The Gospel of Peter

1] But of the Jews none washed his hands, neither Herod nor one of his judges. And since they did not desire to wash, Pilate stood up. [2] And then Herod the king orders the Lord to be taken away, having said to them, 'What I ordered you to do, do.' 

[3] But Joseph, the friend of Pilate and of the Lord, had been standing there; and knowing they were about to crucify him, he came before Pilate and requested the body of the Lord for burial. [4] And Pilate, having sent to Herod, requested his body. [5] And Herod said: 'Brother Pilate, even if no one had requested him, we would have buried him, since indeed Sabbath is dawning. For in the Law it has been written: The sun is not to set on one put to death.' 

And he gave him over to the people before the first day of their feast of the Unleavened Bread. [6] But having taken the Lord, running, they were pushing him and saying, 'Let us drag along the Son of God now that we have power over him.' [7] And they clothed him with purple and sat him on a chair of judgment, saying: 'Judge justly, King of Israel.' [8] And a certain one of them, having brought a thorny crown, put it on the head of the Lord. [9] And others who were standing there were spitting in his face, and others slapped his cheeks. Others were jabbing him with a reed; and some scourged him, saying, 'With such honor let us honor the Son of God.' 

[10] And they brought two wrongdoers and crucified the Lord in the middle of them. But he was silent as having no pain. [11] And when they had set the cross upright, they inscribed that THIS IS THE KING OF ISRAEL. [12] And having put his garments before him, they divided them up and threw as a gamble for them. [13] But a certain one of those wrongdoers reviled them, saying: 'We have been made suffer thus because of the wrong that we have done; but this one, having become Savior of men, what injustice had he done to you?' [14] And having become irritated at him, they ordered that there be no leg-breaking, so that he might die tormented.

[15] But it was midday, and darkness held fast all Judea; and they were distressed and anxious lest the sun had set, since he was still living. [For] it is written for them: Let not the sun set on one put to death. [16] And someone of them said: 'Give him to drink gall with vinegary wine.' And having made a mixture, they gave to drink. [17] And they fulfilled all things and completed the sins on their own head. [18] But many went around with lamps, thinking that it was night, and they fell. [19] And the Lord screamed out, saying: 'My power, O power, you have forsaken me.' And having said this, he was taken up.

[20] And at the same hour the veil of the Jerusalem sanctuary was torn into two. [21] And they drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord and placed him on the earth; and all the earth was shaken, and a great fear came about. [22] Then the sun shone, and it was found to be the ninth hour. [23] And the Jews rejoiced and gave his body to Joseph that he might bury it, since he was one who had seen the many good things he did. [24] And having taken the Lord, he washed and tied him with a linen cloth and brought him into his own sepulcher, called the Garden of Joseph. 

[25] Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, having come to know how much wrong they had done themselves, began to beat themselves and say: 'Woe to our sins. The judgment has approached and the end of Jerusalem.' [26] But I with the companions was sorrowful; and having been wounded in spirit, we were in hiding, for we were sought after by them as wrongdoers and as wishing to set fire to the sanctuary. [27] In addition to all these things we were fasting; and we were sitting mourning and weeping night and day until the Sabbath. 

[28] But the scribes and Pharisees and elders, having gathered together with one another, having heard that all the people were murmuring and beating their breasts, saying that 'If at his death these very great signs happened, behold how just he was,' [29] feared (especially the elders) and came before Pilate, begging him and saying, [30] 'Give over soldiers to us in order that we may safeguard his burial place for three days, lest, having come, his disciples steal him, and the people accept that he is risen from the death, and they do us wrong.' [31] But Pilate gave over to them Petronius the centurion with soldiers to safeguard the sepulcher. And with these the elders and scribes came to the burial place. [32] And having rolled a large stone, all who were there, together with the centurion and the soldiers, placed it against the door of the burial place. [33] And they marked it with seven wax seals; and having pitched a tent there, they safeguarded it. [34] But early when the Sabbath was dawning, a crowd came from Jerusalem and the surrounding area in order that they might see the sealed tomb.

[35] But in the night in which the Lord's day dawned, when the soldiers were safeguarding it two by two in every watch, there was a loud voice in heaven; [36] and they saw that the heavens were opened and that two males who had much radiance had come down from there and come near the sepulcher. [37] But that stone which had been thrust against the door, having rolled by itself, went a distance off the side; and the sepulcher opened, and both the young men entered. [38] And so those soldiers, having seen, awakened the centurion and the elders (for they too were present, safeguarding). [39] And while they were relating what they had seen, again they see three males who have come out from they sepulcher, with the two supporting the other one, and a cross following them, [40] and the head of the two reaching unto heaven, but that of the one being led out by a hand by them going beyond the heavens. [41] And they were hearing a voice from the heavens saying, 'Have you made proclamation to the fallen-asleep?' [42] And an obeisance was heard from the cross, 'Yes.' [43]

And so those people were seeking a common perspective to go off and make these things clear to Pilate; [44] and while they were still considering it through, there appear again the opened heavens and a certain man having come down and entered into the burial place. [45] Having seen these things, those around the centurion hastened at night before Pilate (having left the sepulcher which they were safeguarding) and described all the things that they indeed had seen, agonizing greatly and saying: 'Truly he was God's Son.'

[46] In answer Pilate said: 'I am clean of the blood of the Son of God, but it was to you that this seemed [the thing to do].' 

[47] Then all, having come forward, were begging and exhorting him to command the centurion and the soldiers to say to no one what they had seen. 

[48] 'For,' they said, 'it is better for us to owe the debt of the greatest sin in the sight of God than to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and be stoned.' [49] And so Pilate ordered the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing. 

[50] Now at the dawn of the Lord's Day Mary Magdalene, a female disciple of the Lord (who, afraid because of the Jews since they were inflamed with anger, had not done at the tomb of the Lord what women were accustomed to do for the dead beloved by them), [51] having taken with her women friends, came to the tomb where he had been placed. [52] And they were afraid lest the Jews should see them and were saying, 'If indeed on that day on which he was crucified we could not weep and beat ourselves, yet now at his tomb we may do these things. [53] But who will roll away for us even the stone placed against the door of the tomb in order that, having entered, we may sit beside him and do the expected things? [54] For the stone was large, and we were afraid lest anyone see us. And if we are unable, let is throw against the door what we bring in memory of him; let us weep and beat ourselves until we come to our homes.'

[55] And having gone off, they found the sepulcher opened. And having come forward, they bent down there and saw there a certain young man seated in the middle of the sepulcher, comely and clothed with a splendid robe, who said to them: [56] 'Why have you come? Whom do you seek? Not that one who was crucified? He is risen and gone away. But if you do not believe, bend down and see the place where he lay, because he is not here. For he is risen and gone away to there whence he was sent.' [57] Then the women fled frightened. 

[58] Now it was the final day of the Unleavened Bread; and many went out returning to their home since the feast was over. [59] But we twelve disciples of the Lord were weeping and sorrowful; and each one, sorrowful because of what had come to pass, departed to his home. [60] But I, Simon Peter, and my brother Andrew, having taken our nets, went off to the sea. And there was with us Levi of Alphaeus whom the Lord… 

(1) But of the Jews no one washed the hands, neither Herod nor one of his judges, and when they didn't want to wash Pilate stood up. (2) And then Herod the king, commanding the Lord to be brought, said to them, "Do whatever I commanded you to do to him."

(3) And Joseph stood there, the friend of Pilate and the Lord. And seeing that they were about to crucify him, he went to Pilate and asked for the body of the Lord for burial. (4) And Pilate, having sent to Herod, asked him for the body.

(5) And Herod said, "Brother Pilate, even if someone hadn't asked for him, we would've buried him, since also Sabbath is beginning, because it's written in the Law, 'The sun shouldn't set on one who's been killed.'" 

And he handed him over to the people before the first day of their festival of the Unleavened Bread. (6) And those having taken the Lord were running, pushing him, and saying, "Let's drag the Son of God, having authority over him!"

(7) And they were clothing him with purple, and sat him on the seat of judgment, saying, "Judge justly, king of Israel!" (8) And one of them brought a thorn crown and placed it on the Lord's head. 

(9) And other bystanders were spitting in his face, and others slapped his cheeks. Others were piercing him with a reed, and some were scourging him, saying, "With this honor, let's honor the Son of God!" 

(10) And they brought two wrongdoers and crucified the Lord in the middle of them, but he was silent as if having no pain. (11) And when they set up the cross, they wrote that "This is the king of Israel." (12) And having laid the clothes in front of him, they divided them and cast lots for them.

(13) But one of those wrongdoers rebuked them, saying, "We, because of the wrong that we did, are suffering this way, but this one, having become Savior of humanity, what wrong has he done to you?" 

(14) And they were angry at him. They commanded that the legs not be broken, so that he might die tortured. 

(15) And it was mid-day, and darkness held fast over all Judea. And they were troubled and distressed lest the sun set, since he was still living. It's written to them, "The sun shouldn't set on one who's been killed." (16) And one of them said, "Give him bile with sour wine to drink." And having mixed it, they gave it to him to drink. (17) And they fulfilled all things and accumulated the sins on their head. (18) And many were going around with lanterns, thinking it was night, and some fell down.

(19) And the Lord cried out, saying, "My Power, the Power, you've left me!" And when he said this, it was taken up. (20) And that very hour, the veil of the temple in Jerusalem was torn in two.

(21) And then they drew the nails from the Lord's hands and placed him on the earth. And the whole earth was shaken, and great fear came.

(22) Then the sun shone and it was found to be the ninth hour. (23) And the Jews rejoiced, and gave Joseph his body to bury, since he had seen all the good he had done. (24) And having taken the Lord, he washed him and wrapped him in linen, and brought him into his own tomb, which was known as "Joseph's Garden."

(25) Then the Jews, the elders, and the priests, knowing how much wrong they had done to themselves, began to mourn and say, "Woe to our sins. The judgment and the end of Jerusalem is near!" 

(26) But I with my companions was grieved, and being wounded in mind, we were hiding, because we were being sought by them as wrongdoers and as wanting to burn the temple. (27) On top of all this, we were fasting, sitting, mourning, and weeping night and day until the Sabbath.

(28) And the scribes, the Pharisees, and the elders gathered together with one another, having heard that all the people were grumbling, beating their chests, and saying, "If at his death these greatest signs have happened, see how just he was!" 

(29) The elders were afraid, and went to Pilate, begging him and saying, (30) "Give us soldiers, that we may guard his grave for three days, lest his disciples come and steal him, and the people think that he rose from the dead, and do us wrong."

(31) And Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion, with soldiers to guard the tomb. And elders and scribes went with them to the grave. (32) And having rolled a great stone to the centurion and the soldiers, all who were there placed it at the door of the grave. (33) And they put seven seals on it, and having pitched a tent there, they kept watch. 

(34) Now when the morning of the Sabbath dawned, a crowd from Jerusalem and the surrounding countryside went that they might see the grave that had been sealed. (35) But during the night before the Lord's day dawned, while the soldiers were watching two by two as guards, there was a great voice in heaven. (36) And they saw the heavens being opened, and two men descended from there, having much radiance, and they approached the tomb. (37) But that stone which had been placed at the door rolled away by itself, and made way in part, and the tomb was opened, and both the young men went in. 

(38) Then those soldiers seeing it woke up the centurion and the elders, because they were there too, keeping guard. (39) And while they were explaining to them what they saw, again they saw three men coming out of the tomb, with the two supporting the one, and a cross following them. (40) And the heads of the two reached as far as heaven, but that of the one being led by them reached beyond the heavens.

(41) And they heard a voice from the heavens, saying, "Have you proclaimed to those who sleep?"

(42) And a response was heard from the cross: "Yes!"

(43) Then those men decided to go with each other and report these things to Pilate. (44) And while they were still considering, again the heavens were seen being opened, and a certain man descended and went into the grave. (45) Having seen these things, those with the centurion hurried by night to Pilate, having left the tomb they were watching, and described all that they saw, being greatly distressed, and saying, "Truly he was the Son of God!"

(46) In response Pilate said, "I'm clean of the blood of the Son of God, and this is clear to us."

(47) Then all who came were begging him, and encouraging him to command the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing about what they saw. (48) "It's better for us," they said, "to be guilty of a great sin in front of God than to fall into the hands of the Jewish people and be stoned." (49) So Pilate commanded the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.

(50) Now at dawn on the Lord's day, Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord, afraid because of the Jews (since they were inflamed by anger), had not done at the Lord's grave what women are accustomed to do for their loved ones who've died.

(51) Taking her friends with her, she went to the grave where he was laid. (52) And they were afraid lest the Jews might see them, and were saying, "If on the day he was crucified we weren't able to weep and mourn, even now we might do this on his grave. (53) But who will roll away for us the stone that has been placed at the door of the grave so that we might go in, sit by him, and do our duties? (54) Because the stone is great, and we're afraid lest someone sees us. And if we aren't able, at least let's place at the door what we're bringing in memory of him, and we'll weep and mourn until we return to our house."

(55) And having gone, they found the tomb had been opened. And having approached, they bent down and saw there a certain young man sitting in the middle of the tomb. He was beautiful, having clothed himself with a long, shining robe. He said to them, (56) "Why did you come? Whom do you seek? Not that one who was crucified? He arose and went away. But if you don't believe, bend down and see where he was lying, that he's not there, because he arose and went to where he came from."

(57) Then the women were afraid, and fled.

(58) Now it was the last day of the Unleavened Bread, and many people were leaving, returning to their houses, the festival being over. (59) But we, the twelve disciples of the Lord, were weeping and grieving, and each of us grieving because of what had happened, returned home. (60) But I, Simon Peter, and my brother Andrew, having taken our nets, went off to the sea. And with us was Levi, the son of Alphaeus, whom the Lord…