THE FIRST GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY OF
JESUS CHRIST
CHAPTER I
1 Caiphas relates that Jesus, when
in his cradle, informed his mother that he was the Son of God. 5 Joseph and
Mary going to Bethlehem
THE following
accounts we found in the book of Joseph the high-priest, called by some Caiphas:
2 He relates, that Jesus spake even
when he was in the cradle, and said to his mother:
3 Mary, I am Jesus the Son of God,
that word, which thou didst bring forth according to the declaration of the
angel Gabriel to thee, and my father hath sent me for the salvation of the
world.
4 In the three hundred and ninth
year of the era of Alexander, Augustus published a decree that all persons
should go to be taxed in their own country.
5 Joseph therefore arose, and with
Mary his spouse he went to Jerusalem , and then
came to Bethlehem
6 And when they came by the cave, Mary
confessed to Joseph that her time of bringing forth was come, and she could not
go on to the city, and said, Let us go into this cave.
7 At that time the sun was very near
going down.
8 But Joseph hastened away, that he
might fetch her a midwife; and when he saw an old Hebrew woman who was of Jerusalem
9 It was after sunset, when the old
woman and Joseph with her reached the cave, and they both went into it.
10 And behold, it was all filled with
lights, greater than the light of lamps and candles, and greater than the light
of the sun itself.
11 The infant was then wrapped up in
swaddling clothes, and sucking the breasts of his mother St. Mary.
12 When they both saw this light,
they were surprised; the old woman asked St. Mary, Art thou the mother of this
child?
13 St. Mary replied, She was.
14 On which the old woman said, Thou
art very different from all other women.
15 St. Mary answered, As there is
not any child like to my son, so neither is there any woman like to his mother.
16 The old woman answered, and said,
O my Lady, I am come hither that I may obtain an everlasting reward.
17 Then our Lady St. Mary said to
her, Lay thine hands upon the infant, which, when she had done, she became
whole.
18 And as she was going forth, she
said, From henceforth, all the days of my life, I will attend upon and be a
servant of this infant.
19 After this, when the shepherds came,
and had made a fire, and they were exceedingly rejoiceing, the heavenly host
appeared to them, praising and adoring the supreme God.
20 And as the shepherds were engaged
in the same employment, the cave at that time seemed like a glorious temple, because
both the tongues of angels and men united to adore and magnify God, on account
of the birth of the Lord Christ.
21 But when the old Hebrew woman saw
all these evident miracles, she gave praises to God, and said, I thank thee, O
God, thou God of Israel, for that mine eyes have seen the birth of the Saviour of
the world.
CHAPTER II.
1 The child circumcised in the
cave, 2 and the old woman preserving his foreskin or navel-string in a box of
spikenard, Mary afterwards annoints Christ with it. 5 Christ brought to the
temple; 6 He shines, 7 and angels stand around him adoring. 8 Simeon praises
Christ.
AND when the
time of his circumcision was come: namely, the eighth day, on which the law commanded
the child to be circumcised; they circumcised him in the cave.
2 And the old Hebrew woman took the
foreskin (others say she took the navel-string), and preserved it in an alabaster-box
of old oil of spikenard.
3 And she had a son who was a druggist,
to whom she said, Take heed thou sell not this alabaster- box of
spikenard-ointment, although thou shouldst be offered three hundred pence for
it.
4 Now this is that alabaster- box
which Mary the sinner procured, and poured forth the ointment out of it upon
the head and the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ, and wiped them off with the
hairs of her head.
5 Then after ten days they brought
him to Jerusalem
6 At that time old Simeon saw him
shining as a pillar of light, when St. Mary the Virgin, his mother, carried him
in her arms, and was filled with the greatest pleasure at the sight.
7 And the angels stood around him,
adoring him, as a king's guards stand around him.
8 Then Simeon going near to St.
Mary, and stretching forth his hands towards her, said to the Lord Christ, Now,
O My Lord, thy servant shall depart in peace, according to thy word;
9 For mine eyes have seen thy mercy,
which thou hast prepared for the salvation of all nations; a light to all
people, and the glory of thy people Israel
10 Hannah the prophetess was also
present, and drawing near, she gave praises to God, and celebrated the
happiness of Mary.
CHAPTER III.
1 The wise men visit Christ. Mary
gives them one of his swaddling clothes. 3 An angel appears to them in the form
of a star. 4 They return and make a fire, and worship the swaddling cloth, and
put it in the fire where it remains unconsumed.
AND it came to pass, when the Lord Jesus was born at Bethlehem , a city of Judaea ,
in the time of Herod the King;—the wise men came from the East to Jerusalem
2 Then the Lady Mary took one of
his swaddling clothes in which the infant was wrapped, and gave it to them
instead of a blessing, which they received from her as a most noble present.
3 And at the same time there appeared
to them an angel in the form of that star which had before been their guide in
their journey; the light of which they followed till they returned into their
own country.
4 On their return their kings and
princes came to them inquiring, whom they had seen and done? What sort of
journey and return they had? What Company they had on the road?
5 But they produced the swaddling cloth
which St. Mary had given them, on account whereof they kept a feast.
6 And having, according to the custom
of their country, made a fire, they worshipped it.
7 And casting the swaddling cloth
into it, the fire took it and kept it.
8 And when the fire was put out, they
took forth the swaddling cloth unhurt, as much as if the fire had not touched
it.
9 Then they began to kiss it, and
put it upon their heads and their eyes saying, This is certainly an undoubted
truth, and it is really surprising that the fire could not burn it, and consume
it.
10 Then they took it, and with the
greatest respect laid it up among their treasures.
CHAPTER IV.
1 Herod intends to put Christ to
death. 3 An angel warns Joseph to take the child and his mother into Egypt
NOW Herod
perceiving that the wise men did delay and not return to him, called together
the priest and wise men, and said, Tell me in what place the Christ should be
born.
2 And when they replied, in Bethlehem ,—a city of Judaea
3 But an angel of the Lord appeared
to Joseph in his sleep, and said, Arise, take the child and his mother, and go
into Egypt
4 And as he was considering with
himself about his journey, the morning came upon him.
5 In the length of the journey the
girts of the saddle broke.
6 And now he drew near to a great city,
in which there was an idol, to which the priests of the other idols and gods of
Egypt
7 And there was by this idol a priest
ministering to it, who, as often as Satan spoke out of that idol, related the
things he said to the inhabitants of Egypt
8 This priest had a son three years
old, who was possessed with a great multitude of devils, who uttered many
strange things and when the devils seized him, walked about naked with his
clothes torn, throwing stones at those whom he saw.
9 Near to that idol was the inn of
the city, into which when Joseph and St. Mary were come, and had turned into
that inn, all the inhabitants of the city were astonished.
10 And all the magistrates and priests
of the idols assembled before that idol, and made inquiry there, saying, What
means all this consternation, and dread, which has fallen upon all our country?
11 The idol answered them, The
unknown God is come thither, who is truly God; nor is there any one besides
him, who is worthy of divine worship for he is truly the Son of God.
12 At the fame of him this country
trembled, and at his coming it is under the present commotion and consternation,
and we ourselves are afrighted by the greatness of his power.
13 And at the same instant this idol
fell down, and at his fall all the inhabitants of Egypt
14 But the son of the priest, when
his usual disorder came upon him going into the inn, found there Joseph and St.
Mary, whom all the rest had left behind and forsook.
15 And when the Lady St. Mary had
washed the swaddling clothes of the Lord Christ, and hanged them out to dry
upon a post, the boy possessed with the devil took down one of them, and put it
upon his head.
16 And presently the devils began to
come out of his mouth, and fly away in the shape of crows and serpents.
17 From that time the boy was healed
by the power of the Lord Christ and he began to sing praises, and give thanks
to the Lord who had healed him.
18 When his father saw him restored
to his former state of health, he said, My son, what has happened to thee, and
by what means wert thou cured?
19 The son answered, When the devils
seized me, I went into the inn, and there found a very handsome woman with a
boy, whose swaddling clothes she had just before washed, and hanged out upon a
post.
20 One of these I took, and put it
upon my head, and immediately the devils left me, and fled away.
21 At this the father exceedingly rejoiced,
and said, My son, perhaps this boy is the son of the living God, who made the
heavens and the earth.
22 For as soon as he came amongst
us, the idol was broken, and all the gods fell down, and were destroyed by a
greater power.
23 Then was fulfilled the prophecy which
saith, Out of Egypt I have called my son.
CHAPTER V.
1 Joseph and Mary leave Egypt
NOW Joseph and
Mary when they heard that the idol was fallen down and destroyed, were seized
with fear and, trembling, and said, When we Were in the land
of Israel , Herod, intending to kill Jesus,
slew for that purpose all the infants at Bethlehem
2 And there is no doubt but the
Egyptians if they come to hear that this idol is broken and fallen down, will
burn us with fire.
3 They went therefore hence to the
secret places of robbers, who robbed travellers as they pass by, of their
carriages and their clothes and carried them away bound.
4 These thieves upon their coming
heard a great noise such as the noise of a king with a great army, and many
horse and the trumpets sounding at his departure from his own city, at which
they were so affrighted, as to leave all their booty behind them and fly away
in haste.
5 Upon this the prisoners arose, and
loosed each other's bonds, and taking each man his bags, they went way, and saw
Joseph and Mary coming towards them, and inquired, Where is that king, the
noise of whose approach the robbers heard, and left us, so that we are now come
off safe?
6 Joseph answered, He will come after
us.
CHAPTER VI.
1 Mary looks on a woman in whom
Satan had taken up his abode, and she becomes dispossesed. 5 Christ kissed by a
bride made dumb by sorcerers, cures her. 11 Miraculously cures a gentlewoman in
whom Satan had taken up his abode. 16 A leprous girl cured by the water in
which he was washed, and becomes the servant of Joseph and Mary. 20 The leprous
son of a prince's wife cured in like manner. 37 Has mother offers large gifts to
Mary, and dismisses her.
THEN they went
into another city where there was a woman possessed with a devil, and in whom Satan,
that cursed rebel, had taken up his abode.
2 One night, when she went to fetch
water, she could neither endure her clothes on, nor to be in any house; but as
often as they tied her with chains or cords, she brake them, and went out into
desert places, and sometimes standing where roads crossed, and in church yards,
would throw stones at men.
3 When St. Mary saw this woman, she
pitied her; where upon Satan presently left her, and fled away in the form of a
young man, saying, Wo to me, because of thee, Mary, and thy son.
4 So the woman was delivered from
her torment; but considering herself naked, she blushed, and avoided seeing any
man and having put on her clothes, went home, and gave an account of her case
to her father and relations who, as they were the best of the city, entertained
St. Mary and Joseph with the greatest respect.
5 The next morning having received
a sufficient supply of provisions for the road, they went from them, and about
the evening of the day arrived at another town, where a marriage was then about
to be solemnized; but by the arts of Satan and the practices of a sorcerers,
the bride was become so dumb, that she could not so much as open her mouth.
6 But when this dumb bride saw the
Lady St. Mary entering into the town, and carrying Lord Christ in her arms, she
stretched out her hands to the Lord Christ, and-took him in her arms, and
closely hugging him, very often kissed him, continually moving him and, pressing
him to her body.
7 Straightway the string of her tongue
was loosed, and her ears were opened, and she began to sing praises unto God,
who had restored her.
8 So there was great joy among the
inhabitants of the town that night, who thought that God and his angels were
come down among them.
9 In this place they abode three
days, meeting with the greatest respect and most splendid entertainment.
10 And being then furnished by the
people with provisions for the road, they departed and went to another city, in
which they were inclined to lodge, because it was a famous place.
11 There was in this city a gentlewoman,
who, as she went down one day to the river to bathe, behold cursed Satan leaped
upon her in the form of a serpent.
12 And folded himself about her belly,
and every night lay upon her.
13 This woman seeing the Lady St.
Mary, and the Lord Christ the infant in her bosom, asked the Lady St. Mary,
that she would give her the child to kiss, and carry in her arms.
14 When she had consented, and as
soon as the woman had moved the child, Satan left her, and fled away, nor did
the woman ever afterwards see him.
15 Hereupon all the neighbors praised
the Supreme God, and the woman reward them with ample, beneficence.
16 On the morrow, the same woman
brought perfumed water to wash the Lord Jesus; and when she had washed him, she
preserved the water.
17 And there was a girl there, whose
body was white with a leprosy, who being sprinkled with this water, and washed,
was instantly cleansed from her leprosy.
18 The people therefore said Without
doubt Joseph and Mary, and that boy are Gods, for they do not look like
mortals.
19 And when they were making ready
to go away, the girl, who had been troubled with the leprosy, came and desired
they would permit her to go along with them; so they consented and the girl
went with them till they came to a city in which was the palace of a great king,
and whose house was not far from the inn.
20 Here they staid, and when the
girl went one day to the prince's wife, and found her in a sorrowful and mournful
condition, she asked her the reason of her tears.
21 She replied, wonder not at my
groans, for I am under a great misfortune, of which I dare not tell any one.
22 But, says the, girl, if you will
entrust me with your private grievance, perhaps I may find you a remedy for it.
23 Thou, therefore, says the prince's
wife, shall keep the secret, and not discover it to any one alive.
24 I have been married to this prince,
who rules as king over large dominions, and lived long with him before he had
any child by me.
25 At length I conceived by him, but
alas! I brought forth a leprous son; which, when he saw him would not own to be
his, but said to me,
26 Either do thou kill him, or send
him to some nurse in such a place, that he may be never heard of; and now take
care of yourself; I will never see you more.
27 So here I pine, lamenting my
wretched and miserable circumstances. Alas, my son! alas, my husband; Have I
disclosed it to you?
28 The girl replied I have found a
remedy for your disease, which I promise you, for I also was leprous, but God
hath cleansed me, even he who is called Jesus the son of the Lady Mary.
29 The woman inquiring where that
God was, whom she spake of; the girl answered, He lodges with you here, in the
same house.
30 But how can this be? says she;
where is he? Behold, replied the girl, Joseph and Mary; and the infant who is,
with them is called Jesus; and it is he who delivered me from my disease and torment.
31 But by what means, says she, were
you cleansed from your leprosy? Will not you tell me that?
32 Why not? says the girl; I took
the water with which his body had been washed, and poured it upon me, and my
leprosy vanished.
33 The prince's wife then arose and
entertained them, providing a great feast for Joseph among a large company of
men.
34 And the next day took perfumed
water to wash the Lord Jesus, and afterwards poured the same water upon her son,
whom she had brought with her, and her son was instantly cleansed from his
leprosy,
35 Then she sang thanks and unto
God, and said, Blessed is the mother that bare thee, O Jesus!
36 Dost thou thus cure men of the
same nature with thyself, with the water with which thy body is washed?
37 She then offered very large gifts
to the Lady Mary, and sent her away with all imaginable respect.
CHAPTER VII.
1 A man who could not enjoy his
wife, freed from his disorder. 5 A young man who had been bewitched, and turned
into a mule miraculously cured by Christ being put on his back, 28 and is
married to the girl who had been cured of leprosy.
THEY came
afterwards to another city, and had a mind to lodge there.
2 Accordingly they went to a man's house,
who was newly married but by the influence of sorcerers could not enjoy his
wife.
3 But they lodging at his house that
night, the man was freed of his disorder.
4 And when they were preparing early
in the morning to go forward on their jouney, the new-married person hindered
them, and provided a noble entertainment for them.
5 But going forward on the morrow,
they came to another city, and saw three women going from a certain grave with
great weeping.
6 When St. Mary saw them, she spake
to the girl who was their companion, saying, Go and inquire of them, what is
the matter with them, and what misfortune has befallen them?
7 When the girl asked them, they
made her no answer, but asked her again, Who are ye? and where are you going?
For the day is far spent, and night is at hand.
8 We are travellers, saith the girl,
and we are seeking for an inn to lodge at.
9 They replied, Go along with us,
and lodge with us.
10 They then followed them, and were
introduced into a new house, well furnished with all sorts of furniture.
11 Now it was winter-time, and the
girl went into the parlour where these women were, and found them weeping and lamenting
as before.
12 By them stood a mule, covered over
with silk, and an ebony collar hanging down from his neck, whom they kissed and
were feeding.
13 But when the girl said, How handsome,
ladies, that mule is! they replied with tears, and said, This mule, which you
see, was our brother, born of this same mother as we;
14 For when our father died, and
left us a very large estate, and we had only this brother, and we endeavoured
to procure him a suitable match, and thought he should be married as other men,
some giddy and jealous women bewitched him without our knowledge.
15 And we one night, a little before
day, while the doors of the house were all shut fast, saw this our brother was
changed into a mule, such as you now see him to be:
16 And we in the melancholy condition
in which you see us, having no father to comfort us, have applied to all the
wise men, magicians, and diviners in the world, but they have been of no service
to us.
17 As often therefore as we find ourselves
oppressed with grief, we rise and go with this our mother to our father's tomb,
where, when we have cried sufficiently, we return home.
18 When the girl had heard this she
said, Take courage, and cease your fears, for you have a remedy for your
afflictions near at hand even amoung you and in the midst of your house.
19 For I was also leprous; but when
I saw this woman, and this little infant with her, whose name is Jesus, I
sprinkled my body with the water with which his mother had washed him and I was
presently made well.
20 And I am certain that he is also
capable of relieving you under your distress. Wherefore arise, go to my mistress
Mary, and when you have brought her into your own parlour, disclose to her the secret,
at the same time earnestly beseeching her to compassionate your case.
21 As soon as the women had heard
the girl's discourse, they hastened away to the Lady St. Mary, introduced
themselves to her, and sitting down before her, they wept.
22 And said, O our Lady St . Mary, pity your handmaids, for we have no head
of our family, no one elder than us; no father or brother to go in or out before
us.
23 But this mule, which you see, was
our brother, which some women by witchcraft have brought into this condition
which you see: we therefore entreat you to compassionate us.
24 Hereupon St. Mary was grieved at
their case, and taking the Lord Jesus, put him upon the back of the mule.
25 And said to her son, O Jesus Christ,
restore (or heal) according to thy extraordinary power this mule, and grant him
to have again the shape of a man and a rational creature, as he had formerly.
26 This was scarce said by the Lady
St. Mary, but the mule immediately passed into a human form, and became a young
man without any deformity.
27 Then he and his mother and the
sisters worshipped the Lady St. Mary, and lifting the child upon their heads,
they kissed him, and said, Blessed is thy mother, O Jesus, O Saviour of the
world! Blessed are the eyes which are so happy to see thee.
28 Then both the sisters told their
mother, saying, Of a truth, our brother is restored to his former shape by the
help of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the kindness of that girl who told us of
Mary and her son.
29 And inasmuch as our brother is
unmarried, it is fit that we marry him to this girl their servant.
30 When they had consulted Mary in
this matter, and she had given her consent, they made a splendid wedding for
this girl.
31 And so their sorrow being turned
into gladness, and their mourning into mirth, they began to rejoice, and to
make merry, and sing, being dressed in their richest attire, with bracelets.
32 Afterwards they glorified and praised
God, saying, O Jesus, son of David, who changest sorrow into gladness, and
mourning into mirth!
33 After this Joseph and Mary tarried
there ten days, then went away, having received great respect from these people.
34 Who, when they took their leave
of them, and returned home, cried,
35 But especially the girl.
CHAPTER VIII.
1 Joseph and Mary pass through a
country infested by robbers. 3 Titus a humane thief, offers Dumachus, his
comrade, forty groats to let Joseph and Mary pass unmolested. 6 Jesus prophecies
that the thieves Dumachus and Titus shall be crucified with him and that Titus
shall go before him into paradise. 10 Christ causes a well to spring from a sycamore
tree, and Mary washes his coat in it. 11 A balsam grows there from his sweat.
They go to Memphis Judea .
15 Being warned, depart for Nazareth
IN their journey
from hence they came into a desert country and were told it was infested with robbers;
so Joseph and St. Mary prepared to pass through it in the night.
2 And as they were going along, behold
they saw two robbers asleep in the road, and with them a great number of
robbers, who were their confederates, also asleep.
3 The names of these two were Titus
and Dumachus; and Titus said to Dumachus, I beseech thee let these persons go
along quietly, that our company may not perceive anything of them.
4 But Damachus refusing, Titus again
said, I will give thee forty groats, and as a pledge take my girdle, which he
gave him before he had done speaking, that he might not open his mouth or make a
noise.
5 When the Lady St. Mary saw the
kindness which this robber did shew them, she said to him, The Lord God will
receive thee to his right hand and grant thee pardon of thy sins.
6 Then the Lord Jesus answered, and
said to his mother, When thirty years are expired, O mother, the Jews will
crucify me at Jerusalem
7 And these two thieves shall be
with me at the same time upon the cross, Titus on my right hand, and Dumachus
on my left, and from that time Titus shall go before me into paradise;
8 And when she had said, God forbid
this should be thy lot, O my son, they went on to a city in which were several
idols; which, as soon as they came near to it, was turned into hills of sand.
9 Hence they went to that sycamore
tree, which is now called Matarea.
10 And in Materea the Lord Jesus
caused a well to spring forth, in which St. Mary washed his coat;
11 And a balsam is produced, or
grows, in that country, from the sweat which ran down there from the Lord
Jesus.
12 Thence they proceeded to Memphis , and saw Pharoah, and abode three years in Egypt
13 And the Lord Jesus did very many
miracles, in Egypt
14 At the end of three years he returned
out of Egypt , and when he
came near to Judea , Joseph was afraid to
enter;
15 For hearing that Herod was dead,
and that Archelaus his son reigned in his stead, he was afraid.
16 And when he went to Judea, an,
angel of God appeard to him, and said, O Joseph go into the city of Nazareth
17 It is strange indeed, that he, who
is the Lord of all countries, should be thus carried backward and forward,
through so many countries.
CHAPTER IX.
2 Two sick children cured by water
wherein Christ was washed.
WHEN they came
afterwards into the city of Bethlehem
2 There was there a woman who had a
sick son, whom she brought, when he was at the point of death, to the Lady St.
Mary, who saw her when she was washing Jesus Christ.
3 Then said the woman, O my Lady
Mary, look down upon this my son, who is afflicted with most dreadful pains.
4 St. Mary hearing her, said, Take
a little of that water with which I have washed my son, and sprinkle it upon
him.
5 Then she took a little of that water,
as St. Mary had commanded, and sprinkled it upon her son, who being wearied
with his violent pains, was fallen asleep; and after he had slept a little,
awaked perfectly well and recovered.
6 The mother being abundantly glad
of this success, went again to St. Mary, and St. Mary said to her, Give praise
to God, who hath cured this thy son.
7 There was in the same place another
woman, a neighbour of her, whose son was now cured.
8 This woman's son was afflicted with
the same disease, and his eyes were now almost quite shut, and she was
lamenting for him day and night.
9 The mother of the child which was
cured, said to her, Why do you not bring your son to St. Mary, as I brought my
son to her, when he was in the agonies of death; and he was cure by that water,
with which the body of her son Jesus was washed?
10 When the woman heard her say
this, she also went, and having procured the same water, washed her son with
it, whereupon his body and his eyes were instantly restored to their former
state.
11 And when she brought her son to
St. Mary, and opened his case to her, she commanded her to give thanks to God
for the recovery of her son's health, and tell no one what had happened.
CHAPTER X.
1 Two wives of one man, each have
a son sick. 2 One of them named Mary, and whose son's name was Caleb, presents
the Virgin with a handsome carpet, and Caleb is cured; but the son of the other
wife dies, 4 which occasions a difference between the women. 5 The other wife
puts Caleb into a hot oven, and he is miraculously preserved, 9 she afterwards
throws him into a well, and he is again preserved; 11 his mother appeals to the
Virgin against the other wife, 12 whose downfall the Virgin prophecies, 13 and
who accordingly falls into the well, 14 therein fulfilling a saying of old.
THERE were in
the same city two wives of one man, who had each a son sick. One of them was
called Mary, and her son's name was Caleb.
2 She arose, and taking her son, went
to the Lady St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and offered her a very handsome
carpet, saying, O my Lady Mary accept this carpet of me, and instead of it give
me a small swaddling cloth.
3 To this Mary agreed, and when the
mother of Caleb was gone, she made a coat for her son of the swaddling cloth,
put it on him, and his disease was cured; but the son of the other wife died.
4 Hereupon there arose between them
a difference in doing the business of the family by turns, each her week;
5 And when the turn of Mary the
mother of Caleb came, and she was heating the oven to bake bread, and went away
to fetch the meal, she left her son Caleb by the oven;
6 Whom the other wife, her rival,
seeing to be by himself, took and cast him into the oven, which was very hot,
and then went away.
7 Mary on her return saw her son
Caleb lying in the middle of the oven laughing, and the oven quite as cold as
though it had not been before heated, and knew that her rival the other wife
had thrown him into the fire.
8 When she took him out, she brought
him to the Lady St. Mary, and told her the story, to whom she replied, Be
quiet, I am concerned lest thou shouldest make this matter known.
9 After this her rival, the other wife,
as she was drawing water at the well, and saw Caleb playing by the well, and
that no one was near, took him, and threw him into the well.
10 And when some men came to fetch
water from the well, they saw the boy sitting on the superficies of the water,
and drew him out with ropes, and were exceedingly surprised at the child, and
praised God.
11 Then came the mother and took him
and carried him to the Lady St. Mary, lamenting. and saying, O my Lady, see
what my rival hath done to my son, and how she hath cast him into the well, and
I do not question but one time or other she will be the occasion of his death.
12 St. Mary replied to her, God will
vindicate your injured cause.
13 Accordingly a few days after, when
the other wife came to the well to draw water, her foot was entangled in the
rope, so that she fell headlong into the well, and they who ran to her
assistance found her skull broken, and bones bruised.
14 So she came to a bad end, and in
her was fulfilled that saying of the author, They digged a well, and made it
deep, but fell themselves into the pit which they prepared.
CHAPTER XI.
1 Bartholomew, when a child and
sick, miraculously restored by being laid on Christ's bed.
ANOTHER woman in
that city had. likewise two son's sick.
2 And when one was dead, the other,
who lay at the point of death, she took in her arms to the Lady St. Mary, and
in a flood of tears addressed herself to her, saying,
3 O my Lady, help and relieve me;
for I had two sons, the one I have just now buried, the other I see is fast at
the point of death behold how I (earnestly) seek for your from God, and pray to
him.
4 Then she said, O Lord, thou art
gracious, and merciful, and kind; thou, hast given me two sons; one of them
thou halt taken to thyself, O spare me this other.
5 St. Mary then perceiving the greatness
of her sorrow, pitied her and said, Do thou place thy son in my son's bed, and
cover him with his clothes.
6 And when she had placed him in
the bed wherein Christ lay, at the moment when his eyes were just closed by
death; as soon as ever the small of the garments of the Lord Jesus Christ
reached the boy, his eyes were opened, and calling with a loud voice to his mother,
he asked for bread, and when he had received it, he sucked it.
7 Than his mother said, O Lady Mary,
now I am assured that the powers of God do dwell in you, so that thy son can
cure children who are of the same sort as himself, as soon as they touch his
garments.
8 This boy, who was thus cured, is
the same who in the Gospel is called Bartholomew.
CHAPTER XII.
A leprous woman healed by Christ's
washing water. 7 A princess healed by it and restored to her husband.
AGAIN, there was
a leprous woman who went to the Lady St. Mary, the mother of Jesus, and said, O
my Lady, help me.
2 St. Mary replied, What help does
thou desire? Is it gold or silver, or that thy body be cured of its leprosy?
3 Who, says the woman, can grant me
this?
4 St. Mary replied to her, Wait a
little till I have washed my son Jesus, and put him to bed.
5 The woman waited, as she was
commanded; and Mary when she had put Jesus in bed, giving her the water with
which she had washed his body, said, Take some of the water, and pour it upon
thy body;
6 Which when she had done, she
instantly became clean, and praised God, and gave thanks to him.
7 Then she went away, after she had
abode with her three days;
8 And going into the city, she saw
a certain prince, who had married another princes daughter;
9 But when he came to see her, he
perceived between her eyes the signs of leprosy like a star, and thereupon
declared the marriage dissolved and void.
10 When the woman saw these persons
in this condition, exceeding sorrowful, and shedding abundance of tears, she
inquired of them the reason of their crying;
11 They replied, inquire not into
our circumstances; for we are not able to declare our misfortunes to any,
person, whatsoever.
12 But she still pressed and desired
them to communicate their case to her; intimating, that she might be able to
direct them to a remedy.
13 So when they showed the young woman
to her, and the signs of the leprosy, which appeared between her eyes;
14 She said, I also whom ye see in
this place, was afflicted with the same distemper, and going on some business
to Bethlehem
15 She seeing me to be leprous, was
concerned for me, and gave me some water with which she had washed her son's
body, with that I sprinkled my body, and became clean.
16 Then said these women, Will you
Mistress, go along with us, and show the Lady St. Mary to us?
17 To which she consenting, they
arose and went to the Lady St. Mary, taking with them very noble presents.
18 And when they came in and offered
their presents to her, they showed the leprous young woman whom they brought
with them to her.
19 Then said St. Mary, The mercy of
the Lord Jesus Christ rest upon you;
20 And giving them a little of that
water, with which she had washed the body of Jesus Christ, she bade them wash
the diseased person with it, which when they had done, she was presently cured;
21 So they, and all who were present,
praised God; and being filled with joy, they went back to their own city, and
gave praises to God on that account.
22 Then the prince hearing that his
wife was cured, took her home and made a second marriage, giving thanks unto
God for the recovery of his wife's health.
CHAPTER XIII.
1 A girl, whose blood Satan sucked
receives one of Christ's swaddling clothes from the Virgin, 14 Satan comes like
a dragon, and she shews it to him; flames and burning coals proceed from it and
fall upon him; 19 he is miraculously discomfited, and leaves the girl.
THERE was also a
girl, who was afflicted by Satan,
2 For that cursed spirit did frequently
appear to her in the shape of a dragon, and was inclined to swallow her up, and
had so sucked out all her blood, that she looked like a dead carcass.
3 As often as she came to herself, with
her hands wringed about her head she would cry out, and say, Wo, Wo is me, that
there is no one to be found, who can deliver me from that impious dragon!
4 Her father and mother, and all
who were about her and saw her, mourned and wept over her;
5 And all who were present would
especially be under sorrow and in tears, when they heard her bewailing and
saying, My brethren and friends, is here no one who can deliver me from this
murderer?
6 Then the prince's daughter, who
had been cured of her leprosy, hearing the complaint of that girl, went upon
the top of her castle, and saw her with her hands twisted about her head,
pouring out a flood of tears, and all the people that were about her in tears.
7 Then she asked the husband of the
possessed person, Whether his wife's mother was alive? He told her, That her
father and mother were both alive,
8 Then she ordered her mother to be
sent to her; to whom, when she saw her coming, she said, Is this possessed girl
thy daughter? She moaning and bewailing said, Yes madam I bore her.
9 The prince's daughter answered, Disclose
the secret of her case to me, for I confess to you that I was leprous, but the
Lady Mary, the mother of Jesus Christ, healed me.
10 And if you desire your daughter
to be restored to her former state, take her to Bethlehem
11 As soon as ever she had done speaking,
she arose and went with her daughter to the place appointed, and to Mary, and
told her the case of her daughter.
12 When St. Mary had heard her
story, she gave her a little of the water with which she had washed the body of
her son Jesus, and bade her pour it upon the body of her daughter.
13 Likewise she gave her one of the
swaddling cloths of the Lord Jesus, and said, Take this swaddling cloth, and
shew it to thine enemy as often as thou seest him and she sent them away in peace.
14 After they bad left that city and
returned home, and the time was come in which Satan was wont to seize her, in
the same moment this cursed spirit appeared to her in the shape of a huge dragon,
and the girl seeing him was afraid,
15 The mother said to her, Be not
afraid, daughter; let him alone till he come nearer to thee! then shew him the
swaddling cloth, which the Lady Mary gave us, and we shall see the event.
16 Satan then coming like a dreadful
dragon, the body of the girl trembled for fear.
17 But as soon as she had put the
swaddling cloth upon her head, and about her eyes, and chewed it to him,
presently there issued forth from the swaddling cloth flames and burning coals,
and fell upon the dragon.
18 Oh! how great a miracle was this,
which was done: as soon as the dragon saw the swaddling cloth of the Lord Jesus,
fire went forth and was scattered upon his head and eyes; so that he cried out
with a loud voice, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son of Mary?
Whither shall I flee from thee?
19 So he drew back much affrighted,
and left the girl.
20 And she was delivered from this
trouble, and sang praises and thanks to God, and with her all who were present
at the working of the miracle.
CHAPTER XIV.
1 Judas when a boy possessed by Satan, and brought up by
his parents to Jesus to be cured, whom he tries to bite, 7 but failing, strikes Jesus and makes him cry out. Whereupon Satan
goes from Jesus in the shape of a dog.
ANOTHER woman
likewise lived there, whose son was possessed by Satan,
2 This boy, named Judas, as often
as Satan seized him, was inclined to bite all that were present; and if he
found no one else near him, he would bite his own hands and other parts.
3 But the mother of this miserable boy,
hearing of St. Mary and her son Jesus, arose presently and taking her son in
her arms, brought him to the Lady Mary.
4 In the meantime, James and Joses
had taken away the infant, the Lord Jesus, to play at a proper season with
other children; and when they went forth, they sat down and the Lord Jesus with
them.
5 Then Judas, who was possessed, came
and sat down at the right hand of Jesus.
6 When Satan was acting upon him as
usual, he went about to bite the Lord Jesus.
7 And because he could not do it,
he struck Jesus on the right side, so that he cried out.
8 And in the same moment Satan went
out of the boy, and ran away like a mad dog.
9 This same boy who struck Jesus,
and out of whom Satan went in the form of a dog, was Judas Iscariot, who betrayed
him to the Jews.
10 And that same side, on which Judas:
struck him, the Jews pierced with a spear.
CHAPTER XV.
1 Jesus and other boys play together,
and make clay figures of animals. 4 Jesus causes them to walk, 6 also makes
clay birds, which he causes to fly, and eat and drink. 7 The children's parents
alarmed, and take Jesus for a sorcerer. 8 He goes to a dyer's shop, and throws
all the cloths into the furnace, and works a miracle therewith. 15 Whereupon
the Jews praise God.
AND when the
Lord Jesus was seven years of age, he was on a certain day with other boys his
companions about the same age;
2 Who, when they were at play, made
clay into several shapes, namely-asses, oxen, birds, and other figures;
3 Each boasting of his work, and
endeavouring to exceed the rest.
4 Then the Lord Jesus said to the
boys, I will command these figures which I have made to walk.
5 And immediately they moved, and
when he commanded them to return, they returned.
6 He had also made the figures of
birds and sparrows, which, when he commanded to fly, did fly, and when he
commanded to stand still, did stand still; and if he gave them meat and drink,
they did eat and drink.
7 When at length the boys went away,
and related these things to their parents, their fathers said to them, Take
heed, children, for the future of his company, for he is a sorcerer; shun and
avoid him, and from henceforth never play with him.
8 On a certain day also, when the
Lord Jesus was playing with the boys, and running about, he passed by a dyer's
shop, whose name was Salem
9 And there were in his shop many
pieces of cloth belonging to the people of that city, which they designed to
dye of several colours.
10 Then the Lord Jesus going into
the dyer's shop, took all the cloths, and threw them into the furnace.
11 When Salem
12 What hast thou done to me, O thou
son of Mary? Thou hast injured both me and my neighbours; they all desired
their cloths of a proper colour; but thou hast come and spoiled them all.
13 The Lord Jesus replied, I will
change the colour of every cloth to what colour thou desirest.
14 And then he presently began to
take the cloths out of the furnace, and they were all dyed of those same colours
which the dyer desired.
15 And when the Jews saw this surprising
miracle, they praised God.
CHAPTER XVI.
1 Christ miraculously widens or contracts
the gates, milk pails, sieves, or boxes, not properly made by Joseph, 4 he not
being skilful at his carpenter's trade. 5 The King of Jerusalem
AND Joseph,
wheresoever he went in the city, took the Lord Jesus with him, where he was
sent for to work to make gates, or milk-pails, or sieves, or boxes; the Lord
Jesus was with him, wheresoever be went.
2 And as often as Joseph had anything
in his work, to make longer, or shorter, or wider, or narrower, the Lord Jesus
would stretch his hand towards it.
3 And presently it became as Joseph
would have it:
4 So that he had no need to finish
anything with his own hands, for he was not very skilful at his carpenter's
trade.
5 On a certain time the King of Jerusalem
sent for him, and said, I would have thee make me a throne of the same dimensions
with that place in which I commonly sit.
6 Joseph obeyed, and forthwith began
the work, and continued two years in the king's palace before he finished it.
7 And when he came to fix it in its
place, he found it wanted two spans on each side of the appointed messure.
8 Which when the king saw, he was
very angry with Joseph;
9 And Joseph afraid of the king's
anger, went to bed without his supper, taking not any thing to eat.
10 Then the Lord Jesus asked him,
What he was afraid of?
11 Joseph replied, Because I have
lost my labour in the work which I have been about these two years.
12 Jesus said to him, Fear not, neither
be cast down;
13 Do thou lay hold on one side of
the throne, and I will the other, and we will bring it to its just dimensions.
14 And when Joseph had done as the
Lord Jesus said, and each of them had with strength drawn his side, the throne
obeyed, and was brought to the proper dimensions of the place:
15 Which miracle when they who stood
by saw, they were astonished, and praised God.
16 The throne was made of the same
wood which was in being in Solomon's time, namely, wood adorned with various
shapes, and figures.
CHAPTER XVII.
1 Jesus plays with boys at hide
and seek. 3 Some women put his playfellows in a furnace, 7 where they are
transformed by Jesus into kids. 10 Jesus calls them to go and play, and they
are restored to their former shape.
ON another day
the Lord Jesus going out into the street, and seeing some boys who were met to
play, joined himself to their company.
2 But when they saw him, they hid
themselves, and left him to seek for them;
3 The Lord Jesus came to the gate
of a certain house, and asked some women who were standing there, Where the
boys were gone?
4 And when they answered, That
there was no one there; the Lord Jesus said, Who are those whom ye see in the
furnace?
5 They answered, They were kids of
three years old.
6 Then Jesus cried out aloud, and
said, Come out hither, O ye kids, to your shepherd;
7 And presently the boys came forth
like kids, and leaped about him; which when the women saw, they were
exceedingly amazed, and trembled,
8 Then they immediately worshipped,
the Lord Jesus, and beseeched him, saying, O our Lord Jesus, son of Mary, thou
art truly that good shepherd of Israel! have mercy on thy handmaids, who stand
before thee, who do not doubt, but that thou, O Lord, art come to save, and not
to destroy.
9 After that, when the Lord Jesus
said, the children of Israel
10 Then Jesus said, Come hither, O
boys, that we may go and play; and immediately, in the presence of these women,
the kids were changed, and returned into the shape of boys.
CHAPTER XVIII.
1 Jesus becomes the king of his
playfellows, and they crown him with flowers; 4 miraculously causes a serpent
who had bitten Simon the Cananite, then a boy, to suck out all the poison
again; 16 the serpent bursts, and Christ restores the boy to health.
IN the month
Adar Jesus gathered together the boys, and ranked them as though he had been a
king.
2 For they spread their garments on
the ground for him to sit on; and having made a crown of flowers, put it upon
his head, and stood on his right and left as the guards of a king.
3 And if any one happened to pass
by, they took him by force, and said, Come hither, and worship the king, that
you may have a prosperous journey.
4 In the mean time, while these
things were doing, there came certain men, carrying a boy upon a couch;
5 For this boy having gone with his
companions to the mountain to gather wood, and having found there a partridge's
nest, and put his hand in to take out the eggs, was stung by a poisonous
serpent, which leaped out of the nest; so that he was forced to cry out for the
help of his companions; who, when they came, found him lying upon the earth like
a dead person.
6 After which his neighbours came
and carried him back into the city.
7 But when they came to the place
where the Lord Jesus, was sitting like a king, and the other boys stood around
him like his ministers, the boys made haste to meet him, who was bitten by the serpent,
and said to his neighbours, Come and pay your respects to the king;
8 But when, by reason of their sorrow,
they refused to come, the boys drew them, and forced them against their wills
to come.
9 And when they came to the Lord
Jesus, he inquired, On what account they carried that boy?
10 And when they answered that a
serpent had bitten him, the Lord Jesus said to the boys, Let us go and kill
that serpent.
11 But when the parents of the boy
desired to be excused, because their son lay at the point of death; the boys
made answer, and said, Did not ye hear what the king said? Let us go and kill
the serpent; and will not ye obey him?
12 So they brought the couch back
again, whether they would or not.
13 And when they were come to the
nest, the Lord Jesus said to the boys, Is this the serpent's lurking place?
They said, It was.
14 Then the Lord Jesus calling the
serpent, it presently came forth and submitted to him; to whom he said, Go and
suck out all the poison which thou hast infused into that boy:
15 So the serpent crept to the boy,
and took away all its poison again.
16 Then the Lord Jesus cursed the serpent,
so that it immediately burst asunder, and died;
17 And he touched the boy with his
hand to restore him to his former health;
18 And when he began to cry, the
Lord Jesus said, Cease crying for hereafter thou shale be my disciple;
19 And this is that Simon the Canaanite,
who is mentioned in the Gospel.
CHAPTER XIX.
1 James being bitten by a viper, Jesus
blows on the wound and cures him. 4 Jesus charged with throwing a boy from the
roof of, a house, 10 miraculously raises the dead boy to acquit him; 12 fetches
water for his mother, breaks the pitcher and miraculously gathers the water in
his mantle and brings it home; 16 makes fish pools on the Sabbath, 20 causes a
boy to die who broke them down, 22 another boy runs against him, whom he also
causes to die.
ON another day Joseph
sent his son James to gather wood, and the Lord Jesus went with him;
2 And when they came to the place
where the wood was, and James began to gather it, behold, a venemous viper bit
him, so that he began to cry, and make a noise.
3 The Lord Jesus seeing him in this
condition, came to him, and blowed upon the place where the viper had bit him,
and it was instantly well.
4 On a certain day the Lord Jesus
was with some boys, who were playing on the house-top, and one of the boys fell
down, and presently died.
5 Upon which the other boys all running
away, the Lord Jesus was left alone on the house-top.
6 And the boy's relations came to
him and said to the Lord Jesus, Thou didst throw our son down from the
house-top.
7 But he denying it, they cried out,
Our son is dead, and this is he who killed him.
8 The Lord Jesus replied to them,
Do not charge me with a crime of which you are not able to convict me, but let
us go and ask the boy himself, who will bring the truth to light.
9 Then the Lord Jesus going down
stood over the head of the dead boy, and said with a loud voice, Zeinunus,
Zeinunus, who threw thee down from the housetop?
10 Then the dead boy answered, thou
didst not throw me down, but such a one did.
11 And when the Lord Jesus bade
those who stood by to take present praised God on account of that miracle.
12 On a certain time the Lady St.
Mary had commanded the Lord Jesus to fetch her some water out of the well;
13 And when he had gone to fetch the
water, the pitcher, when it was brought up full, brake;
14 But Jesus spreading his mantle gathered
up the water again, and brought it in that to his mother;
15 Who, being astonished at this wonderful
thing, laid up this, and all the other things which she had seen, in her
memory.
16 Again on another day the Lord
Jesus was with some boys by a river, and they drew water out of the river by
little channels, and made little fish-pools.
17 But the Lord Jesus had made
twelve sparrows, and placed them about his pool on each side, three on a side.
18 But it was the Sabbath day, and
the son of Hanani a Jew came by, and saw them making these things, and said, Do
ye thus make figures of clay on the Sabbath? And he ran to them, and broke down
their fish-pools.
19 But when the Lord Jesus clapped
his hands over the sparrows which he had made, they fled away chirping.
20 At length the son of Hanani coming
to the fish-pool of Jesus to destroy it, the water vanished away, and the Lord
Jesus said to him,
21 In like manner as this water had
vanished, so shall thy life vanish; and presently the boy died.
22 Another time, when the Lord Jesus
was coming home in the evening with Joseph, he met a boy, who ran so hard
against him, that he threw him down;
23 To whom the Lord Jesus said, As
thou hast thrown me down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever rise.
24 And that moment the boy fell down
and died.
CHAPTER XX.
4 Christ sent to school to
Zaccheus to learn his letters, and teaches Zaccheus. 13 Sent to another schoolmaster,
14 refuses to tell his letters, and the schoolmaster going to whip him, his
hand withers and he dies.
THERE was also
at Jerusalem
2 And he said to Joseph, Joseph, why
dost thou not send Jesus to me, that he may learn his letters?
3 Joseph agreed, and told St. Mary;
4 So they brought him to that master;
who, as soon as he saw him, wrote out an alphabet for him,
5 And he bade him say Aleph; and
when he had said Aleph, the master bade him pronounce Beth.
6 Then the Lord Jesus said to him,
Tell me first the meaning of the letter Aleph, and then I will pronounce Beth.
7 And when the master threatened to
whip him, the Lord Jesus explained to him the meaning of the letters Aleph and
Beth;
8 Also which were the straight figures
of the letters, which the oblique, and what letters had double figures; which
had points, and which had none; why one letter went before another; and many other
things he began to tell him, and explain, of which the master himself had never
heard, nor read in any book.
9 The Lord Jesus farther said to
the master, Take notice how I say to thee; then he began clearly and distinctly
to say Aleph, Beth, Gimel, Daleth, and so on to the end of the alphabet.
10 At this the master was so surprised,
that he said, I believe this boy was born before Noah;
11 And turning to Joseph, he said,
Thou hast brought a boy to me to be taught, who is more learned than any
master.
12 He said also to St. Mary, This
your son has no need of any learning.
13 They brought him then to a more
learned master, who, when he saw him, said, say Aleph;
14 And when he had sand Aleph, the
master bade him pronounce Beth; to which the Lord Jesus replied, Tell me first
the meaning of the letter Aleph, and then I will pronounce Beth.
15 But this master, when he did lift
up his hand to whip him, had his hand presently withered, and he died.
16 Then said Joseph to St. Mary, Henceforth
we will not allow him to go out of the house; for every one who displeases him
is killed.
CHAPTER XXI.
Compare Luke ii. 42, whose meagre
account is deficient of the sublime details here given of the subjects disputed
upon. 1 Disputes learnedly with the doctors in the temple, 7 on law, 9 on
astronomy, 12 on physics and metaphysics. 21 Is worshiped by a philosopher, 28
and fetched home by his mother.
AND when he was
twelve years old, they brought him to Jerusalem
2 But the Lord Jesus continued behind
in the temple among the doctors and elders, and learned men of Israel; to whom
he proposed several questions of learning, and also gave them answers:
3 For he said to them, Whose son is
the Messiah? They answered, the son of David.
4 Why then, said he, does he in the
spirit call him Lord? When he saith, The Lord said to my Lord, sit thou at my
right hand, till I have made thine enemies thy foot- stool.
5 Then a certain principal Rabbi asked
him, Hast thou read books?
6 Jesus answered, be had read both
books, and the things which were contained in books.
7 And he explained to them the books
of the law, and precepts, and statutes: and the mysteries which are contained
in the books of the prophets; things which the mind of no creature could reach.
8 Then said that Rabbi, I never yet
have seen or heard of such knowledge! What do you think that boy will be?
9 When a certain astronomer, who
was present, asked the Lord Jesus, Whether he had studied astronomy?
10 The Lord Jesus replied, and told
him the number of the spheres and heavenly bodies, as also their triangular,
square, and sextile aspect; their progressive and retrograde motion; their size
and several prognostications; and other things which the reason of man had
never discovered.
11 There was also among them a
philosopher well skilled in physic and natural philosophy, who asked the Lord
Jesus, Whether he had studied physic?
12 He replied, and explained to him
physics and metaphysics.
13 Also those things which were above
and below the power of nature;
14 The powers also of the body, its
humours, and their effects.
15 Also the number of its members, and
bones, veins, arteries, and nerves;
16 The several constitutions of body,
hot and dry, cold and moist, and the tendencies of them;
17 How the soul operated upon the
body;
18 What its various sensations and
faculties, were;
19 The faculty of speaking, anger, desire;
20 And lastly the manner of its composition
and dissolution; and other things, which the understanding of no creature had
ever reached.
21 Then that philosopher arose, and
worshipped the Lord Jesus, and said, O Lord Jesus, from henceforth I will be
thy disciple and servant.
22 While they were discoursing on
these and such like things, the Lady St. Mary came in, having been three days
walking about with Joseph, seeking for him.
23 And when she saw him sitting among
the doctors, and in his turn proposing questions to them, and giving answers,
she said to him, My son, why hast thou done thus by us? Behold I and thy father
have been at much pains in seeking thee.
24 He replied, Why did ye seek me?
Did ye not know that I ought to be employed in my father's house?
25 But they understood not the words
which he said to them.
26 Then the doctors asked Mary, Whether
this were her son? And when she said, He was, they said, O happy Mary, who hast
borne such a son.
27 Then he returned with them to Nazareth
28 And his mother kept all these things
in her mind;
29 And the Lord Jesus grew in stature
and wisdom, and favour with God and man.
CHAPTER XXII.
1 Jesus conceals his miracles, 2
studies the law, 3 and is baptized.
NOW from this
time Jesus began to conceal his miracles and secret works,
2 And gave himself to the study of
the law, till he arrived to the end of his thirtieth year;
3 At which time the Father publicly
owned him at Jordan
4 The Holy Ghost being also present
in the form of a dove.
5 This is he whom we worship with
all reverence, because he gave us our life and being, and brought us from our
mother's womb, Glory to God,
6 Who, for our sakes, took a human
body, and hath redeemed us, that so he might embrace us with everlasting mercy,
and shew his free, large, bountiful grace and goodness to us.
7 To him be glory and praise, and
power, and dominion, from henceforth said for evermore. Amen. (The end of the
whole Gospel of the Infancy, by the assistance of the Supreme God, according to
what we found in the original.)
REFERENCES
TO THE FIRST GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST
Mr. Henry Sike, Professor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge Egypt La Crosse cites
a synod at Angamala, in the Mountain
of Malabar
THE SECOND GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY OF
JESUS CHRIST
An Account of the ACTIONS and MIRACLES of our Lord and Saviour JESUS CHRIST in his INFANCY.
CHAPTER I.
2 Jesus miraculously clears the water
after rain. 4 Plays with clay sparrows, which he animates on the Sabbath day.
I THOMAS, an
Israelite, judged it necessary to make known to our brethren among the
Gentiles, the actions and miracles of Christ in his childhood, which our Lord and
God Jesus Christ wrought after his birth in Bethlehem
2 When the child Jesus was five
years of age, and there had been a shower of rain, which was now over, Jesus
was playing with other Hebrew boys by a running stream; and the water running over
the banks, stood in little lakes;
3 But the water instantly became clear
and useful again; he having smote them only by his word, they readily obeyed
him.
4 Then he took from the bank of the
stream some soft clay, and formed out of it twelve sparrows; and there were
other boys playing with him.
5 But a certain Jew seeing the things
which he was doing, namely, his forming clay into the figures of sparrows on
the Sabbath day, went presently away, and told his father Joseph, and said,
6 Behold, thy boy is playing by the
river side, and has taken clay, and formed it into twelve sparrows, and
profaneth the Sabbath.
7 Then Joseph came to the place
where he was, and when he saw him, called to him, and said, Why doest thou that
which it is not lawful to do on the Sabbath day?
8 Then Jesus clapping together the
palms of his hands, called to the sparrows, and said to them Go, fly away; and
while ye live remember me.
9 So the sparrows fled away making
a noise.
10 The Jews seeing this, were astonished,
and went away, and told their chief persons what a strange miracle they had
seen wrought by Jesus.
CHAPTER II.
2 Causes a boy to wither who broke
down his fish-pools; 6 Partly restores him. 7 Kills another boy. 16 causes
blindness to fall on his accusers, 18 for which, Joseph pulls him by the ear.
BESIDES this,
the son of Annas the scribe, was standing there with Joseph, and took a bough of
a willow tree, and scattered the waters which Jesus had gathered into lakes.
2 But the boy Jesus seeing what he
had done, became angry, and said to him, Thou fool, what harm did the lake do
thee, that thou shouldest scatter the water?
3 Behold, now thou shalt wither as
a tree, and shalt not bring forth either leaves, or branches, or fruit.
4 And immediately he became withered
all over.
5 Then Jesus went away home. But
the parents of the boy who was withered, lamenting the misfortune of his youth,
took and carried him to Joseph, accusing him, and said, Why dost thou keep a son
who is guilty of such actions?
6 Then Jesus at the request of all
who were present did heal him, leaving only some small member to continue
withered, that they might take warning.
7 Another time Jesus went forth
into the street, and a boy running by, rushed upon his shoulder;
8 At which Jesus being angry, said
to him, Thou shalt go no farther;
9 And he instantly fell down dead:
10 Which when some persons saw, they
said, Where was this boy born, that every thing which he says presently cometh
to pass?
11 Then the parents of the dead boy
going to Joseph, complained, saying, You are not fit to live with us, in our
city, having such a boy as that:
12 Either teach him that he bless
and not curse, or else depart hence with him, for he kills our children.
13 Then Joseph calling the boy Jesus
by himself, instructed him, saying, Why doest thou such things to injure the
people so, that they hate us and prosecute us?
14 But Jesus replied, I know that
what thou sayest is not of thyself, but for thy sake I will say nothing;
15 But they who have said these things
to thee, shall suffer everlasting punishment.
16 And immediately they who had
accused him became blind,
17 And all they who saw it were exceedingly
afraid and confounded, and said concerning him, Whatsoever he saith, whether
good or bad, immediately cometh to pass and they were amazed.
18 And when they saw this action of
Christ, Joseph arose, and plucked him by the ear, at which the boy was angry,
and said to him, Be easy;
19 For if they seek for us, they shall
not find us: thou hast done very imprudently.
20 Dost thou not know that I am
thine? Trouble me no more.
CHAPTER III.
1 Astonishes his schoolmaster by
his learning.
A CERTAIN
schoolmaster named Zaccheaus, standing in a certain place, heard Jesus speaking
these things to his father.
2 And he was much surprised, that
being a child he should speak such things; and after a few days he came to
Joseph, and said,
3 Thou hast a wise and sensible child,
send him to me, that he may learn to read.
4 When he sat down to teach the
letters to Jesus, he began with the first letter Aleph;
5 But Jesus pronounced the second
letter Mpeth (Beth) Cghimel (Gimel), and said over all the letters to him to
the end.
6 Then opening a book, he taught his
master the prophets but he was ashamed, and was at a loss to conceive how he
came to know the letters.
7 And he arose and went home, wonderfully
surprised at so strange a thing.
CHAPTER IV.
1 Fragment of an adventure at a
dyer's.
AS Jesus was
passing by a certain shop, he saw a young man dipping (or dyeing) some cloths
and stockings in a furnace, of a sad colour, doing them according to every person's
particular order;
2 The boy Jesus going to the young
man who was doing this, took also some of the cloths ...... Here endeth the fragment of Thomas's Gospel
of the Infancy of Jesus Christ.
REFERRENCE TO ST. THOMAS
The original in Greek, from which this translation is
made, will be found printed by Cotelerius, in his notes on the constitutions of
the Apostles, from a MS. in the French King's Library, No. 2279.—It is attributed
to St. Thomas
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