These are all forms of
Christian Apocrypha
Revelation of Paul -
Revelation of John the Theologian -
Gospel of Marcion -
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew - part 1 -
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew - part 2 -
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew - part 3 -
Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew - part 4 -
Gospel of Peter -
Gospel of the Nativity of Mary -
Gospel of Mary of Magdalene -
Gospel of James -
Gospel of Bartholomew -
Gospel of Nicodemus -
Consummation of Thomas the Apostle -
Compilation of Thomas - part 1 -
Compilation of Thomas - part 2 -
Apocalypse of the Virgin -
Apocalypse of Peter -
Apocalypse of Thomas -
Acts of Thomas -
Acts of Phillip -
Acts of Peter -
Acts of Peter and Paul -
Acts of Peter and Andrew -
Acts of Paul -
Acts of John -
Acts of John the Theologian -
Acts of Barnabus -
Acts of Andrew and Matthew -
Acts and Martyrdom of Matthew -
Acts and Martyrdom of Andrew
BOOK OF JAMES, OR PROTEVANGELIUM
From "The Apocryphal New Testament"
M.R. James-Translation and Notes
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924
Introduction
Origen mentions the Book of James (and the Gospel of Peter) as stating that the ' brethren of
the Lord' were sons of Joseph by a former wife. This is the first mention of it, and shows us that
the book is as old as the second century. To collect later references to it is unnecessary.
It is generally agreed that the story of the death of Zacharias (chs. xxii-xxiv) does not properly
belong to the text. Origen and other early writers give a different account of the cause of I~is
death: it was, they say, because, after the Nativity, he still allowed Mary to take her place among
the virgins in the Temple.
Difficulty is also caused by the sudden introduction of Joseph as the narrator in ch. xviii. 2 sqq.
We cannot be sure whether this means that a fragment of a 'Joseph-apocryphon' has been
introduced at this point; or, if so, how far it extends. We are sure, from a sentence of Clement of
Alexandria, that some story of a midwife being present at the Nativity was current in the second
century.
We have the book in the original Greek and in several oriental' versions, the oldest of which is
the Syriac. But, oddly enough, there is no Latin version. The matter is found in an expanded and
altered form in the 'Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew', but we have yet to find an old Latin translation of
the present text. Such a thing seems to have existed, for a book identifiable with ours is
condemned in the Gelasian Decree.
In the early chapters the Old Testament is extensively drawn upon, and imitated; but the author
is not familiar with Jewish life or usages.
The best recent edition of this book is a French one, by Amann. There is as yet no really critical
edition of the text, in which all manuscripts and versions are made use of. I follow Tischendorf's in
the main.
Text
I. I In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel it is written that there was one Ioacim,
exceeding rich: and he offered his gifts twofold, saying: That which is of my superfluity shall be
for the whole people, and that which is for my forgiveness shall be for tile Lord, for a propitiation
unto me.
2 Now the great day of the Lord drew nigh and the children of Israel offered their gifts. And
Reuben stood over against him saying: It is not lawful for thee to offer thy gifts first,-forasmuch
as thou hast gotten no seed in Israel. 8 And Ioacim was sore grieved, and went unto the record of
the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I will look upon the record of the twelve tribes of Israel,
whether I only have not gotten seed in Israel. And he searched, and found concerning all the
righteous that they had raised up seed in Israel. And he remembered the patriarch Abraham, how
in the last days God gave him a son, even Isaac. 4 And Ioacim was sore grieved, and showed not
himself to his wife, but betook himself into the wilderness, and pitched his tent there, and fasted
forty days and forty nights, saying within himself: I will not go down either for meat or for drink
until the Lord my God visit me, and my prayer shall be unto me meat and drink.
II Now his wife Anna lamented with two lamentations, and bewailed herself with two
bewailings, saying: I will bewail my widowhood, and I will bewail my childlessness.
2 And the great day of the Lord drew nigh, and Judith her handmaid said unto !;er: How long
humblest thou thy soul? The great day of the Lord hath come, and it is not lawful for thee to
mourn: but take this headband, which the mistress of my work gave me, and it is not lawful for
me to put it on, forasmuch as I am an handmaid, and it hath a mark of royalty. And Anna said:
Get thee from me. Lo! I have done nothing (or I will not do so) and the Lord hath greatly
humbled me: peradventure one gave it to thee in subtilty, and thou art come to make me partaker
in thy sin. And Judith said: How shall I curse thee, seeing the Lord hath shut up thy womb, to give
thee no fruit in Israel ?
3 And Anna was sore grieved (and mourned with a great mourning because she was
reproached by all the tribes of Israel. And coming to herself she said: What shall I do ? I will pray
with weeping unto the Lord my God that he visit me). And she put off her mourning garments
and cleansed (or adorned) her head and put on her bridal garments: and about the ninth hour she
went down into the garden to walk there. And she saw a laurel-tree and sat down underneath it
and besought the Lord saying: O God of our fathers, bless me, and hearken unto my prayer, as
thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and gavest her a son, even Isaac.
III. 1 And looking up to the heaven she espied a nest of sparrows in the laurel-tree, and made a
lamentation within herself, saying: Woe unto me, who begat me ? And what womb brought me
forth for I am become a curse before the children of Israel, and I am reproached, and they have
mocked me forth out of the temple of the Lord? 2 Woe unto me, unto what am I likened ? I am
not likened unto the fowls of the heaven, for even the fowls of the heaven are fruitful before thee,
O Lord. Woe unto me, unto what am I likened ? I am not likened unto the beasts of the earth, for
even the beasts of the earth are fruitful before thee, O Lord. Woe unto me, unto what am I likened
? I am not likened unto these waters, for even these waters are fruitful before thee, O Lord. 3
Woe unto me, unto what am I likened ? I am not likened unto this earth, for even this earth
bringeth forth her fruits in due season and blesseth thee, O Lord.
IV. 1 And behold an angel of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Anna, Anna, the Lord hath
hearkened unto thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive and bear, and thy seed shall be spoken of in
the whole world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I bring forth either male or
female, I will bring it for a gift unto the Lord my God, and it shall be ministering unto him all the
days of its life.
2 And behold there came two messengers saying unto her: Behold Ioacim thy husband cometh
with his flocks: for an angel of the Lord came down unto him saying: Ioacim, Ioacim, the Lord
God hath hearkened unto thy prayer. Get thee down hence, for behold thy wife Anna hath
conceived. 3 And Ioacim sat him down and called his herdsmen saying: Bring me hither ten lambs
without blemish and without spot, and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve
tender calves, and they shall be for the priests and for the assembly of the elders; and an hundred
kids for the whole people.
4 And behold Ioacim came with his flocks, and Anna stood at the gate and saw Ioacim
coming, and ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now know I that the Lord God hath greatly
blessed me: for behold the widow is no more a widow, and she that was childless shall conceive.
And Ioacim rested the first day in his house.
V. 1 And on the morrow he offered his gifts, saying in himself: If the Lord God be reconciled
unto me, the plate that is upon the forehead of the priest will make it manifest unto me. And
Ioacim offered his gifts and looked earnestly upon the plate of the priest when he went up unto
the altar of tile Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Ioacim said: Now know I that the Lord is
become propitious unto me and hath forgiven all my sins. And he went down from the temple of
the Lord justified, and went unto his house.
2 And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth. And she said unto
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.
VI. 1 And day by day the child waxed strong, and when she was six months old her mother
stood her upon the ground to try if she would stand; and she walked seven steps and returned
unto her bosom. And she caught her up, saying: As the Lord my God liveth, thou shalt walk no
more upon this ground, until I bring thee into the temple of the Lord. And she made a sanctuary in
her bed chamber and suffered nothing common or unclean to pass through it. And she called for
the daughters of the Hebrews that were undefiled, and they carried her hither and thither.
2 And the first year of the child was fulfilled, and Ioacim made a great feast and bade the
priests and the scribes and the assembly of the elders and the whole people of Israel. And Ioacim
brought the child to the priests, and they blessed her, saying: 0 God of our fathers, bless this child
and give her a name renowned for ever among all generations. And all the people said: So be it,
so be it. Amen. And he brought her to the high priests, and they blessed her, saying: 0 God of the
high places, look upon this child, and bless her with the last blessing which hath no successor.
3 And her mother caught her up into the sanctuary of her bed chamber and gave her suck.
And Anna made a song unto the Lord God, saying:
I will sing an hymn unto the Lord my God, because he hath visited me and taken away from me
the reproach of mine enemies, and the Lord hath given me a fruit of his righteousness, single and
manifold before him. Who shall declare unto the sons of Reuben that Anna giveth suck ? Hearken,
hearken, ye twelve tribes of Israel, that Anna giveth suck. And she laid the child to rest in the bed
chamber of her sanctuary, and went forth and ministered unto them. And when the feast was
ended, they gat them down rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.
VII. 1 And unto the child her months were added: and the child became two years old. And
Ioacim said: Let us bring her up to the temple of the Lord that we may pay the promise which we
promised; lest the Lord require it of us (lit. send unto us), and our gift become unacceptable. And
Anna said: Let us wait until the third year, that the child may not long after her father or mother.
And Ioacim said: Let us wait.
2 And the child became three years old, and Ioacim said: Call for the daughters of the Hebrews
that are undefiled, and let them take every one a lamp, and let them be burning, that the child turn
not backward and her heart be taken captive away from the temple of the Lord. And they did so
until they were gone up into the temple of the
Lord.
And the priest received her and kissed her and blessed her and said: The Lord hath magnified
thy name among all generations: in thee in the latter days shall the Lord make manifest his
redemption unto the children of Israel. And he made her to sit upon the third step of the altar.
And the Lord put grace upon her and she danced with her feet and all tile house of Israel loved
her.
VIII. 1 And her parents gat them down marveling, and praising the Lord God because tile child
was not turned away backward.
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.
2 And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the priests, saying: Behold Mary
is become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her ? lest she
pollute the sanctuary of the Lord. And they said unto the high priest: Thou standest over the altar
of the Lord. Enter in and pray concerning her: And whatsoever the Lord shall reveal to thee, that
let us do.
3 And the high priest took the vestment with the twelve bells and went in unto the Holy of
Holies and prayed concerning her. And lo, an angel of tile Lord appeared saying unto him:
Zacharias, Zacharias~ go forth and assemble them that are widowers of the people, and let them
bring every man a rod, and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. And
the heralds went forth over all the country round about Judaea, and the trumpet of the Lord
sounded, and all men ran thereto.
IX. 1 And Joseph cast down his adze and ran to meet them, and when they were gathered
together they went to the high priest and took their rods with them. And he took the rods of them
all and went into the temple and prayed. And when he had finished the prayer he took the rods
and went forth and gave them back to them: and there was no sign upon them. But Joseph
received the last rod: and 1o, a dove came forth of the rod and flew upon the bead of Joseph. And
the priest said unto Joseph: Unto thee hath it fallen to take the virgin of the Lord and keep her for
thyself. 2 And 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 unto Joseph: Year the Lord
thy God, and remember what things God did unto Dathan and Abiram and Korah, how the earth
clave and they were swallowed up because of their gainsaying. And now fear thou, Joseph, lest it
be so in thine house. And Joseph was afraid, and took her to keep her for himself. And Joseph
said unto Mary: Lo, I have received thee out of the temple of the Lord: and now do I leave thee in
my house, and I go away to build my buildings and I will come again unto thee. The Lord shall
watch over thee.
X. 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 avid and was undefiled before
God: and the officers went and fetched her. And they brought them into the temple of the Lord,
and the priest said: Cast me lots, which of you shah weave the gold and the undefiled (the white)
and tile 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 at that season Zacharias became dumb, and Samuel was
in his stead until the time when Zacharias spake again.)But Mary took the scarlet and began to
spin it.
XL 1 And she took the pitcher and went forth to fill it with water: and lo a voice saying: Hail,
thou that art highly favoured; 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.
2 And behold an angel of the Lord stood before her saying: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found
grace before the Lord of all things, and thou shalt conceive of his word. And she, when she heard
it, questioned in herself, saying: Shall I verily conceive of the living God, and bring forth after the
manner of all women ? And the angel of the Lord said: Not so, Mary, for a power of the Lord
shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called
the Son of the Highest. And thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their
sins. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord is before him: be it unto me according to
thy word.
XII 1 And she made the purple and the scarlet and brought them unto the priest. And the priest
blessed her and said: Mary, the Lord God hath magnified thy name, and thou shalt be blessed
among all generations of the earth. 2 And Mary rejoiced and went away unto Elizabeth her
kinswoman: and she knocked at the door. And Elizabeth when she heard it cast down the scarlet
(al. the wool) and ran to the door and opened it, and when she saw Mary she blessed her and said:
Whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come unto me ? for behold that which is
in me leaped and blessed thee. And Mary forgat the mysteries which Gabriel the archangel had
told her, and she looked up unto the heaven and said: Who am I, Lord, that all the generations of
the earth do bless me ? 8 And she abode three months with Elizabeth, and day by day her womb
grew: and Mary was afraid and departed unto her house and hid herself from the children of
Israel. Now she was sixteen years old when these mysteries came to pass.
XIII. I Now it was the sixth month with her, and behold Joseph came from his building, and he
entered into his house and found her great with child. And he smote his face, and cast himself
down upon the ground on sackcloth and wept bitterly, saying: With what countenance shall I look
unto the Lord my God ? and what prayer shall I make concerning this maiden? for I received her
out of the temple of the Lord my God a virgin, and have not kept her safe. Who is he that hath
ensnared me ? Who hath done this evil in mine house and hath defiled the virgin ? Is not the story
of Adam repeated in me ? for as at the hour of his giving thanks the serpent came and found Eve
alone and deceived her, so hath it befallen me also. 2 And Joseph arose from off the sackcloth and
called Mary and said unto her O thou that wast cared for by God, why hast thou done this ? thou
hast forgotten the Lord thy God. Why hast thou humbled thy soul, thou that wast nourished up in
the Holy of Holies and didst receive food at the hand of an angel? 3 But she wept bitterly, saying:
I am pure and I know not a man. And Joseph said unto her: Whence then is that which is in thy
womb ? and she said: As the Lord my God liveth, I know not whence it is come unto me.
XIV. I And Joseph was sore afraid and ceased from speaking unto her (or left her alone), and
pondered what he should do with her. And Joseph said: If I hide her sin, I shall be found fighting
against the law of the Lord: and if I manifest her unto the children of Israel, I fear lest that which
is in her be the seed of an angel, and I shall be found delivering up innocent blood to the
judgement of death. What then shall I do ? I will let her go from me privily. And the night came
upon him. 2 And behold an angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying: Fear not this
child, for that which is in her is of the Holy Ghost, and she shall bear a son and thou shalt call his
name Jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. And Joseph arose from sleep and glorified
the God of Israel which had shown this favour unto her: and he watched over her.
XV. I Now Annas the scribe came unto him and said to him: Wherefore didst thou not appear
in our assembly ? and Joseph said unto him: I was weary with the journey, and I rested the first
day. And Annas turned him about and saw Mary great with child. 2 And he went hastily to the
priest and said unto him: Joseph, to whom thou bearest witness (that he is righteous) hath sinned
grievously. And the priest said: Wherein ? And he said: The virgin whom he received out of the
temple of the Lord, he hath defiled her, and married her by stealth (lit. stolen her marriage), and
hath not declared it to the children of Israel. And the priest answered and said: Hath Joseph done
this ? And Annas the scribe said: Send officers, and thou shalt find the virgin great with child. And
the officers went and found as he had said, and they brought her together with Joseph unto the
place of judgement. 3 And the priest said: Mary, wherefore hast thou done this, and wherefore
hast thou humbled thy soul and forgotten the Lord thy God, thou that wast nurtured in the Holy
of Holies and didst receive food at the hand of an angel and didst hear the hymns and didst dance
before the Lord, wherefore hast thou done this ?
But she wept bitterly, saying: As the Lord my God liveth I am pure before him and I know not
a man. 4 And the priest said unto Joseph: Wherefore hast thou done this ? And Joseph said: As
the Lord my God liveth I am pure as concerning her. And the priest said: Bear no false witness
but speak the truth: thou hast married her by stealth and hast not declared it unto the children of
Israel, and hast not bowed thine head under the mighty hand that thy seed should be blessed. And
Joseph held his peace.
XVI 1 And the priest said: Restore the virgin whom thou didst receive out of the temple of the
Lord. And Joseph was full of weeping. And the priest said: I will give you to drink of the water of
the conviction of the Lord, and it will make manifest your sins before your eyes. 2 And the priest
took thereof and made Joseph drink and sent him into the hill-country. And he returned whole. He
made Mary also drink and sent her into the hill-country. And she returned whole. And all the
people marvelled, because sin appeared not in them. 3 And the priest said: If the Lord God hath
not made your sin manifest, neither do I condemn you. And he let them go. And Joseph took
Mary and departed unto his house rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.
XVII. 1 Now there went out a decree 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, what shall I
do with her ? how shall I record her ? as my wife ? nay, I am ashamed. Or as my daughter? but all
the children of Israel know that she is not my daughter. This day of the Lord shall do as the Lord
willeth. 2 And he saddled the she-ass, and set her upon it, and his son led it and Joseph followed
after. And they drew near (unto Bethlehem) within three miles: and Joseph turned himself about
and saw her of a sad countenance and said within himself: Peradventure that which is within her
paineth her. And again Joseph turned himself about and saw her laughing, and said unto her:
Mary, what aileth thee that I see thy face at one time laughing and at another time sad ? And Mary
said unto Joseph: It is because I behold two peoples with mine eyes, the one weeping and
lamenting and the other rejoicing and exulting.
8 And they came to the midst of the way, and Mary said unto him: Take me down from the ass,
for that which is within me presseth me, to come forth. And he took her down from the ass and
said unto her: Whither shall I take thee to hide thy shame ? for the place is desert.
XVIII. I And he found a cave there and brought her into it, and set his sons by her: and he went
forth and sought for a midwife of the Hebrews in the country of Bethlehem.
2 Now I Joseph was walking, and I walked not. And I looked up to the air and saw the air in
amazement. And I looked up unto the pole of the heaven and saw it standing still, and the fowls
of the heaven without motion. And I looked upon the earth and saw a dish set, and workmen
lying by it, and their hands were in the dish: and they that were chewing chewed not, and they that
were lifting the food lifted it not, and they that put it to their mouth put it not thereto, but the
faces of all of them were looking upward. And behold there were sheep being driven, and they
went not forward but stood still; and the shepherd lifted his hand to smite them with his staff, and
his hand remained up. And I looked upon the stream of the river and saw the mouths of the kids
upon the water and they drank not. And of a sudden all things moved onward in their course.
XIX. I And behold a woman coming down from the hillcountry, and she said to me: Man,
whither goest thou ? And I said: I seek a midwife of the Hebrews. And she answered and said
unto me: Art thou of Israel ? And I said unto her: Yea. And she said: And who is she that bringeth
forth in the cave ? And I said: She that is betrothed unto me. And she said to me: Is she not thy
wife? 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: and she is not my wife, but she hath conception by the Holy Ghost.
And the midwife said unto him: Is this the truth? And Joseph said unto her: Come hither and
see. And the midwife went with him.
2 And they stood in the place of the cave: and behold a bright cloud overshadowing the cave.
And the midwife said: My soul is magnified this day, because mine eyes have seen marvellous
things: 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 the midwife cried aloud and said: Great unto me to-day is this day, in that ! have seen this
new sight. 3 And the midwife went forth of the cave and Salome met her. And she said to her:
Salome, Salome, a new sight have I to tell thee. A virgin hath brought forth, which her nature
alloweth not. And Salome said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I make not trial and prove her
nature I will not believe that a virgin hath brought forth.
XX. 1 And the midwife went in and said unto Mary: Order thyself, for there is no small
contention arisen concerning thee. Arid Salome made trial and cried out and said: Woe unto mine
iniquity and mine unbelief, because I have tempted the living God, and lo, my hand falleth away
from me in fire. And she bowed her knees unto the Lord, saying: O God of my fathers, remember
that I am the seed of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob: make me not a public example unto the
children of Israel, but restore me unto the poor, for thou knowest, Lord, that in thy name did I
perform my cures, and did receive my hire of thee. 3 And lo, an angel of the Lord appeared,
saying unto her: Salome, Salome, the Lord hath hearkened to thee: bring thine hand near unto the
young child and take him up, and there shall be unto thee salvation and joy. 4 And Salome came
near and took him up, saying: I will do him worship, for a great king is born unto Israel. And
behold immediately Salome was healed: and she went forth of the cave justified. And Io, a voice
saying: Salome, Salome, tell none of the marvels which thou hast seen, until the child enter into
Jerusalem.
XXI 1 And behold, Joseph made him ready to go forth into Judaea. And there came a great
tumult in Bethlehem of Judaea; for there came wise men, saying: Where is he that is born king of
the Jews ? for we have seen his star in the east and arc come to worship him. 2 And when Herod
heard it he was troubled and sent officers unto the wise men. And he sent for the high priests and
examined them, saying: How is it written concerning the Christ, where he is born ? They say unto
him: In Bethlehem of Judaea: for so it is written. A~d he let them go. And he examined the wise
men, saying unto them: What sign saw ye concerning the king that is born ? And the wise men
said: We saw a very great star shining among those stars and dimming them so that the stars
appeared not: and thereby knew we that a king was born unto Israel, and we came to worship
him. And Herod said: Go and seek for him, and if ye find him, tell me, that I also may come and
worship him. 3 And the wise men went forth. And lo, the star which they saw in ~he east went
before them until they entered into the cave: and it stood over the head of the cave. And the wise
men saw the young child with Mar~, his mother: and they brought out of their scrip gifts,
gold-and frankincense and myrrh. 4 And being warned by the angel that they should not enter into
Judaea, they went into their own country by another way.
XXII. 1 But when Herod perceived that he was mocked by the wise men, he was wroth, and
sent murderers, saying unto them: Slay the children from two years old and under. 2 And when
Mary heard that the children were being slain, she was afraid, and took the young child and
wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid him in an ox-manger.
3 But Elizabeth when she heard that they sought for John, took him and went up into the
hill-country and looked about her where she should hide him: and there was no hiding-place. And
Elizabeth groaned and said with a loud voice: 0 mountain of God, receive thou a mother with a
child. For Elizabeth was not able to go up. And immediately the mountain clave asunder and took
her in. And there was a light shining alway for them: for an angel of the Lord was with them,
keeping watch over them.
XXIII. I Now Herod sought for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, saying: Where hast thou
hidden thy son? And he answered and said unto them: I am a minister of God and attend
continually upon the temple of the Lord: I know not where my son is. 2 And the officers departed
and told Herod all these things. And Herod was wroth and said: His son is to be king over Israel.
And he sent unto him again, saying: Say the truth: where is thy son ? for thou knowest that thy
blood is under my hand. And the officers departed and told him all these things. 3 And Zacharias
said: I am a martyr of God if thou sheddest my blood: for my spirit the Lord shah receive, because
thou sheddest innocent blood in the fore-court of the temple of the Lord.
And about the dawning of the day Zacharias was slain. And the children of Israel knew not that
he was slain.
XXIV. 1 But the priests entered in at the hour of the salutation, and the blessing of Zacharias
met them not according to the manner. And the priests stood waiting for Zacharias, to salute him
with the prayer, and to glorify the Most High. 2 But as he delayed to come, they were all afraid:
and one of them took courage and entered in: and he saw beside the altar congealed blood: and a
voice saying: Zacharias hath been slain, and his blood shall not be wiped out until his avenger
come. And when he heard that word he was afraid, and went forth and told the priests. 3 And
they took courage and went in and saw that which was done: and the panels of the temple did
wail: and they rent their clothes from the top to the bottom. And his body they found not, but
his blood they found turned into stone. And they feared, and went forth and told all the people
that Zacharias was slain. And all tile tribes of the people heard it, and they mourned for him and
lamented him three days and three nights. And after the three days the priests took counsel whom
they should set in his stead: and the lot came up upon Symeon. Now he it was which was warned
by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death until he should see the Christ in the flesh.
XXV. 1 Now I, James, which wrote this history in Jerusalem, when there arose a tumult when
Herod died, withdrew myself into the wilderness until the tumult ceased in Jerusalem.
Glorifying the Lord God which gave me the gift, and the wisdom to write this history.
2 And grace shall be with those that fear our Lord Jesus Christ: to whom be glory for ever and
ever. Amen.
Scanned and Edited by
Dave J. Giles
Northwest Nazarene College, 1996