And the highest priest stood up amongst them all, and asked Iesus saying: answerest thou nothing? How is it that these bear witness against thee? And he held his peace, and answered nothing. Again the highest priest asked him, and said unto him: Art thou the Christ the son of the blessed? And Iesus said: I am. And ye shall see the son of man sit on the right hand of power, and come in the clouds of heaven. Then the highest priest rent his clothes and said: what need we any further witness? ye have heard the blasphemy, what think ye? And they all gave sentence that he was worthy of death. And some began to spit at him, and to cover his face, and to beat him with their fists, and to say unto him, aread unto us. And the servants buffeted him on the face.
And Peter was beneath in the palace, and there came one of the wenches of the highest priest, And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked on him, and said: was not thou also with Iesus of Nazareth? And he denied it saying: I know him not, neither wot I what thou sayest: And he went out into the porch, and the cock crew. And a damsel saw him, and again began to say to them that stood by, this is one of them. And he denied it again. And anon after, again they that stood by, said to Peter: surely thou art one of them, for thou art of Galile, and thy speech agreeth thereto. And he began to curse and to swear, saying: I know not this man of whom ye speak. And again the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word that Iesus said unto him: before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice, and began to weep.
The .xv. Chapter.
And anon in the dawning held the high priests a council with the seniors and the scribes, And also the whole congregation, and bound Iesus and led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: art thou the king of the jewes? And he answered, and said unto him: thou sayest it. And the high priests accused him of many things. Pilate asked him again, saying: Answerest thou nothing? Behold how many things they lay unto thy charge. Iesus yet answered never a word, so that Pilate marvelled.
At the feast Pilate was wont to deliver at their pleasure a prisoner: whomsoever they would desire. And there was one named Barabas, which lay bound with them, that caused insurrection, and in the insurrection committed murder. And the people called unto him, and began to desire of him, according as he had ever done unto them. Pilate answered them, and said: Will ye that I loose unto you the king of the jewes? For he knew that the high priests had delivered him of envy. But the high priests had moved the people that he should rather deliver Barabas unto them.
Pilate answered again, and said unto them: What will ye then that I do with him, whom ye call the king of the jewes? And they cried again: crucify him. Pilate said unto them: What evil hath he done? And they cried the more fervently: Crucify him. Pilate willing to content the people, lowsed them Barabas, And delivered Iesus scourged for to be crucified.
And the soldiers led him away into the common hall, and called together the whole multitude, and they clothed him with purple, and they plaited a crown of thorns and crowned him with all, And began to salute him: Hail king of the jewes. And they smote him on the head with a reed, and spat upon him, and kneeled down and worshipped him.
And when they had mocked him, they took the purple off him, and put his own clothes on him, and led him out, to crucify him. And they compelled one that passed by, called Simon of Cyrene (which came out of the field, and was father of Alexander and Rufus) to bear his cross. And they brought him to a place named Golgotha (which is by interpretation, the place of dead men's skulls) and they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh, but he received it not.
And when they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting lots for them, what every man should have. And it was about the third hour, and they crucified him. And the title of the cause of his death was written: The king of the jewes. And they crucified with him two thieves: the one on his right hand, and the other on his left hand. And the scripture was fulfilled, which sayeth: and he was counted among the wicked.
And they that went by, railed on him: wagging their heads, and saying: A wretch, that destroyest the temple and buildest it in three days. Save thyself, and come down from the cross. Likewise also mocked him the high priests among themselves with the scribes, and said: He saved other men, himself he cannot save. Let Christ the king of Israel now descend from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him, checked him also.