The Paradosis Pilati (“The Handing Over of Pilate”) is an account of Pilate being brought to Rome for judgment. While the earliest extant manuscripts are from the 12th century, it is speculated to date from the 4th or 5th centuries.
1 And the writings having come to the city of the Romans, and having been read to Caesar, with not a few standing by, all were astounded, because through the wickedness of Pilate the darkness and the earthquake had come over the whole world. 2 And Caesar, filled with rage, sent soldiers and ordered them to bring Pilate [as] a prisoner. 3 And when he was brought to the city of the Romans, Caesar, hearing that Pilate had arrived, sat in the temple of the gods, in the presence of all the senate, and with all the army, and all the multitude of his power; and he ordered Pilate to stand forward. 4 And Caesar says to him: “Why have you, O most impious [man], dared to do such things, having seen such great miracles in that Man? By daring to do an evil deed, you have destroyed the whole world.” 5 And Pilate said: “O almighty king, I am innocent of these things; but the multitude of the Jews are violent and guilty.” 6 And Caesar said: “And who are they?” Pilate says: “Herod, Archelaus, Philip, Annas and Caiaphas, and all the multitude of the Jews.” 7 Caesar says: “For what reason did you follow their counsel?” And Pilate says: “Their nation is rebellious and insubordinate, not submitting themselves to your power.” 8 And Caesar said: “When they delivered Him to you, you should have made Him secure and sent Him to me, and not have obeyed them in crucifying such a Man, righteous as He was, and One that did such good miracles, as you have said in your report. For from such miracles Jesus was obviously the Christ, the King of the Jews.” 9 And as Caesar was thus speaking, when he named the Name of Christ, all the multitude of the gods fell down collectively and became as dust, where Caesar was sitting with the senate. 10 And the people standing beside Caesar all began to tremble on account of the speaking of the word and the fall of their gods; 11 and being seized with terror, they all went away, each to his own house, wondering at what had happened. And Caesar ordered Pilate to be kept in security, in order that he might know the truth about Jesus. 12 And on the following day, Caesar, sitting in the Capitol with all the senate, tried again to question Pilate. 13 And Caesar says: “Tell the truth, O most impious [man], because through your impious action which you have perpetrated against Jesus, even here the doing of your wicked deeds has been shown by the gods having been cast down. Say, then, who He is that has been crucified; because even His Name has destroyed all the gods.” 14 Pilate said: “And indeed, the records of Him are true; for assuredly I myself was persuaded from His works that He was greater than all the gods whom we worship.” 15 And Caesar said: “For what reason, then, did you bring against Him such audacity and such doings, if you were not ignorant of Him, and altogether devising trouble against my kingdom?” 16 Pilate said: “On account of the wickedness and rebellion of the lawless and ungodly Jews, I did this.” 17 And Caesar, being filled with rage, held a council with all his senate and his power, and ordered a decree to be written against the Jews as follows: “To Licianus, the governor of the chief places of the East: Greetings. The reckless deed which has been done at the present time by the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and the cities of the Jews surrounding [it], and their wicked action, has come to my knowledge, that they have forced Pilate to crucify a certain God named Jesus, and on account of this great fault of theirs the world has been darkened and dragged to destruction. 18 Therefore speedily, with a multitude of soldiers, go to them there, and make them prisoners, in accordance with this decree. Be obedient, and take action against them, and scatter them, and make them slaves among all the nations; and having driven them out of the whole of Judea, make them the smallest of nations, so that it may not any longer be seen at all, because they are full of wickedness. 19 And this decree having come into the region of the East, Licianus, obeying from fear of the decree, seized all the nation of the Jews; and those that were left in Judea he scattered among the nations and sold for slaves, so that it was known to Caesar that these things had been done by Licianus against the Jews in the region of the East; and it pleased him. 20 And again, Caesar set himself to question Pilate; and he orders a captain named Albius to cut off Pilate’s head, saying, “Just as he laid hands on the just Man named Christ, in like manner he will also fall and not find safety.” 21 And Pilate, going away to the place, prayed in silence, saying, “Lord, do not destroy me along with the wicked Hebrews, because I would not have laid hands on You, except for the nation of the lawless Jews, because they were exciting rebellion against me. 22 But You know that I did it in ignorance. Do not then destroy me for this sin of mine, but do not remember evil against me, O Lord, and against Your servant Procla, who is standing with me in this hour of my death, whom You appointed to prophesy that You should be nailed to the Cross. 23 Do not condemn her also in my sin; but pardon us, and make us to be numbered in the portion of Your righteous.” 24 And behold, when Pilate had finished his prayer, there came a voice out of Heaven, saying, “All the generations and families of the nations will count you blessed, because under you have been fulfilled all those things said about Me by the prophets; 25 and you yourself will be seen as My witness at My second appearing when I will judge the twelve tribes of Israel and those that have not owned My Name. 26 And the prefect struck off the head of Pilate; and behold, a messenger of the Lord received it. And his wife Procla, seeing the messenger coming and receiving his head, being filled with joy herself also, immediately gave up the spirit and was buried along with her husband.