(NOTE: The electronic text obtained from The Electronic Bible Society was 
not completely corrected. EWTN has corrected all mistakes found.)

THIS FILE CONTAINS:
Apocryphal Gospels, etc:
    The Protevangelium of James
    The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew
    The gospel of the Nativity of Mary
    The History of Joseph the Carpenter
    The Gospel of Thomas
    The Arabic Gospel of the Infancy of the Saviour
    The Gospel of Nicodemus
    The Letter of Pontius Pilate concerning our Lord Jesus Christ
    The Report of Pilate the Procurator concerning our Lord Jesus Christ
    The Report of Pontius Pilate
    The Giving up of Pontius Pilate
    The Death of Pilate
    The Narrative of Joseph
    The Avenging of the Saviour

[Translated by Alexander Walker, Esq., one of Her Majesty's Inspectors of 
Schools for Scotland.]


THE PROTEVANGELIUM OF JAMES

THE BIRTH OF MARY THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, AND VERY GLORIOUS MOTHER OF JESUS 
CHRIST. (1)

    1. IN the records of the twelve tribes of lsrael was Joachim, a man 
rich exceedingly; and he brought his offerings double, (2) saying: There 
shall be of my superabundance to all the people, and there shall be the 
offering for my forgiveness (3) to the Lord for a propitiation for me. (4) 
For the great day of the Lord was at hand, and the sons of lsrael were 
bringing their offerings. And there stood over against him Rubim, saying: 
It is not meet for thee first to bring thine offerings, because thou hast 
not made seed in Israel. (5) And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and went 
away to the registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I shall 
see the registers of the twelve tribes of lsrael, as to whether I alone 
have not made seed in lsrael. And he searched, and found that all the 
righteous had raised up seed in lsrael. And he called to mind the patriach 
Abraham, that in the last day (6) God gave him a son Isaac. And Joachim was 
exceedingly grieved, and did not come into the presence of his wife; but he 
retired to the desert, (7) and there pitched his tent, and fasted forty 
days and forty nights, (8) saying in himself: I will not go down either for 
food or for drink until the Lord my God shall look upon me, and prayer 
shall be my food and drink.

    2. And his wife Anna (9) mourned in two mournings, and lamented in two 
lamentations, saying: I shall bewail my widowhood; I shall bewail my 
childlessness. And the great day of the Lord was at hand; and Judith (10) 
her maid-servant said: How long dost thou humiliate thy soul? Behold, the 
great day of the Lord is at hand, and it is unlawful for thee to mourn. But 
take this head-band, which the woman that made it  gave to me; for it is 
not proper that I should wear it, because I am a maid-servant, and it has a 
royal appearance. (11) And Anna said: Depart from me; for I have not done 
such things, and the Lord has brought me very low. I fear that some wicked 
person has given it to thee, and thou hast come to make me a sharer in thy 
sin. And Judith said: Why should I curse thee, seeing that (12) the Lord 
hath shut thy womb, so as not to give thee fruit in Israel? And Anna was 
grieved exceedingly, and put off her garments of mourning, and cleaned her 
head, and put on her wedding garments, and about the ninth hour went down 
to the garden to walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed 
to the Lord, saying: O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, as 
Thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and didst give her a son Isaac. (13)

    3. And gazing towards the heaven, she saw a sparrow's nest in the 
laurel, (14) and made a lamentation in herself, saying: Alas! who begot me? 
and what womb produced me? because I have become a curse in the presence of 
the sons of Israel, and I have been reproached, and they have driven me in 
derision out of the temple of the Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? 
I am not like the fowls of the heaven, because even the fowls of the heaven 
are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am 
not like the beasts of the earth, because even the beasts of the earth are 
productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not 
like these waters, because even these waters are productive before Thee, O 
Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like this earth, because 
even the earth bringeth forth its fruits in season, and blesseth Thee, O 
Lord. (1)

    4. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying: Anna, Anna, the 
Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive, and shall bring forth; 
and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world. And Anna said: As the 
Lord my God liveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a 
gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all 
the days of its life. (2) And, behold, two angels came, saying to her: 
Behold, Joachim thy husband is coming with his flocks. (3) For an angel of 
the  Lord went down to him, saying: Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God hath 
heard thy prayer Go down hence; for, behold, thy wife Anna shall conceive. 
And Joachim went down and called his shepherds, saying: Bring me hither ten 
she-lambs without spot or blemish, and they shall be for the Lord my God; 
and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall be for the priests and 
the elders; and a hundred goats for all the people. And, behold, Joachim 
came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, 
and she ran anti hung upon his neck, saying: Now I know that the Lord God 
hath blessed me exceedingly; for, behold the widow no longer a widow, and I 
the childless shall conceive. And Joachim rested the first day in his 
house.

    5. And on the following day he brought his offerings, saying in 
himself: If the Lord God has been rendered gracious to me, the plate (4) on 
the priest's forehead will make it manifest to me. And Joachim brought his 
offerings, and observed attentively the priest's plate when he went up to 
the altar of the Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Joachim said: Now 
I know that the Lord has been gracious unto me, and has remitted all my 
sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and departed 
to his own house. And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth (5) month 
Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth? 
and she said: A girl. And said Anna: My soul has been magnified this day. 
And she laid her down. And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was 
purified, and gave the breast to the child, (6) and called her name Mary.

    6. And the child grew strong day by day; and when she was six (7) 
months old, her mother set her on the ground to try whether she could 
stand, and she walked seven steps and came  into her bosom; and she 
snatched her up, saying: As the Lord my God liveth, thou shall not walk on 
this earth until I bring thee into the temple of the Lord. And she made a 
sanctuary in her bed-chamber, and allowed nothing common or unclean to pass 
through her. And she  called the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and 
they led her astray. (8) And when she was a year old, Joachim made a great 
feast, and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all 
the people of Israel. And Joachim brought the child to the priests; and 
they blessed her, saying: O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give 
her an everlasting name to be named in all generations. And all the people 
said: So be it, so be it, amen. And he brought her to the chief priests; 
and they blessed her, saying: O God most high, look upon this child, and 
bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be for ever. And her mother 
snatched her up, and took her into the sanctuary of her bed-chamber, and 
gave her the breast. And Anna made a song to the Lord God, saying: I will 
sing a song to the Lord my God, for He hath looked upon me, and hath taken 
away the reproach of mine enemies; and the Lord hath given the the fruit of 
His righteousness, singular in its kind, and richly endowed before Him. Who 
will tell the sons of Rubim that Anna gives suck? Hear, hear, ye twelve 
tribes of Israel, that Anna gives suck. And she laid her to rest in the 
bed-chamber of her sanctuary, and went out and ministered unto them. And 
when the supper was ended, they went down rejoicing, and glorifying the God 
of  Israel. (9)

    7. And her months were added to the child. And the child was two years 
old, and Joachim said: Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, that 
we may pay the vow that we have vowed, lest perchance the Lord send to us, 
(10) and our offering be not received. And Anna said: Let us wait for the 
third year, in order that the child may not seek for father or mother. And 
Joachim said: So let us wait. And the child was three years old, and 
Joachim said: Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and 
let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that 
the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of 
the Lord. And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. 
And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying: The 
Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, on the last of the 
days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of lsrael. And he 
set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace 
upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved 
her.

    8. And her parents went down marvelling, and praising the Lord God, 
because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the 
Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the  
hand of an angel. And when she was twelve (1) years old there was held a 
council of the priests, saying: Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve 
years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, test 
perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord? And they said to the high 
priest: Thou standest by the altar of the Lord; go in, and pray concerning 
her; and whatever the Lord shall manifest unto thee, that also will we do. 
And the high priest went in, taking the robe (2) with the twelve bells into 
the holy of holies; and he prayed concerning her. And behold an angel of 
the Lord stood by him, saying unto him: Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and 
assemble the widowers of the people, and let them bring each his rod; and 
to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. And the 
heralds went out through all the circuit of Judaea, and the trumpet of the 
Lord sounded, and all ran. 9. And Joseph, throwing away his axe, went out 
to meet them; and when they had assembled, they went away to the high 
priest, taking with them their rods. And he, taking the rods of all of 
them, entered into the temple, and prayed; and having ended his prayer, he 
took the rods and came out, and gave them to them: but there was no sign in 
them, and Joseph took his rod last; and, behold, a dove came out of the 
rod, and flew upon Joseph's head. And the priest said to Joseph, Thou hast 
been chosen by lot to take into thy keeping the virgin of the Lord. But 
Joseph refused, saying: I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a 
young girl. I am afraid lest I become a laughing-stock to the sons of 
lsrael. And the priest said to Joseph: Fear the Lord thy God, and remember 
what the Lord did to Dathan, and Abiram, and Korah; (3) how the earth 
opened, and they were swallowed up on account of their contradiction. And 
now fear, O Joseph, lest the same things happen in thy house. And Joseph 
was afraid, and took her into his keeping. And Joseph said to Mary: Behold, 
I have received thee from the temple of the Lord; and now I leave thee in 
my house, and go away to build my buildings, and I shall come to thee. The 
Lord will protect thee.

    10. And there was a council of the priests, saying: Let us make a veil 
for the temple of the Lord. And the priest said: Call to me the undefiled 
virgins of the family of David. And the officers went away, and sought, and 
found seven virgins. And the priest remembered the child Mary, that she was 
of the family of David, and undefiled before God. And the officers went 
away and brought her. And they brought them into the temple of the Lord. 
And the priest said: Choose for me by lot who shall spin the gold, and the 
white, (4) and the fine linen, and the silk, and the blue, (5) and the 
scarlet, and the true purple. (6) And the true purple and the scarlet fell 
to the lot of Mary, and she took them, and went away to her house. And at 
that time Zacharias was dumb, and Samuel was in his place until the time 
that Zacharias spake. And Mary took the scarlet, and span it.

    11. And she took the pitcher, and went out to fill it with water. And, 
behold, a voice saying: Hail, thou who hast received grace; the Lord is 
with thee; blessed art thou among women! (7) And she looked round, on the 
right hand and on the left, to see whence this voice came. And she went 
away, trembling, to her house, and put down the pitcher; and taking the 
purple, she sat down on her seat, and drew it out. And, behold, an angel of 
the Lord stood before her, saying: Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found 
grace before the Lord of all, and thou shalt conceive, according to His 
word. And she hearing, reasoned with herself, saying: Shall I conceive by 
the Lord, the living God? and shall I bring forth as every woman brings 
forth? And the angel of the Lord said: Not so, Mary; for the power of the 
Lord shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that holy thing which shall be 
born of thee shall be called the Son of the Most High. And thou shalt call 
His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. And Mary 
said: Behold, the servant of the Lord before His face: let it be unto me 
according to thy word.

    12. And she made the purple and the scarlet, and took them to the 
priest. And the priest blessed her, and said: Mary, the Lord God hath 
magnified thy name, and thou shall be blessed in all the generations of the 
earth. And Mary, with great joy, went away to Elizabeth her kinswoman, (1) 
and knocked at the door. And when Elizabeth heard her, she threw away the 
scarlet, (2) and ran to the door, and opened it; and seeing Mary, she 
blessed her, and said: Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord 
should come to me? for, behold, that which is in me leaped and blessed 
thee. (3) But Mary had forgotten the mysteries of which the archangel 
Gabriel had spoken, and gazed up into heaven, and said: Who am I, O Lord, 
that all the generations of the earth should bless me? (4) And she remained 
three months with Elizabeth; and day by day she grew bigger. And Mary being 
afraid, went away to her own house, and hid herself from the sons of 
Israel. And she was sixteen (5) years old when these mysteries happened.

    13. And she was in her sixth month; and, behold, Joseph came back from 
his building, and, entering into his house, he discovered that she was big 
with child. And he smote (6) his face, (7) and threw himself on the ground 
upon the sackcloth, and wept bitterly, saying: With what face shall I look 
upon the Lord my God? and what prayer shall I make about this maiden? 
because I received her a virgin out of the temple of the Lord, and I have 
not watched over her. Who is it that has hunted me (8) down? Who has done 
this evil thing in my house, and defiled the virgin? Has not the history of 
Adam been repeated in me? For just as Adam was in the hour of his singing 
praise, (9) and the serpent  came, and found Eve alone, and completely 
deceived her, so it has happened to me also. And Joseph stood up from the 
sackcloth, and called Mary, and said to her: O thou who hast been cared for 
by God, why hast thou done this and forgotten the Lord thy God? Why hast 
thou brought low thy soul, thou that wast brought up in the holy of holies, 
and that didst receive food from the hand of an angel? And she wept 
bitterly, saying: I am innocent, and have known no man. And Joseph said to 
her: Whence then is that which is in thy womb? And she said: As the Lord my 
God liveth, I do not know whence it is to me.

    14. And Joseph was greatly afraid, and retired from her, and considered 
what he should do in regard to her. (10) And Joseph said: If I conceal her 
sin, I find myself fighting against the law of the Lord; and if I expose 
her to the sons of lsrael, I am afraid lest that which is in her be from an 
angel, (11) and I shall be found giving up innocent blood to the doom of 
death. What then shall I do with her? I will put her away from me secretly. 
And night came upon him; and, behold, an angel of the Lord appears to him 
in a dream, saying: Be not afraid for this maiden, for that which is in her 
is of the Holy Spirit; and she will bring forth a Son, and thou shall call 
His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. (12) And 
Joseph arose from sleep, and glorified the God of lsrael, who had given him 
this grace; and he kept her.

    15. And Annas the scribe came to him, and said: Why hast thou not 
appeared in our assembly? And Joseph said to him: Because I was weary from 
my journey, and rested the first day. And he turned, and saw that Mary was 
with child. And he ran away to the priest,(13) and said to him: Joseph, 
whom thou didst vouch for, has committed a grievous crime. And the priest 
said: How so? And he said: He has defiled the virgin whom he received out 
of the temple of the Lord, and has married her by stealth, andhas not 
revealed it to the sons of lsrael. And the priest answering, said: Has 
Joseph done this? Then said Annas the scribe: Send officers, and thou wilt 
find the virgin with child. And the officers went away, and found it as he 
had said; and they brought her along with Joseph to the tribunal. And the 
priest said: Mary, why hast thou done this? and why hast thou brought thy 
soul low, and forgotten the Lord thy God? Thou that wast reared in the holy 
of holies, and that didst receive food from the hand of an angel, and didst 
hear the hymns, and didst dance before Him, why hast thou done this? And 
she wept bitterly, saying: As the Lord my God liveth, I am pure before Him, 
and know not a man. And the priest said to Joseph: Why hast thou done this? 
And Joseph said: As the Lord liveth, I am pure concerning her. Then said 
the priest: Bear not false witness, but speak the truth. Thou hast married 
her by stealth, and hast not revealed it to the sons of Israel, and hast 
not bowed thy head under the strong hand, that thy seed might be blessed. 
And Joseph was silent.

    16. And the priest said: Give up the virgin whom thou didst receive out 
of the temple of the Lord. And Joseph burst into tears. And the priest 
said: I will give you to drink of the water of the ordeal of the Lord, (14) 
and He shall make manifest your sins in your eyes. And the priest took the 
water, and gave Joseph to drink and sent him away to the hill-country; and 
he returned unhurt. And he gave to Mary also to drink, and sent her away to 
the hill-country; and she returned unhurt. And all the people wondered that 
sin did not appear in them. And the priest said: If the Lord God has not 
made manifest your sins, neither do I judge you. And he sent them away. And 
Joseph took Mary, and went away to his own house, rejoicing and glorifying 
the God of Israel.

    17. And there was an order from the Emperor Augustus, that all in 
Bethlehem of Judaea should be enrolled. (1) And Joseph said: I shall enrol 
my sons, but what shall I do with this maiden? How shall I enrol her? As my 
wife? I am ashamed. As my daughter then? But all the sons of Israel know 
that she is not my daughter. The day of the Lord shall itself bring it to 
pass (2) as the Lord will. And he saddled the ass, and set her upon it; and 
his son led it, and Joseph followed. (3) And when they had come within 
three miles, Joseph turned and saw her sorrowful; and he said to himself: 
Likely that which is in her distresses her. And again Joseph turned and saw 
her laughing. And he said to her: Mary, how is it that I see in thy face at 
one time laughter, at another sorrow? And Mary said to Joseph: Because I 
see two peoples with my eyes; the one weeping and lamenting, and the other 
rejoicing and exulting. And they came into the middle of the road, and Mary 
said to him: Take me down from off the ass, for that which is in me presses 
to come forth. And he took her down from off the ass, and said to her: 
Whither shall I lead thee, and cover thy disgrace? for the place is desert.

    18. And he found a cave (4) there, and led her into it; and leaving his 
two sons beside her, he went out to seek a widwife in the district of 
Bethlehem.

    And I Joseph was walking, and was not walking; and I looked up into the 
sky, and saw the sky astonished; and I looked up to the pole of the 
heavens, and saw it standing, and the birds of the air keeping still. And I 
looked down upon the earth, and saw a trough lying, and work-people 
reclining: and their hands were in the trough. And those that were eating 
did not eat, and those that were rising did not carry it up, and those that 
were conveying anything to their mouths did not convey it; but the faces of 
all were looking upwards. And I saw the sheep walking, and the sheep stood 
still; and the shepherd raised his hand to strike them, and his hand 
remained up. And I looked upon the current of the river, and I saw the 
mouths of the kids resting on the water and not drinking, and all things in 
a moment were driven from their course.

    19. And I saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said 
to me: O man, whither art thou going? And I said: I am seeking an Hebrew 
midwife. And she answered and said unto me: Art thou of Israel? And I said 
to her: Yes. And she said: And who is it that is bringing forth in the 
cave? And I said: A woman betrothed to me. And she said to me: Is she not 
thy wife?  And I said to her: It is Mary that was reared in the temple of 
the Lord, and I obtained her by lot as my wife. And yet she is not my wife, 
but has conceived of the Holy Spirit.

   And the widwife said to him: Is this true? And Joseph said to her: Come 
and see. And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of 
the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the 
midwife said: My soul has been magnified this day, because mine eyes have 
seen strange things -- because salvation has been brought forth to lsrael. 
And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light 
shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that 
light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the 
breast from His mother Mary. And the midwife cried out, and said: This is a 
great day to me, because I have seen this strange sight. And the midwife 
went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: 
Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to thee: a virgin has 
brought forth -- a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome: 
As the Lord my God liveth, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the 
parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.

    20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show thyself; for no 
small controversy has arisen about thee. And Salome put in her finger, and 
cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because 
I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if 
burned with fire. And she bent her knees before the Lord, saying: O God of 
my fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; 
do not make a show of me to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor; 
for Thou knowest, O Lord, that in Thy name I have performed my services, 
and that I have received my reward at Thy hand. And, behold, an angel of 
the Lord stood by her, saying to her: Salome, Salome, the Lord hath heard 
thee. Put thy hand to the infant, and carry it, and thou wilt have safety 
and joy. And Salome went and carried it, saying: I will worship Him, 
because a great King has been born to lsrael. And, behold, Salome was 
immediately cured, and she went forth out of the cave justified. And behold 
a voice saying: Salome, Salome, tell not the strange things thou hast seen, 
until the child has come into Jerusalem.

    21. And, behold, Joseph was ready to go into Judaea. And there was a 
great commotion in Bethlehem of Judaea, for Magi came, saying: Where is he 
that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and 
have come to worship him. And when Herod heard, he was much disturbed, and 
sent officers to the Magi. And he sent for the priests, and examined them, 
saying: How is it written about the Christ? where is He to be born? And 
they said: In Bethlehem of Judaea, for so it is written. (1) And he sent 
them away. And he examined the Magi, saying to them: What sign have you 
seen in reference to the king that has been born? And the Magi said: We 
have seen a star of great size shining among these stars, and obscuring 
their light, so that the stars did not appear; and we thus knew that a king 
has been born to Israel, and we have come to worship him. And Herod said: 
Go and seek him; and if you find him, let me know, in order that I also may 
go and worship him. And the Magi went out. And, behold, the star which they 
had seen in the east went before them until they came to the cave, and it 
stood over the top of the cave. And the Magi saw the infant with His mother 
Mary; and they brought forth from their bag gold, and frankincense, and 
myrrh. And having been warned by the angel not to go into Judaea, they went 
into their own country by another road. (2)

    22. And when Herod knew that he had been mocked by the Magi, in a rage 
he sent murderers, saying to them: Slay the children (3) from two years old 
and under. And Mary, having heard that the children were being killed, was 
afraid, and took the infant and swaddled Him, and put Him into an ox-stall. 
And Elizabeth, having heard that they were searching for John, took him and 
went up into the hill-country, and kept looking where to conceal him. And 
there was no place of concealment. And Elizabeth, groaning with a loud 
voice, says: O mountain of God, receive mother and child. And immediately 
the mountain was cleft, and received her. And a light shone about them, for 
an angel of the Lord was with them, watching over them.

    23. And Herod searched for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, 
saying: Where hast thou hid thy son? And he, answering, said to them: I am 
the servant of God in holy things, and I sit constantly in the temple of 
the Lord: I do not know where my son is. And the officers went away, and 
reported all these things to Herod. And Herod was enraged, and said: His 
son is destined to be king over Israel. And he sent to him again, saying: 
Tell the truth; where is thy son? for thou knowest that thy life is in my 
hand. And Zacharias said: I am God's martyr, if thou sheddest my blood; for 
the Lord will receive my spirit, because thou sheddest innocent blood at 
the vestibule of the temple of the Lord. And Zacharias was murdered about 
daybreak. And the sons of lsrael did not know that he had been murdered. 
(4)

    24. But at the hour of the salutation the priests went away, and 
Zacharias did not come forth to meet them with a blessing, according to his 
custom. (5) And the priests stood waiting for Zacharias to salute him at 
the prayer, (6) and to glorify the Most High. And he still delaying, they 
were all afraid. But one of them ventured to go in, and he saw clotted 
blood beside the altar; and he heard a voice saying: Zacharias has been 
murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped up until his avenger come. And 
hearing this saying, he was afraid, and went out and told it to the 
priests. And they ventured in, and saw what had happened; and the fretwork 
of the temple made a wailing noise, and they rent their clothes (7) from 
the top even to the bottom. And they found not his body, but they found his 
blood turned into stone. And they were afraid, and went out and reported to 
the people that Zacharias had been murdered. And all the tribes of the 
people heard, and mourned, and lamented for him three days and three 
nights. And after the three days, the priests consulted as to whom they 
should put in his place; and the lot fell upon Simeon. For it was he who 
had been warned by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he 
should see the Christ in the flesh. (8)

    And I James that wrote this history in Jerusalem, a commotion having 
arisen when Herod died, withdrew myself to the wilderness until the 
commotion in Jerusalem ceased, glorifying the Lord God, who had given me 
the gift and the wisdom to write this history. (1) And grace shall be with 
them that fear our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to ages of ages. 
Amen. (2) 


THE GOSPEL OF PSEUDO-MATTHEW

    HERE beginneth the book of the Birth of the Blessed Mary and the 
Infancy of the Saviour. Written in Hebrew by the Blessed Evangelist 
Matthew, and translated into Latin by the Blessed Presbyter Jerome.

    To their well-beloved brother Jerome the Presbyter, Bishops Cromatius 
and Heliodorus in the Lord, greeting.

    The birth of the Virgin Mary, and the nativity and infancy of our Lord 
Jesus Christ, we find in apocryphal books. But considering that in them 
many things contrary to our faith are written, we have believed that they 
ought all to be rejected, lest perchance we should transfer the joy of 
Christ to Antichrist. (1) While, therefore, we were considering these 
things, there came holy men, Parmenius and Varinus, who said that your 
Holiness had found a Hebrew volume, written by the hand of the most blessed 
Evangelist Matthew, in which also the birth of the virgin mother herself, 
and the infancy of our Saviour, were written. And accordingly we entreat 
your affection by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself, to render it from the 
Hebrew into Latin, (2) not so much for the attainment of those things which 
are the insignia of Christ, as for the exclusion of the craft of heretics, 
who, in order to teach bad doctrine, have mingled their own lies with the 
excellent nativity of Christ, that by the sweetness of life they might hide 
the bitterness of death. It will therefore become your purest piety, either 
to listen to us as your brethren entreating, or to let us have as bishops 
exacting, the debt of affection which you may deem due.

REPLY TO THEIR LETTER BY JEROME.

    To my lords the holy and most blessed Bishops Cromatius and Heliodorus, 
Jerome, a humble servant of Christ, in the Lord greeting.

    He who digs in ground where he knows that there is gold, (3) does not 
instantly snatch at whatever the uptorn trench may pour forth; but, before 
the stroke of the quivering spade raises aloft the glittering mass, he 
meanwhile lingers over the sods to turn them over and lift them up, and 
especially he who has not added to his gains. An arduous task is enjoined 
upon me, since what your Blessedness has commanded me, the holy Apostle and 
Evangelist Matthew himself did not write for the purpose of publishing. For 
if he had not done it somewhat secretly, he would have added it also to his 
Gospel which he published. But he composed this book in Hebrew; and so 
little did he publish it, that at this day the book written in Hebrew by 
his own hand is in the possession of very religious men, to whom in 
successive periods of time it has been handed down by those that were 
before them. And this book they never at any time gave to any one to 
translate. And so it came to pass, that when it was published by a disciple 
of Manichaeus named Leucius, who also wrote the falsely styled Acts of the 
Apostles, this book afforded matter, not of edification, but of perdition; 
and the opinion of the Synod in regard to it was according to its deserts, 
that the ears of the Church should not be open to it. Let the snapping of 
those that bark against us now cease; for we do not add this little book to 
the canonical writings, but we translate what was written by an Apostle and 
Evangelist, that we may disclose the falsehood of heresy. In this work, 
then, we obey the commands of pious bishops as well as oppose impious 
heretics. It is the love of Christ, therefore, which we fulfil, believing 
that they will assist us by their prayers, who through our obedience attain 
to a knowledge of the holy infancy of our Saviour.

There is extant another letter to the same bishops, attributed to Jerome: -
-

    You ask me to let you know what I think of a book held by some to be 
about the nativity of St. Mary. And so I wish you to know that there is 
much in it that is false. For one Seleucus, who wrote the Sufferings of the 
Apostles, composed this book. But, just as he wrote what was true about 
their powers, and the miracles they worked, but said a great deal that was 
false about their doctrine; so here too he has invented many untruths out 
of his own head. I shall take care to render it word for word, exactly as 
it is in the Hebrew, since it is asserted that it was composed by the holy 
Evangelist Matthew, and written in Hebrew, and set at the head of his 
Gospel. Whether this be true or not, I leave to the author of the preface 
and the trustworthiness of the writer: as for myself, I pronounce them 
doubtful; I do not affirm that they are clearly false. But this I say 
freely--and I think none of the faithful will deny it -- that, whether 
these stories be true or inventions, the sacred nativity of St. Mary was 
preceded by great miracles, and succeeded by the greatest; and so by those 
who believe that God can do these things, they can be believed and read 
without damaging their faith or imperilling their souls. In short, so far 
as I can, following the sense rather than the words of the writer, and 
sometimes walking in the same path, though not in the same footsteps, 
sometimes digressing a little, but still keeping the same road, I shall in 
this way keep by the style of the narrative, and shall say nothing that is 
not either written there, or might, following the same train of thought, 
have been written.

    CHAP. 1. (1) -- In those days there was a man in Jerusalem, Joachim by 
name, of the tribe of Judah. He was the shepherd of his own sheep, fearing 
the Lord in integrity and singleness of heart. He had no other care than 
that of his herds, from the produce of which he supplied with food all that 
feared God, offering double gifts in the fear of God to all who laboured in 
doctrine, and who ministered unto Him. Therefore his lambs, and his sheep, 
and his wool, and all things whatsoever he possessed, he used to divide 
into three portions: one he gave to the orphans, the widows, the strangers, 
and the poor; the second to those that worshipped God; and the third he 
kept for himself and all his house. (2) And as he did so, the Lord 
multiplied to him his herds, so that there was no man like him in the 
people of Israel. This now he began to do when he was fifteen years old. 
And at the age of twenty he took to wife Anna, the daughter of Achar, of 
his own tribe, that is, of the tribe of Judah, of the family of David. And 
though they had lived together for twenty years, he had by her neither sons 
nor daughters. (3)

    CHAP. 2. -- And it happened that, in the time of the feast, among those 
who were offering incense to the Lord, Joachim stood getting ready his 
gifts in the sight of the Lord. And the priest, Ruben by name, coming to 
him, said: It is not lawful for thee to stand among those who are doing 
sacrifice to God, because God has not blessed thee so as to give thee seed 
in lsrael. Being therefore put to shame in the sight of the people, he 
retired from the temple of the Lord weeping, and did not return to his 
house, but went to his flocks, taking with him his shepherds into the 
mountains to a far country, so that for five months his wife Anna could 
hear no tidings of him. And she prayed with tears, saying: O Lord, most 
mighty God of Israel, why hast Thou, seeing that already Thou hast not 
given me children, taken from me my husband also? Behold, now five months 
that I have not seen my husband; and I know not where he is tarrying; (4) 
nor, if I knew him to be dead, could I bury him. And while she wept 
excessively, she entered into the court of His house; and she fell on her 
face in prayer, and poured out her supplications before the Lord. After 
this, rising from her prayer, and lifting her eyes to God, she saw a 
sparrow's nest in a laurel tree, (5) and uttered her voice to the Lord with 
groaning, and said: Lord God Almighty, who hast given offspring to every 
creature, to beasts wild and tame, to serpents, and birds, and fishes, and 
they all rejoice over their young ones, Thou hast shut out me alone from 
the gift of Thy benignity. For Thou, O God, knowest my heart, that from the 
beginning of my married life I have vowed that, if Thou, O God, shouldst 
give me  son or daughter, I would offer them to Thee in Thy holy temple. 
And while she was thus speaking, suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared 
before her, saying: Be not afraid, Anna, for there is seed for thee in the 
decree of God; and all generations even to the end shall wonder at that 
which shall be born of thee. And when he had thus spoken, he vanished out 
of her sight. But she, in fear and dread because she had seen such a sight, 
and heard such words, at length went into her bed-chamber, and threw 
herself on the bed as if dead. And for a whole day and night she remained 
in great trembling and in prayer. And after these things she called to her 
her servant, and said to her: Dost thou see me deceived in my widowhood and 
in great perplexity, and hast thou been unwilling to come in to me? Then 
she, with a slight murmur, thus answered and said: If God hath shut up thy 
womb, and hath taken away thy husband from thee, what can I do for thee? 
And when Anna heard this, she lifted up her voice, and wept aloud.

    CHAP. 3. -- At the same time there appeared a young man on the 
mountains to Joachim while he was feeding his flocks, and said to him: Why 
dost thou not return to thy wife? And Joachim said: I have had her for 
twenty years, and it has not been the will of God to give me children by 
her. I have been driven with shame and reproach from the temple of the 
Lord: why should I go back to her, when I have been once cast off and 
utterly despised? Here then will I remain with my sheep; and so long as in 
this life God is willing to grant me light, I shall willingly, by the hands 
of my servants, bestow their portions upon the poor, and the orphans, and 
those that fear God. And when he had thus spoken, the young man said to 
him: I am an angel of the Lord, and I have to-day appeared to thy wife when 
she was weeping and praying, and have consoled her; and know that she has 
conceived a daughter from thy seed, and thou in thy ignorance of this hast 
left her. She will be in the temple of God, and the Holy Spirit shall abide 
in her; and her blessedness shall be greater than that of all the holy 
women, so that no one can say that any before her has been like her, or 
that any after her in this world will be so. Therefore go down from the 
mountains, and return to thy wife, whom thou wilt find with child. For God 
hath raised up seed in her, and for this thou wilt give God thanks; and her 
seed shall be blessed, and she herself shall be blessed, and shall be made 
the mother of eternal blessing. Then Joachim adored the angel, and said to 
him: If I have found favour in thy sight, sit for a little in my tent, and 
bless thy servant. (1) And the angel said to him: Do not say servant, but 
fellow-servant; for we are the servants of one Master. (2) But my food is 
invisible, and my drink cannot be seen by a mortal. Therefore thou oughtest 
not to ask me to enter thy tent; but if thou wast about to give me 
anything, (3) offer it as a burnt-offering to the Lord. Then Joachim took a 
lamb without spot, and said to the angel: I should not have dared to offer 
a burnt-offering to the Lord, unless thy command had given me the priest's 
right of offering. (4) And the angel said to him: I should not have invited 
thee to offer unless I had known the will of the Lord. And when Joachim was 
offering the sacrifice to God, the angel and the odour of the sacrifice 
went together straight up to heaven with the smoke. (5)

    Then Joachim, throwing himself on his face, lay in prayer from the 
sixth hour of the day even until evening. And his lads and hired servants 
who were with him saw him, and not knowing why he was lying down, thought 
that he was dead; and they came to him, and with difficulty raised him from 
the ground. And when he recounted to them the vision of the angel, they 
were struck with great fear and wonder, and advised him to accomplish the 
vision of the angel without delay, and to go back with all haste to his 
wife. And when Joachim was turning over in his mind whether he should go 
back or not, it happened that he was overpowered by a deep sleep; and, 
behold, the angel who had already appeared to him when awake, appeared to 
him in his sleep, saying: I am the angel appointed by God as thy guardian: 
go down with confidence, and return to Anna, because the deeds of mercy 
which thou and thy wife Anna have done have been told in the presence of 
the Most High; and to you will God give such fruit as no prophet or saint 
has ever had from the beginning, or ever will have. And when Joachim awoke 
out of his sleep, he called all his herdsmen to him, and told them his 
dream. And they worshipped the Lord, and said to him: See that thou no 
further despise the words of the angel. But rise and let us go hence, and 
return at a quiet pace, feeding our flocks.

    And when, after thirty days occupied in going back, they were now near 
at hand, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Anna, who was standing 
and praying, and said: (6) Go to the gate which is called Golden, (7) and 
meet thy husband in the way, for to-day he will come to thee. She therefore 
went towards him in haste With her maidens, and, praying to the Lord, she 
stood a  long time in the gate waiting for him. And when she was wearied 
with long waiting, she lifted up  her eyes and saw Joachim afar off coming 
with his flocks; and she ran to him and hung on his neck, giving thanks to 
God, and saying: I was a widow, and behold now I am not so: I was barren, 
and behold I have now conceived. And so they worshipped the Lord, and went 
into their own house. And when this was heard of, there was great joy among 
all their neighbours and acquaintances, so that the whole land of lsrael 
congratulated them.

    CHAP. 4. --After these things, her nine months being fulfilled, Anna 
brought forth a daughter, and called her Mary. And having weaned her in her 
third year, Joachim, and Anna his wife, went together to the temple of the 
Lord to offer sacrifices to God, and placed the infant, Mary by name, in 
the community of virgins, in which the virgins remained day and night 
praising God. And when she was put down before the doors of the temple, she 
went up the fifteen steps (1) so swiftly, that she did not look back at 
all; nor did she, as children are wont to do, seek for her parents. 
Whereupon her parents, each of them anxiously seeking for the child, were 
both alike astonished, until they found her in the temple, and the priests 
of the temple themselves wondered.

    CHAP. 5. -- Then Anna, filled with the Holy Spirit, said before them 
all: The Lord Almighty, the God of Hosts, being mindful of His word, hath 
visited His people with a good and holy visitation, to bring down the 
hearts of the Gentiles who were rising against us, and turn them to 
Himself. He hath opened His ears to our prayers: He hath kept away from us 
the exulting of all our enemies. The barren hath become a mother, and hath 
brought forth exultation and gladness to lsrael. Behold the gifts which I 
have brought to offer to my Lord, and mine enemies have not been able to 
hinder me. For God hath turned their hearts to me, and Himself hath given 
me everlasting joy.

    CHAP. 6. -- And Mary was held in admiration by all the people of 
Israel; and when she was three years old, she walked with a step so mature, 
she spoke so perfectly, and spent her time so assiduously in the praises of 
God, that all were astonished at her, and wondered; and she was not 
reckoned a young infant, but as it were a grown-up person of thirty years 
old. She was so constant in prayer, and her appearance was so beautiful and 
glorious, that scarcely any one could look into her face. And she occupied 
herself constantly with her wool-work, so that she in her tender years 
could do all that old women were not able to do. And this was the order  
that she had set for herself: (2) From the morning to the third hour she 
remained in prayer; from  the third to the ninth she was occupied with her 
weaving; and from the ninth she again applied herself to prayer. She did 
not retire from praying  until there appeared to her the angel of the Lord, 
from whose hand she used to receive food; and thus she became more and more 
perfect in the work of God. Then, when the older virgins rested from the 
praises of God, she did not rest at all; so that in the praises and vigils 
of God none were found before her, no one more learned in the wisdom of the 
law of God, more lowly in humility, more elegant in singing, more perfect 
in all virtue. She was indeed stedfast, immoveable, unchangeable, and daily 
advancing to perfection. No one saw her angry, nor heard her speaking evil. 
All her speech was so full of grace, that her God was acknowledged to be in 
her tongue. She was always engaged in prayer and in searching the law, and 
she was anxious lest by any word of hers she should sin with regard to her 
companions. Then she was afraid lest in her laughter, or the sound of her 
beautiful voice, she should commit any fault, or lest, being elated, she 
should display any wrong-doing or haughtiness to one of her equals. (3) She 
blessed God without intermission; and lest perchance, even in her 
salutation, she might cease from praising God; if any one saluted her, she 
used to answer by way of salutation: Thanks be to God. And from her the 
custom first began of men saying, Thanks be to God, when they saluted each 
other. She refreshed herself only with the food which she daily received 
from the hand of the angel; but the food which she obtained from the 
priests she divided among the poor. The angels of God were often seen 
speaking with her, and they most diligently obeyed her. If any one who was 
unwell touched her, the same hour he went home cured.

    CHAP. 7. -- Then Abiathar the priest offered gifts without end to the 
high priests, in order that he might obtain her as wife to his son. But 
Mary forbade them, saying: It cannot be that I should know a man, or that a 
man should know me. For all the priests and all her relations  kept saying 
to her: God is worshipped in children and adored in posterity, as has 
always happened among the sons of Israel. But Mary answered and said unto 
them: God is worshipped in chastity, as is proved first of all. (4) For 
before Abel there was none righteous among men, and he by his offerings 
pleased God, and was without mercy slain by him who displeased Him. Two 
crowns, therefore, he received -- of oblation and of virginity, because in 
his flesh there was no pollution. Elias also, when he was in the flesh, was 
taken up in the flesh, because he kept his flesh unspotted. Now I, from my 
infancy in the temple of God, have learned that virginity can be 
sufficiently dear to God. And so, because I can offer what is dear to God, 
I have resolved in my heart that I should not know a man at all.

    CHAP. 8. -- Now it came to pass, when she was fourteen s years old, and 
on this account there was occasion for the Pharisees' saying that it was 
now a custom that no woman of that age should abide in the temple of God, 
they fell upon the plan of sending a herald through all the tribes of 
lsrael, that on the third day all should come together into the temple of 
the Lord. And when all the people had come together, Abiathar the high 
priest rose, and mounted on a higher step, that he might be seen and heard 
by all the people; and when great silence had been obtained, he said: Hear 
me, O sons of Israel, and receive my words into your ears. Ever since this 
temple was built by Solomon, there have been in it virgins, the daughters 
of kings and the daughters of prophets, and of high priests and priests; 
and they were great, and worthy of admiration. But when they came to the 
proper age they were given in marriage, and followed the course of their 
mothers before them, and were pleasing to God. But a new order of life has 
been found out by Mary alone, who promises that she will remain a virgin to 
God. Wherefore it seems to me, that through our inquiry and the answer of 
God we should try to ascertain to whose keeping she ought to be entrusted. 
Then these words found favour with all the synagogue. And the lot was east 
by the priests upon the twelve tribes, and the lot fell upon the tribe of 
Judah. And the priest said: To-morrow let every one who has no wife come, 
and bring his rod in his hand. Whence it happened that Joseph (1) brought 
his rod along with the young men. And the rods having been handed over to 
the high priest, he offered a sacrifice to the Lord God, and inquired of 
the Lord. And the Lord said to him: Put all their rods into the holy of 
holies of God, and let them remain there, and order them to come to thee on 
the morrow to get back their rods; and the man from the point of whose rod 
a dove shall come forth, and fly towards heaven, and in whose hand the rod, 
when given back, shall exhibit this sign, to him let Mary be delivered to 
be kept.

    On the following day, then, all having assembled early, and an incense-
offering having been made, the high priest went into the holy of ho-lies, 
and brought forth the rods. And when he had distributed the rods, (2) and 
the dove came forth out of none of them, the high priest put on the twelve 
bells (3) and the sacerdotal robe; and entering into the holy of holies, he 
there made a burnt-offering, and poured forth a prayer. And the angel of 
the Lord appeared to him, saying: There is here the shortest rod, of which 
thou hast made no account: thou didst bring it in with the rest, but didst 
not take it out with  them. When thou hast taken it out, and hast given it 
him whose it is, in it will appear the sign of which I spoke to thee. Now 
that was Joseph's rod; and because he was an old man, he had been cast off, 
as it were, that he might not receive her, but neither did he himself wish 
to ask back his rod. (4) And when he was humbly standing last of all, the 
high priest cried out to him with a loud voice, saying: Come, Joseph, and 
receive thy rod; for we are waiting for thee. And Joseph came up trembling, 
because the high priest had called him with a very loud voice. But as soon 
as he stretched forth his hand, and laid hold of his rod, immediately from 
the top of it came forth a dove whiter than snow, beautiful exceedingly, 
which, after long flying about the roofs of the temple, at length flew 
towards the heavens. Then all the people congratulated the old man, saying: 
Thou hast been made blessed in thine old age, O father Joseph, seeing that 
God hath shown thee to be fit to receive Mary. And the priests having said 
to him, Take her, because of all the tribe of Judah thou alone hast been 
chosen by God; Joseph began bashfully to address them, saying: I am an old 
man, and have children; why do you hand over to me this infant, who is 
younger than my grandsons? Then Abiathar the high priest said to him: 
Remember, Joseph, how Dathan and Abiron and Core perished, because they 
despised the will of God. So will it happen to thee, if thou despise this 
which is commanded thee by God. Joseph answered him: I indeed do not 
despise the will of God; but I shall be her guardian until I can ascertain 
concerning the will of God, as to which of my sons can have her as his 
wife. Let some virgins of her companions, with whom she may meanwhile spend 
her time, be given for a consolation to her. Abiathar the high priest 
answered and said: Five virgins indeed shall be given her for consolation, 
until the appointed day come in which thou mayst receive her; for to no 
other can she be joined in marriage.

    Then Joseph received Mary, with the other five virgins who were to be 
with her in Joseph's house. These virgins were Rebecca, Sephora, Susanna, 
Abigea, and Cael; to whom the high priest gave the silk, and the blue, (5) 
and the fine linen, and the scarlet, and the purple, and the fine flax. For 
they cast lots among themselves what each virgin should do, and the purple 
for the veil of the temple of the Lord fell to the lot of Mary. And when 
she had got it, those virgins said to her: Since thou art the last, and 
humble, and younger than all, thou hast deserved to receive and obtain the 
purple. And thus saying,  as it were in words of annoyance, they began to 
call her queen of virgins. While, however, they were so doing, the angel of 
the Lord appeared in the midst of them, saying: These words shall not have 
been uttered by way of annoyance, but prophesied as a prophecy most true. 
They trembled, therefore, at the sight of the angel, and at his words, and 
asked her to pardon them, and pray for them.

    CHAP. 9.--And on the second day, while Mary was at the fountain to fill 
her pitcher, the angel of the Lord appeared to her, saying: Blessed art 
thou, Mary; for in thy womb thou hast prepared an habitation for the Lord. 
For, lo, the light from heaven shall come and dwell in thee, and by means 
of thee will shine over the whole world.

    Again, on the third day, while she was working at the purple with her 
fingers, there entered a young man of ineffable beauty. And when Mary saw 
him, she exceedingly feared and trembled. And he said to her: Hail, Mary, 
full of grace; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women, and 
blessed is the fruit of thy womb. [1] And when she heard these words, she 
trembled, and was exceedingly afraid. Then the angel of the Lord added: 
Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found favour with God: Behold, thou shalt 
conceive in thy womb, and shalt bring forth a King, who fills not only the 
earth, but the heaven, and who reigns from generation to generation.

    CHAP. 10.--While these things were doing, Joseph was occupied with his 
work, house-building, in the districts by the sea-shore; for he was a 
carpenter. And after nine months he came back to his house, and found Mary 
pregnant. Wherefore, being in the utmost distress, he trembled and cried 
out, saying: O Lord God, receive my spirit; for it is better for me to die 
than to live any longer. And the virgins who were with Mary said to him: 
Joseph, what art thou saying? We know that no man has touched her; we can 
testify that she is still a virgin, and untouched. We have watched over 
her; always has she continued with us in prayer; daily do the angels of God 
speak with her; daily does she receive food from the hand of the Lord. We 
know not how it is possible that there can be any sin in her. But if thou 
wishest us to tell thee what we suspect, nobody but the angel of the Lord 
[2] has made her pregnant. Then said Joseph: Why do you mislead me, to 
believe that an angel of the Lord has made her pregnant? But it is possible 
that some one has pretended to be an angel of the Lord, and has beguiled 
her. And thus speaking, he wept, and said: With what face shall I look at 
the temple of the Lord, or with what face shall I see the priests of God? 
What am I to do? And thus saying, he thought that he would flee, and send 
her away.

    CHAP. 11.-- And when he was thinking of rising up and hiding himself, 
and dwelling in secret, behold, on that very night, the angel of the Lord 
appeared to him in sleep, saying: Joseph, thou son of David, fear not; 
receive Mary as thy wife: for that which is in her womb is of the Holy 
Spirit. And she shall bring forth a son, and His name shall be called 
Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. And Joseph, rising from 
his sleep, gave thanks to God, and spoke to Mary and the virgins who were 
with her, and told them his vision. And he was comforted about Mary, 
saying: I have sinned, in that I suspected thee at all.

    CHAP. 12.--After these things there arose a great report that Mary was 
with child. And Joseph was seized by the officers of the temple, and 
brought along with Mary to the high priest. And he with the priests began 
to reproach him, and to say: Why hast thou beguiled so great and so 
glorious a virgin, who was fed like a dove in the temple by the angels of 
God, who never wished either to see or to have a man, who had the most 
excellent knowledge of the law of God? If thou hadst not done violence to 
her, she would still have remained in her virginity. And Joseph vowed, and 
swore that he had never touched her at all. And Abiathar the high priest 
answered him: As the Lord liveth, I will give thee to drink of the water of 
drinking of the Lord, and immediately thy sin will appear.

    Then was assembled a multitude of people which could not be numbered, 
and Mary was brought to the temple. And the priests, and her relatives, and 
her parents wept, and said to Mary: Confess to the priests thy sin, thou 
that wast like a dove in the temple of God, and didst receive food from the 
hands of an angel. And again Joseph was summoned to the altar, and the 
water of drinking of the Lord was given him to drink. And when any one that 
had lied drank this water, and walked seven times round the altar, God used 
to show some sign in his face. When, therefore, Joseph had drunk in safety, 
and had walked round the altar seven times, no sign of sin appeared in him. 
Then all the priests, and the officers, and the people justified him, 
saying: Blessed art thou, seeing that no charge has been found good against 
thee. And they summoned Mary, and said: And what excuse canst thou have? or 
what greater sign can appear in thee than the conception of thy womb, which 
betrays thee? This only we require of thee, that since Joseph is pure 
regarding thee, thou confess who it is that has beguiled thee. For it is 
better that thy confession should betray thee, than that the wrath of God 
should set a mark on thy face, and expose thee in the midst of the people. 
Then Mary said, stedfastly and without trembling: O Lord God, King over 
all, who knowest all secrets, if there be any pollution in me, or any sin, 
or any evil desires, or unchastity, expose me in the sight of all the 
people, and make me an example of punishment to all. Thus saying, she went 
up to the altar of the Lord boldly, and drank the water of drinking, and 
walked round the altar seven times, and no spot was found in her.

    And when all the people were in the utmost astonishment, seeing that 
she was with child, and that no sign had appeared in her face, they began 
to be disturbed among themselves by conflicting statements: some said that 
she was holy and unspotted, others that she was wicked and defiled. Then 
Mary, seeing that she was still suspected by the people, and that on that 
account she did not seem to them to be wholly cleared, said in the hearing 
of all, with a loud voice, As the Lord Adonai liveth, the Lord of Hosts 
before whom I stand, I have not known man; but I am known by Him to whom 
from my earliest years I have devoted myself. And this vow I made to my God 
from my infancy, that I should remain unspotted in Him who created me, and 
I trust that I shall so live to Him alone, and serve Him alone; and in Him, 
as long as I shall live, will I remain unpolluted. Then they all began to 
kiss her feet and to embrace her knees, asking her to pardon them for their 
wicked suspicions. And she was led down to her house with exultation and 
joy by the people, and the priests, and all the virgins. And they cried 
out, and said: Blessed be the name of the Lord for ever, because He hath 
manifested thy holiness to all His people Israel.

    CHAP. 13.--And it came to pass some little time after, that an 
enrolment was made according to the edict of Caesar Augustus, that all the 
world was to be enrolled, each man in his native place. This enrolment was 
made by Cyrinus, the governor of Syria, [1] It was necessary, therefore, 
that Joseph should enrol with the blessed Mary in Bethlehem, because to it 
they belonged, being of the tribe of Judah, and of the house and family of 
David. When, therefore, Joseph and the blessed Mary were going along the 
road which leads to Bethlehem, Mary said to Joseph: I see two peoples 
before me, the one weeping, and the other rejoicing. And Joseph answered: 
Sit still on thy beast, and do not speak superfluous words. Then there 
appeared before them a beautiful boy, clothed in white raiment, who-said to 
Joseph: Why didst thou say that the words which Mary spoke about the two 
peoples were superfluous? For she saw the people of the Jews weeping, 
because they have departed from their God; and the people of the Gentiles 
rejoicing, because they have now been added and made near to the Lord, 
according to that which He promised to our fathers Abraham, Isaac, and 
Jacob: for the time is at hand when in the seed of Abraham all nations 
shall be blessed. [2]

    And when he had thus said, the angel ordered the beast to stand, for 
the time when she should bring forth was at hand; and he commanded the 
blessed Mary to come down off the animal, and go into a recess under a 
cavern, in which there never was light, but always darkness, because the 
light of day could not reach it. And when the blessed Mary had gone into 
it, it began to shine with as much brightness as if it were the sixth hour 
of the day. The light from God so shone in the cave, that neither by day 
nor night was light wanting as long as the blessed Mary was there. And 
there she brought forth a son, and the angels surrounded Him when He was 
being born. And as soon as He was born, He stood upon His feet, and the 
angels adored Him, saying: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace 
to men of good pleasure. [3] Now, when the birth of the Lord was at hand, 
Joseph had gone away to seek midwives. And when he had found them, he 
returned to the cave, and found with Mary the infant which she had brought 
forth. And Joseph said to the blessed Mary: I have brought thee two 
midwives--Zelomi  [4] and Salome; and they are standing outside before the 
entrance to the cave, not daring to come in hither, because of the 
exceeding brightness. And when the blessed Mary heard this, she smiled; and 
Joseph said to her: Do not smile; but prudently allow them to visit thee, 
in case thou shouldst require them for thy cure. Then she ordered them to 
enter. And when Zelomi had come in, Salome having stayed without, Zelomi 
said to Mary: Allow me to touch thee. And when she had permitted her to 
make an examination, the midwife cried out with a loud voice, and said: 
Lord, Lord Almighty, mercy on us! It has never been heard or thought of, 
that any one should have her breasts full of milk, and that the birth of a 
son should show his mother to be a virgin. But there has been no spilling 
of blood in his birth, no pain in bringing him forth. A virgin has 
conceived, a virgin has brought forth, and a virgin she remains. And 
hearing these words, Salome said: Allow me to handle thee, and prove 
whether Zelomi have spoken the truth. And the blessed Mary allowed her to 
handle her. And when she had withdrawn her hand from handling her, it dried 
up, and through excess of pain she began to weep bitterly, and to be in 
great distress, crying out, and saying: O Lord God, Thou knowest that I 
have always feared Thee, and that without recompense I have cared for all 
the poor; I have taken nothing from the widow and the orphan, and the needy 
have I not sent empty away. And, behold, I am made wretched because of mine 
unbelief, since without a cause I wished to try Thy virgin.

    And while she was thus speaking, there stood by her a young man in 
shining garments, saying: Go to the child, and adore Him, and touch Him 
with thy hand, and He will heal thee, because He is the Saviour of the 
world, and of all that hope in Him. And she went to the child with haste, 
and adored Him, and touched the fringe of the cloths in which He was 
wrapped, and instantly her hand was cured. And going forth, she began to 
cry aloud, and to tell the wonderful things which she had seen, and which 
she had suffered, and how she had been cured; so that many through her 
statements believed.

    And some shepherds also affirmed that they had seen angels singing a 
hymn at midnight, praising and blessing the God of heaven, and saying: 
There has been born the Saviour of all, who is Christ the Lord, in whom 
salvation shall be brought back to Israel. [1]

    Moreover, a great star, larger than any that had been seen since the 
beginning of the world, shone over the cave from the evening till the 
morning. And the prophets who were in Jerusalem said that this star pointed 
out the birth of Christ, who should restore the promise not only to Israel, 
but to all nations.

    CHAP. 14.--And on the third day after the birth of our Lord Jesus 
Christ, the most blessed Mary went forth out of the cave, and entering a 
stable, placed the child in the stall, and the ox and the ass adored Him. 
Then was fulfilled that which was said by Isaiah the prophet, saying: The 
ox knoweth his owner, and the ass his master's crib. [2] The very animals, 
therefore, the ox and the ass, having Him in their midst, incessantly 
adored Him. Then was fulfilled that which was said by Abacuc the prophet, 
saying: [3] Between two animals thou art made manifest. In the same place 
Joseph remained with Mary three days.

    CHAP. 15.--And on the sixth day they entered Bethlehem, where they 
spent the seventh day. And on the eighth day they circumcised the child, 
and called His name Jesus; for so He was called by the angel before He was 
conceived in the womb. [4] Now, after the days of the purifiation of Mary 
were fulfilled according to the law of Moses, then Joseph took the infant 
to the temple of the Lord. And when the infant had received parhithomus, 
[5]--parhithomus, that is, circumcision--they offered for Him a pair of 
turtle-doves, or two young pigeons. [6]

    Now there was in the temple a man of God, perfect and just, whose name 
was Symeon, a hundred and twelve years old. He had received the answer from 
the Lord, that he should not taste of death till he had seen Christ, the 
Son of God, living in the flesh. And having seen the child, he cried out 
with a loud voice, saying: God hath visited His people, and the Lord hath 
fulfilled His promise. And he made haste, and adored Him. And after this he 
took Him up into his cloak and kissed His feet, and said: Lord, now lettest 
Thou Thy servant depart in peace, according to Thy word: for mine eyes have 
seen Thy salvation, which Thou hast prepared before the face of all 
peoples, to be a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people 
Israel. [7]

    There was also in the temple of the Lord, Anna, a prophetess, the 
daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher, who had lived with her husband 
seven years from her virginity; and she had now been a widow eighty-four 
years. And she never left the temple of the Lord, but spent her time in 
fasting and prayer. She also likewise adored the child, saying: In Him is 
the redemption of the world. [8]

    CHAP. 16.--And when the second year was past, [9] Magi came from the 
east to Jerusalem, bringing great gifts. And they made strict inquiry of 
the Jews, saying: Where is the king who has been born to you? for we have 
seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him. And word of this 
came to King Herod, and so alarmed him that he called together the scribes 
and the Pharisees, and the teachers of the people, asking of them where the 
prophets had foretold that Christ should be born. And they said: In 
Bethlehem of Judah. For it is written: And thou Bethelehem, in the land of 
Judah, art by no means the least among the princes of Judah; for out of 
thee shall come forth a Leader who shall rule my people Israel. [1] Then 
King Herod summoned the magi to him, and strictly inquired of them when the 
star appeared to them. Then, sending them to Bethlehem, he said: Go and 
make strict inquiry about the child; and when ye have found him, bring me 
word again, that I may come and worship him also. And while the magi were 
going on their way, there appeared to them the star, which was, as it were, 
a guide to them, going before them until they came to where the child was. 
And when the magi saw the star, they rejoiced with great joy; and going 
into the house, they saw the child Jesus sitting in His mother's lap. Then 
they opened their treasures, and presented great gifts to the blessed Mary 
and Joseph. And to the child Himself they offered each of them a piece of 
gold. [2] And likewise one gave gold, another frankincense, and the third 
myrrh. [3] And when they were going to return to King Herod, they were 
warned by an angel in their sleep not to go back to Herod; and they 
returned to their own country by another road. [4]

    CHAP. 17--And when Herod [5] saw that he had been made sport of by the 
magi, his heart swelled with rage, and he sent through all the roads, 
wishing to seize them and put them to death. But when he could not find 
them at all; he sent anew to Bethlehem and all its borders, and slew all 
the male children whom he found of two years old and under, according to 
the time that he had ascertained from the magi. [6]

    Now the day before this was done Joseph was warned in his sleep by the 
angel of the Lord, who said to him: Take Mary and the child, and go into 
Egypt by the way of the desert. And joseph went according to the saying of 
the angel. [7]

    CHAP. 18.--And having come to a certain cave, and wishing to rest in 
it, the blessed [8] Mary dismounted from her beast, and sat down with the 
child Jesus in her bosom. And there were with Joseph three boys, and with 
Mary a girl, going on the journey along with them. And, lo, suddenly there 
came forth from the cave many dragons; and when the children saw them, they  
cried out in great terror. Then Jesus went down  from the bosom of His 
mother, and stood on His feet before the dragons; and they adored Jesus,  
and thereafter retired. Then was fulfilled that which was said by David the 
prophet, saying: Praise the Lord from the earth, ye dragons; ye dragons, 
and all ye deeps [9] And the young child Jesus, walking before them, 
commanded them to hurt no man. But Mary and Joseph were very much afraid 
lest the child should be hurt by the dragons. And Jesus said to them: Do 
not be afraid, and do not consider me to be a little child; for I am and 
always have been perfect; and all the beasts of the forest must needs be 
tame before me.

    CHAP. 19.--Lions and panthers adored Him likewise, and accompanied them 
in the desert. Wherever Joseph and the blessed Mary went, they went before 
them showing them the way, and bowing their heads; and showing their 
submission by wagging their tails, they adored Him with great reverence. 
Now at first, when Mary saw the lions and the panthers, and various kinds 
of wild beasts, coming about them, she was very much afraid. But the infant 
Jesus looked into her face with a joyful countenance, and said: Be not 
afraid, mother; for they come not to do thee harm, but they make haste to 
serve both thee and me. With these words He drove all fear from her heart. 
And the lions kept walking with them, and with the oxen, and the asses, and 
the beasts of burden which carried their baggage, and did not hurt a single 
one of them, though they kept beside them; but they were tame among the 
sheep and the rams which they had brought with them from Judaea, and which 
they had with them. They walked among wolves, and feared nothing; and no 
one of them was hurt by another. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken 
by the prophet: Wolves shall feed with lambs; the lion and the ox shall eat 
straw together. [10] There were together two oxen drawing a waggon with 
provision for the journey, and the lions directed them in their path.

    CHAP. 20.-- And it came to pass on the third day of their journey, 
while they were walking, that the blessed Mary was fatigued by the 
excessive heat of the sun in the desert; and seeing a palm tree, she said 
to Joseph: Let me rest a little under the shade of this tree. Joseph 
therefore made haste, and led her to the palm, and made her come down from 
her beast. And as the blessed Mary was sitting there, she looked up to the 
foliage of the palm, and saw it full of fruit, and said to Joseph: I wish 
it were possible to get some of the fruit of this palm. And Joseph said to 
her: I wonder that thou sayest this, when thou seest how high the palm tree 
is; and that thou thinkest of eating of its fruit. I am thinking more of 
the want of water, because the skins are now empty, and we have none 
wherewith to refresh ourselves and our cattle. Then the child Jesus, with a 
joyful countenance, reposing in the bosom of His mother, said to the palm: 
O tree, bend thy branches, and refresh my mother with thy fruit. And 
immediately at these words the palm bent its top down to the very feet of 
the blessed Mary; and they gathered from it fruit, with which they were all 
refreshed. And after they had gathered all its fruit, it remained bent 
down, waiting the order to rise from Him who bad commanded it to stoop. 
Then Jesus said to it: Raise thyself, O palm tree, and be strong, and be 
the companion of my trees, which are in the paradise of my Father; and open 
from thy roots a vein of water which has been hid in the earth, and let the 
waters flow, so that we may be satisfied from thee. And it rose up 
immediately, and at its root there began to come forth a spring  of water 
exceedingly clear and cool and sparkling. And when they saw the spring of 
water, they rejoiced with great joy, and were satisfied, themselves and all 
their cattle and their beasts. Wherefore they gave thanks to God.

    CHAP. 21. -- And on the day after, when they were setting out thence, 
and in the hour in which they began their journey, Jesus turned to the 
palm, and said: This privilege I give thee, O palm tree, that one of thy 
branches be carried away by my angels, and planted in the paradise of my 
Father. And this blessing I will confer upon thee, that it shall be said of 
all who conquer in any contest, You have attained the palm of victory. And 
while He was thus speaking, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and 
stood upon the palm tree; and taking off one of its branches, flew to 
heaven with the branch in his hand. And when they saw this, they fell on 
their faces, and became as it were dead. And Jesus said to them: Why are 
your hearts possessed with fear? Do you not know that this palm, which I 
have caused to be transferred to paradise, shall be prepared for all the 
saints in the place of delights, as it has been prepared for us in this 
place of the wilderness? And they were filled with joy; and being 
strengthened, they all rose up.

    CHAP. 22.--After this, while they were going on their journey, Joseph 
said to Jesus: Lord, it is a boiling heat; if it please Thee, let us go by 
the sea-shore, that we may be able to rest in the cities on the coast. 
Jesus said to him: Fear not, Joseph; I will shorten the way for you, so 
that what you would have taken thirty days to go over, you shall accomplish 
in this one day. And while they were thus speaking, behold, they looked 
forward, and began to see the mountains and cities of Egypt.

    And rejoicing and exulting, they came into the regions of Hermopolis, 
and entered into a certain city of Egypt which is called Sotinen; [1] and 
because they knew no one there from whom they could ask hospitality, they 
went into a temple which was called the Capitol of Egypt. And in this 
temple there had been set up three hundred and fifty-five idols, [2] to 
each of which on its own day divine honours and sacred rites were paid. For 
the Egyptians belonging to the same city entered the Capitol, in which the 
priests told them how many sacrifices were offered each day, according to 
the honour in which the god was held.

    CHAP. 23.--And it came to pass, when the most blessed Mary went into 
the temple with the little child, that all the idols prostrated themselves 
on the ground, so that all of them were lying on their faces shattered and 
broken to pieces; [3] and thus they plainly showed that they were nothing. 
Then was fulfilled that which was said by the prophet Isaiah: Behold, the 
Lord will come upon a swift cloud, and will enter Egypt, and all the 
handiwork of the Egyptians shall be moved at His presence. [4]

    CHAP. 24.--Then Affrodosius, that governor of the city, when news of 
this was brought to him, went to the temple with all his army. And the 
priests of the temple, when they saw Affrodosius with all his army coming 
into the temple, thought that he was making haste only to see vengeance 
taken on those on whose account the gods had fallen down. But when he came 
into the temple, and saw all the gods lying prostrate on their faces, he 
went up to the blessed Mary, who was carrying the Lord in her bosom, and 
adored Him, and said to all his army and all his friends: Unless this were 
the God of our gods, our gods would not have fallen on their faces before 
Him; nor would they be lying prostrate in His presence: wherefore they 
silently confess that He is their Lord. Unless we, therefore, take care to 
do what we have seen our gods doing, we may run the risk of His anger, and 
all come to destruction, even as it happened to Pharaoh king of the 
Egyptians, who, not believing in powers so mighty, was drowned in the sea, 
with all his army. [5] Then all the people of that same city believed in 
the Lord God through Jesus Christ.

    CHAP. 25.--After no long time the angel said to Joseph: Return to the 
land of Judah, for they are dead who sought the child's life. [1]

    CHAP. 26.--And it came to pass, after Jesus had returned out of Egypt, 
when He was in Galilee, and entering on the fourth year of His age, that on 
a Sabbath-day He was playing with some children at the bed of the Jordan. 
And as He sat there, Jesus made to Himself seven pools of clay, and to each 
of them He made passages, through which at His command He brought water 
from the torrent into the pool, and took it back again. Then one of those 
children, a son of the devil, moved with envy, shut the passages which 
supplied the pools with water, and overthrew what Jesus had built up. Then 
said Jesus to him: Woe unto thee, thou son of death, thou son of Satan! 
Dost thou destroy the works which I have wrought? And immediately he who 
had done this died. Then with great uproar the parents of the dead boy 
cried out against Mary and Joseph, saying to them: Your son has cursed our 
son, and he is dead. And when Joseph and Mary heard this, they came 
forthwith to Jesus, on account of the outcry of the parents of the boy, and 
the gathering together of the Jews. But Joseph said privately to Mary: I 
dare not speak to Him; but do thou admonish Him, and say: Why hast Thou 
raised against us the hatred of the people; and why must the troublesome 
hatred of men be borne by us? And His mother having come to Him, asked Him, 
saying: My Lord, what was it that he did to bring about his death? And He 
said: He deserved death, because he scattered the works that I had made. 
Then His mother asked Him, saying: Do not so, my Lord, because all men rise 
up against us. But He, not wishing to grieve His mother, with His right 
foot kicked the hinder parts of the dead boy, and said to him: Rise, thou 
son of iniquity  for thou art not worthy to enter into the rest of my 
Father, because thou didst destroy the works which I had made. Then he who 
had been dead rose up, and went away. And Jesus, by the word of His power, 
brought water into the pools by the aqueduct.

    CHAP. 27.--And it came to pass, after these things, that in the sight 
of all Jesus took clay froth the pools which He had made, and of it made 
twelve sparrows. And it was the Sabbath when Jesus did this, and there were 
very many children with Him. When, therefore, one of the Jews had seen Him 
doing this, he said to Joseph: Joseph, dost thou not see the child Jesus 
working on the Sabbath at what it is not  lawful for him to do? for he has 
made twelve sparrows of clay. And when Joseph heard this, he reproved him, 
saying: Wherefore doest thou on the Sabbath such things as are not lawful 
for us to do? And when Jesus heard Joseph, He struck His hands together, 
and said to His sparrows: Fly! And at the voice of His command they began 
to fly. And in the sight and hearing of all that stood by, He said to the 
birds: Go and fly through the earth, and through all the world, and live. 
And when those that were there saw such miracles, they were filled with 
great astonishment. And some praised and admired Him, but others reviled 
Him. And certain of them went away to the chief priests and the heads of 
the Pharisees, and reported to them that Jesus the son of Joseph had done 
great signs and miracles in the sight of all the people of Israel. And this 
was reported in the twelve tribes of Israel.

    CHAP. 28.--And again the son of Annas, a priest of the temple, who had 
come with Joseph, holding his rod in his hand in the sight of all, with 
great fury broke down the dams which Jesus had made with His own hands, and 
let out the water which He had collected in them from the torrent. 
Moreover, he shut the aqueduct by which the water came in, and then broke 
it down. And when Jesus saw this, He said to that boy who had destroyed His 
dams: O most wicked seed of iniquity! O son of death! O workshop of Satan! 
verily the fruit of thy seed shall be without strength, and thy roots 
without moisture, and thy branches withered, bearing no fruit. And 
immediately, in the sight of all, the boy withered away, and died.

    CHAP. 29.--Then Joseph trembled, and took hold of Jesus, and went with 
Him to his own house, and His mother with Him. And, behold, suddenly from 
the opposite direction a boy, also a worker of iniquity, ran up and came 
against the shoulder of Jesus, wishing to make sport of Him, or to hurt 
Him, if he could. And Jesus said to him: Thou shall not go back safe and 
sound from the way that thou goest. And immediately he fell down, and died. 
And the parents of the dead boy, who had seen what happened, cried out, 
saying: Where does this child come from? It is manifest that every word 
that he says is true; and it is often accomplished before he speaks. And 
the parents of the dead boy came to Joseph, and said to him: Take away that 
Jesus from this place, for he cannot live with us in this town; or at least 
teach him to bless, and not to curse. And Joseph came up to Jesus, and 
admonished Him, saying: Why doest thou such things? For already many are in 
grief and against thee, and hate us on thy account, and we endure the 
reproaches of men because of thee. And Jesus answered and said unto Joseph: 
No one is a wise son but he whom his father hath taught, according to the 
knowledge of this time; and a father's curse can hurt none but evil-doers. 
Then they came together against Jesus, and accused him to Joseph. When 
Joseph saw this, he was in great terror, fearing the violence and uproar of 
the people of Israel. And the same hour Jesus seized the dead boy by the 
ear, and lifted him up from the earth in the sight of all: and they saw 
Jesus speaking to him like a father to his son. And his spirit came back to 
him, and he revived. And all of them wondered.

    CHAP. 30.--Now a certain Jewish schoolmaster named Zachyas[1] heard 
Jesus thus speaking; and seeing that He could not be overcome, from knowing 
the power that was in Him,[2] he became angry, and began rudely and 
foolishly, and without fear, to speak against Joseph. And he said: Dost 
thou not wish to entrust me with thy son, that he may be instructed in 
human learning and in reverence? But I see that Mary and thyself have more 
regard for your son than for what the elders of the people of Israel say 
against him. You should have given more honour to us, the elders of the 
whole church of Israel, both that he might be on terms of mutual affection 
with the children, and that among us he might be instructed in Jewish 
learning. Joseph, on the other hand, said to him: And is there any one who 
can keep this child, and teach him? But if thou canst keep him and teach 
him, we by no means hinder him from being taught by thee those things which 
are learned by all. And Jesus, having heard what Zachyas had said, answered 
and said unto him: The precepts of the law which thou hast just spoken of, 
and all the things that thou hast named, must be kept by those who are 
instructed in human learning; but I am a stranger to your law-courts, 
because I have no father after the flesh. Thou who readest the law, and art 
learned in it, abidest in the law; but I was before the law, But since thou 
thinkest that no one is equal to thee in learning, thou shalt be taught by 
me, that no other can teach anything but those things which thou hast 
named. But he alone can who is worthy.[3] For when I shall be exalted on 
earth, I will cause to cease all mention of your genealogy. For thou 
knowest not when thou wast born: I alone know when you were born, and how 
long your life on earth will be. Then all who heard these words were struck 
with astonishment, and cried out: Oh! oh! oh! this marvellously great and 
wonderful mystery. Never have we heard the like! Never has it been heard 
from any one else, nor has it been said or at any time heard by the 
prophets, or the Pharisees, or the scribes. We know whence he is sprung, 
and he is scarcely five years old; and whence does he speak these words? 
The Pharisees answered: We have never heard such words spoken by any other 
child so young. And Jesus answered and said unto them: At this do ye 
wonder, that such things are said by a child? Why, then, do ye not believe 
me in those things which I have said to you? And you all wonder because I 
said to you that I know when you were born. I will tell you greater things, 
that you may wonder more. I have seen Abraham, whom you call your father, 
and have spoken with him; and he has seen me.[4] And when they heard this 
they held their tongues, nor did any of them dare to speak. And Jesus said 
to them: I have been among you with children, and you have not known me; I 
have spoken to you as to wise men, and you have not understood my words; 
because you are younger than I am,[5] and of little faith.

    CHAP. 31--A second time the master Zachyas, doctor of the law, said to 
Joseph and Mary: Give me the boy, and I shall hand him over to master Levi, 
who shall teach him his letters and instruct him. Then Joseph and Mary, 
soothing Jesus, took Him to the schools, that He might be taught His 
letters by old Levi. And as soon as He went in He held His tongue. And the 
master Levi said one letter to Jesus, and, beginning from the first letter 
Aleph, said to Him: Answer. But Jesus was silent, and answered nothing. 
Wherefore the preceptor Levi was angry, and seized his storax-tree rod, and 
struck Him on the head. And Jesus said to the teacher Levi: Why dost thou 
strike me? Thou shall know in truth, that He who is struck can teach him 
who strikes Him more than He can be taught by him. For I can teach you 
those very things that yon are saying. But all these are blind who speak 
and hear, like sounding brass or tinkling cymbal, in which there is no 
perception of those things which are meant by their sound.[6] And Jesus in 
addition said to Zachyas: Every letter from Aleph even to Thet[7] is known 
by its arrangement. Say thou first, therefore, what Thet is, and I will 
tell thee what Aleph is. And again Jesus said to them: Those who do not 
know Aleph, how can they say Thet, the hypocrites? Tell me what the first 
one, Aleph, is; and I shall then believe you when you have said Beth. And 
Jesus began to ask the names of the letters one by one, and said: Let the 
master of the law tell us what the first letter is, or why it has many 
triangles, gradate, subacute, mediate, obduced, produced, erect, prostrate, 
curvistrate.[1] And when Levi heard this, he was thunderstruck at such an 
arrangement of the names of the letters. Then he began in the heating of 
all to cry out, and say: Ought such a one to live on the earth? Yea, he 
ought to be hung on the great cross. For he can put out fire, and make 
sport of other modes of punishment. I think that he lived before the flood, 
and was born before the deluge. For what womb bore him? or what mother 
brought him forth? or what breasts gave him suck? I flee before him; I am 
not able to withstand the words from his mouth, but my heart is astounded 
to hear such words. I do not think that any man can understand what he 
says, except God were with him. Now I, unfortunate wretch, have given 
myself up to be a laughing-stock to him. For when I thought I had a 
scholar, I, not knowing him, have found my master. What shall I say? I 
cannot withstand the words of this child: I shall now flee from this town, 
because I cannot understand them. An old man like me has been beaten by a 
boy, because I can find neither beginning nor end of what he says. For it 
is no easy matter to find a beginning of himself.[2] I tell you of a 
certainty, I am not lying, that to my eyes the proceedings of this boy, the 
commencement of his conversation, and the upshot of his intention, seem to 
have nothing in common with mortal man. Here then I do not know whether he 
be a wizard or a god; or at least an angel of God speaks in him. Whence he 
is, or where he comes from, or who he will turn out to be, I know not. Then 
Jesus, smiling at him with a joyful countenance, said in a commanding voice 
to all the sons of Israel standing by and hearing: Let the unfruitful bring 
forth fruit, and the blind see, and the lame walk right, and the poor enjoy 
the good things of this life, and the dead live, that each may return to 
his original state, and abide in Him who is the root of life and of 
perpetual sweetness. And when the child Jesus had said this, forthwith all 
who had fallen under malignant diseases were restored. And they did not 
dare to say anything more to Him, or to hear anything from Him.

    CHAP. 32.--After these things, Joseph and Mary departed thence with 
Jesus into the city of Nazareth; and He remained there with His parents. 
And on the first of the week, when Jesus was playing with the children on 
the roof of a certain house, it happened that one of the children pushed 
another down from the roof to the ground, and he was killed. And the 
parents of the dead boy, who had not seen this, cried out against Joseph 
and Mary, saying: Your son has thrown our son down to the ground, and he is 
dead. But Jesus was silent, and answered them nothing. And Joseph and Mary 
came in haste to Jesus.; and His mother asked Him, saying: My lord, tell me 
if thou didst throw him down. And immediately Jesus went down from the roof 
to the ground, and called the boy by his name, Zeno. And he answered Him: 
My lord. And Jesus said to him: Was it I that threw thee down from the roof 
to the ground? And he said: No, my lord. And the parents of the boy who had 
been dead wondered, and honoured Jesus for the miracle that had been 
wrought. And Joseph and Mary departed thence with Jesus to Jericho.

    CHAP. 33.--Now Jesus was six years old, and His mother sent Him with a 
pitcher to the fountain to draw water with the children. And it came to 
pass, after He had drawn the water, that one of the children came against 
Him, and struck the pitcher, and broke it. But Jesus stretched out the 
cloak which He had on, and took up in His cloak as much water as there had 
been in the pitcher, and carried it to His mother. And when she saw it she 
wondered, and reflected within herself, and laid up all these things in her 
heart.[3]

    CHAP. 34.--Again, on a certain day, He went forth into the field, and 
took a little wheat from His mother's barn, and sowed it Himself. And it 
sprang up, and grew, and multiplied exceedingly. And at last it came to 
pass that He Himself reaped it, and gathered as the produce of it three 
kors,[4] and gave it to His numerous acquaintances.[5]

    CHAP. 35.--There is a road going out of Jericho and leading to the 
river Jordan, to the place where the children of Israel crossed: and there 
the ark of the covenant is said to have rested. And Jesus was eight years 
old, and He went out of Jericho, and went towards the Jordan. And there was 
beside the road, near the bank of the Jordan, a cave where a lioness was 
nursing her cubs; and no one was safe to walk that way. Jesus then, coming 
from Jericho, and knowing that in that cave the lioness bad brought forth 
her young, went into it in the sight of all. And when the lions saw Jesus, 
they ran to meet Him, and adored Him. And Jesus was sitting in the cavern, 
and the lion's cubs ran hither and thither round His feet, fawning upon 
Him, and sporting. And the older lions, with their heads bowed down, stood 
at a distance, and adored Him, and fawned upon Him with their tails. Then 
the people who were standing afar off, not seeing Jesus, said: Unless he or 
his parents had committed grievous sins, he would not of his own accord 
have offered himself up to the lions. And when the people were thus 
reflecting within themselves, and were lying under great sorrow, behold, on 
a sudden, in the sight of the people, Jesus came out of the cave, and the 
lions went before Him, and the lion's cubs played with each other before 
His feet. And the parents of Jesus stood afar off, with their heads bowed 
down, and watched; likewise also the people stood at a distance, on account 
of the lions; for they did not dare to come close to them. Then Jesus began 
to say to the people: How much better are the beasts than you, seeing that 
they recognise their Lord, and glorify Him; while you men, who have been 
made after the image and likeness of God, do not know Him! Beasts know me, 
and are tame; men see me, and do not acknowledge me.

    CHAP. 36.--After these things Jesus crossed the Jordan, in the sight of 
them all, with the lions; and the water of the Jordan was divided on the 
right hand and on the left.[1] Then He said to the lions, in the hearing of 
all: Go in peace, and hurt no one; but neither let man injure you, until 
you return to the place whence you have come forth. And they, bidding Him 
farewell, not only with their gestures but with their voices, went to their 
own place. But Jesus returned to His mother.

    CHAP. 37.--Now Joseph[2] was a carpenter, and used to make nothing else 
of wood but ox-yokes, and ploughs, and implements of husbandry, and wooden 
beds. And it came to pass that a certain young man ordered him to make for 
him a couch six cubits long. And Joseph commanded his servant[3] to cut the 
wood with an iron saw, according to the measure which he had sent. But he 
did not keep to the prescribed measure, but made one piece of wood shorter 
than the other. And Joseph was in perplexity, and began to consider what he 
was to do about this. And when Jesus saw him in this state of cogitation, 
seeing that it was a matter of impossibility to him, He addresses him with 
words of comfort, saying: Come, let us take hold of the ends of the pieces 
of wood, and let us put them together, end to end, and let us fit them 
exactly to each other, and draw to us, for we shall be able to make them 
equal. Then Joseph did what he was bid, for he knew that He could do 
whatever He wished. And Joseph took hold of the ends of the pieces of wood, 
and brought them together against the wall next himself, and Jesus took 
hold of the other ends of the pieces of wood, and drew the shorter piece to 
Him, and made it of the same length as the longer one. And He said to 
Joseph: Go and work, and do what thou hast promised to do. And Joseph did 
what he had promised.[4]

    CHAP. 38.--And it came to pass a second time, that Joseph and Mary were 
asked by the people that Jesus should be taught His letters in school. They 
did not refuse to do so; and according to the commandment of the elders, 
they took Him to a master to be instructed in human learning. Then the 
master began to teach Him in an imperious tone, saying: Say Alpha.[5] And 
Jesus said to him: Do thou tell me first what Betha is, and I will tell 
thee what Alpha is. And upon this the master got angry and struck Jesus; 
and no sooner had he struck Him, than he fell down dead.

    And Jesus went home again to His mother. And Joseph, being afraid, 
called Mary to him, and said to her: Know of a surety that my soul is 
sorrowful even unto death on account of this child. For it is very likely 
that at some time or other some one will strike him in malice, and he will 
die. But Mary answered and said: O man of God! do not believe that this is 
possible. You may believe to a certainty that He who has sent him to be 
born among men will Himself guard him from all mischief, and will in His 
own name preserve him from evil.

    CHAP. 39.--Again the Jews asked Mary and Joseph a third time to coax 
Him to go to another master to learn. And Joseph and Mary, fearing the 
people, and the overbearing of the princes, and the threats of the priests, 
led Him again to school, knowing that He could learn nothing from man, 
because He had perfect knowledge from God only. And when Jesus had entered 
the school, led by the Holy Spirit, He took the book out of the hand of the 
master who was teaching the law, and in the sight and hearing of all the 
people began to read, not indeed what was written in their book; but He 
spoke in the Spirit of the living God, as if a stream of water were gushing 
forth from a living fountain, and the fountain remained always full. And 
with such power He taught the people the great things of the living God, 
that the master himself fell to the ground and adored Him. And the heart of 
the people who sat and heard Him saying such things was turned into 
astonishment. And when Joseph heard of this, he came running to Jesus, 
fearing that the master himself was dead. And when the master saw him, he 
said to him: Thou hast given me not a scholar, but a master; and who can 
withstand his words? Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by the 
Psalmist: The river of God is full of water: Thou hast prepared them corn, 
for so is the provision for it.[1]

    CHAP. 40.--After these things Joseph departed thence with Mary and 
Jesus to go into Capernaum by the sea-shore, on account of the malice of 
his adversaries. And when Jesus was living in Capernaum, there was in the 
city a man named Joseph, exceedingly rich. But he had wasted away under his 
infirmity, and died, and was lying dead in his couch. And when Jesus heard 
them in the city mourning, and weeping, and lamenting over the dead man, He 
said to Joseph: Why dost thou not afford the benefit of thy favour to this 
man, seeing that he is called by thy name? And Joseph answered him: How 
have I any power or ability to afford him a benefit? And Jesus said to him: 
Take the handkerchief which is upon thy head, and go and put it on the face 
of the dead man, and say to him: Christ heal thee; and immediately the dead 
man will be healed, and will rise from his couch. And when Joseph heard 
this, he went away at the command of Jesus, and ran, and entered the house 
of the dead man, and put the handkerchief which he was wearing on his head 
upon the face of him who was lying in the couch, and said: Jesus heal thee. 
And forthwith the dead man rose from his bed, and asked who Jesus was.[2]

    CHAP. 41.--And they went away from Capernaum into the city which is 
called Bethlehem; and Joseph lived with Mary in his own house, and Jesus 
with them. And on a certain day Joseph called to him his first-born son 
James,[3] and sent him into the vegetable garden to gather vegetables for 
the purpose of making broth. And Jesus followed His brother James into the 
garden; but Joseph and Mary did not know this. And while James was 
collecting the vegetables, a viper suddenly came out of a hole and struck 
his hand,[4] and he began to cry out from excessive pain. And, becoming 
exhausted, he said, with a bitter cry: Alas! alas! an accursed viper has 
struck my hand. And Jesus, who was standing opposite to him, at the bitter 
cry ran up to James, and took hold of his hand; and all that He did was to 
blow on the hand of James, and cool it: and immediately James was healed, 
and the serpent died. And Joseph and Mary did not know what had been done; 
but at the cry of James, and the command of Jesus, they ran to the garden, 
and found the serpent already dead, and James quite cured.

    CHAP. 42.--And Joseph having come to a feast with his sons, James, 
Joseph, and Judah, and Simeon and his two daughters, Jesus met them, with 
Mary His mother, along with her sister Mary of Cleophas, whom the Lord God 
had given to her father Cleophas and her mother Anna, because they had 
offered Mary the mother of Jesus to the Lord. And she was called by the 
same name, Mary, for the consolation of her parents.[5] And when they had 
come together, Jesus sanctified and blessed them, and He was the first to 
begin to eat and drink; for none of them dared to eat or drink, or to sit 
at table, or to break bread, until He had sanctified them, and first done 
so. And if He happened to be absent, they used to wait until He should do 
this. And when He did not wish to come for refreshment, neither Joseph nor 
Mary, nor the sons of Joseph, His brothers, came. And, indeed, these 
brothers, keeping His life as a lamp before their eyes, observed Him, and 
feared Him. And when Jesus slept, whether by day or by night, the 
brightness of God shone upon Him. To whom be all praise and glory for ever 
and ever. Amen, amen.


THE GOSPEL OF THE NATIVITY OF MARY

    CHAP. 1.--The blessed and glorious ever-virgin Mary, sprung from the 
royal stock and family of David, born in the city of Nazareth, was brought 
up at Jerusalem in the temple of the Lord. Her father was named Joachim, 
and her mother Anna. Her father's house was from Galilee and the city of 
Nazareth, but her mother's family from Bethlehem. Their life was guileless 
and right before the Lord, and irreproachable and pious before men. For 
they divided all their substance into three parts. One part they spent upon 
the temple and the temple servants; another they distributed to strangers 
and the poor; the third they reserved, for themselves and the necessities 
of their family. Thus, dear to God, kind to men, for about twenty years 
they lived in their own house, a chaste married life, without having any 
children. Nevertheless they vowed that, should the Lord happen to give them 
offspring, they would deliver it to the service of the Lord; on which 
account also they used to visit the temple of the Lord at each of the 
feasts during the year.

    CHAP. 2.--And it came to pass that the festival of the dedication[1] 
was at hand; wherefore also Joachim went up to Jerusalem with some men of 
his own tribe. Now at that time Issachar[2] was high priest there. And when 
he saw Joachim with his offering among his other fellow-citizens, he 
despised him, and spurned his gifts, asking why he, who had no offspring, 
presumed to stand among those who had; saying that his gifts could not by 
any means be acceptable to God, since He had deemed him unworthy of off-
spring: for the Scripture said, Cursed is every one who has not begot a 
male or a female in Israel.[3] He said, therefore, that he ought first to 
be freed from this curse by the begetting of children; and then, and then 
only, that be should come into the presence of the Lord with his offerings. 
And Joachim, covered with shame from this reproach that was thrown in his 
teeth, retired to the shepherds, who were in their pastures with their 
flocks; nor would he return home, test perchance he might be branded with 
the same reproach by those of his own tribe, who were there at the time, 
and had heard this from the priest.

    CHAP. 3.--Now, when he had been there for some time, on a certain day 
when he was alone, an angel of the Lord stood by him in a great light. And 
when he was disturbed at his appearance, the angel who had appeared to him 
restrained his fear, saying: Fear not, Joachim, nor be disturbed by my 
appearance; for I am the angel of the Lord, sent by Him to thee to tell 
thee that thy prayers have been heard, and that thy charitable deeds have 
gone up into His presence.[4] For He hath seen thy shame, and hath heard 
the reproach of unfruitfulness which has been unjustly brought against 
thee. For God is the avenger of sin, not of nature: and, therefore, when He 
shuts up the womb of any one, He does so that He may miraculously open it 
again; so that that which is born may be acknowledged to be not of lust, 
but of the gift of God. For was it not the case that the first mother of 
your nation--Sarah--was barren up to her eightieth year?[5] And, 
nevertheless, in extreme old age she brought forth Isaac, to whom the 
promise was renewed of the blessing of all nations. Rachel also, so 
favoured of the Lord, and so beloved by holy Jacob, was long barren; and 
yet she brought forth Joseph, who was not only the lord of Egypt, but the 
deliverer of many nations who were ready to perish of hunger. Who among the 
judges was either stronger than Samson, or more holy than Samuel? And yet 
the mothers of both were barren. If, therefore, the reasonableness of my 
words does not persuade thee, believe in fact that conceptions very late in 
life, and births in the case of women that have been barren, are usually 
attended with something wonderful. Accordingly thy wife Anna will bring 
forth a daughter to thee, and thou shall call her name Mary: she shall be, 
as you have vowed, consecrated to the Lord from her infancy, and she shall 
be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from her mother's womb. She shall 
neither eat nor drink any unclean thing, nor shall she spend her life among 
the crowds of the people without, but in the temple of the Lord, that it 
may not be possible either to say, or so much as to suspect, any evil 
concerning her. Therefore, when she has grown up, just as she herself shall 
be miraculously born of a barren woman, so in an incomparable manner she, a 
virgin, shall bring forth the Son of the Most High, who shall be called 
Jesus, and who, according to the etymology of His name, shall be the 
Saviour of all nations. And this shall be the sign to thee of those things 
which I announce: When thou shalt come to the Golden gate in Jerusalem, 
thou shalt there meet Anna thy wife, who, lately anxious from the delay of 
thy return, will then rejoice at the sight of thee. Having thus spoken, the 
angel departed from him.

    CHAP. 4--Thereafter he appeared to Anna his wife, saying: Fear not, 
Anna, nor think that it is a phantom which thou seest. For I am that angel 
who has presented your prayers and alms before God; and now have I been 
sent to you to announce to you that thou shalt bring forth a daughter, who 
shall be called Mary, and who shall be blessed above all women. She, full 
of the favour of the Lord even from her birth, shall remain three years in 
her father's house until she be weaned. Thereafter, being delivered to the 
service of the Lord, she shall not depart from the temple until she reach 
the years of discretion. There, in fine, serving God day and night in 
fastings and prayers, she shall abstain from every unclean thing; she shall 
never know man, but alone, without example, immaculate, uncorrupted, 
without intercourse with man, she, a virgin, shall bring forth a son; she, 
His hand-maiden, shall bring forth the Lord--both in grace, and in name, 
and in work, the Saviour of the world. Wherefore arise, and go up to 
Jerusalem; and when thou shalt come to the gate which, because it is plated 
with gold, is called Golden, there, for a sign, thou shalt meet thy 
husband, for whose safety thou hast been anxious. And when these things 
shall have so happened, know that what I announce shall without doubt be 
fulfilled.

    CHAP. 5.--Therefore, as the angel had commanded, both of them setting 
out from the place where they were, went up to Jerusalem; and when they had 
come to the place pointed out by the angel's prophecy, there they met each 
other. Then, rejoicing at seeing each other, and secure in the certainty of 
the promised offspring, they gave the thanks due to the Lord, who exalteth 
the humble. And so, having worshipped the Lord, they returned home, and 
awaited in certainty and in gladness the divine promise. Anna therefore 
conceived, and brought forth a daughter; and according to the command of 
the angel, her parents called her name Mary.

    CHAP. 6.--And when the circle of three years had rolled round, and the 
time of her weaning was fulfilled, they brought the virgin to the temple of 
the Lord with offerings. Now there were round the temple, according to the 
fifteen Psalms of Degrees,[1] fifteen steps going up; for, on account of 
the temple having been built on a mountain, the altar of burnt-offering, 
which stood outside, could not be reached except by steps. On one of these, 
then, her parents placed the little girl, the blessed virgin Mary. And when 
they were putting off the clothes which they had worn on the journey, and 
were putting on, as was usual, others that were neater and cleaner, the 
virgin of the Lord went up all the steps, one after the other, without the 
help of any one leading her or lifting her, in such a manner that, in this 
respect at least, you would think that she had already attained full age. 
For already the Lord in the infancy of His virgin wrought a great thing, 
and by the indication of this miracle foreshowed how great she was to be. 
Therefore, a sacrifice having been offered according to the custom of the 
law, and their vow being perfected, they left the virgin within the 
enclosures of the temple, there to be educated with the other virgins, and 
themselves returned home.

    CHAP. 7.--But the virgin of the Lord advanced in age and in virtues; 
and though, in the words of the Psalmist, her father and mother had 
forsaken her, the Lord took her up.[2] For daily was she visited by angels, 
daily did she enjoy a divine vision, which preserved her from all evil, and 
made her to abound in all good. And so she reached her fourteenth year; and 
not only were the wicked unable to charge her with anything worthy of 
reproach, but all the good, who knew her life and conversation, judged her 
to be worthy of admiration. Then the high priest publicly announced that 
the virgins who were publicly settled in the temple, and had reached this 
time of life, should return home and get married, according to the custom 
of the nation and the ripeness of their years. The others readily obeyed 
this command; but Mary alone, the virgin of the Lord, answered that she 
could not do this, saying both that her parents had devoted her to the 
service of the Lord, and that, moreover, she herself had made to the Lord a 
vow of virginity, which she would never violate by any intercourse with 
man. And the high priest, being placed in great perplexity of mind, seeing 
that neither did he think that the vow should be broken contrary to the 
Scripture, which says, Vow and pay,[1] nor did he dare to introduce a 
custom unknown to the nation, gave order that at the festival, which was at 
hand, all the chief persons from Jerusalem and the neighbourhood should be 
present, in order that from their advice he might know what was to be done 
in so doubtful a case. And when this took place, they resolved unanimously 
that the Lord should be consulted upon this matter. And when they all bowed 
themselves in prayer, the high priest went to consult God in the usual way. 
Nor had they long to wait: in the hearing of all a voice issued from the 
oracle and from the mercy-seat, that, according to the prophecy of Isaiah, 
a man should be sought out to whom the virgin ought to be entrusted and 
espoused. For it is clear that Isaiah says: A rod shall come forth from the 
root of Jesse, and a flower shall ascend from his root; and the Spirit of 
the Lord shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the 
spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of wisdom and piety; and he 
shall be filled with the spirit of the fear of the Lord.[2] According to 
this prophecy, therefore, he predicted that all of the house and family of 
David that were unmarried and fit for marriage should bring there rods to 
the altar; and that he whose rod after it was brought should produce a 
flower, and upon the end of whose rod the Spirit of the Lord should settle 
in the form of a dove, was the man to whom the virgin ought to be entrusted 
and espoused.

    CHAP. 8.--Now there was among the rest Joseph, of the house and family 
of David, a man of great age: and when all brought there rods, according to 
the order, he alone withheld his. Wherefore, when nothing in conformity 
with the divine voice appeared, the high priest thought it necessary to 
consult God a second time; and He answered, that of those who had been 
designated, he alone to whom the virgin ought to be espoused had not 
brought his rod. Joseph, therefore, was found out. For when he had brought 
his rod, and the dove came from heaven; and settled upon the top of it, it 
clearly appeared to all that he was the man to whom the virgin should be 
espoused. Therefore, the usual ceremonies of betrothal having been gone 
through, he went back to the city of Bethlehem to put his house in order, 
and to procure things necessary for the marriage. But Mary, the virgin of 
the Lord, with seven other virgins of her own age, and who had been weaned 
at the same time, whom she had received from the priest, returned to the 
house of her parents in Galilee.

    CHAP. 9.--And in those days, that is, at the time of her first coming 
into Galilee, the angel Gabriel was sent to her by God, to announce to her 
the conception of the Lord, and to explain to her the manner and order of 
the conception. Accordingly, going in, he filled the chamber where she was 
with a great light; and most courteously saluting her, he said: Hail, Mary! 
O virgin highly favoured by the Lord, virgin full of grace, the Lord is 
with thee; blessed art thou above all women, blessed above all men that 
have been hitherto born.[3] And the virgin, who was already well acquainted 
with angelic faces, and was not unused to the light from heaven, was 
neither terrified by the vision of the angel, nor astonished at the 
greatness of the light, but only perplexed by his words; and she began to 
consider of what nature a salutation so unusual could be, or what it could 
portend, or what end it could have. And the angel, divinely inspired, 
taking up this thought, says: Fear not, Mary, as if anything contrary to 
thy chastity were hid under this salutation. For in choosing chastity, thou 
hast found favour with the Lord; and therefore thou, a virgin, shalt 
conceive without sin, and shalt bring forth a son. He shall be great, 
because He shall rule from sea to sea, and from the river even to the ends 
of the earth;[4] and He shall be called the Son of the Most High, because 
He who is born on earth in humiliation, reigns in heaven in exaltation; and 
the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David, and He shall 
reign in the house of Jacob for ever, and of His kingdom there shall be no 
end;[5] forasmuch as He is King of kings and Lord of lords,[6] and His 
throne is from everlasting to everlasting. The virgin did not doubt these 
words of the angel; but wishing to know the manner of it, she answered: How 
can that come to pass? For while, according to my vow, I never know man, 
how can I bring forth without the addition of man's seed? To this the angel 
says: Think not, Mary, that thou shalt conceive in the manner of mankind: 
for without any intercourse with man, thou, a virgin, wilt conceive; thou, 
a virgin, wilt bring forth; thou, a virgin, wilt nurse: for the Holy Spirit 
shall come upon thee, and the power of the Most High shall overshadow 
thee,[7] without any of the heats of lust; and therefore that which shall 
be born of thee shall alone be holy, because it alone, being conceived and 
born without sin, shall be called the Son of God. Then Mary stretched forth 
her hands, and raised her eyes to heaven, and said: Behold the hand-maiden 
of the Lord, for I am not worthy of the name of lady; let it be to me 
according to thy word.

    It will be long, and perhaps to some even tedious, if we insert in this 
little work every thing which we read of as having preceded or followed the 
Lord's nativity: wherefore, omitting those things which have been more 
fully written in the Gospel, let us come to those which are held to be less 
worthy of being narrated.

    CHAP. 10.--Joseph therefore came from Judaea into Galilee, intending to 
marry the virgin who had been betrothed to him; for already three months 
had elapsed, and it was the beginning of the fourth since she had been 
betrothed to him. In the meantime, it was evident from her shape that she 
was pregnant, nor could she conceal this from Joseph. For in consequence of 
his being betrothed to her, coming to her more freely and speaking to her 
more familiarly, he found out that she was with child. He began then to be 
in great doubt and perplexity, because he did not know what was best for 
him to do. For, being a just man, he was not willing to expose her; nor, 
being a pious man, to injure her fair fame by a suspicion of fornication. 
He came to the conclusion, therefore, privately to dissolve their contract, 
and to send her away secretly. And while he thought on these things, 
behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, 
thou son of David, fear not; that is, do not have any suspicion of 
fornication in the virgin, or think any evil of her; and fear not to take 
her as thy wife: for that which is begotten in her, and which now vexes thy 
soul, is the work not of man, but of the Holy Spirit. For she alone of all 
virgins shall bring forth the Son of God, and thou shalt call His name 
Jesus, that is, Saviour; for He shall save His people from their sins. 
Therefore Joseph, according to the command of the angel, took the virgin as 
his wife; nevertheless he knew her not, but took care of her, and kept her 
in chastity.[1] And now the ninth month from her conception was at hand, 
when Joseph, taking with him his wife along with what things he needed, 
went to Bethlehem, the city from which he came. And it came to pass, while 
they were there, that her days were fulfilled that she should bring forth; 
and she brought forth her first-born son, as the holy evangelists have 
shown, our Lord Jesus Christ, who with the Father and the Son[2] and the 
Holy Ghost lives and reigns God from everlasting to everlasting.


THE HISTORY OF JOSEPH THE CARPENTER

    IN the name of God, of one essence and three persons.

    The History of the death of our father, the holy old man, Joseph the 
carpenter.

    May his blessings and prayers preserve us all, O brethren! Amen.

    His whole life was one hundred and eleven years, and his departure from 
this world happened on the twenty-sixth of the month Abib, which answers to 
the month Ab. May his prayer preserve us! Amen. And, indeed, it was our 
Lord Jesus Christ Himself who related this history to His holy disciples on 
the Mount of Olives, and all Joseph's labour, and the end of his days. And 
the holy apostles have preserved this conversation, and have left it 
written down in the library at Jerusalem. May their prayers preserve us! 
Amen.[1]

    1. It happened one day, when the Saviour, our Master, God, and Saviour 
Jesus Christ, was sitting along with His disciples, and they were all 
assembled on the Mount of Olives, that He said to them: O my brethren and 
friends, sons of the Father who has chosen you from all men, you know that 
I have often told you that I must be crucified, and must die for the 
salvation of Adam and his posterity, and that I shall rise from the dead. 
Now I shall commit to you the doctrine of the holy gospel formerly 
announced to you, that you may declare it. throughout the whole world. And 
I shall endow you with power from on high, and fill you with the Holy 
Spirit.[2] And you shall declare to all nations repentance and remission of 
sins.[3] For a single cup of water,[4] if a man shall find it in the world 
to come, is greater and better than all the wealth of this whole world. And 
as much ground as one foot can occupy in the house of my Father, is greater 
and more excellent than all the riches of the earth. Yea, a single hour in 
the joyful dwelling of the pious is more blessed and more precious than a 
thousand years among sinners:[5] inasmuch as their weeping and lamentation 
shall not come to an end, and their tears shall not cease, nor shall they 
find for themselves consolation and repose at any time for ever. And now, O 
my honoured members, go declare to all nations, tell them, and say to them: 
Verily the Saviour diligently inquires into the inheritance which is due, 
and is the administrator of justice. And the angels will cast down their 
enemies, and will fight for them in the day of conflict. And He will 
examine every single foolish and idle word which men speak, and they shall 
give an account of it.[6] For as no one shall escape death, so also the 
works of every man shall be laid open on the day of judgment, whether they 
have been good or evil.[7] Tell them also this word which I have said to 
you to-day: Let not the strong man glory in his strength, nor the rich man 
in his riches; but let him who wishes to glory, glory in the Lord.[8]

    2. There was a man whose name was Joseph, sprung from a family of 
Bethlehem, a town of Judah, and the city of King David. This same man, 
being well furnished with wisdom and learning, was made a priest in the 
temple of the Lord. He was, besides. skilful in his trade, which was that 
of a carpenter; and after the manner of all men, he married a wife. 
Moreover, he begot for himself sons and daughters, four sons, namely, and 
two daughters. Now these are their names--Judas, Justus, James, and Simon. 
The names of the two daughters were Assia and Lydia. At length the wife of 
righteous Joseph, a woman intent on the divine glory in all her works, 
departed this life. But Joseph, that righteous man, my father after the 
flesh, and the spouse of my mother Mary, went away with his sons to his 
trade, practising the art of a carpenter.

    3. Now when righteous Joseph became a widower, my mother Mary, blessed, 
holy, and pure, was already twelve years old. For her parents offered her 
in the temple when she was three years of age, and she remained in the 
temple of the Lord nine years. Then when the priests saw that the virgin, 
holy and God-fearing, was growing up, they spoke to each other, saying: Let 
us search out a man, righteous and pious, to whom Mary may be entrusted 
until the time of her marriage; lest, if she remain in the temple, it 
happen to her as is wont to happen to women, and lest on that account we 
sin, and God be angry with us.

    4. Therefore they immediately sent out, and assembled twelve old men of 
the tribe of Judah. And they wrote down the names of the twelve tribes of 
Israel. And the lot fell upon the pious old man, righteous Joseph. Then the 
priests answered, and said to my blessed mother: Go with Joseph, and be 
with him till the time of your marriage. Righteous Joseph therefore 
received my mother, and led her away to his own house. And Mary found James 
the Less in his father's house, broken-hearted and sad on account of the 
loss of his mother, and she brought him up. Hence Mary was called the 
mother of James.[1] Thereafter Joseph left her at home, and went away to 
the shop where he wrought at his trade of a carpenter. And after the holy 
virgin had spent two years in his house her age was exactly fourteen years, 
including the time at which he received her.

    5. And I chose her of my own will, with the concurrence of my Father, 
and the counsel of the Holy Spirit. And I was made flesh of her, by a 
mystery which transcends the grasp of created reason. And three months 
after her conception the righteous man Joseph returned from the place where 
he worked at his trade; and when he found my virgin mother pregnant, he was 
greatly perplexed, and thought of sending her away secretly.[2] But from 
fear, and sorrow, and the anguish of his heart, he could endure neither to 
eat nor drink that day.

    6. But at mid-day there appeared to him in a dream the prince of the 
angels, the holy Gabriel, furnished with a command from my Father; and he 
said to him: Joseph, son of David, fear not to take Mary as thy wife: for 
she has conceived of the Holy Spirit; and she will bring forth a son, whose 
name shall be called Jesus. He it is who shall rule all nations with a rod 
of iron.[3] Having thus spoken, the angel departed from him. And Joseph 
rose from his sleep, and did as the angel of the Lord had said to him; and 
Mary abode with him.[4]

    7. Some time after that, there came forth an order from Augustus Caesar 
the king, that all the habitable world should be enrolled, each man in his 
own city. The old man therefore, righteous Joseph, rose up and took the 
virgin Mary and came to Bethlehem, because the time of her bringing forth 
was at hand. Joseph then inscribed his name in the list; for Joseph the son 
of David, whose spouse Mary was, was of the tribe of Judah. And indeed 
Mary, my mother, brought me forth in Bethlehem, in a cave near the tomb of 
Rachel the wife of the patriarch Jacob, the mother of Joseph and Benjamin.

    8. But Satan went and told this to Herod the Great, the father of 
Archelaus. And it was this same Herod[5] who ordered my friend and relative 
John to be beheaded. Accordingly he searched for me diligently, thinking 
that my kingdom was to be of this world.[6] But Joseph, that pious old man, 
was warned of this by a dream. Therefore he rose and took Mary my mother, 
and I lay in her bosom. Salome[7] also was their fellow-traveller. Having 
therefore set out from home, he retired into Egypt, and remained there the 
space of one whole year, until the hatred of Herod passed away.

    9. Now Herod died by the worst form of death, atoning for the shedding 
of the blood of the children whom he wickedly cut off, though there was no 
sin in them. And that impious tyrant Herod being dead, they returned into 
the land of Israel, and lived in a city of Galilee which is called 
Nazareth. And Joseph, going back to his trade of a carpenter, earned his 
living by the work of his hands; for, as the law of Moses had commanded, he 
never sought to live for nothing by another's labour.[8]

    10. At length, by increasing years, the old man arrived at a very 
advanced age. He did not, however