Adapted
from the Infancy Gospel of James,
M.R. James translation, which is derived from Lobegott Friedrich Constantin
(von) Tischendorf (January
18, 1815 – December 7, 1874). From New Testament Apocrypha, M.R. James ed., first published Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924.
Birth of Mary
1.
There was a man Ioachim who was very rich.
and Ioachim had gotten no seed in Israel.
And he searched, and found concerning the righteous
that they had all raised up seed in Israel.
And he remembered the patriarch Abraham,
how in the last days God gave him a son, Isaac.
And Ioachim was upset, and did not show himself to his wife, Anna,
but took himself into the wilderness, saying:
I will not go down either for meat or drink
until the Lord my God visit me.
and Ioachim had gotten no seed in Israel.
And he searched, and found concerning the righteous
that they had all raised up seed in Israel.
And he remembered the patriarch Abraham,
how in the last days God gave him a son, Isaac.
And Ioachim was upset, and did not show himself to his wife, Anna,
but took himself into the wilderness, saying:
I will not go down either for meat or drink
until the Lord my God visit me.
2.
Now
Anna lamented with two lamentations,
and bewailed herself with two bewailings, saying:
I will bewail my widowhood,
and I will bewail my childlessness.
And she adorned her head
and put on her bridal garments
and besought the Lord saying: O God of our fathers,
bless me, and hearken to my prayer,
as you did bless the womb of Sarah,
and gave her a son, Isaac.
and bewailed herself with two bewailings, saying:
I will bewail my widowhood,
and I will bewail my childlessness.
And she adorned her head
and put on her bridal garments
and besought the Lord saying: O God of our fathers,
bless me, and hearken to my prayer,
as you did bless the womb of Sarah,
and gave her a son, Isaac.
3.
And
she spied a nest of sparrows in a laurel tree,
and made a lamentation within herself, saying:
Woe unto me, unto what am I likened?
I am not likened to the fowls of heaven,
for even the fowls of heaven are fruitful
before you, O Lord.
Woe unto me, unto what am I likened?
I am not likened to this earth,
for this whole earth brings forth her fruits in due season
and blesses you, O Lord.
and made a lamentation within herself, saying:
Woe unto me, unto what am I likened?
I am not likened to the fowls of heaven,
for even the fowls of heaven are fruitful
before you, O Lord.
Woe unto me, unto what am I likened?
I am not likened to this earth,
for this whole earth brings forth her fruits in due season
and blesses you, O Lord.
4.
And
an angel of the Lord appeared, saying
Anna, Anna, the Lord has hearkened to your prayer,
and you shall conceive and bear,
and your seed shall be spoken of
throughout all the world.
And Anna said: As the Lord my God lives,
if I bring forth either male or female,
I will bring it for a gift to the Lord my God,
and it shall be ministering to him
all the days of its life.
Anna, Anna, the Lord has hearkened to your prayer,
and you shall conceive and bear,
and your seed shall be spoken of
throughout all the world.
And Anna said: As the Lord my God lives,
if I bring forth either male or female,
I will bring it for a gift to the Lord my God,
and it shall be ministering to him
all the days of its life.
5.
And there came two messengers saying unto her:
Look! Ioachim your husband
is coming with his flocks.
And Anna stood at the gate
and saw Ioachim coming,
and ran and hung upon his neck, saying:
Now I know that the Lord God has greatly blessed me:
for the widow is no more a widow,
and she that was childless shall conceive.
And Ioachim rested the first day in his house.
Look! Ioachim your husband
is coming with his flocks.
And Anna stood at the gate
and saw Ioachim coming,
and ran and hung upon his neck, saying:
Now I know that the Lord God has greatly blessed me:
for the widow is no more a widow,
and she that was childless shall conceive.
And Ioachim rested the first day in his house.
6.
And her months were fulfilled,
and in the ninth month Anna brought forth.
And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth?
And she said: A female.
And Anna said: My soul is magnified this day.
And she laid herself down.
And when the days were fulfilled,
Anna purified herself
and gave suck to the child
and called her name Mary.
and in the ninth month Anna brought forth.
And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth?
And she said: A female.
And Anna said: My soul is magnified this day.
And she laid herself down.
And when the days were fulfilled,
Anna purified herself
and gave suck to the child
and called her name Mary.
7.
And day by day the child grew strong,
and at six months her mother stood her upon the ground
to see if she would stand;
and she walked seven steps and returned to her bosom.
And Anna caught Mary up, saying:
As the Lord my God lives,
you shall walk no more upon the ground,
until I bring you into the temple of the Lord.
And she called for Hebrew virgins,
and they carried her here and there.
and at six months her mother stood her upon the ground
to see if she would stand;
and she walked seven steps and returned to her bosom.
And Anna caught Mary up, saying:
As the Lord my God lives,
you shall walk no more upon the ground,
until I bring you into the temple of the Lord.
And she called for Hebrew virgins,
and they carried her here and there.
8.
And Anna made a song to the Lord God, saying:
I will sing a hymn to the Lord my God,
because he has visited me
and taken away my reproach.
The Lord has given me a fruit of his righteousness,
single and manifold before him.
Who shall declare to the sons of Reuben that Anna gives suck!
Look, you twelve tribes of Israel: Anna gives suck!
And she laid the child to rest
in the bed chamber of her sanctuary.
I will sing a hymn to the Lord my God,
because he has visited me
and taken away my reproach.
The Lord has given me a fruit of his righteousness,
single and manifold before him.
Who shall declare to the sons of Reuben that Anna gives suck!
Look, you twelve tribes of Israel: Anna gives suck!
And she laid the child to rest
in the bed chamber of her sanctuary.
9.
And the child was three years old, and Ioacim said:
Call the Hebrew virgins,
and let them each take a lamp,
and let each lamp be burning,
that the child not turn backward
nor her heart be taken captive away
from the temple of the Lord.
And they did so until they had gone up into the temple of the Lord.
And the Lord put grace upon her, and she danced with her feet,
and all the house of Israel loved her.
Call the Hebrew virgins,
and let them each take a lamp,
and let each lamp be burning,
that the child not turn backward
nor her heart be taken captive away
from the temple of the Lord.
And they did so until they had gone up into the temple of the Lord.
And the Lord put grace upon her, and she danced with her feet,
and all the house of Israel loved her.
Betrothal of Mary to Joseph
1.
And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as a dove that is
nurtured:
and she received food from the hand of an angel.
And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the priests, saying:
Mary has become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord.
What shall we do with her now
lest she pollute the sanctuary of the Lord?
And they said to the high priest:
You stand over the altar of the Lord.
Enter in and pray concerning her:
And whatever the Lord shall reveal to thee, let us do it.
and she received food from the hand of an angel.
And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the priests, saying:
Mary has become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord.
What shall we do with her now
lest she pollute the sanctuary of the Lord?
And they said to the high priest:
You stand over the altar of the Lord.
Enter in and pray concerning her:
And whatever the Lord shall reveal to thee, let us do it.
2.
And the high priest took the vestment with the twelve bells
and went in to the Holy of Holies and prayed concerning her.
And look, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying to him:
Zacharias, Zacharias, go and assemble those
who are widowers of the people,
and let every man bring a rod,
and to whomever the Lord shall show a sign,
his wife shall she be.
And the heralds went out, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded,
and all men ran to the sound.
and went in to the Holy of Holies and prayed concerning her.
And look, an angel of the Lord appeared, saying to him:
Zacharias, Zacharias, go and assemble those
who are widowers of the people,
and let every man bring a rod,
and to whomever the Lord shall show a sign,
his wife shall she be.
And the heralds went out, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded,
and all men ran to the sound.
3.
And when they were gathered together,
they went to the high priest, Zacharias
And Zacharias took all the rods and went into the temple and prayed.
And when he had finished the prayer, he took the rods
and gave them back to them:
and there was no sign upon them.
But Joseph received the last rod: and look,
a dove came forth out of the rod and flew upon the head of Joseph.
And the priest said to Joseph: Unto thee hath it fallen
to take the virgin of the Lord and keep her for your own.
they went to the high priest, Zacharias
And Zacharias took all the rods and went into the temple and prayed.
And when he had finished the prayer, he took the rods
and gave them back to them:
and there was no sign upon them.
But Joseph received the last rod: and look,
a dove came forth out of the rod and flew upon the head of Joseph.
And the priest said to Joseph: Unto thee hath it fallen
to take the virgin of the Lord and keep her for your own.
4.
But Joseph refused, saying:
I have sons, and I am an old man, but she is a girl:
lest I became a laughing-stock
to the children of Israel.
And the priest said to Joseph:
Remember what things God did unto Dathan
and Abiram and Korah,
how the earth opened and they were swallowed up
because of their gainsaying. |
And now watch out, Joseph, lest the same happen in your house.
I have sons, and I am an old man, but she is a girl:
lest I became a laughing-stock
to the children of Israel.
And the priest said to Joseph:
Remember what things God did unto Dathan
and Abiram and Korah,
how the earth opened and they were swallowed up
because of their gainsaying. |
And now watch out, Joseph, lest the same happen in your house.
And Joseph was afraid,
and took her to keep her for his own
And Joseph said to Mary:
Look, I have received you out
of the temple of the Lord:
and now I leave you
in my house,
and I go away to build my buildings.
After a while I will come back to you.
The Lord shall watch over thee.
and took her to keep her for his own
And Joseph said to Mary:
Look, I have received you out
of the temple of the Lord:
and now I leave you
in my house,
and I go away to build my buildings.
After a while I will come back to you.
The Lord shall watch over thee.
Annunciation
1.
Now there was a council of the
priests,
and they said: Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord.
And the priest said: Call unto me pure virgins of the tribe of David.
And the officers departed and sought
and found seven virgins.
And the priests called to mind the child Mary,
that she was of the tribe of David and was undefiled before God:
and the officers went and fetched her.
and they said: Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord.
And the priest said: Call unto me pure virgins of the tribe of David.
And the officers departed and sought
and found seven virgins.
And the priests called to mind the child Mary,
that she was of the tribe of David and was undefiled before God:
and the officers went and fetched her.
2.
And they brought them into the
temple of the Lord,
and the priest said: Cast me lots, which of you
shall weave the gold and the unstained white
and the fine linen and the silk
and the hyacinthine,
and the scarlet and the true purple.
And the lot of the true purple and the scarlet fell unto Mary,
and she took them and went unto her house.
and the priest said: Cast me lots, which of you
shall weave the gold and the unstained white
and the fine linen and the silk
and the hyacinthine,
and the scarlet and the true purple.
And the lot of the true purple and the scarlet fell unto Mary,
and she took them and went unto her house.
3.
And Mary took a pitcher and
went forth to fill it with water:
and look a voice saying: Hail, thou that art highly favored;
the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And she looked about her upon the right hand and upon the left,
to see whence this voice should be:
and being filled with trembling, she went to her house and set down the pitcher,
and took the purple and sat down upon her seat
and drew out the thread.
and look a voice saying: Hail, thou that art highly favored;
the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
And she looked about her upon the right hand and upon the left,
to see whence this voice should be:
and being filled with trembling, she went to her house and set down the pitcher,
and took the purple and sat down upon her seat
and drew out the thread.
4.
And look, an angel of the Lord stood before her saying:
Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace before the Lord of all,
and you shall conceive of his word.
And she questioned in herself, saying:
Shall I really conceive and bring forth after the manner of women?
And the angel said: Not so, Mary,
for the power of the Lord shall overshadow thee.
Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
And look, an angel of the Lord stood before her saying:
Fear not, Mary, for you have found grace before the Lord of all,
and you shall conceive of his word.
And she questioned in herself, saying:
Shall I really conceive and bring forth after the manner of women?
And the angel said: Not so, Mary,
for the power of the Lord shall overshadow thee.
Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Visitation
1.
And Mary rejoiced and went away unto Elizabeth, her
kinswoman:
And Elizabeth cast down the scarlet,
and when she saw Mary she blessed her and said:
Whence is this that the mother of my Lord
should come unto me, for look,
that which is in me leaped and blessed you.
And Elizabeth cast down the scarlet,
and when she saw Mary she blessed her and said:
Whence is this that the mother of my Lord
should come unto me, for look,
that which is in me leaped and blessed you.
2.
And Mary looked up unto the heaven and said:
And Mary looked up unto the heaven and said:
Who am I, Lord,
that all the generations of the earth do bless me?
And she lived for three months with Elizabeth,
and day by day her womb grew.
And Mary was sixteen years old when these mysteries came to pass.
that all the generations of the earth do bless me?
And she lived for three months with Elizabeth,
and day by day her womb grew.
And Mary was sixteen years old when these mysteries came to pass.
Nativity
1.
Now a decree went out from
Augustus, the king,
that all that were in Bethlehem of Judaea should be recorded.
And Joseph said: I will record my sons, but this child Mary,
how shall I record her as my wife? No, I am ashamed. Or as my daughter?
But all the children of Israel know she is not my daughter.
This day of the Lord shall do as the Lord wills it.
And he saddled the she-ass and put Mary on her,
and his son led her and Joseph followed after.
that all that were in Bethlehem of Judaea should be recorded.
And Joseph said: I will record my sons, but this child Mary,
how shall I record her as my wife? No, I am ashamed. Or as my daughter?
But all the children of Israel know she is not my daughter.
This day of the Lord shall do as the Lord wills it.
And he saddled the she-ass and put Mary on her,
and his son led her and Joseph followed after.
2.
And they approached Bethlehem
within three miles,
and Joseph turned and saw she had a sad face,
and he said within himself: Perhaps that which is within her is hurting her.
And again Joseph turned, and saw her laughing,
and said to her: Mary, what’s the matter?
that I see your face at one time laughing and at another time sad?
And Mary answered: It is because I see two peoples,
the one weeping and lamenting and the other rejoicing and exulting.
and Joseph turned and saw she had a sad face,
and he said within himself: Perhaps that which is within her is hurting her.
And again Joseph turned, and saw her laughing,
and said to her: Mary, what’s the matter?
that I see your face at one time laughing and at another time sad?
And Mary answered: It is because I see two peoples,
the one weeping and lamenting and the other rejoicing and exulting.
3.
And when they were half way
there, Mary said to Joseph:
Take me down from the ass,
for that which is within me presses on me to come forth.
And he took her down from the ass and said to her:
Whither shall I take you to hide your shame, for the place is desert?
And he found a cave and brought her into it,
and set his sons by her, and he went out
to look for a midwife of the Hebrews in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
Take me down from the ass,
for that which is within me presses on me to come forth.
And he took her down from the ass and said to her:
Whither shall I take you to hide your shame, for the place is desert?
And he found a cave and brought her into it,
and set his sons by her, and he went out
to look for a midwife of the Hebrews in the vicinity of Bethlehem.
4.
Now I, Joseph, was walking, and I
was not walking.
And I looked up at the pole of the heaven and saw it standing still,
and the birds of heaven without motion.
And I looked down and saw a dish set,
and workmen lying by it, and their hands were in the dish;
and they that were lifting the food did not lift it,
and the food did not reach their mouths;
but the faces of all of them were looking upward.
And I looked up at the pole of the heaven and saw it standing still,
and the birds of heaven without motion.
And I looked down and saw a dish set,
and workmen lying by it, and their hands were in the dish;
and they that were lifting the food did not lift it,
and the food did not reach their mouths;
but the faces of all of them were looking upward.
5.
And look, there were sheep being
driven,
and they didn’t go forward but stood still;
and the shepherd lifted his hand to strike them with his staff,
but his hand remained up.
And I looked at the stream of the river
and saw the mouths of the kids upon the water
and they drank not.
And suddenly all things moved onward in their course.
and they didn’t go forward but stood still;
and the shepherd lifted his hand to strike them with his staff,
but his hand remained up.
And I looked at the stream of the river
and saw the mouths of the kids upon the water
and they drank not.
And suddenly all things moved onward in their course.
6.
And look, a woman coming down
from the hill country,
and she said to me: Man, where are you going?
And I said: I’m looking for a midwife of the Hebrews.
And she said: Who is she that brings forth in the cave?
And I said to her: It is Mary that was nurtured up in the temple of the Lord,
and I received her to wife by lot,
but she is not my wife,
but hath conception by the Holy Ghost.
and she said to me: Man, where are you going?
And I said: I’m looking for a midwife of the Hebrews.
And she said: Who is she that brings forth in the cave?
And I said to her: It is Mary that was nurtured up in the temple of the Lord,
and I received her to wife by lot,
but she is not my wife,
but hath conception by the Holy Ghost.
7.
And they stood in the place of
the cave.
And look, a bright cloud overshadowing the cave.
And the midwife said: My soul is magnified this day, for salvation is born unto Israel.
And immediately the cloud withdrew itself out of the cave,
and a great light appeared in the cave, so that our eyes could not endure it.
And by little and little, that light withdrew itself,
until the young child appeared:
and it went and took the breast of its mother Mary.
And look, a bright cloud overshadowing the cave.
And the midwife said: My soul is magnified this day, for salvation is born unto Israel.
And immediately the cloud withdrew itself out of the cave,
and a great light appeared in the cave, so that our eyes could not endure it.
And by little and little, that light withdrew itself,
until the young child appeared:
and it went and took the breast of its mother Mary.
