Chapter 15

  And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate.  

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  And Pilate asked him: Art thou the king of the Jews? But he answering, saith to him: Thou sayest it.  

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  And the chief priests accused him in many things.  

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  And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answerest thou nothing? behold in how many things they accuse thee.  

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  But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.  

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  Now on the festival day he was wont to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded.  

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  And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder.  

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  And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them.  

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  And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews?  

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  For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.  

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  But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them.  

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  And Pilate again answering, saith to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews?  

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  But they again cried out: Crucify him.  

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  And Pilate saith to them: Why, what evil hath he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him.  

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  And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.  

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  And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band:  

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  And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him.  

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  And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews.  

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  And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him.  

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  And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him.  

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  And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross.  

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  And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary.  

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  And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not.  

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  And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take.  

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  And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.  

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  And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS.  

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  And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left.  

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  And the scripture was fulfilled, which saith: And with the wicked he was reputed.  

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  And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again;  

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  Save thyself, coming down from the cross.  

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  In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save.  

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  Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him.  

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  And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour.  

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  And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?  

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  And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold he calleth Elias.  

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  And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down.  

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  And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost.  

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  And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom.  

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  And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God.  

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  And there were also women looking on afar off: among whom was Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of James the less and of Joseph, and Salome:  

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  Who also when he was in Galilee followed him, and ministered to him, and many other women that came up with him to Jerusalem.  

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  And when evening was now come, (because it was the Parasceve, that is, the day before the sabbath,)  

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  Joseph of Arimathea, a noble counsellor, who was also himself looking for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus.  

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  But Pilate wondered that he should be already dead. And sending for the centurion, he asked him if he were already dead.  

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  And when he had understood it by the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.  

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  And Joseph buying fine linen, and taking him down, wrapped him up in the fine linen, and laid him in a sepulchre which was hewed out of a rock. And he rolled a stone to the door of the sepulchre.  

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  And Mary Magdalen, and Mary the mother of Joseph, beheld where he was laid.  

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