33va]
5
10
15
33vb]
20
25
30
35
40
45
50
55
34ra]
60
65
70
75
80
85
34rb]
91
95
100
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120
125
34va]
130
135
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145
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155
160
34vb]
166
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185
190
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200
35ra]
205
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215
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235
35rb]
240
245
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35va]
266
270
275
280
285
290
35vb]
295
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305
310
315
320
36ra]
325
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335
340
345
36rb]
350
355
360
365
370
375
36va]
380
385
390
395
400
36vb]
405
410
415
420
425
37ra]
431
435
440
445
450
455
37rb]
460
465
470
475
480
37va]
485
490
495
500
505
510
37vb]
515
520
525
530
535
38ra]
540
545
550
555
560
565
570
38rb]
575
580
585
590
595
38va]
600
605
610
615
620
38vb]
625
630
635
640
645
650
655
39ra]
660
665
670
675
680
685
39rb]
690
695
700
705
710
|
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.
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