Chapter Fifteen
And at once, in the morning, having formed a council, the chief priests with the elders and scribes and the whole sanhedrin, having bound Jesus carried him away and handed him over to Pilate.
And Pilate asked him,
“Are you the King of the Jews?”
And he answering said to him,
“You’re right!”
And the chief priests were accusing him very much. And Pilate questioned him again saying,
“Aren’t you answering anything? Look how many things they’re testifying against you!”
But Jesus answered nothing more so that Pilate was amazed.
Now at the feast he released to them one prisoner: whoever they desired. And there was one called Barabbas, bound with his fellow rebels, who in the revolt had committed murder. And crying out, the crowd began to beg him to do as he always did for them.
But Pilate answered them saying,
“Do you want me to release the King of the Jews to you?”
For he knew that because of jealousy the chief priests had handed him over. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd so that rather he might release Barabbas to them.
And Pilate answering again said to them,
“What then do you want me to do with him whom you call ‘King of the Jews’?”
But they again cried out,
“Crucify him!”
And Pilate said to them,
“Why, what wrong has he done?”
But they cried out more earnestly,
“Crucify him!”
And Pilate, inclining to appease the crowd, released Barabbas to them, and handed over Jesus, having scourged him, so that he might be crucified.
And the soldiers led him away into the courtyard, which is the Praetorium, and they call together all the guard. And they clothed him with purple, and having plaited a crown of thorns they put it on him. And they began to greet him,
“Hi! King of the Jews!”
And they struck his head with a cane and spat on him, and bending their knees did homage to him. And when they had mocked him they took the purple off him and put his own clothes on him; and they lead him out so that they may crucify him. And they compel one passing by, coming from a field, Simon, a Cyrenian, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
And they bring him to a place, ‘Golgotha’ which is being translated, ‘The place of a skull’. And they gave him to drink wine mixed with myrrh, but he did not take it. And having crucified him they divided his clothes, casting lots for them, who should take what. And it was the third hour and they crucified him. And the inscription of his accusation was written above: ‘The King of the Jews’. And with him they crucify two thieves, one on his right hand, and one on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled which says, ‘He was reckoned with the criminals.’
And those passing by jeered at him, shaking their heads and saying,
“Aha! You who are destroying the temple and building it in three days, save yourself and come down from the cross!”
And similarly the chief priests too, mocking among each other with the scribes said,
“He saved others: he can’t save himself! Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross, so that we may see and believe!”
And they who were crucified with him reproached him.
And the sixth hour being come, darkness came over all the earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice saying,
“Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?”
which is, being translated,
“My God, my God why have you forsaken me?”
And some of those standing by, having heard, said,
“Look, he’s calling Elijah!”
And one ran and filled a sponge with vinegar and, having put it on a cane, gave him to drink saying,
“Leave him be! Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down!”
And Jesus, having let out a loud shout, expired. And the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. And the centurion who stood by opposite him, having seen that thus having cried out he expired, said,
“Truly this man was the Son of God!”
There were also women looking on from far off, among whom was also Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joses, and Salome; who also when he was in Galilee followed him and looked after him, and many others who came up with him to Jerusalem.
And already, evening being come, since it was ‘preparation’ that is the day before the Sabbath, Joseph from Arimathaea, an honourable counsellor, who also himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, came and, being daring, went in to Pilate and begged for the body of Jesus.
And Pilate was surprised that he was already dead, and having called the centurion questioned him if he had been dead a long time. And having known from the centurion he granted the body to Joseph.
And having bought a linen sheet, and having taken him down, he wrapped him in the linen sheet and laid him in a tomb, which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone upon the doorway of the tomb. And Mary Magdalene and Joses’ Mary saw where he is laid.
