n to worship the true God they will be sacrificed and
their temple will fall in ruins.

14. "The worldly power upholds order in the land; I told them not to
forget this. I said to them, 'Live in conformity with your situation and
refrain from disturbing public order;' and, at the same time, I exhorted
them to remember that disorder reigned in their own hearts and spirits.

15. "Therefore, the King of Heaven has punished them, and has destroyed
their nationality and taken from them their national kings, 'but,' I
added, 'if you will be resigned to your fate, as a reward the Kingdom of
Heaven will be yours.'"

16. At this moment the witnesses were introduced; one of whom deposed
thus: "Thou hast said to the people that in comparison with the power of
the king who would soon liberate the Israelites from the yoke of the
heathen, the worldly authorities amounted to nothing."

17. "Blessings upon thee!" said Issa. "For thou hast spoken the truth!
The King of Heaven is greater and more powerful than the laws of man and
His kingdom surpasses the kingdoms of this earth.

18. "And the time is not far off, when Israel, obedient to the will of
God, will throw off its yoke of sin; for it has been written that a
forerunner would appear to announce the deliverance of the people, and
that he would reunite them in one family."

19. Thereupon the governor said to the judges: "Have you heard this? The
Israelite Issa acknowledges the crime of which he is accused. Judge him,
then, according to your laws and pass upon him condemnation to death."

20. "We cannot condemn him," replied the priests and the ancients. "As
thou hast heard, he spoke of the King of Heaven, and he has preached
nothing which constitutes insubordination against the law."

21. Thereupon the governor called a witness who had been bribed by his
master, Pilate, to betray Issa, and this man said to Issa: "Is it not
true that thou hast represented thyself as a King of Israel, when thou
didst say that He who reigns in Heaven sent thee to prepare His people?"

22. But Issa blessed the man and answered: "Thou wilt find mercy, for
what thou hast said did not come out from thine own heart." Then,
turning to the governor he said: "Why dost thou lower thy dignity and
teach thy inferiors to tell falsehood, when, without doing so, it is in
thy power to condemn an innocent man?"

23. When Pilate heard his words, he became greatly enraged and ordered
that Issa be condemned to d