THE Birth of Mary the Holy Mother of God, and Very Glorious Mother of Jesus Christ.¹

Γένεσις Μαρίας. Ἀποκάλυψις Ἰακώβ.

1. IN the records of the twelve tribes of Israel was Joachim, a man rich exceedingly; and he brought his offerings double,² saying: There shall be of my superabundance to all the people, and there shall be the offering for my forgiveness³ to the Lord for a propitiation for me.⁴ For the great day of the Lord was at hand, and the sons of Israel were bringing their offerings. And there stood over against him Rubim, saying: It is not meet for thee first to bring thine offerings, because thou hast not made seed in Israel.⁵ And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and went away to the registers of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I shall see the registers of the twelve tribes of Israel, as to whether I alone have not made seed in Israel. And he searched, and found that all the righteous had raised up seed in Israel. And he called to mind the patriach Abraham, that in the last day⁶ God gave him a son Isaac. And Joachim was exceedingly grieved, and did not come into the presence of his wife; but he retired to the desert,⁷ and there pitched his tent, and fasted forty days and forty nights,⁸ saying in himself: I will not go down either for food or for drink until the Lord my God shall look upon me, and prayer shall be my food and drink.

Ἐν ταῖς ἱστορίαις τῶν ιβ φυλῶν͵ ἦν Ἰωακεὶμ πλούσιος σφόδρα͵ καὶ προσ έφερε Κυρίῳ τὰ δῶρα αὐτοῦ διπλᾶ λέγων ἐν ἑαυτῷ· ῎εσται τὸ τῆς περισσείας μου ἅπαντι τῷ λαῷ καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀφέσεως Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ εἰς ἱλ[ι]ασμὸν ἐμοί. [εν] ῎ηγγισεν δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἡ μεγάλη͵ καὶ προσέφερον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἔστη[σαν] κατενώπιον αὐτοῦ [καὶ] Ρουβὴλ λέγων· Οὐ κ ἔξεστί σοι πρώτῳ ἐνεγκεῖν τὰ δῶ ρά σου͵ καθότι σπέρμα οὐκ ἐποίησας 2 ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Ἰωακεὶμ σφόδρα͵ καὶ ἀπῆλθεν εἰς τὴν δωδεκάφυλον τοῦ λα οῦ λέγων ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Θεάσομαι τὴν δωδεκάφυλον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ͵ εἰ ἐγὼ μόνος οὐκ ἐποίησα σπέρ μα ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἠραύνησε͵ καὶ εὗρεν πάντας τοὺς δικαίους ὅτι σπέρ μα ἐν τῷ Ἰσραὴλ ἀνέστησαν. Καὶ ἐμνήσθη[ν] τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἀ βραάμ͵ ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ αὐτοῦ ἡμέρᾳ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς υἱὸν τὸν Ἰσαάκ. Καὶ ἐλυπεῖτο Ἰωακεὶμ σφόδρα͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐφά νη τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ͵ ἀλλὰ ἔδω κεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον. Καὶ ἔπη ξεν τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ ἐκεῖ͵ καὶ ἐνήστευσεν μ ἡμέρας καὶ 3 νύκτας μ λέγων ἐν ἑαυτῷ Ἰω κείμ· Οὐ καταβήσομαι οὔτε ἐπὶ βρωτὸν οὔτε ἐπὶ ποτόν͵ ἕως ἐπι σκέψηταί με Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου· καὶ ἔσται μου ἡ εὐχὴ βρώματα καὶ πόματα.

2. And his wife Anna⁹ mourned in two mournings, and lamented in two lamentations, saying: I shall bewail my widowhood; I shall bewail my childlessness. And the great day of the Lord was at hand; and Judith¹⁰ her maid-servant said: How long dost thou humiliate thy soul? Behold, the great day of the Lord is at hand, and it is unlawful for thee to mourn. But take this head-band, which the woman that made it gave to me; for it is not proper that I should wear it, because I am a maid-servant, and it has a royal appearance.¹¹ And Anna said: Depart from me; for I have not done such things, and the Lord has brought me very low. I fear that some wicked person has given it to thee, and thou hast come to make me a sharer in thy sin. And Judith said: Why should I curse thee, seeing that¹² the Lord hath shut thy womb, so as not to give thee fruit in Israel? And Anna was grieved exceedingly, and put off her garments of mourning, and cleaned her head, and put on her wedding garments, and about the ninth hour went down to the garden to walk. And she saw a laurel, and sat under it, and prayed to the Lord, saying: O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, as Thou didst bless the womb of Sarah, and didst give her a son Isaac.¹³

Ἡ δὲ γυνὴ αὐτοῦ Ἄννα δύο θρήνους ἐθρήνει καὶ δύο κοπε τοὺς ἐκόπτετο λέγουσα· Κόψο μαι τὴν χηροσύνην μου καὶ κόψομαι τὴν ἀτεκνίαν μου. [ε ν] ῎Ηγγισεν δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἡ μεγά λη. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰουθίνη ἡ παιδίσκη αὐτῆς πρὸς αὐτήν· ῞εως πότε τα πεινοῖς τὴν ψυχήν σου; Ἰδοὺ ἤγγισε ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ἡ μεγάλη͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔξεστί σοι πενθεῖν. Ἀλλὰ 4 λάβε τοῦτο τὸ κεφαλοδέσμιον͵ ὃ ἔδωκέν μοι ἡ κυρία τοῦ ἔργου͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔξεστί μοι δήσασθαι αὐ τό͵ καθότι παιδίσκη εἰμὶ σὴ καὶ [καὶ] χαρακτῆρα ἔχει βασιλικόν. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἄννα· Ἀπόστηθι ἀπ΄ ἐ μοῦ. Καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ ἐποίησα͵ καὶ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἐταπείνωσέν με σφόδρα. Μήπως τοῦτο πανοῦργος ἔδωκέν σοι͵ καὶ ἦλθες κοινωνῆ σαί με τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ σου. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰουθίνη ἡ παιδίσκη· Τί ἀρά[ε]σω μαί σε͵ καθότι οὐκ ἤκουσας τῆς φω νῆς μου; Ἀπέκλεισεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὴν μήτ[ε]ραν σου͵ τοῦ μὴ δοῦναί σοι καρπὸν ἐν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἐλυπήθη 5 Ἄννα σφόδρα͵ καὶ περιείλατο τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῆς τὰ πενθικὰ καὶ ἀπεσμήξατο τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐ τῆς καὶ ἐνεδύσατο τὰ ἱμάτια αὐτῆς τὰ νυμφικά. Καὶ περὶ ὥραν θ κατέβη εἰς τὸν παράδεισον αὐτῆς τοῦ περιπατῆσαι· καὶ εἶδεν δαφνιδέ αν καὶ ἐκάθισεν ὑποκάτω αὐτῆς͵ καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀναπαῆναι ἐλιτάνευσεν τὸν Δεσπότην λέγουσα· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων μου͵ εὐλόγησόν με καὶ ἐ πάκουσον [μου] τῆς δεήσεώς μου͵ καθὼς εὐλόγησας τὴν μητέραν Σάραν καὶ ἔδωκας αὐτῇ υἱὸν τὸν Ἰσαάκ.

3. And gazing towards the heaven, she saw a sparrow’s nest in the laurel,¹⁴ and made a lamentation in herself, saying: Alas! who begot me? and what womb produced me? because I have become a curse in the presence of the sons of Israel, and I have been reproached, and they have driven me in derision out of the temple of the Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like the fowls of the heaven, because even the fowls of the heaven are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like the beasts of the earth, because even the beasts of the earth are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like these waters, because even these waters are productive before Thee, O Lord. Alas! to what have I been likened? I am not like this earth, because even the earth bringeth forth its fruits in season, and blesseth Thee, O Lord.¹⁵

Καὶ ἠτένισεν Ἄννα εἰς οὐρανόν͵ καὶ εἶδεν καλιὰν στρουθῶν ἐν τῇ δαφνιδέᾳ. Καὶ 6 εὐθέως ἐποίησεν θρῆνον ῎αννα ἐν αὑτῇ λέγουσα· Οἴμοι͵ τίς μοι ἐγέννησεν; ποία δὲ μή τρα ἐξέφυσέν με; ὅτι ἐγὼ κατάρα ἐ γεννήθην [ἐνώπιον αὐτῶν πάν των καὶ] ἐνώπιον τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ὠνειδίσθην καὶ ἐμυ κτήρισαν καὶ ἐξώρισάν με ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ μου. Οἴμοι τίνι ὡ μοιώθην ἐγώ; Οὐχ ὡμοιώθην ἐγὼ τοῖς πετεινοῖς τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ ὅτι καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ γόνιμά ἐστιν ἐνώπιόν σου͵ Κύριε. Οἴμε τίνι ὡμοιώθην ἐγώ; Οὐχ ὡμοιώθην ἐγὼ τοῖς ἀλό γοις ζῴοις͵ ὅτι καὶ τὰ ἄλογα ζῷα γόνιμά εἰσιν ἐνώπιόν σου͵ Κύριε. Οἴμοι τίνι ὡμοιώ 7 θην ἐγώ; Οὐχ ὡμοιώθην ἐγὼ τοῖς θη ρίοις τῆς γῆς͵ ὅτι καὶ τὰ θηρία τῆς γῆς γόνιμά εἰσιν ἐνώπιόν σου͵ Κύριε. Οἴμοι τίνι ὡμοιώθην ἐγώ; Οὐχ ὡμοι ώθην ἐγὼ τοῖς ὕδασιν τούτοις͵ ὅτι καὶ τὰ ὕδατα ταῦτα γαληνιῶντα καὶ σκιρτῶντα͵ καὶ οἱ ἰχθύες αὐτῶν σε εὐλογοῦσιν͵ Κύριε. Οἴμοι τίνι ὡμοιώ θην ἐγώ; Οὐχ ὡμοιώθην ἐγὼ τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ͵ ὅτι καὶ ἡ γῆ προ φέρει τοὺς καρποὺς αὐτῆς κατὰ και ρὸν καί σε εὐλογεῖ͵ Κύριε.

4. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying: Anna, Anna, the Lord hath heard thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive, and shall bring forth; and thy seed shall be spoken of in all the world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I beget either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God; and it shall minister to Him in holy things all the days of its life.¹⁶ And, behold, two angels came, saying to her: Behold, Joachim thy husband is coming with his flocks.¹⁷ For an angel of the Lord went down to him, saying: Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God hath heard thy prayer Go down hence; for, behold, thy wife Anna shall conceive. And Joachim went down and called his shepherds, saying: Bring me hither ten she-lambs without spot or blemish, and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and they shall be for the priests and the elders; and a hundred goats for all the people. And, behold, Joachim came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, and she ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now I know that the Lord God hath blessed me exceedingly; for, behold the widow no longer a widow, and I the childless shall conceive. And Joachim rested the first day in his house.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγε λος Κυρίου ἔστη λέγων· ῎αννα Ἄννα͵ ἐ πήκουσεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δεήσεώς σου. Συν λήμψεις καὶ γεννήσεις͵ καὶ λαληθή [θη]σεται τὸ σπέρμα σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμένῃ. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἄννα· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός· ἐὰν γεννήσω εἴτε ἄρσενα 8 εἴτε θήλειαν͵ προσάξω αὐτὸ δῶρον [αὐτὼ] Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ μου͵ καὶ ἔσται λειτουργῶν αὐτῷ πάσας τὰς ἡμέρας τῆς ζω ῆς αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἤλθοσαν ἄγγε λοι δύο λέγοντες αὐτῇ· Ἰδοὺ Ἰω ακεὶμ ὁ ἀνήρ σου ἔρχεται μετὰ τῶν ποι μνίων αὐτοῦ. Ἄγγελος γὰρ Κυρίου κατέ βη πρὸς Ἰωακεὶμ λέγων· Ἰωα κεὶμ Ἰωακείμ͵ ἐπήκουσεν [σε] Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τῆς δεήσεώς σου. Κατά βηθι ἐντεῦθεν. Ἰδοὺ ἡ γυνή σου ῎αννα ἐν γαστρὶ εἴληφεν. Καὶ εὐθέ ως κατέβη Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ ἐκάλε σεν τοὺς ποιμένας λέγων αὐ τοῖς· Φέρετέ μοι ὧδε δέκα ἀμνά δας ἀσπίλους καὶ ἀμώμους͵ 9 καὶ ἔσονται αἱ δέκα ἀμνάδες Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ· καὶ φέρετέ μοι δώ δεκα μόσχους ἁπαλούς͵ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ δώδεκα μόσχοι τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν καὶ τῇ γερουσίᾳ· καὶ ρ χιμάρους͵ καὶ ἔσονται οἱ ρ χίμαροι παν τὶ τῷ λαῷ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἥκει Ἰωακεὶμ μετὰ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἔστη Ἄννα πρὸς τῇ πύλῃ καὶ εἶδεν Ἰωακεὶμ ἐρχόμενον μετὰ τῶν ποιμνίων αὐτοῦ. [Καὶ ἰδοῦσα Ἄννα αὐτὸν] Καὶ εὐθὺς ἔδραμεν καὶ ἐκρέμασεν ἁτὴν εἰς τὸν τράχηλον αὐτοῦ Ἄννα λέγουσα· Νῦν οἶδα ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς εὐλόγησέν με σφόδρα. Ἰδοὺ γὰρ ἡ χήρα οὐκέτι χήρα͵ καὶ ἡ ἄτεκνος ἰδοὺ ἐν γαστρὶ εἴληφα. Καὶ ἀνε 10 παύσατο Ἰωακεὶμ τῇ πρώτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ.

5. And on the following day he brought his offerings, saying in himself: If the Lord God has been rendered gracious to me, the plate¹⁸ on the priest’s forehead will make it manifest to me. And Joachim brought his offerings, and observed attentively the priest’s plate when he went up to the altar of the Lord, and he saw no sin in himself. And Joachim said: Now I know that the Lord has been gracious unto me, and has remitted all my sins. And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and departed to his own house. And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth¹⁹ month Anna brought forth. And she said to the midwife: What have I brought forth? and she said: A girl. And said Anna: My soul has been magnified this day. And she laid her down. And the days having been fulfilled, Anna was purified, and gave the breast to the child,²⁰ and called her name Mary.

Τῇ δὲ ἐφαύριον ἔφερεν τὰ δῶρα αὐ τοῦ λέγων ἐν ἑαυτῷ· Ἐὰν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἱλασθῇ μοι τὸ πέταλον τοῦ ἱερέως φανερόν μοι ποιῆσαι. Καὶ προσέφερεν τὰ δῶρα αὐτοῦ Ἰωακεὶμ καὶ προσεῖχε τῷ πετά λῳ τοῦ ἱερέως ἕως ἐπέβη ἐπὶ τὸ θυ σιαστήριον Κυρίου͵ καὶ οὐκ εἶδεν ἁμαρ τίαν ἐν ἑαυτῷ. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωακείμ· Νῦν οἶδα ὅτι Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς ἱλάσθη μοι καὶ ἀφῆκέν μοι πάντα τὰ ἁμαρ τήματά μου. Καὶ κατέβη ἐκ τοῦ ναοῦ Κυρίου δεδικαιωμένος͵ καὶ ἥκει ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐπληρώθη 11 σαν [οἱ] μῆνες αὐτῇ[ς] ὡσεὶ[πεν] ἕξ· τῷ δὲ ἑβδόμῳ μηνὶ ἐγέννη σεν Ἄννα καὶ εἶπεν τῇ μαίᾳ· Τί ἐ γέννησα; Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μαῖα· Θήλει αν. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἄννα· Ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ψυχή μου τὴν ἡμέραν ταύτην. Καὶ ἀνέκλινεν αὐτήν. Πληρωθέντων δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν ἀπεσμήξατο ἡ Ἄννα τῆς ἀφέδρου αὐτῆς καὶ ἔδωκε [τὸν] μασθὸν τῇ παιδὶ καὶ ὠνόμασεν τὸ ὄνομα αὐτῆς Μαρία.

6. And the child grew strong day by day; and when she was six²¹ months old, her mother set her on the ground to try whether she could stand, and she walked seven steps and came into her bosom; and she snatched her up, saying: As the Lord my God liveth, thou shall not walk on this earth until I bring thee into the temple of the Lord. And she made a sanctuary in her bed-chamber, and allowed nothing common or unclean to pass through her. And she called the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and they led her astray.²² And when she was a year old, Joachim made a great feast, and invited the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel. And Joachim brought the child to the priests; and they blessed her, saying: O God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an everlasting name to be named in all generations. And all the people said: So be it, so be it, amen. And he brought her to the chief priests; and they blessed her, saying: O God most high, look upon this child, and bless her with the utmost blessing, which shall be for ever. And her mother snatched her up, and took her into the sanctuary of her bed-chamber, and gave her the breast. And Anna made a song to the Lord God, saying: I will sing a song to the Lord my God, for He hath looked upon me, and hath taken away the reproach of mine enemies; and the Lord hath given the fruit of His righteousness, singular in its kind, and richly endowed before Him. Who will tell the sons of Rubim that Anna gives suck? Hear, hear, ye twelve tribes of Israel, that Anna gives suck. And she laid her to rest in the bed-chamber of her sanctuary, and went out and ministered unto them. And when the supper was ended, they went down rejoicing, and glorifying the God of Israel.²³

Ἡμέρᾳ δὲ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκραταιοῦτο ἡ παῖς. Γεναμένης δὲ αὐτῆς ἑξαμήνου ἔστησεν αὐτὴν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῆς χα μαί͵ διαπειρᾶσαι εἰ ἵσταται. Καὶ ἑπτὰ [καὶ ἑπτὰ] βήματα περιπατήσασα ἦλθεν εἰς τὸν κόλπον τῆς μη 12 τρὸς αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἀνήρπασεν αὐτὴν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῆς λέγουσα· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου· οὐ μὴ περιπατήσῃς ἐν τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ ἕως σε ἀπάξω ἐν τῷ ναῷ Κυρίου. Καὶ ἐποίησεν ἁ γίασμα ἐν τῷ κοιτῶνι αὐτῆς͵ καὶ κοινὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον οὐκ εἴ α διέρχεσθαι δι΄ αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἐκά λεσε τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν Ἑβραί ων τὰς ἀμιάντους͵ καὶ διε πλάνων αὐτήν. Ἐγένετο δὲ πρῶτος ἐνιαυτὸς τῇ παιδί͵ καὶ ἐ ποίησεν Ἰωακεὶμ δοχὴν μεγάλην καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ τοὺς ἱερεῖς καὶ τοὺς γραμματεῖς καὶ τὴν γερουσί αν καὶ ὅλον τὸν λαὸν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ. 13 Καὶ προσήνεγκεν τὴν παῖδα Ἰωακεὶμ τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν͵ καὶ ηὐλό γησαν αὐτὴν λέγοντες· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων ἡμῶν͵ εὐλόγησον τὴν παῖδα ταύτην καὶ δὸς αὐτῇ ὄνο μα ὀνομαστὸν αἰώνιον ἐν πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς. Καὶ εἶπεν πᾶς ὁ λα ός· Γένοιτο͵ ἀμήν. Καὶ προσήνεγ καν αὐτὴν τοῖς ἀρχιερεῦσιν͵ καὶ εὐ λόγησαν αὐτὴν λέγοντες· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν ὑψωμάτων͵ ἐπίβλεψον ἐπὶ τὴν παῖδα ταύτην καὶ εὐλό γησον αὐτὴν ἐσχάτην εὐλογίαν ἥτις διαδοχὴν οὐκ ἔχει. Καὶ ἀνήρ πασεν αὐτὴν ἡ μήτηρ αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ ἁ γιάσματι τοῦ κοιτῶνος καὶ ἔδω κε μασθὸν τῇ παιδί. Καὶ ἐποίησεν 14 ᾆσμα Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ Ἄννα λέ γουσα· ῎αισω ᾠδὴν ἁγίαν Κυρίῳ τῷ Θεῷ μου͵ ὅτι ἐπεσκέψατό με καὶ ἀφεῖ λεν ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ ὀνειδισμὸν τῶν ἐ χθρῶν μου͵ καὶ ἔδωκέν μοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης αὐ τοῦ μονοούσιον πολυπλάσιον ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ. Τίς ἀγγελεῖ τοῖς υἱοῖς Ρουβὴλ ὅτι Ἄννα θηλάζει; Ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατε͵ αἱ ιβ φυ λαὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ͵ ὅτι Ἄννα θηλάζει. Καὶ ἀνέπαυσεν αὐτὴν ἐν τῷ κοι τῶνι τοῦ ἁγιάσματος͵ καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ διηκόνει αὐτοῖς. Τελεσθέν τος δὲ τοῦ δείπνου κατέβησαν εὐφρανόμενοι καὶ ἐδόξασαν τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσραήλ.

7. And her months were added to the child. And the child was two years old, and Joachim said: Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, that we may pay the vow that we have vowed, lest perchance the Lord send to us,²⁴ and our offering be not received. And Anna said: Let us wait for the third year, in order that the child may not seek for father or mother. And Joachim said: So let us wait. And the child was three years old, and Joachim said: Invite the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take each a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, that the child may not turn back, and her heart be captivated from the temple of the Lord. And they did so until they went up into the temple of the Lord. And the priest received her, and kissed her, and blessed her, saying: The Lord has magnified thy name in all generations. In thee, on the last of the days, the Lord will manifest His redemption to the sons of Israel. And he set her down upon the third step of the altar, and the Lord God sent grace upon her; and she danced with her feet, and all the house of Israel loved her.

Τῇ δὲ παιδὶ προσ ετίθεντο οἱ μῆνες αὐτῆς. Ἐγέ 15 νετο δὲ διετὴς ἡ παῖς͵ καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωακείμ· Ἀνάξωμεν αὐτὴν ἐν ναῷ Κυρίου ὅπως ἀποδῶμεν τὴν ἐπαγ γελίαν ἣν ἐπηγγειλάμεθα͵ μή πως ἀποστείλῃ ὁ Δεσπότης ἐφ΄ ἡ μᾶς καὶ ἀπρόσδεκτον ἔσται τὸ δῶρον ἡμῶν. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἄννα· Ἀναμεί νωμεν τὸ τρίτον ἔτος͵ ὅπως μὴ ζητήσῃ πατέρα ἢ μητέρα. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωα κείμ· Ἀναμείνωμεν. Ἐγένετο δὲ τριετὴς ἡ παῖς͵ καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωακείμ· Καλέσω μεν τὰς θυγατέρας τῶν Ἑβραίων τὰς ἀμιάντους͵ καὶ λαβέτωσαν ἀνὰ λαμπάδα͵ καὶ ἔστωσαν καιόμε ναι͵ ἵνα μὴ στραφῇ εἰς τὰ ὀπίσω 16 καὶ αἰχμαλωτισθήσεται ἡ καρ δία αὐτῆς ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου. Καὶ ἐποίησαν οὕτως ἕως ἀνέβησαν ἐν ναῷ Κυρίου. Καὶ ἐδέξατο αὐτὴν ὁ ἱερεὺς [Κυρίου] καὶ φιλήσας αὐτὴν εὐλόγησεν καὶ εἶπεν· Ἐμεγάλυνεν Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ὄ νομά σου ἐν πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς. Ἐπὶ σοὶ ἐπ΄ ἐσχάτων τῶν ἡμερῶν φανερώσει Κύριος τὸ λύτρον τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ ἐκάθισεν αὐτὴν ἐπὶ τρίτου βαθμοῦ τοῦ θυσιαστη ρίου͵ καὶ ἔβαλλε Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς χάριν ἐπ΄ αὐ τήν͵ καὶ κατεχόρευε τοῖς ποσὶν αὐτῆς͵ καὶ ἠγάπησεν αὐτὴν πᾶς [ὁ] οἶκος Ἰσραήλ.

ch_08_Mary_miraculously_fed_by_angel_in_Temple

8. And her parents went down marvelling, and praising the Lord God, because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as if she were a dove that dwelt there, and she received food from the hand of an angel. And when she was twelve²⁵ years old there was held a council of the priests, saying: Behold, Mary has reached the age of twelve years in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, test perchance she defile the sanctuary of the Lord? And they said to the high priest: Thou standest by the altar of the Lord; go in, and pray concerning her; and whatever the Lord shall manifest unto thee, that also will we do. And the high priest went in, taking the robe²⁶ with the twelve bells into the holy of holies; and he prayed concerning her. And behold an angel of the Lord stood by him, saying unto him: Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and assemble the widowers of the people, and let them bring each his rod; and to whomsoever the Lord shall show a sign, his wife shall she be. And the heralds went out through all the circuit of Judaea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all ran.

Καὶ κατέβησαν οἱ γο νεῖς αὐτῆς θαυμάζοντες καὶ 17 ἐπαινοῦντες καὶ δοξάζοντες τὸν Δεσπότην Θεὸν ὅτι οὐκ ἀπε στράφη ἐπ΄ αὐτούς. ῏Ην δὲ Μαρία ἐν ναῷ Κυρίου ὡσεὶ περιστερὰ νεμο μένη καὶ ἐλάμβανε τροφὴν ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου. Γενομένης δὲ αὐτῆς ιβετοῦς͵ συμβούλιον ἐγένετο τῶν ἱερέων λεγόντων· Ἰδοὺ Μα ρία γέγονεν ιβετὴς ἐν τῷ ναῷ Κυρίου. Τί οὖν αὐτὴν ποιήσωμεν͵ μή πως μιάνῃ τὸ ἁγίασμα Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ ἡμῶν; Καὶ εἶπαν αὐτῷ οἱ ἱε ρεῖς· Σὺ ἕστηκας ἐπὶ τὸ θυσιαστήριον Κυρίου. [καὶ] Εἴσελθε καὶ πρόσευξαι πε ρὶ αὐτῆς· καὶ ὃ ἐὰν φανερώσῃ σοι Κύριος ὁ Θεός͵ τοῦτο ποιήσομεν. Καὶ 18 εἰσῆλθεν ὁ ἱερεὺς λαβὼν τὸν ιβκώδωνα εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγί ων καὶ ηὔξατο περὶ αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἰ δοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἔστη λέγων· Ζα χαρία Ζαχαρία͵ ἔξελθε καὶ ἐκ κλησίασον τοὺς χηρεύοντας τοῦ λαοῦ͵ καὶ ἐνεγκάτωσαν ἀνὰ ῥάβδον͵ καὶ ᾧ ἐὰν ἐπιδείξῃ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς σημεῖον͵ τούτῳ ἔσται γυνή. Ἐξῆλθαν δὲ οἱ κήρυκες καθ΄ ὅλου τῆς περιχώρου τῆς Ἰουδαίας͵ καὶ ἤχησεν σάλπιγξ Κυρίου͵ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔδραμον ἅπαντες.

9. And Joseph, throwing away his axe, went out to meet them; and when they had assembled, they went away to the high priest, taking with them their rods. And he, taking the rods of all of them, entered into the temple, and prayed; and having ended his prayer, he took the rods and came out, and gave them to them: but there was no sign in them, and Joseph took his rod last; and, behold, a dove came out of the rod, and flew upon Joseph’s head. And the priest said to Joseph, Thou hast been chosen by lot to take into thy keeping the virgin of the Lord. But Joseph refused, saying: I have children, and I am an old man, and she is a young girl. I am afraid lest I become a laughing-stock to the sons of Israel. And the priest said to Joseph: Fear the Lord thy God, and remember what the Lord did to Dathan, and Abiram, and Korah;²⁷ how the earth opened, and they were swallowed up on account of their contradiction. And now fear, O Joseph, lest the same things happen in thy house. And Joseph was afraid, and took her into his keeping. And Joseph said to Mary: Behold, I have received thee from the temple of the Lord; and now I leave thee in my house, and go away to build my buildings, and I shall come to thee. The Lord will protect thee.

Ἰωσὴφ δὲ ῥίψας τὸ σκέπαρνον ἐξῆλθεν καὶ αὐτὸς εἰς συνάντησιν αὐτῶν. Καὶ συναχθέντες ὁμοῦ ἀπῆλ θαν πρὸς τὸν ἱερέα λαβόντες 19 τὰς ῥάβδους. Δεξάμενος δὲ ὁ ἱερεὺς τὰς ῥάβδους ἀπ΄ αὐτῶν εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἱερὸν καὶ ηὔξατο. Τελέσας δὲ τὴν εὐχὴν ἔλαβε τὰς ῥάβδους καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἔδωκεν αὐτοῖς· καὶ σημεῖον οὐκ ἦν ἐν αὐταῖς. Τὴν δὲ ἐσχάτην ῥάβδον ἔλαβε ὁ Ἰωσήφ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ περιστερὰ ἐξῆλθεν ἀπὸ τῆς ῥάβδου καὶ ἐπεστάθη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ Ἰωσήφ. Καὶ εἶ πεν ὁ ἱερεύς· Ἰωσὴφ Ἰωσήφ͵ σὺ κεκλήρωσαι τὴν παρθένον Κυρίου παραλάβαι εἰς τήρησιν αὑτῷ. Καὶ ἀντιεῖπεν ὁ Ἰωσὴφ λέγων· Υἱ οὺς ἔχω καὶ πρεσβύτης εἰμί· αὕτη δὲ νεᾶνις. Μήπως ἔσομαι πε ρίγελος τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ εἶπεν 20 ὁ ἱερεύς· Ἰωσήφ͵ φοβήθητι Κύριον τὸν Θεόν σου͵ καὶ μνήσθητι ὅσα ἐ ποίησεν ὁ Θεὸς Δαθὰν καὶ Ἀβιρὼν καὶ Κορέ͵ πῶς ἐδιχ[ι]άσθη ἡ γῆ καὶ κατεπόθησαν ἅπαντες διὰ τὴν ἀντιλογίαν αὐτῶν. Καὶ νῦν φοβήθητι͵ Ἰωσήφ͵ μήπως ἔσται ταῦτα ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ σου. Καὶ [ἐ] φοβηθεὶς Ἰωσὴφ παρέλαβεν αὐτὴν εἰς τήρησιν αὑτῷ͵ καὶ εἶ πεν αὐτῇ· Μαρία͵ παρέλαβόν σε ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου. Καὶ νῦν καταλεί πω σε ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου. Ἀπέρχο μαι γὰρ οἰκοδομῆσαι τὰς οἰκο δομάς͵ καὶ ἥξω πρὸς σέ. Κύριός σε διαφυλάξει.

10. And there was a council of the priests, saying: Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord. And the priest said: Call to me the undefiled virgins of the family of David. And the officers went away, and sought, and found seven virgins. And the priest remembered the child Mary, that she was of the family of David, and undefiled before God. And the officers went away and brought her. And they brought them into the temple of the Lord. And the priest said: Choose for me by lot who shall spin the gold, and the white,²⁸ and the fine linen, and the silk, and the blue,²⁹ and the scarlet, and the true purple.³⁰ And the true purple and the scarlet fell to the lot of Mary, and she took them, and went away to her house. And at that time Zacharias was dumb, and Samuel was in his place until the time that Zacharias spake. And Mary took the scarlet, and span it.

Ἐγένετο δὲ συμ 21 βούλιον τῶν ἱερέων λεγόν των· Ποιήσωμεν καταπέτασ μα τῷ ναῷ Κυρίου. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεύς· Καλέσατέ μοι τὰς παρθένους τὰς ἀμιάντους ἀπὸ τῆς φυλῆς τοῦ Δαυίδ. Καὶ ἀπήλθασιν οἱ ὑπηρέ ται καὶ ἐξεζήτησαν καὶ εὕρη σαν ζ. Καὶ ἐμνήσθη ὁ ἱερεὺς τῆς παιδὸς Μαρίας ὅτι ἦν τῆς φυλῆς τοῦ Δαυὶδ καὶ ἀμίαν τος τῷ Θεῷ. Καὶ ἀπήλθασιν οἱ ὑπηρέται καὶ ἤγαγαν αὐτήν. Καὶ εἰσήγαγαν αὐτὰς ἐν τῷ να ῷ Κυρίου. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἱερεύς· Λάχε τέ μοι ὧδε͵ τίς νήσει τὸν χρυ σὸν καὶ τὸν ἀμίαντον καὶ τὴν 22 βύσσον καὶ τὸ σιρικὸν καὶ τὸ ὑα κίνθινον καὶ τὸ κόκκινον καὶ τὴν ἀληθινὴν πορφύραν. Καὶ ἔλαχε τὴν Μαρίαν ἡ ἀληθινὴ πορφύρα καὶ τὸ κόκκινον. Καὶ λαβοῦσα ἀπῄει ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐ τῆς. Τῷ δὲ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ Ζαχα ρίας ἐσίγησεν͵ καὶ ἐγένετο ἀντὶ αὐτοῦ Σαμουήλ͵ μέχρι ὅτε ἐ λάλησεν Ζαχχαρίας. Μαρία δὲ λαβοῦσα τὸ κόκκινον ἔκλωθεν.

11. And she took the pitcher, and went out to fill it with water. And, behold, a voice saying: Hail, thou who hast received grace; the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women!³¹ And she looked round, on the right hand and on the left, to see whence this voice came. And she went away, trembling, to her house, and put down the pitcher; and taking the purple, she sat down on her seat, and drew it out. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood before her, saying: Fear not, Mary; for thou hast found grace before the Lord of all, and thou shalt conceive, according to His word. And she hearing, reasoned with herself, saying: Shall I conceive by the Lord, the living God? and shall I bring forth as every woman brings forth? And the angel of the Lord said: Not so, Mary; for the 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 Most High. And thou shalt call His name Jesus, for He shall save His people from their sins. And Mary said: Behold, the servant of the Lord before His face: let it be unto me according to thy word.

Καὶ ἔλαβεν τὴν κάλπιν καὶ ἐξῆλ θεν γεμίσαι ὕδωρ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ [αὐ τῇ] φωνὴ λέγουσα αὐτῇ· Χαῖρε͵ κεχα ριτωμένη· ὁ Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ· εὐλογημένη σὺ ἐν γυναιξίν. Καὶ περιέβλεπεν τὰ δεξιὰ καὶ τὰ ἀριστερὰ Μαρία πόθεν αὕτη εἴη ἡ φωνή. Καὶ ἔντρομος 23 γενομένη εἰσῄει εἰς τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς καὶ ἀναπαύσασα τὴν κάλπιν ἔλαβεν τὴν πορφύραν καὶ ἐκάθι σεν ἐπὶ τοῦ θρόνου καὶ ἧλκεν τὴν πορφύραν. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔστη ἄγγελος ἐνώπιον αὐτῆς λέγων· Μὴ φοβοῦ͵ Μαρία· εὗρες γὰρ χάριν ἐνώπιον τοῦ πάντων Δεσπότου. Συνλήμψῃ ἐκ Λόγου αὐτοῦ. Ἡ δὲ ἀκού σασα Μαρία διεκρίθη ἐν ἑαυτῇ λέγουσα· Ἐγὼ συνλήμψομαι ἀπὸ Κυρίου Θεοῦ ζῶντος ὡς πᾶσα γυ νὴ γεννᾷ; Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος ἔ στη [αὐτῇ] λέγων αὐτῇ· Οὐχ οὕτως͵ Μαρία. Δύναμις γὰρ Θεοῦ ἐπισκιά 24 σει σοι· διὸ καὶ τὸ γεννώμενον ἅγιον κληθήσεται υἱὸς Ὑψί στου. Καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὄνομα αὐτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λα ὸν αὐτοῦ ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. Καὶ εἶπε Μαρία· Ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη Κυρίου κατενώπιον αὐ τοῦ. Γένοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ῥῆμά σου.

^12. And she made the purple and the scarlet, and took them to the priest. And the priest blessed her, and said: Mary, the Lord God hath magnified thy name, and thou shall be blessed in all the generations of the earth. And Mary, with great joy, went away to Elizabeth her kinswoman,³² and knocked at the door. And when Elizabeth heard her, she threw away the scarlet,³³ and ran to the door, and opened it; and seeing Mary, she blessed her, and said: Whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? for, behold, that which is in me leaped and blessed thee.³⁴ But Mary had forgotten the mysteries of which the archangel Gabriel had spoken, and gazed up into heaven, and said: Who am I, O Lord, that all the generations of the earth should bless me?³⁵ And she remained three months with Elizabeth; and day by day she grew bigger. And Mary being afraid, went away to her own house, and hid herself from the sons of Israel. And she was sixteen³⁶ years old when these mysteries happened.

Καὶ ἐποίησεν τὴν πορφύ ραν καὶ τὸ κόκκινον͵ καὶ ἀνή νεγκεν τῷ ἱερεῖ. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἱερεὺς εὐλόγησεν αὐτὴν καὶ εἶπεν· Μαρία͵ ἐμεγάλυνεν [σε] Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς τὸ ὄνομά σου͵ καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογημένη ἐν 25 πάσαις ταῖς γενεαῖς τῆς γῆς. Χαρὰν δὲ λαβοῦσα Μαρία ἀπῄει πρὸς τὴν συγγενίδα αὐτῆς Ἐλισάβεδ καὶ ἔκρουσεν πρὸς τὴν θύραν. Καὶ ἀκούσασα ἡ Ἐλισά βεδ ἔρριψεν τὸ κόκκινον καὶ ἔ δραμεν πρὸς τὴν θύραν καὶ ἤ νοιξεν αὐτῇ καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐ τὴν καὶ εἶπεν· Πόθεν μοι τοῦτο ἵνα ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ Κυρίου μου ἔλθῃ πρὸς ἐμέ; Ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐσκίρτησεν καὶ εὐλόγησέν σε. Ἡ δὲ Μαρία ἐπελάθετο τῶν μυστηρίων ὧν ἐλάλησεν Γαβριὴλ ὁ ἄγ γελος. Καὶ ἠτένισεν εἰς τὸν 26 οὐρανὸν καὶ εἶπεν· Τίς εἰμι ἐ γὼ ὅτι ἰδοὺ πᾶσαι αἱ γυναῖκες τῆς γῆς μακαριοῦσίν με; Καὶ ἐποίησεν τρεῖς μῆνας πρὸς τὴν Ἐλισάβεδ. Καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἀφ΄ ἡμέρας ἡ γαστὴρ αὐτῆς ὠγκοῦτο. Καὶ φοβη θεῖσα ἡ Μαρία ἦλθεν ἐν τῷ οἴ κῳ αὐτῆς καὶ ἔκρυβεν αὑτὴν ἀπὸ τῶν υἱῶν Ἰσραήλ. ῏Ην δὲ ἐτῶν ι͵ ὅτε ταῦτα τὰ μυστή ρια ἐγέ[ι]νετο αὐτῇ.

13. And she was in her sixth month; and, behold, Joseph came back from his building, and, entering into his house, he discovered that she was big with child. And he smote³⁷ his face,³⁸ and threw himself on the ground upon the sackcloth, and wept bitterly, saying: With what face shall I look upon the Lord my God? and what prayer shall I make about this maiden? because I received her a virgin out of the temple of the Lord, and I have not watched over her. Who is it that has hunted me³⁹ down? Who has done this evil thing in my house, and defiled the virgin? Has not the history of Adam been repeated in me? For just as Adam was in the hour of his singing praise,⁴⁰ and the serpent came, and found Eve alone, and completely deceived her, so it has happened to me also. And Joseph stood up from the sackcloth, and called Mary, and said to her: O thou who hast been cared for by God, why hast thou done this and forgotten the Lord thy God? Why hast thou brought low thy soul, thou that wast brought up in the holy of holies, and that didst receive food from the hand of an angel? And she wept bitterly, saying: I am innocent, and have known no man. And Joseph said to her: Whence then is that which is in thy womb? And she said: As the Lord my God liveth, I do not know whence it is to me.

Καὶ ἐγένετο αὐτῇ  μήν͵ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἦλθεν Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τῶν οἰ κοδομῶν αὐτοῦ καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ καὶ εὗρεν αὐτὴν ὠγκωμέ νην. Καὶ ἔτυψεν τὸ πρόσωπον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔρριψεν αὑτὸν χαμαὶ 27 ἐπὶ τὸν σάκκον καὶ ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς λέγων· Ποίῳ προσώ πῳ ἀτενίσω πρὸς Κύριον τὸν Θεόν; Τί ἄρα εὔξωμαι περὶ αὐτῆς; Ὅτι παρθένον παρέλαβον ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ καὶ οὐκ ἐφύλαξα αὐ τήν. Τίς ὁ θηρεύσας με; Τίς τὸ πο νηρὸν τοῦτο ἐποίησεν ἐν τῷ οἴ κῳ μου; Τίς ᾐχμαλώτευσε τὴν παρθένον ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ καὶ ἐμίανεν αὐτήν; Μή τι ἐν ἐμοὶ ἀνεκεφαλαιώθη ἡ ἱ στορία τοῦ Ἀδάμ; Ὥσπερ γὰρ Ἀδὰμ ἦν ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς δοξολογίας αὐτοῦ καὶ ἦλθεν ὁ ὄφις καὶ εὗρεν τὴν Εὔαν μόνην καὶ ἐξηπάτησεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἐμίανεν αὐτήν͵ οὕ τως κἀμοὶ συνέβη. Καὶ 28 [καὶ] ἀνέστη Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ σάκκου καὶ ἐκάλεσεν αὐτὴν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Μεμελημέ νη Θεῷ͵ τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Ἐπε λάθου Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου; Τί ἐταπεί νωσας τὴν ψυχήν σου͵ ἡ ἀνα τραφεῖσα εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων καὶ τροφὴν λαμβάνουσα ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου; Ἡ δὲ ἔκλαυσεν πικρῶς λέγουσα καθότι Καθα ρά εἰμι ἐγὼ καὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γι νώσκω. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ἰω σήφ· Πόθεν οὖν τοῦτό ἐστιν ἐν τῇ γαστρί σου; Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου καθότι οὐ γι 29 νώσκω πόθεν ἐστὶν ἐν ἐμοί.

14. And Joseph was greatly afraid, and retired from her, and considered what he should do in regard to her.⁴¹ And Joseph said: If I conceal her sin, I find myself fighting against the law of the Lord; and if I expose her to the sons of Israel, I am afraid lest that which is in her be from an angel,⁴² and I shall be found giving up innocent blood to the doom of death. What then shall I do with her? I will put her away from me secretly. And night came upon him; and, behold, an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream, saying: Be not afraid for this maiden, for that which is in her is of the Holy Spirit; and she will bring forth a Son, and thou shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.⁴³ And Joseph arose from sleep, and glorified the God of Israel, who had given him this grace; and he kept her.

Καὶ ἐφοβήθη ὁ Ἰωσὴφ σφόδρα καὶ ἠρέμησεν ἐξ αὐτῆς͵ διαλογιζό μενος αὐτὴν τί ποιήσει. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωσήφ· Ἐὰν αὐτῆς κρύψω τὸ ἁμάρτημα͵ εὑρεθήσομαι μα χόμενος τῷ νόμῳ Κυρίου· καὶ ἐὰν αὐτὴν φανερώσω τοῖς υἱ οῖς Ἰσραήλ͵ φοβοῦμαι μήπως ἀγγελικόν ἐστιν τὸ ἐν ἑαυτῇ͵ καὶ εὑρε θήσομαι παραδιδοὺς ἀθῷον αἷμα εἰς κρίσμα[τος] θανάτου. Τί οὖν αὐτὴν ποιήσω; Λάθρᾳ αὐ τὴν ἀπολύσω ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ κατέλαβεν αὐτὸν νύξ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου φαίνεται αὐ 30 [αὐ]τῷ κατ΄ ὄνειρον λέγων· Μὴ φοβηθῇς τὴν παῖδα ταύτην· τὸ γὰρ ἐν ἑαυτῇ ὂν ἐκ Πνεύματός ἐστιν ἁγίου. Τέξεται δέ σοι υἱὸν καὶ κα λέσεις τὸ ὄνομα ἑαυτοῦ Ἰησοῦν· αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐ τοῦ ἐκ τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων αὐτῶν. Καὶ ἀνέστη Ἰωσὴφ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕπνου καὶ ἐδόξασεν τὸν Θεὸν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ τὸν δόντα αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν αὐτοῦ. Καὶ ἐφύλασσε τὴν παῖδα.

15. And Annas the scribe came to him, and said: Why hast thou not appeared in our assembly? And Joseph said to him: Because I was weary from my journey, and rested the first day. And he turned, and saw that Mary was with child. And he ran away to the priest?⁴⁴ and said to him: Joseph, whom thou didst vouch for, has committed a grievous crime. And the priest said: How so? And he said: He has defiled the virgin whom he received out of the temple of the Lord, and has married her by stealth, and has not revealed it to the sons of Israel. And the priest answering, said: Has Joseph done this? Then said Annas the scribe: Send officers, and thou wilt find the virgin with child. And the officers went away, and found it as he had said; and they brought her along with Joseph to the tribunal. And the priest said: Mary, why hast thou done this? and why hast thou brought thy soul low, and forgotten the Lord thy God? Thou that wast reared in the holy of holies, and that didst receive food from the hand of an angel, and didst hear the hymns, and didst dance before Him, why hast thou done this? And she wept bitterly, saying: As the Lord my God liveth, I am pure before Him, and know not a man. And the priest said to Joseph: Why hast thou done this? And Joseph said: As the Lord liveth, I am pure concerning her. Then said the priest: Bear not false witness, but speak the truth. Thou hast married her by stealth, and hast not revealed it to the sons of Israel, and hast not bowed thy head under the strong hand, that thy seed might be blessed. And Joseph was silent.

῏Ηλθεν δὲ Ἄννας ὁ γραμ ματεὺς πρὸς αὐτὸν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἰωσήφ͵ διὰ τί οὐκ ἐφάνης τῇ συνόδῳ ἡμῶν; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· ῞οτι ἔκαμον ἐκ τῆς ὁδοῦ 31 καὶ ἀνεπαυσάμην τὴν μίαν ἡμέραν. Καὶ ἐστράφη Ἄννας καὶ εἶδεν τὴν Μαρίαν ὠγκωμέ νην. Καὶ ἀπῄει δρομαῖος πρὸς τὸν ἱερέαν καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἰδοὺ Ἰωσήφ͵ ᾧ σὺ μαρτυρεῖς͵ ἠνόμησεν σφό δρα. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Τί τοῦ το; Καὶ εἶπεν· Τὴν παρθένον͵ ἣν Ἰωσὴφ παρέλαβεν ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου͵ ἐμίανεν αὐτὴν καὶ ἔκλεψεν τοὺς γάμους αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἐφα νέρωσεν τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ. Καὶ εἶ πεν αὐτῷ ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Ἰωσὴφ [Ἰωσὴφ] ταῦτα ἐποίησεν; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἀπόστειλον ὑπη ρέτας καὶ εὑρήσεις τὴν παρθέ 32 νον ὠγκωμένην. Καὶ ἀπῆλ θον οἱ ὑπηρέται καὶ εὗρον αὐ τὴν καθὼς εἶπεν καὶ ἀπήγα γον αὐτὴν εἰς τὸ ἱερόν͵ καὶ ἔστη εἰς τὸ κριτήριον. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Μαρία͵ τί τοῦτο ἐποί ησας; Τί ἐταπείνωσας τὴν ψυ χήν σου; Ἐπελάθου Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ σου͵ ἡ ἀνατραφεῖσα εἰς τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἁγίων καὶ λαβοῦσα τρο φὴν ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλων; Σὺ ἡ ἀ κούσασα τῶν ὕμνων αὐτῶν καὶ χορεύσασα ἐνώπιον αὐ τῶν͵ τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Ἡ δὲ ἔκλαυσε πικρῶς λέγουσα· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς καθότι καθαρά εἰμι 33 ἐνώπιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄνδρα οὐ γινώσκω. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Ἰωσήφ͵ [ο]τί τοῦτο ἐποίησας; Εἶπεν δὲ Ἰωσήφ· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου καὶ ζῇ ὁ Χριστὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ὁ τῆς ἀληθείας αὐτοῦ μάρτυς καθό τι καθαρός εἰμι ἐγὼ ἐξ αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Μὴ ψευ δομαρτύρει͵ ἀλλὰ λέγε τὰ ἀληθῆ. ῎εκλεψας τοὺς γάμους σου καὶ οὐκ ἐφανέρωσας τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔκλινας τὴν κεφαλήν σου ὑπὸ τὴν κραταιὰν χεῖραν ὅπως εὐλογηθῇ τὸ σπέρμα σου. Καὶ Ἰωσὴφ ἐσίγησεν.

16. And the priest said: Give up the virgin whom thou didst receive out of the temple of the Lord. And Joseph burst into tears. And the priest said: I will give you to drink of the water of the ordeal of the Lord,⁴⁵ and He shall make manifest your sins in your eyes. And the priest took the water, and gave Joseph to drink and sent him away to the hill-country; and he returned unhurt. And he gave to Mary also to drink, and sent her away to the hill-country; and she returned unhurt. And all the people wondered that sin did not appear in them. And the priest said: If the Lord God has not made manifest your sins, neither do I judge you. And he sent them away. And Joseph took Mary, and went away to his own house, rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel.

Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Ἀπόδος τὴν παρθένον ἣν παρέλαβες ἐκ ναοῦ Κυρίου. Καὶ περιδάκρυτος γε 34 νάμενος ὁ Ἰωσὴφ ... Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Ποτίσω ὑμᾶς τὸ ὕδωρ τῆς ἐλέγξεως Κυρίου͵ καὶ φανερώ σει τὸ ἁμάρτημα ὑμῶν ἐν ὀ φθαλμοῖς ὑμῶν. Καὶ λαβὼν ὁ ἀρχιερεὺς ἐπότισεν τὸν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὸν εἰς τὴν ἔ ρημον͵ καὶ ἦλθεν ὁλόκληρος. Καὶ ἐπότισεν καὶ τὴν παῖδα καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτὴν εἰς τὴν ἐρη μίαν͵ καὶ κατέβη ὁλόκληρος. Καὶ ἐθαύμασεν πᾶς ὁ λαὸς ὅτι οὐκ ἐφάνη ἡ ἁμαρτία[ν] αὐτῶν. Καὶ εἶπεν ὁ ἀρχιερεύς· Εἰ Κύριος ὁ Θεὸς οὐκ ἐφανέρωσεν τὸ ἁμάρτη μα ὑμῶν͵ οὐδὲ ἐγὼ κρίνω 35 ὑμᾶς. Καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτούς. Καὶ παρέλαβεν Ἰωσὴφ τὴν Μαριάμ μην καὶ ἀπῄει ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ χαίρων καὶ δοξάζων τὸν Θεὸν Ἰσραήλ.

17. And there was an order from the Emperor Augustus, that all in Bethlehem of Judaea should be enrolled.⁴⁶ And Joseph said: I shall enrol my sons, but what shall I do with this maiden? How shall I enrol her? As my wife? I am ashamed. As my daughter then? But all the sons of Israel know that she is not my daughter. The day of the Lord shall itself bring it to pass⁴⁷ as the Lord will. And he saddled the ass, and set her upon it; and his son led it, and Joseph followed.⁴⁸ And when they had come within three miles, Joseph turned and saw her sorrowful; and he said to himself: Likely that which is in her distresses her. And again Joseph turned and saw her laughing. And he said to her: Mary, how is it that I see in thy face at one time laughter, at another sorrow? And Mary said to Joseph: Because I see two peoples with my eyes; the one weeping and lamenting, and the other rejoicing and exulting. And they came into the middle of the road, and Mary said to him: Take me down from off the ass, for that which is in me presses to come forth. And he took her down from off the ass, and said to her: Whither shall I lead thee, and cover thy disgrace? for the place is desert.

Κέλευσις δὲ ἐγένετο ἀπὸ [τουν] Ἀόσ του τοῦ βασιλέως ἀπογράψασθαι ὅσοι εἰσὶν ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαί ας. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωσήφ· Ἐγὼ ἀπογρά ψομαι τοὺς υἱούς μου. Ταύτην δὲ τὴν παῖδα τί ποιήσω; Πῶς αὐτὴν ἀπογράψομαι; Γυναῖκα ἐμήν; Ἐπαισχύνομαι. Ἀλλὰ θυγατέρα; Οἶ δαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν θυγά τηρ μου. Αὕτη ἡ ἡμέρα Κυρίου ποιή σει ὡς βούλεται. Καὶ ἔστρωσεν τὸν ὄνον καὶ ἐκάθισεν αὐτὴν 36 καὶ ἧλκεν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἠκο λούθει Σαμουήλ. Καὶ [ην]ἤγ γισαν ἐπὶ μίλιον τρίτον͵ καὶ ἐστράφη Ἰωσὴφ καὶ εἶδεν αὐτὴν στυγνὴν καὶ ἔλεγεν· ῎ισως τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ χειμάζει αὐτήν. Καὶ πάλιν ἐστράφη Ἰωσὴφ καὶ εἶδεν αὐτὴν γελοῦσαν καὶ εἶ πεν αὐτῇ· Μαριάμμη͵ τί ἐστίν σοι τοῦ το͵ ὅτι τὸ πρόσωπόν σου βλέ πω ποτὲ μὲν γελοῦντα ποτὲ δὲ στυγνάζον; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· Ἰωσήφ͵ ὅτι δύο λαοὺς βλέπω ἐν τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς μου͵ ἕνα κλαίοντα καὶ κοπτόμενον καὶ ἕνα χαίροντα καὶ ἀγαλλι 37 ῶντα. Καὶ ἤλθωσιν ἀνὰ μέ σον τῆς ὁδοῦ͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Μαριάμμη· Ἰωσήφ͵ κατάγαγέ με ἀπὸ τοῦ ὄνου͵ ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐπείγει με προελθεῖν. Καὶ κατή γαγεν αὐτὴν ἐκεῖ καὶ εἶπεν αὐ τῇ· Ποῦ σε ἀπάξω καὶ σκεπάσω σου τὴν ἀσχημοσύνην͵ ὅτι ὁ τόπος ἔρημός ἐστιν;

18. And he found a cave⁴⁹ there, and led her into it; and leaving his two sons beside her, he went out to seek a widwife in the district of Bethlehem.

Καὶ εὗ ρεν ἐκεῖ σπήλαιον καὶ εἰσήγα γεν αὐτὴν καὶ παρέστησεν αὐτῇ[ν] τοὺς υἱοὺς αὐτοῦ καὶ ἐ ξῆλθεν ζητῆσαι μαῖαν Ἑβραί αν ἐν χώρᾳ Βηθλεέμ.

And I Joseph was walking, and was not walking; and I looked up into the sky, and saw the sky astonished; and I looked up to the pole of the heavens, and saw it standing, and the birds of the air keeping still. And I looked down upon the earth, and saw a trough lying, and work-people reclining: and their hands were in the trough. And those that were eating did not eat, and those that were rising did not carry it up, and those that were conveying anything to their mouths did not convey it; but the faces of all were looking upwards. And I saw the sheep walking, and the sheep stood still; and the shepherd raised his hand to strike them, and his hand remained up. And I looked upon the current of the river, and I saw the mouths of the kids resting on the water and not drinking, and all things in a moment were driven from their course.

37a 1 Textus ceterorum testium 1 Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἰωσὴφ περιεπάτουν καὶ οὐ περιε πάτουν. Καὶ ἀνέβλεψα εἰς τὸν πόλον τοῦ οὐρανοῦ καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν ἑστῶτα͵ καὶ εἰς τὸν ἀέρα καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν ἔκθαμβον καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἠρεμοῦντα. Καὶ ἐπέ βλεψα ἐπὶ τὴν γῆν καὶ εἶδον σκάφην κειμένην καὶ ἐργάτας ἀνακειμένους͵ καὶ ἦσαν αἱ χεῖρες αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ σκάφῃ. Καὶ οἱ μασώμενοι οὐκ ἐμασῶντο καὶ οἱ αἴρον τες οὐκ ἀνέφερον καὶ οἱ προσφέροντες τῷ στόματι αὐτῶν οὐ προσέφερον͵ ἀλλὰ πάντων ἦν τὰ πρόσωπα ἄνω βλέποντα. Καὶ εἶδον ἐλαυνόμενα πρόβατα͵ καὶ τὰ πρόβατα ἑστήκει· καὶ ἐπῆρεν ὁ ποιμὴν τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ τοῦ πατάξαι αὐτά͵ καὶ ἡ χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ἄνω.

19. And I saw a woman coming down from the hill-country, and she said to me: O man, whither art thou going? And I said: I am seeking an Hebrew midwife. And she answered and said unto me: Art thou of Israel? And I said to her: Yes. And she said: And who is it that is bringing forth in the cave? And I said: A woman betrothed to me. And she said to me: Is she not thy wife? And I said to her: It is Mary that was reared in the temple of the Lord, and I obtained her by lot as my wife. And yet she is not my wife, but has conceived of the Holy Spirit.

Καὶ ἐπέβλεψα ἐπὶ τὸν χείμαρρον τοῦ ποταμοῦ καὶ εἶδον ἐρίφους καὶ τὰ στόματα αὐτῶν ἐπικείμενα τῷ ὕδατι καὶ μὴ πίνοντα. Καὶ πάντα θήξει ὑπὸ τοῦ δρόμου αὐτῶν ἀπηλαύνετο. Καὶ εἶδον γυναῖκα καταβαίνουσαν ἀπὸ τῆς ὀρεινῆς͵ καὶ εἶπέν μοι· ῎ανθρωπε͵ ποῦ πορεύῃ; Καὶ εἶπον· Μαῖαν ζητῶ Ἑβραίαν. Καὶ ἀποκριθεῖσα εἶπέν μοι· Ἐξ Ἰσραὴλ εἶ; Καὶ εἶπον αὐτῇ· Ναί. Ἡ δὲ εἶπεν· Καὶ τίς ἐστιν ἡ γεννῶσα ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ; 38a Καὶ εἶπον ἐγώ· Ἡ μεμνηστευμένη μοι. Καὶ εἶπέ μοι· Οὐκ ἔστι σου γυνή; Καὶ εἶπον αὐτῇ· Μαρία ἐστίν͵ ἡ ἀνατραφεῖσα ἐν [τῷ] ναῷ Κυρίου. Καὶ ἐκληρωσάμην αὐτὴν γυναῖκα͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν μου γυνή͵ ἀλλὰ σύλλημμα ἔχει ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁγίου.

And the widwife said to him: Is this true? And Joseph said to her: Come and see. And the midwife went away with him. And they stood in the place of the cave, and behold a luminous cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: My soul has been magnified this day, because mine eyes have seen strange things—because salvation has been brought forth to Israel. And immediately the cloud disappeared out of the cave, and a great light shone in the cave, so that the eyes could not bear it. And in a little that light gradually decreased, until the infant appeared, and went and took the breast from His mother Mary. And the midwife cried out, and said: This is a great day to me, because I have seen this strange sight. And the midwife went forth out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: Salome, Salome, I have a strange sight to relate to thee: a virgin has brought forth—a thing which her nature admits not of. Then said Salome: As the Lord my God liveth, unless I thrust in my finger, and search the parts, I will not believe that a virgin has brought forth.

Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μαῖα· Τοῦτο ἀληθές; Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ Ἰωσήφ· Δεῦρο καὶ ἴδε. 38 1 Textus omnibus testibus communis 1 Καὶ ἀπῄει μετ΄ αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ἔστη σαν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ σπηλαίου. Καὶ ἦν νεφέλη σκοτεινὴ ἐπισκι άζουσα τὸ σπήλαιον. Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μαῖα· Ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ψυ χή μου σήμερον͵ ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου παράδοξα σήμερον͵ ὅτι σωτηρία τῷ Ἰσραὴλ γεγένηται. Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἡ νεφέλη ὑπεστέλλετο τοῦ σπηλαίου͵ καὶ ἐφάνη φῶς μέγα ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ ὥστε 39 τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μὴ φέρειν. Καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο ὑπε στέλλετο͵ ἕως ἐφάνη βρέφος· καὶ ἦλθεν καὶ ἔλαβε μασθὸν ἐκ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας. Καὶ ἀνεβόη σεν ἡ μαῖα καὶ εἶπεν· Ὡς μεγάλη μοι ἡ σήμε ρον ἡμέρα͵ ὅτι εἶδον τὸ καινὸν θέαμα τοῦτο. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου ἡ μαῖα͵ καὶ ἠπήντησεν αὐτῇ Σαλώμη͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Σαλώμη Σαλώμη͵ καινόν σοι θέαμα ἔχω ἐξηγήσασθαι· παρ θένος ἐγέννησεν͵ ἃ οὐ χωρεῖ ἡ φύσις αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν Σαλώμη· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου· ἐὰν μὴ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου καὶ ἐραυνήσω 40a 1 Textus ceterorum testium 1 τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς͵ οὐ μὴ πιστεύσω ὅτι ἡ παρθένος ἐγέννησεν.

20. And the midwife went in, and said to Mary: Show thyself; for no small controversy has arisen about thee. And Salome put in her finger, and cried out, and said: Woe is me for mine iniquity and mine unbelief, because I have tempted the living God; and, behold, my hand is dropping off as if burned with fire. And she bent her knees before the Lord, saying: O God of my fathers, remember that I am the seed of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob; do not make a show of me to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor; for Thou knowest, O Lord, that in Thy name I have performed my services, and that I have received my reward at Thy hand. And, behold, an angel of the Lord stood by her, saying to her: Salome, Salome, the Lord hath heard thee. Put thy hand to the infant, and carry it, and thou wilt have safety and joy. And Salome went and carried it, saying: I will worship Him, because a great King has been born to Israel. And, behold, Salome was immediately cured, and she went forth out of the cave justified. And behold a voice saying: Salome, Salome, tell not the strange things thou hast seen, until the child has come into Jerusalem.

Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν ἡ μαῖα καὶ εἶπεν· Μαρία͵ σχημάτισον σεαυτήν· οὐ γὰρ μικρὸς ἀγὼν πρόκειται περὶ σοῦ. Καὶ ἡ Μαρία ἀκούσασα ταῦτα ἐσχημάτισεν αὑτήν. Καὶ ἔβαλε Σαλώμη τὸν δάκτυλον αὐτῆς εἰς τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἀνηλάλαξεν Σαλώμη καὶ εἶπεν· Οὐαὶ τῇ ἀνομίᾳ μου καὶ τῇ ἀπιστίᾳ μου͵ ὅτι ἐξεπείρασα Θεὸν ζῶντα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ χείρ μου πυρὶ ἀποπίπτει ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ ἔκλινεν τὰ γόνατα πρὸς τὸν Δεσπότην Σαλώμη λέγουσα· Ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέ ρων μου͵ μνήσθητί μου ὅτι σπέρμα εἰμὶ Ἀβραὰμ καὶ Ἰσαὰκ καὶ Ἰακώβ. Μὴ παραδειγματίσῃς με τοῖς υἱοῖς Ἰσραήλ͵ ἀλλὰ ἀπόδος με τοῖς πένησιν. Σὺ γὰρ οἶδας͵ Δέσποτα͵ ὅτι ἐπὶ τῷ σῷ ὀνό ματι τὰς θεραπείας ἐπετέλουν καὶ τὸν μισθόν μου παρὰ σοῦ ἐλάμβανον. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἔστη λέγων πρὸς αὐτήν· Σαλώμη Σαλώμη͵ ἐπήκου σεν ὁ πάντων Δεσπότης τῆς δεήσεώς σου. Προσένεγκε τὴν χεῖρά σου τῷ παιδίῳ καὶ βάσταξον αὐτό͵ καὶ ἔσται σοι σωτηρία καὶ χαρά. Λαβοῦσα δὲ χαρὰν προσῆλθε Σαλώμη τῷ παιδίῳ καὶ ἐβάσταξεν αὐτὸ λέγουσα· Προσκυνήσω αὐτῷ͵ ὅτι οὗ τος ἐγεννήθη βασιλεὺς τῷ Ἰσραήλ. 41a Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἰάθη Σαλώμη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου δεδικαιωμένη. Καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ λέγουσα· 41 1 Textus omnibus testibus communis 1 Σαλώμη Σαλώμη͵ μὴ ἀναγγείλῃς ὅσα εἶδες πα ράδοξα ἕως ἔρθῃ ὁ παῖς εἰς Ἱε ροσάλημα.

21. And, behold, Joseph was ready to go into Judaea. And there was a great commotion in Bethlehem of Judaea, for Magi came, saying: Where is he that is born king of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and have come to worship him. And when Herod heard, he was much disturbed, and sent officers to the Magi. And he sent for the priests, and examined them, saying: How is it written about the Christ? where is He to be born? And they said: In Bethlehem of Judaea, for so it is written.⁵⁰ And he sent them away. And he examined the Magi, saying to them: What sign have you seen in reference to the king that has been born? And the Magi said: We have seen a star of great size shining among these stars, and obscuring their light, so that the stars did not appear; and we thus knew that a king has been born to Israel, and we have come to worship him. And Herod said: Go and seek him; and if you find him, let me know, in order that I also may go and worship him. And the Magi went out. And, behold, the star which they had seen in the east went before them until they came to the cave, and it stood over the top of the cave.

Καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰωσὴφ ἡτοι μάσθη τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἐν τῇ Ἰου δαίᾳ͵ καὶ θόρυβος ἐγένετο μέγας ἐν Βηθλὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας. ῎Ηλθω σαν γὰρ μάγοι λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; Εἴδομεν γὰρ τὸν ἀστέρα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀνα τολῇ καὶ ἤλθαμεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἡρώδης ἐτα 42a 1 Textus ceterorum testium 1 ράχθη καὶ ἔπεμψεν ὑπηρέτας πρὸς τοὺς μάγους· καὶ μετεπέμψατο καὶ τοὺς ἀρχιε ρεῖς καὶ ἀνέκρινεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τῷ πραιτωρίῳ λέγων αὐτοῖς· Πῶς γέγραπται περὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ; Ποῦ γεννᾶται; Λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· Ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας· οὕτως γὰρ γέγραπται. Καὶ ἀπέλυσεν αὐτούς. Καὶ ἀνέκρινεν τοὺς μάγους λέγων αὐτοῖς· Τί εἴδετε σημεῖον ἐπὶ τὸν γεννηθέντα βασι λέα; Καὶ εἶπον οἱ μάγοι· Εἴδομεν ἀστέρα παμμεγέθη λάμψαντα ἐν τοῖς ἄστροις τούτοις καὶ ἀμβλύναντα αὐτούς͵ ὥστε τοὺς ἀστέρας μὴ φαίνεσθαι. Καὶ οὕτως ἔγνωμεν ὅτι βασιλεὺς ἐγεννήθη τῷ Ἰσραήλ͵ καὶ ἤλθομεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. Καὶ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Ἡρώδης· Ὑπά γετε καὶ ζητήσατε͵ καὶ ἐὰν εὕρητε ἀπαγ γείλατέ μοι͵ ὅπως κἀγὼ ἐλθὼν προσκυνή σω αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἐξῆλθον οἱ μάγοι. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ὃν εἶδον ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀνατολῇ προῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἕως εἰσῆλθαν ἐν τῷ σπη λαίῳ͵ καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ παιδίου.

37 1 Textus Z 1 Καὶ εὑρὼν ἤνεγκεν ἀπὸ ὀρεινῆς κατα βαίνουσαν. Καὶ εἶπεν Ἰωσὴφ 38 τῇ μαίᾳ ὅτι Μαρία ἐστὶν ἡ με μνηστευμένη μοι͵ ἀλλὰ σύλ λημμα ἔχει ἐκ Πνεύματος ἁ γίου͵ ἀνατραφεῖσα ἐν ναῷ Κυρίου. 1 Textus omnibus testibus communis 1 Καὶ ἀπῄει μετ΄ αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ἔστη σαν ἐν τῷ τόπῳ τοῦ σπηλαίου. Καὶ ἦν νεφέλη σκοτεινὴ ἐπισκι άζουσα τὸ σπήλαιον. Καὶ εἶπεν ἡ μαῖα· Ἐμεγαλύνθη ἡ ψυ χή μου σήμερον͵ ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί μου παράδοξα σήμερον͵ ὅτι σωτηρία τῷ Ἰσραὴλ γεγένηται. Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἡ νεφέλη ὑπεστέλλετο τοῦ σπηλαίου͵ καὶ ἐφάνη φῶς μέγα ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ ὥστε 39 τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς μὴ φέρειν. Καὶ πρὸς ὀλίγον τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖνο ὑπε στέλλετο͵ ἕως ἐφάνη βρέφος· καὶ ἦλθεν καὶ ἔλαβε μασθὸν ἐκ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας. Καὶ ἀνεβόη σεν ἡ μαῖα καὶ εἶπεν· Ὡς μεγάλη μοι ἡ σήμε ρον ἡμέρα͵ ὅτι εἶδον τὸ καινὸν θέαμα τοῦτο. Καὶ ἐξῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου ἡ μαῖα͵ καὶ ἠπήντησεν αὐτῇ Σαλώμη͵ καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῇ· Σαλώμη Σαλώμη͵ καινόν σοι θέαμα ἔχω ἐξηγήσασθαι· παρ θένος ἐγέννησεν͵ ἃ οὐ χωρεῖ ἡ φύσις αὐτῆς. Καὶ εἶπεν Σαλώμη· Ζῇ Κύριος ὁ Θεός μου· ἐὰν μὴ βάλω τὸν δάκτυλόν μου καὶ ἐραυνήσω 40 1 Textus Z 1 τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς͵ οὐ μὴ πιστεύ σω ὅτι ἡ παρθένος ἐγέννησεν. Καὶ εἰσῆλθεν καὶ ἐσχημάτισεν αὐτήν͵ καὶ ἠραύνησε ἡ Σαλώμη τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς. Καὶ ἀνηλάλαξεν Σαλώμη ὅτι ἐξεπείρασεν Θεὸν ζῶντα· Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ χείρ μου πυ ρὶ ἀποπίπτει ἀπ΄ ἐμοῦ. Καὶ προσ ηύξατο πρὸς Κύριον͵ καὶ ἰάθη ἡ μαῖ α ἐν τῇ ὥρᾳ ἐκείνῃ. Καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγ γελος Κυρίου ἔστη πρὸς Σαλώμην λέγων· Εἰσηκούσθη ἡ δέη σίς σου ἐνώπιον Κυρίου τοῦ Θεοῦ. Προσ ελθοῦσα ἅψαι τοῦ παιδίου καὶ αὐ τὸς ἔσται σοι ἡ σωτηρία. Καὶ 41 ἐποίησεν οὕτω καὶ ἰάθη Σαλώμη καθὼς προσεκύνησεν͵ καὶ ἐξῆλ θεν ἐκ τοῦ σπηλαίου. Ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐν φωνῇ λέγων· 1 Textus omnibus testibus communis 1 Σαλώμη Σαλώμη͵ μὴ ἀναγγείλῃς ὅσα εἶδες πα ράδοξα ἕως ἔρθῃ ὁ παῖς εἰς Ἱε ροσάλημα. Καὶ ἰδοὺ Ἰωσὴφ ἡτοι μάσθη τοῦ ἐξελθεῖν ἐν τῇ Ἰου δαίᾳ͵ καὶ θόρυβος ἐγένετο μέγας ἐν Βηθλὲμ τῆς Ἰουδαίας. ῎Ηλθω σαν γὰρ μάγοι λέγοντες· Ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ βασιλεὺς τῶν Ἰουδαίων; Εἴδομεν γὰρ τὸν ἀστέρα αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ ἀνα τολῇ καὶ ἤλθαμεν προσκυνῆσαι αὐτῷ. Καὶ ἀκούσας ὁ Ἡρώδης ἐτα 42 1 Textus Z 1 ράχθη καὶ ἔπεμψεν ὑπηρέτας καὶ μετεπέμψατο αὐτοὺς καὶ διε σάφησαν αὐτῷ περὶ τοῦ ἀστέρος. Καὶ ἰδοὺ εἶδον ἀστέρας ἐν τῇ ἀνα τολῇ καὶ προῆγαν αὐτοὺς ἕως εἰ σῆλθαν ἐν τῷ σπηλαίῳ καὶ ἔστη ἐπὶ τὴν κεφαλὴν τοῦ παιδίου.

And the Magi saw the infant with His mother Mary; and they brought forth from their bag gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And having been warned by the angel not to go into Judaea, they went into their own country by another road.⁵¹

1 Textus omnibus testibus communis 1 Καὶ ἰδόντες αὐτὸν οἱ μάγοι ἑστῶτα μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ Μαρίας͵ ἐξέ βαλον ἀπὸ τῆς πήρας αὐτῶν δῶρα χρυσὸν καὶ λίβανον καὶ σμύρναν. Καὶ χρηματισθέντες ὑπὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου μὴ εἰσελθεῖν εἰς τὴν Ἰουδαίαν͵ διὰ ἄλλης ὁ δοῦ ἀνεχώρησαν εἰς τὴν χώραν αὐτῶν.

22. And when Herod knew that he had been mocked by the Magi, in a rage he sent murderers, saying to them: Slay the children⁵² from two years old and under. And Mary, having heard that the children were being killed, was afraid, and took the infant and swaddled Him, and put Him into an ox-stall. And Elizabeth, having heard that they were searching for John, took him and went up into the hill-country, and kept looking where to conceal him. And there was no place of concealment. And Elizabeth, groaning with a loud voice, says: O mountain of God, receive mother and child. And immediately the mountain was cleft, and received her. And a light shone about them, for an angel of the Lord was with them, watching over them.

Τότε Ἡρώδης ἰδὼν ὅτι ἐνεπαίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγων 43 ὀργισθεὶς ἔπεμψεν αὐτοῦ τοὺς φονευτὰς λέγων αὐτοῖς ἀνε λεῖν πάντα τὰ βρέφη ἀπὸ διε τίας καὶ κάτω. Καὶ ἀκούσασα ἡ Μα ρία ὅτι τὰ βρέφη ἀναιρεῖται͵ φοβηθεῖσα ἔλαβεν τὸν παῖδα καὶ ἐσπαργά νωσεν αὐτὸν καὶ ἔβαλεν ἐν πά θνῃ βοῶν. Ἡ δὲ Ἐλισάβεδ ἀκού σασα ὅτι Ἰωάνης ζητεῖται͵ λαβο μένη αὐτὸν ἀνέβη ἐν τῇ ὀρει νῇ· καὶ περιεβλέπετο ποῦ αὐτὸν ἀποκρύψῃ͵ καὶ οὐκ ἔνι τόπος ἀπό κρυφος. Τότε στενάξασα Ἐλι σάβεδ λέγει· ῎ορος Θεοῦ͵ δέξαι με μητέρα μετὰ τέκνου. Οὐ γὰρ ἐδύνατο ἡ Ἐλισάβεδ ἀναβῆ 44 [ἀναβη]ναι διὰ τὴν δειλίαν. Καὶ παραχρῆμα ἐδιχάσθη τὸ ὄρος καὶ ἐδέξατο αὐτήν. Καὶ ἦν τὸ ὄρος ἐκεῖνο διαφαῖ νον αὐτῇ φῶς· ἄγγελος γὰρ Κυρίου ἦν μετ΄ αὐτῶν [ὁ] διαφυ λάσσων αὐτούς.

23. And Herod searched for John, and sent officers to Zacharias, saying: Where hast thou hid thy son? And he, answering, said to them: I am the servant of God in holy things, and I sit constantly in the temple of the Lord: I do not know where my son is. And the officers went away, and reported all these things to Herod. And Herod was enraged, and said: His son is destined to be king over Israel. And he sent to him again, saying: Tell the truth; where is thy son? for thou knowest that thy life is in my hand. And Zacharias said: I am God’s martyr, if thou sheddest my blood; for the Lord will receive my spirit, because thou sheddest innocent blood at the vestibule of the temple of the Lord. And Zacharias was murdered about daybreak. And the sons of Israel did not know that he had been murdered.⁵³

Ὁ δὲ Ἡρώ δης ἐζήτει τὸν Ἰωάννην͵ καὶ ἀπέστειλεν ὑπηρέτας ἐν τῷ θυσιαστηρίῳ πρὸς Ζαχαρίαν λέγων αὐτῷ· Ποῦ ἀπέκρυψας τὸν υἱόν σου; Ὁ δὲ ἀπεκρίνατο λέγων αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ λειτουργὸς ὑπάρ χω Θεοῦ καὶ προσεδρεύω 45 τῷ ναῷ αὐτοῦ. Τί γινώσκω ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου; Καὶ ἀπήλ θωσαν οἱ ὑπηρέται αὐτοῦ καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν αὐτῷ πάντα ταῦ τα. Καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ Ἡρώδης εἶπεν [ταῦτα]· Ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ μέλλει βασι λεύειν τοῦ Ἰσραήλ; Καὶ ἔπεμψεν πάλιν τοὺς ὑπηρέτας λέγων αὐτῷ· Εἶπόν μοι τὰ ἀληθῆ· ποῦ ἐστιν ὁ υἱός σου; Οἶδας ὅ τι τὸ αἷμά σου ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖράν μού ἐστιν; Καὶ ἀπήλθοσαν οἱ ὑπη ρέται καὶ ἀνήγγειλαν αὐτῷ ταῦτα. Καὶ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν· Μάρτυς εἰμὶ τοῦ Θεοῦ. Ἔχε μου τὸ αἷμα. Τὸ δὲ πνεῦμά μου ὁ Δεσ 46 πότης [μου] δέξεται͵ ὅτι ἀθῷον αἷμα ἐκχύνεις εἰς τὰ πρόθυρα τοῦ ναοῦ Κυρίου. Καὶ περὶ τὸ διάφαυ μα ἐφονεύθη Ζαχχαρίας͵ καὶ οὐκ ᾔδεισαν οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ πῶς ἐφονεύθη.

24. But at the hour of the salutation the priests went away, and Zacharias did not come forth to meet them with a blessing, according to his custom.⁵⁴ And the priests stood waiting for Zacharias to salute him at the prayer,⁵⁵ and to glorify the Most High. And he still delaying, they were all afraid. But one of them ventured to go in, and he saw clotted blood beside the altar; and he heard a voice saying: Zacharias has been murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped up until his avenger come. And hearing this saying, he was afraid, and went out and told it to the priests. And they ventured in, and saw what had happened; and the fretwork of the temple made a wailing noise, and they rent their clothes⁵⁶ from the top even to the bottom. And they found not his body, but they found his blood turned into stone. And they were afraid, and went out and reported to the people that Zacharias had been murdered. And all the tribes of the people heard, and mourned, and lamented for him three days and three nights. And after the three days, the priests consulted as to whom they should put in his place; and the lot fell upon Simeon. For it was he who had been warned by the Holy Spirit that he should not see death until he should see the Christ in the flesh.⁵⁷

Ἀλλὰ τὴν ὥραν τοῦ ἀσπασμοῦ ἀπήλθασιν οἱ ἱερεῖς͵ καὶ οὐκ ἠπήντησεν αὐτοῖς κατὰ τὸ ἔθος [τ]ἡ εὐλογί α τοῦ Ζαχαρίου. Καὶ ἔστησαν οἱ ἱερεῖς προσδοκῶντες τὸν Ζαχαρίαν τοῦ ἀσπάσασ θαι αὐτὸν ἐν εὐχῇ καὶ δοξά σαι τὸν ῞υψιστον Θεόν. Χρονί σαντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθη 47 σαν πάντες. Τολμήσας δέ τις ἐξ αὐτῶν εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸ ἁγίασμα καὶ εἶδεν παρὰ τὸ θυ σιαστήριον Κυρίου αἷμα πεπηγὸς καὶ φωνὴν λέγουσαν· Ζαχ χαρίας ἐφόνευται͵ καὶ οὐκ ἐξα λειφθήσεται τὸ αἷμα αὐτοῦ ἕως ἔλθῃ ὁ ἔκδικος. Καὶ ἀκούσας τῶν λόγων τούτων ἐφοβήθη καὶ ἐξῆλθεν καὶ ἀνήγγειλεν τοῖς ἱερεῦσιν ἃ εἶδεν καὶ ἤκου σεν. Καὶ τολμήσαντες εἰσῆλ θαν καὶ εἶδαν τὸ γεγονός. Καὶ τὰ πα θνώματα τοῦ ναοῦ ὠλόλυξαν͵ καὶ αὐτοὶ περιεσχίσαντο ἐπά νωθεν ἕως κάτω. Καὶ τὸ πτῶ 48 [πτω]μα αὐτοῦ οὐχ εὕρωσαν͵ ἀλλ΄ εὗρον τὸ αἷμα αὐ τοῦ λίθον γεγενημένον. Καὶ φοβηθέντες ἐξῆλθαν καὶ [καὶ] ἀνήγγειλαν ὅτι Ζαχαρίας πεφόνευται. Καὶ ἤκουσαν πᾶσαι αἱ φυ λαὶ τοῦ λαοῦ καὶ ἐπένθησαν αὐτὸν καὶ ἐκόψαντο [αὐτὸν] τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς νύκτας. Μετὰ δὲ τὰς τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐβουλεύσαντο οἱ ἱερεῖς τίνα ἀναστήσουσιν εἰς τὸν τόπον τοῦ Ζαχαρίου. Καὶ ἀ νέβη ὁ κλῆρος ἐπὶ Συμεών· οὗ τος γὰρ ἦν ὁ χρηματισθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος μὴ ἰδεῖν θάνατον ἕως ἂν τὸν 49 Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκὶ ἴδῃ.

And I James that wrote this history in Jerusalem, a commotion having arisen when Herod died, withdrew myself to the wilderness until the commotion in Jerusalem ceased, glorifying the Lord God, who had given me the gift and the wisdom to write this history.⁵⁸ And grace shall be with them that fear our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory to ages of ages. Amen.⁵⁹

Ἐγὼ δὲ Ἰά κωβος ὁ γράψας τὴν ἱστορίαν ταύτην ἐν Ἱεροσολύμοις͵ θορύ βου γεναμένου ὅτε ἐτελεύ τησεν Ἡρώδης͵ συνέστελλον ἑαυτὸν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἕως παύσηται ὁ θόρυβος Ἰερουσα λήμ. Δοξάσω δὲ τὸν Δεσπό την τὸν δόντα μοι τὴν σο φίαν τοῦ γράψαι τὴν ἱστορί αν ταύτην. Καὶ ἔσται ἡ χάρις μετὰ πάντων τῶν φοβουμένων τὸν Κύριον. Ἀμήν.