Gospel of Peter

The fragment opens at Pilate's washing of his hands; the trial concludes; Joseph of Arimathea petitions for the body; the Lord is delivered up to the people; He is led to the cross; He is laid in the tomb of Joseph in his garden.

1But of the Jews none washed his hands; neither did Herod, nor any of his judges. And whereas they would not wash, Pilate rose up. Then Herod the king commandeth that the Lord be taken — saying unto them: What things soever I commanded you to do unto Him, do.

2Now there stood there Joseph the friend of Pilate and of the Lord; and knowing that they were about to crucify Him, he came unto Pilate, and asked the body of the Lord for burial. Pilate sent unto Herod, and asked His body. Herod said: Brother Pilate, even if no man had asked for Him, we would have buried Him; for indeed the sabbath dawneth, and it is written in the law that the sun set not upon one that hath been put to death.

3And he delivered Him unto the people. They took the Lord, and pushed Him along as they ran; and said: Let us hale away the Son of God; for we have authority over Him. They put a purple robe upon Him, and set Him upon a seat of judgment, saying: Judge thou righteously, O King of Israel. One of them brought a crown of thorns, and set it upon the head of the Lord. Others stood by, and did spit in His eyes; and others smote His cheeks. Others did prick Him with a reed; and some did scourge Him, saying: With this honour let us honour the Son of God.

4And they brought two malefactors; and they crucified the Lord between them. He held His peace, as one feeling no pain. When they had set up the cross, they wrote thereon: This is the King of Israel. Having set His garments before Him, they parted them among themselves, and cast lots for them. But one of those malefactors reproached them, saying: We for the wrongs we have done suffer thus; but this man, who hath become the Saviour of men, what wrong hath He done unto you? They were wroth with him, and commanded that his legs should not be broken — that so he might die in torment.

5Now it was midday; and darkness covered all Judea. They were troubled and distressed, lest the sun had set, since He yet lived. It is written for them: The sun must not set upon him that hath been put to death. One of them said: Give Him to drink gall mingled with vinegar. They mingled it, and gave Him to drink. They fulfilled all things, and accomplished their sins upon their own head.

6Many went about with lamps, supposing it was night; and they fell down. The Lord cried out, saying: My power, My power, Thou hast forsaken Me. When He had said it, He was taken up. In that same hour the veil of the temple of Jerusalem was rent in twain. They drew out the nails from the hands of the Lord, and laid Him upon the earth. And the whole earth was shaken; and there was great fear.

7Then the sun shone forth; and it was found to be the ninth hour. The Jews rejoiced; and they gave the body unto Joseph, that he might bury it — since he had beheld the good things which He had done. Joseph took the Lord, and washed Him, and rolled Him in a linen cloth, and brought Him into his own tomb, called Joseph's Garden.

The sealing of the tomb, the watch of the soldiers, the descent of the two great angels at dawn, the rolling of the stone, the upright cross, and the Lord's coming forth.

1Then the Jews and the elders and the priests, knowing what evil they had done unto themselves, began to mourn, and to say: Wo unto our sins; the judgment hath drawn nigh, and the end of Jerusalem. I, with my companions, was grieved; and being wounded in mind, we hid ourselves; for we were sought after by them as malefactors, and as men that desired to set fire unto the temple. Yet over all these things we fasted, and sat mourning and weeping night and day, until the sabbath.

2Now the scribes and Pharisees and elders being gathered together one with another, when they heard that all the people murmured and beat their breasts, saying: If by His death these mighty signs have come to pass, behold how righteous He is — they were afraid (especially the elders), and came unto Pilate, beseeching him, and saying: Deliver us soldiers, that we may guard His sepulchre for three days, lest His disciples come and steal Him away, and the people suppose that He is risen from the dead, and do us harm.

3Pilate gave them Petronius the centurion, with soldiers to watch the sepulchre. With them came elders and scribes unto the sepulchre. They rolled a great stone, with the centurion and the soldiers, and laid it against the door of the sepulchre; and they put upon it seven seals; and they pitched a tent there, and kept watch.

4Now in the morning, when the sabbath dawned, there came a multitude from Jerusalem and the region round about, that they might see the sepulchre that had been sealed. In the night in which the Lord's day was drawing on, as the soldiers kept guard two by two in a watch, there was a great voice in the heaven; and they saw the heavens opened, and two men descend thence with great light, and draw nigh unto the tomb.

5The stone which had been set against the door rolled away of itself, and made way in part; and the tomb was opened; and both the young men entered in.

6When the soldiers beheld it, they awakened the centurion and the elders — for they too were there, keeping watch. While they were yet declaring the things which they had seen, they beheld three men come forth from the tomb. The two were supporting the One; and a cross followed them; and the heads of the two reached unto the heaven, but the head of Him that was led by them overpassed the heavens. They heard a voice from the heavens, saying: Hast Thou preached unto them that sleep? And the answer was heard from the cross: Yea.

7They considered together among themselves whether to go and shew these things unto Pilate. Yet while they were considering it, the heavens were again seen opened; and a man descended, and entered into the sepulchre. They that were with the centurion, when they saw it, hastened by night unto Pilate, leaving the sepulchre which they were watching; and declared all the things which they had seen, being in great fear, and saying: Truly He was the Son of God.

8Pilate answered, and said: I am clean of the blood of the Son of God; this was your own deed. Then they all approached him, and besought him, and entreated him that he would command the centurion and the soldiers to tell unto no man what they had seen. For it is better, said they, to make ourselves debtors of a great sin in the sight of God, than to fall into the hands of the people of the Jews, and to be stoned. Pilate then commanded the centurion and the soldiers to say nothing.

9Now in the dawn of the Lord's day, Mary Magdalene, a disciple of the Lord (which, for fear of the Jews, since they were inflamed with anger, had not done at the sepulchre of the Lord the things which the women are accustomed to do for those that die and are beloved), took with her her women friends, and came unto the sepulchre where He had been laid. They feared lest the Jews should see them; and they said: Although on the day He was crucified we could not weep and lament, yet now let us do these things at His sepulchre. Yet who shall roll us away the stone which was laid against the door of the sepulchre, that we may go in, and sit by Him, and do the things that are due? For the stone was great; and we fear lest any man see us. If we cannot roll it away, let us lay down at the door the things that we bring for a memorial of Him; and let us weep and lament, until we come unto our home.

10They went, and found the sepulchre opened. They came near, and stooped down to look therein; and they see there a young man sitting in the midst of the tomb, beautiful, and clothed with a robe exceeding bright. He said unto them: Wherefore are ye come? Whom seek ye? Not Him that was crucified? He is risen, and is gone. But if ye believe not, stoop hither, and see the place where He lay; for He is not here. He is risen, and is gone thither, whence He was sent. Then the women fled affrighted.

11Now it was the last day of the unleavened bread; and many were going home, the feast being ended. We, the twelve disciples of the Lord, were weeping and sorrowful; and each one, being grieved at that which had befallen, departed unto his own house. But I, Simon Peter, and Andrew my brother, took our nets, and went forth unto the sea. With us was Levi the son of Alphaeus, whom the Lord… [Here the fragment breaks off.]

12Glory be unto the risen Lord, who came forth from the tomb in glory; and unto His Father which raised Him; and unto the Holy Ghost that bare witness of Him. Forever and ever. Amen.