An Historical Account of the Birth of Christ, and the Perpetual Virgin Mary, His Mother, by James the Lesser, Cousin and Brother of the Lord Jesus, a Chief Apostle and First Bishop of the Christians in Jerusalem.
CHAPTER 1.
1. Joachim, rich man, 2. offers to the Lord, 3. but is opposed by Reuben the high-priest, because he has not begotten children in Israel, 6. retires into the wilderness and fasts forty days and forty nights.
1. In the history of the twelve tribes of Israel we read there was a certain person called Joachim, who being very rich, made double offerings to the Lord God, having made this resolution: My substance shall be for the benefit of the whole people, that I may find mercy from the Lord God for the forgiveness of my sins.
Two prominent men named James are in the New Testament. James the son of Zebedee and brother of John is one of the twelve Apostles mentioned in Matthew 4:21, 10:2, 17:1; Mark 1:19, 3:17, 5:37, 9:2, 10:35, 14:33; Luke 5:10, 6:14, 8:51; Acts 1:13, 12:2.
However, James the son of Alphaeus (Paul calls him the Lord's brother in Galatians 1:19 because the Greek word so translated also means "relative" or "kinsman") is mentioned in Matthew 10:3, Mark 3:18, Luke 6:15, Acts 1:13 and 21:18, 1 Corinthians 17:7, Galatians 1:19 and 2:9. He is the author of the New Testament Epistle of James, and this Gospel (which is considered a historical continuation of the Gospel of Mary) is ascribed to him.
He was called "James the Lesser" (the fact that the other James is called "James the Younger" has often caused these two to be confused) because he probably was converted by a post-resurrection appearance of Christ. The Apostles made him bishop of Jerusalem, where even the Jews called him "James The Just."
Memory of his great piety was still vivid in the time of St. John Chrysostom (c.350-407), the Archbishop of Constantinople, who remarked in his Homily V on Matthew of this James: "For he was so admired as even to be the first to be entrusted with the bishop's office. And they say he gave himself up to such great austerity, that even his members became all of them as dead, and that from his continual praying, and his perpetual intercourse with the ground, his forehead became so callous as to be in no better state than a camel's knees, simply by reason of his striking it so against the earth."
According to tradition, this James was executed at the prompting of the Sanhedrin, being thrown from the temple walls and then clubbed to death about A.D. 62.
The Protevangelion is supposed to have been originally composed in Hebrew. Postellus brought this manuscript from the Levant, translated it into Latin, and sent it to Oporimus, a printer at Basil, where Bibliander, a Protestant divine and the Professor of Divinity at Zurich, caused it to be printed in 1552. Postellus asserted that it was publicly read as canonical in the Eastern churches, they having no doubt that James was the author of it. The allusions to it in writings of the early Church Fathers are frequent, and their expressions indicate that it had obtained a very general credit in the Christian world.
2. But at a certain great feast of the Lord, when the children of Israel offered their gifts, and Joachim also offered his, Reuben the high-priest opposed him, saying, It is not lawful for you to offer your gifts, seeing you have not begotten any offspring in Israel.
"Reuben the high-priest" contradicts the Gospel of Mary (1:7) where Issachar is identified as high-priest.
3. At this Joachim, being concerned very much, went away to consult the registries of the twelve tribes to see whether he was the only person who had begotten no offspring.
4. But upon inquiry he found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel;
5. Then he called to mind the patriarch Abraham, how that God in the end of his life had given him his son Isaac; upon which he was exceedingly distressed and would not be seen by his wife:
6. But retired into the wilderness, and fixed his tent there, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying to himself,
This forty-day fast is not mentioned in the Gospel of Mary. Three forty-day fasts are recorded in the Canon: of Moses in Exodus 24:11, 34:28, Deuteronomy 9:9; of Elijah in I Kings 19:8; and of Christ in Matthew 4:2.
7. I will not go down either to eat or drink, till the Lord my God shall look down upon me, but prayer shall be my meat and drink.
CHAPTER 2
1. Anna, the wife of Joachim, mourns her barrenness, 6. is reproached for it by Judith her maid, 9. sits under a laurel tree and prays to the Lord.
1. In the meantime his wife Anna was distressed and perplexed on a double account, and said, I will mourn both for my widowhood and my barrenness.
Anna thought Joachim had died because he had been absent for over a month.
2. Then drew near a great feast of the Lord, and Judith her maid said, How long will you thus afflict your soul? The feast of the Lord is now come, when it is unlawful for anyone to mourn.
"Judith her maid" must indicate a historical fact; otherwise, why mention her name?
3. Take therefore this hood which was given by one who makes such things, for it is not proper that I, who am a servant, should wear it, but it well suits a person of your greater character.
4. But Anna replied, Depart from me, I am not used to such things; besides, the Lord has greatly humbled me.
5. I fear some ill-designing person has given you this, and you are come to pollute me with my sin.
6. Then Judith her maid answered, What evil shall I wish you when you will not hearken to me?
7. I cannot wish you a greater curse than you are under, in that God has shut up your womb so you could not be a mother in Israel.
8. Anna was exceedingly troubled at this, and having on her wedding garment, went about three o'clock in the afternoon to walk in her garden.
The reference to three o'clock also argues for the factual basis for the narrative.
9. And she saw a laurel tree and sat under it, and prayed to the Lord, saying,
10. O God of my fathers, bless me and regard my prayer as you blessed the womb of Sarah, and gave her a son Isaac.
A reference to Genesis 21:2.
CHAPTER 3
1. Anna perceiving a sparrow's nest in the laurels bemoans her barrenness.
1. And as she was looking towards heaven she perceived a sparrow's nest in the laurel,
2. And mourning within herself, she said, Woe is me, who begat me? and what womb did bear me, that I should be thus accursed before the children of Israel, and that they should reproach and deride me in the temple of my God? Woe is me, to what can I be compared?
3. I am not comparable to the very beasts of the earth, for even the beasts of the earth are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared?
4. I am not comparable to the brute animals, for even the brute animals are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared?
5. I cannot be compared to these waters, for even the waters are fruitful before you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared?
6. I am not comparable to the waves of the sea; for these, whether they are calm or in motion, with the fishes which are in them, praise you, O Lord! Woe is me, to what can I be compared?
7. I am not comparable to the very earth, for the earth produces its fruits and praises you, O Lord!
The poetic quality of Anna's lament is remarkable in early Christian literature.
CHAPTER 4
1. An angel appears to Anna and tells her she shall conceive; two angels appear to her on the same errand. 5. Joachim sacrifices. 8. Anna goes to meet him, 9. rejoicing that she shall conceive.
1. Then an angel of the Lord stood by her and said, Anna, Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer; you will conceive and bring forth, and your progeny shall be spoken of in all the world.
2. And Anna answered, As the Lord my God lives, whatever I bring forth, whether it be male or female, I will devote it to the Lord my God, and it shall minister to him in holy things, during its whole life.
3. And behold there appeared two angels, saying to her, Behold Joachim your husband is coming with his shepherds.
Unlike the Gospel of Mary, James mentions the appearance to Anna of two angels.
4. For an angel of the Lord has also come down to him, and said, The Lord God has heard your prayer; make haste and go from here, for behold Anna your wife will conceive.
In 1:5 James did not mention the angelic appearance to Joachim; now he does.
5. And Joachim went down and called his shepherds, saying, Bring me here ten she-lambs without spot or blemish, and they will be for the Lord my God.
6. And bring me twelve calves without blemish, and the twelve calves will be for the priests and the elders.
7. Bring me also a hundred goats, and the hundred goats will be for the whole people.
8. And Joachim went down with the shepherds, and Anna stood by the gate and saw Joachim coming with the shepherds.
9. And she ran, and hanging about his neck, said, Now I know that the Lord has greatly blessed me:
10. For behold, I who was a widow am no longer a widow, and I who was barren shall conceive.
CHAPTER 5
1. Joachim abides the first day in his house, but sacrifices the next day. 2. He consults the plate on the priest's forehead 3. and is without sin. 6. Anna brings forth a daughter, 9. whom she calls Mary.
1. And Joachim abode the first day in his house, but on the next he brought his offerings and said,
2. If the Lord be propitious to me, let the plate which is on the priest's forehead make it manifest.
The plate on the high-priest's forehead was an instrument appointed the high-priest to wear for such discoveries; it is mentioned in Exodus 28:36ff.
3. And he consulted the plate which the priest wore, and saw it, and behold sin was not found in him.
4. And Joachim said, Now I know that the Lord is propitious to me, and has taken away all my sins.
5. He went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and he went to his own house.
6. And when nine months were fulfilled to Anna, she brought forth, and said to the midwife, What have I brought forth?
7. And she told her, A girl.
8. Then Anna said, the Lord has this day magnified my soul; and she laid her in bed.
9. And when the days of her purification were accomplished, she nursed the child and called her name Mary.
The "days of her purification" was a period of eighty days after giving birth to a female child, mentioned in Leviticus 12:2-7. The ritual law in Leviticus describes many other occasions in which a person was considered "unclean" and required "purification" before being allowed to participate in religious ceremonies, but these words pertained solely to ceremonial sanctions. Modern feminists assert that the male Jewish hierarchy discriminated against women, but no doubt Jewish women of that time welcomed these opportunities after menstruation and childbirth to be free of their temple obligations.
CHAPTER 6
1. Mary, at nine months old, walks nine steps. 3. Anna keeps her holy. 4. When she is a year old, Joachim makes a great feast. 7. Anna gives her the breast, and sings a song to the Lord.
1. And the child increased in strength every day, so that when she was nine months old, her mother put her upon the ground to try if she could stand; and when she had walked nine steps, she came again to her mother's lap.
2. Then her mother caught her up and said, As the Lord my God lives, you will not walk again on this earth till I bring you into the temple of the Lord.
3. Accordingly she made her chamber a holy place, and allowed nothing uncommon or unclean to come near her, but invited certain undefiled daughters of Israel, and they drew her aside.
4. But when the child was a year old, Joachim made a great feast, and invited the priests, scribes, elders, and all the people of Israel;
5. And Joachim then made an offering of the girl to the chief priests, and they blessed her, saying, The God of our fathers bless this girl, and give her a name famous and lasting throughout all generations. And all the people replied, So be it. Amen.
6. Then Joachim a second time offered her to the priests, and they blessed her, saying, O most high God, regard this girl and bless her with an everlasting blessing.
7. Upon this her mother took her up, and gave her the breast and sang the following song to the Lord.
8. I will sing a new song to the Lord my God, for he has visited me, and taken away from me the reproach of my enemies, and has given me the fruit of his righteousness, that it may now be told the sons of Reuben, that Anna gives her child the breast.
There is a "new song" motif throughout Scripture: Psalms 33:3, 40:3, 144:9, 149:1; Isaiah 42:10, Revelation 14:3. Compare Anna's "new song" of thanksgiving with Hannah's in I Samuel 2 and with Mary's in Luke 1:46, 47.
9. Then she put the child to rest in the room which she had consecrated, and she went out and ministered to them.
10. And when the feast was ended, they went away rejoicing and praising the God of Israel.
CHAPTER 7
3. Mary being three years old, Joachim causes certain virgins to light each a lamp, and goes with her to the temple. 5. The high-priest places her on the third step of the altar, and she dances.
1. But the girl grew, and when she was two years old, Joachim said to Anna, Let us lead her to the temple of the Lord, that we may perform our vow, which we have vowed to the Lord God, for fear that he should be angry with us, and our offering be unacceptable.
2. But Anna said, Let us wait the third year, for fear that she should be at a loss to know her father. And Joachim said, Let us then wait.
3. And when the child was three years old, Joachim said, Let us invite the daughters of the Hebrews, who are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them be lighted, that the child may not turn back again, and her mind be set against the temple of the Lord.
"daughters... who are undefiled" means young virgins.
4. And they did thus till they ascended into the temple of the Lord. And the high-priest received her, and said, Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name to all generations, and to the very end of time the Lord will show by you his redemption to the children of Israel.
5. And he placed her upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord gave grace to her, and she danced, and all the house of Israel loved her.
This is not quite the same as in the Gospel of the Birth of Mary.
CHAPTER 8
2. Mary fed in the temple by angels. 3. When twelve years old the priests consult what to do with her. 6. The angel of the Lord warns Zacharias to call together all the widowers, each bringing a rod. 7. The people meet by sound of trumpet. 8. Joseph throws away his hatchet, and goes to the meeting. 11. A dove comes forth from his rod, and alights on his head. 12. He is chosen to betroth the Virgin. 13. He refuses because he is an old man, 15. is compelled, 16. takes her home, and goes to attend to his trade of building.
1. And her parents went away filled with wonder, and praising God, because the girl did not return back to them.
2. But Mary continued in the temple as a dove educated there and received her food from the hand of an angel.
That Mary "received her food from the hand of an angel" may have been taken literally by early Christians. The all-night vigil service of the Orthodox Church commemorating Mary's presentation in the temple reads: "After thy nativity, O Lady, Bride of God, thou didst come into the temple of the Lord, as one consecrated, to be reared in the Holy of Holies. Then, also, was Gabriel sent unto thee, O all-undefiled One, bearing nourishment unto thee. All the powers of Heaven were amazed when they beheld the Holy Spirit took up its abode in thee. Wherefore, O most pure and undefiled Mother of God, who art glorified in heaven and on earth, save thou our race."
3. And when she was twelve years of age, the priests met in a council, and said, Behold, Mary is twelve years of age; what will we do with her, for fear that the holy place of the Lord our God should be defiled?
In 6:1 Mary was nine months old, in 6:4 she was one year old, and now she is twelve years old, which coincides with the onset of puberty.
4. Then replied the priests to Zacharias the high-priest, You stand at the altar of the Lord, and enter into the holy place, to make petitions concerning her, so whatsoever the Lord will show to you, do it.
5. Then the high-priest entered into the Holy of Holies, and taking away with him the breast-plate of judgment made prayers concerning her;
For the "breast-plate of judgment," see Exodus 28:22ff.
6. And behold the angel of the Lord came to him, and said, Zacharias, Zacharias, go forth and call together all the widowers among the people, and let every one of them bring his rod, and he by whom the Lord will show a sign will be the husband of Mary.
Zacharias, husband of Elizabeth and future father of John the Baptist, was high-priest when Joseph was chosen.
7. And the criers went out through all Judaea, and all the people ran and met together when the trumpet of the Lord sounded.
8. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] Joseph also, throwing away the hatchet, went out to meet them; and when they were met, they went to the high-priest, taking every man his rod.
Joseph throws away his hatchet because he was a carpenter in the building trade (8:16).
9. After the high-priest had received their rods, he went into the temple to pray;
10. And when he had finished his prayer, he took the rods, and went forth and distributed them, and no miracle attended them.
11. The last rod was taken by Joseph, and behold a dove proceeded out of the rod, and flew upon the head of Joseph.
Here the dove seems clearly a miraculous manifestation, as it flies out of the rod.
12. And the high-priest said, Joseph, you are the person chosen to take the Virgin of the Lord, to keep her for him:
13. But Joseph refused, saying, I am an old man, and have children, but she is young, and I fear, for fear that I should appear ridiculous in Israel.
That Joseph was old and a widower with children before his marriage with the Virgin has been doubted by some. However, Thephylact, Occumenius, and indeed all the Latin Fathers till Ambrose, and the Greek Fathers afterwards, maintained these opinions of Joseph's age and family, founded upon their belief in the authenticity of this book.
14. Then the high-priest replied, Joseph, fear the Lord your God, and remember how God dealt with Dathan, Korah, and Abiram, how the earth opened and swallowed them up, because of their contradiction.
The story of Dathan, Korah, and Abiram is found in Numbers 16.
15. Now therefore, Joseph, fear God, unless the like things should happen in your family.
16. Joseph, then being afraid, took her to his house and said to Mary, Behold I have taken you from the temple of the Lord, and now I will leave you in my house; I must go to attend to my trade of building. The Lord be with you.
CHAPTER 9
1. The priests desire a new veil for the temple, 3. seven virgins cast lots for making different parts of it, 4. the lot to spin the true purple falls to Mary. 5. Zacharias, the high- priest, becomes mute. 7. Mary takes a pot to draw water, and hears a voice, 8. trembles and begins to work, 9. an angel appears, and salutes her, and tells her she will conceive by the Holy Spirit. 17. She submits, 19. visits her cousin Elizabeth, whose child in her womb leaps.
1. And it came to pass, in a council of the priests, it was said, Let us make a new veil for the temple.
The veil of the temple was a curtain separating the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, mentioned in Exodus 26:31, 36:35; II Chronicles 3:14, Matthew 27:51, Hebrews 6:19 and 10:20.
2. And the high-priest said, Call together to me seven undefiled virgins of the tribe of David.
"Undefiled virgins" would seem redundant, but the meaning seems to be virgins before the age of puberty. (Menstruation was considered a temporary ceremonial "defilement.")
3. And the servants went and brought them into the temple of the Lord, and the high-priest said to them, Cast lots before me now, who of you will spin the golden thread, who the blue, who the scarlet, who the fine linen, and who the true purple.
4. Then the high-priest, knowing that Mary was of the tribe of David, called her, and the true purple fell to her lot to spin, and she went away to her own house.
5. But from that time Zacharias the high-priest became mute, and Samuel was placed in his stead until Zacharias spoke again.
"But from that time Zacharias the high-priest became mute..." A man named Samuel was interim high-priest until Zacharias could speak. This occurred when the angel Gabriel announced the birth of John the Baptist to the aged couple: "And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season." (Luke 1:20) Zacharias regained his speech when the child was born and he was asked what name he should be given.
6. But Mary took the true purple, and did spin it.
7. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] And she took a pot, and went out to draw water, and heard a voice saying to her, Hail you who are full of grace the Lord is with you; you are blessed among women.
"Hail you who are full of grace..." The same words are found in Luke 1:28.
8. And she looked to the right and to the left to see where that voice came from, and then went trembling into her house and laying down the water-pot, she took the purple and sat down to work on it.
9. And behold the angel of the Lord stood by her and said, Fear not, Mary, for you have found favor in the sight of God;
10. Which when she heard, she reasoned with herself what that sort of salutation meant.
11. And the angel said to her, The Lord is with you, and you will conceive:
12. To which she replied, What! By the living God, shall I conceive and bring forth as all other women do?
13. But the angel returned answer, Not so, O Mary, but the Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you;
14. Wherefore that which will be born of you will be holy, and will be called the Son of the Living God, and you will call his name Jesus; for he will save his people from their sins.
15. And behold your cousin Elizabeth, for she in her old age has also conceived a son.
16. And this now is the sixth month with her, who was called barren; for nothing is impossible with God.
17. And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.
18. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] And when she had wrought her purple, she carried it to the high- priest, and the high-priest blessed her, saying, Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name, and you will be blessed in all the ages of the world.
19. Then Mary, filled with joy, went away to her cousin Elizabeth and knocked at the door.
20. When Elizabeth heard, she ran and opened to her, and blessed her, and said, How has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
21. For lo! as soon as the voice of your salutation reached my ears, that which is in me leaped and blessed you.
22. But Mary, being ignorant of all those mysterious things which the archangel Gabriel had spoken to her, lifted up her eyes to heaven, and said, Lord! What am I, that all the generations of the earth should call me blessed?
23. But perceiving herself daily to grow big, and being afraid, she went home, and hid herself from the children of Israel; and she was fourteen years old when all these things happened.
Mary was fourteen years old when Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit. Church tradition has always maintained this.
CHAPTER 10
1. Joseph returns from building houses, finds the Virgin grown big, being six months' gone with child, 2. is jealous and troubled, 8. He reproaches her. 10. She affirms her innocence. 13. He leaves her and 16. determines to dismiss her privately, 17. but is warned in a dream that Mary is with child by the Holy Spirit, 20. and glorifies God who has shown him such favor.
1. And when her sixth month was come, Joseph returned from his building houses abroad, which was his trade, and entering into the house, found the Virgin grown big:
Joseph "building houses abroad" means throughout the region.
2. Then smiting his face, he said, With what face can I look up to the Lord my God? or what shall I say concerning this young woman?
3. For I received her a Virgin out of the temple of the Lord my God and have not preserved her such!
4. Who has thus deceived me? Who has committed this evil in my house, and seducing the Virgin from me, has defiled her?
5. Is not the history of Adam exactly accomplished in me?
Compare with the New Testament of Christ as the second Adam: "For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.... And so it is written, The first man Adam was made a living soul; the last Adam [was] a quickening spirit... The first man [is] of the earth, earthy; the second man [is] the Lord from heaven." (1 Corinthians 15:22, 45, 47)
6. For in the very instant of his glory, the serpent came and found Eve alone, and seduced her.
7. Just after the same manner it has happened to me.
8. Then Joseph arising from the ground, called her and said, O you who have been so much favored by God, why have you done this?
9. Why have you thus debased your soul, who was educated in the Holy of Holies, and received your food from the hand of angels?
10. But she, with a flood of tears, replied, I am innocent, and have known no man.
11. Then said Joseph, How is it then that you are with child?
12. Mary answered, As the Lord my God lives, I know not by what means.
13. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] Then Joseph was exceedingly afraid, and went away from her, considering what he should do with her; and he thus reasoned with himself:
Joseph's dilemma is expressed in more detail here than in Matthew 1:19.
14. If I conceal her crime, I shall be found guilty by the law of the Lord;
15. And if I reveal her to the children of Israel, I fear that she being with child by an angel, I shall be found to betray the life of an innocent person:
16. What therefore shall I do? I will privately dismiss her.
17. Then the night came, when behold an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, and said,
The angel appears in a dream to Joseph to repeat what he had said to Mary regarding the Holy Spirit and the name of Jesus.
18. Be not afraid to take that young woman, for that which is within her is of the Holy Spirit;
19. And she will bring forth a son, and you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.
20. Then Joseph arose from his sleep, and glorified the God of Israel, who had shown him such favor, and preserved the Virgin.
CHAPTER 11
3. Annas visits Joseph, perceives the Virgin big with child, 4. and informs the high-priest that Joseph had privately married her. 8. Joseph and Mary brought to trial on the charge. 17. Joseph drinks the water of the Lord as an ordeal, and receiving no harm, returns home.
1. Then came Annas the scribe, and said to Joseph, Why have we not seen you since your return?
2. And Joseph replied, Because I was weary after my journey and rested the first day.
3. But Annas turning about perceived the Virgin big with child.
4. And went away to the priest and told him, Joseph in whom you placed so much confidence, is guilty of a notorious crime, in that he has defiled the Virgin whom he received out of the temple of the Lord, and has privately married her, not revealing it to the children of Israel.
5. Then said the priest, Has Joseph done this?
6. Annas replied, If you send any of your servants, you will find that she is with child.
7. And the servants went, and found it as he said.
8. Upon this both she and Joseph were brought to their trial, and the priest said to her, Mary, what have you done?
9. Why have you debased your soul and forgotten your God, seeing you were brought up in the Holy of Holies, and received your food from the hands of angels, and heard their songs?
10. Why have you done this?
11. To which with a flood of tears she answered, As the Lord my God lives, I am innocent in his sight, seeing I know no man.
12. Then the priest said to Joseph, Why have you done this?
13. And Joseph answered, As the Lord my God lives, I have not been concerned with her.
14. But the priest said, Lie not, but declare the truth; you have privately married her, and not discovered it to the children of Israel, and humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God, that your seed might be blessed.
15. And Joseph was silent.
16. Then said the priest, You must restore to the temple of the Lord the Virgin you took from there.
17. But he wept bitterly, and the priest added, I will cause you both to drink the water of the Lord which is for trial, and so your iniquity will be laid open before you.
"I will cause you both to drink the water of the Lord which is for trial" evidently refers to a strangely heathenish Old Testament practice mentioned in Numbers 5:18, where it reads: "And he shall cause the woman to drink the bitter water that causeth the curse; and the water that causeth the curse shall enter into her, [and become] bitter... and her belly shall swell, and her thigh shall rot..."
18. Then the priest took the water, and made Joseph drink, and sent him to a mountainous place.
19. And he returned perfectly well, and all the people wondered that his guilt was not discovered.
20. So the priest said, Since the Lord has not made your sins evident, neither do I condemn you.
21. So he sent them away.
22. Then Joseph took Mary and went to his house, rejoicing and praising the God of Israel.
CHAPTER 12
1. A decree from Augustus for taxing the Jews. 5. Joseph puts Mary on an ass, to return to Bethlehem, 6. she looks sorrowful, 7. she laughs, 8. Joseph inquires the cause of each, 9. she tells him she sees two persons, one mourning and the other rejoicing, 10. her delivery being near, he takes her from the ass, and places her in a cave.
1. And it came to pass, that there went forth a decree from the Emperor Augustus, that all the Jews should be taxed, who were of Bethlehem in Judaea:
Compare with Luke 2:1.
2. And Joseph said, I will take care that my children be taxed: but what shall I do with this young woman?
3. I am ashamed to have her taxed as my wife, and if I tax her as my daughter, all Israel knows she is not my daughter.
4. When the time of the Lord's appointment will come, let him do as seems good to him.
"...time of the Lord's appointment will come..." that is, the birth of Jesus.
5. And he saddled the ass, and put her upon it, and Joseph and Simon followed after her, and arrived at Bethlehem within three miles.
This Simon is apparently one of Joseph's married sons.
6. Then Joseph turning about saw Mary sorrowful, and said within himself, Perhaps she is in pain through that which is within her.
7. But when he turned about again he saw her laughing, and said to her,
8. Mary, how does it happen that I sometimes see sorrow, and sometimes laughter and joy in your countenance?
9. And Mary replied to him, I see two people, the one weeping and mourning, the other laughing and rejoicing.
The meaning of Mary's vision of "two people, the one weeping and mourning, the other laughing and rejoicing" is not revealed. It may relate to Simeon's words to Mary when she brought the baby Jesus to the temple: "And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this [child] is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also,) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed." Mary would laugh and rejoice at Christ's birth, but she also would be a sorrowful witness to his crucifixion.
10. And he went again across the way, and Mary said to Joseph, Take me down from the ass, for that which is in me presses to come forth.
11. But Joseph replied, Where shall I take you? for the place is desert.
12. Then said Mary again to Joseph, Take me down, for that which is within me mightily presses me.
13. And he found there a cave, and let her into it.
CHAPTER 13
1. Joseph seeks a Hebrew midwife, 2. perceives the fowls stopping in their flight, 3. the working people at their food not moving, 8. the sheep standing still, 9. the shepherd fixed and immoveable, 10. and young goats with their mouths touching the water but not drinking.
1. And leaving her and his sons in the cave, Joseph went to seek a Hebrew midwife in the village of Bethlehem.
2. But as I was going (said Joseph) I looked up into the air, and I saw the clouds astonished, and the fowls of the air stopping in the midst of their flight.
3. And I looked down towards the earth and saw a table spread, and working people sitting around it, and their hands were upon the table, but they did not move to eat.
4. They who had meat in their mouths did not eat.
5. They who lifted their hands up to their heads did not draw them back:
6. And they who had lifted their hands up to their mouths did not put anything in;
7. But all their faces were fixed upwards.
8. And I beheld the sheep dispersed, and yet the sheep stood still.
9. And the shepherd lifted up his hand to smite them, and his hand remained up.
10. And I looked to a river, and saw the young goats with their mouths close to the water, but they did not drink.
A further mention of Joseph's sons. His strange, almost out-of-the-body experience of time standing still is told without explanation, but it is clearly a portent of the momentous and divine event about to happen in the cave.
CHAPTER 14
1. Joseph finds a midwife. 10. A bright cloud overshadows the cave. 11. A great light in the cave gradually increases until the infant is born. 13. The midwife goes out and tells Salome that she has seen a virgin bring forth. 17. Salome doubts it. 20. Her hand withers. 22. She supplicates the Lord, 18. and is cured, 30. but warned not to declare what she had seen.
1. Then I beheld a woman coming down from the mountains, and she said to me, Where are you going, O man?
2. And I said to her, I go to inquire for a Hebrew midwife.
3. She replied to me, Where is the woman that is to be delivered?
4. And I answered, In the cave, and she is betrothed to me.
5. Then said the midwife, Is she not your wife?
6. Joseph answered, It is Mary, who was educated in the Holy of Holies, in the house of the Lord, and she fell to my lot, and is not my wife, but has conceived by the Holy Spirit.
7. The midwife said, Is this true?
8. He answered, Come and see.
"Come and see" is an irrefutable response to skeptics; compare with: "And Nathaniel said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see." (John 1:46)
9. And the midwife went along with him and stood in the cave.
10. Then a bright cloud overshadowed the cave, and the midwife said, This day my soul is magnified, for my eyes have seen surprising things, and salvation is brought forth to Israel.
11. But suddenly the cloud became a great light in the cave, so that their eyes could not bear it.
12. But the light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and nursed at the breast of his mother Mary.
13. Then the midwife cried out and said, How glorious a day in this, wherein my eyes have seen this extraordinary sight!
14. And the midwife went out from the cave, and Salome met her.
15. And the midwife said to her, Salome, Salome, I will tell you a most surprising thing which I saw,
16. A virgin has brought forth, which is a thing contrary to nature.
"A virgin has brought forth..." The midwife now knew this from her own experience, not merely from Joseph's words. "...which is a thing contrary to nature." Those who would reject the Virgin Birth on this basis miss the point; the whole force of the doctrine is that it was a unique event divinely wrought only once in all of human history. The same can be said of the Resurrection; belief in only these two miracles is absolutely obligatory for Christians.
17. To which Salome replied, As the Lord my God lives, unless I receive particular proof of this matter, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.
Compare Salome's words "As the Lord my God lives, unless I receive particular proof of this matter, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth" with those of Thomas: "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe." (John 21:25)
18. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] Then Salome went in, and the midwife said, Mary, show yourself, for a great controversy is risen concerning you.
19. And Salome received satisfaction.
20. But her hand was withered, and she groaned bitterly.
21. And said, Woe to me, because of my iniquity; for I have tempted the living God, and my hand is ready to drop off.
22. Then Salome made her supplication to the Lord, and said, O God of my fathers, remember me, for I am of the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob.
23. Make me not a reproach among the children of Israel, but restore me sound to my parents.
24. For you well know, O Lord, that I have performed many offices of charity in your name, and have received my reward from you.
25. Upon this an angel of the Lord stood by Salome, and said, The Lord God has heard your prayer; reach forth your hand to the child and carry him, and by that means you will be restored.
26. Salome, filled with exceeding joy, went to the child, and said, I will touch him:
27. And she purposed to worship him, for she said, This is a great king which is born in Israel.
Compare "Salome, filled with exceeding joy, went to the child, and said, I will touch him: And she purposed to worship him, for she said, This is a great king which is born in Israel" with the testimony of Thomas, "And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God." (John 21:28) It is worth quoting what next transpired: "Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed."
28. And straightway Salome was cured.
29. Then the midwife went out of the cave, being approved by God.
30. And lo! A voice came to Salome, Declare not the strange things which you have seen, till the child will come to Jerusalem. Admonitions to temporarily keep quiet about a miracle are not uncommon in the canonical Scriptures: "And Jesus saith unto him, See thou tell no man; but go thy way, shew thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them." (Matthew 8:4, Luke 5:14); "Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ." (Matthew 16:20, Luke 9:21); "As they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead." (Matthew 17:9); "And her parents were astonished: but he charged them that they should tell no man what was done." (Luke 8:56)
31. So Salome also departed, approved by God.
CHAPTER 15
1. Wise men come from the east. 3. Herod alarmed; 8. tells them if they find the child, to bring him word. 10. They visit the cave and offer the child their treasure, 11. and being warned in a dream, do not return to Herod, but go home another way.
1. Then Joseph was preparing to go away, because there arose a great disorder in Bethlehem by the coming of some wise men from the east,
The arrival of the wise men from the east and their meeting with Herod is also in Matthew 1:1ff.
2. Who said, Where is the king of the Jews born? For we have seen his star in the east and have come to worship him.
3. When Herod heard this, he was exceedingly troubled, and sent messengers to the wise men, and to the priests, and inquired of them in the town-hall.
Herod was troubled because he was the representative appointed by the Roman government and mention of the birth of a king portended sedition.
4. And said to them, Where have you found it written concerning Christ the king, or where should he be born?
5. Then they said to him, In Bethlehem of Judaea; for thus it is written: And you Bethlehem in the land of Judah, are not the least among the princes of Judah, for out of you will come a ruler, who will rule my people Israel.
The Old Testament prophecy is in Micah 5:2, which adds the messianic intimation that the king would be the Son of God, whose "goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting."
6. And having sent away the chief priests, he inquired of the wise men in the town-hall, and said to them, What sign was it you saw concerning the king that is born?
7. They answered him, We saw an extraordinary large star shining among the stars of heaven, which so out-shined all the other stars, so that they became invisible, and we knew thereby that a great king was born in Israel, and therefore we are come to worship him.
8. Then said Herod to them, Go and make diligent inquiry; and if you find the child, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.
9. So the wise men went forth, and behold, the star which they saw in the east went before them till it came and stood over the cave where the young child was with Mary his mother.
Here is an apparent discrepancy of time or place. Matthew 2:11 says the wise men found Mary and the babe in a house, not a cave, indicating they arrived at a later time. Christian art has reconciled the cave with the manger by putting the manger in a kind of cave, but depicting the wise men there is probably an anachronism.
10. Then they brought forth out of their treasures, and offered to him gold and frankincense, and myrrh.
11. And being warned in a dream by an angel that they should not return to Herod through Judaea, they departed into their own country by another way.
CHAPTER 16
1. Herod enraged, orders the infants in Bethlehem to be slain. 2. Mary puts her infant in an ox manger. 3. Elizabeth flees with her son John to the mountains. 6. A mountain miraculously divides and receives them. 9. Herod incensed at the escape of John, causes Zacharias to be murdered at the altar, 23. the roofs of the temple rent, the body miraculously conveyed, and the blood petrified. 25. Israel mourns for him. 27. Simeon chosen his successor by lot.
1. Then Herod perceiving that he was mocked by the wise men, and being very angry, commanded certain men to go and to kill all the children that were in Bethlehem, from two years old and under.
Herod was a resentful descendant of the Idumeans who had been forcibly converted to Judaism. His cruelty was prefigured at Moses' birth, when Pharaoh attempted to destroy the firstborn males (Exodus 1:16, 22). This event is also in Matthew 2:16-18, where it indicates the event was a fulfillment of prophecy: "Thus saith the Lord: A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, and bitter weeping; Rahel weeping for her children refused to be comforted for her children, because they were not." (Jeremiah 31:15) He records that as the Jews were on their sad pilgrimage to an alien land, they passed Ramah, where Rachael, who had long been dead, is pictured weeping even in her tomb for the fate that had befallen the people, her children. As Rachael was tod her children would return from exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 31:16, 17), so Jesus will return from his exile in Egypt.
2. But Mary hearing that the children were to be killed, being under much fear, took the child, and wrapped him up in swaddling clothes, and laid him in an ox-manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.
Luke 2:7 is alluded to, though misapplied as to misapplied as to time.
3. Elizabeth also, hearing that her son John was about to be searched for, took him and went up to the mountains, and looked around for a place to hide him;
4. And there were no secret places to be found.
5. Then she groaned within herself and said, O mountain of the Lord, receive the mother with the child.
6. For Elizabeth could not climb up.
7. And instantly the mountain was divided and received them.
The escape of Elizabeth into a miraculous opening in a mountain seem to have been an appealing theme to noncanonical writers, for the same thing is found in the Acts of Paul and Thecla. The baby John the Baptist was under suspicion as the promised king of Israel because he was born shortly before Jesus.
8. And there appeared to them an angel of the Lord, to preserve them.
9. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] But Herod made search after John and sent servants to Zacharias, when he was ministering at the altar, and said to him, Where have you hidden your son?
10. He replied to them, I am a minister of God and a servant at the altar; how should I know where my son is?
11. So the servants went back, and told Herod the whole; at which he was incensed and said, Is not this son of his likely to be king in Israel?
12. He sent therefore again his servants to Zacharias, saying, Tell us the truth, where is your son, for you know that your life is in my hand.
13. So the servants went and told him all this:
14. But Zacharias replied to them, I am a martyr for God, and if he shed my blood, the Lord will receive my soul.
15. Besides know that you shed innocent blood.
16. However Zacharias was murdered in the entrance of the temple and altar, and about the partition;
17. But the children of Israel knew not when he was killed.
18. [New paragraph in the oldest extant manuscripts] Then at the hour of salutation the priests went into the temple, but Zacharias did not according to custom meet them and bless them;
19. Yet they still continued waiting for him to salute them;
20. And when they found he did not come for a long time, one of them ventured into the holy place where the altar was, and he saw blood lying upon the ground congealed;
21. When, behold, a voice from heaven said, Zacharias is murdered, and his blood will not be wiped away, until the revenger of his blood come.
22. But when he heard this, he was afraid, and went forth and told the priests what he had seen and heard; and they all went in, and saw the fact.
23. The roofs of the temple then howled and were rent from the top to the bottom:
24. And they could not find the body, but only blood made hard like stone.
This Zachariah, of course, is not the one referred to by Jesus: "That upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel unto the blood of Zacharias son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar." (Matthew 23:35; Luke 11:51) The Old Testament story of that man is found in II Chronicles 24:21, but the martyrdom of Zacharias the high-priest and father of John the Baptist is nowhere mentioned in the New Testament.
Epiphanius cites from a Gnostic manuscript that fancifully elaborates on the earlier story of his being struck mute after a vision and garbles it with his death: "That it was the occasion of the death of Zacharias in the temple, that when he had seen a vision, he, through surprise was willing to disclose it, and his mouth was stopped. That which he saw was at the time of his offering incense, and it was a man standing in the form of an ass. When he was gone out, and had a mind to speak thus to the people, Woe to you, whom do ye worship? he who had appeared to him in the temple took away the use of his speech. Afterwards when he recovered it, and was able to speak, he declared this to the Jews, and they slew him." The Gnostics in this book added anachronistically that "it was for this reason the high-priest was ordered by God through Moses to carry little bells, so that whenever he went into the temple to sacrifice, he, whom they worshipped, hearing the noise of the bells, might have time enough to hide himself, and not be caught in that ugly shape and figure."
However, there is a similar story to the death of Zacharias told in the Protevangelion in both the Jerusalem and Babylonish Talmud (cited by Lightfoot in "Talmud, Hierosol, in Taannith" and "Talmud, Babylonish in Sanhedran"): "Rabbi Jochanan said, Eighty thousand priests were slain for the blood of Zacharias. Rabbi Judas asked Rabbi Achan, Where did they kill Zacharias? Was it in the woman's court, or in the court of Israel? He answered: Neither in the court of Israel, nor in the court of women, but in the court of the priests; and they did not treat his blood in the same manner as they were wont to treat the blood of a ram or a young goat. For of these it is written, He will pour out his blood, and cover it with dust. But it is written here, The blood is in the midst of her: she set it upon the top of the rock; she poured it not upon the ground. (Ezekiel 24:7.) But why was this? That it might cause fury to come up to take vengeance: I have set his blood upon the top of a rock, that it should not be covered. They committed seven evils that day: they murdered a priest, a prophet, and a king; they shed the blood of the innocent: they polluted the court: that day was the Sabbath: and the day of expiation. When therefore Nebuzaradan came there (that is, to Jerusalem), he saw his blood bubbling, and said to them, What meaneth this? They answered, It is the blood of calves, lambs, and rams, which we have offered upon the altar. He commanded them that they should bring calves, and lambs, and rams, and said, I will try whether this be their blood: accordingly they brought and slew them, but the blood of (Zacharias) still bubbled, but the blood of these did not bubble. Then he said, Declare to me the truth of the matter, or else I will comb your flesh with iron combs. Then said they to him, He was a priest, prophet, and judge, who prophesied to Israel all these calamities which we have suffered from you; but we arose against him, and slew him. Then said he, I will appease him: then he took the rabbins and slew them upon his (that is, Zacharias's) blood, and he was not yet appeased. Next he took the young boys from the schools, and slew them upon his blood, and yet it bubbled. Then he brought the young priests and slew them in the same place, and yet it still bubbled. So he slew at length ninety-four thousand person upon his blood, and it did not as yet cease bubbling. Then he drew near to it and said, O Zacharias, Zacharias, you have occasioned the death of the chief of your countrymen; shall I slay them all? Then the blood ceased, and did bubble no more." Surely if anything remotely resembling had happened, it would have been alluded to in the New Testament.
25. And they went away and told the people that Zacharias was murdered, and all the tribes of Israel heard and mourned for him, and lamented three days.
26. Then the priests took counsel together concerning a person to succeed him.
27. And Simeon and the other priests cast lots, and the lot fell upon Simeon.
28. For he had been assured by the Holy Spirit, that he should not die until he had seen Christ come in the flesh.
This must be the Simeon whose story is in Luke 2:26.
The oldest extant manuscripts close with the following: I, James wrote this History in Jerusalem: and when the disturbance came, I retired into a desert place until the death of Herod. And the disturbance ceased at Jerusalem. That which remains is, that I glorify God that he has given me such wisdom to write to you who are spiritual and who love God: to whom be ascribed glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
The Infancy Gospel of James
The following translation is based on the Greek text printed in Ronald F. Hock's The Infancy Gospels of James and Thomas. The text, which provided the basis for the Jesus Seminar's "Scholars Version" translation of the Infancy Gospel of James, has been divided differently than in earlier critical editions to encourage precise notation.
Chapter 1
(1) In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel, Joachim was an extremely rich man. (2) He always brought a double offering to the Lord, (3) telling himself, "My offering for all the people is from my surplus and my own offering to the Lord God is for forgiveness, to atone for my sins."
(4) As the great day of the Lord was drawing near and the children of Israel were bringing their offerings, however, (5) Reubel stood in his way, saying, "You cannot offer your gifts first because you have not conceived a child in Israel."
(6) And Joachim became extremely frustrated and went away to the history of the twelve tribes of his people, saying to himself, "I will look in the history of the twelve tribes of Israel and see whether I am the only one who has not conceived a child in Israel." (7) And he searched and found that all the righteous people had raised children in Israel. (8) And he reminded himself about the patriarch Abraham and that the Lord God gave his son Isaac to him in his last days.
(9) Then, Joachim was extremely frustrated and did not appear to his wife, but gave himself to the desert and pitched his tent there. (10) He fasted forty days and forty nights. (11) All the while, Joachim was saying to himself, "I will not go down for food or drink until the Lord my God visits me; prayer will be my food and drink."
Chapter 2
(1) Then, his wife Anna mourned and lamented greatly for two reasons, saying, "I lament that I am a widow and I lament that I am childless."
(2) When the great day of the Lord was drawing near, (3) her servant Juthine said to her, "How long are you going to humble yourself? Do you not see that the great day of the Lord is approaching? You are not allowed to mourn. (4) Take this headband which the leader of the activity gave me. I am not allowed to tie it because I am your slave and it has a royal mark."
(5) Then, Anna said, "Get away from me. I did not cause these things, even though the Lord God has humbled me greatly. Perhaps a crafty person has given this to you and you have come to cause me to partake of your sin."
(6) And her servant Juthine said, "Should I invoke a curse on you because you did not hear my voice? The Lord God has shut your womb and he will not give you offspring in Israel."
(7) So Anna also became extremely frustrated and removed her mourning garment, washed her head and clothed herself with her wedding dress. (8) Around the ninth hour, she went down to her garden to walk around. She saw a laurel tree and sat down under it. (9) And after a rest, she petitioned the Lord, saying, "God of my ancestors, bless me and hear my prayer, just as you blessed our mother Sarah and gave her son Isaac to her."
Chapter 3
(1) And Anna looked up to the heavens and saw a nest of sparrows in the laurel tree. (2) Immediately, Anna cried out mournfully, saying to herself,
"Oh me, who gave birth to me? What womb caused me to grow? (3) For I was born cursed in front of the children of Israel. I am reviled and they treat me with contempt and cast me out of the temple of the Lord my God.
(4) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the birds of the sky, for the birds of the sky are fruitful before you, Lord.
(5) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the domestic animals, for the domestic animals are fruitful before you, Lord.
(6) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the wild animals of the earth, for the wild animals of the earth are fruitful before you, Lord.
(7) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like these waters, for these waters are fruitful before you, Lord.
(8) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like this earth, for the earth produces its fruit in season and blesses you, Lord."
Chapter 4
(1) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood in front of her, saying, "Anna, Anna, the Lord God has heard your prayer. You will conceive and give birth and your child will be spoken of everywhere people live."
(2) And Anna said, "As the Lord God lives, whether I give birth to either a male or a female child, I will bring it as an offering to the Lord my God and it will be a servant to him all the days of its life."
(3) Next, two angels came, saying to her, "Look your husband Joachim is coming with his flocks." (4) For an angel of the Lord had gone down to Joachim, saying, "Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down from here. Look, your wife Anna has conceived in her womb."
(5) Immediately, Joachim went down and called the shepherds, telling them, "Bring ten lambs without spot or blemish here to me; the ten lambs will be for the Lord God. (6) Bring twelve tender calves; the twelve calves will be for the priests and the elders. (7) And bring one hundred male goats; the one hundred male goats will be for all the people."
(8) Then, Joachim came with his flocks. Anna was standing at the gate. (9) When she saw Joachim coming with his flocks, Anna ran and wrapped herself around his neck, saying, "Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me greatly. See, the widow is no longer a widow and the childless woman has conceived in her womb."
(10) And Joachim rested for the first day he was home.
Chapter 5
(1) The next day, when he was presenting his offerings, he said to himself, "If the Lord God will be reconciled to me, he will make it clear to me with the priest's metal disc." (2) And Joachim presented his offerings and paid attention to the priest's metal disc until he went up to the altar of the Lord. And he saw no sin in it. (3) Joachim said, "Now, I know that the Lord God has been reconciled to me and has sent all my great sins away for me." (4) And having been justified, he departed from the temple and went to his house.
(5) And his wife's pregnancy came to term. After nine months, Anna gave birth (6) and she said to the midwife, "What is it?"
(7) The midwife said, "A girl."
(8) Anna said, "My soul exalts this day." And she put her baby to bed.
(9) After her days were completed, Anna cleansed her menstrual flow (10) and gave her breast to the child and gave her the name Mary.
Chapter 6
(1) Day by day, the child grew stronger. (2) When she was six months old, her mother set her on the ground to test whether she could stand. And after walking seven steps, she came to her mother's breast. (3) And her mother picked her up, saying, "As the Lord my God lives, you will not walk on this earth again until I take you to the temple of the Lord."
(4) And she made a sanctuary in her bedroom and would not permit anything common or impure to pass through it. (5) And she called the pure daughters of the Hebrews and they played with her.
(6) When the child's first birthday came, Joachim held a great celebration. He invited the high priests and the priests and the Sanhedrin and the whole nation of Israel. (7) And Joachim brought the child to the priests and they blessed her, saying, "God of our ancestors, bless this child and give her name eternal fame among all generations."
(8) And all the people said, "Let it happen, amen."
(9) And he brought the child to the high priests and they blessed her, saying, "Exalted God, look upon this child and give her a final blessing which will not be succeeded."
(10) And her mother took her up to the bedroom-sanctuary and gave her breast to the child. (11) And Anna composed a song for the Lord God, saying, "I will sing a holy song to the Lord my God because he has examined me and removed my horrible disgrace from me. (12) And the Lord God gave me the fruit of his righteousness, of one nature, but manifold before him. (13) Who will proclaim to the sons of Reubel that Anna nurses a child? Do you hear? Hear this, twelve tribes of Israel: Anna nurses a child!"
(14) And she gave the child rest in the bedroom-sanctuary and went out and served them. (15) When dinner was completed, they departed feeling good and glorified the God of Israel.
Chapter 7
(1) She cared for the child for months. When the child turned two years old, Joachim said, "Let's take her to the temple of the Lord so we can relate the message we were given."
(2) And Anna said, "Let's wait until the third year, so that she will not seek her father or mother."
(3) And Joachim said, "Let's wait."
(4) When the child turned three, Joachim said, "Let's call the pure women of the Hebrews. (5) Let them take up lamps and light them so that the child will not turn back and her heart will never be led away from the temple of the Lord." (6) And they did these things until they went up to the temple of the Lord.
(7) And the priest welcomed her. Kissing her, he blessed her and said, "The Lord God has magnified your name for all generations; (8) through you the Lord will reveal deliverance to the children of Israel in the last days."
(9) And he set her down on the third step of the altar and the Lord God poured grace upon her. (10) She danced triumphantly with her drinks and every house in Israel loved her.
Chapter 8
(1) And her parents went down, marveling at and praising and glorifying the Lord God because the child had not turned back to look at them. (2) While Mary was in the temple of the Lord, she was fed like a dove and received food from the hand of an angel.
(3) When she turned twelve, a group of priests took counsel together, saying, "Look, Mary has been in the temple of the Lord twelve years. (4) What should we do about her now, so that she does not defile the sanctuary of the Lord our God?" (5) And they said to the high priest, "You have stood at the altar of the Lord. Go in and pray about her. And if the Lord God reveals anything to you, we will do it."
(6) And the priest went in taking the vestment with twelve bells into the holy of holies and prayed about her. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood before him, saying, "Zachariah, Zachariah, depart from here and gather the widowers of the people and let each one carry a staff. (8) And the one whom the Lord God points out with a sign, she will be his wife." (9) So the heralds went out to the whole surrounding area of Judea and the trumpet of the Lord rang out and all the men rushed in.
Chapter 9
(1) Throwing down his ax, Joseph went out to meet them. (2) And after they had gathered together with their rods, they went to the high priest. (3) After receiving everyone's rod, the high priest went into the temple and prayed. (4) When he was finished with the prayer, he took the rods and went out and gave them to each man, (5) but there was no sign among them. Finally, Joseph took his rod. (6) Suddenly, a dove came out of the rod and stood on Joseph's head. (7) And the high priest said, "Joseph! Joseph! You have been chosen by lot to take the virgin into your own keeping."
(8) And Joseph replied, saying, "I have sons and am old, while she is young. I will not be ridiculed among the children of Israel."
(9) And the high priest said, "Joseph, fear the Lord your God and remember what God did to Dathan and Abiron and Kore, how the earth split open and swallowed them because of their rebellion. (10) Now fear God, Joseph, so that these things do not happen in your house."
(11) Fearing God, Joseph took her into his own possession. (12) And he said to her, "Mary, I took you from the temple of the Lord and now I bring you into my house. I am going out to build houses, but I will come back to you. The Lord will protect you."
Chapter 10
(1) Meanwhile, the priests were meeting together, saying, "Let us make a curtain for the temple of the Lord."
(2) And the high priest said, "Call the pure virgins from the tribe of David to me." (3) And the servants went out and sought and found seven virgins. (4) And the high priest remembered that the child Mary was from the tribe of David and was pure before God. (5) So the servants went out and got her.
(6) And they brought the women into the temple of the Lord. (7) And the high priest said, "Cast lots to see who will spin the gold and the pure and the linen and the silk and the violet and the scarlet and the true purple threads."
(8) And Mary was appointed by lot to the true purple and scarlet threads. And taking them, she went to her house. (9) This was at the same time Zachariah fell silent and Samuel replaced him until Zachariah could speak again. (10) Mary was spinning the scarlet thread which she had taken.
Chapter 11
(1) And she took the cup and went out to fill it with water. (2) Suddenly, a voice said to her, "Rejoice, blessed one. The Lord is with you. You are blessed among women." (3) And Mary looked around to the right and the left to see where this voice came from. (4) And trembling she went into her house. Setting down the cup, she took the purple thread and sat down on the chair and spun it.
(5) Suddenly, an angel stood before her saying, "Do not be afraid Mary. You have found grace before the Lord of all. You will conceive from his word."
(6) Upon hearing this, however, Mary was distraught, saying to herself, "If I conceive from the Lord God who lives, will I also conceive as all women conceive?"
(7) And the Angel of the Lord said, "Not like that, Mary. For the power of God will come over you. Thus, the holy one who is born will be called son of the most high. (8) And you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
(9) And Mary said, "See, I am the servant of the Lord before him. Let it happen to me according to what you say."
Chapter 12
(1) And she made the purple and the scarlet thread and carried it to the high priest. (2) And taking it, the high priest blessed her and said, "Mary, God has magnified your name. You will be called blessed among all the generations of the earth."
(3) Then, Mary went gladly to her cousin Elizabeth. (4) And she knocked at the door and when Elizabeth heard, she threw down her scarlet thread and ran to the door and opened it for her. (5) And she blessed her and said, "Where have you come to me from? Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? See how the child in me leaps and blesses you."
(6) But Mary had forgotten the mysteries which the angel Gabriel had told her. And looking into heaven she said, "Who am I, Lord, that all the generations of the earth will bless me?"
(7) She spent three months with Elizabeth. (8) Day after day, her womb swelled and she was afraid to go to her house and hid herself from the children of Israel. (9) Mary was sixteen years old when these mysterious things happened to her.
Chapter 13
(1) In the sixth month of her pregnancy, Joseph came from his house-building and went into the house to find her swelling. (2) And he struck his face and threw himself on the ground in sackcloth and wept bitterly, "How can I look to the Lord God? What will I pray about her, for I took her as a virgin from the temple of the Lord and did not guard her? (4) Who has set this trap for me? Who did this evil in my house? Who stole the virgin from me and defiled her. (5) Has not the story of Adam been repeated with me? For while Adam was glorifying God, the serpent came and found Eve alone and deceived her and defiled her - so it has also happened to me."
(6) And Joseph got up from his sackcloth and called her and said to her, "After having been cared for by God, what have you done? (7) Did you forget the Lord your God? You who were raised in the holy of holies, you who received from the hand of an angel, do you know how much you have humiliated yourself?"
(8) Then, she wept bitterly, saying, "I am pure and I did not know a man."
(9) And Joseph said to her, "Where did this thing in your womb come from then?"
(10) But she said, "As the Lord my God lives, I do not know where it came from."
Chapter 14
(1) Then, Joseph was extremely frightened and kept quiet about her, pondering what he should do. (2) And Joseph said to himself, "If I hide her sin, I will be rebelling against the law of the Lord. (3) And if I expose her to the children of Israel . . . well, I am afraid that the child in her might be angelic and I will be betraying innocent blood to a judgment of death. (4) What then will I do about her? I will send her away from me secretly."
(5) And night overtook him. And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Do not fear this child. For the child in her is from the Holy Spirit. (6) She will bear a son for you and you will call his name Jesus. For he will save his people from their sins."
(7) And Joseph arose from his sleep and glorified the God of Israel who had given grace to him. (8) And he guarded the child.
Chapter 15
(1) Then, Annas the scribe came to him and said to him, "Joseph, why have you not appeared to our traveling group?"
(2) And he said to him, "Because I was worn out from the trip and rested my first day back."
(3) And Annas turned and saw Mary pregnant.
(4) And he ran off at top speed to the high priest and said to him, "Look at Joseph, the one you bear witness for. He has broken the law badly."
(5) And the high priest said, "What is this?"
(6) And he said, "The virgin which Joseph received from the temple of the Lord, he defiled her and has stolen her wedding festivities and has not revealed it to the children of Israel."
(7) And he said to him, "Has Joseph done these things?"
(8) And he said to him, "Send a servant and he will find the virgin pregnant."
(9) And the servants went and found her just as he said and they led her with Joseph to the law court.
(10) And the high priest said to her, "Mary, what is this? How have you humiliated yourself? (11) Did you forget the Lord your God, you who were raised in the holy of holies and received from the hand of an angel? (12) You who heard their songs and danced before them, what is this?"
(13) And she wept bitterly, saying, "As the Lord God lives, I am pure before him and I did not know a man."
(14) And the high priest said, "Joseph, what is this?"
(15) But Joseph said, "As the Lord lives, I am pure from her."
(16) And the high priest said, "Do not lie, but speak the truth. You stole your wedding festivities and did not reveal it to the children of Israel (17) and you did not bow your head before the mighty hand that it should bless your seed."
(18) And Joseph was silent.
Chapter 16
(1) And the high priest said, "Return the virgin which you took from the temple of the Lord."
(2) And Joseph, becoming tearful [...]
(3) And the high priest said, "I will give you the water of the Lord's wrath to drink and it will make your sin clear in your eyes." (4) And taking the water, the high priest gave it to Joseph to drink and sent him out into the desert. And he returned unharmed.
(5) And he made the young girl drink also and sent her out into the desert. And she came back unharmed. (6) And all the people were astonished that their sins were not revealed. (7) And the high priest said, "If the Lord God has not revealed your sins, I will not judge you either." And he released them. (8) And Joseph took Mary and went away to his house, rejoicing and praising the God of Israel.
Chapter 17
(1) Then, there was an order from the Emperor Augustus to register how many people were in Bethlehem of Judea. (2) And Joseph said, "I will register my sons. But this child? What will I do about him? How will I register him? (3) And my wife? Oh, I am ashamed. Should I register her as my daughter? The children of Israel know that she is not my daughter. (4) This day, I will do as the Lord wants."
(5) And he saddled his donkey and sat her on it and his son led and Samuel followed. (6) And they arrived at the third mile and Joseph turned and saw that she was sad. (7) And he said to himself, "Perhaps the child within her is troubling her." (8) And again Joseph turned around and saw her laughing and said to her, "Mary, what is with you? First your face appears happy and then sad?"
(9) And she said, "Joseph, it is because I see two people with my eyes, one crying and being afflicted, one rejoicing and being extremely happy."
(10) When they came to the middle of the journey, Mary said to him, "Joseph, take me off the donkey, the child pushing from within me to let him come out."
(11) So he took her off the donkey and said to her, "Where will I take you and shelter you in your awkwardness? This area is a desert."
Chapter 18
(1) And he found a cave and led her there and stationed his sons to watch her, (2) while he went to a find a Hebrew midwife in the land of Bethlehem.
(3) Then, Joseph wandered, but he did not wander. (4) And I looked up to the peak of the sky and saw it standing still and I looked up into the air. With utter astonishment I saw it, even the birds of the sky were not moving. (5) And I looked at the ground and saw a bowl lying there and workers reclining. And their hands were in the bowl. (6) And chewing, they were not chewing. And picking food up, they were not picking it up. And putting food in their mouths, they were not putting it in their mouths. (7) Rather, all their faces were looking up.
(8) And I saw sheep being driven, but the sheep were standing still. (9) And the shepherd lifted up his hand to strike them, but his hand remained above them. (10) And I saw the rushing current of the river and I saw goats and their mouths resting in the water, but they were not drinking. (11) And suddenly everything was replaced by the ordinary course of events.
Chapter 19
(1) And I saw a woman coming down from the mountain and she said to me, "Man, where are you going?"
(2) And I said, "I am seeking a Hebrew midwife."
(3) Replying, she said to me, "Are you from Israel?"
(4) And I said to her, "Yes."
(5) Then, she said, "And who is giving birth in the cave?"
(6) And I said, "The one who has pledged to be married to me."
(7) And she said to me, "She is not your wife?"
(8) And I said to her, "She is Mary, the one who was raised in the temple. I won her by lot to be my wife. (9) She is not yet my wife, but has a fetus from the Holy Spirit."
(10) And the midwife said, "Really?"
(11) And Joseph said to her, "Come and see."
(12) So the midwife went with him. (13) And they stood near the cave and a dark cloud was hovering over the cave. (14) And the midwife said, "My soul glorifies this day, for today my eyes have seen a miracle: salvation has come to Israel."
(15) And immediately, the cloud withdrew from the cave and a great light appeared in the cave so that their eyes could not bear it. (16) And a little while later the same light withdrew until an infant appeared. And he came and took the breast of his mother, Mary.
(17) And the midwife cried out and said, "How great this day is for me, for I have seen this new miracle."
(18) And the midwife departed from the cave and met Salome and said to her, "Salome, Salome, I have to describe this new miracle for you. A virgin has given birth, although her body does not allow it."
(19) And Salome said, "As the Lord my God lives, unless I insert my finger and investigate her, I will not believe that a virgin has given birth."
Chapter 20
(1) And the midwife went in and said, "Mary, position yourself, for not a small test concerning you is about to take place."
(2) When Mary heard these things, she positioned herself. And Salome inserted her finger into her body. (3) And Salome cried out and said, "Woe for my lawlessness and the unbelief that made me test the living God. Look, my hand is falling away from me and being consumed in fire."
(5) And Salome dropped to her knees before the Lord, saying, "God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, (6) do not expose me to the children of Israel, but give me back to the poor. (7) For you know, Lord, that I have performed service and received my wage from you."
(8) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying to her, "Salome, Salome, the Lord of all has heard your entreaty. (9) Stretch out your hand to the child and lift him up and he will be salvation and joy for you."
(10) And Salome went to the child and lifted him up, saying, "I worship him because he has been born a king to Israel." (11) And at once Salome was healed and left the cave justified.
(12) Suddenly, there was a voice saying, "Salome, Salome, do not proclaim what a miracle you have seen until the child comes to Jerusalem."
Chapter 21
(1) Now, Joseph was about to depart to Judea when there a great commotion in Bethlehem of Judea. (2) For astrologers had come, saying, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and came to worship him."
(3) And when Herod heard, he was shaken up and sent servants to the astrologers. (4) And he also sent for the high priests and questioned them in his palace, saying to them, "What has been written about the messiah? Where will he be born?"
(5) They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written." (6) And he let them go.
(7) And he questioned the astrologers, saying to them, "What sign did you see about the one who has been born king?"
(8) And the astrologers said, "We saw a star shining with incredible brilliance amidst the constellations and making them seem dim. And so we knew that the king had been born in Israel and we came to worship him."
(9) And Herod said to them, "Go and search. If you find him, report to me so that I also may come and worship him."
(10) And the wise men departed. Then, the star which they had seen in the east led them until they came to the cave and stood over the head of the child. (11) And when the astrologers saw him with his mother Mary, they took gifts out of their bags: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
(12) And having been warned by the angel not to go into Judea, they returned to their country by another road.
Chapter 22
(1) When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the astrologers, he flew into a rage (2) and sent his executioners, telling them to destroy all the infants that were two years old or younger.
(3) And when Mary heard that all the children were being destroyed, she was afraid and took the child and wrapped him up and put him in a stall of cows.
(5) And when Elizabeth heard that John was being sought, she took him and headed for the hills. And she looked around to find where she could hide him, but there was not any good place. (7) Then, as Elizabeth sighed, she said with a loud voice, "Mountain of God, take me, a mother with her child." For Elizabeth was too afraid to go up higher. (8) And at once, the mountain split open and received her. And there was light shining through the mountain to her. (9) For an angel of the Lord was with them, guarding them.
Chapter 23
(1) But Herod continued seeking John. (2) And he sent his servants to Zachariah at the altar, saying to him, "Where did you hide your son?"
(3) But he replied, saying to them, "I am here as a servant of God and am serving in his temple. How should I know where my son is?"
(4) And his servants departed and reported to him all these things. Outraged, Herod said, "Is his son destined to rule Israel?"
(5) And he sent his servants again, saying to him, "Tell me the truth? Where is your son? Do you know that your blood is under my hand?"
(6) And the servants departed and reported these things to him.
(7) And replying, Zachariah said, "I am a witness of God. Have my blood. (8) The Lord will receive my spirit because you are shedding innocent blood at the entrance of the temple of the Lord."
(9) And around daybreak, Zachariah was murdered, even though the children of Israel did not know that he had been murdered.
Chapter 24
(1) Then, at the hour of greeting, the priests departed and the blessing of Zachariah did not greet them as usual. (2) Expecting Zachariah, the priests waited to welcome him with prayer and to praise the most high God.
(3) When he failed to come, they were all afraid. (4) One of them courageously went into the sanctuary and saw hardened blood next to the altar of the Lord (5) and heard a loud voice saying, "Zachariah has been murdered and his blood will not be wiped away until vengeance comes."
(6) When he heard these words, he was afraid and went out and told the priest what he had seen and heard. (7) And gathering up their courage, they went in and saw what had happened. (8) And as the panels of the temple cried out, they ripped their robes from the top down. (9) And they did not find the corpse, but they found his blood which had turned to stone. (10) And fearing, they went out and reported to the people that Zachariah had been murdered. (11) And all the tribes of the people heard and they mourned and wept for three days and three nights.
(12) Then, after three days, the priests deliberated about who they should appoint to take the place of Zachariah. (13) And the lot went to Simeon. (14) For he was the one to whom it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the messiah in the flesh.
Chapter 25
(1) I, James, wrote this history when there was unrest in Jerusalem, at the time Herod died. (2) I took myself into the desert until the unrest in Jerusalem ceased. (3) All the while, I was glorifying God who gave me the wisdom to write this history.
(4) And grace will be with all who fear the Lord. Amen. Birth of Mary Revelation of James Peace to the writer and the reader.
Chapter 1
(1) In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel, Joachim was an extremely rich man. (2) He always brought a double offering to the Lord, (3) telling himself, "My offering for all the people is from my surplus and my own offering to the Lord God is for forgiveness, to atone for my sins."
(4) As the great day of the Lord was drawing near and the children of Israel were bringing their offerings, however, (5) Reubel stood in his way, saying, "You cannot offer your gifts first because you have not conceived a child in Israel."
(6) And Joachim became extremely frustrated and went away to the history of the twelve tribes of his people, saying to himself, "I will look in the history of the twelve tribes of Israel and see whether I am the only one who has not conceived a child in Israel." (7) And he searched and found that all the righteous people had raised children in Israel. (8) And he reminded himself about the patriarch Abraham and that the Lord God gave his son Isaac to him in his last days.
(9) Then, Joachim was extremely frustrated and did not appear to his wife, but gave himself to the desert and pitched his tent there. (10) He fasted forty days and forty nights. (11) All the while, Joachim was saying to himself, "I will not go down for food or drink until the Lord my God visits me; prayer will be my food and drink."
Chapter 2
(1) Then, his wife Anna mourned and lamented greatly for two reasons, saying, "I lament that I am a widow and I lament that I am childless."
(2) When the great day of the Lord was drawing near, (3) her servant Juthine said to her, "How long are you going to humble yourself? Do you not see that the great day of the Lord is approaching? You are not allowed to mourn. (4) Take this headband which the leader of the activity gave me. I am not allowed to tie it because I am your slave and it has a royal mark."
(5) Then, Anna said, "Get away from me. I did not cause these things, even though the Lord God has humbled me greatly. Perhaps a crafty person has given this to you and you have come to cause me to partake of your sin."
(6) And her servant Juthine said, "Should I invoke a curse on you because you did not hear my voice? The Lord God has shut your womb and he will not give you offspring in Israel."
(7) So Anna also became extremely frustrated and removed her mourning garment, washed her head and clothed herself with her wedding dress. (8) Around the ninth hour, she went down to her garden to walk around. She saw a laurel tree and sat down under it. (9) And after a rest, she petitioned the Lord, saying, "God of my ancestors, bless me and hear my prayer, just as you blessed our mother Sarah and gave her son Isaac to her."
Chapter 3
(1) And Anna looked up to the heavens and saw a nest of sparrows in the laurel tree. (2) Immediately, Anna cried out mournfully, saying to herself,
"Oh me, who gave birth to me? What womb caused me to grow? (3) For I was born cursed in front of the children of Israel. I am reviled and they treat me with contempt and cast me out of the temple of the Lord my God.
(4) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the birds of the sky, for the birds of the sky are fruitful before you, Lord.
(5) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the domestic animals, for the domestic animals are fruitful before you, Lord.
(6) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the wild animals of the earth, for the wild animals of the earth are fruitful before you, Lord.
(7) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like these waters, for these waters are fruitful before you, Lord.
(8) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like this earth, for the earth produces its fruit in season and blesses you, Lord."
Chapter 4
(1) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood in front of her, saying, "Anna, Anna, the Lord God has heard your prayer. You will conceive and give birth and your child will be spoken of everywhere people live."
(2) And Anna said, "As the Lord God lives, whether I give birth to either a male or a female child, I will bring it as an offering to the Lord my God and it will be a servant to him all the days of its life."
(3) Next, two angels came, saying to her, "Look your husband Joachim is coming with his flocks." (4) For an angel of the Lord had gone down to Joachim, saying, "Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down from here. Look, your wife Anna has conceived in her womb."
(5) Immediately, Joachim went down and called the shepherds, telling them, "Bring ten lambs without spot or blemish here to me; the ten lambs will be for the Lord God. (6) Bring twelve tender calves; the twelve calves will be for the priests and the elders. (7) And bring one hundred male goats; the one hundred male goats will be for all the people."
(8) Then, Joachim came with his flocks. Anna was standing at the gate. (9) When she saw Joachim coming with his flocks, Anna ran and wrapped herself around his neck, saying, "Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me greatly. See, the widow is no longer a widow and the childless woman has conceived in her womb."
(10) And Joachim rested for the first day he was home.
Chapter 5
(1) The next day, when he was presenting his offerings, he said to himself, "If the Lord God will be reconciled to me, he will make it clear to me with the priest's metal disc." (2) And Joachim presented his offerings and paid attention to the priest's metal disc until he went up to the altar of the Lord. And he saw no sin in it. (3) Joachim said, "Now, I know that the Lord God has been reconciled to me and has sent all my great sins away for me." (4) And having been justified, he departed from the temple and went to his house.
(5) And his wife's pregnancy came to term. After nine months, Anna gave birth (6) and she said to the midwife, "What is it?"
(7) The midwife said, "A girl."
(8) Anna said, "My soul exalts this day." And she put her baby to bed.
(9) After her days were completed, Anna cleansed her menstrual flow (10) and gave her breast to the child and gave her the name Mary.
Chapter 6
(1) Day by day, the child grew stronger. (2) When she was six months old, her mother set her on the ground to test whether she could stand. And after walking seven steps, she came to her mother's breast. (3) And her mother picked her up, saying, "As the Lord my God lives, you will not walk on this earth again until I take you to the temple of the Lord."
(4) And she made a sanctuary in her bedroom and would not permit anything common or impure to pass through it. (5) And she called the pure daughters of the Hebrews and they played with her.
(6) When the child's first birthday came, Joachim held a great celebration. He invited the high priests and the priests and the Sanhedrin and the whole nation of Israel. (7) And Joachim brought the child to the priests and they blessed her, saying, "God of our ancestors, bless this child and give her name eternal fame among all generations."
(8) And all the people said, "Let it happen, amen."
(9) And he brought the child to the high priests and they blessed her, saying, "Exalted God, look upon this child and give her a final blessing which will not be succeeded."
(10) And her mother took her up to the bedroom-sanctuary and gave her breast to the child. (11) And Anna composed a song for the Lord God, saying, "I will sing a holy song to the Lord my God because he has examined me and removed my horrible disgrace from me. (12) And the Lord God gave me the fruit of his righteousness, of one nature, but manifold before him. (13) Who will proclaim to the sons of Reubel that Anna nurses a child? Do you hear? Hear this, twelve tribes of Israel: Anna nurses a child!"
(14) And she gave the child rest in the bedroom-sanctuary and went out and served them. (15) When dinner was completed, they departed feeling good and glorified the God of Israel.
Chapter 7
(1) She cared for the child for months. When the child turned two years old, Joachim said, "Let's take her to the temple of the Lord so we can relate the message we were given."
(2) And Anna said, "Let's wait until the third year, so that she will not seek her father or mother."
(3) And Joachim said, "Let's wait."
(4) When the child turned three, Joachim said, "Let's call the pure women of the Hebrews. (5) Let them take up lamps and light them so that the child will not turn back and her heart will never be led away from the temple of the Lord." (6) And they did these things until they went up to the temple of the Lord.
(7) And the priest welcomed her. Kissing her, he blessed her and said, "The Lord God has magnified your name for all generations; (8) through you the Lord will reveal deliverance to the children of Israel in the last days."
(9) And he set her down on the third step of the altar and the Lord God poured grace upon her. (10) She danced triumphantly with her drinks and every house in Israel loved her.
Chapter 8
(1) And her parents went down, marveling at and praising and glorifying the Lord God because the child had not turned back to look at them. (2) While Mary was in the temple of the Lord, she was fed like a dove and received food from the hand of an angel.
(3) When she turned twelve, a group of priests took counsel together, saying, "Look, Mary has been in the temple of the Lord twelve years. (4) What should we do about her now, so that she does not defile the sanctuary of the Lord our God?" (5) And they said to the high priest, "You have stood at the altar of the Lord. Go in and pray about her. And if the Lord God reveals anything to you, we will do it."
(6) And the priest went in taking the vestment with twelve bells into the holy of holies and prayed about her. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood before him, saying, "Zachariah, Zachariah, depart from here and gather the widowers of the people and let each one carry a staff. (8) And the one whom the Lord God points out with a sign, she will be his wife." (9) So the heralds went out to the whole surrounding area of Judea and the trumpet of the Lord rang out and all the men rushed in.
Chapter 9
(1) Throwing down his ax, Joseph went out to meet them. (2) And after they had gathered together with their rods, they went to the high priest. (3) After receiving everyone's rod, the high priest went into the temple and prayed. (4) When he was finished with the prayer, he took the rods and went out and gave them to each man, (5) but there was no sign among them. Finally, Joseph took his rod. (6) Suddenly, a dove came out of the rod and stood on Joseph's head. (7) And the high priest said, "Joseph! Joseph! You have been chosen by lot to take the virgin into your own keeping."
(8) And Joseph replied, saying, "I have sons and am old, while she is young. I will not be ridiculed among the children of Israel."
(9) And the high priest said, "Joseph, fear the Lord your God and remember what God did to Dathan and Abiron and Kore, how the earth split open and swallowed them because of their rebellion. (10) Now fear God, Joseph, so that these things do not happen in your house."
(11) Fearing God, Joseph took her into his own possession. (12) And he said to her, "Mary, I took you from the temple of the Lord and now I bring you into my house. I am going out to build houses, but I will come back to you. The Lord will protect you."
Chapter 10
(1) Meanwhile, the priests were meeting together, saying, "Let us make a curtain for the temple of the Lord."
(2) And the high priest said, "Call the pure virgins from the tribe of David to me." (3) And the servants went out and sought and found seven virgins. (4) And the high priest remembered that the child Mary was from the tribe of David and was pure before God. (5) So the servants went out and got her.
(6) And they brought the women into the temple of the Lord. (7) And the high priest said, "Cast lots to see who will spin the gold and the pure and the linen and the silk and the violet and the scarlet and the true purple threads."
(8) And Mary was appointed by lot to the true purple and scarlet threads. And taking them, she went to her house. (9) This was at the same time Zachariah fell silent and Samuel replaced him until Zachariah could speak again. (10) Mary was spinning the scarlet thread which she had taken.
Chapter 11
(1) And she took the cup and went out to fill it with water. (2) Suddenly, a voice said to her, "Rejoice, blessed one. The Lord is with you. You are blessed among women." (3) And Mary looked around to the right and the left to see where this voice came from. (4) And trembling she went into her house. Setting down the cup, she took the purple thread and sat down on the chair and spun it.
(5) Suddenly, an angel stood before her saying, "Do not be afraid Mary. You have found grace before the Lord of all. You will conceive from his word."
(6) Upon hearing this, however, Mary was distraught, saying to herself, "If I conceive from the Lord God who lives, will I also conceive as all women conceive?"
(7) And the Angel of the Lord said, "Not like that, Mary. For the power of God will come over you. Thus, the holy one who is born will be called son of the most high. (8) And you will call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."
(9) And Mary said, "See, I am the servant of the Lord before him. Let it happen to me according to what you say."
Chapter 12
(1) And she made the purple and the scarlet thread and carried it to the high priest. (2) And taking it, the high priest blessed her and said, "Mary, God has magnified your name. You will be called blessed among all the generations of the earth."
(3) Then, Mary went gladly to her cousin Elizabeth. (4) And she knocked at the door and when Elizabeth heard, she threw down her scarlet thread and ran to the door and opened it for her. (5) And she blessed her and said, "Where have you come to me from? Why should the mother of my Lord come to me? See how the child in me leaps and blesses you."
(6) But Mary had forgotten the mysteries which the angel Gabriel had told her. And looking into heaven she said, "Who am I, Lord, that all the generations of the earth will bless me?"
(7) She spent three months with Elizabeth. (8) Day after day, her womb swelled and she was afraid to go to her house and hid herself from the children of Israel. (9) Mary was sixteen years old when these mysterious things happened to her.
Chapter 13
(1) In the sixth month of her pregnancy, Joseph came from his house-building and went into the house to find her swelling. (2) And he struck his face and threw himself on the ground in sackcloth and wept bitterly, "How can I look to the Lord God? What will I pray about her, for I took her as a virgin from the temple of the Lord and did not guard her? (4) Who has set this trap for me? Who did this evil in my house? Who stole the virgin from me and defiled her. (5) Has not the story of Adam been repeated with me? For while Adam was glorifying God, the serpent came and found Eve alone and deceived her and defiled her - so it has also happened to me."
(6) And Joseph got up from his sackcloth and called her and said to her, "After having been cared for by God, what have you done? (7) Did you forget the Lord your God? You who were raised in the holy of holies, you who received from the hand of an angel, do you know how much you have humiliated yourself?"
(8) Then, she wept bitterly, saying, "I am pure and I did not know a man."
(9) And Joseph said to her, "Where did this thing in your womb come from then?"
(10) But she said, "As the Lord my God lives, I do not know where it came from."
Chapter 14
(1) Then, Joseph was extremely frightened and kept quiet about her, pondering what he should do. (2) And Joseph said to himself, "If I hide her sin, I will be rebelling against the law of the Lord. (3) And if I expose her to the children of Israel . . . well, I am afraid that the child in her might be angelic and I will be betraying innocent blood to a judgment of death. (4) What then will I do about her? I will send her away from me secretly."
(5) And night overtook him. And suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, "Do not fear this child. For the child in her is from the Holy Spirit. (6) She will bear a son for you and you will call his name Jesus. For he will save his people from their sins."
(7) And Joseph arose from his sleep and glorified the God of Israel who had given grace to him. (8) And he guarded the child.
Chapter 15
(1) Then, Annas the scribe came to him and said to him, "Joseph, why have you not appeared to our traveling group?"
(2) And he said to him, "Because I was worn out from the trip and rested my first day back."
(3) And Annas turned and saw Mary pregnant.
(4) And he ran off at top speed to the high priest and said to him, "Look at Joseph, the one you bear witness for. He has broken the law badly."
(5) And the high priest said, "What is this?"
(6) And he said, "The virgin which Joseph received from the temple of the Lord, he defiled her and has stolen her wedding festivities and has not revealed it to the children of Israel."
(7) And he said to him, "Has Joseph done these things?"
(8) And he said to him, "Send a servant and he will find the virgin pregnant."
(9) And the servants went and found her just as he said and they led her with Joseph to the law court.
(10) And the high priest said to her, "Mary, what is this? How have you humiliated yourself? (11) Did you forget the Lord your God, you who were raised in the holy of holies and received from the hand of an angel? (12) You who heard their songs and danced before them, what is this?"
(13) And she wept bitterly, saying, "As the Lord God lives, I am pure before him and I did not know a man."
(14) And the high priest said, "Joseph, what is this?"
(15) But Joseph said, "As the Lord lives, I am pure from her."
(16) And the high priest said, "Do not lie, but speak the truth. You stole your wedding festivities and did not reveal it to the children of Israel (17) and you did not bow your head before the mighty hand that it should bless your seed."
(18) And Joseph was silent.
Chapter 16
(1) And the high priest said, "Return the virgin which you took from the temple of the Lord."
(2) And Joseph, becoming tearful [...]
(3) And the high priest said, "I will give you the water of the Lord's wrath to drink and it will make your sin clear in your eyes." (4) And taking the water, the high priest gave it to Joseph to drink and sent him out into the desert. And he returned unharmed.
(5) And he made the young girl drink also and sent her out into the desert. And she came back unharmed. (6) And all the people were astonished that their sins were not revealed. (7) And the high priest said, "If the Lord God has not revealed your sins, I will not judge you either." And he released them. (8) And Joseph took Mary and went away to his house, rejoicing and praising the God of Israel.
Chapter 17
(1) Then, there was an order from the Emperor Augustus to register how many people were in Bethlehem of Judea. (2) And Joseph said, "I will register my sons. But this child? What will I do about him? How will I register him? (3) And my wife? Oh, I am ashamed. Should I register her as my daughter? The children of Israel know that she is not my daughter. (4) This day, I will do as the Lord wants."
(5) And he saddled his donkey and sat her on it and his son led and Samuel followed. (6) And they arrived at the third mile and Joseph turned and saw that she was sad. (7) And he said to himself, "Perhaps the child within her is troubling her." (8) And again Joseph turned around and saw her laughing and said to her, "Mary, what is with you? First your face appears happy and then sad?"
(9) And she said, "Joseph, it is because I see two people with my eyes, one crying and being afflicted, one rejoicing and being extremely happy."
(10) When they came to the middle of the journey, Mary said to him, "Joseph, take me off the donkey, the child pushing from within me to let him come out."
(11) So he took her off the donkey and said to her, "Where will I take you and shelter you in your awkwardness? This area is a desert."
Chapter 18
(1) And he found a cave and led her there and stationed his sons to watch her, (2) while he went to a find a Hebrew midwife in the land of Bethlehem.
(3) Then, Joseph wandered, but he did not wander. (4) And I looked up to the peak of the sky and saw it standing still and I looked up into the air. With utter astonishment I saw it, even the birds of the sky were not moving. (5) And I looked at the ground and saw a bowl lying there and workers reclining. And their hands were in the bowl. (6) And chewing, they were not chewing. And picking food up, they were not picking it up. And putting food in their mouths, they were not putting it in their mouths. (7) Rather, all their faces were looking up.
(8) And I saw sheep being driven, but the sheep were standing still. (9) And the shepherd lifted up his hand to strike them, but his hand remained above them. (10) And I saw the rushing current of the river and I saw goats and their mouths resting in the water, but they were not drinking. (11) And suddenly everything was replaced by the ordinary course of events.
Chapter 19
(1) And I saw a woman coming down from the mountain and she said to me, "Man, where are you going?"
(2) And I said, "I am seeking a Hebrew midwife."
(3) Replying, she said to me, "Are you from Israel?"
(4) And I said to her, "Yes."
(5) Then, she said, "And who is giving birth in the cave?"
(6) And I said, "The one who has pledged to be married to me."
(7) And she said to me, "She is not your wife?"
(8) And I said to her, "She is Mary, the one who was raised in the temple. I won her by lot to be my wife. (9) She is not yet my wife, but has a fetus from the Holy Spirit."
(10) And the midwife said, "Really?"
(11) And Joseph said to her, "Come and see."
(12) So the midwife went with him. (13) And they stood near the cave and a dark cloud was hovering over the cave. (14) And the midwife said, "My soul glorifies this day, for today my eyes have seen a miracle: salvation has come to Israel."
(15) And immediately, the cloud withdrew from the cave and a great light appeared in the cave so that their eyes could not bear it. (16) And a little while later the same light withdrew until an infant appeared. And he came and took the breast of his mother, Mary.
(17) And the midwife cried out and said, "How great this day is for me, for I have seen this new miracle."
(18) And the midwife departed from the cave and met Salome and said to her, "Salome, Salome, I have to describe this new miracle for you. A virgin has given birth, although her body does not allow it."
(19) And Salome said, "As the Lord my God lives, unless I insert my finger and investigate her, I will not believe that a virgin has given birth."
Chapter 20
(1) And the midwife went in and said, "Mary, position yourself, for not a small test concerning you is about to take place."
(2) When Mary heard these things, she positioned herself. And Salome inserted her finger into her body. (3) And Salome cried out and said, "Woe for my lawlessness and the unbelief that made me test the living God. Look, my hand is falling away from me and being consumed in fire."
(5) And Salome dropped to her knees before the Lord, saying, "God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, (6) do not expose me to the children of Israel, but give me back to the poor. (7) For you know, Lord, that I have performed service and received my wage from you."
(8) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying to her, "Salome, Salome, the Lord of all has heard your entreaty. (9) Stretch out your hand to the child and lift him up and he will be salvation and joy for you."
(10) And Salome went to the child and lifted him up, saying, "I worship him because he has been born a king to Israel." (11) And at once Salome was healed and left the cave justified.
(12) Suddenly, there was a voice saying, "Salome, Salome, do not proclaim what a miracle you have seen until the child comes to Jerusalem."
Chapter 21
(1) Now, Joseph was about to depart to Judea when there a great commotion in Bethlehem of Judea. (2) For astrologers had come, saying, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the East and came to worship him."
(3) And when Herod heard, he was shaken up and sent servants to the astrologers. (4) And he also sent for the high priests and questioned them in his palace, saying to them, "What has been written about the messiah? Where will he be born?"
(5) They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it has been written." (6) And he let them go.
(7) And he questioned the astrologers, saying to them, "What sign did you see about the one who has been born king?"
(8) And the astrologers said, "We saw a star shining with incredible brilliance amidst the constellations and making them seem dim. And so we knew that the king had been born in Israel and we came to worship him."
(9) And Herod said to them, "Go and search. If you find him, report to me so that I also may come and worship him."
(10) And the wise men departed. Then, the star which they had seen in the east led them until they came to the cave and stood over the head of the child. (11) And when the astrologers saw him with his mother Mary, they took gifts out of their bags: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.
(12) And having been warned by the angel not to go into Judea, they returned to their country by another road.
Chapter 22
(1) When Herod saw that he had been tricked by the astrologers, he flew into a rage (2) and sent his executioners, telling them to destroy all the infants that were two years old or younger.
(3) And when Mary heard that all the children were being destroyed, she was afraid and took the child and wrapped him up and put him in a stall of cows.
(5) And when Elizabeth heard that John was being sought, she took him and headed for the hills. And she looked around to find where she could hide him, but there was not any good place. (7) Then, as Elizabeth sighed, she said with a loud voice, "Mountain of God, take me, a mother with her child." For Elizabeth was too afraid to go up higher. (8) And at once, the mountain split open and received her. And there was light shining through the mountain to her. (9) For an angel of the Lord was with them, guarding them.
Chapter 23
(1) But Herod continued seeking John. (2) And he sent his servants to Zachariah at the altar, saying to him, "Where did you hide your son?"
(3) But he replied, saying to them, "I am here as a servant of God and am serving in his temple. How should I know where my son is?"
(4) And his servants departed and reported to him all these things. Outraged, Herod said, "Is his son destined to rule Israel?"
(5) And he sent his servants again, saying to him, "Tell me the truth? Where is your son? Do you know that your blood is under my hand?"
(6) And the servants departed and reported these things to him.
(7) And replying, Zachariah said, "I am a witness of God. Have my blood. (8) The Lord will receive my spirit because you are shedding innocent blood at the entrance of the temple of the Lord."
(9) And around daybreak, Zachariah was murdered, even though the children of Israel did not know that he had been murdered.
Chapter 24
(1) Then, at the hour of greeting, the priests departed and the blessing of Zachariah did not greet them as usual. (2) Expecting Zachariah, the priests waited to welcome him with prayer and to praise the most high God.
(3) When he failed to come, they were all afraid. (4) One of them courageously went into the sanctuary and saw hardened blood next to the altar of the Lord (5) and heard a loud voice saying, "Zachariah has been murdered and his blood will not be wiped away until vengeance comes."
(6) When he heard these words, he was afraid and went out and told the priest what he had seen and heard. (7) And gathering up their courage, they went in and saw what had happened. (8) And as the panels of the temple cried out, they ripped their robes from the top down. (9) And they did not find the corpse, but they found his blood which had turned to stone. (10) And fearing, they went out and reported to the people that Zachariah had been murdered. (11) And all the tribes of the people heard and they mourned and wept for three days and three nights.
(12) Then, after three days, the priests deliberated about who they should appoint to take the place of Zachariah. (13) And the lot went to Simeon. (14) For he was the one to whom it had been revealed by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the messiah in the flesh.
Chapter 25
(1) I, James, wrote this history when there was unrest in Jerusalem, at the time Herod died. (2) I took myself into the desert until the unrest in Jerusalem ceased. (3) All the while, I was glorifying God who gave me the wisdom to write this history.
(4) And grace will be with all who fear the Lord. Amen. Birth of Mary Revelation of James Peace to the writer and the reader.
The Gospel of Thomas
Translated by Thomas O. Lambdin
These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.
(1) And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."
(2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All."
(3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."
(4) Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are first will become last, and they will become one and the same."
(5) Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you . For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
(6) His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
(7) Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."
(8) And he said, "The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
(9) Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on the good soil and it produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure and a hundred and twenty per measure."
(10) Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes."
(11) Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. In the days when you consumed what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to dwell in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"
(12) The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader?"
Jesus said to them, "Wherever you are, you are to go to James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."
(13) Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like."
Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel."
Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying whom you are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out."
And he took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?"
Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up."
(14) Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."
(15) Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, prostrate yourselves on your faces and worship him. That one is your father."
(16) Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I have come to cast upon the world. They do not know that it is dissension which I have come to cast upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there will be five in a house: three will be against two, and two against three, the father against the son, and the son against the father. And they will stand solitary."
(17) Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind."
(18) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."
Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death."
(19) Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he came into being. If you become my disciples and listen to my words, these stones will minister to you. For there are five trees for you in Paradise which remain undisturbed summer and winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes acquainted with them will not experience death."
(20) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the kingdom of heaven is like."
He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."
(21) Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?"
He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
(22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom."
They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?"
Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom."
(23) Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."
(24) His disciples said to him, "Show us the place where you are, since it is necessary for us to seek it."
He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness."
(25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."
(26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brother's eye, but you do not see the beam in your own eye. When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye."
(27) "If you do not fast as regards the world, you will not find the kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will not see the father."
(28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."
(29) Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty."
(30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."
(31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him."
(32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."
(33) Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."
(34) Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit."
(35) Jesus said, "It is not possible for anyone to enter the house of a strong man and take it by force unless he binds his hands; then he will (be able to) ransack his house."
(36) Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear."
(37) His disciples said, "When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?"
Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the son of the living one, and you will not be afraid"
(38) Jesus said, "Many times have you desired to hear these words which I am saying to you, and you have no one else to hear them from. There will be days when you will look for me and will not find me."
(39) Jesus said, "The pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge (gnosis) and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."
(40) Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed."
(41) Jesus said, "Whoever has something in his hand will receive more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little he has."
(42) Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
(43) His disciples said to him, "Who are you, that you should say these things to us?"
"You do not realize who I am from what I say to you, but you have become like the Jews, for they (either) love the tree and hate its fruit (or) love the fruit and hate the tree."
(44) Jesus said, "Whoever blasphemes against the father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven either on earth or in heaven."
(45) Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they do not produce fruit. A good man brings forth good from his storehouse; an evil man brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse, which is in his heart, and says evil things. For out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil things."
(46) Jesus said, "Among those born of women, from Adam until John the Baptist, there is no one so superior to John the Baptist that his eyes should not be lowered (before him). Yet I have said, whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with the kingdom and will become superior to John."
(47) Jesus said, "It is impossible for a man to mount two horses or to stretch two bows. And it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters; otherwise, he will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously. No man drinks old wine and immediately desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put into old wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine put into a new wineskin, lest it spoil it. An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment, because a tear would result."
(48) Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in this one house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move Away,' and it will move away."
(49) Jesus said, "Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you will find the kingdom. For you are from it, and to it you will return."
(50) Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established itself and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the living father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father in you?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"
(51) His disciples said to him, "When will the repose of the dead come about, and when will the new world come?"
He said to them, "What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it."
(52) His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets spoke in Israel, and all of them spoke in you."
He said to them, "You have omitted the one living in your presence and have spoken (only) of the dead."
(53) His disciples said to him, "Is circumcision beneficial or not?"
He said to them, "If it were beneficial, their father would beget them already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become completely profitable."
(54) Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven."
(55) Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother cannot become a disciple to me. And whoever does not hate his brothers and sisters and take up his cross in my way will not be worthy of me."
(56) Jesus said, "Whoever has come to understand the world has found (only) a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world."
(57) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a man who had good seed. His enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The man did not allow them to pull up the weeds; he said to them, 'I am afraid that you will go intending to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.' For on the day of the harvest the weeds will be plainly visible, and they will be pulled up and burned."
(58) Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life."
(59) Jesus said, "Take heed of the living one while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to do so."
(60) a Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea. He said to his disciples, "That man is round about the lamb."
They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it."
He said to them, "While it is alive, he will not eat it, but only when he has killed it and it has become a corpse."
They said to him, "He cannot do so otherwise."
He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."
(61) Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and the other will live."
Salome said, "Who are you, man, that you ... have come up on my couch and eaten from my table?"
Jesus said to her, "I am he who exists from the undivided. I was given some of the things of my father."
<...> "I am your disciple."
<...> "Therefore I say, if he is destroyed, he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness."
(62) Jesus said, "It is to those who are worthy of my mysteries that I tell my mysteries. Do not let your left (hand) know what your right (hand) is doing."
(63) Jesus said, "There was a rich man who had much money. He said, 'I shall put my money to use so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouse with produce, with the result that I shall lack nothing.' Such were his intentions, but that same night he died. Let him who has ears hear."
(64) Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite the guests.
He went to the first one and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said, 'I have claims against some merchants. They are coming to me this evening. I must go and give them my orders. I ask to be excused from the dinner.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master has invited you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a house and am required for the day. I shall not have any spare time.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said to him, 'My friend is going to get married, and I am to prepare the banquet. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused from the dinner.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a farm, and I am on my way to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused.'
The servant returned and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to the dinner have asked to be excused.' The master said to his servant, 'Go outside to the streets and bring back those whom you happen to meet, so that they may dine.' Businessmen and merchants will not enter the places of my father."
(65) He said, "There was a good man who owned a vineyard. He leased it to tenant farmers so that they might work it and he might collect the produce from them. He sent his servant so that the tenants might give him the produce of the vineyard. They seized his servant and beat him, all but killing him. The servant went back and told his master. The master said, 'Perhaps he did not recognize them.' He sent another servant. The tenants beat this one as well. Then the owner sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they will show respect to my son.' Because the tenants knew that it was he who was the heir to the vineyard, they seized him and killed him. Let him who has ears hear."
(66) Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the cornerstone."
(67) Jesus said, "If one who knows the all still feels a personal deficiency, he is completely deficient."
(68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no place."
(69) Jesus said, "Blessed are they who have been persecuted within themselves. It is they who have truly come to know the father. Blessed are the hungry, for the belly of him who desires will be filled."
(70) Jesus said, "That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you."
(71) Jesus said, "I shall destroy this house, and no one will be able to build it [...]."
(72) A man said to him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made me a divider?"
He turned to his disciples and said to them, "I am not a divider, am I?"
(73) Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few. Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."
(74) He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern."
(75) Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."
(76) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a merchant who had a consignment of merchandise and who discovered a pearl. That merchant was shrewd. He sold the merchandise and bought the pearl alone for himself. You too, seek his unfailing and enduring treasure where no moth comes near to devour and no worm destroys."
(77) Jesus said, "It is I who am the light which is above them all. It is I who am the all. From me did the all come forth, and unto me did the all extend. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."
(78) Jesus said, "Why have you come out into the desert? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man clothed in fine garments like your kings and your great men? Upon them are the fine garments, and they are unable to discern the truth."
(79) A woman from the crowd said to him, "Blessed are the womb which bore you and the breasts which nourished you."
He said to her, "Blessed are those who have heard the word of the father and have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say, 'Blessed are the womb which has not conceived and the breasts which have not given milk.'"
(80) Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world."
(81) Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who possesses power renounce it."
(82) Jesus said, "He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom."
(83) Jesus said, "The images are manifest to man, but the light in them remains concealed in the image of the light of the father. He will become manifest, but his image will remain concealed by his light."
(84) Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you rejoice. But when you see your images which came into being before you, and which neither die not become manifest, how much you will have to bear!"
(85) Jesus said, "Adam came into being from a great power and a great wealth, but he did not become worthy of you. For had he been worthy, he would not have experienced death."
(86) Jesus said, "The foxes have their holes and the birds have their nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head and rest."
(87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependant upon a body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two."
(88) Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you and give to you those things you (already) have. And you too, give them those things which you have, and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what is theirs?'"
(89) Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not realize that he who made the inside is the same one who made the outside?"
(90) Jesus said, "Come unto me, for my yoke is easy and my lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves."
(91) They said to him, "Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you."
He said to them, "You read the face of the sky and of the earth, but you have not recognized the one who is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment."
(92) Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked me about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not inquire after it."
(93) "Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap. Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they [...] it [...]."
(94) Jesus said, "He who seeks will find, and he who knocks will be let in."
(95) Jesus said, "If you have money, do not lend it at interest, but give it to one from whom you will not get it back."
(96) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman. She took a little leaven, concealed it in some dough, and made it into large loaves. Let him who has ears hear."
(97) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman who was carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking on the road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her on the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty."
(98) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain man who wanted to kill a powerful man. In his own house he drew his sword and stuck it into the wall in order to find out whether his hand could carry through. Then he slew the powerful man."
(99) The disciples said to him, "Your brothers and your mother are standing outside."
He said to them, "Those here who do the will of my father are my brothers and my mother. It is they who will enter the kingdom of my father."
(100) They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, "Caesar's men demand taxes from us."
He said to them, "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give God what belongs to God, and give me what is mine."
(101) "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to me. And whoever does not love his father and his mother as I do cannot become a disciple to me. For my mother [...], but my true mother gave me life."
(102) Jesus said, "Woe to the pharisees, for they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat."
(103) Jesus said, "Fortunate is the man who knows where the brigands will enter, so that he may get up, muster his domain, and arm himself before they invade."
(104) They said to Jesus, "Come, let us pray today and let us fast."
Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed, or wherein have I been defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the bridal chamber, then let them fast and pray."
(105) Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot."
(106) Jesus said, "When you make the two one, you will become the sons of man, and when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will move away."
(107) Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, 'I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'"
(108) Jesus said, "He who will drink from my mouth will become like me. I myself shall become he, and the things that are hidden will be revealed to him."
(109) Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a man who had a hidden treasure in his field without knowing it. And after he died, he left it to his son. The son did not know (about the treasure). He inherited the field and sold it. And the one who bought it went plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished."
(110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world."
(111) Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence. And the one who lives from the living one will not see death." Does not Jesus say, "Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
(112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh."
(113) His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?"
"It will not come by waiting for it. It will not be a matter of saying 'here it is' or 'there it is.' Rather, the kingdom of the father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."
(114) Simon Peter said to him, "Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life."
Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven."
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Selection made from James M. Robinson, ed., The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition. HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1990.
These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.
(1) And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."
(2) Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When he finds, he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be astonished, and he will rule over the All."
(3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say to you, 'See, the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."
(4) Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small child seven days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are first will become last, and they will become one and the same."
(5) Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is hidden from you will become plain to you . For there is nothing hidden which will not become manifest."
(6) His disciples questioned him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all things are plain in the sight of heaven. For nothing hidden will not become manifest, and nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
(7) Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."
(8) And he said, "The man is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the wise fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back into the sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
(9) Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up. Others fell on the rock, did not take root in the soil, and did not produce ears. And others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them. And others fell on the good soil and it produced good fruit: it bore sixty per measure and a hundred and twenty per measure."
(10) Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes."
(11) Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. In the days when you consumed what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to dwell in the light, what will you do? On the day when you were one you became two. But when you become two, what will you do?"
(12) The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you will depart from us. Who is to be our leader?"
Jesus said to them, "Wherever you are, you are to go to James the righteous, for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."
(13) Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell me whom I am like."
Simon Peter said to him, "You are like a righteous angel."
Matthew said to him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
Thomas said to him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying whom you are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from the bubbling spring which I have measured out."
And he took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas returned to his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?"
Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told me, you will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the stones and burn you up."
(14) Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do harm to your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the districts, if they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the sick among them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that which issues from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."
(15) Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, prostrate yourselves on your faces and worship him. That one is your father."
(16) Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I have come to cast upon the world. They do not know that it is dissension which I have come to cast upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there will be five in a house: three will be against two, and two against three, the father against the son, and the son against the father. And they will stand solitary."
(17) Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind."
(18) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."
Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look for the end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he who will take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not experience death."
(19) Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he came into being. If you become my disciples and listen to my words, these stones will minister to you. For there are five trees for you in Paradise which remain undisturbed summer and winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes acquainted with them will not experience death."
(20) The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the kingdom of heaven is like."
He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed. It is the smallest of all seeds. But when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great plant and becomes a shelter for birds of the sky."
(21) Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are your disciples like?"
He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is not theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us have back our field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them have back their field and to give it back to them. Therefore I say, if the owner of a house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before he comes and will not let him dig through into his house of his domain to carry away his goods. You, then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great strength lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which you expect will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of understanding. When the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and reaped it. Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
(22) Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to his disciples, "These infants being suckled are like those who enter the kingdom."
They said to him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the kingdom?"
Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the inside like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like the below, and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that the male not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter the kingdom."
(23) Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."
(24) His disciples said to him, "Show us the place where you are, since it is necessary for us to seek it."
He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light within a man of light, and he lights up the whole world. If he does not shine, he is darkness."
(25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."
(26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brother's eye, but you do not see the beam in your own eye. When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye."
(27)
(28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them thirsty. And my soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are blind in their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the world, and empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."
(29) Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a wonder. But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in this poverty."
(30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him."
(31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him."
(32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."
(33) Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in your ear. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under a bushel, nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a lampstand so that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."
(34) Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit."
(35) Jesus said, "It is not possible for anyone to enter the house of a strong man and take it by force unless he binds his hands; then he will (be able to) ransack his house."
(36) Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear."
(37) His disciples said, "When will you become revealed to us and when shall we see you?"
Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your garments and place them under your feet like little children and tread on them, then will you see the son of the living one, and you will not be afraid"
(38) Jesus said, "Many times have you desired to hear these words which I am saying to you, and you have no one else to hear them from. There will be days when you will look for me and will not find me."
(39) Jesus said, "The pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of knowledge (gnosis) and hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed to enter those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves."
(40) Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed."
(41) Jesus said, "Whoever has something in his hand will receive more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little he has."
(42) Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
(43) His disciples said to him, "Who are you, that you should say these things to us?"
(44) Jesus said, "Whoever blasphemes against the father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven either on earth or in heaven."
(45) Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they do not produce fruit. A good man brings forth good from his storehouse; an evil man brings forth evil things from his evil storehouse, which is in his heart, and says evil things. For out of the abundance of the heart he brings forth evil things."
(46) Jesus said, "Among those born of women, from Adam until John the Baptist, there is no one so superior to John the Baptist that his eyes should not be lowered (before him). Yet I have said, whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with the kingdom and will become superior to John."
(47) Jesus said, "It is impossible for a man to mount two horses or to stretch two bows. And it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters; otherwise, he will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously. No man drinks old wine and immediately desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put into old wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine put into a new wineskin, lest it spoil it. An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment, because a tear would result."
(48) Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in this one house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move Away,' and it will move away."
(49) Jesus said, "Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you will find the kingdom. For you are from it, and to it you will return."
(50) Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established itself and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the living father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father in you?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"
(51) His disciples said to him, "When will the repose of the dead come about, and when will the new world come?"
He said to them, "What you look forward to has already come, but you do not recognize it."
(52) His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets spoke in Israel, and all of them spoke in you."
He said to them, "You have omitted the one living in your presence and have spoken (only) of the dead."
(53) His disciples said to him, "Is circumcision beneficial or not?"
He said to them, "If it were beneficial, their father would beget them already circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in spirit has become completely profitable."
(54) Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the kingdom of heaven."
(55) Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother cannot become a disciple to me. And whoever does not hate his brothers and sisters and take up his cross in my way will not be worthy of me."
(56) Jesus said, "Whoever has come to understand the world has found (only) a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world."
(57) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a man who had good seed. His enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The man did not allow them to pull up the weeds; he said to them, 'I am afraid that you will go intending to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.' For on the day of the harvest the weeds will be plainly visible, and they will be pulled up and burned."
(58) Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life."
(59) Jesus said, "Take heed of the living one while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see him and be unable to do so."
(60)
They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it."
He said to them, "While it is alive, he will not eat it, but only when he has killed it and it has become a corpse."
They said to him, "He cannot do so otherwise."
He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."
(61) Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and the other will live."
Salome said, "Who are you, man, that you ... have come up on my couch and eaten from my table?"
Jesus said to her, "I am he who exists from the undivided. I was given some of the things of my father."
<...> "I am your disciple."
<...> "Therefore I say, if he is destroyed, he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness."
(62) Jesus said, "It is to those who are worthy of my mysteries that I tell my mysteries. Do not let your left (hand) know what your right (hand) is doing."
(63) Jesus said, "There was a rich man who had much money. He said, 'I shall put my money to use so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouse with produce, with the result that I shall lack nothing.' Such were his intentions, but that same night he died. Let him who has ears hear."
(64) Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite the guests.
He went to the first one and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said, 'I have claims against some merchants. They are coming to me this evening. I must go and give them my orders. I ask to be excused from the dinner.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master has invited you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a house and am required for the day. I shall not have any spare time.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said to him, 'My friend is going to get married, and I am to prepare the banquet. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused from the dinner.'
He went to another and said to him, 'My master invites you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a farm, and I am on my way to collect the rent. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused.'
The servant returned and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to the dinner have asked to be excused.' The master said to his servant, 'Go outside to the streets and bring back those whom you happen to meet, so that they may dine.' Businessmen and merchants will not enter the places of my father."
(65) He said, "There was a good man who owned a vineyard. He leased it to tenant farmers so that they might work it and he might collect the produce from them. He sent his servant so that the tenants might give him the produce of the vineyard. They seized his servant and beat him, all but killing him. The servant went back and told his master. The master said, 'Perhaps he did not recognize them.' He sent another servant. The tenants beat this one as well. Then the owner sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they will show respect to my son.' Because the tenants knew that it was he who was the heir to the vineyard, they seized him and killed him. Let him who has ears hear."
(66) Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the cornerstone."
(67) Jesus said, "If one who knows the all still feels a personal deficiency, he is completely deficient."
(68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no place."
(69) Jesus said, "Blessed are they who have been persecuted within themselves. It is they who have truly come to know the father. Blessed are the hungry, for the belly of him who desires will be filled."
(70) Jesus said, "That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you."
(71) Jesus said, "I shall destroy this house, and no one will be able to build it [...]."
(72) A man said to him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made me a divider?"
He turned to his disciples and said to them, "I am not a divider, am I?"
(73) Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few. Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."
(74) He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern."
(75) Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."
(76) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a merchant who had a consignment of merchandise and who discovered a pearl. That merchant was shrewd. He sold the merchandise and bought the pearl alone for himself. You too, seek his unfailing and enduring treasure where no moth comes near to devour and no worm destroys."
(77) Jesus said, "It is I who am the light which is above them all. It is I who am the all. From me did the all come forth, and unto me did the all extend. Split a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find me there."
(78) Jesus said, "Why have you come out into the desert? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man clothed in fine garments like your kings and your great men? Upon them are the fine garments, and they are unable to discern the truth."
(79) A woman from the crowd said to him, "Blessed are the womb which bore you and the breasts which nourished you."
He said to her, "Blessed are those who have heard the word of the father and have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say, 'Blessed are the womb which has not conceived and the breasts which have not given milk.'"
(80) Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world."
(81) Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who possesses power renounce it."
(82) Jesus said, "He who is near me is near the fire, and he who is far from me is far from the kingdom."
(83) Jesus said, "The images are manifest to man, but the light in them remains concealed in the image of the light of the father. He will become manifest, but his image will remain concealed by his light."
(84) Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you rejoice. But when you see your images which came into being before you, and which neither die not become manifest, how much you will have to bear!"
(85) Jesus said, "Adam came into being from a great power and a great wealth, but he did not become worthy of you. For had he been worthy, he would not have experienced death."
(86) Jesus said, "The foxes have their holes and the birds have their nests, but the son of man has no place to lay his head and rest."
(87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependant upon a body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two."
(88) Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you and give to you those things you (already) have. And you too, give them those things which you have, and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what is theirs?'"
(89) Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not realize that he who made the inside is the same one who made the outside?"
(90) Jesus said, "Come unto me, for my yoke is easy and my lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves."
(91) They said to him, "Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you."
He said to them, "You read the face of the sky and of the earth, but you have not recognized the one who is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment."
(92) Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked me about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not inquire after it."
(93)
(94) Jesus said, "He who seeks will find, and he who knocks will be let in."
(95) Jesus said, "If you have money, do not lend it at interest, but give it to one from whom you will not get it back."
(96) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman. She took a little leaven, concealed it in some dough, and made it into large loaves. Let him who has ears hear."
(97) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain woman who was carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking on the road, still some distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied out behind her on the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident. When she reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty."
(98) Jesus said, "The kingdom of the father is like a certain man who wanted to kill a powerful man. In his own house he drew his sword and stuck it into the wall in order to find out whether his hand could carry through. Then he slew the powerful man."
(99) The disciples said to him, "Your brothers and your mother are standing outside."
He said to them, "Those here who do the will of my father are my brothers and my mother. It is they who will enter the kingdom of my father."
(100) They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, "Caesar's men demand taxes from us."
He said to them, "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give God what belongs to God, and give me what is mine."
(101)
(102) Jesus said, "Woe to the pharisees, for they are like a dog sleeping in the manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen eat."
(103) Jesus said, "Fortunate is the man who knows where the brigands will enter, so that he may get up, muster his domain, and arm himself before they invade."
(104) They said to Jesus, "Come, let us pray today and let us fast."
Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed, or wherein have I been defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the bridal chamber, then let them fast and pray."
(105) Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot."
(106) Jesus said, "When you make the two one, you will become the sons of man, and when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will move away."
(107) Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and looked for that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said to the sheep, 'I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'"
(108) Jesus said, "He who will drink from my mouth will become like me. I myself shall become he, and the things that are hidden will be revealed to him."
(109) Jesus said, "The kingdom is like a man who had a hidden treasure in his field without knowing it. And after he died, he left it to his son. The son did not know (about the treasure). He inherited the field and sold it. And the one who bought it went plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished."
(110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world."
(111) Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence. And the one who lives from the living one will not see death." Does not Jesus say, "Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
(112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh."
(113) His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?"
(114) Simon Peter said to him, "Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy of life."
Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so that she too may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who will make herself male will enter the kingdom of heaven."
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Selection made from James M. Robinson, ed., The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition. HarperCollins, San Francisco, 1990.
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