Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (17 page)

to his house.

Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer.

2
Some six months came to comple

You will conceive a child and give birth,

tion for Anna; and in the seventh month

and your offspring will be spoken of

she gave birth. She asked the midwife,

throughout the entire world.” Anna re

“What is it?” The midwife replied, “A

plied, “As the Lord God lives, whether

girl.” Anna said, “My soul is exalted tomy child is a boy or a girl, I will offer it day.” And she laid the child down. And

as a gift to the Lord my God, and it will

when the days came to completion, Anna

minister to him its entire life.”

washed off the blood of her impurity,

2
Behold, two angels came to her, saygave her breast to the child, and named ing, “See, your husband Joachim is comher Mary.

ing with his flocks.” For an angel of the

Lord had descended to him and said,

“Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has

The child grew stronger every day.

heard your prayer. Go down from here;

6 When she was six months old, her

for see, your wife Anna has conceived a

mother set her on the ground, to see if

child.”
3
Joachim immediately went

she could stand. She walked seven steps

down and called his shepherds and said,

and came to her arms. She lifted her up

“Bring me here ten lambs without spot

and said, “As the Lord my God lives, you

or blemish, and they will be for the Lord

will not walk at all on this ground until I

God; and bring me twelve young calves,

have taken you up to the temple of the

and they will be for the priests and the

Lord.” Then she made a sanctuary in her

council leaders; and bring a hundred

bedroom and did not allow anything immale goats, and they will be for all the pure or unclean into it. And she called

people.”

the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews

4
And behold, Joachim came with his

and they entertained her.

flocks and Anna stood beside the gate

2
When the child had her first birthday,

and saw him coming; and running up to

Joachim held a great feast and invited the

him she hung on his neck and said, “Now

chief priests, priests, scribes, council

I know that the Lord God has blessed me

leaders, and all the people of Israel. Joaabundantly. For see, the widow is no chim brought the child out to the priests

longer a widow and the one who is childand they blessed her, saying, “May the less has conceived a child.” Then Joachim

God of our fathers bless this child and

rested that first day in his home.

give her a name that will be famous forever, to all generations.” And all the peo

On the next day he brought his gifts

5

ple replied, “Let it be so! Amen.” They

as an offering, saying to himself,

brought her to the chief priests, and they

“If the Lord is gracious to me, the leafed

blessed her, saying, “May the Most High

plate of the priest’s mitrea will make it

known to me.” And Joachim offered his

gifts and looked closely at the priest’s

aLiterally:
the
priest’s
leaf

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NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

God look upon this child and bless her

down upon her. She danced on her feet,

with an ultimate blessing, equal to none.”

and the entire house of Israel loved her.

3
Her mother lifted her up and took

her back to the sanctuary in her bedroom,

Her parents went away, amazed

8

and nursed her. And Anna made a song

and praising God, the Master, that

to the Lord God, saying, “I sing a holy

the child did not turn back. Mary was in

song to the Lord my God, for he has

the temple of the Lord, cared for like a

visited me and removed from me the redove, receiving her food from the hand proach of my enemies. The Lord God has

of an angel.

given me his righteous fruit, unique and

2
But when she reached her twelfth

abundant before him. Who will report to

birthday, the priests held a council and

the sons of Reuben that Anna is now

said, “See, Mary has become twelve

nursing a child? Listen closely, you

years old in the Lord’s temple. What then

twelve tribes of Israel: Anna is nursing a

shall we do with her, to keep her from

child!” And she laid her down in the

defiling the sanctuary of the Lord our

sanctuary of her bedroom and went out

God?” They said to the chief priest, “You

to serve the others. When the feast ended

have stood on the Lord’s altar. Go in and

they descended happy, giving glory to the

pray about her, and we will do whatever

God of Israel.

the Lord God reveals to you.”
3
The chief

priest went in, taking the robe with

7 Months passed for the child. When twelve bells into the Holy of Holies; and she turned two, Joachim said,

he prayed about her. And behold, an an

“Now we should take her up to the temple

gel of the Lord appeared and said to him,

of the Lord, to fulfill the promise we

“Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and gather

made; otherwise the Master may send

the widowers of the people, and have

some harm our way and our gift be

each of them bring a rod; she will become

deemed unacceptable.” Anna replied,

the wife of the one to whom the Lord

“Let’s wait until she is three; otherwise

God gives a sign.” And the heralds went

she may be homesick for her father and

out to all the countryside of Judea and

mother.” Joseph agreed, “We will wait.”

the trumpet of the Lord was blown, and

2
When the child turned three, Joachim

everyone came running.

said, “We should call the undefiled

daughters of the Hebrews and have them

9

take torches; let them set them up, blaz

Joseph cast aside his carpenter’s

axe and went to their meeting.

ing, that the child not turn back and her

When they had gathered together they

heart be taken captive away from the

went to the chief priest, bringing their

temple of the Lord.” They did this, until

rods. And when he had taken everyone’s

they had gone up to the Lord’s temple.

rods he went into the temple and prayed.

And the priest of the Lord received her

When he finished his prayer, he took the

and gave her a kiss, blessing her and

rods, went outside, and gave them back.

saying, “The Lord has made your name

And no sign appeared among them. But

great for all generations. Through you

Joseph took the last rod, and behold! A

will the Lord reveal his redemption to the

dove came out of the rod and flew onto

sons of Israel at the end of time.”

Joseph’s head. The priest said to Joseph,

3
He set her on the third step of the

“You have been called to take the Lord’s

altar, and the Lord God cast his grace

virgin into your safe-keeping.”
2
But

THE PROTO-GOSPEL OF JAMES

67

Joseph refused, saying, “I have sons and

with you. You are blessed among

am an old man; she is but a child. I do

women.” Mary looked around, right and

not want to become a laughingstock to

left, to see where the voice was coming

the sons of Israel.” The priest replied,

from. She then entered her house fright

“Fear the Lord your God, and remember

ened and set the pitcher down. Taking up

everything that he did to Dathan, Abiram,

the purple she sat on her chair and began

and Korah, how the earth split open and

to draw it out.
2
And behold, an angel of

they were all devoured because of their

the Lord stood before her and said, “Do

dispute. Now, Joseph, you should be

not fear, Mary. For you have found favor

afraid of this happening to your house as

before the Master of all, and you will

well.

conceive a child by his Word.” But as she

3
Joseph was afraid and took her into

listened she was asking herself, “Am I to

his safe-keeping. And he said to Mary,

conceive from the living Lord God and

“See, I have received you from the temple

give birth like every other woman?”

of the Lord. Now I am leaving you at

3
The angel of the Lord said to her, “Not

home, while I go out to construct my

so, Mary. For the power of God will

buildings; later I will come back to you.

overshadow you. Therefore the one born

The Lord will watch over you.”

from you will be called holy, the Son of

the Highest. And you will name him Je

Then the priests held a council

10

sus, for he will save his people from their

and said, “We should make a

sins.” Mary replied, “Behold the slave of

curtain for the Lord’s temple.” And the

the Lord is before you. May it happen to

priest said, “Call to me the undefiled virme as you have said.”

gins from the tribe of David.” The servants went out looking for them and She made the purple and the

12

found seven virgins. The priest then rescarlet, and brought them to the membered that the child Mary was from

temple. The priest took them and blessed

the tribe of David, and that she was unher, “Mary, the Lord God has made your defiled before God. The servants went

name great; you will be blessed among

out and led her back and brought her into

all the generations of earth.”

the Lord’s temple. And the priest said,

2
Full of joy, Mary went off to her

“Cast lots before me to see who will spin

relative Elizabeth. She knocked on the

the gold, the asbestos, the fine linen, the

door; and when Elizabeth heard, she cast

silk, the sapphire blue, the scarlet, and

aside the scarlet and ran to the door.

the true purple.” Mary drew the lot for

When she opened it she blessed Mary

the true purple and the scarlet, and taking

and said, “How is it that the mother of

them she returned home. At that time

my Lord should come to me? For see,

Zacharias became silent. Samuel took his

the child in me leapt up and blessed you.”

place, until Zacharias spoke again. But

But Mary forgot the mysteries that the

Mary took the scarlet and began to

archangel Gabriel had spoken to her, and

spin it.

gazed at the sky and said, “Who am I,

Lord, that all the women of earth will

11 Mary took a pitcher and went bless me?”

out to fetch some water. And

3
She stayed with Elizabeth for three

behold, she heard a voice saying, “Greetmonths. Day by day her own belly grew.

ings, you who are favored. The Lord is

Mary then returned home in fear, and hid

68

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

herself from the sons of Israel. She was

is in her comes from the Holy Spirit. She

sixteen when these mysteries happened.

will give birth to a son, and you will name

him Jesus. For he will save his people

When she was in her sixth

13

from their sins.” Joseph rose up from his

month, Joseph returned from

sleep and glorified the God of Israel who

his buildings. As he came into the house

had bestowed such favor on him; and he

he saw that she was pregnant. Striking

watched over her.

his face he cast himself to the ground on

sackcloth, weeping bitterly and saying,

“How can I look upon the Lord God?

But Annas the scribe came to

15

How can I utter a prayer for this young

see Joseph and said, “Why have

girl? For I received her from the temple

you not appeared before our council?”

of the Lord God as a virgin, but I did not

Joseph replied, “I was tired from my jourwatch over her. Who has preyed upon ney and rested on my first day back.”

me? Who has done this wicked deed in

Annas then turned and saw that Mary

my home and defiled the virgin? Has not

was pregnant.
2
He left and ran off to the

the entire history of Adam been summed

priest and said to him, “Joseph, the one

up in me? For just as Adam was singing