Life of Ahmad — Page 311
as JESUS as IS DEAD 311 their friends, that they might bury them. And the centurion was friendly to me, as he had conceived from the events that Jesus was an innocent man. When the two theives were beaten by the soldiers with heavy clubs, and their bones broken, the centurion went by the cross of Jesus, saying to his soldiers, "Do not break his bones, for he is dead". For Pilate had a great reverence for Joseph, and secretly repented of the execution. When Nicodemus saw the wound, flowing with water and blood, his eyes were animated with new hope, and he spoke encouragingly, foreseeing what was to happen. He drew Joseph aside to where I stood, some distance from John, and spoke in low, hurried tone, "Dear friends, be of good cheer, and go to work. Jesus is not dead; he only seems to be because his strength was exhausted". While Joseph was with Pilate I hurried over to our colony, and fetched the herbs that are useful in such cases. But I advise you not to let John know that we intend to reanimate the corpse of Jesus, for I fear he could not conceal his joy; and dangerous indeed would it be to let the people know it, as our enemies would then put us to death, as well as him. Now thirty hours had passed since the assumed death of Jesus. And when the brother heard a slight noise in the grotto, and stepped in