The Glad Tidings of Nikódemos 13

The soldiers testify about the resurrection of Yâhuwshúa`. The fear of the "Yehuwthím" at hearing this

1. And while they yet sat in the assembly and marveled because of Yâhuwçë´ph, there came certain of the guard which the "Yehuwthím" had asked of Pilátus to keep the sepulcher of Yâhuwshúa` lest peradventure His pupils should come and steal Him away. And they spoke and declared unto the rulers of the assembly and the priests and the Lwiyyím that which had come to pass: how, "While we watched the tomb of Yâhuwshúa, there was a great earthquake, and we saw an envoy descend from heaven, and he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the cave, and sat upon it. And he did shine like lightning and his garments were white like snow, and we were sore afraid and lay as dead men. And we heard the voice of the envoy speaking with the women which waited at the sepulcher, saying: 'Fear ye not: for I know that ye seek Yâhuwshúa Who was hanged. He is not here: He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Sovereign lay, and go quickly and say unto His pupils that He is risen from the dead, and goes before you in Gâlíyl, where ye shall see Him.'" 2. And the "Yehuwthím" calling together all the soldiers who they had stationed to guard Yâhuwshúa, asked them: "With what women did he speak?" Those of the guard say: "We do not know who they were." The "Yehuwthím" say: "At what hour was it?" Those of the guard say: "At midnight." The "Yehuwthím" say: "And why did ye not arrest the women?" Those of the guard say: "We were become as dead men through fear of the envoy, we did not even look to see the light of the day; how then could we arrest those women?" The "Yehuwthím" say: "As Yâ-hwéh lives, we do not believe you!" They of the guard say unto the "Yehuwthím": "So many signs ye have seen in that Man, and ye did not believe, how then should ye believe in our words? Verily ye swore rightly 'as Yâ-hwéh lives', for He lives indeed, Whom ye did seal in the sepulcher." Again they of the guard say: "We have heard that ye [also] shut up that Yâhuwçë´ph that begged the body of Yâhuwshúa, and that ye sealed the door; and when ye had opened it ye did not find him. Give ye us therefore Yâhuwçë´ph whom ye imprisoned and we will give you Yâhuwshúa whose sepulcher we guarded (9)!" The "Yehuwthím" said: "Yâhuwçë´ph arose and departed unto his own city of Râmâtháyim." They of the guard say unto the "Yehuwthím": "Yâhuwshúa also is risen, as we have heard of the envoy, and He is in Gâlíyl." 3. And when the "Yehuwthím" heard these words they were gripped with fear, and they said among themselves: "When the people hear these statements, everyone will believe in Yâhuwshúa." So the "Yehuwthím" took counsel and laid down much silver and gave it to the soldiers, saying: "Say ye: 'While we slept His pupils came by night and stole Him away.'" And if this comes to the governor's hearing we will persuade him and secure you." And they took the silver and did as they were instructed. [And this their saying was published abroad among all men. lat.]

(9) This facetious statement by the guards is to ridicule the "Yehuwthím's" own inability to keep a man prisoner when they had so severely criticized the soldiers' inability to keep the resurrected Sovereign of heaven and earth.

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