Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/539

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STORY OF JOSEPH.
423

forbidden the precepts of Moses and the prophets? And Jesus answered nothing. And again a second time, the multitude also being present, they said unto him, Wherefore dost thou wish at one stroke to destroy the sanctuary which Solomon erected in forty-six years? And Jesus answered nothing to this. For the sanctuary of the synagogue had been plundered by the robber.

And at the close of the evening of the fourth day, all the multitude sought for the daughter of Caiaphas to burn her with fire, because of the loss of the law, for they could not keep the passover. And she said to them, Wait my children, and let us destroy this Jesus, and the law will be found, and the holy feast which is ordained will be kept. And Annas and Caiaphas secretly gave much gold to Judas Iscariot, saying, Say as thou saidst to us before: I know that the law was stolen by Jesus; that the accusation may be turned against him, and not against this innocent maiden. And Judas assented to these things and said to them, Let not all the multitude know that I have been taught by you to do this against Jesus. But dismiss Jesus, and I will persuade the multitude that these things are so. And they craftily dismissed Jesus.

And Judas went into the sanctuary when the fifth day began to dawn, and said to all the people, What will ye give me, that I may deliver to you the