Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/373

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THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS.
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be the Lord God, who hath delivered Israel from shedding innocent blood; and blessed be the Lord, who sent his angel, and protected me under his wings. And he set a table before them, and they ate, and drank, and slept there.

And they rose early and prayed. And Joseph saddled his ass, and went with the men, and they came to the holy city, Jerusalem. And all the people met Joseph, and cried, Peace be unto thee at thy coming in. And he said to all the people, Peace be unto you. And he kissed them. And the people prayed with Joseph, and were astonished at the sight of him. And Nicodemus received him into his house, and made a great supper, and invited Annas, and Caiaphas, and the elders, and the priests, and the Levites, to his house. And they rejoiced, both eating and drinking with Joseph. And when they had sung hymns, every one went to his own home. But Joseph abode at the house of Nicodemus.

And on the morrow, which was the preparation, the rulers of the synagogue, and the priests and the Levites, came early to the house of Nicodemus, and Nicodemus met them, and said, Peace be unto you. And they said, Peace be unto thee, and unto Joseph, and to all thy house, and to all the house of Joseph. And he took them into his house. And all the assembly sat, and Joseph sat between Annas and Caiaphas. And no one dared to speak to him a