Kwathi sekusile, bonke abapristi abakhulu namalunga esizwe benza icebo ngoJesu lokuba bambulale; bambopha, bamuka naye, bamnikela kuPilatu umbusi.
Khona uJuda owamkhaphelayo, ebona ukuthi ulahliwe, wazisola, wabuyisela izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingamashumi amathathu kubapristi namalunga, wathi: “Ngonile ukuba ngikhaphele igazi elingenacala.”
Bona bathi: “Kuyini lokho kithi na? Zibonele wena.”
Wayesephonsa izinhlamvu zesiliva ethempelini, wamuka, waziphanyeka.
Kepha abapristi abakhulu bazithatha izinhlamvu zesiliva, bathi: “Akuvunyelwe ukuzifaka emnikelweni, ngokuba kuyimali yegazi.” Benza icebo, bathenga ngayo insimu yombumbi, ibe ngeyokumbela abafokazi. Ngalokho insimu leyo ithiwa insimu yegazi kuze kube namuhla. Khona kwagcwaliseka okwashiwo ngomprofethi uJeremiya ukuthi: “Bathatha izinhlamvu zesiliva ezingamashumi amathathu, inani lowamiselwa inani onani lakhe lamiswa ngamadodana ka-Israyeli; bakhokha ngazo insimu yombumbi, njengokuba iNkosi ingiyalile.”
Kepha uJesu wayemi phambi kombusi; umbusi wambuza wathi: “Wena uyinkosi yabaJuda na?”
UJesu wathi kuye: “Usho khona.”
Kwathi lapho abapristi abakhulu namalunga bemthwesa icala, kaphendulanga lutho. Khona uPilatu wathi kuye: “Awuzwa yini lokho okungaka abakufakaza ngawe na?” Akaze amphendula nakwelilodwa izwi, umbusi waze wamangala kakhulu.
Kepha ngomkhosi umbusi wayejwayele ukukhululela isixuku isiboshwa sibe sinye esasisithanda. Ngaleso sikhathi babe nesiboshwa esidumileyo esithiwa uBaraba. Ngakho sebebuthene, uPilatu wathi kubo: “Nithanda ukuba nginikhululele bani, uBaraba nokuba uJesu othiwa uKristu, na?” Ngokuba wayekwazi ukuthi bamnikele ngomhawu.
Esahlezi esihlalweni sokwahlulela, umkakhe wathumela kuye, wathi: “Ungabi nandaba kulowo muntu olungileyo; ngokuba ngihluphekile kakhulu namuhla ngaye ephusheni.”
Kepha abapristi abakhulu namalunga bancenga izixuku ukuba zicele uBaraba, zimbulale uJesu.
Wayesephendula umbusi, wathi kubo: “Nithanda ukuba nginikhululele muphi kulaba ababili na?”
Bathi: “UBaraba.”
UPilatu wathi kubo: “Pho-ke, ngimenze njani uJesu othiwa uKristu na?”
Bonke bathi: “Makabethelwe esiphambanweni.”
Wayesethi: “Ngokuba wenze bubi buni na?”
Kepha bamemeza kakhulu, bathi: “Makabethelwe esiphambanweni.”
UPilatu esebona ukuthi akanakwenza lutho nokuthi isiphithiphithi sesanda kakhulu, wathatha amanzi, wahlamba izandla phambi kwesixuku, wathi: “Anginacala egazini lalo muntu; ziboneleni nina.”
Abantu bonke base bephendula bethi: “Igazi lakhe malibe phezu kwethu naphezu kwabantwana bethu.”
Wayesebakhululela uBaraba, kepha wamshaya uJesu, wamnikela ukuba abethelwe esiphambanweni.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
