, foolish hope. They will mock me, I know it. O cursed synagogue,
thou hast tempted me through thy messengers, thou hast hidden from me
thy bloody designs until thou hadst him in thy clutches. I will
torture thee with bitter reproaches, ye unjust judges. I will have
nothing to do with your devilish decision. I will have no share in the
blood of this innocent. Oh, what tortures, what pains of hell, tear my
inmost soul!" So saying he departed.

Now within the hall of the Sanhedrin were assembled the high priests,
the scribes and the leaders. Caiaphas and Annas arrayed in their
robes, sat in the high place of the council, and all the seats were
filled except those of Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus. Caiaphas
spoke, saying, "I thought, fathers, that I could not wait till the
morning to send the enemy of the synagogue to death."

And Annas said, "I could not get a moment's rest for eagerness to hear
the sentence pronounced."

Then cried they all, "It is pronounced. He shall and must die."

Caiaphas said, "I did not wish to trouble all the members of the
Sanhedrin to come hither in the night time. But there was present the
necessary number of judges to pronounce as the law prescribes. All as
with one mouth declared the accused worthy of death, for all had heard
with their own ears how this man blasphemed God in the most terrible
way, and was impious enough to call himself the Son of God."

The priests and Pharisees who had previously been present answered,
"Yea, we bear witness to it. We have ourselves heard the impious
blasphemy from his lips."

"Then," said Caiaphas, "I will have the criminal brought before you
once more, so that you may be convinced of his being worthy of death.
Then may the whole council pronounce the just sentence."

As he was speaking, Judas, looking haggard and distracted, rushed into
the midst of the council, crying wildly, "Is it true? Have you
condemned my Master to death?"

Then said the rabbi unto him, "Why dost thou force thyself uncalled for
in this assembly? Be off. We will call thee if we have need of thee."

But Judas took no heed. "I must know it," he said. "Have you
condemned him?"

Then all in the council cried aloud, "He must die."

"Woe, woe!" said Judas. "I have sinned. I have betrayed innocent
blood. Oh, you blood-thirsty judges, to condemn the innocent blood."

"Peace, peace, Judas," cried the council.

"There will never, never more be peace for m