William Wake

“ AND while Satan and the Prince of hell were discoursing thus to each other, on a sudden there was a voice as of thunder, and the rushing of winds, saying, Lift up your gates, O ye princes; and be ye lift up, O everlasting gates, and the King of Glory shall come in.
2 When the prince of hell heard this, he said to Satan, Depart from me, and begone out of my habitations; if thou art a powerful warrior, fight with the King of Glory. But what hast thou to do with him? ”

“ And they besought Elisha, and he walked about with them three days, and they could not find him.
4 And now hear me, O sons of Israel, and let us send men into the mountains of Israel, lest perhaps the spirit hath carried away Jesus, and there perhaps we shall find him, and be satisfied.
5 And the counsel of Nicodemus pleased all the people; and they sent forth men who sought for Jesus, but could not find him; and they returning, said, We went all about, but could not find Jesus, but we have found Joseph in his city of Arimathaea. ”

“ We know the father and mother of Jesus.
2 And a certain Levite said, I know many of his relations, religions persons, who are wont to offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings to the God of Israel, in the temple, with prayers.
3 And when the high-priest Simeon took him up in his arms, he said to him, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have seen thy salvation, which then halt prepared before the face of all people; a light to enlighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel. ”

“ Let them swear by the life of Caesar that it is not as we have said, and we will be contented to be put to death.
15 Then said Annas and Caiphas to Pilate, Those twelve men will not believe that we know him to be basely born, and to be a conjurer, although he pretends that he is the Son of God, and a king: which we are so far from believing, that we tremble to hear.
16 Then Pilate commanded every one to go out except the twelve men who said he was not born through fornication, and Jesus to withdraw to a distance, and said to them, Why have the Jews a mind to kill Jesus? ”

“ For that lower world of earth, which was ever till now subject to us, and from whence we received tribute, never sent us such a dead man before, never sent such presents as these to the princes of hell.
11 Who therefore art thou, who with such courage enterest among our abodes, and art not only not afraid to threaten us with the greatest punishments, but also endeavourest to rescue all others from the chains in which we hold them?
12 Perhaps thou art that Jesus, of whom Satan just now spoke to our prince, that by the death of the cross thou wert about to receive the power of death. ”

“ We, Charinus and Lenthius are not allowed to declare the other mysteries of God, as the archangel Michael ordered us,
2 Saying, ye shall go with my brethren to Jerusalem, and shall continue in prayers, declaring and glorifying the resurrection of Jesus Christ, seeing he hath raised you from the dead at the same time with himself.
3 And ye shall not talk with any man, but sit as dumb persons till the time come when the Lord will allow you to relate the mysteries of his divinity. ”

“ CHAPTER XIX. 1 Christ takes Adam by the hand, the rest of the saints join hands, and they all ascend with him to Paradise.
THEN Jesus stretched forth his hand, and said, Come to me, all ye my saints, who were created in my image, who were condemned by the tree of the forbidden fruit, and by the devil and death;
2 Live now by the wood of my cross; the devil, the prince of this world, is overcome, and death is conquered,
3 Then presently all the saints were joined together under the hand of the most high God ”

“ Art thou come to destroy us? I know that thou art the Holy One of God.
31 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, unclean spirit, and come out of the man; and presently he came out of him, and did not at all hurt him.
32 The following things were also said by a Pharisee: I saw that a great company came to Jesus from Galilee and Judea, and the sea-cost, and many countries about Jordan; and many infirm persons came to him, and he healed them all. ”

“ BUT Nicodemus, a certain Jew, stood before the governor, and said, I entreat thee, O righteous judge, that thou wouldst favour me with the liberty of speaking a few words.
2 Pilate said to him, Speak on.
3 Nicodemus said, I spake to the elders of the Jews, and the scribes, and priests and Levites, and all the multitude of the Jews, in their assembly; What is it ye would do with this man?
4 He is a man who hath wrought many useful and glorious miracles, such as no man on earth ever wrought before, nor will ever work. Let him go, and do him no harm ”

“ They answered He is a conjurer, and casts out devils by the prince of the devils; and so all things, become subject to him.
6 Then said Pilate, Casting out devils seems not to be the work of an unclean spirit, but to proceed from the power of God.
7 The Jews replied to Pilate, We entreat your highness to summon him to appear before your tribunal, and hear him yourself. ”

“ And if we can bring them to swear, perhaps they will tell us some of the mysteries of their resurrection.
20 When the Jews heard this they were exceedingly rejoiced.
21 Then Annas and Caiaphas, Nicodemus, Joseph, and Gamaliel, went to Arimathaea, but did not find them in their graves; but walking about the city, they found them on their bended knees at their devotions:
22 Then saluting them with all respect and deference to God, they brought them to the synagogue at Jerusalem ”

“ Be pleased to give a visit to us, your fathers, for we were perfectly surprised at your escape from prison.
9 We know that it was malicious counsel which we took against thee, and that the Lord took care of thee, and the Lord himself delivered thee from our designs. ”

“ And now they are not seen by any one.
6 This is as much as God allowed us to relate to you; give ye therefore praise and honour to him, and repent, and he will have mercy upon you. Peace be to you from the Lord God Jesus Christ, and the Saviour of us all. Amen, Amen, Amen.
7 And after they had made an end of writing, and had written on two distinct pieces of paper, Charinus gave what he wrote into the hands of Annas, and Caiaphas, and Gamaliel.
8 Lenthius likewise gave what be wrote into the hands of Nicodemus and Joseph ”

“ Jones says, he thinks so more particularly as we have innumerable instances of forgeries by the faithful in the primitive ages, grounded on less plausible reasons. Whether it be canonical or not, it is of very great antiquity, and is appealed to by several of the ancient Christians. The present translation is made from the Gospel, published by Grynaeus in the Orthodoxographa, vol, i, tom, ii, p. ”

“ They must either be faithful to us or to the disciples of Jesus.
CHAPTER XI. 1 Nicodemus counsels the Jews. 6 Joseph found. 11 Invited by the Jews to return. 19 Relates the manner of his miraculous escape.
THEN Nicodemus arose, and said, Ye say right, O sons of Israel; ye have heard what those three men have sworn by the Law of God, who said, We have seen Jesus speaking with his disciples upon mount Olivet, and we saw him ascending up to heaven. ”