenge e confessiun. Si vus repentez, e il averat merci de vus. Pais aiez de Jhesu Crist, le Saveur de nus tuz. Amen.” VI. [La Fin] Quant chescun d’els out escrit icest cunte en sa chartre, si s’esdresierent sis donerent a Nichodeme e a Joseph. Puus si furent hastivement transfiguré e enblanchiez, e puis ne furent veu. Lur escrit sunt trové tut uel, ne nient une lettre plus en l’un k’enz l’altre. Quant çoe oi tote la synagoge des Judeus, si dit chascun a altre: “Veirement, sunt ces choses de Deu. Beneit seit Deu el secle des secles! Amen!” Dunc si eissirent tuz de la synagoge od grant pour, batant lur piz. Si ala chascun a sa maisun. Tutes ces choses qui furent faites al synagoge Nichodemus e Joseph lé recunterent a Pylate. E Pilate escrit tutes les choses ke furent avenues entre Jhesu e les Judeus, kar il les volt totes mander a l’amperur Tyberye Cesar de Rome.

Of Jesus’ Passion [The Gospel of Nicodemus, Tradition A] [art. 3] I. [Preface] This happened in the fifteenth year that Tiberius Caesar was emperor of Rome, and in the nineteenth year that Herod son of Herod was king of Galilee, and in the eighth calends of April, which is the twenty-ninth day of March, and in the fourth year of the consulate of Rufus and Leo. In the year when Joseph and Caiaphas were bishops, in the fifth year after the Passion of Our Lord, Nicodemus wrote this history in Hebrew and Latin. II. [The Trial of Jesus] (1) Annas and Caiaphas and Somne, Datam and Abiron, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Nephthalim, Alexander, Jairus, and other Jews came to Pilate against Jesus and accused him of many sayings, and said: “We know that this is the son of Joseph the workman, born of Mary. And he says that he is the Son of God and King. And he not only violates our Sabbath but wants to undo the law of Our Father.” Said Pilate: “What did he do?” The Jews said: “According to our law, no one ought to cure another of illness on the Sabbath. This one has certainly cured the deaf, the lame, the crippled, the paralyzed, the blind, the lepers, and those afflicted by the Devil, and he’s done this through wicked deeds!” Pilate said: “What does ‘through wicked deeds’ mean?” And they said to him: “He’s a sorcerer. And by power of the prince of devils Beelzebub, he throws devils out, and all things are obedient to him.” | Said Pilate: “To throw devils out is certainly not of the evil spirit’s, but of God’s power.” The Jews said to Pilate: “We ask that you have him come before you and hear him speak.” (2) Pilate called for his beadle, and said to him: “Lord, go and bring Jesus peaceably to me.” The beadle departed. He knew [him] and worshiped him. And he stretched over the ground a cloth that he carried in his hand, and said to him: “Lord, walk on this cloth and come speak to the prince.” The Jews saw what the beadle did, cried out to Pilate, and said: “Why didn’t you have someone else, not the beadle, summon him? For we saw the beadle worship him, and say to him: ‘Lord, the prince calls for you.’” Pilate called for the beadle, and questioned him: “Why did you do this?” The beadle said to him: “When you sent me to Alexander in Jerusalem, then I saw Jesus upon an ass and the children of the Hebrews crying, ‘Hosanna!’ And they held palm branches in their hands. Others threw their garments in his path, and said: ‘May you be saved, you who are on high! Blessed is he who comes in the name of God!’” And the Jews cried out against the beadle: “The children cried out in Hebrew, and you, how did you cry out in Hebrew when you are Greek?” Answered the beadle: “I asked a Jew, ‘What is it that the children cry out in Hebrew?’ And he told me.” And Pilate questioned them: “What did they cry out in Hebrew?” And they said: “Hosanna!” And Pilate said: “What does that mean?” And they said: “That means ‘Lord, save us!’” Then said Pilate: “You testified that the children spoke. What crime did he commit?” Then the beadle and they were silent. Then said Pilate to the beadle: “Go outside and, if you please, bring him inside.” Then departed the beadle, and he did as he’d done before. Then he said to Jesus: “Lord, come in. The prince calls for you.” When Jesus was entered, the banners that men held before Pilate bowed down and worshiped Jesus. And when they’d bowed down before him, the Jews cried out against those who carried the banners. Pilate said this to the Jews: “It certainly doesn’t please you that the banners bowed down by themselves and worshiped Jesus. And you blame those who carry them as if they had bowed them down in order to worship him.” Then said the Jews to Pilate: “We saw how those who carry the banners bowed down and worshiped Jesus.” Then Pilate called for those who carried the banners, and questioned them: “Why did you do this?” They said to Pilate: “We are pagans and servants to idols. Why would we worship him? Truly, we held the banners firmly, but by themselves they bowed down.” Then said Pilate to the teachers of the synagogue: “Select strong men from among yourselves, and they shall hold the banners. And we will see | whether they bow down by themselves.” Then they took twelve strong men and had them hold the banners before Pilate. Then Pilate said to the beadle: “Take Jesus outside the pretorium, and then bring him back in whatever manner pleases you.” Then Jesus went outside with the beadle. Then Pilate called for those who held the banners, and swore by Caesar’s oath that if the banners lowered when Jesus came back inside, he’d have their heads cut off. After he had said this, he ordered Jesus brought back to the pretorium. And the beadle who’d brought him before brought him back. And when he reentered, the banners bowed and worshiped Jesus as they’d done before. Pilate, when he saw this, was very frightened. And he rose up from his seat and didn’t know what to do. His wife named Procula sent him a message. And she sent word to him that he should do nothing to judge this righteous man. And she also sent word to him that in a vision that night she’d much suffered great distress for this holy man. [Compare Matthew 27:19.] Then said the Jews to Pilate: “Haven’t we shown you clearly that he’s a magician? See how he’s made your wife suffer great distress in a dream so that she feels obliged to set him free.” (3) Pilate called for Jesus, and said to him: “Don’t you hear how these Jews accuse you of many things? And you don’t give any response.” And Jesus answered him: “Had they the power to speak from their mouths good and evil, they would say nothing, but they shall see that of which they speak.” Then the eldest of the Jews responded, and said to Jesus: “What then shall we see? First, you were born of fornication, and then on account of your birth there occurred the killing of the infants in Bethlehem. And then Mary and Joseph fled into Egypt because they had no trust in your people.” Some of the Jews who were there spoke well of Jesus, and said: “We don’t say that he was born of fornication. Instead, we recognize that Mary his mother was married to Joseph, and that he is not born of fornication.” Then said Pilate to the Jews who said he was born of fornication: “Your speech is not true since his mother was married, as some of your people bear witness.” Then said Annas and Caiaphas to Pilate: “All say that he is born of fornication and that he is a magician except for those who are his disciples and believers, born of fornication like him.” Then called | Pilate for Annas and Caiaphas, and questioned them: “Who are his believers?” Those who spoke [were] Lazarus and Asterius, and Autonius and Jacob, Ezra and Samuel, Isaac and Phinees, Cripon and Agrippa, Amnes and Judas: “We are not born of fornication, but are children of Jews, and we say the truth, for we were at Mary’s wedding.” Then Pilate had the twelve swear by Caesar’s oath whether it was true that he was not born of fornication. They said to Pilate: “We ought not swear, according to our law. But should anyone assert that we don’t speak the truth by Caesar’s oath, then we would be mortally guilty.” Then said Annas and Caiaphas to Pilate: “What these twelve say is true, that he is not born of fornication. But he is a magician, and he says that he is the Son of God and King. And we do not believe this.” Then commanded Pilate that all the people go outside except for the twelve who said that he was not born of fornication. And he had Jesus go by himself to a different place. Then he questioned them why they wanted him to kill Jesus. And they said to him: “They are jealous that he cures the people on their Sabbath.” And Pilate responded: “For good works they want to kill him?” And they answered: “Lord, yes.” Pilate, filled with anger, went out of the pretorium, and said to them: “I find no reason to sentence this man to death.” The Jews responded: “If he were not guilty, we would not have handed him over to you.” And responded Pilate: “Take him away and judge him according to your law.” And they responded: “It’s not permitted for us to kill anyone.” [Compare John 18:30–31.] (4) Then Pilate entered the pretorium, called for Jesus alone, and questioned him: “Are you King of the Jews?” Answered Jesus, and said to him: “Do you speak this on your own, or did others say this to you about me?” Pilate responded: “Am I therefore a Jew? Your people and your bishops handed you over to me. What have you criminally done?” Answered Jesus: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were of this world, my servants would have resisted, and I would not have been given over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not here.” Responded Pilate: “Are you then King?” Answered Jesus: “You say that I am King. To this was I born, and to this have I come. And each who is of truth hears my voice.” And Pilate asked: “What is truth?” And Jesus said to him: “Truth is from heaven.” Pilate said: “Is there not truth on earth?” Answered Jesus: “Those who speak truth on earth, how may they be judged by those | who are powerful on earth?” Pilate left Jesus in the pretorium, and went out to the Jews, and said to them: “I do not find even one wrongful deed in this man.” [Compare John 18:32–38.] (5) The Jews said to him: “This one said, ‘I can destroy the temple, and then I can rebuild it in three days.’” [Compare Matthew 26:61.] Then said Pilate to them: “Which temple?” And they said: “The temple that Solomon took forty-six years to build. And this one said he’ll destroy and rebuild it in three days.” And then said Pilate: “I am innocent of the blood of this righteous man. Look you to it.” Then said the Jews: “Let his blood be on us and on our children.” [Compare Matthew 27:24–25.] Then Pilate called for the eldest priests, and said to them privately: “Drop your accusations, for I do not find any crime deserving of death, not for healing nor for violating the Sabbath.” Then said the priests to Pilate: “How is this? He who denies Caesar is deserving of death, and this one denies God and Caesar.” (6) Then Pilate commanded the Jews to leave the pretorium. And he called for Jesus, and said to him: “What do you want me to do with you?” And Jesus answered: “As it is given.” And said Pilate: “How is it given?” Answered Jesus: “Moses and the prophets prophesied of this passion and my resurrection.” When the Jews heard this, they said to Pilate: “Why do you want to hear more of this magician’s lies?” And said Pilate: “If what he says is a lie, take him to your synagogue and judge him according to your law.” (7) Then said the Jews to Pilate: “By our law, it is right that when a man wrongs another, one should give him thirty-nine blows. He who speaks against God should be stoned.” Then said Pilate to them: “If he speaks against God, take him away and judge him according to your law.” And the Jews said: “We want him to be crucified.” And Pilate said: “This is not good.” Pilate looked at the people, and saw many Jews crying, and said: “All these people don’t want him to die.” Then said the eldest priests to Pilate: “For this has he come, that he must die.” Then said Pilate: “What is his offense, for which he must die?” They answered: “It is because he claims he is the Son of God and King.” Nicodemus stood before Pilate, and said: “Lord, I pray you, give me leave to speak a few | words.” Responded Pilate: “Speak.” “I say to the priests and the deacons and all the Jewish people in the synagogue: What do you want from this man? He makes such glorious signs as were never before made by anyone. Leave him alone. Don’t harm him. If he is on God’s side, his signs will stand, and if not, they will fall. Likewise did Moses, sent by God, make many signs in Egypt, as God ordered him, before King Pharaoh. And two of his [Pharoah’s] retainers, Jamnes and Mambres, made these same signs, but not as many. And the Egyptians worshiped them as God. And because the signs they made were not on God’s behalf, they and all who believed in them perished. And, for this, I tell you to leave this one alone, for he’s not deserving of death.” Then said the Jews to Nicodemus: “You are his disciple and speak for him.” Said Nicodemus: “Is the prince therefore his disciple who speaks for him? Does he not have the power of Caesar in this high office?” For this, then, the Jews were angry at Nicodemus, and said to him: “You believe in his power and take his side.” And Nicodemus said: “Amen.” (8) Another Jew jumped forward, and prayed Pilate that he might speak. And Pilate said: “Speak.” And he said: “I lay in my bed suffering for thirty-eight years, and Jesus healed me. And a thousand others afflicted by the Devil have been healed by him. And a thousand afflicted with various illnesses have been cured by him. As soon as he saw me, he had mercy on me, and said to me: ‘Rise up and leave your bed and go.’ And I rose up and went.” [Compare Matthew 9:6–7; Mark 2:3–12; Luke 5:18–25; John 5:5–9.] Said the Jews to Pilate: “Haven’t we already told you that he healed people on the Sabbath and threw out devils from their bodies?” And another rose up, and said: “I was blind from birth, and when Jesus passed by me, I cried out loudly, ‘Son of David, have mercy on me!’ And he had mercy on me, and placed his hand on my eyes, and immediately I saw.” [Compare Mark 10:46–52.] And another rose up, and said: “I was paralyzed, and he healed me by his word.” And another said: “I was leprous, and he healed me by his word.” And a woman named Veronica said: “I flowed with blood for twelve years, and I touched the fringe of his garment, and immediately I was cured.” [Compare Mark 5:25–34.] Said the Jews: “Our law does not accept the testimony of women.” And many other Jews and women said: “This man is a prophet, and devils are subject to him.” Then said Pilate to them: “Why aren’t | [quire 4] they subject to your teachers?” And they said to him: “We do not know.” And others said to Pilate: “He raised the dead Lazarus after the fourth day that he’d been entombed.” Then Pilate was frightened, and said to the Jews: “Why do you want to shed the blood of an innocent?” (9) Then Pilate called for Nicodemus and the twelve Jews who’d said that Jesus wasn’t born of fornication, and he said to them: “What should I do with these people who make such a disturbance?” And they said to him: “We do not know. Let them see to it.” Then Pilate called for all the Jews, and said to them: “Isn’t it your custom that a guilty man be released to you during your Passover? I have a nobleman named Barabbas among the murderers in prison, and in Jesus I find no cause for death. Which one do you want me to release to you?” Then cried out the Jews, and said: “Let Barabbas be released!” And Pilate questioned them: “What shall we do with Jesus who is called Christ?” And they said: “Let him be crucified!” [Compare Matthew 27:15–17, 20–22.] After that they said: “You’re not Caesar’s friend if you release this one, for he claims to be the Son of God and King! And you don’t want him to be king, and not Caesar!” [Compare John 19:12.] Then Pilate grew angry, and said to them: “People are always quarrelsome and contrary against those who act on their behalf.” Responded the Jews: “What did he do on our behalf?” Pilate said to them: “Your God, who delivered you from hard bondage in Egypt, led you across the sea as though on dry land, and gave you in the wilderness pots of manna and water from cold stone, and [gave] you the law through Moses. And in every way you were so contrary against him that he would’ve killed you had not Moses prayed for you — Moses whom you then wished to stone! And now you say that I hate Caesar our king!” Then he rose up angrily from his seat, and didn’t wish to go with them. And the Jews cried out: “Caesar is our king, certainly not Jesus! This one is already such that the Three Kings carried gifts to him as to a King. And when Herod heard from them that a King had been born, he wished to kill him. And when his father Joseph heard this, he fled into Egypt with him and with Mary his mother. And when Herod knew that the Three Kings had deceived him, he commanded all the infants of Bethlehem and the whole countryside be put to death.” (10) When Pilate heard these words, he was very frightened. He silenced the people, and said: “Is this, then, the one for whom Herod searched?” And they said: “It is.” Then Pilate took Jesus and sent him to Herod, for | he was in Jerusalem that day. Herod, when he saw him in Jerusalem, was much dismayed, for he had long desired to see him, having heard many things said about him. And he hoped to see some miracle from him. He asked him many things, and he chose not to respond at all. The Jewish priests and the scribes vehemently accused him before Herod. Herod and his whole host scorned Jesus and mocked him. And they sent him dressed in a white garment back to Pilate. On that day Herod and Pilate were reconciled, for before then they had been enemies. (11) Then said Pilate to those who’d brought him back and to all the people: “You bring me this man as one who misleads the people, and you see that neither I nor Herod find in him any cause deserving of death, whatever you accuse him of.” And responded the Jews, those who’d brought him back before his throne, saying: “This one calls himself King of the Jews, and, for this, we want you to crucify this one and release Barabbas.” Then said Pilate these words as a sentence upon Jesus: “Your lineage forbids you from calling yourself King, and, for this, I command that you be scourged according to the custom of former princes.” Then he commanded that he be put on the cross in the same place where they’d arrested him, and two thieves together with him, named Dismas and Gestas. III. [The Crucifixion] (1) As they led Jesus out of the pretorium, and with him the two thieves, they met a man named Simon of Cyrene, and he proffered himself to carry the cross behind Jesus. And as they came to the place where they set the cross, they stripped off his clothes, girded him with a linen cloth, placed a crown of thorns on his head, and mockingly worshiped him. Then they suspended him on the cross with the two thieves on either side of him: Dismas on the right and Gestas on the left. (2) Then said Jesus: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Then he looked at his mother and the disciple he loved so much, and said to his mother: “Mother, see here your son.” And to Saint John his disciple, he repeated: “John, see here your mother.” And on account of this, John looked at her as his mother. Then they divided up his robe by lots. And the people, and the Jewish high priests, | and the judges took their positions, mocked him, and said: “He saves others. Now let him save himself! If he’s the Son of God, let him descend from the cross, and we will believe in him!” And the soldiers mocked him, and offered him wine mixed with vinegar and gall to drink, and said: “If you’re King of the Jews, deliver yourself!” Then Longinus the soldier took his lance, struck him in the side, and blood and water issued forth. Then Pilate commanded that an inscription be written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek, and placed above his head on the cross. And this was the inscription: “Here is Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews.” One of the thieves who hung beside him, named Gestas, then said: “If you’re the Son of God, free yourself and us.” Responded Dismas angrily, and said to him: “Don’t you have any fear of God in this torment? We justly receive pain for our deeds, but he doesn’t deserve any harm.” And when he’d said this to his companion, then he said to Jesus: “Lord, remember me in your kingdom.” Responded Jesus, and said: “I say to you truly, that you shall be with me today in paradise.” And then it was the sixth hour of the day. And shadows were made upon the entire universe until the hour of noon, and then the sun became dark. The roof of the temple split into two halves from top to bottom. And Jesus cried out in a loud voice, and said: “Unto your hands, Father, I commend my spirit.” And when he had said this, he released his spirit. [Compare Luke 23:34–46; John 19:19–34.] IV. [The Resurrection and Ascension] (1) When the leader of the soldiers had seen the miracles that occurred, he glorified God, and said: “Truly, this man is the Son of God.” And everyone watching was very frightened by the miracle they saw. And they quickened their steps and retreated from there. [Compare Luke 23:47–48.] And the constable who’d been there told Pilate everything that had happened. And when he heard about the miracle, he felt great distress, and didn’t eat or drink all that day. Then he called for the Jews, and said: “Have you heard of the miracle that’s occurred?” And the Jews answered: “There has occurred the sun’s darkening, as is customary.” All those who knew [him] and the women who’d followed him from Galilee | saw all these miracles. (2) And when Jesus was dead, then Joseph came from Arimathea, the city that was in Galilee. This one was a worthy and righteous man who waited for God’s kingdom. He did not agree with the Jews’ purposes or actions. He asked Pilate for Jesus’ body, and Pilate gave it to him. And Joseph removed it from the cross, wrapped it in an very clean sheet, and placed it in a new tomb where no one had ever been laid. [Compare Luke 23:50–53.] (3) When the Jews heard that Joseph had asked Pilate for Jesus’ body, they sought to kill him, the twelve nobles who’d said before Pilate that Jesus was not born of fornication, Nicodemus, and the others who’d testified before Pilate of the good works that he’d done. But all hid themselves except for Nicodemus, for he was their leader. He questioned them: “How dare you enter the synagogue when you are murderers?” And they answered: “And how dare you enter there, you who agree with Jesus? You are a participant in his kingdom.” And Nicodemus responded: “Amen, amen.” And Joseph came to them there, and said: “Why are you angry at me for asking Pilate for Jesus’ body? For the sake of God, I have placed it in a tomb, wrapped in a clean sheet, and I have placed the stone in front of the tomb’s door. You shall see him both somewhere else and here — you who crucified the just man and struck him with a lance.” When the Jews heard this, they seized Joseph, held him, and then said to him: “We’ll hold you in custody till after the Sabbath. And know well that your body shall have no sepulcher. Instead, we’ll give it to the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth to devour.” Responded Joseph, and said to them: “You resemble Goliath who defied God and holy David his servant. Then Our Lord said: ‘Vengeance is mine and I shall protect.’ And when Pilate had washed his hands sorrowfully, then he said: ‘I am clean of the blood of this just man. Look you to it.’ And you responded, and said: ‘Let his blood be on us and on our children.’ And believe that it shall be as you said.” When the Jews heard this, they angrily took Joseph, and locked him firmly in a | house having no windows at all. And Annas and Caiaphas sealed the narrow entry and placed guards before it. Then they agreed that they’d all assemble to decide what kind of death they’d make him die. When they were all assembled, Annas and Caiaphas commanded that Joseph be brought before them. But when they opened the house’s doors, they didn’t find Joseph there. When they heard that Joseph wasn’t there, they were amazed, because they found the house locked as they had left it. And Annas and Caiaphas went away anxiously. (4) Then came one of the soldiers who had guarded the tomb. And he entered the synagogue, and said: “As we guarded the tomb, a great earthquake occurred. And we saw the angel of God as he moved aside the rock before the tomb and sat on it. And his look was like lightning, and his clothing like snow. And we became as if dead for fear of him. And we heard the angel say to the women who’d come to Jesus’ tomb: ‘Have no fear. I know well that you seek Jesus who was crucified, but he is risen. He’s not here — come and see the place where they had put him. And go quickly, and say to his disciples that he is risen from death, and that he will go before them to Galilee. They shall see him there, as he told them before.’” [Compare Matthew 28:2–7.] Then came the Jews, and they assembled all the soldiers who’d guarded the tomb, and questioned them: “Who were the women to whom the angel spoke? And why didn’t you detain them?” They said: “We don’t know, for we were as if dead for fear of the angel. How could we then think to detain them?” Answered the Jews: “Know well that we believe you.” Responded the soldiers, and said: “You saw and heard so many wonders performed by Jesus and didn’t believe in them. How, then, might you believe us? We know well that this Lord lives, whom you crucified. And we know well that you locked Joseph in a room without a window. And when you opened it, you didn’t find him. Give us, then, Joseph whom you locked up, and we’ll give you Jesus whom we guarded in the | tomb.” Responded the Jews: “We’ll give you back Joseph. Give us back Jesus. For Joseph is in Arimathea his city.” Responded the soldiers: “So Joseph is in Arimathea, and Jesus is in Galilee, as we heard the angel say to the women who came to us.” When the Jews heard this, they thought about it with fright, and said: “If these words they say be heard, all will believe in Jesus.” Then they gathered a large sum of money, and said they’d give it to the soldiers if they’d report that Jesus’ disciples had come to the tomb while they were sleeping, and had stolen Jesus’ body, and should Pilate hear of it, “we’ll support you in his presence.” And the soldiers took the money, and reported as they’d been asked to. But this word quickly spread throughout the city. (5) Then came three priests toward everyone in the synagogue: “We saw Jesus whom you crucified sitting with his disciples and speaking with them. And he said to them: ‘Go throughout the world, preach of my resurrection, and baptize in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. And whoever believes in me and will be baptized shall be saved.’ And when he had said this to his disciples, he rose up before their eyes to the sky.” When they heard this, the high priests said to the Jews: “Tell us truly, for the glory of God, whether what you say is true, and that you saw and heard this.” And they responded: “By the God of our fathers Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, in truth we say to you exactly as we heard. And we saw him rise up to the sky. And if we silence the truth, we will have sinned.” Then the high priests stood, and they took the law in their hands. And they swore that they’d never heard these words about Jesus, and they gave them much money. And they returned to their country, for they no longer wanted to stay in Jerusalem. (6) Then assembled all the Jews, and they said, crying: “God, what is this that has occurred in Israel?” Then said Annas and Caiaphas, comforting them: “Must we believe the soldiers who guarded Jesus’ sepulcher, who sa|id that the angel moved aside the rock in front of the tomb? It could be that his disciples gave them money to report this, and then they took and carried away the body. Know well that no one should believe strangers, for they took payment from us and reported what we asked them to report. In whom is it best to bear faith? In Jesus’ disciples or in us?” Then arose Nicodemus, and said: “Speak righteously, sons of Israel. You’ve heard how the three nobles swore by the law, and said: ‘We saw Jesus on the Mount of Olives with his disciples, and we saw him rise up to the sky.’ The Scripture already says that Elijah was taken up. And the sons of the prophets asked Elisha: ‘Where is our father Elijah?’ And he said to them: ‘He is taken up.’ And the sons of the prophets said to him: ‘It could be that the spirit has carried and placed him on the mountains of Israel. So choose men from among us, and we will search for him on the mountains of Israel. It might be that we’ll be able to find him.’ And they asked Elisha to go with them, and he went with them for three days. But they didn’t find him. [Compare 2 Kings 2:16–17.] And now believe me, sons of Israel: let us send [men] to search on the mountains of Israel. And it might be that some spirit has taken up Jesus and that we’ll find him. Therefore, let’s accept our penance for not desiring to believe in him.” And all were pleased by the counsel of Nicodemus. Then they sent [men] to search for Jesus. And when they had returned, they said: “We’ve searched for Jesus, but we cannot find him. But we have found Joseph in Arimathea.” (7) When the high priests and all the people heard this, they marveled and praised God that Joseph had been found. Then the Jews held a large assembly, and they agreed to send for Joseph to speak with them. Then they wrote their letters, and sent these words to him: “Good lord Joseph, peace be with you. Good lord, we know well that we have sinned against you, and that God has delivered you from our hands and from our wicked counsel. Now may it please you to come to your fathers and your sons, that we may speak to you. Peace be with you, honorable among all | the people.” Then they chose seven nobles, friends of Joseph, and said to them: “Go to Joseph and bring this letter to him.” When they came to Joseph, they greeted him. And they gave him the letter, and he read it. And when he had read, he blessed God that he had delivered him from their hands so that they hadn’t shed his blood. And when he had said this, he received the messengers honorably in his house. On the next day they went to Jerusalem. And when the Jews heard of his arrival, they all went out to meet him. And they greeted him, and Nicodemus received him in his house with great honor. On the next day Annas and Caiaphas and Nicodemus said to Joseph: “Recount to us the truth of what we shall ask you.” And Joseph responded: “Gladly.” “How was it that you weren’t found where you were enclosed? Know well that we suffered fear and much wonder before we’d spoken with you. But, now, tell us how you were freed from there.” Responded Joseph, and said: “When you had taken and placed me in prison, at around midnight the room was raised up by four angels, and I saw Jesus like a burst of light. And with fear I fell down to the ground. And he took my hand, raised me from the ground, and sprinkled my face with rosewater. Then he held and kissed me, and said: ‘Joseph, do not be afraid. Look, it is I.’ And I looked at him, and said: ‘Master Elijah!’ And he said to me: ‘I am not Elijah. Rather, I am Jesus whose body you buried.’ And I said to him: ‘Lord, show me the tomb where I placed you.’ And he took my hand and led me with him to where I had buried him, and he showed me the sheet in which I had wrapped him, and the sweat of his brow. Then I knew well that this was Jesus. And I worshiped him, and said: ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of Our Lord God.’ Then he led me by the hand to my home in Arimathea. And then he said to me: ‘Peace be with you. Do not leave your house for forty days. And I am going to my disciples.’” And when the Jewish high priests heard these words, they fell down on their faces to the earth as if dead, and, crying, said: “God, what event has occurred in Israel?” Then rose up a good man, Levi, and he said: “I’ve known that those of Jesus’ lineage greatly feared God and brought their offerings with prayers | to the temple of the God of Israel. And when the most high priest, the righteous Simeon, received him in his hands, he said: ‘Now may you release, good Lord, your servant in peace, according to your word.’ And he blessed Saint Mary, and said to her: ‘Of this child I say to you, he will be for many of Israel a resurrection, and for many an obstacle, and they will deny him. And the sorrow of his death will pass through your heart like a sword. And the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.’” [Compare Luke 2:25–35.] (8) Then said all the Jews: “Send for the three nobles who said they saw Jesus on the Mount of Olives among his disciples.” When they had come, they questioned them: “Did you see Jesus?” And they answered: “By the God of Israel, we saw him truly rise up to the sky.” Then came Annas and Caiaphas, and they divided them up. And to each one by himself, they asked if he had seen Jesus. And each swore that he had seen him rise up to the sky. (9) Then said Annas and Caiaphas: “Our law requires that the testimony of two or three is true. But what ought we to say? Was not Enoch pleasing to God, and was he taken up by the Word of God? Neither Moses nor the dead prophet Elijah was found in the sepulcher. And Jesus was given to Pilate, flogged, spit on, crowned with thorns, struck with a lance, crucified on the tree, dead and buried. But honorable Joseph says that he saw him alive, and the three nobles say that they saw him on the Mount of Olives, among his disciples, rise up to the sky.” [Compare Deuteronomony 19:15; Genesis 5:24; Deuteronomony 34:6.] V. [The Descent into Hell] (1) Then said Joseph to Annas and Caiaphas: “You shouldn’t be amazed merely by the fact that he rose alive up to the sky. You should be more amazed that he arose from death and that many other dead arose with him, and many of these were seen in Jerusalem. And everyone knows well that blessed Simeon, the high priest, received him with his hands in the temple, and that he had two sons, brothers by birth. And all of us were at their death and at their sepulcher. Now go see their tomb: it is open. And they have been raised and are in Arimathea my city, where they live in prayer. There a man heard them crying out without speaking to anyone. But now let’s go to them with deep love, compel them to come to us, and ask them to tell us something about the | resurrection of Jesus.” And when they heard these words, they were all amazed. So Annas, Caiaphas, Nicodemus, Joseph, and Gamaliel went. And they didn’t find them in their sepulchers. Then they went to the city of Arimathea. There they found them in prayer on their bent knees, and they greeted them with deep reverence, kissed them, and led them with them to their synagogue in Jerusalem. Then they closed the doors. And they took the law of Our Lord, and swore: “In the name of God, Adonai, and the God of Israel, who through the law and the prophets spoke to our fathers, [say] whether this is Jesus who raised you from death, and how he raised you.” When they heard this conjuration, Carinus and Leucius trembled in their bodies, moaned in their hearts, looked to the sky, and made the sign of the cross on their tongues. And then they said together: “Give each of us a leaf of parchment so that we may write what we heard and saw.” And they said to them that they gladly would, and gave them to them. And they sat each by himself. And they wrote, and said: “Good Lord Jesus Christ, true God, raiser of the dead and true life, permit that we may recount the secret works of your death and your cross, because we are conjured in your name. You have commanded us, your servants, to recount the secrets of your majesty that you performed in hell.” (2) When we were in hell with our fathers in the depths of shadows, a sudden heat of the sun rose up, and royal light spread upon us. Immediately the father of the human race Adam, with all the patriarchs and all the prophets, rejoiced, and said: “This light is created by the Eternal Light, who promised to send us his eternal light.” Then cried out the prophet Isaiah, and said: “This is the light of the Son of God the Father, just as I said when I was alive on earth: ‘The people who sit in the kingdom of the shadow of death see a great light, and it shines upon them.’ And now it is come and shines upon us abiding in death.” [Compare Isaiah 9:2.] And as we had | great joy from the light that shone upon us, our father Simeon, rejoicing, said to all: “Glorify Christ Our Lord, the Lord Son of God, for I received him in my hands in the temple, and through the Holy Ghost said to him: ‘Now my eyes see, good Lord, your salvation, which you revealed in the sight of all the people.’” [Compare Luke 2:30–31.] When the company of saints heard this, they rejoiced still more. Then John cried out, and said: “I am the voice and prophet of God the Most High. I went before him to prepare his way, in order to deliver an understanding of salvation. And when I saw him, I said: ‘See here the Lamb of God who takes away all the sins of the world.’ And I baptized him in the River Jordan, and I saw the Holy Ghost descend upon him in the form of a dove, and I heard the voice from the sky, which said: ‘This is my dear Son who is very pleasing to me.’ Now I am come before his face, and I am come down to you in this place to proclaim to you that he will visit us, who are in darkness and in the shadow of death.” [Compare Matthew 3:16–17; John 1:29.] And when our first father Adam heard that he’d been baptized in the River Jordan, he said to his son Seth: “Announce to your sons, the patriarchs, and the prophets what Saint Michael the angel said when I sent you to the doors of paradise in order to beseech Our Lord that he send to me his angel, who would give me oil from the Tree of Mercy to anoint my body when I was sick.” Then Seth approached the patriarchs and the prophets, and said: “When I was at the doors of paradise beseeching God, then came Saint Michael the angel, and he said to me: ‘I who am ordained over men am sent to you on God’s behalf. It is useless for you to labor in tears to pray for the Oil of Mercy to anoint Adam your father for his body’s infirmity, for you certainly shall not be able to have it before the final times that shall be completed from the beginning of the world until the Incarnation of Christ, in five thousand and five hundred years. Then shall come on earth the dearly beloved Son of God Jesus Christ to raise the bodies of Adam and the other dead. And he shall be baptized in the River Jordan. Then he shall anoint with the Oil of Mercy those who believe in him and who will be regenerated by the water and the Holy Ghost | into eternal life. Then the dearly beloved Son of God Jesus Christ shall descend into hell and lead Adam your father to the Tree of Mercy.’” When all the patriarchs and prophets heard this, they rejoiced. Then came Satan, the prince and leader of Death, and he said to Hell: “Prepare yourself to receive Jesus Christ Son of God, who has glorified himself. And he was a man fearing death when he said: ‘My soul is sorrowful unto death.’ [Compare Matthew 26:38.] He is the one who took from me those whom I’d made blind, lame, crippled, and leprous, and by his word he cured them. And the dead whom I’ve led to you, he shall draw them alive away from you.” Then responded Hell, and said to Satan the prince of hell: “And who is this powerful man fearing death? All the powerful on earth, whom you lead by your power, are subject to my power. Are you, then, as powerful as this man Jesus, who fears death and is opposed to your power? If he be so very powerful in humanity, then I say to you that he [is] powerful in divinity, and none can resist his power. What he said — that he fears death — by that, he wished to deceive you, and that will be to his eternal glory.” Responded Satan to Hell: “Why do you fear to receive Jesus, my adversary and yours? I’ve tempted him, and I’ve aroused my ancient Jewish people against him. I’ve sharpened the lance to strike him, and I’ve mixed the gall and vinegar to give him to drink, and I’ve prepared the tree to crucify him and the nails to nail him. And soon he’ll die, and I’ll lead him away subject to me and to you.” Responded Hell, and said: “You say to me that he’ll take away from me the dead who’re taken from me by the prayers of holy men. And Almighty God takes them from me. And who is this Jesus who has taken the dead from me not by prayers but by his word alone? Can this be, that this is he who raised Lazarus, whom stinking death held for four days? He delivered him to life by the power of his word.” And responded Satan, and said: “This is that Jesus.” When Hell heard this, he said: “I beg you by your powers and mine that you not bring him to me! For when I heard the word of | his commandment, then I trembled all dismayed by fear, and all my wicked deeds were disturbed along with me. Nor were we able to retain Lazarus, but he shook himself like an eagle and rose up swiftly from us. And he who held the mortal body of Lazarus immediately returned it to him alive. And, for this, I know that this man, who’s able to do this, is strong God, powerful in humanity by [divine] command, and through him the human race shall be saved. And if you bring him to me, all those shut in cruel prison and left sorrowful shall be unbound from sin, and he shall lead them to the life of his divinity.” And as Satan and Hell spoke this among themselves, they heard a voice like thunder, and a spiritual cry saying: “Open your gates, princes of hell, and the King of Glory shall enter!” [Compare Psalm 23:7.] And when Hell heard this, he said to Satan the prince: “Depart from me, and leave my domain! If you’re a poor fighter, how shall you fight against Jesus?” Then he sent him away. And he said to his wicked servants: “Shut your gates of brass, set there your iron locks, and resist boldly, that we not be overtaken amid the plunder we hold.” When the company of saints heard this, they cried out to Hell, and said: “Open your gates, and let the King of Glory enter!” Then cried out David, and said: “When I was alive, did I not say before you: 'Profess to the children of men the mercies of Our Lord and his wonders, for destroys the gates of brass, bursts the iron bars, and delivers them from their sinful ways’?” [Compare Psalm 106:15–17.] And afterwards Isaiah said to all the saints: “Did I not say to you when I was alive on earth: ‘The dead who are on earth will rejoice, for the dew of Our Lord is their health’? And another time I said this: ‘Death, where now is your sting? And where now is your victory?’” [Compare Isaiah 26:19, 25:8; 1 Corinthians 15:55.] When the saints heard this from Isaiah, they said to Hell: “You who are vanquished, open your gates, for henceforth you shall be powerless!” And another time they cried out with a voice like thunder, and said: “Open your gates, princes of hell, and the King of Glory shall enter!” When Hell heard them cry out two times, he then said as though he hadn’t heard it: “Who is the King of Glory?” And said David to Hell: “This cry and this voice I know well, for this is the Lord strong and powerful in | battle, and he is King of Glory and Lord of the heaven of heavens. And he watches over the earth to hear the groans of sinners and unbind the children of those who’ve come to grief. And you — so vile and so stinking in hell — open your gates, and the King of Glory shall enter!” [Compare Psalm 23:8–9.] (3) And as David said these words to Hell, then you arrived, the King of Glory as God in majesty in the form of a man, who illuminated the eternal darkness and unbound the boundless nights by the force of his unvanquished power. And us, seated in the darkness, you visited with delights.” And when Hell and Death amid their wicked servants and cruel ministers heard this, they were terrified in their own realms as they saw light of such great brilliance. And when they saw Christ suddenly sit in their thrones, they cried out, and said: “We are conquered by you! Who are you who reveal our confession to our lord? Who are you of majesty who, without corruption, destroy our power? Who are you — so important and so small, so proud and so humble, knight and emperor, and in the image of a servant, a wondrous warrior and King of Glory, dead and alive — who carried the cross, when killed? Dead you lie in the sepulcher, and living you’ve descended to us! And at your death all creatures trembled, and all stars were shaken. And now you’ve come freely among the dead and disturb our troops! Who are you who unbind those bound by original sin? Who are you who illuminate those made blind by the darkness of sin and lead them back to former freedom?” Likewise all the troops of devils, disturbed by fear, cried out fearfully, and said: “Are you, then, so strong a man, so resplendent of majesty, so bright without stain, so clean without mortal sin? This earthly world that always until now has been subject to us, which is accustomed to serve us, has never before sent to us such a dead man, nor ever before given to hell such gifts. Who are you, who without trembling enter our country and haven’t even a single fear of our torments? Instead, you strive to rob us of those whom we hold in our bonds! Could it be that | you are that Jesus of whom our Prince Satan said that by death on your cross would have the power of all the world?” Then Death was driven away by the King of Glory, God in his majesty, who seized Satan. And he delivered Adam from the power of Hell and took him with his brightness. Then said Hell with derision to Prince Satan: “O prince of death Beelzebub — leader of death, scorn of angels, contempt for the righteous — why did you want to crucify the King of Glory, by whose death you promised us such conquest? You misunderstood, like a fool, what you did! See this Jesus, who drives away the darkness of death by the brightness of his divinity, shatters the forces of our prisons, throws the wretched out of them, and unbinds the bound. And all those accustomed to be under our torments mock us, and by their prayers they’ve destroyed our kingdoms. And the human race doesn’t fear us at all. Instead, they who knew never to grow proud toward us — so wretched were they in our power — now menace us strongly. O Prince Satan, father of all evils, why did you want to do this? Now, of those who until now have despaired of salvation and life, there is no one who groans. And no trace of tears appears in them. O Prince Satan, principal keeper of the keys of hell, those riches of yours that you’ve gained through the trespass of Adam and the forbidden tree and the loss of paradise, now, by the tree of Jesus’ cross you’ve lost them all, and with them, all joy! And when you crucified this King of Glory Christ, you acted wrongly against me and against yourself. From now on, you shall know every eternal torment that you’ll suffer in my keeping. O Prince Satan, author of death and originator of pride, you should’ve first recognized Jesus’ malice, and then you should’ve led him away. But you weren’t able to find anything there. And why did you crucify him, then, wrongly and unreasonably? And when Hell and Satan had spoken together, then the King of Glory said to Hell: “Satan will be in your power fo|r eternal centuries instead of Adam and his more righteous children.” (4) Then Our Lord extended his hand, and said: “Come to me, all my children, who have my image and my form, and who were damned to death by the forbidden tree and by the Devil. Now both the Devil and Death are conquered by the tree of the cross!” Immediately assembled all the saints under Adam’s right hand, and he said: “Peace be with you, and with all these faithful and mine.” And Adam threw himself at his feet with a weeping voice, and said: “I will exalt you, good Lord, for you have received me in the same way!” And all the saints fell down at his feet, and said in one voice: “You have come, Conqueror of the world, just as you promised us through your prophets, and perfectly you have filled and rescued the Jews by your cross. And by your death on the cross you descended to us to rescue us from hell and death by your majesty. Good Lord, just as you’ve placed the cross, sign of redemption, on earth, so place the sign of your victory in hell, so that death may extend itself no further.” Then Our Lord extended his hand, and he made the sign of the holy cross upon Adam and all the saints. Then cried out David the prophet in a loud voice, and said: “Sing to Our Lord a new song, for he has performed wonders!” [Compare Psalm 97:1.] And all the company of saints answered, and said: “This is the glory of all saints! Amen! Hallelujah!” After that cried out Habakkuk, and said: “You have come, Lord, as the salvation of your people, in order to deliver your chosen!” [Compare Habakkuk 3:13.] And all the saints responded, “Amen,” and said: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of Our Lord! God Our Father enlightens us! Amen! Hallelujah! This praise and glory is given to God!” And then next Micah the prophet cried out, and said: “Who is a God like you, Lord, forgiving crimes and absolving sins? And your will is merciful.” [Compare Micah 7:18–20.] And all replied in this way: “Have mercy on us, and you shall have absolved all our crimes and immersed all our sins in mercy, as you swore to our fathers in former days.” And all the saints responded, and said: “This is Our Lord eternally and forever and ever! Amen! Hallelujah!” And all cried out, “Hallelujah,” and followed Our Lord. Then Our Lord took Adam by the hand and gave him to Saint Michael the archangel. And all the saints followed Saint | Michael, and he led them to the delights of paradise. (5) Then there came to meet them two very old nobles. And the saints questioned them: “Who are you who are neither dead nor with us in hell? And are you in paradise with your bodies?” Answered one of them, and said: “I am Enoch who by the word of God was placed here. This one with me is Elijah who was taken up in a chariot of fire and brought here. Until now we’ve not tasted death, but upon the coming of the Antichrist, we shall fight against his disciples and him, according to signs and miracles. And on the last day, we shall be killed by him in Jerusalem. And after three and a half days, And when Saint Elijah and Saint Enoch had spoken this, then there came a man carrying a cross on his shoulders. And when all the saints saw him, they questioned him: “Who are you? You have the look of a thief. And what’s this that you carry on your shoulders?” He answered, and said: “Truly, I [was] a very wicked [thief] on earth, and the Jews crucified me with Jesus. And I saw the signs that came at his death, and I believed he was Creator of all creatures and Almighty King. And I prayed to him for mercy, and said: ‘Lord, remember me in your kingdom.’ And immediately he received my prayer, and said to me: ‘I say to you, without fail, today you shall be with me in paradise.’ [Compare Luke 23:42–43.] And he gave me the sign of this cross, and said: ‘Carry this, and go to paradise. And if the angel who guards it denies you entry, then say: “See here this cross. Jesus Christ the Son sends me here.”’ And immediately he led me to the right side of paradise, and said to me: ‘Remain here, and there will enter here the father of the human race Adam, with all the faithful of Our Lord Jesus Christ the crucified.’” At these words, all the saints praised God with one voice, and said: “Blessed be Almighty God, Father of Mercy, who has given such grace to sinners, and who has led them to paradise to have a part in the spiritual delights. Amen! Amen!” These are the secrets that we, Leucius and Carinus, saw and heard. We dare not relate any further secrets of Our Lord, for the archangel forbade us, and said to us: “Go to your brothers in Jerusalem, and there you shall cry out in prayers and glorify the resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who together with him raised you from death. You shall not speak with any ma|n. Instead, you shall be like a mute until the hour comes when Our Lord allows you to relate the secrets of his divinity.” And after this, the archangel Saint Michael said to us that we should go beyond the River Jordan, where there are many of those who were raised with us, and bear witness to them of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Only so much has been given to us: to be in Jerusalem three days to celebrate the Passover with our living relatives, and to bear witness to them of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And we were baptized in the holy River Jordan, at which time each of us received a white chrism-cloth. And when we have celebrated the Passover, then we shall be taken up into the clouds with all those who were raised up with us, and we shall be carried beyond the River Jordan. No man shall see us other than ourselves. “And this is the story that Our Lord has permitted us to recount to you. Now may you render praise and confession to him. And may you repent, and may he have mercy upon you. May you have the peace of Jesus Christ, Savior of us all. Amen.” VI. [The End] When each of them had written this history on his parchment, then they rose up and gave their writings to Nicodemus and to Joseph. Then they were quickly transformed and made white, and afterwards they weren’t seen. Their writings were found to be exactly the same, without any letter more in one than the other. When all the Jewish synagogue heard this, then each said to the other: “Truly, these are things of God. Blessed be God forever and ever! Amen!” Then they all left the synagogue with great fear, hurrying their steps. And each went to his house. Nicodemus and Joseph recounted to Pilate all these things done in the synagogue. And Pilate wrote down all the things that had happened between Jesus and the Jews, for he wished to send them all to Emperor Tiberius Caesar of Rome.