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Diatessaron

Tatian, ANF 9

And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitude, I have not found against this …

And Pilate said unto the chief priests and the multitude, I have not found against this man anything. 2But they cried out and said, He hath disquieted1 our people with his teaching in all Judaea, and he began2 from Galilee and unto this place. 3And Pilate, when he heard the name of Galilee, asked, Is this man a Galilaean? 4And when he learned that he was under the jurisdiction of Herod, he sent him to Herod: for he was in Jerusalem in those days.

And Herod, when he saw Jesus, rejoiced exceedingly: for he had desired to see him for a long time, because he had heard regarding him many things; and he counted on3 seeing some sign from him. 6And he questioned him with many words; but Jesus answered him not a word. 7And the scribes and chief priests were standing by, and they accused him vehemently. 8And Herod scoffed at him, he and his servants; and when he had scoffed at him, he clothed him in robes of scarlet, and sent him to Pilate. 9And on that day Pilate and Herod became friends, there having been4 enmity between them before that.

And Pilate called the chief priests and the rulers of the people, and said unto them, 11Ye brought unto me this man, as the perverter of your people: and I have tried him before you, and have not found in this man any cause5 of all that ye seek6 against him: 12nor yet Herod: for I sent him unto him; and he hath done nothing for which he should deserve death. 13So now I will chastise him, and let him go. 14The multitude all cried out and said, Take him from us, take him. 15And the chief priests and the eiders accused him of many things. 16And during their accusation he answered not a word. 17Then Pilate said unto him, Hearest thou not how many things they witness against thee? 18And he answered him not, not even one word: and Pilate marvelled at that. 19And when the judge sat on his tribune, his wife sent unto him, and said unto him, See that thou have nothing to do with that righteous man: for I have suffered much in my dream7 to-day because of him. 20And at every feast the custom of the judge was to release to the people one prisoner, him whom they would. 21And there was in their prison a well-known prisoner, called Barabbas. 22And when they assembled, Pilate said unto them, 23Ye have a custom, that I should release unto you a prisoner at the passover: will ye that I release unto you the King of the Jews? 24And they all cried out and said, Release not unto us this man, but release unto us Barabbas. And this Barabbas was a robber, 25who for sedition8 and murder, which was in the city, was cast into the prison. 26And all the people cried out and began to ask him to do as the custom was that he should do with them. 27And Pilate answered and said unto them, Whom will ye that I release unto you? Barabbas, or Jesus which is called the Messiah, the King of the Jews? 28For Pilate knew that envy had moved them to deliver him up. 29And the chief priests and the elders asked the multitudes to deliver Barabbas, and to destroy Jesus. 30The judge answered and said unto them, Whom of the two will ye that I release unto you? They said, Barabbas. 31Pilate said unto them, And Jesus which is called the Messiah, what shall I do with him? 32They all cried out and said, Crucify him. 33And Pilate spake to them again, for he desired to release Jesus; 34but they cried out and said, Crucify him, crucify him, and release unto us Barabbas. And Pilate said unto them a third time, What evil hath this man done? 35I have not found in him any cause9 to necessitate death: I will chastise him and let him go. 36But they increased in importunity10 with a loud voice, and asked him to crucify him. And their voice, and the voice of the chief priests, prevailed. 37Then Pilate released unto them that one who was cast into prison for sedition and murder, Barabbas, whom they asked for: and he scourged Jesus with whips.11 38Then the footsoldiers of the judge took Jesus, and went into the praetorium, and gathered unto him all of the footsoldiers. 39And they stripped him, and put on him a scarlet cloak. 40And they clothed him in garments of purple, and plaited a crown of thorns, and placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand; 41and while they mocked at him and laughed, they fell down on their knees before him, and bowed down to12 him, and said, Hail,13 King of the Jews! 42And they spat in his face, and took the reed from his hand, and struck him on his head, and smote his cheeks. 43And Pilate went forth without again, and said unto the Jews, I bring him forth to you, that ye may know that I do not find, in examining14 him, even one crime.15 44And Jesus went forth without, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple garments. 45Pilate said unto them, Behold, the man! And when the chief priests and the soldiers16 saw him, they cried out and said, Crucify him, crucify him. Pilate said unto them, Take him yourselves, and crucify him: for I find not a cause17 against him. 46The Jews said unto him, We have a law, and according to our law he deserves death, because he made himself the Son of God. 47And when Pilate heard this word, his fear increased; 48and he entered again into the porch, and said to Jesus, Whence art thou? 49But Jesus answered him not a word. Pilate said unto him, Speakest18 thou not unto me? knowest thou not that I have authority to release thee, and have authority to crucify thee? 50Jesus said unto him, Thou hast not any19 authority over me, if thou wert not given it from above: therefore the sin of him that delivered me up unto thee is greater than thy sin. 51And for this word Pilate wished to release him: but the Jews cried out, If thou let him go, thou art not a friend of Caesar: for every one that maketh himself a king is against Caesar.

Notes

  1. Or, led astray (cf. §25, 17, note).
  2. cf. Syriac versions.
  3. Same word as in §10, 16 (see note there).
  4. Lit. and there was.
  5. The Arabic word may also, like the Syriac, mean thing, but hardly, as that does here, fault or crime. The Vat. MS., pointing differently, reads thing. The same confusion occurs at §40, 35 (cf. a converse case in §25, 40).
  6. So Ciasca’s text, following the Borg. MS. The Vat. MS. has plotted, which is nearer the Syriac accuse.
  7. see §3, 12, note.
  8. Ciasca’s text, following the Vat. MS., has disorder. Borg. MS. has division (cf. heresies, Curetonian of § 50, 37)), which by addition of a diacritical point gives sedition; cf. §50, 37 (Ciasca, following Vat. MS.), and Peshitta (both places).
  9. Our translator has retained the Syriac word, which in this context means fault (see §50, 11, note).
  10. The word used in Vat MS. means a repeated charge or attack. That in Borg. MS. is probably used in the post-classical sense of importuning him. Either word might be written by a copyist for the other. The came double reading probably occurs again at §53, 55.
  11. cf. Syriac versions.
  12. This may be a mere clerical error (very natural in Arabic) for scoffed at, the reading of the Syriac versions. This being so, it is worthy of remark that the reading is apparently common to the two MSS. The Syriac words are, however, also somewhat similar. The Jerusalem Lectionary has a word agreeing with the text above.
  13. Lit. Peace.
  14. This reading may be a corruption of a very literal rendering of the Peshitta.
  15. cf. 50, 11.
  16. cf. §11, 11, note.
  17. see §50, 35, note.
  18. Borg. MS., Why speakest; a reading that might be a corruption of the Peshitta.
  19. Lit. even one (Peas.),

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