Christ disputes NICODEMUS. with Pilate. 9 Then said Pilate to the sin: let them swear by the life Jews who affirmed him to be of Cæsar that it is not as we born through fornication, This have said, and we will be conyour account is not true, see-tented to be put to death. ing there was a betrothment, as they testify who are of your own nation. 15 Then said Annas and Caiphas to Pilate, Those twelve Imen will not believe that we 10 Annas & Caiphas spake know him to be basely born, to Pilate, All this multitude of and to be a conjuror, although people is to be regarded, who he pretends that he is the Son cry out, that he was born thro' of God, and a king;* which fornication, and is a conjuror; we are so far from believing, but they who deny him to be that we tremble to hear. born through fornication, are 16 Then Pilate commanded his proselytes and disciples. every one to go out except the 11 Pilate replied to Annas twelve men who said he was and Caiphas, Who are the not born through fornication, proselytes? They answered, and Jesus to withdraw to a They are those who are the distance, and said to them, children of Pagans, and are not Why have the Jews a mind to become Jews, but followers of kill Jesus? him. 17 They answered him; 12 Then replied Eleazar, They are angry because he and Asterius, and Antonius, wrought cures on the sabbath and James, Caras and Samuel, day. Pilate said, Will they Isaac and Phineas, Crispus kill him for a good work?† and Agrippa, Annan and Ju-They say unto him, Yes, Sir. das, We are not proselytes, but children of Jews, and speak CHAP. III. the truth, and were present 1 Is exonerated by Pilate. when Mary was betrothed. 11 Disputes with Pilate concerning truth. THEN Pilate, filled with 13 Then Pilate addressing himself to the twelve men who spake this, said to them I con- anger, went out of the jure you by the life of Cæsar, hall, and said to the Jews, I that ye faithfully declare wheth- call the whole world to witer he was born through forni-ness that I find no fault in that cation, and those things be man. true which ye have related. 2 The Jews replied to Pi14 They answered Pilate, late, If he had not been a wick We have a law, whereby we are forbid to swear, it being a *Johu, v. 17, 18. Mark, xv. 2. tJohn, x. 32. John, xviii. 31, &c. Pilate finds no NICODEMUS. fault in Jesu.s ed person, we had not brought is of the truth, heareth my him before thee. voice. 11 Pilate saith to him, What 3 Pilate said to them, Do ye take him, and try him by is truth? your law. 4 Then the Jews said, It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. 5 Pilate said to the Jews, 12 Jesus said, Truth is from heaven. 13 Pilate said, Therefore truth is not on earth. 14 Jesus saith to Pilate, Believe that truth is on earth The command therefore, Thou shalt not kill,* belongs to you, among those who when they but not to me. have the power of judgment, 6 And he went again into are governed by truth, and the hall, and called Jesus by form right judgment. himself, and said to him, Art thou the king of the Jews? 7 And Jesus answering, said to Pilate, Dost thou speak this of thyself, or did the Jews tell it thee concerning me? 8 Pilate answering, said to Jesus, Am I a Jew? The whole nation and rulers of the Jews have delivered thee up to me. What hast thou done? 9 Jesus answering, said, My from hence. 1 CHAP. IV. Pilate finds no fault in Jesus. 16 The Jews demand his crucifixion. HEN Pilate left Jesus in the hall, and went out to the Jews, and said, I find not any one fault in Jesus. 2 The Jews say unto him, But he said, I can destroy the temple of God, and in three days build it up again. was kingdom is not of this world: 3 Pilate saith unto them, if my kingdom were of this What sort of temple is that of world, then would my servants which he speaketh ? fight, and I should not have been delivered to the Jews; That which Solomon 4 The Jews say unto him, but now my kingdom is not forty-six years in building,* he said he would destroy, and in 10 Pilate said, Art thou a three days build up. king then? Jesus answered, 5 Pilate said to them again, Thou sayest that I am a king: I am innocent from the blood to this end was I born, and for of that man; do ye look to it.f this end came I into the world; and for this purpose I came, that I should bear witness to the truth; and every one who *Exod, xx. 13. His blood be upon us and our 6 The Jews say to him, children.. Then Pilate calling *John, ii. 20 The Jews NICODEMUS. demand his death. together the elders and scribes, thirty stripes; but if after this priests and Levites, saith to manner he shall blaspheme them privately, Do not act against the Lord, he shall be thus; I have found nothing in stoned. your charge (against him) 15 Pilate saith unto them, concerning his curing sick If that speech of his was blaspersons, and breaking the sab-phemy, do ye try him accordbath, worthy of death. ing to your law. 7 The priests and Levites 16 The Jews say to Pilate, replied to Pilate, By the life of Our law commands us not to Cæsar, if any one be a blas-put any one to death :* we dephemer, he is worthy of sire that he may be crucified, death; but this man hath because he deserves the death blasphemed against the Lord. of the cross. 8 Then the governor again 17 Pilate saith to them, It commanded the Jews to depart is not fit he should be cruciout of the hall; and calling fied; let him be only whipped Jesus, said to him, What shall and sent away.. I do with thee? 9 Jesus answered him, Do according as it is written... 10 Pilate said to him, How is it written? 18 But when the governor looked upon the people that were present and the Jews, he saw many of the Jews in tears, and said to the chief priests of 11 Jesus saith to him, the Jews, All the people do Moses and the prophets have not desire his death. prophesied concerning my 19 The elders of the Jews suffering and resurrection. answered to Pilate, We and 12 The Jews hearing this, all the people came hither for were provoked, and said to this very purpose, that he Pilate, Why wilt thou any long-should die. er hear the blasphemy of that 20 Pilate saith to them, Why should he die ? man ? 13 Pilate saith to them, If 21 They said to him, Bethese words seem to you blas-cause he declares himself to be phemy, do ye take him, bring the Son of God, and a King. him to your court, and try him according to your law. 14 The Jews reply to Pilate, Our law saith, that if one man injure another, he shall be obliged to receive pine and Lev. xxiv. 16. CHAP. V. 1 Nicodemus speaks in defence of Christ, and relates his miracles. 12 another Jew, 26 with Veronica, *Exod. xx. 13. Nicodemus speaks in NICODEMUS. defence of Christ. 34 Centurio, and others, 6 And the miracles, which testify of other miracles. the magician wrought, were UT Nicodemus, a certain not of God, as ye know, O Jew, stood before the scribes and Pharisees; but governor, and said, I entreat they who wrought them perthee, O righteous judge, that ished, and all who believed thou wouldest favor me with them.* B 7 And now let this man go; because the very miracles for which ye accuse him, are from God; and he is not worthy of 3 Nicodemus said, I speak death. to the elders of the Jews, and 8 The Jews then said to the scribes, and priests, and Nicodemus, Art thou become Levites, and all the multitude his disciple, and making of the Jews, in their assembly; speeches in his favour? What is it that ye would do 9 Nicodemus said to them, with this man? Is the governor become his 4 He is a man who hath disciple also, and does he wrought many useful and glo- make speeches for him? Did rious miracles, such as no man not Cæsar place him in that on earth ever wrought before, high post? nor will ever work.* Let him 10 When the Jews heard go, and do him no harm: if this, they trembled, and gnashhe cometh from God, his mira-ed their teeth at Nicodemus, cles (his miraculous cures) and said to him, Mayest thou will continue; but if from men, receive his doctrine for truth, they will come to nought.+ and have thy lot with Christ! 5 Thus Moses, when he 11 Nicodemus replied, Awas sent by God into Egypt, men; I will receive his docwrought the miracles which trine, and my lot with him, as God commanded him, before ye have said. Pharaoh king of Egypt; and 12 Then another certain though the magicians of that J Jew rose up, and desired leave country, Jannes and Jambres, of the governor to hear him a wrought by their magic the few words. same miracles which Moses did, yet they could not work all which he did: || *John, iii. 2. + Acts, v. 38. These are mentioned also as the names of the magicians, 2 Tim. iii. 8. Exod. viii. 18, &c.. 13 And the governor said, Speak what thou hast a mind. 14 And he said, I lay for thirty-eight years by the sheep, *Acts, v. 35. An allusion to Ga maliel's speech. Witnesses to Christ's NICODEMUS. Miracles. pool at Jerusalem, labouring by, and I asked what was under a great infirmity, and there? a cure which waiting for 21 They told me that Jesus should be wrought by the com- was passing by then I cried ing of an angel, who at a cer-out, saying, Jesus, Son of Datain time troubled the water; vid, have mercy upon me.and whosoever first after the And he stood still, and comtroubling of the water stepped manded that I should be in, was made whole of what-brought to him, and said to soever disease he had. me, What wilt thou? 15 And when Jesus saw 22 I said, Lord, that I may me languishing there, he said receive my sight. to me, Wilt thou be made 23 He said to me, Receive whole? And I answered, Sir, thy sight; and presently I I have no man, when the wa-saw, and followed him, rejoic-· ter is troubled, to put me into ing and giving thanks. the pool. 24 Another Jew also came 16 And he said unto me, Rise, forth, and said, I was a leper, take up thy bed, and walk.ad he cured me by his word And I was immediate made oy, saying, I will, be thou whole, and took up bed, clean; and presently I was cleansed from my leprosy. and walked.* * forth, and said, I was crooked, and he made me straight by his word.ti 17 The Jews then id to 25 And another Jew came Pilate, Our Lord Governor, pray ask him what day it was on which he was cured of his infirmity. 26¶ And a certain woman 18 The infirm person repli- named Veronica, said, I was ed, It was on the sabbath. afflicted with an issue of blood 19 The Jews said to Pilate, twelve years, and I touched Did we not say that he the hem of his garment, and wrought his cures on the sab-presently the issue of my bath, and cast out devils by blood stopped. the prince of devils? 20 Then another certain Jew came forth, and said, I was blind, could hear sounds. but could not see any one; and as Jesus was going along, I heard the multitude passing *John, v. 1. 2, &t. Mark, x. 45. 27 The Jews then said, We have a law, that a woman *Matt. viii. 11, &c. Matt ix. 20, &c. See concerning his woman called Veronica, on whom this miracle was performed; and the tue which she erecred to the honour of Christ, in Euseb. Hist. Eccl. 1. 7. c. $18. |