This eBook was produced by David Widger <widger@cecomet.net>
Additional proofing was done by Curtis A. Weyant





                                  THE
                              SUPPRESSED
                          GOSPELS AND EPISTLES
                            OF THE ORIGINAL
                             NEW TESTAMENT
                                   OF
                            JESUS THE CHRIST

          AND OTHER PORTIONS OF THE ANCIENT HOLY SCRIPTURES.
                       NOW EXTANT, ATTRIBUTED TO
                  HIS APOSTLES, AND THEIR DISCIPLES,
       AND VENERATED BY THE PRIMITIVE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES DURING
                       THE FIRST FOUR CENTURIES,
                 BUT SINCE, AFTER VIOLENT DISPUTATIONS
                            FORBIDDEN BY THE
                     BISHOPS OF THE NICENE COUNCIL,
                IN THE REIGN OF THE EMPEROR CONSTANTINE
             AND OMITTED FROM THE CATHOLICS AND PROTESTANT
            EDITIONS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, BY ITS COMPILERS

         TRANSLATED FROM THE ORIGINAL TONGUES, WITH HISTORICAL
                   REFERENCES TO THEIR AUTHENTICITY,

                                  BY
                            ARCHBISHOP WAKE
                               AND OTHER
                            LEARNED DIVINES






                          THE FIRST GOSPEL OF
                      THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST.



CHAPTER I.

     1 Caiphas relates that Jesus, when in his cradle,
     informed his mother that he was the Son of God.
     5 Joseph and Mary going to Bethlehem to be taxed, Mary's
     time of bringing forth arrives, and she goes into a cave.
     8 Joseph fetches in a Hebrew woman. The cave filled with
     great lights.
     11 The infant born,
     17 and cures the woman.
     19 Arrival of the shepherds.

THE following accounts we found
in the book of Joseph the
high-priest, called by some
Caiphas:

2  He relates, that Jesus spake
even when he was in the cradle,
and said to his mother:

3  Mary, I am Jesus the Son of
God, that word, which thou didst
bring forth according to the
declaration of the angel Gabriel to
thee, and my father hath sent me
for the salvation of the world.

4  In the three hundred and
ninth year of the era of Alexander,
Augustus published a decree that
all persons should go to be taxed
in their own country.

5  Joseph therefore arose, and
with Mary his spouse he went to
Jerusalem, and then came to Bethlehem,
that he and his family might be taxed
in the city of his fathers.

6  And when they came by the cave,
Mary confessed to Joseph that her
time of bringing forth was come,
and she could not go on to the city,
and said, Let us go into this cave.

7  At that time the sun was very
near going down.

8  But Joseph hastened away,
that he might fetch her a midwife;
and when he saw an old Hebrew
woman who was of Jerusalem, he
said to her, Pray come hither,
good woman, and go into that cave,
and you will there see a woman
just ready to bring forth.

9  It was after sunset, when the
old woman and Joseph with her
reached the cave, and they both
went into it.

10  And behold, it was all filled
with lights, greater than the light
of lamps and candles, and greater
than the light of the sun itself.

11  The infant was then wrapped
up in swaddling clothes, and sucking
the breasts of his mother St.
Mary.

12  When they both saw this
light, they were surprised; the
old woman asked St. Mary, Art
thou the mother of this child?

13  St. Mary replied, She was.

14  On which the old woman
said, Thou art very different from
all other women.

15  St. Mary answered, As there
is not any child like to my son,
so neither is there any woman like
to his mother.

16  The old woman answered,
and said, O my Lady, I am come
hither that I may obtain an
everlasting reward.

17  Then our Lady St. Mary
said to her, Lay thine hands upon
the infant, which, when she had
done, she became whole.

18  And as she was going forth,
she said, From henceforth, all the
days of my life, I will attend upon
and be a servant of this infant.

19  After this, when the shepherds
came, and had made a fire, and they
were exceedingly rejoiceing, the
heavenly host appeared to them,
praising and adoring the supreme God.

20  And as the shepherds were
engaged in the same employment,
the cave at that time seemed like
a glorious temple, because both
the tongues of angels and men
united to adore and magnify God,
on account of the birth of the Lord
Christ.

21  But when the old Hebrew
woman saw all these evident miracles,
she gave praises to God, and
said, I thank thee, O God, thou
God of Israel, for that mine eyes
have seen the birth of the Saviour
of the world.



CHAP. II.

     1 The child circumcised in the cave,
     2 and the old woman preserving his foreskin or navel-string in a
     box of spikenard, Mary afterwards annoints Christ with it.
     5 Christ brought to the temple;
     6 He shines,
     7 and angels stand around him adoring.
     8 Simeon praises Christ.

AND when the time of his
circumcision was come: namely,
the eighth day, on which the
law commanded the child to be
circumcised; they circumcised
him in the cave.

2  And the old Hebrew woman
took the foreskin (others say she
took the navel-string), and preserved
it in an alabaster-box of old oil
of spikenard.

3  And she had a son who was a
druggist, to whom she said, Take
heed thou sell not this alabaster-
box of spikenard-ointment, although
thou shouldst be offered three
hundred pence for it.

4  Now this is that alabaster-
box which Mary the sinner procured,
and poured forth the ointment out
of it upon the head and the feet
of our Lord Jesus Christ, and wiped
them off with the hairs of her head.

5  Then after ten days they
brought him to Jerusalem, and on
the fortieth day from his birth
they presented him in the temple
before the Lord, making the proper
offerings for him, according
to the requirement of the law of
Moses: namely, that every male
which opens the womb shall be
called holy unto God.

6  At that time old Simeon saw
him shining as a pillar of light,
when St. Mary the Virgin, his
mother, carried him in her arms,
and was filled with the greatest
pleasure at the sight.

7  And the angels stood around
him, adoring him, as a king's
guards stand around him.

8  Then Simeon going near to
St. Mary, and stretching forth his
hands towards her, said to the
Lord Christ, Now, O My Lord,
thy servant shall depart in peace,
according to thy word;

9  For mine eyes have seen thy
mercy, which thou hast prepared
for the salvation of all nations;
a light to all people, and the glory
of thy people Israel.

10  Hannah the prophetess was
also present, and drawing near,
she gave praises to God, and
celebrated the happiness of Mary.



CHAPTER III.

     1 The wise men visit Christ. Mary gives them
     one of his swaddling clothes.
     3 An angel appears to them in the form of a star.
     4 They return and make a fire, and worship the
     swaddling cloth, and put it in the fire where it
     remains unconsumed.

AND it came to pass, when the
Lord Jesus was born at Bethlehem,
a city of Judaea, in the time of Herod
the King;--the wise  men came from the
East to Jerusalem, according to the
prophecy of Zoradascht,[Zoroaster]
and brought with them offerings:
namely, gold, frankincense, and myrrh,
and worshipped him, and offered to him
their gifts.

2  Then the Lady Mary took one
of his swaddling clothes in which
the infant was wrapped, and gave
it to them instead of a blessing,
which they received from her as a
most noble present.

3  And at the same time there
appeared to them an angel in the
form of that star which had before
been their guide in their journey;
the light of which they followed
till they returned into their own
country.

4  On their return their kings
and princes came to them inquiring,
whom they had seen and done?
What sort of journey and return
they had?  What Company
they had on the road?

5  But they produced the swaddling
cloth which St. Mary had given
them, on account whereof they kept
a feast.

6  And having, according to the
custom of their country, made
a fire, they worshipped it.

7  And casting the swaddling
cloth into it, the fire took it
and kept it.

8  And when the fire was put out,
they took forth the swaddling cloth
unhurt, as much as if the fire had
not touched it.

9  Then they began to kiss it,
and put it upon their heads and
their eyes saying, This is certainly
an undoubted truth, and it is really
surprising that the fire could not
burn it, and consume it.

10  Then they took it, and with
the greatest respect laid it up
among their treasures.



CHAPTER IV.

     1 Herod intends to put Christ to death.
     3 An angel warns Joseph to take the child
     and his mother into Egypt.
     6 Consternation on their arrival.
     13 The idols fall down.
     15 Mary washes Christ's swaddling clothes, hangs them to
     dry on a post, and the son of a priest puts one on his head;
     16 And being possessed of devils they leave him.

NOW Herod perceiving that the
wise men did delay and not return
to him, called together the priest
and wise men, and said, Tell me in
what place the Christ should be born.

2  And when they replied, in
Bethlehem,--a city of Judaea, he
began to contrive in his own mind
the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.

3  But an angel of the Lord
appeared to Joseph in his sleep,
and said, Arise, take the child and
his mother, and go into Egypt as soon
as the cock crows. So he arose,
and went.

4  And as he was considering
with himself about his journey,
the morning came upon him.

5  In the length of the journey
the girts of the saddle broke.

6  And now he drew near to a great
city, in which there was an idol,
to which the priests of the other
idols and gods of Egypt brought
their offerings and vows.

7  And there was by this idol a
priest ministering to it, who, as
often as Satan spoke out of that
idol, related the things he said to
the inhabitants of Egypt, and those
countries.

8  This priest had a son three
years old, who was possessed with
a great multitude of devils, who
uttered many strange things and
when the devils seized him, walked
about naked with his clothes torn,
throwing stones at those whom
he saw.

9  Near to that idol was the inn
of the city, into which when Joseph
and St. Mary were come, and had
turned into that inn, all the
inhabitants of the city were
astonished.

10  And all the magistrates and
priests of the idols assembled
before that idol, and made inquiry
there, saying, What means all this
consternation, and dread, which
has fallen upon all our country?

11  The idol answered them,
The unknown God is come thither,
who is truly God; nor is there any
one besides him, who is worthy of
divine worship for he is truly the
Son of God.

12  At the fame of him this
country trembled, and at his
coming it is under the present
commotion and consternation, and
we ourselves are afrighted by the
greatness of his power.

13  And at the same instant this
idol fell down, and at his fall all
the inhabitants of Egypt, besides
others ran together.

14  But the son of the priest,
when his usual disorder came upon
him going into the inn, found
there Joseph and St. Mary, whom
all the rest had left behind and
forsook.

15  And when the Lady St. Mary
had washed the swaddling clothes
of the Lord Christ, and hanged
them out to dry upon a post, the
boy possessed with the devil took
down one of them, and put it upon
his head.

16  And presently the devils
began to come out of his mouth,
and fly away in the shape of crows
and serpents.

17  From that time the boy was
healed by the power of the Lord
Christ and he began to sing
praises, and give thanks to the
Lord who had healed him.

18  When his father saw him
restored to his former state of
health, he said, My son, what has
happened to thee, and by what
means wert thou cured?

19  The son answered, When the
devils seized me, I went into the
inn, and there found a very handsome
woman with a boy, whose swaddling
clothes she had just before washed,
and hanged out upon a post.

20  One of these I took, and put
it upon my head, and immediately
the devils left me, and fled away.

21  At this the father exceedingly
rejoiced, and said, My son,
perhaps this boy is the son of the
living God, who made the heavens
and the earth.

22  For as soon as he came
amongst us, the idol was broken,
and all the gods fell down, and
were destroyed by a greater power.

23  Then was fulfilled the prophecy
which saith, Out of Egypt I have
called my son.



CHAPTER V.

     1 Joseph and Mary leave Egypt.
     3 Go to the Haunts of robbers,
     4 Who hearing a mighty noise,
     as of a great army flee away.

NOW Joseph and Mary when
they heard that the idol was
fallen down and destroyed, were
seized with fear and, trembling,
and said, When we Were in the
land of Israel, Herod, intending
to kill Jesus, slew for that purpose
all the infants at Bethlehem, and
that neighbourhood.

2  And there is no doubt but
the Egyptians if they come to
hear that this idol is broken and
fallen down, will burn us with fire.

3  They went therefore hence to
the secret places of robbers, who
robbed travellers as they pass by,
of their carriages and their clothes
and carried them away bound.

4  These thieves upon their
coming heard a great noise such
as the noise of a king with a great
army, and many horse and the
trumpets sounding at his departure
from his own city, at which they
were so affrighted, as to leave
all their booty behind them and
fly away in haste.

5  Upon this the prisoners arose,
and loosed each other's bonds,
and taking each man his bags,
they went way, and saw Joseph
and Mary coming towards them,
and inquired, Where is that king,
the noise of whose approach the
robbers heard, and left us,
so that we are now come off safe?

6  Joseph answered, He will come
after us.



CHAPTER VI.

     1 Mary looks on a woman in whom Satan had taken
     up his abode, and she becomes dispossesed.
     5 Christ kissed by a bride made dumb by sorcerers,
     cures her.
     11 Miraculously cures a gentlewoman in whom Satan
     had taken up his abode.
     16 A leprous girl cured by the water in which he was
     washed, and becomes the servant of Joseph and Mary.
     20 The leprous son of a prince's wife cured in like manner.
     37 Has mother offers large gifts to Mary, and dismisses her.


THEN they went into another
city where there was a woman
possessed with a devil, and in
whom Satan, that cursed rebel,
had taken up his abode.

2  One night, when she went to
fetch water, she could neither
endure her clothes on, nor to be
in any house; but as often as they
tied her with chains or cords, she
brake them, and went out into desert
places, and sometimes standing
where roads crossed, and in
church yards, would throw stones
at men.

3  When St. Mary saw this
woman, she pitied her; where
upon Satan presently left her, and
fled away in the form of a young
man, saying, Wo to me, because
of thee, Mary, and thy son.

4  So the woman was delivered
from her torment; but considering
herself naked, she blushed,
and avoided seeing any man and
having put on her clothes, went
home, and gave an account of her
case to her father and relations
who, as they were the best of the
city, entertained St. Mary and
Joseph with the greatest respect.

5  The next morning having
received a sufficient supply of
provisions for the road, they went
from them, and about the evening of
the day arrived at another town,
where a marriage was then about
to be solemnized; but by the arts
of Satan and the practices of a
sorcerers, the bride was become
so dumb, that she could not so
much as open her mouth.

6  But when this dumb bride
saw the Lady St. Mary entering
into the town, and carrying
Lord Christ in her arms, she
stretched out her hands to the
Lord Christ, and-took him in her
arms, and closely hugging him,
very often kissed him, continually
moving him and, pressing him to
her body.

7  Straightway the string of her
tongue was loosed, and her ears
were opened, and she began to
sing praises unto God, who had
restored her.

8  So there was great joy among
the inhabitants of the town that
night, who thought that God and
his angels were come down among
them.

9  In this place they abode
three days, meeting with the greatest
respect and most splendid entertainment.

10  And being then furnished by
the people with provisions for the
road, they departed and went to
another city, in which they were
inclined to lodge, because it was a
famous place.

11  There was in this city a
gentlewoman, who, as she went down
one day to the river to bathe, behold
cursed Satan leaped upon her in the
form of a serpent.

12  And folded himself about her
belly, and every night lay upon
her.

13  This woman seeing the Lady
St. Mary, and the Lord Christ the
infant in her bosom, asked the
Lady St. Mary, that she would
give her the child to kiss, and
carry in her arms.

14  When she had consented,
and as soon as the woman had
moved the child, Satan left her,
and fled away, nor did the woman
ever afterwards see him.

15  Hereupon all the neighbors
praised the Supreme God, and the
woman reward them with ample,
beneficence.

16  On the morrow, the same
woman brought perfumed water to
wash the Lord Jesus; and when
she had washed him, she preserved
the water.

17  And there was a girl there,
whose body was white with a
leprosy, who being sprinkled with
this water, and washed, was
instantly cleansed from her leprosy.

18  The people therefore said
Without doubt Joseph and Mary,
and that boy are Gods, for they do
not look like mortals.

19  And when they were making
ready to go away, the girl, who
had been troubled with the leprosy,
came and desired they would
permit her to go along with them;
so they consented and the girl went
with them till they came to a city
in which was the palace of a great
king, and whose house was not far
from the inn.

20  Here they staid, and when
the girl went one day to the
prince's wife, and found her in a
sorrowful and mournful condition,
she asked her the reason of her
tears.

21  She replied, wonder not at
my groans, for I am under a great
misfortune, of which I dare not
tell any one.

22  But, says the, girl, if you
will entrust me with your private
grievance, perhaps I may find you
a remedy for it.

23  Thou, therefore, says the
prince's wife, shall keep the
secret, and not discover it to
any one alive.

24  I have been married to this
prince, who  rules as king over
large dominions, and lived long
with him before he had any child
by me.

25  At length I conceived by
him, but alas! I brought forth a
leprous son; which, when he saw
him would not own to be his, but
said to me,

26  Either do thou kill him, or
send him to some nurse in such a
place, that he may be never heard
of; and now take care of yourself;
I will never see you more.

27  So here I pine, lamenting
my wretched and miserable
circumstances. Alas, my son! alas,
my husband; Have I disclosed it
to you?

28  The girl replied I have found
a remedy for your disease, which
I promise you, for I also was
leprous, but God hath cleansed
me, even he who is called Jesus
the son of the Lady Mary.

29  The woman inquiring where
that God was, whom she spake
of; the girl answered, He lodges
with you here, in the same house.

30  But how can this be? says
she; where is he? Behold, replied
the girl, Joseph and Mary; and
the infant who is, with them is
called Jesus; and it is he who
delivered me from my disease and
torment.

31  But by what means, says she,
were you cleansed from your leprosy?
Will not you tell me that?

32  Why not? says the girl; I
took the water with which his
body had been washed, and poured
it upon me, and my leprosy
vanished.

33  The prince's wife then arose
and entertained them, providing a
great feast for Joseph among a
large company of men.

34  And the next day took
perfumed water to wash the Lord
Jesus, and afterwards  poured the
same water upon her son, whom
she had brought with her, and her
son was instantly cleansed from
his leprosy,

35  Then she sang thanks and
unto God, and said, Blessed
is the mother that bare thee,
O Jesus!

36  Dost thou thus cure men of
the same nature with thyself, with
the water with which thy body is
washed?

37 She then offered very large
gifts to the Lady Mary, and sent
her away with all imaginable
respect.



CHAPTER VII.

     1 A man who could not enjoy his wife, freed from his disorder.
     5 A young man who had been bewitched, and turned into a
     mule miraculously cured by Christ being put on his back,
     28 and is married to the girl who had been cured of leprosy.


THEY came afterwards to another
city, and had a mind to lodge there.


2  Accordingly they went to a man's
house, who was newly married
but by the influence of sorcerers
could not enjoy his wife.

3  But they lodging at his house
that night, the man was freed of
his disorder.

4  And when they were preparing
early in the morning to go forward
on their jouney, the new-married
person hindered them, and
provided a noble entertainment
for them.

5  But going forward on the
morrow, they came to another
city, and saw three women going
from a certain grave with great
weeping.

6  When St. Mary saw them, she
spake to the girl who was their
companion, saying, Go and inquire
of them, what is the matter with
them, and what misfortune has
befallen them?

7  When the girl asked them,
they made her no answer, but
asked her again, Who are ye? and
where are you going? For the day
is far spent, and night is at hand.

8  We are travellers, saith the
girl, and we are seeking for an inn
to lodge at.

9  They replied, Go along with
us, and lodge with us.

10  They then followed them,
and were introduced into a new
house, well furnished with all
sorts of furniture.

11  Now it was winter-time, and
the girl went into the parlour
where these women were, and
found them weeping and lamenting
as before.

12  By them stood a mule, covered
over with silk, and an ebony collar
hanging down from his neck, whom
they kissed and were feeding.

13  But when the girl said, How
handsome, ladies, that mule is!
they replied with tears, and said,
This mule, which you see, was our
brother, born of this same mother
as we;

14  For when our father died,
and left us a very large estate, and
we had only this brother, and we
endeavoured to procure him a suitable
match, and thought he should
be married as other men, some
giddy and jealous women bewitched
him without our knowledge.

15  And we one night, a little before
day, while the doors of the house
were all shut fast, saw this our
brother was changed into a mule,
such as you now see him to be:

16  And we in the melancholy
condition in which you see us,
having no father to comfort us,
have applied to all the wise men,
magicians, and diviners in the
world, but they have been of no
service to us.

17  As often therefore as we find
ourselves oppressed with grief, we
rise and go with this our mother
to our father's tomb, where, when
we have cried sufficiently, we
return home.

18  When the girl had heard this
she said, Take courage, and cease
your fears, for you have a remedy
for your afflictions near at hand
even amoung you and in the midst
of your house.

19  For I was also leprous; but
when I saw this woman, and this
little infant with her, whose name
is Jesus, I sprinkled my body with
the water with which his mother
had washed him and I was
presently made well.

20  And I am certain that he is
also capable of relieving you under
your distress.  Wherefore arise,
go to my mistress Mary, and when
you have brought her into your
own parlour, disclose to her the
secret, at the same time earnestly
beseeching her to compassionate
your case.

21  As soon as the women had
heard the girl's discourse, they
hastened away to the Lady St.
Mary, introduced themselves to
her, and sitting down before her,
they wept.

22  And said, O our Lady St.
Mary, pity your handmaids, for
we have no head of our family, no
one elder than us; no father or
brother to go in or out before us.

23  But this mule, which you
see, was our brother, which some
women by witchcraft have brought
into this condition which you see:
we therefore entreat you to
compassionate us.

24  Hereupon St. Mary was
grieved at their case, and taking
the Lord Jesus, put him upon the
back of the mule.

25  And said to her son, O Jesus
Christ, restore (or heal) according
to thy extraordinary power this
mule, and grant him to have again
the shape of a man and a rational
creature, as he had formerly.

26  This was scarce said by the
Lady St. Mary, but the mule
immediately passed into a human
form, and became a young man
without any deformity.

27  Then he and his mother and
the sisters worshipped the Lady
St. Mary, and lifting the child
upon their heads, they kissed him,
and said, Blessed is thy mother,
O Jesus, O Saviour of the world!
Blessed are the eyes which are
so happy to see thee.

28  Then both the sisters told
their mother, saying, Of a truth,
our brother is restored to his former
shape by the help of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and the kindness
of that girl who told us of Mary
and her son.

29  And inasmuch as our brother
is unmarried, it is fit that we
marry him to this girl their
servant.

30  When they had consulted
Mary in this matter, and she had
given her consent, they made a
splendid wedding for this girl.

31  And so their sorrow being
turned into gladness, and their
mourning into mirth, they began
to rejoice, and to make merry,
and sing, being dressed in their
richest attire, with bracelets.

32  Afterwards they glorified and
praised God, saying, O Jesus, son
of David, who changest sorrow
into gladness, and mourning into
mirth!

33  After this Joseph and Mary
tarried there ten days, then went
away, having received great
respect from these people.

34  Who, when they took their
leave of them, and returned home,
cried,

35  But especially the girl.



CHAPTER VIII.

     1 Joseph and Mary pass through a country infested by robbers.
     3 Titus a humane thief, offers Dumachus, his comrade,
     forty groats to let Joseph and Mary pass unmolested.
     6 Jesus prophecies that the thieves Dumachus and Titus shall be
     crucified with him and that Titus shall go before him into paradise.
     10 Christ causes a well to spring from a sycamore tree, and Mary
     washes his coat in it.
     11 A balsam grows there from his sweat.  They go to Memphis, where
     Christ works more miracles. Return to Judea.
     15 Being warned, depart for Nazareth.


IN their journey from hence they
came into a desert country and
were told it was infested with
robbers; so Joseph and St. Mary
prepared to pass through it in the
night.

2  And as they were going along,
behold they saw two robbers asleep
in the road, and with them a great
number of robbers, who were their
confederates, also asleep.

3  The names of these two were
Titus and Dumachus; and Titus
said to Dumachus, I beseech thee
let these persons go along quietly,
that our company may not perceive
anything of them.

4  But Damachus refusing, Titus
again said, I will give thee forty
groats, and as a pledge take my
girdle, which he gave him before
he had done speaking, that he
might not open his mouth or make
a noise.

5  When the Lady St. Mary saw
the kindness which this robber did
shew them, she said to him, The
Lord God will receive thee to his
right hand and grant thee pardon
of thy sins.

6  Then the Lord Jesus answered,
and said to his mother, When
thirty years are expired, O mother,
the Jews will crucify me at
Jerusalem;

7  And these two thieves shall
be with me at the same time upon
the cross, Titus on my right hand,
and Dumachus on my left, and
from that time Titus shall go before
me into paradise;

8  And when she had said, God
forbid this should be thy lot, O
my son, they went on to a city in
which were several idols; which,
as soon as they came near to it,
was turned into hills of sand.

9  Hence they  went to that
sycamore tree, which is now called
Matarea.

10  And in Materea the Lord
Jesus caused a well to spring
forth, in which St. Mary washed
his coat;

11  And a balsam is produced,
or grows, in that country, from
the sweat which ran down there
from the Lord Jesus.

12  Thence they proceeded to
Memphis, and saw Pharoah, and
abode three years in Egypt.

13  And the Lord Jesus did very
many miracles, in Egypt, which
are neither to be found in
Gospel of the Infancy nor in the
Gospel of Perfection.

14  At the end of three years
he returned out of Egypt, and
when he came near to Judea,
Joseph was afraid to enter;

15  For hearing that Herod was
dead, and that Archelaus his son
reigned in his stead, he was afraid.

16  And when he went to Judea,
an, angel of God appeard to
him, and said, O Joseph go
into the city of Nazareth, and
abide there.

17  It is strange indeed, that he,
who is the Lord of all countries,
should be thus carried backward and
forward, through so many countries.



CHAPTER IX.

2 Two sick children cured by water
wherein Christ was washed.

WHEN they came afterwards
into the city of Bethlehem,
they found there several very
desperate distempers, which became
so troublesome to children by seeing
them, that most of them died.

2  There was there a woman who
had a sick son, whom she brought,
when he was at the point of death,
to the Lady St. Mary, who saw
her when she was washing Jesus
Christ.

3  Then said the woman, O my
Lady Mary, look down upon this
my son, who is afflicted with most
dreadful pains.

4  St. Mary hearing her, said,
Take a little of that water with
which I have washed my son, and
sprinkle it upon him.

5  Then she took a little of that
water, as St. Mary had commanded,
and sprinkled it upon her son,
who being wearied with his violent
pains, was fallen asleep; and after
he had slept a little, awaked
perfectly well and recovered.

6  The mother being abundantly
glad of this success, went again to
St. Mary, and St. Mary said to
her, Give praise to God, who hath
cured this thy son.

7  There was in the same place
another woman, a neighbour of
her, whose son was now cured.

8  This woman's son was afflicted
with the same disease, and his eyes
were now almost quite shut, and
she was lamenting for him day
and night.

9  The mother of the child which
was cured, said to her, Why do
you not bring your son to St. Mary,
as I brought my son to her, when
he was in the agonies of death;
and he was cure by that water,
with which the body of her son
Jesus was washed?

10  When the woman heard her
say this, she also went, and having
procured the same water, washed
her son with it, whereupon his
body and his eyes were instantly
restored to their former state.

11  And when she brought her
son to St. Mary, and opened his
case to her, she commanded her to
give thanks to God for the recovery
of her son's health, and tell
no one what had happened.



CHAPTER X.

     1 Two wives of one man, each have a son sick.
     2 One of them named Mary, and whose son's name was Caleb,
     presents the Virgin with a handsome carpet, and Caleb is cured;
     but the son of the other wife dies,
     4 which occasions a difference between the women.
     5 The other wife puts Caleb into a hot oven, and he is
     miraculously preserved,
     9 she afterwards throws him into a well,
     and he is again preserved;
     11 his mother appeals to the Virgin against the other wife,
     12 whose downfall the Virgin prophecies,
     13 and who accordingly falls into the well,
     14 therein fulfilling a saying of old.

THERE were in the same city
two wives of one man, who
had each a son sick. One of them
was called Mary, and her son's
name was Caleb.

2  She arose, and taking her son,
went to the Lady St. Mary, the
mother of Jesus, and offered her a
very handsome carpet, saying, O
my Lady Mary accept this carpet
of me, and instead of it give me a
small swaddling cloth.

3  To this Mary agreed, and
when the mother of Caleb was
gone, she made a coat for her son
of the swaddling cloth, put it on
him, and his disease was cured;
but the son of the other wife died.

4  Hereupon there arose between
them a difference in doing
the business of the family by turns,
each her week;

5  And when the turn of Mary
the mother of Caleb came, and she
was heating the oven to bake
bread, and went away to fetch the
meal, she left her son Caleb by the
oven;

6  Whom the other wife, her
rival, seeing to be by himself,
took and cast him into the oven,
which was very hot, and then went
away.

7  Mary on her return saw her
son Caleb lying in the middle of
the oven laughing, and the oven
quite as cold as though it had not
been before heated, and knew that
her rival the other wife had thrown
him into the fire.

8  When she took him out, she
brought him to the Lady St. Mary,
and told her the story, to whom
she replied, Be quiet, I am
concerned lest thou shouldest make
this matter known.

9  After this her rival, the other
wife, as she was drawing water at
the well, and saw Caleb playing
by the well, and that no one was
near, took him, and threw him
into the well.

10  And when some men came to
fetch water from the well, they
saw the boy sitting on the
superficies of the water, and
drew him out with ropes, and were
exceedingly surprised at the child,
and praised God.

11 Then came the mother and
took him and carried him to the
Lady St. Mary, lamenting. and
saying, O my Lady, see what my
rival hath done to my son, and
how she hath cast him into the
well, and I do not question but
one time or other she will be the
occasion of his death.

12  St. Mary replied to her, God
will vindicate your injured cause.

13  Accordingly a few days after,
when the other wife came to the
well to draw water, her foot was
entangled in the rope, so that she
fell headlong into the well, and
they who ran to her assistance
found her skull broken, and bones
bruised.

14 So she came to a bad end,
and in her was fulfilled that saying
of the author, They digged a well,
and made it deep, but fell themselves
into the pit which they prepared.



CHAPTER XI.

     1 Bartholomew, when a child and sick, miraculously
     restored by being laid on Christ's bed.

ANOTHER woman in that city
had. likewise two son's sick.

2  And when one was dead, the
other, who lay at the point of
death, she took in her arms to the
Lady St. Mary, and in a flood of
tears addressed herself to her,
saying,

3  O my Lady, help and relieve
me; for I had two sons, the one I
have just now buried, the other I
see is fast at the point of death
behold how I (earnestly) seek for
your from God, and pray to him.

4 Then she said, O Lord, thou
art gracious, and merciful, and
kind; thou, hast given me two
sons; one of them thou halt taken
to thyself, O spare me this other.

5  St. Mary then perceiving the
greatness of her sorrow, pitied her
and said, Do thou place thy son in
my son's bed, and cover him with
his clothes.

6  And when she had placed him
in the bed wherein Christ lay,
at the moment when his eyes were
just closed by death; as soon as
ever the small of the garments of
the Lord Jesus Christ reached the
boy, his eyes were opened, and
calling with a loud voice to his
mother, he asked for bread, and
when he had received it, he sucked
it.

7  Than his mother said, O Lady
Mary, now I am assured that the
powers of God do dwell in you, so
that thy son can cure children who
are of the same sort as himself, as
soon as they touch his garments.

8 This boy, who was thus cured,
is the same who in the Gospel is
called Bartholomew.



CHAPTER XII.

       A leprous woman healed by Christ's washing water.
     7 A princess healed by it and restored to her husband.


AGAIN, there was a leprous
woman who went to the Lady
St. Mary, the mother of Jesus,
and said, O my Lady, help me.

2  St. Mary replied, What help
does thou desire? Is it gold or
silver, or that thy body be cured
of its leprosy?

3  Who, says the woman, can
grant me this?

4  St. Mary replied to her, Wait
a little till I have washed my son
Jesus, and put him to bed.

5  The woman waited, as she
was commanded; and Mary when
she had put Jesus in bed, giving
her the water with which she had
washed his body, said, Take some
of the water, and pour it upon thy
body;

6  Which when she had done,
she instantly became clean, and
praised God, and gave thanks to
him.

7  Then she went away, after
she had abode with her three
days;

8  And going into the city, she
saw a certain prince, who had
married another princes daughter;

9  But when he came to see her,
he perceived between her eyes the
signs of leprosy like a star, and
thereupon declared the marriage
dissolved and void.

10  When the woman saw these
persons in this condition, exceeding
sorrowful, and shedding abundance
of tears, she inquired of them
the reason of their crying;

11  They replied, inquire not
into our circumstances; for we
are not able to declare our
misfortunes to any, person,
whatsoever.

12  But she still pressed and
desired them to communicate their
case to her; intimating, that she
might be able to direct them
to a remedy.

13  So when they showed the young
woman to her, and the signs
of the leprosy, which appeared
between her eyes;

14  She said, I also whom ye
see in this place, was afflicted
with the same distemper, and going
on some business to Bethlehem, I
went into a certain cave, and saw
a woman named Mary, who had a
son called Jesus.

15  She seeing me to be leprous,
was concerned for me, and gave
me some water with which she
had washed her son's body, with
that I sprinkled my body, and
became clean.

16  Then said these women, Will
you Mistress, go along with us,
and show the Lady St. Mary to
us?

17  To which she consenting,
they arose and went to the Lady
St. Mary, taking with them very
noble presents.

18  And when they came in and
offered their presents to her,
they showed the leprous young woman
whom they brought with them to
her.

19  Then said St. Mary, The
mercy of the Lord Jesus Christ
rest upon you;

20  And giving them a little of
that water, with which she had
washed the body of Jesus Christ,
she bade them wash the diseased
person with it, which when they
had done, she was presently
cured;

21 So they, and all who were
present, praised God; and being
filled with joy, they went back to
their own city, and gave praises to
God on that account.

22  Then the prince hearing that
his wife was cured, took her home
and made a second marriage, giving
thanks unto God for the recovery
of his wife's health.



CHAPTER XIII.

     1 A girl, whose blood Satan sucked receives one
     of Christ's swaddling clothes from the Virgin,
     14 Satan comes like a dragon, and she shews it to him;
     flames and burning coals proceed from it and fall upon him;
     19 he is miraculously discomfited, and leaves the girl.

THERE was also a girl, who
was afflicted by Satan,

2  For that cursed spirit did
frequently appear to her in the shape
of a dragon, and was inclined to
swallow her up, and had so sucked
out all her blood, that she looked
like a dead carcass.

3  As often as she came to herself,
with her hands wringed about
her head she would cry out, and
say, Wo, Wo is me, that there is
no one to be found, who can deliver
me from that impious dragon!

4  Her father and mother, and
all who were about her and saw
her, mourned and wept over her;

5  And all who were present
would especially be under sorrow
and in tears, when they heard her
bewailing and saying, My brethren
and friends, is here no one who can
deliver me from this murderer?

6  Then the prince's daughter,
who had been cured of her leprosy,
hearing the complaint of that girl,
went upon the top of her castle,
and saw her with her hands twisted
about her head, pouring out a flood
of tears, and all the people that
were about her in tears.

7  Then she asked the husband
of the possessed person, Whether
his wife's mother was alive? He
told her, That her father and
mother were both alive,

8  Then she ordered her mother
to be sent to her; to whom, when
she saw her coming, she said,
Is this possessed girl thy daughter?
She moaning and bewailing said,
Yes madam I bore her.

9  The prince's daughter answered,
Disclose the secret of her case to me,
for I confess to you that I was leprous,
but the Lady Mary, the mother of
Jesus Christ, healed me.

10  And if you desire your
daughter to be restored to her
former state, take her to Bethlehem,
and inquire for Mary the mother
of Jesus, and doubt not but your
daughter will be cured; for I do
not question but you will come
home with great joy at your
daughter's recovery.

11  As soon as ever she had done
speaking, she arose and went with
her daughter to the place appointed,
and to Mary, and told her the case
of her daughter.

12  When St. Mary had heard
her story, she gave her a little
of the water with which she had
washed the body of her son Jesus,
and bade her pour it upon the
body of her daughter.

13 Likewise she gave her one of
the swaddling cloths of the Lord
Jesus, and said, Take this swaddling
cloth, and shew it to thine
enemy as often as thou seest him
and she sent them away in
peace.

14  After they bad left that
city and returned home, and the
time was come in which Satan was
wont to seize her, in the same
moment this cursed spirit appeared
to her in the shape of a huge
dragon, and the girl seeing him
was afraid,

15  The mother said to her, Be
not afraid, daughter; let him alone
till he come nearer to thee! then
shew him the swaddling cloth,
which the Lady Mary gave us, and
we shall see the event.

16  Satan then coming like a
dreadful dragon, the body of the
girl trembled for fear.

17  But as soon as she had put
the swaddling cloth upon her
head, and about her eyes, and
chewed it to him, presently there
issued forth from the swaddling
cloth flames and burning coals,
and fell upon the dragon.

18  Oh! how great a miracle was
this, which was done: as soon as
the dragon saw the swaddling
cloth of the Lord Jesus, fire went
forth and was scattered upon his
head and eyes; so that he cried
out with a loud voice, What have
I to do with thee, Jesus, thou son
of Mary? Whither shall I flee
from thee?

19 So he drew back much
affrighted, and left the girl.

20 And she was delivered from
this trouble, and sang praises and
thanks to God, and with her all
who were present at the working
of the miracle.



CHAPTER XIV.

     1 Judas when a boy possessed by Satan, and brought up
     by his parents to Jesus to be cured, whom he tries to bite,
     7 but failing, strikes Jesus and makes him cry out.
     Whereupon Satan goes from Jesus in the shape of a dog.

ANOTHER woman likewise
lived there, whose son was
possessed by Satan,

2  This boy, named Judas, as
often as Satan seized him, was
inclined to bite all that were
present; and if he found no one else
near him, he would bite his own
hands and other parts.

3  But the mother of this miserable
boy, hearing of St. Mary and her son
Jesus, arose presently and taking
her son in her arms, brought him
to the Lady Mary.

4  In the meantime, James and
Joses had taken away the infant,
the Lord Jesus, to play at a proper
season with other children;
and when they went forth, they
sat down and the Lord Jesus with
them.

5  Then Judas, who was possessed,
came and sat down at the right hand
of Jesus.

6  When Satan was acting upon him
as usual, he went about to bite
the Lord Jesus.

7  And because he could not do
it, he struck Jesus on the right
side, so that he cried out.

8  And in the same moment Satan
went out of the boy, and ran
away like a mad dog.

9  This same boy who struck
Jesus, and out of whom Satan went
in the form of a dog, was Judas
Iscariot, who betrayed him to the
Jews.

10  And that same side, on which
Judas: struck him, the Jews
pierced with a spear.



CHAPTER XV.

     1 Jesus and other boys play together,
     and make clay figures of animals.
     4 Jesus causes them to walk,
     6 also makes clay birds, which he causes to fly,
     and eat and drink.
     7 The children's parents alarmed,
     and take Jesus for a sorcerer.
     8 He goes to a dyer's shop, and throws all the
     cloths into the furnace, and works a miracle therewith.
     15 Whereupon the Jews praise God.

AND when the Lord Jesus was
seven years of age, he was
on a certain day with other boys
his companions about the same
age;

2  Who, when they were at play,
made clay into several shapes,
namely-asses, oxen, birds, and
other figures;

3  Each boasting of his work,
and endeavouring to exceed the
rest.

4  Then the Lord Jesus said to
the boys, I will command these
figures which I have made to
walk.

5  And immediately they moved,
and when he commanded them to
return, they returned.

6  He had also made the figures
of birds and sparrows, which,
when he commanded to fly, did
fly, and when he commanded to
stand still, did stand still; and if
he gave them meat and drink, they
did eat and drink.

7  When at length the boys went
away, and related these things to
their parents, their fathers said to
them, Take heed, children, for the
future of his company, for he is a
sorcerer; shun and avoid him, and
from henceforth never play with
him.

8  On a certain day also, when
the Lord Jesus was playing with
the boys, and running about, he
passed by a dyer's shop, whose
name was Salem.

9  And there were in his shop
many pieces of cloth belonging to
the people of that city, which they
designed to dye of several colours.

10  Then the Lord Jesus going
into the dyer's shop, took all the
cloths, and threw them into the
furnace.

11  When Salem came home, and
saw the cloths spoiled, he began to
make a great noise, and to chide
the Lord Jesus, saying,

12  What hast thou done to me,
O thou son of Mary? Thou hast
injured both me and my neighbours;
they all desired their cloths
of a proper colour; but thou hast
come and spoiled them all.

13  The Lord Jesus replied, I
will change the colour of every
cloth to what colour thou desirest.

14  And then he presently began
to take the cloths out of the furnace,
and they were all dyed of those same
colours which the dyer desired.

15  And when the Jews saw this
surprising miracle, they praised
God.



CHAP. XVI.

     1 Christ miraculously widens or contracts the gates,
     milk pails, sieves, or boxes, not properly made by Joseph,
     4 he not being skilful at his carpenter's trade.
     5 The King of Jerusalem gives Joseph an order for a throne.
     6 Joseph works on it for two years in the king's palace,
     and makes it two spans too short. The king being angry with him,
     10 Jesus comforts him,
     13 commands him to pull one side of the throne, while he
     pulls the other, and brings it to its proper dimensions.
     14 Whereupon the bystanders praise God.

AND Joseph, wheresoever he
went in the city, took the
Lord Jesus with him, where he
was sent for to work to make
gates, or milk-pails, or sieves, or
boxes; the Lord Jesus was with
him, wheresoever be went.

2  And as often as Joseph had
anything in his work, to make
longer, or shorter, or wider, or
narrower, the Lord Jesus would
stretch his hand towards it.

3  And presently it became as
Joseph would have it:

4  So that he had no need to
finish anything with his own hands,
for he was not very skilful at his
carpenter's trade.

5  On a certain time the King
of Jerusalem sent for him, and
said, I would have thee make me
a throne of the same dimensions
with that place in which I
commonly sit.

6  Joseph obeyed, and forthwith
began the work, and continued two
years in the king's palace before
he finished it.

7  And when he came to fix it
in its place, he found it wanted
two spans on each side of the
appointed messure.

8  Which when the king saw,
he was very angry with Joseph;

9  And Joseph afraid of the
king's anger, went to bed without
his supper, taking not any thing
to eat.

10  Then the Lord Jesus asked
him, What he was afraid of?

11  Joseph replied, Because I
have lost my labour in the work
which I have been about these two
years.

12  Jesus said to him, Fear not,
neither be cast down;

13  Do thou lay hold on one side
of the throne, and I will the other,
and we will bring it to its just
dimensions.

14  And when Joseph had done
as the Lord Jesus said, and each
of them had with strength drawn
his side, the throne obeyed, and
was brought to the proper
dimensions of the place:

15 Which miracle when they
who stood by saw, they were
astonished, and praised God.

16 The throne was made of the
same wood which was in being
in Solomon's time, namely, wood
adorned with various shapes, and
figures.



CHAP. XVII.

     1 Jesus plays with boys at hide and seek.
     3 Some women put his playfellows in a furnace,
     7 where they are transformed by Jesus into kids.
     10 Jesus calls them to go and play, and they
     are restored to their former shape.

ON another day the Lord Jesus
going out into the street,
and seeing some boys who were
met to play, joined himself to their
company.

2 But when they saw him, they
hid themselves, and left him to
seek for them;

3 The Lord Jesus came to the
gate of a certain house, and asked
some women who were standing
there, Where the boys were gone?

4 And when they answered,
That there was no one there; the
Lord Jesus said, Who are those
whom ye see in the furnace?

5 They answered, They were
kids of three years old.

6 Then Jesus cried out aloud,
and said, Come out hither, O ye
kids, to your shepherd;

7 And presently the boys came
forth like kids, and leaped about
him; which when the women saw,
they were exceedingly amazed, and
trembled,

8 Then they immediately worshipped,
the Lord Jesus, and beseeched him,
saying, O our Lord Jesus, son of
Mary, thou art truly that good
shepherd of Israel! have mercy
on thy handmaids, who stand before
thee, who do not doubt, but that
thou, O Lord, art come to save,
and not to destroy.

9  After that, when the Lord
Jesus said, the children of Israel
are like Ethiopians among the
people; the women said, Thou,
Lord, knowest all things, nor is
any thing concealed from thee:
but now we entreat thee, and
beseech of thy mercy, that thou
wouldest restore those boys to
their former state.

10 Then Jesus said, Come hither,
O boys, that we may go and
play; and immediately, in the
presence of these women, the kids
were changed, and returned into
the shape of boys.



CHAPTER XVIII.

     1 Jesus becomes the king of his playfellows,
     and they crown him with flowers;
     4 miraculously causes a serpent who had
     bitten Simon the Cananite, then a boy,
     to suck out all the poison again;
     16 the serpent bursts, and Christ restores the boy to health.


IN the month Adar Jesus
gathered together the boys, and
ranked them as though he had
been a king.

2  For they spread their garments
on the ground for him to sit
on; and having made a crown of
flowers, put it upon his head, and
stood on his right and left as the
guards of a king.

3  And if any one happened to
pass by, they took him by force,
and said, Come hither, and worship
the king, that you may have a
prosperous journey.

4  In the mean time, while
these things were doing, there
came certain men, carrying a boy
upon a couch;

5  For this boy having gone with
his companions to the mountain to
gather wood, and having found
there a partridge's nest, and put
his hand in to take out the eggs,
was stung by a poisonous serpent,
which leaped out of the nest; so
that he was forced to cry out for
the help of his companions; who,
when they came, found him lying
upon the earth like a dead person.

6  After which his neighbours
came and carried him back into
the city.

7  But when they came to the
place where the Lord Jesus, was
sitting like a king, and the other
boys stood around him like his
ministers, the boys made haste to
meet him, who was bitten by the
serpent, and said to his neighbours,
Come and pay your respects to the
king;

8  But when, by reason of their
sorrow, they refused to come, the
boys drew them, and forced them
against their wills to come.

9  And when they came to the
Lord Jesus, he inquired, On what
account they carried that boy?

10  And when they answered that
a serpent had bitten him, the Lord
Jesus said to the boys, Let us go
and kill that serpent.

11  But when the parents of the
boy desired to be excused, because
their son lay at the point of death;
the boys made answer, and said,
Did not ye hear what the king
said? Let us go and kill the serpent;
and will not ye obey him?

12  So they brought the couch
back again, whether they would
or not.

13  And when they were come to
the nest, the Lord Jesus said to
the boys, Is this the serpent's
lurking place? They said, It was.

14  Then the Lord Jesus calling
the serpent, it presently came forth
and submitted to him; to whom he
said, Go and suck out all the poison
which thou hast infused into that
boy:

15  So the serpent crept to the
boy, and took away all its poison
again.

16  Then the Lord Jesus cursed
the serpent, so that it immediately
burst asunder, and died;

17  And he touched the boy with
his hand to restore him to his
former health;

18  And when he began to cry,
the Lord Jesus said, Cease crying
for hereafter thou shale be my
disciple;

19 And this is that Simon the
Canaanite, who is mentioned in
the Gospel.



CHAPTER XIX.

     1 James being bitten by a viper,
     Jesus blows on the wound and cures him.
     4 Jesus charged with throwing a boy from
     the roof of, a house,
     10 miraculously raises the dead boy to acquit him;
     12 fetches water for his mother, breaks the pitcher
     and miraculously gathers the water in his mantle
     and brings it home;
     16 makes fish pools on the Sabbath,
     20 causes a boy to die who broke them down,
     22 another boy runs against him,
     whom he also causes to die.

ON another day Joseph sent his
son James to gather wood,
and the Lord Jesus went with
him;

2  And when they came to the
place where the wood was, and
James began to gather it, behold,
a venemous viper bit him, so that
he began to cry, and make a
noise.

3  The Lord Jesus seeing him in
this condition, came to him, and
blowed upon the place where the
viper had bit him, and it was
instantly well.

4  On a certain day the Lord
Jesus was with some boys, who
were playing on the house-top,
and one of the boys fell down, and
presently died.

5  Upon which the other boys all
running away, the Lord Jesus was
left alone on the house-top.

6  And the boy's relations came
to him and said to the Lord Jesus,
Thou didst throw our son down
from the house-top.

7  But he denying it, they cried
out, Our son is dead, and this is
he who killed him.

8  The Lord Jesus replied to
them, Do not charge me with a
crime of which you are not able to
convict me, but let us go and ask
the boy himself, who will bring
the truth to light.

9  Then the Lord Jesus going
down stood over the head of the
dead boy, and said with a loud
voice, Zeinunus, Zeinunus, who
threw thee down from the housetop?

10  Then the dead boy answered,
thou didst not throw me down,
but such a one did.

11  And when the Lord Jesus
bade those who stood by to take
present praised God on account
of that miracle.

12  On a certain time the
Lady St. Mary had commanded
the Lord Jesus to fetch her some
water out of the well;

13  And when he had gone to
fetch the water, the pitcher, when
it was brought up full, brake;

14  But Jesus spreading his mantle
gathered up the water again,
and brought it in that to his
mother;

15  Who, being astonished at
this wonderful thing, laid up this,
and all the other things which she
had seen, in her memory.

16  Again on another day the
Lord Jesus was with some boys
by a river, and they drew water
out of the river by little channels,
and made little fish-pools.

17  But the Lord Jesus had
made twelve sparrows, and placed
them about his pool on each side,
three on a side.

18  But it was the Sabbath day,
and the son of Hanani a Jew came
by, and saw them making these
things, and said, Do ye thus make
figures of clay on the Sabbath?
And he ran to them, and broke
down their fish-pools.

19  But when the Lord Jesus
clapped his hands over the sparrows
which he had made, they fled away
chirping.

20  At length the son of Hanani
coming to the fish-pool of Jesus
to destroy it, the water vanished
away, and the Lord Jesus said to
him,

21  In like manner as this water
had vanished, so shall thy life
vanish; and presently the boy
died.

22  Another time, when the
Lord Jesus was coming home in
the evening with Joseph, he met
a boy, who ran so hard against
him, that he threw him down;

23  To whom the Lord Jesus
said, As thou hast thrown me
down, so shalt thou fall, nor ever
rise.

24 And that moment the boy
fell down and died.



CHAPTER XX.

     4 Christ sent to school to Zaccheus to learn
     his letters, and teaches Zaccheus.
     13 Sent to another schoolmaster,
     14 refuses to tell his letters, and the schoolmaster
     going to whip him, his hand withers and he dies.

THERE was also at Jerusalem
one named Zaccheus, who
was a schoolmaster:

2  And he said to Joseph, Joseph,
why dost thou not send Jesus to me,
that he may learn his letters?

3  Joseph agreed, and told St. Mary;

4  So they brought him to that
master; who, as soon as he saw
him, wrote out an alphabet for him,

5  And he bade him say Aleph;
and when he had said Aleph, the
master bade him pronounce Beth.

6  Then the Lord Jesus said to
him, Tell me first the meaning of
the letter Aleph, and then I will
pronounce Beth.

7  And when the master threatened
to whip him, the Lord Jesus
explained to him the meaning of
the letters Aleph and Beth;

8  Also which were the straight
figures of the letters, which the
oblique, and what letters had
double figures; which had points,
and which had none; why one
letter went before another; and
many other things he began to tell
him, and explain, of which the
master himself had never heard,
nor read in any book.

9  The Lord Jesus farther said
to the master, Take notice how I
say to thee; then he began clearly
and distinctly to say Aleph, Beth,
Gimel, Daleth, and so on to the
end of the alphabet.

10  At this the master was so
surprised, that he said, I believe
this boy was born before Noah;

11  And turning to Joseph, he
said, Thou hast brought a boy to
me to be taught, who is more
learned than any master.

12  He said also to St. Mary,
This your son has no need of any
learning.

13  They brought him then
to a more learned master, who,
when he saw him, said, say Aleph;

14  And when he had sand Aleph,
the master bade him pronounce
Beth; to which the Lord Jesus
replied, Tell me first the meaning
of the letter Aleph, and then I
will pronounce Beth.

15  But this master, when he did
lift up his hand to whip him, had
his hand presently withered, and
he died.

16 Then said Joseph to St. Mary,
Henceforth we will not allow him
to go out of the house; for every
one who displeases him is killed.



CHAPTER XXI.

     [Compare Luke ii. 42, whose meagre account is deficient
     of the sublime details here given of the subjects disputed upon.]

     1 Disputes learnedly with the doctors in the temple,
     7 on law,
     9 on astronomy,
     12 on physics and metaphysics.
     21 Is worshiped by a philosopher,
     28 and fetched home by his mother.

AND when he was twelve years
old, they brought him to
Jerusalem to the feast; and when
the feast was over, they returned.

2  But the Lord Jesus continued
behind in the temple among the
doctors and elders, and learned
men of Israel; to whom he proposed
several questions of learning,
and also gave them answers:

3  For he said to them, Whose
son is the Messiah?  They answered,
the son of David.

4  Why then, said he, does he in
the spirit call him Lord? When he
saith, The Lord said to my Lord,
sit thou at my right hand, till I
have made thine enemies thy foot-
stool.

5  Then a certain principal Rabbi
asked him, Hast thou read books?

6  Jesus answered, be had read
both books, and the things which
were contained in books.

7  And he explained to them the
books of the law, and precepts,
and statutes: and the mysteries
which are contained in the books
of the prophets; things which
the mind of no creature could
reach.

8  Then said that Rabbi, I never
yet have seen or heard of such
knowledge! What do you think
that boy will be?

9  When a certain astronomer,
who was present, asked the Lord
Jesus, Whether he had studied
astronomy?

10  The Lord Jesus replied, and
told him the number of the spheres
and heavenly bodies, as also their
triangular, square, and sextile
aspect; their progressive and
retrograde motion; their size and
several prognostications; and other
things which the reason of man
had never discovered.

11  There was also among them
a philosopher well skilled in
physic and natural philosophy,
who asked the Lord Jesus, Whether
he had studied physic?

12  He replied, and explained to
him physics and metaphysics.

13  Also those things which were
above and below the power of nature;

14  The powers also of the body,
its humours, and their effects.

15  Also the number of its members,
and bones, veins, arteries,
and nerves;

16  The several constitutions of
body, hot and dry, cold and moist,
and the tendencies of them;

17  How the soul operated upon
the body;

18  What its various sensations
and faculties, were;

19  The faculty of speaking, anger,
desire;

20  And lastly the manner of its
composition and dissolution; and
other things, which the
understanding of no creature
had ever reached.

21  Then that philosopher arose,
and worshipped the Lord Jesus,
and said, O Lord Jesus, from
henceforth I will be thy disciple
and servant.

22  While they were discoursing
on these and such like things,
the Lady St. Mary came in, having
been three days walking about
with Joseph, seeking for him.

23  And when she saw him sitting
among the doctors, and in his turn
proposing questions to them, and
giving answers, she said to him,
My son, why hast thou done thus
by us? Behold I and thy father
have been at much pains in
seeking thee.

24  He replied, Why did  ye seek
me? Did ye not know that I ought
to be employed in my father's
house?

25  But they understood not the
words which he said to them.

26  Then the doctors asked Mary,
Whether this were her son? And
when she said, He was, they said,
O happy Mary, who hast borne
such a son.

27  Then he returned with them
to Nazareth, and obeyed them in
all things.

28  And his mother kept all these
things in her mind;

29  And the Lord Jesus grew in
stature and wisdom, and favour
with God and man.



CHAPTER XXII.

     1 Jesus conceals his miracles,
     2 studies the law,
     3 and is baptized.

NOW from this time Jesus began
to conceal his miracles and
secret works,

2  And gave himself to the study
of the law, till he arrived to the
end of his thirtieth year;

3  At which time the Father publicly
owned him at Jordan, sending
down this voice from heaven, This
is my beloved son, in whom I am
well pleased;

4  The Holy Ghost being also
present in the form of a dove.

5  This is he whom we worship
with all reverence, because he gave
us our life and being, and brought
us from our mother's womb,
Glory to God,

6  Who, for our sakes, took a
human body, and hath redeemed
us, that so he might embrace
us with everlasting mercy, and
shew his free, large, bountiful
grace and goodness to us.

7  To him be glory and praise,
and power, and dominion, from
henceforth said for evermore.
Amen.

(The end of the whole Gospel of
the Infancy, by the assistance of
the Supreme God, according to
what we found in the original.)




                   REFERENCES TO THE FIRST GOSPEL OF
                      THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST

[Mr. Henry Sike, Professor of Oriental Languages at Cambridge, first
translated and published this Gospel in 1697. It was received by the
Gnostics, a sect of Christians in the second century; and several of its
relations were credited in  the following ages by other Christians, viz.,
Eusebius, Athanasius, Epiphanius; Chrysostom. &c. Sozomen says, he was
told by many, and he credits the relations, of the idols in Egypt falling
down on Joseph, and Mary's flight thither with Christ; and of Christ
making a well to wash his clothes in a sycamore-tree, from whence balsam
afterwards proceeded; which stories are from this Gospel. Chemnitius, out
of Stipulensis, who had it from Peter Martyr, Bishop  of Alexandria, in
the third century, says, that the place in Egypt where Christ  was
banished is now called Matarea, about ten miles beyond Cairo; that the
inhabitants constantly burn a lamp in remembrance of it; and that there
is a garden of trees yielding a balsam, which were planted by Christ when
a boy.  M. La Crosse cites a synod at Angamala, in the Mountain of
Malabar, A. D.  1599, which shows this Gospel was commonly read by the
Nestorians in the country. Ahmed Ibu Idris, a Mahometan divine, says, it
was used by some  Christians in common with the other four Gospels; and
Ocobius de Castro mentions a Gospel of Thomas, which he says, he saw and
had translated to him by an Armenian Archbishop at Amsterdam, that was
read in very many churches of Asia and Africa, as the only rule of their
faith. Fabricius takes it to be this Gospel. It has been supposed, that
Mahomet and his coadjutors used it in compiling the Koran. There are
several stories believed of Christ, proceeding from this Gospel; as that
which Mr. Sike relates out of La Brosse's Persic Lexicon, that Christ
practised the trade of a dyer, and his working a miracle with the
colours; from whence the Persian dyers honour him as their patron, and
call a dye-house the shop of Christ. Sir John Chardin mentions Persian
legends concerning Christ's dispute with his schoolmaster about his ABC;
and his lengthening the cedar-board which Joseph sawed too short.]



        Note on the Miracles of Christ in the preceding Gospels.

A great void in the early life of the Saviour is filled up by these
Gospels. In none of the Canonical Evangelists is any mention made of the
childhood of Jesus.  The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, more
rapidly than satisfactorily, pass over the period intervening between His
birth and ministry. It is natural to suppose that the Infant Redeemer's
earliest days were spent in the society of other young children, and it
is quite consistent with every sincere Christians faith to  believe that
He had the power to perform the miracles here ascribed to him otherwise,
a limit will be set to His divine attributes, doubts raised against His
performance of the miracles related by the four Evangelists, in the
authorised version of the Testament, and a denial given of the
declaration therein, "With  GOD nothing is impossible!"




                 THE SECOND, OR ST. THOMAS'S GOSPEL OF
                      THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST.

    An Account of the ACTIONS and MIRACLES of our Lord and Saviour
                      JESUS CHRIST in his INFANCY.


CHAPTER I.

     2 Jesus miraculously clears the water after rain.
     4 Plays with clay sparrows, which he animates
     on the Sabbath day.

I THOMAS, an Israelite, judged
it necessary to make known to
our brethren among the Gentiles,
the actions and miracles of Christ
in his childhood, which our Lord
and God Jesus Christ wrought
after his birth in Bethlehem in our
country, at which I myself, was
astonished; the beginning of which
was as followeth.

2  When the child Jesus was
five years of age, and there had
been a shower of rain, which was
now over, Jesus was playing with
other Hebrew boys by a running
stream; and the water running
over the banks, stood in little
lakes;

3  But the water instantly became
clear and useful again; he
having smote them only by his
word, they readily obeyed him.

4  Then he took from the bank
of the stream some soft clay, and
formed out of it twelve sparrows;
and there were other boys playing
with him.

5  But a certain Jew seeing the
things which he was doing, namely,
his forming clay into the figures
of sparrows on the Sabbath day,
went presently away, and told
his father Joseph, and said,

6  Behold, thy boy is playing by
the river side, and has taken clay,
and formed it into twelve sparrows,
and profaneth the Sabbath.

7  Then Joseph came to the
place where he was, and when he
saw him, called to him, and said,
Why doest thou that which it is
not lawful to do on the Sabbath
day?

8  Then Jesus clapping together
the palms of his hands, called to
the sparrows, and said to them
Go, fly away; and while ye live
remember me.

9  So the sparrows fled away
making a noise.

10  The Jews seeing this, were
astonished, and went away, and
told their chief persons what a
strange miracle they had seen
wrought by Jesus.



CHAPTER II.

     2 Causes a boy to wither who broke down his fish-pools;
     6 Partly restores him.
     7 Kills another boy.
     16 causes blindness to fall on his accusers,
     18 for which, Joseph pulls him by the ear.

BESIDES this, the son of Annas
the scribe, was standing there
with Joseph, and took a bough
of a willow tree, and scattered
the waters which Jesus had
gathered into lakes.

2  But the boy Jesus seeing what
he had done, became angry, and
said to him, Thou fool, what harm
did the lake do thee, that thou
shouldest scatter the water?

3  Behold, now thou shalt wither
as a tree, and shalt not bring forth
either leaves, or branches, or fruit.

4  And immediately he became
withered all over.

5  Then Jesus went away home.
But the parents of the boy who
was withered, lamenting the
misfortune of his youth, took and
carried him to Joseph, accusing him,
and said, Why dost thou keep a
son who is guilty of such actions?

6  Then Jesus at the request of
all who were present did heal him,
leaving only some small member
to continue withered, that they
might take warning.

7  Another time Jesus went
forth into the street, and a boy
running by, rushed upon his
shoulder;

8  At which Jesus being angry,
said to him, Thou shalt go no
farther;

9  And he instantly fell down
dead:

10  Which when some persons
saw, they said, Where was this
boy born, that every thing which
he says presently cometh to pass?

11  Then the parents of the dead
boy going to Joseph, complained,
saying, You are not fit to live with
us, in our city, having such a boy
as that:

12  Either teach him that he
bless and not curse, or else depart
hence with him, for he kills our
children.

13  Then Joseph calling the
boy Jesus by himself, instructed
him, saying, Why doest thou such
things to injure the people so, that
they hate us and prosecute us?

14  But Jesus replied, I know
that what thou sayest is not of
thyself, but for thy sake I will
say nothing;

15  But they who have said these
things to thee, shall suffer
everlasting punishment.

16  And immediately they who
had accused him became blind,

17  And all they who saw it were
exceedingly afraid and confounded,
and said concerning him, Whatsoever
he saith, whether good or bad,
immediately cometh to pass and
they were amazed.

18  And when they saw this action
of Christ, Joseph arose, and
plucked him by the ear, at which
the boy was angry, and said to
him, Be easy;

19  For if they seek for us, they
shall not find us: thou hast done
very imprudently.

20  Dost thou not know that I
am thine? Trouble me no more.



CHAPTER III.

     1 Astonishes his schoolmaster by his learning.

A CERTAIN schoolmaster
named Zaccheaus, standing
in a certain place, heard Jesus
speaking these things to his father.

2  And he was much surprised,
that being a child he should speak
such things; and after a few days
he came to Joseph, and said,

3  Thou hast a wise and sensible
child, send him to me, that he may
learn to read.

4  When he sat down to teach
the letters to Jesus, he began with
the first letter Aleph;

5  But Jesus pronounced the
second letter Mpeth (Beth) Cghimel
(Gimel), and said over all the
letters to him to the end.

6  Then opening a book, he
taught his master the prophets
but he was ashamed, and was at a
loss to conceive how he came to
know the letters.

7  And he arose and went home,
wonderfully surprised at so strange
a thing.



CHAPTER IV.

     1 Fragment of an adventure at a dyer's.

AS Jesus was passing by a certain
shop, he saw a young man dipping
(or dyeing) some cloths and stockings
in a furnace, of a sad colour, doing
them according to every person's
particular order;

2  The boy Jesus going to the
young man who was doing this,
took also some of the cloths ......

(Here endeth the fragment of
Thomas's Gospel of the Infancy
of Jesus Christ.)




               REFERRENCE TO ST. THOMAS'S GOSPEL OF THE
                        INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST.

[The original in Greek, from which this translation is made, will be
found printed  by Cotelerius, in his notes on the constitutions of the
Apostles, from a MS. in the French King's Library, No. 2279.--It is
attributed to St. Thomas, and  conjectured to have been originally
connected with the, Gospel of Mary.  Unfortunately this ancient MS. was
found torn at the second verse of the  fourth chapter.]