For before these days arose Theudas, boasting himself to be somebody; to whom a number of men, about four hundred, joined themselves: who was slain, and all, as many as obeyed him, were scattered, and came to nought.

But God turned away, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the Prophets, "Did ye offer to me slain beasts and sacrifices for forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel?

And though they found nothing deserving death in him, they asked of Pilate that he should be slain.

But they were looking for his becoming swollen, or suddenly falling down dead. But after looking a great while, and seeing no harm come to him they changed their minds, and said that he was a god.