Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume IX/The Diatessaron of Tatian/The Diatessaron/Section XLIX

Section XLIX.

[1, 2] And the chief priest asked Jesus about his disciples, and about his doctrine. &#160; And Jesus said unto him, I was speaking openly to the people; and I ever taught in the synagogue, and in the temple, where all the Jews gather; and I have spoken nothing in [3] [Arabic, p. 185] secret.&#160; Why askest thou me? ask those that have heard, what I spake unto [4] them:&#160; for they know all that I said.&#160; And when he had said that, one of the soldiers which were standing there struck the cheek of Jesus, and said unto him, [5] Dost thou thus answer the chief priest?&#160; Jesus answered and said unto him, If I [6] have spoken evil, bear witness of evil: &#160; but if well, why didst thou smite me?&#160; And Annas sent Jesus bound unto Caiaphas the chief priest.

[7] And when Jesus went out, Simon Cephas was standing in the outer court warming [8] himself.&#160; And that maid saw him again, and began to say to those that stood [9] by, This man also was there with Jesus the Nazarene.&#160; And those that stood by [10] came forward and said to Cephas, Truly thou art one of his disciples.&#160; And he [11] denied again with an oath, I know not the man.&#160; And after a little one of the servants of the chief priest, the kinsman of him whose ear Simon cut off, saw him; and [12] he disputed and said, Truly this man was with him:&#160; and he also is a Galil&#230;an; [13] and his speech resembles. &#160; And he said unto Simon, Did not I see thee with him [14] in the garden?&#160; Then began Simon to curse, and to swear, I know not this man [15] whom ye have mentioned.&#160; And immediately, while he was speaking, the cock crew [16] twice.&#160; And in that hour Jesus turned, he being without, and looked stedfastly at Cephas.&#160; And Simon remembered the word of our Lord, which he said unto him, [17, 18] Before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.&#160; And Simon went forth without, and wept bitterly.

[19] [Arabic, p. 186] And when the morning approached, the servants of all the chief priests and the scribes and the elders of the people and all the multitude assembled, [20, 21] and made a plot; and they took counsel against Jesus to put him to death.&#160; And they sought false witnesses who should witness against him, that they might put him to [22, 23] death, and they found not; but many false witnesses came, but their witness did not [24, 25] agree.&#160; But at last there came two lying witnesses, and said, We heard him say, I will destroy this temple of God that is made with hands, and will build another not [26, 27] made with hands after three days.&#160; And not even so did their witness agree.&#160; But Jesus was silent.&#160; And the chief priest rose in the midst, and asked Jesus, and said, [28] Answerest thou not a word concerning anything? what do these witness against [29, 30] thee?&#160; But Jesus was silent, and answered him nothing.&#160; And they took him up [31] into their assembly, and said unto him, If thou art the Messiah, tell us.&#160; He said [32] unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe me:&#160; and if I ask you, ye will not answer [33] me a word, nor let me go.&#160; And the chief priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou art the Messiah, the [34, 35] Son of the living God.&#160; Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said that I am he.&#160; They all said unto him, Then thou art now the Son of God?&#160; Jesus said, Ye have said [36] that I am he.&#160; I say unto you, that henceforth ye shall see the Son of man sitting [37] [Arabic, p. 187] at the right hand of power, and coming on the clouds of heaven.&#160; Then the [38] chief priest rent his tunic, and said, He hath blasphemed.&#160; And they all said, Why should we seek now witnesses? we have heard now the blasphemy from his mouth.&#160; [39, 40] What then think ye?&#160; They all answered and said, He is worthy of death.&#160; Then some of them drew near, and spat in his face, and struck him, and scoffed at him.&#160; [41] And the soldiers struck him on his cheeks, and said, Prophesy unto us, thou Messiah:&#160; [42] who is he that struck thee?&#160; And many other things spake they falsely, and said against him.

[43] And all of their assembly arose, and took Jesus, and brought him bound to [44] the pr&#230;torium, and delivered him up to Pilate the judge; but they entered not into the pr&#230;torium, that they might not be defiled when they should eat the passover.

[45] And Jesus stood before the judge.&#160; And Pilate went forth unto them without, and [46] said unto them, What accusation have ye against this man?&#160; They answered and said unto him, If he had not been doing evils, neither should we have delivered [47] him up unto thee.&#160; We found this man leading our people astray, and restraining from giving tribute to C&#230;sar, and saying of himself that he is the King, the Messiah.&#160; [48] Pilate said unto them, Then take ye him, and judge him according to your law.&#160; [Arabic, p. 188] The Jews said unto him, We have no authority to put a man to death:&#160; [49] that the word might be fulfilled, which Jesus spake, when he made known by what manner of death he was to die.

[50] And Pilate entered into the pr&#230;torium, and called Jesus, and said unto him, Art [51] thou the King of the Jews?&#160; Jesus said unto him, Of thyself saidst thou this, or [52] did others tell it thee concerning me?&#160; Pilate said unto him, Am I, forsooth, a Jew?&#160; The sons of thy nation and the chief priests delivered thee unto me:&#160; what [53] hast thou done?&#160; Jesus said unto him, My kingdom is not of this world:&#160; if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be [54] delivered to the Jews:&#160; now my kingdom is not from hence.&#160; Pilate said unto him, Then thou art a king?&#160; Jesus said unto him, Thou hast said that I am a king.&#160; And for this was I born, and for this came I into the world, that I should bear witness [55] of the truth.&#160; And every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.&#160; Pilate said unto him, And what is the truth?&#160; And when he said that, he went out again unto the Jews.