Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Apocrypha of the New Testament/Acts of Pilate: Second Greek Form/Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

Pilate says to Jesus:&#160; Hearest thou what these testify against thee, and answerest thou not? &#160; And Jesus answered and said:&#160; Every man has power to speak either good or bad, as he wishes; these also, therefore, having power, say what they wish.

The Jews said to Him:&#160; What have we to say about thee?&#160; First, that thou wast begotten from sin; second, that on account of thee, when thou wast born, the infants were murdered; third, that thy father and thy mother fled into Egypt, because they had no confidence in the people.

To these the Jews who were there present, God-fearing men, answered and said:&#160; We say that his birth is not from sin; for we know that Joseph received into keeping his mother Mary, according to the practice of betrothal.&#160; Pilate said:&#160; Consequently you lie who say that his birth is from sin.&#160; They say again to Pilate:&#160; All the people testify that he is a magician.&#160; The God-fearing Jews answered and said:&#160; We also were at the betrothal of his mother, and we are Jews, and know all his daily life; but that he is a magician, that we do not know.&#160; And the Jews that thus said were these:&#160; Lazarus, Astharius, Antonius, James, Zaras, Samuel, Isaac, Phinees, Crispus, Dagrippus, Amese, and Judas.

Pilate therefore says to them:&#160; By the life of C&#230;sar, I wish you to swear whether the birth of this man is without sin.&#160; They answered:&#160; Our law lays down that we are to swear not at all, because an oath is great sin.&#160; Notwithstanding, by the life of C&#230;sar we swear that his birth is without sin; and if we lie, order us all to be beheaded.&#160; And when they had thus spoken, the Jews that were bringing the charge answered Pilate, and said:&#160; And dost thou believe these twelve single Jews more than all the multitude and us, who know for certain that he is a magician and blasphemer, and that he names himself Son of God?

Then Pilate ordered them all to go forth out of the pr&#230;torium except the said twelve alone.&#160; And when this had been done, Pilate says to them privately:&#160; As to this man, it appears that from envy and madness the Jews wish to murder him:&#160; for of one thing&#8212;that he does away with the Sabbath&#8212;they accuse him; but he then does a good work, because he cures the sick.&#160; For this, sentence of death is not upon the man.&#160; The twelve also say to him:&#160; Assuredly, my lord, it is so.