Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/411

Rh not, O Jews, what the soldiers say; nor believe that they saw an angel descending from heaven. For we gave money to the soldiers not to tell such things to any one; and so also, the disciples of Jesus gave them money, to say that Jesus is risen from the dead.

said, O children of the people of Jerusalem, the prophet Elijah ascended to the height of heaven with a fiery chariot, and it is not incredible if Jesus also is risen; for the prophet Elijah was a pre-figuration of Jesus, in order that ye should not disbelieve when ye heard that Jesus was risen. I therefore say and advise that we ought to send soldiers into Galilee, where the men testify that they saw him with his disciples, in order that they may go about and find him, and so that we may seek from him forgiveness for the evil which ye did to him. This saying pleased them, and they chose out soldiers, and sent them into Galilee: and Jesus they found not; but they found Joseph at Arimathea.

When, therefore, the soldiers returned, and the chief priests learned that Joseph was found, they assembled the people, and said, What shall we do to Joseph, that he may come to us? So when they had taken counsel, they wrote him a letter to this effect: