Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/349

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THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS.
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children of the Hebrews cried out in Hebrew; whence hast thou the Greek? The officer saith to them, I asked one of the Jews and said, What is it that they cry out in Hebrew? And he explained to me. Pilate saith to them, How did they cry out in Hebrew? The Jews said to him, Hosanna membrome, barouchamma Adonai.[1] Pilate saith to them, And how is Hosanna and the rest interpreted? The Jews say unto him, Save now, thou that art in the highest: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord. Pilate saith to them, If ye bear witness that these words were spoken by the children, how hath the officer done wrong?[2] And they were silent. The governor saith to the officer, Go and bring him in what manner thou wilt. And the officer went out and did the same as before, and said to Jesus, Lord, enter, the governor calleth thee.

And when Jesus entered, and the standard-bearers holding the standards, the tops of the standards bowed down and worshipped Jesus. And when the Jews saw the manner of the standards, how they bowed down and worshipped Jesus, they cried out exceedingly against the standard-bearers. And Pilate said to the Jews, Do ye not marvel how the banners bowed down and worshipped Jesus? The Jews said to Pilate, We saw how the standard-bearers bowed

  1. Hoshia na bamromim: baruch habbā (b'shem) Adonai. Ps. cxviii. 26.
  2. The preceding story does not savour much of a Hebrew original!