My LORD’s BibleGospel of Nicodemus, Part I: The Acts of Pilate 1
Pseudonymously attributed to Nicodemus; actual author unknown, likely composed in the 4th-5th century AD though possibly drawing on earlier material. A dramatized account of Jesus's trial before Pilate and testimony to his resurrection.
1For the chief priests and scribes assembled in council, even Annas and Caiaphas and Somne (Senes) and Dothaim (Dothael, Dathaës, Datam) and Gamaliel, Judas, Levi and Nepthalim, Alexander and Jairus and the rest of the Jews, and came unto Pilate accusing Jesus for many deeds, saying: We know this man, that he is the son of Joseph the carpenter, begotten of Mary, and he saith that he is the Son of God and a king; more-over he doth pollute the sabbaths and he would destroy the law of our fathers. Pilate saith: And what things are they that he doeth, and would destroy the law? The Jews say: We have a law that we should not heal any man on the sabbath: but this man of his evil deeds hath healed the lame and the bent, the withered and the blind and the paralytic, the dumb and them that were possessed, on the sabbath day! Pilate saith unto them: By what evil deeds? They say unto him: He is a sorcerer, and by Beelzebub the prince of the devils he casteth out devils, and they are all subject unto him. Pilate saith unto them: This is not to cast out devils by an unclean spirit, but by the god Asclepius.
Συμβούλιον γὰρ ποιήσαντες οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ οἱ γραμματεῖς, Ἄννας καὶ Καϊάφας καὶ Σήμης καὶ Δαθαὴς καὶ Γαμαλιήλ, Ἰούδας, Λευὶς καὶ Νεφθαλείμ, Ἀλέξανδρος καὶ Ἰάειρος καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἦλθον πρὸς Πιλάτον κατηγοροῦντες τοῦ Ἰησοῦ περὶ πολλῶν πράξεων, λέγοντες· τοῦτον οἴδαμεν ὄντα υἱὸν Ἰωσὴφ τοῦ τέκτονος ἀπὸ Μαρίας γεγεννημένον, καὶ λέγει ἑαυτὸν εἶναι υἱὸν θεοῦ καὶ βασιλέα· ἀλλὰ καὶ τὰ σάββατα βεβηλοῖ, καὶ τὸν πάτριον νόμον ἡμῶν βούλεται καταλῦσαι. λέγει ὁ Πιλάτος· καὶ τίμα ἐστὶν ἃ πράττει καὶ βούλεται καταλῦσαι; λέγουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· νόμον ἔχομεν ἐν σαββάτῳ μὴ θεραπεῦσαί τινα· οὗτος δὲ χωλοὺς καὶ κυρτοὺς ξηρούς τε καὶ τυφλοὺς καὶ παραλυτικοὺς κωφοὺς καὶ δαιμονιζομένους ἐθεράπευσεν ἐν σαββάτῳ ἀπὸ κακῶν πράξεων. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος· ποίῳ κακῷ πράξεων; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· γόης ἐστίν, καὶ ἐν Βεελζεβοὺλ ἄρχοντι τῶν δαιμονίων ἐκβάλλει τὰ δαιμόνια, καὶ πάντα αὐτῷ ὑποτάσσεται. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος· τοῦτο οὐκ ἔστιν ἐν πνεύματι ἀκαθάρτῳ ἐκβάλλειν τὰ δαιμόνια, ἀλλ᾽ ἐν θεῷ τῷ Ἀσκληπιῷ. (85056)
2The Jews say unto Pilate: We beseech thy majesty that he appear before thy judgement-seat and be heard. And Pilate called them unto him and said: Tell me, how can I that am a governor examine a king? They say unto him: We say not that he is a king, but he saith it of himself. And Pilate called the messenger ( cursor ) and said unto him: Let Jesus be brought hither, but with gentleness. And the messenger went forth, and when he perceived Jesus he worshipped him and took the kerchief that was on his hand and spread it upon the earth and saith unto him: Lord, walk hereon and enter in, for the governor calleth thee. And when the Jews saw what the messenger had done, they cried out against Pilate saying: Wherefore didst thou not summon him by an herald to enter in, but by a messenger? for the messenger when he saw him worshipped him and spread out his kerchief upon the ground and hath made him walk upon it like a king!
Λέγουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τῷ Πιλάτῳ· ἀξιοῦμεν τὸ σὸν μέγεθος ὥστε αὐτὸν παραστῆναι τῷ βήματί σου καὶ ἀκουσθῆναι. καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος αὐτοὺς ὁ Πιλάτος λέγει· εἴπατέ μοι ὅτι πῶς δύναμαι ἐγὼ ἡγεμὼν ὢν βασιλέα ἐξετάσαι; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· ἡμεῖς οὐ λέγομεν βασιλέα αὐτὸν εἶναι, ἀλλ᾽ αὐτὸς ἑαυτὸν λέγει. προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ Πιλάτος τὸν κούρσωρα λέγει αὐτῷ· μετὰ ἐπιεικείας ἀχθήτω ὁ Ἰησοῦς. ἐκβὰς δὲ ὁ κούρσωρ καὶ γνωρίσας αὐτὸν προσεκύνησεν, καὶ λαβὼν τὸ καθάπλωμα τῆς χειρὸς αὐτοῦ ἥπλωσεν χαμαὶ καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· κύριε, ὧδε περιπάτησον καὶ εἴσελθε, ὅτι καλεῖ σε ὁ ἡγεμών. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι ὃ ἐποίησεν ὁ κούρσωρ, κατέκραζον τοῦ Πιλάτου λέγοντες· διατί ὑπὸ πραίκωρος αὐτὸν οὐκ ἐκέλευσας εἰσελθεῖν ἀλλ᾽ ὑπὸ κούρσωρος; καὶ γὰρ ὁ κούρσωρ θεασάμενος αὐτὸν προσεκύνησε, καὶ τὸ φακεώλιον αὐτοῦ ἥπλωσε χαμαὶ καὶ ὡς βασιλέα αὐτὸν περιπατῆσαι πεποίηκεν. (79707)
3Then Pilate called for the messenger and said unto him: Wherefore hast thou done this, and hast spread thy kerchief upon the ground and made Jesus to walk upon it? The messenger saith unto him: Lord governor, when thou sentest me to Jerusalem unto Alexander, I saw Jesus sitting upon an ass, and the children of the Hebrews held branches in their hands and cried out, and others spread their garments beneath him, saying: Save now, thou that art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Ὁ δὲ Πιλάτος μετακαλεσάμενος τὸν κούρσωρα λέγει αὐτῷ· τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας, καὶ ἥπλωσας τὸ φακεώλιόν σου ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς καὶ ἐπ᾽ αὐτῷ περιπατῆσαι πεποίηκας τὸν Ἰησοῦν; λέγει αὐτῷ ὁ κούρσωρ· κύριε ἡγεμών, ὅτε με ἀπέστειλας εἰς Ἱεροσόλυμα πρὸς τὸν Ἀλέξανδρον, εἶδον αὐτὸν καθήμενον ἐπὶ ὄνου, καὶ οἱ παῖδες τῶν Ἑβραίων κλάδους κατεῖχον ἐν ταῖς χερσὶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἔκραζον, ἄλλοι δὲ ὑπεστρώννυον τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῶν λέγοντες· σῶσον δή, ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου. (47270)
See also: Matthew 21:9
4The Jews cried out and said unto the messenger: The children of the Hebrews cried out in Hebrew: how then hast thou it in the Greek? The messenger saith to them: I did ask one of the Jews and said: What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? and he interpreted it unto me. Pilate saith unto them: And how cried they in Hebrew? The Jews say unto him: Hosanna membrome barouchamma adonai. Pilate saith unto them: And the Hosanna and the rest, how is it interpreted? The Jews say unto him: Save now, thou that art in the highest: blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Pilate saith unto them: If you yourselves bear witness of the words which were said of the children, wherein hath the messenger sinned? and they held their peace. The governor saith unto the messenger: Go forth and bring him in after what manner thou wilt. And the messenger went forth and did after the former manner and said unto Jesus: Lord, enter in: the governor calleth thee.
Κράζουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι λέγοντες πρὸς τὸν κούρσωρα· οἱ μὲν παῖδες τῶν Ἑβραίων ἑβραϊστὶ ἔκραζον, πόθεν δὲ σοὶ τὸ ἑλληνιστί; λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ κούρσωρ· ἠρώτησά τινα τῶν Ἰουδαίων καὶ εἶπα· τί ἐστιν ὃ κράζουσιν ἑβραϊστί; κἀκεῖνός μοι ἑρμήνευσεν. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος· πῶς δὲ ἔκραζον ἑβραϊστί; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· ὡσαννὰ μεμβρωμὴ βαρουχαμμὰ ἀδοναί. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος· καὶ τὸ ὡσαννὰ καὶ τὰ λοιπὰ τί ἑρμηνεύεται; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι· σῶσον δή, ὁ ἐν τοῖς ὑψίστοις· εὐλογημένος ὁ ἐρχόμενος ἐν ὀνόματι κυρίου. λέγει αὐτοῖς ὁ Πιλάτος· εἰ ὑμεῖς μαρτυρεῖτε τὰς φωνὰς τὰς παρὰ τῶν παίδων λεχθείσας, τί ἥμαρτεν ὁ κούρσωρ; οἱ δὲ ἐσιώπησαν. λέγει ὁ ἡγεμὼν τῷ κούρσωρι· ἔξελθε καὶ οἵῳ βούλει τρόπῳ εἰσάγαγε αὐτόν. ἐκβὰς δὲ ὁ κούρσωρ ἐποίησεν τὸ σχῆμα τὸ πρῶτον καὶ λέγει τῷ Ἰησοῦ· κύριε, εἴσελθε· ὁ ἡγεμών σε καλεῖ. (77256)
5Now when Jesus entered in, and the ensigns were holding the standards, the images (busts) of the standards bowed and did reverence to Jesus. And when the Jews saw the carriage of the standards, how they bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus, they cried out above measure against the ensigns. But Pilate said unto the Jews: Marvel ye not that the images bowed themselves and did reverence unto Jesus. The Jews say unto Pilate: We saw how the ensigns made them to bow and did reverence to him. And the governor called for the ensigns and saith unto them: Wherefore did ye so? They say unto Pilate: We are Greeks and servers of temples, and how could we do him reverence? for indeed, whilst we held the images they bowed of themselves and did reverence unto him.
Εἰσελθόντος δὲ τοῦ Ἰησοῦ καὶ τῶν σιγμοφόρων κατεχόντων τὰ σίγμα, ἐκάμφθησαν αἱ προτομαὶ τῶν σίγμων καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ. ἰδόντες δὲ οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι τὸ σχῆμα τῶν σίγμων, τὸ πῶς ἐκάμφθησαν καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ, περισσῶς ἔκραζον κατὰ τῶν σιγμοφόρων. ὁ δὲ Πιλάτος λέγει πρὸς τοὺς Ἰουδαίους· οὐ θαυμάζετε πῶς ἐκάμφθησαν αἱ προτομαὶ καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ; λέγουσιν οἱ Ἰουδαῖοι πρὸς Πιλάτον· ἡμεῖς εἴδομεν πῶς ἔκαμψαν οἱ σιγμοφόροι καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. προσκαλεσάμενος δὲ ὁ ἡγεμὼν τοὺς σιγμοφόρους λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί οὕτως ἐποιήσατε; λέγουσιν τῷ Πιλάτῳ· ἡμεῖς ἄνδρες Ἕλληνές ἐσμεν καὶ ἱερόδουλοι, καὶ πῶς εἴχαμεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ; καὶ γὰρ κατεχόντων ἡμῶν τὰς προτομὰς ἑαυταῖς ἐκάμφθησαν καὶ προσεκύνησαν αὐτῷ. (76203)
6Then saith Pilate unto the rulers of the synagogue and the elders of the people: Choose you out able and strong men and let them hold the standards, and let us see if they bow of themselves. And the elders of the Jews took twelve men strong and able and made them to hold the standards by sixes, and they were set before the judgement-seat of the governor; and Pilate said to the messenger: Take him out of the judgement hall ( praetorium ) and bring him in again after what manner thou wilt. And Jesus went out of the judgement hall, he and the messenger. And Pilate called unto him them that before held the image and said unto them: I have sworn by the safety of Caesar that if the standards bow not when Jesus entereth in, I will cut off your heads. And the governor commanded Jesus to enter in the second time. And the messenger did after the former manner and besought Jesus much that he would walk upon his kerchief; and he walked upon it and entered in. And when he had entered, the standards bowed themselves again and did reverence unto Jesus.
Λέγει ὁ Πιλάτος τοῖς ἀρχισυμαγώγοις καὶ τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις τοῦ λαοῦ· ἐκλέξασθε ὑμεῖς ἄνδρας δυνατοὺς καὶ κραταιούς, καὶ αὐτοὶ κατασχέτωσαν τὰ σίγμα, καὶ ἴδωμεν εἰ ἑαυτοῖς κάμπτονται. ἐπιλαβόμενοι δὲ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι τῶν Ἰουδαίων ἄνδρας δώδεκα κραταιοὺς καὶ δυνατούς, ἅμα ἐξ ἐποίησαν κατασχεῖν τὰ σίγμα, καὶ ἐστάθησαν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ βήματος τοῦ ἡγεμόνος. καὶ λέγει ὁ Πιλάτος τῷ κούρσωρι· ἔκβαλε αὐτὸν ἔξω τοῦ πραιτωρίου, καὶ εἰσάγαγε αὐτὸν πάλιν οἵῳ βούλει τρόπῳ. καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἔξω τοῦ πραιτωρίου ὁ Ἰησοῦς καὶ ὁ κούρσωρ. καὶ προσκαλεσάμενος ὁ Πιλάτος τοὺς πρώην κατέχοντας τὰς προτομὰς λέγει αὐτοῖς· ὤμοσα κατὰ τῆς σωτηρίας Καίσαρος, ὅτι ἐὰν μὴ καμφθῶσιν τὰ σίγμα εἰσιόντος τοῦ Ἰησοῦ, ἀποτεμῶ τὰς κεφαλὰς ὑμῶν. καὶ ἐκέλευσεν ὁ ἡγεμὼν ἐκ δευτέρου εἰσελθεῖν τὸν Ἰησοῦν. καὶ ἐποίησεν ὁ κούρσωρ τὸ σχῆμα τὸ πρῶτον, καὶ πολλὰ παρεκάλεσε τὸν Ἰησοῦν ἵνα ἐπιβῇ ἐπὶ τοῦ φακεωλίου αὐτοῦ. καὶ ἐπέβη καὶ εἰσῆλθεν. εἰσελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐκάμφθησαν πάλιν τὰ σίγμα καὶ προσεκύνησαν τῷ Ἰησοῦ. (94100)