The Report of the Guard

¹¹ While they were going, indeed, some of the soldiers went into the city and described to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests were assembled with the elders and had taken counsel, they gave much money to the soldiers, ¹³ saying, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were sleeping.’ ¹⁴ If this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you secure.” ¹⁵ So they took the money and did as they were instructed. And this saying has been commonly reported among the Jews to this day.