governor!'"

"Long live our governor," cried the crowd. "Long live Pontius Pilate!"

Then said Pilate, "Bring hither the two murderers who are kept in gaol.
Let the chief lictor give them over without delay to the guard. They
have deserved death much more than the accused."

But the priests and people cried, "He has deserved death more than any."

Pilate said, "The sentence of death must be written out and will be
read publicly before all the people."

The scribe began to write, and as he wrote, from the street were heard
the voices of the soldiers who were bringing the thieves, driving them
forward: "Will you not move on, you wretches? Have you not long ago
deserved your fate? Thrust them on, these outcasts of mankind." When
the thieves driven by the soldiers came to the foot of the balcony they
were halted on the other side of the steps to that where Jesus stood.

Then said the rabbi, pointing to the thieves, "That is worthy company
for the false Messiah on his last journey."

Pilate said to the thieves, "Of you and your misdeeds the earth shall
today be free. You shall die upon the cross. Let the sentence of
death be now read."

Then the scribe stood forward and read thus: "I, Pontius Pilate,
viceroy in Judea of the mighty Caesar Claudius Tiberius, pronounce at
the desire of the high priests and the Sanhedrin and the people of the
Jews, the sentence of death upon a certain Jesus of Nazareth, who is
accused of having stirred up the people to revolt, of having forbidden
to pay tribute to Caesar, and of having proclaimed himself king of the
Jews. The same shall be crucified outside the city between two
malefactors who have been likewise condemned to death for many
robberies and murders, and be brought from life to death. Given at
Jerusalem on the eve of the Passover."

When the scribe had read the sentence Pilate broke a staff, flung it
among the people, saying in tones of great bitterness, "Now take him
hence and crucify him!" and went rapidly into the house, leaving Jesus
in the hands of the Jews.

"Triumph!" cried Caiaphas in wild exultation. "The victory is ours!
The enemy of the synagogue is destroyed!"

The priests and people shouted, "Away with him to Golgotha! Long live
the synagogue! Long live the nation!"

Then said Annas, "Hasten, that we may come home in time to eat the
Passover."

The priests and Pharisees said, "We will keep this Passover with joy,
as did our fathers in Egypt."