Isigejane samabutho, induna yenkulungwane, nezikhonzi zabaJuda bambamba uJesu, bambopha. Bamhola, bamyisa ku-Anase kuqala, ngokuba engumukhwe kaKhayifase owayengumphristi omkhulu ngalowo nyaka. Phela uKhayifase nguyena owaluleka abaJuda ngokuthi kungcono ukuba umuntu oyedwa afele abantu.
USimoni Phethro nomunye umfundi owayaziwa ngumphristi omkhulu, bamlandela uJesu. UJesu wangena-ke egcekeni lomphristi omkhulu. Kepha uPhethro wayemi ngaphandle kwesango. Waphuma lowo mfundi owayaziwa ngumphristi omkhulu, wakhuluma nentombazane engumlindimnyango, yayisimngenisa uPhethro.
Intombazana engumlindimnyango yayisithi kuPhethro: “Ngabe impela nawe awusiye yini omunye wabafundi balo muntu na?”
Wathi yena: “Angisiye.”
Kwakumi lapho izinceku nezikhonzi zibase umlilo wamalahle, zotha, ngokuba kwakumakhaza; noPhethro wayemi nazo, otha umlilo.
Kepha umphristi omkhulu wabuza uJesu ngabafundi bakhe nangemfundiso yakhe.
UJesu wamphendula, wathi: “Ngikhulumile esidlangalaleni ezweni. Ngezikhathi zonke, bengifundisa esinagogeni nasethempelini, lapho kubuthana khona bonke abaJuda, angikhulumanga lutho ngasese. Pho ubuzelani kimi na? Buza kulabo abezwile lokho engakukhuluma kubo; bona bayakwazi engakushoyo.”
Esasho lokho, esinye isikhonzi esasimi eduze sammukula uJesu, sathi: “Uphendula umphristi omkhulu kanjalo na?”
UJesu wasiphendula, wathi: “Uma ngikhulume kabi, fakaza ngalobo bubi; kodwa uma kukuhle, ungishayelani na?”
U-Anase wamthumela eboshiwe kuKhayafase, umphristi omkhulu.
Kepha uSimoni Phethro wayemi, otha. Bathi-ke kuye: “Ngabe impela nawe awusiye yini omunye wabafundi bakhe na?”
Waphika wathi: “Angisiye.”
Enye yezinceku zomphristi omkhulu, eyisihlobo salowo ondlebe yaso uPhethro wayeyinqumile, yathi: “Angikubonanga yini ensimini naye na?”
UPhethro wabuye waphika; masinyane lakhala iqhude.
Khona bamhola uJesu esuka kuKhayafase, bamyisa enkundleni yokwehlulela; kwakusekuseni. Kepha bona kabangenanga enkundleni yokwehlulela ukuze bangazingcolisi, kodwa bakwazi ukudla iPhasika. Ngakho-ke uPilatu waphumela kubo ngaphandle, wathi: “Nimethwesa cala lini lo muntu na?”
Baphendula, bathi kuye: “Uma lo muntu ubengenzanga okubi, ngabe asimlethanga kuwe.”
Ngakho-ke uPilatu, wathi kubo: “Mthatheni nina, nimehlulele ngomthetho wakini.”
AbaJuda bathi kuye: “Asivunyelwe thina ukubulala umuntu,” lokho kwenzeka ukuze kufezeke izwi uJesu alikhulumayo, ekhomba indlela ayakufa ngayo.
UPilatu wabuye wangena endlini yokwehlulela, wabiza uJesu, wathi kuye: “Wena uyinkosi yabaJuda na?”
UJesu waphendula, wathi: “Uzisholo lokho wena yini, noma abanye bakutshele kanjalo ngami na?”
UPilatu waphendula, wathi: “Kanti ngingumJuda yini mina na? Isizwe sakini nabaphristi abakhulu bakulethe kimi; pho wenzeni na?”
UJesu waphendula, wathi: “Umbuso wami akusiwo owaleli lizwe. Uma umbuso wami ubungowaleli lizwe, izikhonzi zami beziyakungilwela ukuze nginganikelwa kubaJuda. Kepha manje umbuso wami akusiwo owalapha.”
Wayesethi uPilatu kuye: “Kanti uyinkosi ngempela na?”
UJesu waphendula, wathi: “Usho khona ukuthi ngiyinkosi; ngokuba ngazalelwa lokho, ngafikela lokho emhlabeni, ukuba ngifakazele iqiniso. Bonke abeqiniso bayalizwa izwi lami.”
Wathi uPilatu kuye: “Iqiniso liyini na?”
Esekushilo lokho wabuye waphumela kubaJuda, wathi kubo: “Angifumani cala kuye. Kepha ninesiko lokuba nginikhululele omunye ngePhasika. Ngakho niyathanda yini ukuba nginikhululele inkosi yabaJuda na?”
Bamemeza futhi bonke, bathi: “Hhayi lo muntu, kodwa uBharabha.”
Nakuba uBharabha wayengumphangi.
Uhlelo Lokusebenza lweBhayibheli
Uhlelo Lokusebenza LweBhayibheli yezingane
