Gospel of Peter

The fragment is cited by writers at the end of the second century and was discovered in 1884 in a tomb at Akhmimin, north of Nag Hammadi in Egypt. This Gospel was one of the four texts contained in the codex.

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.

• Acts 4:27 "In fact, this is the very city where Herod and Pontius Pilate conspired with the Gentiles and the people of Israel against Your holy servant Jesus, whom You anointed."

2. And then Herod the king orders the Lord to be taken away, having said to them: "What I ordered you to do, do."

• Luke 23:4-15 "Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for a charge against this man". But they kept insisting, “He stirs up the people all over Judea with His teaching. He began in Galilee and has come all the way here.” And Pilate having heard, asked whether the man is a Galilean, And learning that Jesus was under Herod’s jurisdiction, he sent Him to Herod, who himself was in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was greatly pleased. He had wanted to see Him for a long time, because he had heard about Him and was hoping to see Him perform a miracle. Herod questioned Jesus at great length, but He gave no answer. Meanwhile, the chief priests and scribes stood there, vehemently accusing Him. And even Herod and his soldiers ridiculed and mocked Him. Dressing Him in a fine robe, they sent Him back to Pilate. That day Herod and Pilate became friends; before this time they had been enemies. Then Pilate called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, and said to them, “You brought me this man as one who was inciting the people to rebellion. I have examined Him here in your presence and found Him not guilty of your charges against Him. Neither has Herod, for he sent Him back to us. As you can see, He has done nothing deserving of death."

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.

• Luke 23:50-54 "Now there was a Council member named Joseph, a good and righteous man, who had not consented to their decision or action. He was from the Judean town of Arimathea, and was waiting for the kingdom of God. He having gone to Pilate, asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had yet been laid. It was Preparation Day, and the Sabbath was beginning."

• Mark 15:43 "Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent Council member who himself was waiting for the kingdom of God, boldly went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus."

4. And Pilate, having sent to Herod, requested his body.

• John 19:38 "Afterward, Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus (but secretly for fear of the Jews), asked Pilate to let him remove the body of Jesus. Pilate gave him permission, so he came and removed 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.!".

• John 18:22 "When Jesus had said this, one of the officers standing nearby slapped Him in the face and said, “Is this how You answer the high priest?”"

• Matthew 27:28-29 " They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him.. And they twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on His head. They put a staff in His right hand and knelt down before Him to mock Him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews! Then they spit on Him and took the staff and struck Him on the head repeatedly!"

10. And they brought two wrongdoers and crucified the Lord in the middle of them. But he was silent as having no pain.

• 1 Peter 2:23 "When they heaped abuse on Him, He did not retaliate; when He suffered, He made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly."

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.

• John 19:31-33 "The Jews asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies removed. So the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and those of the other. But having come to Jesus, when they saw Him already having been dead, they did not break His legs."

15. But is 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.

• Matthew 27:45 "From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land."

16. And someone of them said: "Give him to drink gall with vinegary wine." And having made a mixture, they gave to drink.

• Luke 23:36 "The soldiers also mocked Him and came up to offer Him sour wine."

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.

• Matthew 27:51 "At that moment the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked and the rocks were split."

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.

• Matthew 27:57-60 "When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who himself was a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate to ask for the body of Jesus, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. So Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And having rolled a great stone to the door of the tomb, he went away."

• Mark 15:46 "So Joseph bought a linen cloth, took down the body of Jesus, wrapped it in the cloth, and placed it in a tomb that had been cut out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb."

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."

• Matthew 27:64-66 "So give the order that the tomb be secured until the third day. Otherwise, His disciples may come and steal Him away and tell the people He has risen from the dead. And this last deception would be worse than the first. You have a guard,” Pilate said. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how. So they went and secured the tomb by sealing the stone and posting the guard.”

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.

• Matthew 28:1-8 "After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled away the stone, and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards trembled in fear of him and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said! Come, see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.’ See, I have told you. So they hurried away from the tomb in fear and great joy, and ran to tell His disciples.

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 ...