4 UPhilathu waphinda waphuma wathi kumaJuda, “Khangelani, sengimkhupha ngimlethe kini ngilazisa ukuthi kangifumani sizatho sokumethesa icala.” 5 Kwathi uJesu ephuma egqoke umqhele wameva, egqoke isigqoko esiyibubende, uPhilathu wathi kubo, “Iboneni-ke, nansi indoda!”
6 Abaphristi abakhulu lezikhulu zabo bonela ukumbona bamemeza bathi, “Mbethele! Mbethele!”
7 AmaJuda aphikelela athi, “Thina silomthetho, ngakho mayelana lalowomthetho kumele afe ngoba uzithi uyiNdodana kaNkulunkulu.”
8 UPhilathu wathi ekuzwa lokhu wesaba kakhulu, 9 wasebuyela esigodlweni. Wabuza uJesu wathi, “Ungowangaphi wena?” Kodwa uJesu kamphendulanga. 10 UPhilathu wathi, “Kawufuni kukhuluma lami? Awuboni yini ukuthi mina ngilamandla okukukhulula lawokukubethela?”
11 UJesu waphendula wathi, “Kawulawo amandla phezu kwami ongawaphiwanga evela phezulu. Ngakho-ke, lowo onginikele kuwe ulecala lesono esikhulu kakhulu.”
12 Kusukela lapho uPhilathu wazama ukukhulula uJesu, kodwa amaJuda aqhubeka ememeza esithi, “Nxa uyekela umuntu lo ahambe, kawulabungane loKhesari. Lowo ozitshaya inkosi uphikisana loKhesari.”
13 UPhilathu esezwe lokhu, wamletha phandle uJesu, yena wasehlala esihlalweni sakhe sokwahlulela endaweni eyayithiwa yisiGcawu Esigandelwe Ngamatshe (okuthiwa ngesiHebheru yiGabatha). 14 Kwakulusuku lokuLungisela iViki yePhasika, ngehola lesithupha.
15 Kodwa amemeza athi, “Msuse! Msuse! Mbethele!”
16 Ekucineni uPhilathu wamnikela kubo ukuba abethelwe.
19 UPhilathu waloba umbhalo wananyathiselwa esiphambanweni. Wawubhalwe ukuthi:
22 UPhilathu waphendula wathi, “Esengikulobile, sengikulobile.”
23 Kwathi amabutho esembethele uJesu, athatha izigqoko zakhe azabelana, zaba zingxenye ezine, zilingene ibutho linye ngalinye, kwasala isigqoko sangaphansi. Sona sasingelamthungo, silukwe sonke kusukela phezulu kusiya phansi.
24 Bacebisana bathi, “Kasingasidabuli. Kasikhetheni ngenkatho ukuthi sibe ngesikabani.”[a]
25 Eduze kwesiphambano sakhe uJesu kwakumi unina, udadewabo kanina, uMariya umkaKlopasi loMariya Magadalini. 26 UJesu wathi ebona unina lapho lomfundi ayemthanda emi lapho eduze, wathi kunina, “Mama, nansi indodana yakho,” 27 wathi kumfundi, “Nangu unyoko.” Kusukela kulesosikhathi umfundi lowo wamthatha unina wamusa ekhaya lakhe.
31 Lolo kwakulusuku lokuLungiselela, ngosuku olulandelayo kwakuzakuba liSabatha eliqakathekileyo. Ngenxa yokuthi amaJuda ayengafuni izidumbu zisale eziphambanweni ngeSabatha, acela uPhilathu ukuthi kwephulwe amalunga emilenze lezidumbu zethulwe. 32 Yikho amabutho eza ephula imilenze yendoda yakuqala eyayibethelwe loJesu, aphinda lakweyinye. 33 Kodwa athi efika kuJesu ebona ukuthi wayevele esefile, kawasazephulanga izitho zakhe. 34 Endaweni yalokho elinye ibutho lamciba uJesu ngomkhonto ohlangothini, kwantshaza igazi lamanzi. 35 Umuntu owakubonayo usebulethile ubufakazi, njalo ubufakazi bakhe buliqiniso. Uyazi ukuthi ukhuluma iqiniso njalo ufakazela ukuthi lani libe lokukholwa. 36 Lezizinto zenzakala ukuze kugcwaliseke umbhalo othi: “Kalikho lalinye ithambo lakhe elizakwephulwa,”[b] 37 lomunye umbhalo uthi, “Bazakhangela kulowo abamgwazayo.”[c]