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Ascribed to James, the half-brother of Jesus, this likely pseudepigraphic text was probably written in the early- or mid-2nd century. This may be the oldest infancy gospel ever written.
1 In the records of the twelve tribes of Israel was Joachim, an exceedingly rich man; and he brought his offerings double, saying, “There will be from my surplus to all the people, and there will be the offering for my forgiveness to the Lord for a propitiation for me.” 2 For the great day of the Lord was at hand, and the sons of Israel were bringing their offerings. And there stood near him Rubim, saying, “It is not fitting for you first to bring your offerings, because you have not made seed in Israel.” 3 And Joachim was exceedingly grieved and went away to the registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying, “I will see the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone have not made seed in Israel. 4 And he searched and found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel. 5 And he called to mind the patriarch Abraham, that in the last day God gave him a son [named] Isaac. 6 And Joachim was exceedingly grieved and did not come into the presence of his wife, 7 but he retired to the desert, and there pitched his tent, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying in himself: “I will not go down either for food or for drink until the Lord my God will look on me, and prayer will be my food and drink.”
And his wife Anna mourned in two mournings, and lamented in two lamentations, saying, “I will lament my widowhood; I will lament my childlessness.” And the great day of the Lord was at hand; and her maidservant Judith said, “How long do you humiliate your soul? Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand, and it is unlawful for you to mourn. But take this headband, which the woman that made it gave to me; for it is not proper that I should wear it, because I am a maidservant, and it has a royal appearance.” And Anna said, “Depart from me, for I have not done such things, and the Lord has brought me very low. I fear that some wicked person has given it to you, and you have come to make me a sharer in your sin.” And Judith said, “Why should I curse you, seeing that the Lord has shut your womb, so as not to give you fruit in Israel?” And Anna was exceedingly grieved, and took off her garments of mourning, and cleaned her head, and put on her wedding garments, and about the ninth hour, she went down to the garden to walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed to the Lord, saying, “O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, as You blessed the womb of Sarah, and gave her a son—Isaac.”
1 And gazing toward the sky, she saw a sparrow’s nest in the laurel, and made a lamentation in herself, saying, “Aah! Who begot me? And what womb produced me? 2 Because I have become a curse in the presence of the sons of Israel, and I have been reproached, and they have driven me in derision out of the temple of the Lord. 3 Aah! To what have I been likened? I am not like the birds of the sky, because even the birds of the sky are productive before You, O Lord. 4 Aah! To what have I been likened? I am not like the beasts of the earth, because even the beasts of the earth are productive before You, O Lord. 5 Aah! To what have I been likened? I am not like these waters, because even these waters are productive before You, O Lord. 6 Aah! To what have I been likened? I am not like this earth, because even the earth brings forth its fruits in season and blesses You, O Lord.”
1 And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood by, saying, “Anna, Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer, and you will conceive and will bring forth; and your seed will be spoken of in all the world.” 2 And Anna said, “As the Lord my God lives, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it will minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life.” 3 And behold, two messengers came, saying to her: “Behold, your husband Joachim is coming with his flocks.” 4 For a messenger of the Lord went down to him, saying, “Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down from here; for behold, your wife Anna will conceive.” 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; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they will be for the priests and the elders; and one hundred goats for all the people.” 6 And behold, Joachim came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, and she ran and hung on his neck, saying, “Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me exceedingly; for behold, the widow [is] no longer a widow, and I the childless will conceive.” 7 And Joachim rested the first day in his house.
1 And on the following day he brought his offerings, saying in himself: “If the Lord God has been rendered gracious to me, the plate on the priest’s forehead will make it manifest to me.” 2 And Joachim brought his offerings and observed attentively the priest’s plate when he went up to the altar of the Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. 3 And Joachim said, “Now I know that the Lord has been gracious to me and has remitted all my sins.” 4 And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified and departed to his own house. 5 And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. 6 And she said to the midwife: “What have I brought forth?” And she said, “A girl.” And Anna said, “My soul has been magnified this day.” And she laid her down. 7 And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the breast to the child, and called her name Mary.
1 And the child grew strong day by day; and when she was six months old, her mother set her on the ground to try whether she could stand, and she walked seven steps and came into her bosom; 2 and she snatched her up, saying, “As the Lord my God lives, you will not walk on this earth until I bring you into the temple of the Lord.” 3 And she made a sanctuary in her bed-chamber and allowed nothing common or unclean to pass through her. 4 And she called the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and they led her astray. 5 And when she was a year old, Joachim made a great feast, and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel. 6 And Joachim brought the child to the priests; and they blessed her, saying, “O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations.” 7 And all the people said: “So be it, so be it, amen.” 8 And he brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying, “O God Most High, look on this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which will be forever.” 9 And her mother snatched her up, and took her into the sanctuary of her bed-chamber, and gave her the breast. 10 And Anna made a song to the Lord God, saying, “I will sing a song to the Lord my God, for He has looked on me and has taken away the reproach of my enemies; and the Lord has given the fruit of His righteousness, singular in its kind, and richly endowed before Him. 11 Who will tell the sons of Rubim that Anna gives suck? Hear, hear, you twelve tribes of Israel, that Anna gives suck.” 12 And she laid her to rest in the bed-chamber of her sanctuary and went out and ministered to them. 13 And when the supper was ended, they went down rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel.
1 And her months were added to the child. 2 And the child was two years old, and Joachim said: “Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, so that we may pay the vow that we have vowed, lest perhaps the Lord sends to us, and our offering is not received.” 3 And Anna said: “Let us wait for the third year, in order that the child may not seek for father or mother.” And Joachim said: “So let us wait.” 4 And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: “Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them each take a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, so that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord.” 5 And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. 6 And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying, “The Lord has magnified your name in all generations. In you, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel.” 7 And he set her down on the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace on her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.
1 And her parents went down marveling and praising the Lord God, because the child had not turned back. 2 And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of a messenger. 3 And when she was twelve years old, a council of the priests was held, saying, “Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. 4 What then will we do with her, lest perhaps she defiles the sanctuary of the Lord?” 5 And they said to the chief priest: “You stand by the altar of the Lord; go in and pray concerning her; and whatever the Lord will manifest to you, that also will we do.” 6 And the chief priest went in, taking the robe with the twelve bells into the Holy of Holies; and he prayed concerning her. 7 And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood by him, saying to him: “Zacharias, Zacharias! Go out and assemble the widowers of the people and let them each bring his rod; and to whomsoever the Lord will show a sign, his wife will she be. 8 And the heralds went out through all the circuit of Judea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all ran.
And Joseph, throwing away his axe, went out to meet them; and when they had assembled, they went away to the high priest, taking with them their rods. And he, taking the rods of all of them, entered into the temple and prayed; and having ended his prayer, he took the rods, and came out, and gave them to them: but there was no sign in them, and Joseph took his rod last; and behold, a dove came out of the rod, and flew on Joseph’s head. And the priest said to Joseph, “You have been chosen by lot to take into your keeping the virgin of the Lord.” But Joseph refused, saying, “I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl. I am afraid lest I become a laughingstock to the sons of Israel.” And the priest said to Joseph: “Fear the Lord your God, and remember what the Lord did to Dathan, and Abiram, and Korah; how the earth opened, and they were swallowed up on account of their contradiction. And now fear, O Joseph, lest the same things happen in your house. And Joseph was afraid and took her into his keeping.” And Joseph said to Mary: “Behold, I have received you from the temple of the Lord; and now I leave you in my house, and go away to build my buildings, and I will come to you. The Lord will protect you.”
1 And there was a council of the priests, saying, “Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord.” 2 And the priest said, “Call to me the undefiled virgins of the family of David.” 3 And the officers went away, and sought, and found seven virgins. 4 And the priest remembered the child Mary, that she was of the family of David, and undefiled before God. And the officers went away and brought her. 5 And they brought them into the temple of the Lord. And the priest said, “Choose for me by lot who will spin the gold, and the white, and the fine linen, and the silk, and the blue, and the scarlet, and the true purple.” 6 And the true purple and the scarlet fell to the lot of Mary, and she took them, and went away to her house. 7 And at that time, Zacharias was mute, and Samuel was in his place until the time that Zacharias spoke. And Mary took the scarlet and spun it.
1 And she took the pitcher and went out to fill it with water. 2 And behold, a voice, saying, “Hail, you who have received grace! The Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!” 3 And she looked around, on the right hand and on the left, to see from where this voice came. 4 And she went away, trembling, to her house, and put down the pitcher; and taking the purple, she sat down on her seat and drew it out. 5 And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood before her, saying, “Do not fear, Mary; for you have found grace before the Lord of all, and you will conceive, according to His word.” 6 And she hearing, reasoned with herself, saying, “Will I conceive by the Lord, the living God? And will I bring forth as every woman brings forth?” 7 And the messenger of the Lord said: “Not so, Mary; for the power of the Lord will overshadow you: therefore also, that holy thing which will be born of you will be called the Son of the Highest. 8 And you will call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” 9 And Mary said, “Behold, the servant of the Lord before His face: let it be to me according to your word.”
1 And she made the purple and the scarlet and took them to the priest. 2 And the priest blessed her, and said: “Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name, and you will be blessed in all the generations of the earth.” 3 And Mary, with great joy, went away to her relative Elizabeth and knocked at the door. 4 And when Elizabeth heard her, she threw away the scarlet, and ran to the door, and opened it; and seeing Mary, she blessed her, and said: “From where is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, that which is in me leaped and blessed you.” 5 But Mary had forgotten the mysteries of which the chief-messenger Gabriel had spoken, and gazed up into the sky, and said: “Who am I, O Lord, that all the generations of the earth should bless me?” 6 And she remained three months with Elizabeth; and day by day she grew larger. 7 And Mary being afraid, went away to her own house, and hid herself from the sons of Israel. 8 And she was sixteen years old when these mysteries happened.
1 And she was in her sixth month; and behold, Joseph came back from his building, and, entering into his house, he discovered that she was heavy with child. 2 And he struck his face, and threw himself on the ground on the sackcloth, and wept bitterly, saying, “With what face will I look on the Lord my God? And what prayer will I make about this maiden? 3 Because I received her [as] a virgin out of the temple of the Lord, and I have not watched over her. 4 Who is it that has hunted me down? Who has done this evil thing in my house, and defiled the virgin? 5 Has the history of Adam not been repeated in me? For just as Adam was in the hour of his singing praise, and the serpent came, and found Eve alone, and completely deceived her, so it has happened to me also.” 6 And Joseph stood up from the sackcloth, and called Mary, and said to her: “O you who have been cared for by God, why have you done this and forgotten the Lord your God? 7 Why have you brought low your soul—you that were brought up in the Holy of Holies, and that received food from the hand of a messenger?” 8 And she wept bitterly, saying, “I am innocent, and have known no man.” 9 And Joseph said to her: “From where then is that which is in your womb?” 10 And she said, “As the Lord my God lives, I do not know from where it is to me.”
1 And Joseph was greatly afraid, and retired from her, and considered what he should do in regard to her. 2 And Joseph said: “If I conceal her sin, I find myself fighting against the Law of the Lord; 3 and if I expose her to the sons of Israel, I am afraid lest that which is in her be from a messenger, and I will be found giving up innocent blood to the doom of death. 4 What then will I do with her? I will put her away from me secretly.” 5 And night came on him; and behold, a messenger of the Lord appears to him in a dream, saying, “Do not be afraid regarding this maiden, for that which is in her is of the Holy Spirit; 6 and she will bring forth a Son, and you will call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins. 7 And Joseph arose from sleep, and glorified the God of Israel, who had given him this grace; and he kept her.
1 And Annas the scribe came to him and said: “Why have you not appeared in our assembly?” 2 And Joseph said to him: “Because I was weary from my journey, and rested the first day.” And he turned and saw that Mary was with child. 3 And he ran away to the priest and said to him: “Joseph, whom you vouched for, has committed a grievous crime.” 4 And the priest said, “How so?” And he said, “He has defiled the virgin whom he received out of the temple of the Lord, and has married her by stealth, and has not revealed it to the sons of Israel.” 5 And the priest answering, said: “Has Joseph done this?” 6 Then Annas the scribe said, “Send officers, and you will find the virgin with child.” 7 And the officers went away and found it as he had said; and they brought her along with Joseph to the tribunal. 8 And the priest said, “Mary, why have you done this? 9 And why have you brought your soul low and forgotten the Lord your God—you that were reared in the Holy of Holies, and that received food from the hand of a messenger, and heard the hymns, and danced before Him, why have you done this?” 10 And she wept bitterly, saying, “As the Lord my God lives, I am pure before Him, and do not know a man.” 11 And the priest said to Joseph: “Why have you done this?” And Joseph said, “As the Lord lives, I am pure concerning her.” 12 Then the priest said, “Do not bear false witness, but speak the truth. You have married her by stealth, and have not revealed it to the sons of Israel, and have not bowed your head under the strong hand, so that your seed might be blessed.” 13 And Joseph was silent.
1 And the priest said, “Give up the virgin whom you received out of the temple of the Lord.” 2 And Joseph burst into tears. And the priest said, “I will give you to drink of the water of the ordeal of the Lord, and He will make manifest your sins in your eyes.” 3 And the priest took the water, and gave [it to] Joseph to drink, and sent him away to the hill-country; and he returned unhurt. 4 And he also gave to Mary to drink, and sent her away to the hill-country; and she returned unhurt. 5 And all the people marveled that sin did not appear in them. 6 And the priest said, “If the Lord God has not made manifest your sins, neither do I judge you.” And he sent them away. 7 And Joseph took Mary and went away to his own house, rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel.
1 And there was an order from Emperor Augustus, that all in Beth-Lehem of Judea should be enrolled. 2 And Joseph said, “I will enroll my sons, but what will I do with this maiden? How will I enroll her? As my wife? I am ashamed. 3 As my daughter then? But all the sons of Israel know that she is not my daughter. 4 The day of the Lord will itself bring it to pass as the Lord wills.” 5 And he saddled the donkey and set her on it; and his son led it, and Joseph followed. 6 And when they had come within three miles, Joseph turned and saw her sorrowful; and he said to himself: “Likely that which is in her distresses her.” 7 And again, Joseph turned and saw her laughing. And he said to her: “Mary, how is it that I see in your face at one time laughter, at another sorrow?” 8 And Mary said to Joseph, “Because I see two peoples with my eyes: the one weeping and lamenting, and the other rejoicing and exulting.” 9 And they came into the middle of the road, and Mary said to him: “Take me down from off the donkey, for that which is in me presses to come forth.” 10 And he took her down from off the donkey and said to her: “To where will I lead you and cover your disgrace? For the place is a desert.”
1 And he found a cave there and led her into it; and leaving his two sons beside her, he went out to seek a midwife in the district of Beth-Lehem. 2 And I, Joseph, was walking, and was not walking; and I looked up into the sky and saw the sky astonished; and I looked up to the pole of the heavens, and saw it standing, and the birds of the air keeping still. 3 And I looked down on the earth, and saw a trough lying, and workers reclining: and their hands were in the trough. 4 And those that were eating did not eat, and those that were rising did not carry it up, and those that were conveying anything to their mouths did not convey it; but the faces of all were looking upward. 5 And I saw the sheep walking, and the sheep stood still; and the shepherd raised his hand to strike them, and his hand remained up. 6 And I looked on the current of the river, and I saw the mouths of the kids resting on the water and not drinking, and all things in a moment were driven from their course.
And I saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: “O man, where are you going?” And I said: “I am seeking a Hebrew midwife.” And she answered and said to me: “Are you of Israel?” And I said to her, “Yes.” And she said, “And who is it that is bringing forth in the cave?” And I said, “A woman betrothed to me.” And she said to me: “Is she not your wife?” And I said to her: “It is Mary that was reared in the temple of the Lord, and I obtained her by lot as my wife. And yet she is not my wife, but has conceived from the Holy Spirit.” And the midwife said to him: “Is this true?” And Joseph said to her: “Come and see.” And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave; and behold, a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said, “My soul has been magnified this day, because my eyes have seen strange things—because salvation has been brought forth to Israel.” And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not endure it. And in a short time that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary. And the midwife cried out and said: “This is a great day to me, because I have seen this strange sight!” And the midwife went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: “Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to you: a virgin has brought forth—a thing which her nature does not [naturally] permit.” Then Salome said, “As the Lord my God lives, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.”
1 And the midwife went in and said to Mary: “Show yourself, for no small controversy has arisen concerning you.” 2 And Salome put in her finger, and cried out, and said: “Woe is me for my iniquity and my unbelief, because I have tempted the living God; and behold, my hand is dropping off as if burned with fire.” 3 And she bent her knees before the Lord, saying, “O God of my fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; do not make a show of me to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor; 4 for You know, O Lord, that in Your Name I have performed my services, and that I have received my reward at Your hand.” 5 And behold, a messenger of the Lord stood by her, saying to her: “Salome, Salome, the Lord has heard you. Put your hand to the infant, and carry it, and you will have safety and joy.” 6 And Salome went and carried it, saying, “I will worship Him, because a great King has been born to Israel.” 7 And behold, Salome was immediately cured, and she went forth out of the cave justified. 8 And behold, a voice [was heard], saying, “Salome, Salome, do not tell the strange things you have seen, until the Child has come into Jerusalem.”
1 And behold, Joseph was ready to go into Judea. And there was a great commotion in Beth-Lehem of Judea, for magi came, saying, “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the east and have come to worship Him.” 2 And when Herod heard [this], he was greatly troubled, and he sent officers to the magi. 3 And he sent for the priests, and examined them, saying, “How is it written concerning the Christ? Where is He to be born?” 4 And they said, “In Beth-Lehem of Judea, for so it is written.” And he sent them away. 5 And he examined the magi, saying to them: “What sign have you seen in reference to the King that has been born?” 6 And the magi said, “We have seen a star of great size shining among these stars, and obscuring their light, so that the stars did not appear; and we thus knew that a King has been born to Israel, and we have come to worship Him.” 7 And Herod said, “Go and seek Him; and if you find Him, let me know, in order that I may also go and worship Him.” And the magi went out. 8 And behold, the star which they had seen in the east went before them until they came to the cave, and it stood over the top of the cave. 9 And the magi saw the Infant with His mother Mary; and they brought forth from their bag gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. 10 And having been warned by the messenger not to go into Judea, they went into their own country by another road.
1 And when Herod knew that he had been mocked by the magi, in a rage he sent murderers, saying to them: “Slay the children from two years old and under.” 2 And Mary, having heard that the children were being killed, was afraid, and took the Infant and swaddled Him, and put Him into an ox-stall. 3 And Elizabeth, having heard that they were searching for John, took him, and went up into the hill-country, and kept looking where to conceal him. And there was no place of concealment. 4 And Elizabeth, groaning with a loud voice, says: “O mountain of God, receive mother and child!” 5 And immediately the mountain was cleft and received her. And a light shone around them, for a messenger of the Lord was with them, watching over them.
1 And Herod searched for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, saying, “Where have you hid your son?” 2 And he, answering, said to them: “I am the servant of God in holy things, and I sit constantly in the temple of the Lord: I do not know where my son is.” 3 And the officers went away and reported all these things to Herod. 4 And Herod was enraged and said, “His son is destined to be king over Israel.” 5 And he sent to him again, saying, “Tell the truth; where is your son? For you know that your life is in my hand.” 6 And Zacharias said, “I am God’s martyr, if you shed my blood; for the Lord will receive my spirit, because you shed innocent blood at the vestibule of the temple of the Lord.” 7 And Zacharias was murdered about daybreak. And the sons of Israel did not know that he had been murdered.
1 But at the hour of the salutation, the priests went away, and Zacharias did not come forth to meet them with a blessing, according to his custom. 2 And the priests stood waiting for Zacharias to salute him at the prayer, and to glorify the Most High. And he, still delaying, they were all afraid. 3 But one of them ventured to go in, and he saw clotted blood beside the altar; and he heard a voice, saying, “Zacharias has been murdered, and his blood will not be wiped up until his avenger comes.” 4 And hearing this saying, he was afraid and went out and told it to the priests. 5 And they ventured in and saw what had happened; and the latticework of the temple made a wailing noise, and they tore their clothes from the top even to the bottom. 6 And they did not find his body, but they found his blood turned into stone. 7 And they were afraid and went out and reported to the people that Zacharias had been murdered. 8 And all the tribes of the people heard, and mourned, and lamented for him three days and three nights. 9 And after the three days, the priests consulted as to whom they should put in his place; and the lot fell on Simeon. 10 For it was he who had been warned by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he should see the Christ in the flesh. 11 And I, James, that wrote this history in Jerusalem, a commotion having arisen when Herod died, withdrew myself to the wilderness until the commotion in Jerusalem ceased, glorifying the Lord God, who had given me the gift and the wisdom to write this history. 12 And grace will be with them that fear our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to ages of ages. Amen.