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The life of Saint Issa
22 And Issa having blessed him, said: “Thou shalt be forgiven, for what thou sayest cometh not from thee.” Then addressing the Governor he said : "Why humiliate thy dignity and teach thy inferiors to live in falsehood, since even without this thou hast the power to condemn an innocent person?”
23 At these words the Governor became violently enraged and ordered Issa to be condemned to death and the two robbers to be acquitted.
24 The judges having consulted together, said to Pilate : “We will not take upon ourselves the great sin of condemning an innocent man, and of acquitting robbers, which is contrary to our laws."
25
“Do, therefore, as thou pleaseth.” Having said this, the priests and the wise men went out and washed their hands in a sacred vessel, saying : “We are innocent of the death of this just man."
XIV
By order of the Governor the soldiers seized Issa and the two robbers and led them to a place of punishment and there nailed them upon crosses which they erected..
All day long the bodies of Issa and the two robbers remained suspended dripping with blood, under the guard of the soldiers;
round about them, the relatives of the tortured praying and weeping.
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