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The Acts of Nicodemus




The Acts of Pontius Pilate

AKA The Acts of Nicodemus

Memorials of Yahshua Messiyah done in the time of Pontius Pilate

Prologue

I, Ananyah, the Protector, of praetorian rank, learned in the law, recognized our Master Yahshua Messiyah [not: Lord Jesus Christ] from the divine scriptures, came near to Him by faith, and was accounted worthy of holy baptism. I searched out the memorials that were made at that season in the time of our master Yahshua Messiyah, who the Yahudim [Jews] deposited with Pontius Pilate, and found the memorials in Hebrew [letters]. By the good pleasure of Yahwah I translated them into Greek [letters] for the informing of all those who call upon the Name of our Master Yahshua Messiyah, in the reign of our Lord Flavius Theodosius, in the eighteenth year, and of Flavius Valentinianus the sixth, in the ninth indiction [i.e. A.D. 425].

All you who read this and copy it into other books, remember me. Pray for me that Yahwah will be gracious to me, and be merciful to my sins which I have sinned against Him.

Peace be to those who read, who hear these things, and to their servants. Amein.

In the nineteenth year of the governance of Tiberius Caesar, emperor of the Romans, and of Herod, king of Galilee, in the nineteenth year of his rule, on the eighth of the Calends of April, which is the 25th of March, in the consulate of Rufus and Rubellio, in the fourth year of the two hundred and second Olympiad, Yahusef [Joseph] who is Caiaphas being high priest of the Yahudim:

These are the things Nicodemus recorded after the death and passion of Yahshua, and delivered to the high priest, and the rest of the Yahudim. The same Nicodemus set them forth in Hebrew [letters].

I

1 The chief priests and scribes assembled in council, even Annas, Caiaphas, Somne [Senes], Dothaim [Dothael], Gamaliel, Judas [Jude], Levi, Nepthalim, Alexander, Jairus, and the rest of the Yahudim. They came to Pilate accusing Yahshua of many deeds, saying: We know this man, He is the son of Yahusef [Joseph] the carpenter, begotten of Miriam [Mary]. He says He is the Son of Adonai, and a king. Moreover He pollutes the sabbaths, and He would destroy the law of our fathers.

Pilate said: What things are those He does, and would destroy the law?

The Yahudim say: We have a law that we should not heal any man on the sabbath. But this man of His evil deeds healed the lame, the bent, the withered, the blind, the paralytic, the dumb, and those who were possessed, on the sabbath day!

Pilate said to them: By what evil deeds?

They say to him: He is a sorcerer. He casts out devils by Beelzebub the prince of the devils, and they are all subject to Him.

Pilate said to them: This is not to cast out devils by an unclean spirit, but by the god Asclepius.

2 The Yahudim say to Pilate: We beg your majesty that He appear before your judgment-seat, and be heard. Pilate called them to him, and said: Tell me, how can I who am a governor examine a king? They say to him: We do not say He is a king, but He said it of Himself.

Pilate called the messenger [cursor], and said to him: Let Yahshua be brought here, but with gentleness. The messenger went forth. When he perceived Yahshua he worshipped Him, took the kerchief that was on his hand, spread it upon the earth, and said to Him: Lord, walk here, and enter in, for the governor calls you. When the Yahudim saw what the messenger did, they cried out against Pilate, saying: Why did you not summon Him by a herald to enter in, but by a messenger? When he saw Him the messenger worshipped Him, spread out his kerchief upon the ground, and made Him walk upon it like a king!

3 Then Pilate called for the messenger, and said to him: Why did you do this, spread your kerchief upon the ground, and made Yahshua to walk upon it? The messenger said to him: Lord governor, when you sent me to Jerusalem to Alexander, I saw Yahshua sitting upon an ass. The children of the Hebrews held branches in their hands, and cried out. Others spread their garments beneath Him, saying: Save now, You who is in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the Name of Yahwah.

4 The Yahudim cried out, and said to the messenger: The children of the Hebrews cried out in Hebrew, how do you have it in the Greek? The messenger said to them: I asked one of the Jews, and said: What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? And he interpreted it to me.

Pilate said to them: And how did they cry in Hebrew? The Yahudim say to him: Hosanna membrome barouchamma YHWH. Pilate said to them: The Hosanna and the rest, how is it interpreted? The Yahudim say to him: Save now, you who are in the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of Adonai. Pilate said to them: If you yourselves bear witness of the words which were said of the children, how has the messenger sinned? So they held their peace.

The governor said to the messenger: Go forth, bring Him in after what manner you will. The messenger went forth, did after the former manner, and said to Yahshua: Lord, enter in, the governor calls you.

5 The ensigns were holding the standards when Yahshua entered in. The images [busts] of the standards bowed, and did reverence to Yahshua. When the Yahudim saw the carriage of the standards, how they bowed themselves and did reverence to Yahshua, they cried out above measure against the ensigns. Pilate said to the Yahudim: Do you marvel that the images bowed themselves, and did reverence to Yahshua? The Yahudim say to Pilate: We saw how the ensigns made them to bow, and did reverence to Him. The governor called for the ensigns, and said to them: Why did you do so? They say to Pilate: We are Greeks, servers of temples, how could we do Him reverence? Indeed, while we held the images [idols] they bowed of themselves, and did reverence to Him.

6 Then Pilate said to the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders of the people: Choose you out able and strong men, let them hold the standards, and let us see if they bow of themselves. The elders of the Yahudim took twelve men strong and able, and made them to hold the standards by sixes, and they were set before the judgment-seat of the governor. Pilate said to the messenger: Take Him out of the judgment hall [praetorium], and bring Him in again after what manner you will. Yahshua went out of the judgment hall, He and the messenger. Pilate called to him those who held the images before, and said to them: I swear by the safety of Caesar, if the standards do not bow when Yahshua enters in, I will cut off your heads.

The governor commanded Yahshua to enter in the second time. The messenger did after the former manner, and begged Yahshua much that He would walk upon his kerchief. He walked upon it, and entered in. When He entered, the standards bowed themselves again, and did reverence to Yahshua.

II

1 Pilate was afraid when he saw it, and tried to rise up from the judgment-seat. While he yet thought to rise up, his wife sent to him, saying: Have nothing to do with this just man. I suffered many things by night because of Him. Pilate called all the Yahudim to him, and said to them: You know my wife fears Yahwah, and rather favors the customs of the Yahudim, with you? They say to him: Yea, we know it. Pilate said to them: Lo, my wife sent to me, saying: Have nothing to do with this just man. I have suffered many things by night because of Him. But the Yahudim answered, and said to Pilate: Did we not say to you He is a sorcerer? Behold, He sent a vision of a dream to your wife.

2 Pilate called Yahshua to him, and said to Him: What is it that these witness against you? You speak nothing? Yahshua said: If they did not have power they would have spoken nothing. Every man has power over his own mouth, to speak good or evil, they will see to it.

3 The elders of the Yahudim answered, and said to Yahshua: What shall we see? Firstly, you were born of fornication. Secondly, your birth in Bethlehem was the cause of the killing of children. Thirdly, your father Yahusef and your mother Miriam fled into Egypt because they had no confidence before the people.

4 Then certain of those who stood by, devout men of the Yahudim, said: We do not say He came of fornication, we know Yahusef was betrothed to Miriam, and He was not born of fornication. Pilate said to those Yahudim who said He came of fornication: Your saying is not true, for there were espousals, as these say who are also of your nation. Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: The whole multitude of us cry out that He was born of fornication, and we are not believed. These are proselytes, disciples of His. Pilate called Annas and Caiaphas to him, and said to them: What are proselytes? They say to him: They were born children of Greeks, now they are become Yahudim. Those who said He was not born of fornication, even Lazarus, Asterius, Antonius, Yaacob [Jacob], Amnes, Zenas, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Agrippa, and Jude, said: We were not born proselytes [are not Greeks]. We are children of Yahudim, and we speak the truth. Verily, we were present at the espousals of Yahusef and Miriam.

5 Pilate called to him those twelve men who said He was not born of fornication, and said to them: I adjure you by the safety of Caesar, are these things true which you said, that He was not born of fornication? They say to Pilate: We have a law that we not swear, because it is sin. Let them swear by the safety of Caesar that it is not as we said, and we will be guilty of death. Pilate said to Annas and Caiaphas: Do you answer nothing to these things? Annas and Caiaphas say to Pilate: These twelve men are believed who say He was not born of fornication. But the whole multitude of us cry out that He was born of fornication, and is a sorcerer, and He is not the Son of Adonai, a king, but we are not believed.

6 Pilate commanded the whole multitude to go out, saving the twelve men who said He was not born of fornication, and he commanded Yahshua to be set apart. Pilate said to them: For what reason do they desire to put Him to death? They say to Pilate: They have jealousy, because He heals on the sabbath day. Pilate said: For a good work they desire to put Him to death? They say to him: Yes.

III

1 Pilate was filled with indignation, went forth outside the judgment hall, and said to them: I call the Sun to witness that I find no fault in this man. The Yahudim answered, and said to the governor: If this man were not a malefactor we would not have delivered Him to you. Pilate said: Take Him, and judge Him according to your law. The Yahudim said to Pilate: It is not lawful for us to put any man to death. Pilate said: Has Yahwah forbidden you to kill, and allowed me?

2 Pilate went in again into the judgment hall, called Yahshua apart, and said to Him: Are you the King of the Yahudim? Yahshua answered, and said to Pilate: Do you say this thing of yourself, or did others tell it [to] you of me? Pilate answered Yahshua: Am I also a Yahudi [Jew]? Your own nation and the chief priests delivered you to me. What did you do? Yahshua answered: My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would fight, that I would not be delivered to the Yahudim, but now my kingdom is not from here. Pilate said to Him: Are you a king, then? Yahshua answered him: You say I am a king. For this reason I was born, and am come, that everyone who is of the truth should hear my voice. Pilate said to Him: What is truth? Yahshua said to him: Truth is of heaven. Pilate said: Is there not truth upon earth? Yahshua said to Pilate: You see how those who speak the truth are judged by those who have authority upon earth.

IV

1 Pilate left Yahshua in the judgment hall, went forth to the Yahudim, and said to them: I find no fault in Him. The Yahudim say to him: This man said: I am able to destroy this temple, and in three days to build it up. Pilate said: What temple? The Yahudim say: That which Solomon built in forty and six years, but this man says He will destroy and build it in three days. Pilate said to them: I am guiltless of the blood of this just man. You see to it. The Yahudim say: His blood is upon us, and on our children.

2 Pilate called the elders, priests, and Levites, and said to them secretly: Do not so. There is nothing worthy of death which you accused Him, for your accusation is concerning healing, and profaning of the sabbath. The elders, the priests, and the Levites say: If a man blaspheme against Caesar, is he worthy of death, or no? Pilate said: He is worthy of death. The Yahudim say to Pilate: If a man is worthy of death if he blaspheme against Caesar, this man blasphemed against Adonai.

3 The governor commanded all the Yahudim to go out from the judgment hall. He called Yahshua to him, and said to Him: What shall I do with you? Yahshua said to Pilate: Do as it is given you. Pilate said: How was it given? Yahshua said: Moshe and the prophets foretold concerning my death, and rising again. Now the Yahudim inquired by stealth, and heard, and they say to Pilate: Why do you need to hear further of this blasphemy? Pilate said to the Yahudim: If this word is of blasphemy, you take Him for His blasphemy. Bring Him into your synagogue, and judge Him according to your law. The Yahudim say to Pilate: It is contained in our law, if a man sin against a man, he is worthy to receive forty stripes save one, but he who blasphemes against Adonai should be stoned with stoning.

4 Pilate said to them: You take Him, avenge yourselves of Him in what manner you will. The Yahudim say to Pilate: We want Him to be crucified. Pilate said: He does not deserve to be crucified.

5 Now as the governor looked round about upon the multitude of the Yahudim who stood by, he saw many of the Yahudim weeping, and said: Not all the multitude desire that He should be put to death. The elder of the Yahudim said: To this end did the whole multitude of us come here, that He should be put to death. Pilate said to the Yahudim: Why should He die? The Yahudim said: Because He called himself the Son of Adonai, and a king.

V

1 A certain man, Nicodemus, a Yahudi, came and stood before the governor, and said: I beg you, good [pious] lord, bid me speak a few words. Pilate said: Say on. Nicodemus said: I said to the elders, priests, Levites, and to all the multitude of the Yahudim in the synagogue: Why do you contend with this man? This man does many and wonderful signs, which no man has done, nor will do. Let Him alone, do not contrive any evil against Him. If the signs He does are of Yahwah, they will stand. If they are of men, they will come to nothing. For verily Moshe did many signs when he was sent of Yahwah into Egypt, which Yahwah commanded him to do before Pharaoh, king of Egypt. There were there certain men-servants of Pharaoh, Jannes and Jambres, and they also did signs not a few, like those which Moshe did. The Egyptians held them as gods, even Jannes and Jambres. Since the signs they did were not of Yahwah, they perished, and those also who believed on them. And now let this man go, for He is not worthy of death.

2 The Yahudim say to Nicodemus: You are His disciple, you speak on His behalf. Nicodemus said to them: Is the governor also His disciple, that he speaks on His behalf? Did Caesar not appoint him to this dignity? The Yahudim were raging and gnashing their teeth against Nicodemus. Pilate said to them: Why do you gnash your teeth against him, after you heard the truth? The Yahudim say to Nicodemus: May you receive His truth, and His portion. Nicodemus said: Amein, Amein, may I receive it as you said.

VI

1 One of the Yahudim came forward, and begged the governor that he might speak a word. The governor said: If you will say anything, speak on. The Yahudi said: Thirty and eight years I lay on a bed in suffering of pains. At the coming of Yahshua many who were possessed and laid with different diseases were healed by Him. Certain [faithful] young men took pity on me, carried me with my bed, and brought me to Him. When Yahshua saw me He had compassion, and spoke a word to me: Take up your bed and walk. So I took up my bed, and walked. The Yahudim say to Pilate: Ask of him what day it was when he was healed? He who was healed said: On the sabbath. The Yahudim say: Did we not inform you so, that He heals and casts out devils upon the sabbath?

2 Another Jew came forward, and said: I was born blind: I heard words, but I saw no man's face. As Yahshua passed by I cried with a loud voice: Have mercy on me, O son of David. He took pity on me, put His hands upon my eyes, and I immediately received sight. Another Yahudi came forward, and said: I was bowed, and He made me straight with a word. Another said: I was a leper, and He healed me with a word.

VII

A certain woman named Bernice crying out from afar off said: I had an issue of blood, touched the hem of His garment, and the flowing of my blood was stayed which I had twelve years. The Yahudim say: We have a law that a woman shall not come to give testimony.

VIII

Certain others, even a multitude both of men and women cried out, saying: This man is a prophet, the devils are subject to Him. Pilate said to those who said: The devils are subject to Him; Why were your teachers not also subject to Him? They say to Pilate: We do not know. Others also said: He raised up Lazarus out of his tomb, who was dead four days. The governor was afraid, and said to all the multitude of the Yahudim: Why will you shed innocent blood?

IX

1 He called Nicodemus to him, and those twelve men who said He was not born of fornication, and said to them: What shall I do, for there rises sedition among the people? They say to him: We do not know, let them see to it. Again Pilate called for all the multitude of the Yahudim, and said: You know you have a custom that at the feast of unleavened bread I should release to you a prisoner. Now I have a prisoner under condemnation in the prison, a murderer, Barabbas by name; and this Yahshua also who stands before you, in whom I find no fault. Whom will you that I release to you? But they cried out: Barabbas. Pilate said: What will I do then with Yahshua who is called Messiyah? The Yahudim say: Let Him be crucified. Certain of the Yahudim answered: You are not a friend of Caesar's if you let this man go. He called Himself the Son of Adonai, and a king, therefore you will have Him for king, and not Caesar.

2 Pilate was wroth, and said to the Yahudim: Your nation is always seditious, and you rebel against your benefactors. The Yahudim say: Against what benefactors? Pilate said: According as I heard, Yahwah brought you out of Egypt out of hard bondage, led you safe through the sea as by dry land, He nourished you with manna in the wilderness, gave you quails, gave you water to drink out of a rock, and gave you a Law. And in all these things you provoked Yahwah to anger, made a molten calf, angered Yahwah, and He wanted to kill you. Moshe made supplication for you, and you were not put to death. And now you accuse me, that I hate the emperor.

3 He rose up from the judgment-seat, and tried to go forth. The Yahudim cried out, saying: We know our king, even Caesar, and not Yahshua. The wise men indeed brought gifts from the east to Him as to a king. When Herod heard from the wise men that a king was born, he tried to kill Him. When His father Yahusef knew that, he took Him and His mother, and they fled into Egypt. When Herod heard it he destroyed the children of the Hebrews who were born in Bethlehem.

4 When Pilate heard these words he was afraid. Pilate silenced the multitude, because they cried still, and said to them: So, then, this is He whom Herod wanted? The Yahudim say: Yes, this is He. Pilate took water, and washed his hands before the sun, saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man. You see to it. Again the Yahudim cried out: His blood is upon us, and upon our children!

5 Pilate commanded the veil to be drawn before the judgment-seat where he sat, and said to Yahshua: Your nation convicted you of being a king. Therefore I decree that you should first be scourged according to the law of the pious emperors, and then hanged upon the stake in the garden where you were taken. Let Dysmas and Gestas the two malefactors be crucified with you.

X

1 Yahshua went forth of the judgment hall, and the two malefactors with Him. When they were come to the place they stripped Him of His garments, wrapped Him with a linen cloth, and put a crown of thorns about His head. Likewise also they hanged up the two malefactors. But Yahshua said: Father forgive them, for they do not know what they do. The soldiers divided His garments among them.

The people stood looking upon Him, and the chief priests and the rulers with them. They derided Him, saying: He saved others, let Him save Himself. If He is the son of Adonai let Him come down from the stake. The soldiers also mocked Him, coming and offering Him vinegar with gall. They said: If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself.

After the sentence Pilate commanded His accusation to be written for a title in letters of Greek, Latin, and Hebrew, according to the saying of the Yahudim: He is the King of the Yahudim.

2 One of the malefactors that were hanged [by name Gestas] spoke to Him, saying: If you are the Messiyah, save yourself, and us. But Dysmas answering, rebuked him, saying: Do you not at all fear Yahwah, seeing you are in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds, but this man did nothing amiss. Then he said to Yahshua: Remember me, Master, in your kingdom. Yahshua said to him: Verily, verily, I say to you, Today you will be with me in paradise.

XI

1 It was about the sixth hour [noon], and there was darkness over the land until the ninth hour, for the sun was darkened. The veil of the temple was torn apart in the middle. Yahshua called with a loud voice, and said: Father, baddach ephkid rouel (which is interpreted: Into your hands I commend my spirit). Having said this, He gave up the spirit. When the centurion saw what was done, he glorified Yahwah, saying: This man was righteous. All the multitudes who came to the sight, smote their breasts when they saw what was done, and returned.

2 The centurion reported to the governor the things that came to pass. When the governor and his wife heard, they were sore vexed, and neither ate nor drank that day. Pilate sent for the Yahudim, and said to them: Did you see that which came to pass? But they said: There was an eclipse of the sun after the accustomed sort.

3 His acquaintance stood afar off, and the women who came with Him from Galilee, watching these things. But a certain man named Yahusef, a counsellor of the city of Arimathaea, who also himself looked for the kingdom of Yahwah, this man went to Pilate and begged the body of Yahshua. He took it down, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid it in a hewn sepulchre where no man yet laid.

XII

1 When the Yahudim heard that Yahusef begged the body of Yahshua, they looked for him, for the twelve men who said Yahshua was not born of fornication, for Nicodemus, and many others who came forth before Pilate, and declared His good works. But they all hid themselves, and only Nicodemus was seen of them, for he was a ruler of the Yahudim. Nicodemus said to them: How did you come into the synagogue? The Yahudim say to him: How did you come into the synagogue? You are confederate with Him, and His portion will be with you in the life to come. Nicodemus said: Amein, Amein. Likewise Yahusef also came forth, and said to them: Why is it you are vexed against me, that I begged the body of Yahshua? Behold, I laid it in my new tomb, having wrapped it in clean linen, and I rolled a stone over the door of the cave. You did not deal well with the Just One, for you did not repent when you crucified Him, but you also pierced Him with a spear.

The Yahudim took hold on Yahusef, and commanded him to be put in safeguard until the first day of the week. They said to him: Know that the time does not allow us to do anything against you, because the sabbath dawns. But know that you will not obtain burial, we will give your flesh to the fowls of the heaven. Yahusef said to them: That is the word of Goliath, the boastful who reproached the living Yahwah, and the holy David. Yahwah said by the prophet: Vengeance is mine. I will recompense: says Yahwah. Lo, one who was uncircumcised, but circumcised in heart, took water and washed his hands before the sun, saying: I am Innocent of the blood of this just person. You see to it. You answered Pilate, and said: His blood is upon us, and upon our children. Now I fear the wrath of Yahwah will come upon you, and upon your children, as you said. When the Yahudim heard these words they became bitter in soul, caught hold on Yahusef, took him, shut him up in a house where there was no window, and guards were set at the door. They sealed the door of the place where Yahusef was shut up.

2 On the sabbath day the rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, made an ordinance that all men should appear in the synagogue on the first day of the week. All the multitude rose up early, and took council in the synagogue by what death they should kill him. When the council was set they commanded him to be brought with great dishonor. When they opened the door they did not find him. All the people were beside themselves, and amazed, because they found the seals closed, and Caiaphas had the key. They dared not anymore to lay hands upon those who spoke in the behalf of Yahshua before Pilate.

XIII

1 While they yet sat in the synagogue, and marvelled because of Yahusef, there came certain of the guard which the Yahudim had asked of Pilate to keep the sepulchre of Yahshua, unless maybe His disciples should come and steal Him away. They spoke, and declared to the rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, that which came to pass. There was a great earthquake, we saw a god descend from heaven, he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the cave, and sat upon it. He shone like snow and like lightning. We were very afraid, and lay as dead men. We heard the voice of the god speaking with the women who waited at the sepulchre, saying: Do not fear. I know you seek Yahshua who was crucified. He is not here. He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where He lay. Go quickly, say to His disciples He is risen from the dead, and is in Galilee.

2 The Yahudim say: With what women did he speak? Those of the guard say: We do not know who they were. The Yahudim say: At what hour was it? Those of the guard say: At midnight. The Yahudim say: Why did you not take the women? Those of the guard say: We were become as dead men through fear, and we did not expect to see the light of the day. How then could we take them? The Yahudim say: As Adonai lives, we do not believe you. Those of the guard say to the Yahudim: So many signs you saw in that man, and you did not believe, how then should you believe us? Verily you swore rightly: as Adonai lives. For He lives indeed. Again those of the guard say: We heard that you shut up him who begged the body of Yahshua, and that you sealed the door, but when you opened it you did not find him. You give Yahusef, and we will give you Yahshua. The Yahudim say: Yahusef is departed to his own city. Those of the guard say to the Yahudim: Yahshua is risen, as we heard of the god, and He is in Galilee.

3 When the Yahudim heard these words they were terribly afraid, saying: Take heed unless this report is heard, and all men incline to Yahshua. The Yahudim took counsel, laid down much money, and gave it to the soldiers, saying, You say: While we slept His disciples came by night and stole Him away. If this come to the governor's hearing we will persuade him, and secure you. They took the money, and did as they were instructed. And this their saying was published abroad among all men.

XIV

1 Now a certain priest named Phinees, and Addas a teacher, and Aggaeus a Levite, came down from Galilee to Yerusalem. They told the rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, saying: We saw Yahshua and His disciples sitting upon the mountain which is called Mamilch, and He said to His disciples: Go into all the world, preach to every creature [the whole creation]. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who disbelieves will be condemned. These signs will follow upon those who believe: in my Name they will cast out devils, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing it will not hurt them. They will lay hands upon the sick, and they will recover. While Yahshua yet spoke to His disciples, we saw Him taken up into heaven.

2 The elders, priests, and Levites say: Give glory to the Adonai of Israel, and make confession to Him. Did you indeed hear and see those things which you told us? Those who told them said: As Adonai (Father of our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob) lives, we did hear these things, and we saw Him taken up into heaven. The elders, the priests, and the Levites, say to them: Did you come for this end, that you might tell us, or did you come to pay your vows to Adonai? And they say: To pay our vows to Adonai. The elders, the chief priests, and the Levites say to them: If you came to pay your vows to Adonai, to what purpose is this idle tale you babbled before all the people? Phinees the priest, Addas the teacher, and Aggaeus the Levite, say to the rulers of the synagogue, priests, and Levites: If these words which you spoke and see are sin, lo, we are before you. Do to us as seems good in your eyes. They took the book of the law, and adjured them that they should not tell any man these words. They gave them to eat, and to drink, and put them out of the city. Moreover they gave them money, and three men to go with them. They set them on their way as far as Galilee, and they departed in peace.

3 When these men were departed into Galilee, the chief priests, the rulers of the synagogue, and the elders, gathered together in the synagogue, shut the gate, and lamented with a great lamentation, saying: What is this sign which is come to pass in Yisrayah? Amlas and Caiaphas said: Why are you troubled? Why do you weep? Do you not know His disciples gave much gold to those who kept the sepulchre, and taught them to say a god came down and rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? But the priests and the elders said: Be it so, that His disciples did steal away His body. But how is His soul entered into His body, and how does He abide in Galilee? But they could not answer these things, and hardly said in the end: It is not lawful for us to believe the uncircumcised. Ought we to believe the soldiers, that a god came down from heaven, and rolled away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? But in truth His disciples gave [.....] sepulchre. Do you know it is not lawful for Jews to believe any word of the uncircumcised, knowing those who receive much good from us spoke according as we taught them.

XV

Nicodemus rose up, and stood before the council, saying: You say well. Do you know, O people of Adonai, the men who came down out of Galilee fear YHWH, and are men of substance, hating a lie, men of peace? They told you with an oath, saying: We saw Yahshua upon the mount Mamilch with His disciples, and He taught them all things you heard of them. And they say: We saw Him taken up into heaven. No man asked them in what manner He was taken up. Like as the book of the holy scriptures taught us Eliyah [Elijah, Elias] was also taken up into heaven. Elisha [Eliseus] cried out with a loud voice, and Eliyah cast his hairy cloak upon Elisha. Elisha cast the cloak upon Yordan, passed over, and went to Yericho. The sons of the prophets met him, and said: Elisha, where is your master Eliyah? He said he was taken up into heaven. They said to Elisha: Did a spirit catch him up, and cast him upon one of the mountains? Let us take our servants with us, and seek after him. They persuaded Elisha, and he went with them. They looked for him three days, and did not find him, so they knew he was taken up. Now hearken to me, let us send into all the mountains of Yisrayah, and see whether the Messiyah was not taken up by a spirit, and cast upon one of the mountains. This saying pleased them all. They sent into all the mountains and looked for Yahshua, and did not find Him. But they found Yahusef in Arimathaea, and no man dared lay hands upon him.

2 They told the elders, the priests, and the Levites, saying: We went about throughout all the coasts of Yisrayah, and we did not find Yahshua, but we found Yahusef in Arimathaea. When they heard of Yahusef they rejoiced, and gave glory to the Adonai of Yisrayah. The rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, took counsel how they should meet with Yahusef. They took a volume of paper, and wrote to Yahusef these words:

Peace be to you. We know we sinned against Adonai, and against you. We prayed to the Adonai of Yisrayah that you should promise to come to your fathers, and to your children. We are all troubled, because when we opened the door we did not find you. We know we devised an evil counsel against you, but Adonai helped you. Adonai Himself made our counsel against you of no effect, O father Yahusef, you who are honorable among all the people.

3 Out of all Yisrayah they chose seven men who were friends of Yahusef, whom Yahusef also himself accounted his friends. The rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, said to them: If he receives our epistle and reads it, know that he will come with you to us. But if he does not read it, know that he is vexed with us. Salute him in peace, and return to us. They blessed the men, and let them go.

The men came to Yahusef, did him reverence, and said to him: Peace be to you. He said: Peace be to you, and to all the people of Yisrayah. They gave him the book of the epistle. Yahusef received it, read it, embraced the epistle, blessed Yahwah, and said: Blessed is the Master Yahwah, who redeemed Yisrayah from shedding innocent blood. Blessed is the Master, who sent His malak, and sheltered me under his wings. He kissed them, and set a table before them. They ate, drank, and lay there.

4 They rose up early, and prayed. Yahusef saddled his she-ass, and went with the men. They came to the holy city, even Yerusalem. All the people came to meet Yahusef, and cried: Peace be to your entering-in. He said to all the people: Peace be to you, and all the people kissed him. The people prayed with Yahusef, and they were astonished at the sight of him.

Nicodemus received him into his house, and made a great feast. He called Annas, Caiaphas, the elders, the priests, and the Levites, to his house. They made merry eating and drinking with Yahusef. After they sang a hymn every man went to his house. But Yahusef abode in the house of Nicodemus.

5 The next day, which was the preparation, the rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, rose up early and came to the house of Nicodemus. Nicodemus met them, and said: Peace be to you. And they said: Peace be to you, to Yahusef, to all your house, and to all the house of Yahusef. And he brought them into his house. The whole council was set. Yahusef sat between Annas and Caiaphas, and no man dared speak a word to him. Yahusef said: Why is it that you called me? They beckoned to Nicodemus that he should speak to Yahusef. Nicodemus opened his mouth, and said to Yahusef: Father, you know the reverend doctors, the priests, and the Levites, seek to learn a matter from you. Yahusef said: Inquire. Annas and Caiaphas took the book of the Law, and adjured Yahusef, saying: Give glory to the Adonai of Israel, and make confession to Him. When Achar was adjured of the prophet Yeshua [Joshua], he did not foreswear himself, but declared to him all things, and did not hide a word from him. Therefore you also do not hide from us so much as a word. And Yahusef: I will not hide one word from you. They said to him: We were greatly vexed because you begged the body of Yahshua, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb. For this reason we put you in safeguard in a house where there was no window, we put keys and seals upon the doors, and guards kept the place where you were shut up. On the first day of the week we opened it, and did not find you. We were very troubled, and amazement fell upon all the people of Adonai until yesterday. Now, therefore, declare to us what happened to you.

6 Yahusef said: On the preparation day, you shut me up about the tenth hour, and I continued there the whole sabbath. At midnight, as I stood and prayed, the house where you shut me up was taken up by the four corners. I saw as it were a flashing of light in my eyes, and I fell to the earth, being filled with fear. One took me by the hand, and removed me from the place where I fell. Moisture of water was shed on me from my head to my feet, and an odor of ointment came about my nostrils. He wiped my face, kissed me, and said to me: Do not fear, Yahusef. Open your eyes, see who it is who speaks with you. I looked up, and saw Yahshua. I trembled, and supposed it was a spirit. I said the commandments, and He said them with me. You are not ignorant that a spirit straightaway flees if it meets any man, and hears the commandments. When I perceived He said them with me, I said to him, Rabbi Eliyah? He said to me: I am not Eliyah. I said to Him, Who are you, master? He said to me: I am Yahshua, whose body you begged of Pilate, clothed me in clean linen, covered my face with a napkin, laid me in your new cave, and rolled a great stone upon the door of the cave. I said to Him who spoke with me, Show me the place where I laid you. He brought me, and showed me the place where I laid Him, the linen cloth lay there, and the napkin that was upon His face. So I knew it was Yahshua. He took me by the hand, and set me in the middle of my house, the doors being shut. He laid me upon my bed, and said to me: Peace be to you. He kissed me, and said to me: Do not go out of your house until forty days are ended. Behold, I go to my brothers into Galilee.

XVI

1 When the rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, heard these words of Yahusef they became as dead men, fell to the ground, and they fasted until the ninth hour. With Yahusef, Nicodemus comforted Annas, Caiaphas, the priests, and the Levites, saying: Rise up, stand on your feet, taste bread, and strengthen your souls, for tomorrow is the sabbath of Yahwah. They rose up, prayed to Adonai, ate, drank, and every man departed to his house.

2 On the sabbath the teachers, the priests, and the Levites, sat and questioned one another, and said: What is this wrath that is come upon us? We know His father and His mother. Levi the teacher said: I know His parents feared Adonai, did not keep back their vows, and paid tithes three times a year. When Yahshua was born, His parents brought Him up to this place, gave sacrifices, and burnt-offerings to Adonai. The great teacher Symeon took Him into his arms, and said: Let your servant depart in peace, Master, for my eyes see your salvation you prepared before the face of all peoples, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of your people Yisrayah. Symeon blessed them, and said to Miriam His mother: I give you good tidings concerning this child. Miriam said: Good, my lord? Symeon said to her: Good. Behold, He is set for the fall and rising again of many in Yisrayah, and for a sign spoken against. A sword will pierce through your own heart also, and the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed.

3 They say to Levi the teacher: How do you know these things? Levi said to them: Do you not know I learned the law from him? The council say to him: We would see your father. They sent after his father, and asked of him. He said to them: Why did you not believe my son? The blessed and righteous Symeon taught him the law. The council said: Rabbi Levi, is the word true which you spoke? And he said: It is true.

The rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, said among themselves: Come, let us send into Galilee to the three men who came and told us of His teaching, and His taking-up. Let them tell us how they saw Him taken up. This word pleased them all, and they sent the three men who went with them into Galilee before, and said to them: Say to Rabbi Addas, Rabbi Phinees, and Rabbi Aggaeus: peace be to you, and to all who are with you. Inasmuch as great questioning has arisen in the council, we send to you to call you to this holy place of Yerusalem.

4 The men went into Galilee, found them sitting and meditating upon the law, and saluted them in peace. The men in Galilee said to those who were come to them: Peace be upon all Yisrayah. They said: Peace be to you. Again they said to them: Why are you come? Those who were sent, said: The council calls you to the holy city Yerusalem. When the men heard they were bidden by the council, they prayed to Yahwah, sat down to meat with the men, ate, drank, rose up, and came in peace to Yerusalem.

5 The next day the council was set in the synagogue, and they examined them, saying: Did you in very deed see Yahshua sitting upon the mount Mamilch, as He taught His eleven disciples, and you saw Him taken up? The men answered them, and said: Even as we saw Him taken up, even so we told it to you.

6 Annas said: Set them apart from one another, and let us see if their word agrees. They set them apart one from another, and they called Addas first, and say to him: How did you see Yahshua taken up? Addas said: While He yet sat upon the Mount Mamilch, and taught His disciples, we saw a cloud overshadow Him, and His disciples. The cloud carried Him up into heaven, and His disciples lay on their faces upon the earth. They called Phinees the priest, and questioned him also, saying: How did you see Yahshua taken up? And he spoke in like manner. Again they asked Aggaeus, and he also spoke in like manner. The council said: It is contained in the law of Moshe: At the mouth of two or three every word will be established.

Abuthem the teacher said: It is written in the law: Enoch walked with Yahwah, and is not, because Yahwah took him. Jaeirus the teacher said: Also we heard of the death of the holy Moshe, and did not see him. It is written in the law of Yahwah: Moshe died at the mouth of Yahwah, and no man knew of his sepulchre to this day. Rabbi Levi said: Why was it Rabbi Symeon said when he saw Yahshua: Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Yisrayah, and for a sign spoken against? Rabbi Isaac said: It is written in the law: Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will go before you to keep you in every good way, for my name is named there.

7 Then Annas and Caiaphas said: You have well said those things which are written in the law of Moshe, that no man saw the death of Enoch, and no man named the death of Moshe. But Yahshua spoke before Pilate, and we know we saw Him receive blows, spittings upon His face, the soldiers put on Him a crown of thorns, He was scourged, received condemnation from Pilate, He was crucified at the place of a skull, and two thieves with Him, they gave Him vinegar to drink with gall, and that Longinus the soldier pierced His side with a spear. We know Yahusef our honorable father begged His body, and as he said: He rose again. And the three teachers say: We saw Him taken up into heaven. And Rabbi Levi spoke and testified to the things which were spoken by Rabbi Symeon, that he said: Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Yisrayah, and for a sign spoken against.

All the teachers said to all the people of Yahwah: If this came to pass from Adonai, and it is marvelous in our eyes, you will surely know, O house of Yaacob, that it is written: Cursed is everyone who hangs upon a tree. Another scripture teaches: The gods who did not make the heaven and the earth will perish.

The priests and the Levites said one to another: If His memorial endure until the Sommos which is called Jobel [i.e. the Jubilee], know that He will prevail forever, and raise up a new people for Himself.

The rulers of the synagogue, the priests, and the Levites, admonished all Yisrayah, saying: Cursed is the man who worships that which man's hand made, and cursed is the man who worships creatures beside the Creator. All the people said: Amein, Amein.

All the people sang a hymn to Adonai, and said: Blessed is Adonai who gives rest to the people of Yisrayah according to all He spoke. There is not one word fallen to the ground of all His good saying which He spoke to His servant Moshe. Adonai our Master is with us as He was with our fathers. Let Him not abandon us. Let Him not destroy us from turning our heart to Him, from walking in all His ways, and keeping His statutes and His judgments which He commanded our fathers. Adonai will be King over all the earth in that day. There will be one Adonai, and His Name One, even Adonai our King. He will save us.

There is none like to you, O Adonai. Great are you, O Adonai, and great is your Name.

Heal us, O Adonai, by your power, and we will be healed. Save us, Adonai, and we will be saved. We are your portion, and your inheritance.

Adonai will not forget His people for His great Name's sake. Adonai begins to make us to be His people.

After they sung this hymn, every man departed to his house, glorifying Adonai. [For His is the glory, world without end. Amein.]

PART II. THE DESCENT INTO HELL

I (XVII)

1 Yahusef arose, and said to Annas and Caiaphas: Truly and of right do you marvel because you heard Yahshua was seen alive after death, and that He ascended into heaven. Nevertheless it is more marvelous that He did not rise alone from the dead, but rose up alive many other dead out of their sepulchres, and they were seen of many in Yerusalem. Now hearken to me: we all know the blessed Simeon, the high priest who received the child Yahshua in his hands in the temple. Simeon had two sons, brothers in blood. We were all at their falling asleep, and at their burial. Go, look upon their sepulchres. They are open, because they are risen. Behold, they are in the city of Arimathaea dwelling together in prayer. Indeed men hear them crying out, yet they speak with no man, but are silent as dead men. Let us go to them and with all honor and gentleness, and bring them to us. If we adjure them, maybe they will tell us concerning the mystery of their rising again.

2 When they heard these things, they all rejoiced. Annas, Caiaphas, Nicodemus, Yahusef, and Gamaliel went, and did not find them in their sepulchre. They went to the city of Arimathaea, and found them there, kneeling on their knees, giving themselves to prayer. They kissed them, and with all reverence, in the fear of Yahwah, they brought them to Yerusalem into the synagogue. They shut the doors, took the Law of Yahwah, put it into their hands, and adjured them by the Adonai El, the Master of Yisrayah who spoke to our fathers by the prophets, saying: Do you believe it is Yeshua who raised you from the dead? Tell us how you rose from the dead.

3 When Karinus and Leucius heard this adjuration, they trembled in their body, and groaned, being troubled in heart. Looking up together to heaven they made the seal of the stake with their fingers upon their tongues, and forthwith they spoke both of them, saying: Give us each a volume of paper, let us write what we saw and heard. They gave them to them, and each of them sat down, and wrote, saying:

II (XVIII)

1 O Master Yahshua Messiyah, the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the living. Allow us to speak of the mysteries of your majesty which you performed after your death upon the stake, inasmuch as we are adjured by your Name. For you did command us your servants to tell no man the secrets of your divine majesty which you wrought in hell.

We were set together with all our fathers in the deep, in obscurity of darkness. On a sudden there came a golden heat of the sun, a purple and royal light shining upon us. Immediately the father of the whole race of men, together with all the patriarchs and prophets, rejoiced, saying: This light is the beginning of Everlasting Light who promised to send to us His co-eternal light. Elisha cried out, and said: This is the Light of the Father, even the Son of Yahwah, according as I prophesied when I lived upon the earth: the land of Zabulon and the land of Nephthalim beyond Yordan, of Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who walk in darkness saw a great light, and those who dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them the light did shine. Now it has come and shone upon us who sit in death.

2 As we all rejoiced in the light which shined upon us, there came to us our father Simeon, rejoicing, he said to us: Glorify the Master Yahshua Messiyah, the Son of Yahwah. I received Him in my hands in the temple when He was born a child. Being moved of Yahwah's Spirit I made confession, and said to Him: Now my eyes see your Salvation which you prepared before the face of all people, a Light to lighten the Gentiles, and to be the glory of your people Yisrayah. When they heard these things, the whole multitude of the saints rejoiced yet more.

3 After that there came one as it were a dweller in the wilderness, and he was inquired of by all: Who are you? He answered them, and said: I am Yahchanan [John], the voice and the prophet of the most High, who came before the face of His advent to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people, for the remission of their sins. When I saw Him coming to me, being moved of Yahwah's Spirit, I said: Behold, the Lamb of Yahwah! Behold, Him who takes away the sins of the world. I baptized Him in the river of Yordan, saw Yahwah's Spirit descending upon Him in the likeness of a dove, and heard a voice out of heaven, saying: This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Now I have come before His face, and come down to declare to you that He is at hand to visit us, even the day spring, the Son of Yahwah, coming from on high to us who sit in darkness, and in the shadow of death.

III (XIX)

1 When father Adam who was first-created heard this, even that Yahshua was baptized in Yordan, he cried out to Seth his son, saying: Declare to your sons the patriarchs and the prophets all you heard from Michael the archangel, when I sent you to the gates of paradise, that you might entreat Yahwah to send you His malak to give you the oil of the tree of mercy to anoint my body when I was sick. Seth drew near to the holy patriarchs and prophets, and said: I, Seth, was praying at the gates of paradise. Behold, Michael the malak of Yahwah appeared to me, saying: I am sent to you from Yahwah. It is I who is set over the body of man. I say to you, Seth, do not vex yourself with tears, praying and entreating for the oil of the tree of mercy, that you may anoint your father Adam for the pain of his body. You will not be able to receive it save in the last days and times, save when five thousand and five hundred [al. 5,952] years are accomplished. Then the most beloved Son of Yahwah will come upon the earth to raise up the body of Adam, and the bodies of the dead. He will come and be baptized in Yordan. When He is come forth of the water of Yordan, He will anoint with the oil of mercy all who believe on Him, and that oil of mercy will be to all generations of those who will be born of water, and of Yahwah's Spirit, to life eternal. The most beloved Son of Yahwah, even Messiyah Yahshua, will come down upon the earth, and will bring our father Adam into paradise, to the tree of mercy.

2 When they heard all these things of Seth, all the patriarchs and prophets rejoiced with a great rejoicing.

IV (XX)

1 While all the saints were rejoicing, behold, Satan (the prince and chief of death) said to Hell: Make yourself ready to receive Yahshua who boasts Himself that He is the Son of Yahwah, when He is a man who fears death, and says: My soul is sorrowful even to death. He is my enemy, doing me great hurt. With a word He healed many who I made blind, lame, dumb, leprous, and possessed. He took away from you some whom I brought to you dead.

2 Hell answered, and said to Satan the prince: Who is He that is so mighty, if He is a man that fears death? All the mighty ones of the earth are held in subjection by my power, even those you brought me subdued by your power. If you are mighty, what manner of man is this Yahshua who, though He fears death, resists your power? If He is so mighty in His manhood, verily I say to you, He is almighty in His god-head, and no man can withstand His power. When He said He fears death, He would ensnare you, and woe will be to you for everlasting ages. But Satan the prince of Tartarus said: Why do you doubt and fear to receive this Yahshua who is your adversary, and mine? I tempted Him, and stirred up my ancient people of the Yahudim with envy and wrath against Him. I sharpened a spear to thrust Him through. I mingled gall and vinegar to give Him to drink. I have prepared a stake to crucify Him, and nails to pierce Him. His death is near at hand, that I may bring Him to you to be subject to you and me.

3 Hell answered, and said: You told me it is He who took dead men away from me. There are many who while they lived on the earth took dead men from me, not by their own power, but by prayer to Yahwah, and the almighty Yahwah took them from me. Who is this Yahshua who by His own Word without prayer draws dead men from me? Maybe it is He who by the Word of His command restored Lazarus to life, who was four days dead, stank, and was corrupt, whom I held here dead. Satan the prince of death answered, and said: It is that same Yahshua. When Hell heard that, he said to him: I adjure you by your strength and my own that you do not bring Him to me. When I heard the command of His Word at that time, I quaked, was overwhelmed with fear, and all my ministries with me were troubled. We could not keep Lazarus, but he leaped forth with all agility and swiftness, like an eagle shaking himself, and departed from us. The earth which held the dead body of Lazarus straightaway gave him up alive. I know that man who was able to do these things is a god strong in command, mighty in manhood, and He is the savior of mankind. If you bring Him to me He will set free all who are here shut up in the hard prison, bound in the chains of their sins that cannot be broken, and will bring them to the life of his god-head forever.

V (XXI)

1 As Satan the prince, and Hell, spoke this together, suddenly there came a voice as of thunder, a spiritual cry: O princes, remove your gates. Be lift up, you everlasting doors, the King of glory will come in. When Hell heard that he said to Satan the prince: Depart from me, go out of my abode. If you are a mighty man of war, fight against the King of glory. But what have you to do with Him? Hell cast Satan forth out of his dwelling. Hell said to his wicked ministers: Shut the hard gates of brass, put on them the bars of iron, and withstand stoutly, unless we who hold captivity are taken captive.

2 When all the multitude of the saints heard it, they spoke to Hell with a voice of rebuking: Open your gates, that the King of glory may come in. David cried out, saying: Did I not when I was alive upon earth, foretell to you: Let them give thanks to the Master, even His mercies and His wonders to the children of men. He broke the gates of brass, and smote the bars of iron apart? He took them out of the way of their iniquity. In like manner Elisha said: When I was alive upon earth did I not foretell to you: The dead will arise, those who are in the tombs will rise again, those who are in the earth will rejoice, for the dew who comes of Yahwah is their healing? Again I said: O death, where is your sting? O Hell, where is your victory?

3 When they heard that of Elisha, all the saints said to Hell: Open your gates. You will be overcome, weak, and without strength. There came a great voice as of thunder, saying: Remove your gates, O princes, and be lift up you doors of hell, and the King of glory will come in. When Hell saw that they so cried out twice, he said, as if he did not know it: Who is the King of glory? David answered Hell, and said: I know the words of this cry. I prophesied the same by His spirit. I say to you that which I said before: Yahwah strong and mighty, Yahwah mighty in battle, He is the King of glory. And: Yahwah looked down from heaven that He might hear the groanings of those who are in fetters, and deliver the children of those who were killed. O you most foul and stinking Hell, open your gates, that the King of glory may come in. As David spoke this to Hell, the Master of majesty appeared in the form of a man, lightened the eternal darkness, and broke the bonds that could not be loosened. The succor of His everlasting might visited us who sat in the deep darkness of our transgressions, and in the shadow of death of our sins.

VI (XXII)

1 When Hell, death, and their wicked ministers saw that, they were stricken with fear, they and their cruel officers. At the sight of the brightness of so great light in their own realm, seeing Messiyah of a sudden in their abode, they cried out, saying: We are overcome by you. Who are you that are sent by Yahwah for our confusion? Who are you that without all damage of corruption, and with the signs of your majesty unblemished, do in wrath condemn our power? Who are you that are so great and so small, both humble and exalted, both soldier and commander, a marvelous warrior in the shape of a bondsman, and a King of glory dead and living, whom the stake bore dead upon it? You that did lie dead in the sepulchre have come down to us living. At your death all creation quaked, all the stars were shaken, you are free among the dead, and do rout our legions. Who are you that sets free the prisoners that are held bound by sin, and restore them into their former liberty? Who are you that sheds your divine and bright light upon those who were blinded with the darkness of their sins? After the same manner all the legions of devils were stricken with like fear, and cried out all together in the terror of their confusion, saying: Who are you, Yahshua, a man so mighty, bright in majesty, so excellent without spot, and clean from sin? The world of earth was always subject to us until now, and paid tribute to our profit. It never sent to us a dead man like you, nor ever dispatched such a gift to Hell. Who then are you that so fearlessly enters our borders, and not only does not fear our torments, but instead plans to bear away all men out of our bonds? Maybe you are that Yahshua of whom Satan our prince said that by your death of the stake you should receive the dominion of the whole world.

2 In His majesty, the King of glory trampled upon death, laid hold on Satan the prince, delivered him to the power of Hell, and drew Adam to Him to His own brightness.

VII (XXIII)

Receiving Satan the prince, Hell said to him with sore reproach: O prince of perdition, chief of destruction, Beelzebub, the scorn of the gods, spitting of the righteous, why would you do this? You crucified the King of glory, and at His decease promised us great spoils of His death. Like a fool you did not know what you did. Behold, by the brightness of His majesty this Yahshua puts to flight all the darkness of death, broke the strong depths of the prisons, let out the prisoners, and loosed those who were bound. All who were sighing in our torments now rejoice against us. At their prayers our dominions are vanquished, our realms conquered, and now no nation of men fears us any more. Beside this, the dead who were never able to be proud triumph over us, and the captives who could never be joyful do threaten us. O prince Satan, father of all the wicked, godly, and renegades, why would you do this? Those who despaired of life and salvation from the beginning until now, now is none of their normal roarings heard, nor does any groan from them sound in our ears, nor is there any sign of tears upon the face of any of them. O prince Satan, holder of the keys of hell, those your riches which you gained by the tree of transgression and the losing of paradise, you have lost by the tree of the stake, and all your gladness has perished. When you hung up Messiyah Yahshua the King of glory you wrought against yourself and against me. Now you know what eternal torments and infinite pains you are to suffer in my keeping forever. O prince Satan, author of death, head of all pride, you ought first to have found out matter of evil in this Yahshua. Why did you adventure without cause to crucify Him unjustly against whom you found no blame, to bring the innocent and righteous one into our realm, and lose the guilty, the godlovers, and unrighteous of the whole world? When Hell had spoken thus to Satan the prince, the King of glory said to Hell: Satan the prince is in your power to all ages instead of Adam and his children, even those who are my righteous ones.

VIII (XXIV)

1 The Messiyah stretched forth His hand, and said: Come to me, all you my saints who bear my image and my likeness. You who were condemned by the tree, the devil, and death, behold the devil and death condemned by the tree. All the saints were gathered in one under the hand of the Messiyah. The Messiyah held the right hand of Adam, and said to him: Peace be to you with all your children who are my righteous ones. Adam cast himself at the knees of the Messiyah, entreated Him with tears and beggings, and said with a loud voice: I magnify you, O Yahwah. You set me up, and do not make my foes triumph over me. O Yahwah my Master, I cried to you, and you healed me. Yahwah, you brought my soul out of hell, you deliver me from those who go down to the pit. Sing praises to the Messiyah all you saints of His, give thanks to Him for the remembrance of His holiness. There is wrath in His indignation, and life is in His good pleasure. In like manner all the saints of Yahwah kneeled, and cast themselves at the feet of the Messiyah, saying with one accord: You are come, O redeemer of the world. What you foretold by the Law, and by your prophets, you have accomplished in deed. You redeemed the living by your stake, and by the death of the stake you came down to us, that you might save us out of hell and death through your majesty. O Yahwah, like as you set the name of your glory in the heavens, and set up your stake for a token of redemption upon the earth, so, Yahwah, set up the sign of the victory of your stake in hell, that death may have no more dominion.

2 The Messiyah stretched forth His hand, made the sign of the stake over Adam, and over all His saints. He took the right hand of Adam, went up out of hell, and all the saints followed Him. Then holy David cried aloud, and said: Sing to the Messiyah a new song, for He does marvelous things. His right hand wrought salvation for Him, and His holy arm. The Messiyah made known His saving health, before the face of all nations He reveals His righteousness. The whole multitude of the saints answered, saying: Such honor have all His saints. Amein, Alleluyah.

3 Habakuk the prophet cried out, and said: You went forth for the salvation of your people, to set free your chosen. All the saints answered, saying: Blessed is He who comes in the Name of Yahwah. Yahwah is the Messiyah. He shows us light. Amein, Alleluyah. Likewise after that the prophet Michayah also cried, saying: What god is like you, O Messiyah, taking away iniquity, and removing sins? You withhold your wrath for a testimony that you are merciful of free will. You turn away, and have mercy on us. You forgive all our iniquities, and sank all our sins in the depths of the sea, as you swore to our fathers in the days of old. All the saints answered, saying: This is our Messiyah for ever and ever. He is our guide, world without end. Amein, Alleluyah. So spoke all the prophets, making mention of holy words out of their praises, and all the saints followed the Messiyah, crying Amein, Alleluyah.

IX (XXV)

Holding the hand of Adam, the Messiyah delivered him to Michayah the arch-malak. All the saints followed Michayah the arch-malak, and he brought them all into the glory and beauty of paradise. Two men met with them there, ancients of days. They were asked of the saints: Who are you who were not yet dead in hell with us, and are set in paradise in the body? Answering, one of them said: I am Enoch, who was translated here by the Word of Yahwah. This who is with me is Eliyah the Thesbite, who was taken up in a chariot of fire. Up to this day we have not tasted death. We are received to the coming of Anti-messiyah, to fight against him with signs and wonders of Yahwah, to be killed by him in Yerusalem, and after three days and a half to be taken up alive again on the clouds [the two witnesses, Revelations 11:3].

X (XXVI)

As Enoch and Eliyah spoke thus with the saints, behold, there came another man of vile habit, bearing upon his shoulders the sign of the stake. When they saw, all the saints said to him: Who are you? Your appearance is as of a robber. Why is it that you bear a sign upon your shoulders? He answered them, and said: You have rightly said, for I was a robber, doing all manner of evil upon the earth. The Yahudim crucified me with Yahshua. I saw the wonders in the creation which came to pass through the stake of Yahshua when He was crucified. I believed He was the Maker of all creatures, the Almighty King. I begged Him, saying: Remember me, Master, when you come into your kingdom. He received my prayer, and said to me: Verily I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise. He gave me the sign of the stake, saying: Bear this, go to paradise. If the malak who keeps paradise does not allow you to enter in, show him the sign of the stake, and say to him: Yahshua Messiyah the Son of Yahwah, who now is crucified, sent me. When I did so, I spoke all these things to the malak who keeps paradise. When he heard this of me, forthwith he opened the door, brought me in, and set me at the right hand of paradise, saying: Lo, tarry a little. Adam the father of all mankind will enter in with all his children who are holy and righteous, after the triumph and glory of the ascending up of Messiyah the Master who is crucified. When they heard all these words of the robber, all the holy patriarchs and prophets said with one voice: Blessed is Yahwah Almighty, the Father of eternal good things, the Father of mercies. You gave grace to your sinners, brought them again into the beauty of paradise, and into your good pastures. This is the most holy life of the spirit. Amein, Amein.

XI (XXVII)

These are the divine and holy mysteries we saw and heard, even I Karinus, and Leucius. We are not allowed to relate further the rest of the mysteries of Yahwah, according as Michayah the archangel strictly charged us, saying: You shall go with your brothers to Yerusalem. Remain in prayer, cry out and glorify the resurrection of the Master Yahshua Messiyah, who raised you from the dead together with Him. You will not speak with any man, but sit as dumb men, until the hour comes when the Messiyah Himself allows you to declare the mysteries of His glory. Michayah the archangel gave commandment to us that we should go over Yordan to a place rich and fertile, where are many who rose again together with us, for a testimony of the resurrection of Yahshua the Messiyah. Only three days were allowed to us who rose from the dead, to keep the passover of Yahwah in Yerusalem with our kindred who are living, for a testimony of the resurrection of Yahshua the Messiyah. We were baptized in the holy river of Yordan, and received white robes, every one of us. After the three days, after we kept the passover of Yahwah, all those were caught up in the clouds who rose again with us, were taken over Yordan, and were no more seen of any man. But to us it was said that we should remain in the city of Arimathaea, and continue in prayer.

These are all things Messiyah bade us declare to you. Give praise, thanksgiving, and confession to Him. Repent, that He may have mercy upon you. Peace be to you from the same Master Yahshua Messiyah who is the Savior of us all. Amein.

They arose when they finished writing all things in the several volumes of paper. Karinus gave what he wrote into the hands of Annas, Caiaphas, and Gamaliel. Likewise Leucius gave what he wrote into the hands of Nicodemus and Yahusef. Suddenly they were transfigured, became exceedingly white, and were not seen anymore. Their writings were found to be the same, not more nor less by one letter.

All the synagogue of the Yahudim heard all these marvelous sayings of Karinus and Leucius, and said one to another: Of a truth all these things were wrought by Adonai. Blessed is Adonai, world without end, Amein. They went out all of them in great trouble of mind, smiting their breasts with fear and trembling, and departed every man to his own home.

Yahusef and Nicodemus forthwith declare to the governor, all these things were spoken by the Yahudim in their synagogue. Pilate himself wrote all the things that were done and said concerning Yahshua by the Yahudim, and laid up all the words in the public books of his judgment hall [praetorium].

XII (XXVIII)

After these things Pilate entered into the temple of the Yahudim. He gathered together all the chiefs of the priests, the teachers [grammaticos], scribes, and doctors of the law. He went in with them into the holy place of the temple, commanded all the doors to be shut, and said to them: We heard that you have in this temple a certain great Book. I ask that it be presented before us. When that great Book adorned with gold and precious jewels was brought by four ministers, Pilate said to them all: I adjure you by the Father of your fathers who commanded you to build this temple in the place of His sanctuary, that you not hide the truth from me. You know all the things that are written in this Book. Tell me now if you found in the scriptures that this Yahshua whom you crucified is the Son of Yahwah who should come for the salvation of mankind, and in what year of the times He must come. Declare to me whether you crucified Him in ignorance, or knowingly.

When they were thus adjured, Annas and Caiaphas commanded all the rest that were with them to go out of the temple. They themselves shut all the doors of the temple, and of the sanctuary, and said to Pilate: You adjured us, O excellent judge, by the building of this temple to make manifest to you the truth and reason. We crucified Yahshua not knowing He is the Son of Adonai, but supposing that by some chance He did His wondrous works. We made a great assembly in this temple. We conferred one with another concerning the signs of the mighty works Yahshua did. We found many witnesses of our own nation who said they saw Yahshua alive after His passion, and that He passed into the height of the heaven. Moreover, we saw two witnesses whom Yahshua raised from the dead, who declared to us many marvelous things Yahshua did among the dead, which things we have in writing in our hands.

Our custom is that every year before our assembly we open this holy Book, and inquire the testimony of Adonai. We found in the first book of the Seventy that Michayah the malak spoke to the third son of Adam the first man concerning the five thousand and five hundred years, after which would come the most beloved Son of YHWH, even Messiah [Book of Adam and Eve 3:1]. We thought perhaps this same was the Father of Yisrayah who said to Moshe: Make an ark of the covenant, two cubits and a half in length, one cubit and a half in breadth, and one cubit and a half in height.

By those five cubits and a half we understand and know the fashion of the ark of the old covenant. In five thousand and a half thousand years Messiah would come in the ark of His body. We found He is the Father of Yisrayah, even the Son of YHWH. We the chief of the priests marvelled at the signs which came to pass on His account. After His passion we opened the Book, and searched out all the generations to the generation of Yahusef, and Miriam the mother of Messiyah, taking her to be the seed of David. We found that from the day when YHWH made the heaven and the earth and the first man, from that time to the Flood are 2,212 years. From the Flood to the building of the tower 531 years. From the building of the tower to Abraham 606 years. From Abraham to the coming of the children of Yisrayah out of Egypt 470 years. From the going of the children of Yisrayah out of Egypt to the building of the temple 511 years. From the building of the temple to the destruction of the same temple 464 years. So far we found in the Book of Ezra. Inquiring from the burning of the temple to the coming of Messiyah and His birth we found it to be 636 years. All together were five thousand and five hundred years. We found it written in the Book, Michayah the arch-malak declared to Seth the third son of Adam that after five thousand and a half thousand years Messiah the Son of YHWH would come. So far we have told no man, unless there would be a schism in our synagogues. Now, O excellent judge, you adjured us by this holy Book of the testimonies of YHWH, and we do declare it to you. We also adjure you by your life and health that you not declare these words to any man in Yerusalem.

XIII (XXIX)

When he heard these words of Annas and Caiaphas, Pilate laid them all up among the acts of the Messiyah and Savior in the public books of his judgment hall, and wrote a letter to Claudius the king of the city of Rome, saying:

Pontius Pilate to Claudius, greeting.

There happened of late a matter I myself made trial of. Through envy the Jews punished themselves and their posterity with fearful judgments of their own fault. Although their fathers had announced to them that their Adonai would send them out of heaven His holy One who should of right be called their king, and promised that He would send Him upon earth by a virgin. This Adonai of the Hebrews came when I was governor of Judaea [Yahudah, Judah]. They saw Him enlightening the blind, cleansing lepers, healing the palsied, driving devils out of men, raising the dead, rebuking the winds, walking upon the waves of the sea dry-shod, and doing many other wonders. All the people of the Jews called Him the Son of YHWH. Moved with envy against Him, the chief priests took Him, delivered Him to me, and brought against Him one false accusation after another, saying He was a sorcerer, and did things contrary to their law.

Believing these things were so, I scourged Him, delivered Him to their will, and they crucified Him. When He was buried they set guards upon Him. While my soldiers watched Him, He rose again [after] the third day. The malice of the Jews was so kindled that they gave money to the soldiers, saying: Say His disciples stole away His body. Though they took the money, they were not able to keep silence concerning what came to pass. They also testified they saw Him arisen, and that they received money from the Jews. I report these things for this reason: unless some other should lie to you, and you should deem it right to believe the false tales of the Jews.




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