Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/367

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THE GOSPEL OF NICODEMUS.
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heaven, and he rolled away the stone from the mouth of the sepulchre, and sat upon it; and he shone like snow and like lightning; and we, being greatly afraid, lay as if we were dead. And we heard the voice of the angel talking with the women who waited by the tomb, — Fear ye not; for I know that ye seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here: he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place were the Lord lay; and go forth quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead, and is in Galilee.

The Jews said, With what women did he talk? The men of the guard said, We know not who they were. The Jews said, At what hour was it? The men of the guard said, At midnight. The Jews said, And why did ye not lay hold upon them? The men of the guard said, We were like dead men for fear, not expecting to see the light of day, and how could we lay hold upon them? The Jews said, As the Lord liveth, we do not believe you. The men of the guard said to the Jews, Ye have seen so great signs in that man, and have not believed, and how can ye believe in us? For ye have well sworn, that the Lord liveth, for also he liveth. They of the guard said again, We have heard that ye shut up him that asked for the body of Jesus, and sealed the door, and when ye opened it ye found him not; therefore produce him that ye kept, and we will give up Jesus. The Jews said, Joseph went away to his own city. They of the