nd
the power of darkness. Behold, I am here!"

"Surround him!" cried Selpha; "bind him fast that he escape not."

Then said Nathanael, whose eager zeal to destroy Jesus had led him to
join the soldiers, "You are responsible to the council that he does not
escape." At Selpha's command Malchus and Balbus had seized Christ, and
were busily engaged in tying his hands together with cords. Slowly,
one by one, the disciples stole away, leaving Jesus alone in the midst
of his captors.

In reply to Nathanael, the soldiers said, "Out of our hands he will not
escape."

Then cried with a loud voice the traders, with Dathan at their head,
"Now, we will wreak our vengeance." And Dathan added, "Dost thou still
remember what thou didst to us in the temple?"

Josaphat said to the other Pharisees, "We will hasten on into the city.
The Sanhedrin will be awaiting our arrival with impatience."

The traders replied, "But we will not leave this scoundrel for an
instant."

"First," said Nathanael, "we must go to the High Priest Annas. Lead
him thither!"

Selpha said, "We follow thee!"

As the band prepared to obey the word of command a trader came up to
Judas and said approvingly, "Thou art a man, indeed. Thou knowest how
to keep thy word."

Judas complacently answered, "Did I not tell you that he would be in
your power today?"

The Pharisees said, "Thou hast placed the whole council under an
obligation to thee."

The procession then went off, leading Jesus to the palace of Annas.
The Temple Watch formed behind Jesus, who with his hands bound before
him, was thrown violently forward by Malchus and Balbus, who held the
other ends of the cords which bound him, and marched behind him. They
cried, "On with thee! In Jerusalem they will settle your affair!"

Selpha, who marched at the head of his band, cried, "Let us hasten;
lead him away carefully."

And all the band shouted, "Ha, run now as thou hast hitherto run to and
fro about the land of Judea."

"Spare him not!" said Selpha, "drive him on!"

"Forward," shouted the soldiers, shouting together; "otherwise thou
shalt be driven on with staves."

And as they marched away, driving Jesus before them the traders derided
him, saying, "Doth Beelzebub, then, aid thee no longer?"

* * * * * *

It was dark night and there was silence in the street before the house
of Annas, the high priest, when his door opened and Annas, attended by
Esdras