About Us
About the Book
A Story Rooted in History. A Journey Toward Truth.
Thirteen Witnesses is a historical and scriptural narrative that explores the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ through the imagined testimonies of those who stood closest to the events. Some are drawn directly from Scripture. Others are fictional yet grounded in the political, religious, and cultural realities of first-century Jerusalem.
Each witness tells their story in their own voice — revealing fear, ambition, loyalty, doubt, conviction, and regret. Through their reflections, the reader is not merely observing history, but entering it.
This is not simply a retelling of familiar Gospel scenes.
It is an examination of the human heart under pressure.
Thirteen Voices. One Central Question.
From the disciple who denied Him…
to the religious authority who condemned Him…
to the Roman official who washed his hands…
to the quiet observer who did nothing…
Every witness is confronted with the same reality: truth standing before them.
The central thread woven throughout the book is the pursuit of truth — not as an abstract concept, but as a lived decision. Truth demands something. It challenges comfort. It threatens power. It exposes pride. And sometimes, it isolates.
Through these testimonies, readers are invited to ask themselves:
- Would I have defended it?
- Would I have recognized the truth?
- Would I have remained silent?
- Would I have joined the crowd?
- Would I have asked the right questions?
Faith, Power, and the Cost of Conscience
Set against the tension of Roman occupation and religious authority, Thirteen Witnesses explores themes that remain deeply relevant today:
- Political pressure and moral compromise
- Religious hypocrisy and spiritual blindness
- Mob mentality and manipulated narratives
- The danger of silence in moments of injustice
- The courage required to stand alone
The Passion is not presented merely as an event of suffering, but as a revelation — revealing who Christ is, and revealing who we are when confronted with Him.
Scripture Illuminated Through Story
Drawing from the Gospels and historical context, the book expands upon brief biblical moments to explore the interior struggles of its characters. While faithful to the scriptural foundation, it imaginatively develops the emotional and moral dimensions of those who witnessed Christ’s final hours.
This approach allows readers to engage with the Passion in a new way — not as distant spectators, but as participants.
The result is both reflective and challenging.
The Fourteenth Witness
Though the book contains thirteen testimonies, there is an unspoken fourteenth witness: the reader.
The narrative does not end at Golgotha. It continues in the conscience of every person who encounters it.
Because the question asked in the courtyard of Pilate still echoes today:
What is truth?
And more importantly—
What will you do when the truth you know or believe is being destroyed by lies?
What will you do when faced with outrageous claims that you know are not true?
What will you do in the pursuit of truth?
Would I have asked the right questions?
Meet the Witnesses
Alon – The Observer
A weaver who witnesses the arrest in Gethsemane.
He is not a disciple. Not an enemy. Just a man searching for understanding.
His testimony challenges us to ask:
What do we do when we see injustice unfold before us?
Betzalel – The Sanhedrin Member
A respected religious leader who helps condemn Jesus.
He knows something feels wrong — but protects his status.
His struggle asks:
When truth threatens our position, do we defend truth… or ourselves?
Machla – The Servant Girl
The young woman who recognizes Peter.
An outsider. A foreigner. A quiet witness to fear.
Her perspective asks:
How easily do we deny what we know to be true?
Decimus – The Loyal Insider
A man of rank. A keeper of order.
Close enough to power to see its cracks.
Silent when it mattered most.
His perspective asks:
When does loyalty become betrayal of the truth?
About the Author
Peter Stephens
An immigrant from Jamaica, Peter Stephens is a Catholic Layman who received 18 years of Catholic education in Jamaica and the United States, graduating from Iona College in 1965. After completing two tours in Vietnam as an officer in the Army Corps of Engineers, he worked as a civilian for various government projects, married, and had four children. He volunteered for several church ministries and developed expertise in, and a passion for, The Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) now called Becoming Catholic. During this time he developed a very strong interest in prayer and particularly in developing a personal spirituality. Confused by the continuing increase of people accepting and believing in often outrageous claims on the internet, he searched for answers using the lens of his faith as a Christian as to how and why social and political misinformation was being so readily believed and accepted. This book, Thirteen Witnesses -Testimonies on the Passion and Death of Jesus Christ as they Relate to the Pursuit of Truth is the result of that search. After the passing of his wife in 2024, Peter now lives a very quiet life in Nevada, where he continues to be active in his local parish, volunteering as a Eucharistic Minister, teaching on request in the Becoming Catholic ministry, leading the Return to the Flock Ministry, and serving as a member of the Knights of Columbus. When not working on church ministries, Peter delights in spending time with his children, his Labradoodle, Buddy, and his American Shorthaired cat, Coco.