Our law saith, he shall be obliged to receive nine and thirty stripes, but if after this manner he shall blaspheme against the Lord, he shall be stoned.
15 Pilate saith unto them, If that speech of his was blasphemy, do ye try him according to your law.
16 The Jews say to Pilate, Our law command us not to put any one to death. We desire that he may be crucified, because he deserves the death of the cross.
17 Pilate saith to them, It is not fit he should be crucified: let him be only whipped and sent away.
18 But when the governor looked upon the people that were present and the Jews, he saw many of the Jews in tears, and said to the chief priests of the Jews, All the people do not desire his death.
19 The elders of the Jews answered to Pilate, We and all the people came hither for this very purpose, that he should die.
20 Pilate saith to them, Why should he die?
21 They said to him, Because he declares himself to be the Son of God and a King.
CHAP. V.
1 Nicodemus speaks in defence of Christ, and relates his miracles. 12 Another Jew, 26 with Veronica, 34 Centurio, and others, testify of other miracles.
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; if he cometh from God, his miracles, (his miraculous cures) will continue; but if from men, they will come to nought.
5 Thus Moses, when he was sent by God into Egypt, wrought the miracles which God commanded him, before Pharaoh king of Egypt; and though the magicians of that country, Jannes and Jambres, wrought by their magic the same miracles which Moses did, yet they could not work all which he did;
6 And the miracles which the magicians wrought, were not of God, as ye know, O Scribes and Pharisees; but they who wrought them perished, and all who believed them.
7 And now let this man go; because the very miracles for which ye accuse him, are from God; and he is not worthy of death.
8 The Jews then said to Nicodemus, Art thou become his disciple, and making speeches in his favour?
9 Nicodemus said to them, Is the governor become his disciple also, and does he make speeches for him? Did not Caesar place him in that high post?
10 When the Jews heard this they trembled, and gnashed their teeth at Nicodemus, and said to him, Mayest thou receive his doctrine for truth, and have thy lot with Christ!
11 Nicodemus replied, Amen; I will receive his doctrine, and my lot with him, as ye have said.
12 Then another certain Jew rose up, and desired leave of the governor to hear him a few words.
13 And the governor said, Speak, what thou hast a mind.
