1 The Jews astonished and confounded.
16 Simeon's two sons, Charinus and Lenthius,
rise from the dead at Christ's crucifixion.
19 Joseph proposes to get them to relate the
mysteries of their resurrection.
21 They are sought and found,
22 brought to the synagogue,
23 privately sworn to secrecy,
25 and undertake to write what they had seen.
WHEN the chief priests and
Levites heard all these
things, they were astonished, and
fell down with their faces on the
ground as dead men, and crying
out to one another, said, What is
this extraordinary sign which is
come to pass in Jerusalem? We
know the father and mother of
Jesus.
2 And a certain Levite said,
I know many of his relations,
religions persons, who are wont to
offer sacrifices and burnt-offerings
to the God of Israel, in the temple,
with prayers.
3 And when the high-priest
Simeon took him up in his arms,
he said to him, Lord, now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace,
according to thy word; for mine
eyes have seen thy salvation,
which then halt prepared before
the face of all people; a light to
enlighten the Gentiles, and the
glory of thy people Israel.
4 Simeon in like manner blessed
Mary the Mother of Jesus, and
said to her, I declare to thee
concerning that child; He is
appointed for the fall and rising
again of many, and for a sign
which shall be spoken against;
5 Yea, a sword shall pierce
through thine own soul also, and
the thoughts of many hearts shall
he revealed.
6 Then said all the Jews, Let
us send to those three men, who
said they saw him talking with
his disciples in mount Olivet.
7 After this, they asked them
what they had seen; who answered
with one accord, In the presence
of the God of Israel we affirm,
that we plainly saw Jesus talking
with his disciples in Mount Olivet,
and ascending up to heaven.
8 Then Annas and Caiaphas took
them into separate places, and
examined them separately; who
unanimously confessed the truth,
and said, they had seen Jesus.
9 Then Annas and Caiaphas said
"Our law saith, By the mouth of
two or three witnesses every word
shall be established."
10 But what have we said?
The blessed Enoch pleased God,
and was translated by the word of
God; and the burying-place of the
blessed Moses is known.
11 But Jesus was delivered to
Pilate, whipped, crowned with
thorns, spit upon, pierced with a
spear, crucified, died upon the
cross, and was buried, and his
body the honourable Joseph buried
in a new sepulchre, and he testifies
that he saw him alive.
12 And besides, these men have
declared, that they saw him talking
with his disciples in Mount Olivet,
and ascending up to heaven.
13 Then Joseph rising up, said
to Annas and Caiaphas, Ye may be
justly under a great surprise,
that you have been told, that
Jesus is alive, and gone up to
heaven.
14 It is indeed a thing really
surprising, that he should not
only himself arise from the dead,
but also raise others from their
graves, who have been seen by
many in Jerusalem.
15 And now hear me a little
We all knew the blessed Simeon,
the high-priest, who took Jesus
when an infant into his arms in
the temple.
16 This same Simeon had two sons
of his own, and we were all present
at their death and funeral.
17 Go therefore and see their
tombs, for these are open, and
they are risen: and behold, they
are in the city of Arimathaea,
spending their time together in
offices of devotion.
18 Some, indeed, have heard
the sound of their voices in prayer,
but they will not discourse with
anyone, but they continue as mute
as dead men.
19 But come, let us go to them,
and behave ourselves towards them
with all due respect and caution.
And if we can bring them to swear,
perhaps they will tell us some of
the mysteries of their resurrection.
20 When the Jews heard this
they were exceedingly rejoiced.
21 Then Annas and Caiaphas,
Nicodemus, Joseph, and Gamaliel,
went to Arimathaea, but did not
find them in their graves; but
walking about the city, they found
them on their bended knees at
their devotions:
22 Then saluting them with all
respect and deference to God, they
brought them to the synagogue at
Jerusalem; and having shut the
gates, they took the book of the
law of the Lord,
23 And putting it in their hands,
swore them by God Adonai, and
the God of Israel, who spake to
our fathers by the law and the
prophets, saying, If ye believe
him who raised you from the dead,
to be Jesus, tell us what ye have
seen, and how ye were raised from
the dead.
24 Charinus and Lenthius, the
two sons of Simeon, trembled
when they heard these things, and
were disturbed, and groaned; and
at the same time looking up to
heaven, they made the sign of the
cross with their fingers on their
tongues,
25 And immediately they spake,
and said, Give each of us some
paper, and we will write down for
you all those things which we have
seen. And they each sat down
and wrote, saying:--