Infancy Gospel of James

THE INFANCY GOSPEL OF
JAMES

The following translation is based on the Greek text
printed in Ronald F. Hock's The Infancy Gospels of
James and Thomas. The text, which provided the basis
for the Jesus Seminar's "Scholars Version" translation of
the Infancy Gospel of James, has been divided differently
than in earlier critical editions to encourage precise
notation.


CHAPTER 1

(1) In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel,
Joachim was an extremely rich man. (2) He always
brought a double offering to the Lord, (3) telling
himself, "My offering for all the people is from my
surplus and my own offering to the Lord God is for
forgiveness, to atone for my sins."

(4) As the great day of the Lord was drawing near
and the children of Israel were bringing their
offerings, however, (5) Reubel stood in his way,
saying, "You cannot offer your gifts first because
you have not conceived a child in Israel."

(6) And Joachim became extremely frustrated and
went away to the history of the twelve tribes of his
people, saying to himself, "I will look in the
history of the twelve tribes of Israel and see
whether I am the only one who has not conceived
a child in Israel." (7) And he searched and found
that all the righteous people had raised children in
Israel. (8) And he reminded himself about the
patriarch Abraham and that the Lord God gave his
son Isaac to him in his last days.

(9) Then, Joachim was extremely frustrated and
did not appear to his wife, but gave himself to the
desert and pitched his tent there. (10) He fasted
forty days and forty nights. (11) All the while,
Joachim was saying to himself, "I will not go down
for food or drink until the Lord my God visits me;
prayer will be my food and drink."
CHAPTER 2
(1) Then, his wife Anna mourned and lam>


Transfer interrupted!

, "I lament that I am a widow and I lament that I
am childless."

(2) When the great day of the Lord was drawing
near, (3) her servant Juthine said to her, "How
long are you going to humble yourself? Do you not
see that the great day of the Lord is approaching?
You are not allowed to mourn. (4) Take this
headband which the leader of the activity gave me.
I am not allowed to tie it because I am your slave
and it has a royal mark."

(5) Then, Anna said, "Get away from me. I did not
cause these things, even though the Lord God has
humbled me greatly. Perhaps a crafty person has
given this to you and you have come to cause me
to partake of your sin."

(6) And her servant Juthine said, "Should I invoke
a curse on you because you did not hear my
voice? The Lord God has shut your womb and he
will not give you offspring in Israel."

(7) So Anna also became extremely frustrated and
removed her mourning garment, washed her head
and clothed herself with her wedding dress. (8)
Around the ninth hour, she went down to her
garden to walk around. She saw a laurel tree and
sat down under it. (9) And after a rest, she
petitioned the Lord, saying, "God of my
ancestors, bless me and hear my prayer, just as
you blessed our mother Sarah and gave her son
Isaac to her."



CHAPTER 3
(1) And Anna looked up to the heavens and saw a
nest of sparrows in the laurel tree. (2)
Immediately, Anna cried out mournfully, saying to
herself,

"Oh me, who gave birth to me? What womb
caused me to grow? (3) For I was born cursed in
front of the children of Israel. I am reviled and
they treat me with contempt and cast me out of the
temple of the Lord my God.

(4) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the birds
of the sky, for the birds of the sky are fruitful
before you, Lord.

(5) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the
domestic animals, for the domestic animals are
fruitful before you, Lord.

(6) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like the wild
animals of the earth, for the wild animals of the
earth are fruitful before you, Lord.

(7) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like these
waters, for these waters are fruitful before you,
Lord.

(8) "Oh me, what am I like? I am not like this
earth, for the earth produces its fruit in season
and blesses you, Lord."



CHAPTER 4
(1) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood in front of
her, saying, "Anna, Anna, the Lord God has heard
your prayer. You will conceive and give birth and
your child will be spoken of everywhere people
live."

(2) And Anna said, "As the Lord God lives,
whether I give birth to either a male or a female
child, I will bring it as an offering to the Lord my
God and it will be a servant to him all the days of
its life."

(3) Next, two angels came, saying to her, "Look
your husband Joachim is coming with his flocks."
(4) For an angel of the Lord had gone down to
Joachim, saying, "Joachim, Joachim, the Lord
God has heard your prayer. Go down from here.
Look, your wife Anna has conceived in her
womb."

(5) Immediately, Joachim went down and called
the shepherds, telling them, "Bring ten lambs
without spot or blemish here to me; the ten lambs
will be for the Lord God. (6) Bring twelve tender
calves; the twelve calves will be for the priests
and the elders. (7) And bring one hundred male
goats; the one hundred male goats will be for all
the people."

(8) Then, Joachim came with his flocks. Anna was
standing at the gate. (9) When she saw Joachim
coming with his flocks, Anna ran and wrapped
herself around his neck, saying, "Now I know that
the Lord God has blessed me greatly. See, the
widow is no longer a widow and the childless
woman has conceived in her womb."

(10) And Joachim rested for the first day he was
home.



CHAPTER 5
(1) The next day, when he was presenting his
offerings, he said to himself, "If the Lord God will
be reconciled to me, he will make it clear to me
with the priest's metal disc." (2) And Joachim
presented his offerings and paid attention to the
priest's metal disc until he went up to the altar of
the Lord. And he saw no sin in it. (3) Joachim said,
"Now, I know that the Lord God has been
reconciled to me and has sent all my great sins
away for me." (4) And having been justified, he
departed from the temple and went to his house.

(5) And his wife's pregnancy came to term. After
nine months, Anna gave birth (6) and she said to
the midwife, "What is it?"

(7) The midwife said, "A girl."

(8) Anna said, "My soul exalts this day." And she
put her baby to bed.

(9) After her days were completed, Anna cleansed
her menstrual flow (10) and gave her breast to the
child and gave her the name Mary.



CHAPTER 6
(1) Day by day, the child grew stronger. (2) When
she was six months old, her mother set her on the
ground to test whether she could stand. And after
walking seven steps, she came to her mother's
breast. (3) And her mother picked her up, saying,
"As the Lord my God lives, you will not walk on
this earth again until I take you to the temple of
the Lord."

(4) And she made a sanctuary in her bedroom and
would not permit anything common or impure to
pass through it. (5) And she called the pure
daughters of the Hebrews and they played with
her.

(6) When the child's first birthday came, Joachim
held a great celebration. He invited the high
priests and the priests and the Sanhedrin and the
whole nation of Israel. (7) And Joachim brought
the child to the priests and they blessed her,
saying, "God of our ancestors, bless this child and
give her name eternal fame among all
generations."

(8) And all the people said, "Let it happen, amen."

(9) And he brought the child to the high priests and
they blessed her, saying, "Exalted God, look upon
this child and give her a final blessing which will
not be succeeded."

(10) And her mother took her up to the
bedroom-sanctuary and gave her breast to the
child. (11) And Anna composed a song for the
Lord God, saying, "I will sing a holy song to the
Lord my God because he has examined me and
removed my horrible disgrace from me. (12) And
the Lord God gave me the fruit of his
righteousness, of one nature, but manifold before
him. (13) Who will proclaim to the sons of Reubel
that Anna nurses a child? Do you hear? Hear this,
twelve tribes of Israel: Anna nurses a child!"

(14) And she gave the child rest in the
bedroom-sanctuary and went out and served them.
(15) When dinner was completed, they departed
feeling good and glorified the God of Israel.



CHAPTER 7
(1) She cared for the child for months. When the
child turned two years old, Joachim said, "Let's
take her to the temple of the Lord so we can
relate the message we were given."

(2) And Anna said, "Let's wait until the third year,
so that she will not seek her father or mother."

(3) And Joachim said, "Let's wait."

(4) When the child turned three, Joachim said,
"Let's call the pure women of the Hebrews. (5)
Let them take up lamps and light them so that the
child will not turn back and her heart will never be
led away from the temple of the Lord." (6) And
they did these things until they went up to the
temple of the Lord.

(7) And the priest welcomed her. Kissing her, he
blessed her and said, "The Lord God has
magnified your name for all generations; (8)
through you the Lord will reveal deliverance to the
children of Israel in the last days."

(9) And he set her down on the third step of the
altar and the Lord God poured grace upon her.
(10) She danced triumphantly with her drinks and
every house in Israel loved her.
CHAPTER 8
(1) And her parents went down, marveling at and
praising and glorifying the Lord God because the
child had not turned back to look at them. (2)
While Mary was in the temple of the Lord, she
was fed like a dove and received food from the
hand of an angel.

(3) When she turned twelve, a group of priests
took counsel together, saying, "Look, Mary has
been in the temple of the Lord twelve years. (4)
What should we do about her now, so that she
does not defile the sanctuary of the Lord our
God?" (5) And they said to the high priest, "You
have stood at the altar of the Lord. Go in and pray
about her. And if the Lord God reveals anything to
you, we will do it."

(6) And the priest went in taking the vestment with
twelve bells into the holy of holies and prayed
about her. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord stood
before him, saying, "Zachariah, Zachariah, depart
from here and gather the widowers of the people
and let each one carry a staff. (8) And the one
whom the Lord God points out with a sign, she will
be his wife." (9) So the heralds went out to the
whole surrounding area of Judea and the trumpet
of the Lord rang out and all the men rushed in.



CHAPTER 9
(1) Throwing down his ax, Joseph went out to meet
them. (2) And after they had gathered together
with their rods, they went to the high priest. (3)
After receiving everyone's rod, the high priest
went into the temple and prayed. (4) When he was
finished with the prayer, he took the rods and went
out and gave them to each man, (5) but there was
no sign among them. Finally, Joseph took his rod.
(6) Suddenly, a dove came out of the rod and stood
on Joseph's head. (7) And the high priest said,
"Joseph! Joseph! You have been chosen by lot to
take the virgin into your own keeping."

(8) And Joseph replied, saying, "I have sons and
am old, while she is young. I will not be ridiculed
among the children of Israel."

(9) And the high priest said, "Joseph, fear the
Lord your God and remember what God did to
Dathan and Abiron and Kore, how the earth split
open and swallowed them because of their
rebellion. (10) Now fear God, Joseph, so that
these things do not happen in your house."

(11) Fearing God, Joseph took her into his own
possession. (12) And he said to her, "Mary, I took
you from the temple of the Lord and now I bring
you into my house. I am going out to build houses,
but I will come back to you. The Lord will protect
you."



CHAPTER 10
(1) Meanwhile, the priests were meeting together,
saying, "Let us make a curtain for the temple of
the Lord."

(2) And the high priest said, "Call the pure virgins
from the tribe of David to me." (3) And the
servants went out and sought and found seven
virgins. (4) And the high priest remembered that
the child Mary was from the tribe of David and
was pure before God. (5) So the servants went out
and got her.

(6) And they brought the women into the temple of
the Lord. (7) And the high priest said, "Cast lots
to see who will spin the gold and the pure and the
linen and the silk and the violet and the scarlet
and the true purple threads."

(8) And Mary was appointed by lot to the true
purple and scarlet threads. And taking them, she
went to her house. (9) This was at the same time
Zachariah fell silent and Samuel replaced him until
Zachariah could speak again. (10) Mary was
spinning the scarlet thread which she had taken.



CHAPTER 11
(1) And she took the cup and went out to fill it with
water. (2) Suddenly, a voice said to her, "Rejoice,
blessed one. The Lord is with you. You are
blessed among women." (3) And Mary looked
around to the right and the left to see where this
voice came from. (4) And trembling she went into
her house. Setting down the cup, she took the
purple thread and sat down on the chair and spun
it.

(5) Suddenly, an angel stood before her saying,
"Do not be afraid Mary. You have found grace
before the Lord of all. You will conceive from his
word."

(6) Upon hearing this, however, Mary was
distraught, saying to herself, "If I conceive from
the Lord God who lives, will I also conceive as all
women conceive?"

(7) And the Angel of the Lord said, "Not like that,
Mary. For the power of God will come over you.
Thus, the holy one who is born will be called son of
the most high. (8) And you will call his name
Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

(9) And Mary said, "See, I am the servant of the
Lord before him. Let it happen to me according to
what you say."



CHAPTER 12
(1) And she made the purple and the scarlet
thread and carried it to the high priest. (2) And
taking it, the high priest blessed her and said,
"Mary, God has magnified your name. You will be
called blessed among all the generations of the
earth."

(3) Then, Mary went gladly to her cousin
Elizabeth. (4) And she knocked at the door and
when Elizabeth heard, she threw down her scarlet
thread and ran to the door and opened it for her.
(5) And she blessed her and said, "Where have
you come to me from? Why should the mother of
my Lord come to me? See how the child in me
leaps and blesses you."

(6) But Mary had forgotten the mysteries which
the angel Gabriel had told her. And looking into
heaven she said, "Who am I, Lord, that all the
generations of the earth will bless me?"

(7) She spent three months with Elizabeth. (8) Day
after day, her womb swelled and she was afraid to
go to her house and hid herself from the children
of Israel. (9) Mary was sixteen years old when
these mysterious things happened to her.



CHAPTER 13
(1) In the sixth month of her pregnancy, Joseph
came from his house-building and went into the
house to find her swelling. (2) And he struck his
face and threw himself on the ground in sackcloth
and wept bitterly, "How can I look to the Lord
God? What will I pray about her, for I took her as
a virgin from the temple of the Lord and did not
guard her? (4) Who has set this trap for me? Who
did this evil in my house? Who stole the virgin
from me and defiled her. (5) Has not the story of
Adam been repeated with me? For while Adam
was glorifying God, the serpent came and found
Eve alone and deceived her and defiled her - so it
has also happened to me."

(6) And Joseph got up from his sackcloth and
called her and said to her, "After having been
cared for by God, what have you done? (7) Did
you forget the Lord your God? You who were
raised in the holy of holies, you who received from
the hand of an angel, do you know how much you
have humiliated yourself?"

(8) Then, she wept bitterly, saying, "I am pure and
I did not know a man."

(9) And Joseph said to her, "Where did this thing
in your womb come from then?"

(10) But she said, "As the Lord my God lives, I do
not know where it came from."
CHAPTER 14
(1) Then, Joseph was extremely frightened and
kept quiet about her, pondering what he should do.
(2) And Joseph said to himself, "If I hide her sin, I
will be rebelling against the law of the Lord. (3)
And if I expose her to the children of Israel . . .
well, I am afraid that the child in her might be
angelic and I will be betraying innocent blood to a
judgment of death. (4) What then will I do about
her? I will send her away from me secretly."

(5) And night overtook him. And suddenly an
angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream,
saying, "Do not fear this child. For the child in her
is from the Holy Spirit. (6) She will bear a son for
you and you will call his name Jesus. For he will
save his people from their sins."

(7) And Joseph arose from his sleep and glorified
the God of Israel who had given grace to him. (8)
And he guarded the child.
CHAPTER 15
(1) Then, Annas the scribe came to him and said to
him, "Joseph, why have you not appeared to our
traveling group?"

(2) And he said to him, "Because I was worn out
from the trip and rested my first day back."

(3) And Annas turned and saw Mary pregnant.

(4) And he ran off at top speed to the high priest
and said to him, "Look at Joseph, the one you
bear witness for. He has broken the law badly."

(5) And the high priest said, "What is this?"

(6) And he said, "The virgin which Joseph
received from the temple of the Lord, he defiled
her and has stolen her wedding festivities and has
not revealed it to the children of Israel."

(7) And he said to him, "Has Joseph done these
things?"

(8) And he said to him, "Send a servant and he will
find the virgin pregnant."

(9) And the servants went and found her just as he
said and they led her with Joseph to the law court.

(10) And the high priest said to her, "Mary, what
is this? How have you humiliated yourself? (11)
Did you forget the Lord your God, you who were
raised in the holy of holies and received from the
hand of an angel? (12) You who heard their songs
and danced before them, what is this?"

(13) And she wept bitterly, saying, "As the Lord
God lives, I am pure before him and I did not
know a man."

(14) And the high priest said, "Joseph, what is
this?"

(15) But Joseph said, "As the Lord lives, I am
pure from her."

(16) And the high priest said, "Do not lie, but
speak the truth. You stole your wedding festivities
and did not reveal it to the children of Israel (17)
and you did not bow your head before the mighty
hand that it should bless your seed."

(18) And Joseph was silent.
CHAPTER 16
(1) And the high priest said, "Return the virgin
which you took from the temple of the Lord."

(2) And Joseph, becoming tearful [...]

(3) And the high priest said, "I will give you the
water of the Lord's wrath to drink and it will make
your sin clear in your eyes." (4) And taking the
water, the high priest gave it to Joseph to drink
and sent him out into the desert. And he returned
unharmed.

(5) And he made the young girl drink also and sent
her out into the desert. And she came back
unharmed. (6) And all the people were astonished
that their sins were not revealed. (7) And the high
priest said, "If the Lord God has not revealed
your sins, I will not judge you either." And he
released them. (8) And Joseph took Mary and
went away to his house, rejoicing and praising the
God of Israel.



CHAPTER 17
(1) Then, there was an order from the Emperor
Augustus to register how many people were in
Bethlehem of Judea. (2) And Joseph said, "I will
register my sons. But this child? What will I do
about him? How will I register him? (3) And my
wife? Oh, I am ashamed. Should I register her as
my daughter? The children of Israel know that she
is not my daughter. (4) This day, I will do as the
Lord wants."

(5) And he saddled his donkey and sat her on it
and his son led and Samuel followed. (6) And they
arrived at the third mile and Joseph turned and
saw that she was sad. (7) And he said to himself,
"Perhaps the child within her is troubling her." (8)
And again Joseph turned around and saw her
laughing and said to her, "Mary, what is with you?
First your face appears happy and then sad?"

(9) And she said, "Joseph, it is because I see two
people with my eyes, one crying and being
afflicted, one rejoicing and being extremely
happy."

(10) When they came to the middle of the journey,
Mary said to him, "Joseph, take me off the
donkey, the child pushing from within me to let
him come out."

(11) So he took her off the donkey and said to her,
"Where will I take you and shelter you in your
awkwardness? This area is a desert."



CHAPTER 18
(1) And he found a cave and led her there and
stationed his sons to watch her, (2) while he went
to a find a Hebrew midwife in the land of
Bethlehem.

(3) Then, Joseph wandered, but he did not wander.
(4) And I looked up to the peak of the sky and saw
it standing still and I looked up into the air. With
utter astonishment I saw it, even the birds of the
sky were not moving. (5) And I looked at the
ground and saw a bowl lying there and workers
reclining. And their hands were in the bowl. (6)
And chewing, they were not chewing. And picking
food up, they were not picking it up. And putting
food in their mouths, they were not putting it in
their mouths. (7) Rather, all their faces were
looking up.

(8) And I saw sheep being driven, but the sheep
were standing still. (9) And the shepherd lifted up
his hand to strike them, but his hand remained
above them. (10) And I saw the rushing current of
the river and I saw goats and their mouths resting
in the water, but they were not drinking. (11) And
suddenly everything was replaced by the ordinary
course of events.



CHAPTER 19
(1) And I saw a woman coming down from the
mountain and she said to me, "Man, where are
you going?"

(2) And I said, "I am seeking a Hebrew midwife."

(3) Replying, she said to me, "Are you from
Israel?"

(4) And I said to her, "Yes."

(5) Then, she said, "And who is giving birth in the
cave?"

(6) And I said, "The one who has pledged to be
married to me."

(7) And she said to me, "She is not your wife?"

(8) And I said to her, "She is Mary, the one who
was raised in the temple. I won her by lot to be my
wife. (9) She is not yet my wife, but has a fetus
from the Holy Spirit."

(10) And the midwife said, "Really?"

(11) And Joseph said to her, "Come and see."

(12) So the midwife went with him. (13) And they
stood near the cave and a dark cloud was hovering
over the cave. (14) And the midwife said, "My
soul glorifies this day, for today my eyes have
seen a miracle: salvation has come to Israel."

(15) And immediately, the cloud withdrew from the
cave and a great light appeared in the cave so that
their eyes could not bear it. (16) And a little while
later the same light withdrew until an infant
appeared. And he came and took the breast of his
mother, Mary.

(17) And the midwife cried out and said, "How
great this day is for me, for I have seen this new
miracle."

(18) And the midwife departed from the cave and
met Salome and said to her, "Salome, Salome, I
have to describe this new miracle for you. A virgin
has given birth, although her body does not allow
it."

(19) And Salome said, "As the Lord my God lives,
unless I insert my finger and investigate her, I will
not believe that a virgin has given birth."
CHAPTER 20
(1) And the midwife went in and said, "Mary,
position yourself, for not a small test concerning
you is about to take place."

(2) When Mary heard these things, she positioned
herself. And Salome inserted her finger into her
body. (3) And Salome cried out and said, "Woe for
my lawlessness and the unbelief that made me test
the living God. Look, my hand is falling away from
me and being consumed in fire."

(5) And Salome dropped to her knees before the
Lord, saying, "God of Abraham and Isaac and
Jacob, (6) do not expose me to the children of
Israel, but give me back to the poor. (7) For you
know, Lord, that I have performed service and
received my wage from you."

(8) Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared,
saying to her, "Salome, Salome, the Lord of all
has heard your entreaty. (9) Stretch out your hand
to the child and lift him up and he will be salvation
and joy for you."

(10) And Salome went to the child and lifted him
up, saying, "I worship him because he has been
born a king to Israel." (11) And at once Salome
was healed and left the cave justified.

(12) Suddenly, there was a voice saying, "Salome,
Salome, do not proclaim what a miracle you have
seen until the child comes to Jerusalem."
CHAPTER 21
(1) Now, Joseph was about to depart to Judea
when there a great commotion in Bethlehem of
Judea. (2) For astrologers had come, saying,
"Where is the one who has been born king of the
Jews? For we saw his star in the East and came to
worship him."

(3) And when Herod heard, he was shaken up and
sent servants to the astrologers. (4) And he also
sent for the high priests and questioned them in
his palace, saying to them, "What has been
written about the messiah? Where will he be
born?"

(5) They said to him, "In Bethlehem of Judea, for
so it has been written." (6) And he let them go.

(7) And he questioned the astrologers, saying to
them, "What sign did you see about the one who
has been born king?"

(8) And the astrologers said, "We saw a star
shining with incredible brilliance amidst the
constellations and making them seem dim. And so
we knew that the king had been born in Israel and
we came to worship him."

(9) And Herod said to them, "Go and search. If
you find him, report to me so that I also may come
and worship him."

(10) And the wise men departed. Then, the star
which they had seen in the east led them until they
came to the cave and stood over the head of the
child. (11) And when the astrologers saw him with
his mother Mary, they took gifts out of their bags:
gold, frankincense, and myrrh.

(12) And having been warned by the angel not to
go into Judea, they returned to their country by
another road.
CHAPTER 22
(1) When Herod saw that he had been tricked by
the astrologers, he flew into a rage (2) and sent his
executioners, telling them to destroy all the
infants that were two years old or younger.

(3) And when Mary heard that all the children
were being destroyed, she was afraid and took the
child and wrapped him up and put him in a stall of
cows.

(5) And when Elizabeth heard that John was being
sought, she took him and headed for the hills. And
she looked around to find where she could hide
him, but there was not any good place. (7) Then,
as Elizabeth sighed, she said with a loud voice,
"Mountain of God, take me, a mother with her
child." For Elizabeth was too afraid to go up
higher. (8) And at once, the mountain split open
and received her. And there was light shining
through the mountain to her. (9) For an angel of
the Lord was with them, guarding them.
CHAPTER 23
(1) But Herod continued seeking John. (2) And he
sent his servants to Zachariah at the altar, saying
to him, "Where did you hide your son?"

(3) But he replied, saying to them, "I am here as a
servant of God and am serving in his temple. How
should I know where my son is?"

(4) And his servants departed and reported to him
all these things. Outraged, Herod said, "Is his son
destined to rule Israel?"

(5) And he sent his servants again, saying to him,
"Tell me the truth? Where is your son? Do you
know that your blood is under my hand?"

(6) And the servants departed and reported these
things to him.

(7) And replying, Zachariah said, "I am a witness
of God. Have my blood. (8) The Lord will receive
my spirit because you are shedding innocent blood
at the entrance of the temple of the Lord."

(9) And around daybreak, Zachariah was
murdered, even though the children of Israel did
not know that he had been murdered.
CHAPTER 24
(1) Then, at the hour of greeting, the priests
departed and the blessing of Zachariah did not
greet them as usual. (2) Expecting Zachariah, the
priests waited to welcome him with prayer and to
praise the most high God.

(3) When he failed to come, they were all afraid.
(4) One of them courageously went into the
sanctuary and saw hardened blood next to the
altar of the Lord (5) and heard a loud voice saying,
"Zachariah has been murdered and his blood will
not be wiped away until vengeance comes."

(6) When he heard these words, he was afraid and
went out and told the priest what he had seen and
heard. (7) And gathering up their courage, they
went in and saw what had happened. (8) And as
the panels of the temple cried out, they ripped
their robes from the top down. (9) And they did not
find the corpse, but they found his blood which had
turned to stone. (10) And fearing, they went out
and reported to the people that Zachariah had
been murdered. (11) And all the tribes of the
people heard and they mourned and wept for three
days and three nights.

(12) Then, after three days, the priests deliberated
about who they should appoint to take the place of
Zachariah. (13) And the lot went to Simeon. (14)
For he was the one to whom it had been revealed
by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until
he saw the messiah in the flesh.
CHAPTER 25
(1) I, James, wrote this history when there was
unrest in Jerusalem, at the time Herod died. (2) I
took myself into the desert until the unrest in
Jerusalem ceased. (3) All the while, I was
glorifying God who gave me the wisdom to write
this history.

(4) And grace will be with all who fear the Lord.
Amen. Birth of Mary Revelation of James Peace
to the writer and the reader. Lk. 1:20.

Early Christian Writings is copyright © Peter Kirby <E-Mail>.