CHA P. XXVIII. The Gospel of Nicodemus, or the Acts of Pilate; taken out of the Orthodoxographa, Vol. I. Tom. 2. p. 643. Numb. IX. Nicodemi Difcipuli, de Magiftri et Salvatoris noftri Jefu Chrifti Paffione et Refurrectione, Evangelium. CAP. I. ANNAS enim et Cai phas, et Summas, et Datam, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Nepthalim, Alexander, et Cyrus, et reliqui Judæi veniunt ad Pilatum propter Jefum, accufantes eum de multis accufationibus malis, et dicentes; Jefum novimus, Jofeph fabri filium, de Maria natum; et dicit fe effe filium Dei et Regem ; et non folum hoc dicit, fed Sabbatum et paternam legem noftram vult diffolvere. Dicit Pilatus; Quid eft quod ait? et quæ vult diffolvere? Dicunt ei a Matt. xiii. 55. & John vi. 42. John v. 17, 18. Mark xv. 2. The Gospel of Nicodemus the Difciple, concerning the Sufferings and Refurrection of our Mafter and Saviour, Jefus Chrift. FOR CHAP. I. OR Annas and Caiphas, and Summas, and Datam, Gamaliel, Judas, Levi, Nepthalim, Alexander, Cyrus, and other Jews went to Pilate about Jefus, accufing him with many bad crimes, and faid, We are affured that Jefus is the son of Jofeph the carpenter, and born of Mary, and that he declares himself the Son of God, and a King þ; and not only fo, but attempts the diffolution of the fabbath, and the laws of our fathers. Pilate replied; What is it which he declares? and what is it which he attempts diffolving? The Jews told him, • Matt. xii. 2, &c. Luke xiii. 14. John v. 18. We Judæi; Legem habemus in Sabbato non curare; ifte autem claudos et furdos, paralyticos, cæcos, et leprofos, et dæmoniacos curavit de malis actibus. Dicit ei Pilatus ; Quomodo de malis actibus? Dicunt ei; Maleficus eft, et in principe dæmoniorum ejicit dæmonia, et omnia ei fubjecta funt. Pilatus dicit; Iftud non eft in fpiritu immundo ejicere dæmonia, fed in virtute Dei. Dicunt et Judæi Pilato; Rogamus magnitudinem veftram, ut eum jubeatis aftare ante veftrum tribunal, et audite eum. AdVocans autem Pilatus curforem, dicit ei; Qua ratione adducetur Chriftus? Exiens vero curfor, et agnofcens eum, adoravit, et fafciale involutorium, quod ferebat in manu fua, expandit in terra, dicens, Domine, fuper hoc ambula; ingredere, quia præses te vocat. Videntes autem Judæi quod fecit curfor, exclamaverunt ad Pilatum, dicentes, Quare fub voce præconis non juffifti eum in We have a law which for bids doing cures on the fabbathday 2; but he cures both the lame and the deaf, those afflicted with the pally, the blind, and lepers, and demoniacs (on that day) by wicked methods. Pilate replied, How (can he do this) by wicked methods? They anfwered, He is a conjurer, and cafts out devils by the prince of the devils ; and (fo) all things become fubject to him. Then faid Pilate, Cafting out devils feems not to be the work of an unclean fpirit, but to proceed from the power of God. The Jews replied to Pilate, We entreat your highness to fummon him to appear before your tribunal, and hear him yourself. Then Pilate called a meslenger, and faid to him, By what means will Chrift be brought hither? Then went the meffenger forth, and knowing Chrift, worshipped him; and having fpread the cloak which he had in his hand upon the ground, he faid, Lord, walk upon this, and go in, for the governor calls thee. When messenger had done, they ex the Jews perceived what the claimed (against him) to Pilate, and said, Why did not you give a Exod. xx. 8, &c. Matt. iv. 24. & xi. 5. Matt. ix. 34. & xii. 24, &c. bim $ 4 troire, et non per curforem? Curfor enim videns eum adoravit illum, et fasciale, quod tenebat in manu, expandit ante eum in terra, et dixit ei, Domine, vocat te præfes. Advocans autem Pilatus curforem, dixit, Quare hoc fecifti? Dixit ei curfor, Quando mififti me de Ierofolyma ad Alexandrum, vidi Jefum fedentem fuper afinam humilem, et pueri Hebræorum clamabant Ofanna, ramos tenentes in manibus fuis; alii autem fternebant veftimenta fua in via, dicentes, Salva nos qui es in cœlis; Benedi&tus qui venis in nomine Domini. Clamaverunt ergo adverfus curforem Judæi, dicentes, Pueri quidem Hebræorum Hebraice clamabant; tu autem quum fis Græcus, quomodo linguam Hebræam nofti? Dicit eis curfor, Interrogavi quendam Judæorum, et dixi ei, Quid eft quod clamant pueri Hebraice? et ifte mihi difcernit, dicens, Ofanna enim clamant, quod interpretatur, O Domine, falvum me fac, feu him his fummons by a beadle, and not by a messenger? For the messenger, when he faw him, worshipped him, and Spread the cloak which he had in his hand upon the ground before him, and faid to him, Lord, the governor calls thee. Then Pilate called the mesfenger, and faid, Why haft thou done thus? The meffenger replied, When thou fenteft me from Jerufalem to Alexander, I faw Jefus fitting in a mean figure upon a she-afs, and the children of the Hebrews cried out Ofanna, holding boughs of trees in their hands; others spread their garments in the way, and faid, Save us, thou who art in heaven; bleffed is he who cometh in the name of the Lord. Then the Jews cried out against the messenger, (and faid) The children of the Hebrews made their acclamations in the Hebrew language; and how couldeft thou, who art a Greek, understand the Hebrew? The meffenger anfwered them and faid, I asked one of the Jews, and faid, What is this which the children do cry out in the Hebrew language? and he explained it to me, faying, They cry out Ofanna, which being interpreted, is, O Lord, fave me; or, O a Matt. xxi. 8, 9, &c. Lord, Domine, falva. Dicit eis Pilatus, Vos autem cur atteftamini voces quas pueri dixerunt? Quid peccavit curfor? et ipfi tacuerunt. Dixit curfori præfes, Exi, et quovis ordine introduc eum. Exiens vero cursor, fecit ficut et priori fchemate, et dicit ad eum, Domine, ingredere, quoniam vocat te præfes. Ingreffus autem Jefus ad figniferos, qui figna ferebant, curvata funt capita eorum, et adoraverunt Jefum. Hinc Judæi magis cla mabant adverfus figniferos. Pilatus vero dicit ad Judæos, Non laudatis quod ex fe curvata funt capita fignorum, et adoraverunt Jefum; fed quomodo clamatis ad figniferos, quia ipfi fe curvaverunt et adoraverunt? Dixerunt illi Pilato, Nos vidimus, quoniam inclinaverunt fe figniferi, et adoraverunt Jefum. Advocans vero figniferos præfes dixit eis, Quare fic feciftis? Dicunt figniferi Pilato, Nos viri Pagani fumus, et templorum fervi; quomodo habuimus adorare eum? Etenim nos tenentes figna curvaverunt fe, et adoraverunt eum. Lord, fave. Pilate then faid to them, Why do you yourselves teftify to the words Spoken by the children? (viz. by your filence.) In what has the messenger done amifs? And they were filent. Then the governor said unto the mesfenger, Go forth, and endeavour by any means to bring him in. But the meffenger went forth, and did as before; and faid, Lord, come in, for the governor calleth thee, Andas Jefus was going in by the enfigns, who carried the standards, the tops of them bowed down and worshipped Jefus. Whereupon the Jews exclaimed more vehemently against the enfigns. But Pilate faid to the Jews, I know it is not pleafing to you that the tops of the ftandards did of themselves bow, and worship Jesus; but why do ye exclaim against the enfigns, as if they had bowed and worshipped? They replied to Pilate, We faw the enfigns themselves bowing and worshipping Jesus. Then the governor called the enfigns, and said unto them, Why did you do thus? The enfigns faid to Pilate, We are all Pagans, and worship (the gods) in temples; and how should we think anything about worshipping him? We only held the ftandards in our hands, and they bowed themselves and worshipped him. Dicit Pilatus ad Archifynagogos, Eligite vos viros potentes, et ipfi contineant figna, et videamus fi ex fe curventur. Afpicientes autem feniores Judæorum viros duodecim fortiffimos potentefque fenes, fecerunt continere fig na, et fteterunt ante confpectum præfidis. Dicit Pilatus curfori, Ejice Jefum foras, et intromitte eum iterum qualivis ordine et exivit foras prætorium Jefus, et curfor. Et advocans Pilatus figniferos, qui tenebant figna priores, jurans eis per falutem Cæfaris, quia fi non fic ferant figna ingrediente Jefu, præcidam capita veftra. Et juffit præfes ingredi Jefum fecundo; et, fecit curfor eodem fchemate ficut et prius, et multum deprecatus eft Jefum, at fuperafcenderet et ambularet fuper fafciale fuum; et fuperambulavit et ingreffus eft. Introeunte autem Jefu curvaverunt fe figna, et ado raverunt eum. . him. Then faid Pilate to the rulers of the fynagogue, Do ye your felves choose fome ftrong men, and let them hold the ftandards, and we shall fee whether they will then bend of themselves. So the elders of the Jews fought out twelve of the most ftrong and able old men, and made them hold the standards; and they stood in the presence of the governors. Then Pilate faid to the meffenger, Take Jefus out, and by fome means bring him in again. And Jefus and the meffenger went out of the hall. Pilate called the enfigns who before had born the standards, and fwore to them, that if they had not born the standards in that manner when Jefus (before) entered in, he would cut off their heads. Then the governor commanded Jefus to come in again; and the messenger did as he had done before, and very much entreated Jefus that he would go upon his cloak, and walk on it; and And he did walk upon it, and went in. And when Jefus went in, the standards bowed themselves (as before) and worshipped him. II. Videns autem Pilatus, timor apprehendit eum, et cœpit exfurgere de fede fua. II. But when Pilate faw this, he was afraid, and was about to rife from his feat. But |