The Virgin Mary: A Celebration of Our Faith: Handouts—The Book of James or Protoevangelium
BOOK OF JAMES,
OR PROTOEVANGELIUM
From "The Apocryphal New Testament"
M.R. James-Translation and Notes
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1924
VI. 1 And day by
day the child waxed strong, and when she was six months old her mother stood
her upon the ground to try if she would stand; and she walked seven steps and
returned unto her bosom. And she caught her up, saying: As the Lord my God liveth,
thou shalt walk no more upon this ground, until I bring thee into the temple
of the Lord. And she made a sanctuary in her bed chamber and suffered nothing
common or unclean to pass through it. And she called for the daughters of the
Hebrews that were undefiled, and they carried her hither and thither.
2 And the first year of the child was fulfilled, and Ioacim made a great feast
and bade the priests and the scribes and the assembly of the elders and the
whole people of Israel. And Ioacim brought the child to the priests, and they
blessed her, saying: 0 God of our fathers, bless this child and give her a name
renowned for ever among all generations. And all the people said: So be it,
so be it. Amen. And he brought her to the high priests, and they blessed her,
saying: 0 God of the high places, look upon this child, and bless her with the
last blessing which hath no successor.
3 And her mother caught her up into the sanctuary of her bed chamber and gave
her suck.
And Anna made a song unto the Lord God, saying:
I will sing an hymn unto the Lord my God, because he hath visited me and taken
away from me the reproach of mine enemies, and the Lord hath given me a fruit
of his righteousness, single and manifold before him. Who shall declare unto
the sons of Reuben that Anna giveth suck ? Hearken, hearken, ye twelve tribes
of Israel, that Anna giveth suck. And she laid the child to rest in the bed
chamber of her sanctuary, and went forth and ministered unto them. And when
the feast was ended, they gat them down rejoicing, and glorifying the God of
Israel.
Psalm 45:
13 – 17
13: …. The princess is decked in her chamber with gold-woven robes;
14: in many-colored robes she is led to the king, with her virgin companions,
her escort, in her train.
15: With joy and gladness they are led along as they enter the palace of the
king.
16: Instead of your fathers shall be your sons; you will make them princes in
all the earth.
17: I will cause your name to be celebrated in all generations; therefore the
peoples will praise you for ever and ever.
IV. 1 And behold an angel
of the Lord appeared, saying unto her: Anna, Anna, the Lord hath hearkened unto
thy prayer, and thou shalt conceive and bear, and thy seed shall be spoken of
in the whole world. And Anna said: As the Lord my God liveth, if I bring forth
either male or female, I will bring it for a gift unto the Lord my God, and
it shall be ministering unto him all the days of its life.
2 And behold there came two messengers saying unto her: Behold Ioacim thy husband
cometh with his flocks: for an angel of the Lord came down unto him saying:
Ioacim, Ioacim, the Lord God hath hearkened unto thy prayer. Get thee down hence,
for behold thy wife Anna hath conceived. 3 And Ioacim sat him down and called
his herdsmen saying: Bring me hither ten lambs without blemish and without spot,
and they shall be for the Lord my God; and bring me twelve tender calves, and
they shall be for the priests and for the assembly of the elders; and an hundred
kids for the whole people.
4 And behold Ioacim came with his flocks, and Anna stood at the gate and saw
Ioacim coming, and ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now know I that the Lord
God hath greatly blessed me: for behold the widow is no more a widow, and she
that was childless shall conceive. And Ioacim rested the first day in his house.
V. 1 And on the morrow he offered his gifts, saying in himself: If the Lord
God be reconciled unto me, the plate that is upon the forehead of the priest
will make it manifest unto me. And Ioacim offered his gifts and looked earnestly
upon the plate of the priest when he went up unto the altar of tile Lord, and
he saw no sin in himself. And Ioacim said: Now know I that the Lord is become
propitious unto me and hath forgiven all my sins. And he went down from the
temple of the Lord justified, and went unto his house.
2 And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna brought forth.
And she said unto the midwife: what have I brought forth ? And she said: A female.
And Anna said: My soul is magnified this day, and she laid herself down. And
when the days were fulfilled, Anna purified herself and gave suck to the child
and called her name Mary.