Gospel of James

5 The Birth of Mary

¹ On the next day, he offered his gifts while saying to himself: "If the Lord God is gracious to me, let Him reveal to me the petalos² of the priest." And Joachim offered his gifts and observed the petalos of the priest until it reached the altar of the Lord. And he found no sin in himself and said: "Now I know that the Lord God has been gracious to me and has forgiven me all my sins." And he descended from the temple of the Lord, justified, and came to his house. ² And her months were fulfilled — about six, but in the seventh month, Anna gave birth. And she said to the midwife: "What have I brought forth?" And the midwife said: "A girl." And Anna said: "My soul has been exalted this day." And she laid her down. When the days were fulfilled³, Anna purified herself from her impurity⁴, gave the child her breast, and named her Mary.

6 The Purity of Mary

¹ And the days and months passed, and the child grew strong. When she was six months old, her mother set her on the ground to see if she could stand. And after she had taken seven steps, she came into her mother’s arms, and her mother picked her up and said: "As the Lord my God lives, you shall not walk on this earth until I bring you to the temple of the Lord." And she made a holy area in her bedroom, and she allowed nothing common or unclean to enter. And she called the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and they bathed⁵ her [and entertained her]. ² And the first year for the child was completed, and Joachim held a great feast and invited the high priests, the priests, the scribes, the elders, and all the people of Israel. And Joachim brought the child to the priests, and they blessed her, saying: "The God of our fathers, bless this child, and give her an eternal and renowned name in all generations." And all the people said: "So be it. Amen." And they brought her to the high priests, and they blessed her, saying: "God of the heights, look down upon this child and bless her with the highest blessing, surpassing all others!" ³ And her mother took her up to the holy area of the bedroom, gave the child her breast, and Anna sang a hymn of praise to the Lord her God:

"A holy song I will sing to the Lord, my God, 
who turned to me 
and removed from me the reproach of my enemies, 
and the Lord my God gave me the fruit of His righteousness, 
which is unique and manifold before Him. 
Who will tell the sons of Reuben that Anna is nursing? 
Hear, hear, you twelve tribes of Israel: Anna is nursing!"

And she laid her to rest in the holy area of the bedroom, and she went out to serve them. When the meal was finished, they joyfully descended and praised the God of Israel.

7 The Presentation of Mary in the Temple

¹ And the child’s months were added to her. And the child turned two years old, and Joachim said: "Let us bring her up to the temple of the Lord so that we may fulfill the promise we made, lest the Lord be angry with us and our offering not be accepted." And Anna said: "Let us wait until her third year, so she does not long for her father or mother." And Joachim said: "Let us wait." ² And when the child turned three years old, Joachim said: "Let us call the daughters of the Hebrews, the undefiled ones, and let them each stand with a burning torch so she will not turn back and her heart not stray from the temple of the Lord." And they did so until they went up to the temple of the Lord. And the priest of the Lord received her, kissed her, blessed her, and said: "The Lord God has made your name great in all generations. Through you, the Lord will reveal redemption to the sons of Israel at the last days." ³ And he placed her on the third step of the altar, and the Lord God placed grace upon her, and she danced with her feet, and the whole house of Israel loved her.

8 Mary's Coming of Age

¹ And her parents went down, marveling and praising and glorifying the Lord God, because He had not turned away from them. But Mary was in the temple of the Lord, like a dove being nourished, and she received food from the hand of an angel. ² When she was twelve years old, the priests held a council and said: "Behold, Mary has turned twelve in the temple of the Lord. What shall we do with her so that she does not defile the sanctuary of God, our Lord?" And the priests said to him: "You stand at the altar of the Lord. Go in and pray for her, and whatever the Lord your God reveals to you, that we will do." The priest took the twelve bells⁵, entered the Holy of Holies, and prayed for her. And behold, an angel of the Lord appeared and said: "Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and gather the widowers of the people, and have them bring a staff. The one to whom the Lord God shows a sign, he shall take her as his wife." And the heralds went out into all the surrounding region of Judea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and behold, everyone came running.

9 Mary and Joseph

¹ Joseph, who had set aside his axe, went out himself to meet them, and when they had gathered, they went together to the priest, taking their staffs. The priest took the staffs from them, entered the temple, and prayed. After he finished the prayer, he took the staffs, went out, and returned them to them. But there was no sign on them. The last staff was Joseph's, and behold, a dove came forth from the staff and perched on Joseph’s head. And the priest said: "Joseph, Joseph, you have been chosen to take the virgin of the Lord and to keep her for Him." ² And Joseph replied, saying: "I have sons and am an old man, but she is young. Perhaps I will become a mockery to the sons of Israel." And the priest said: "Joseph, fear the Lord your God, and remember what God did to Dathan, Abiram, and Korah: how the earth opened and swallowed them all because of their opposition. Now, fear, Joseph, so that this does not happen in your house." ³ And Joseph, filled with awe, took her to himself to keep her for Him [the Lord], and he said to her: "Mary, I have taken you from the temple of the Lord, and now I leave you in my house. For I am going away to build houses, and I will return to you. The Lord will protect you."

10 Mary Weaves for the Temple

¹ And it came to pass that the priests held a council and said: "Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord." And the priest said: "Bring me the undefiled virgins from the tribe of David!" And the servants went, searched, and found seven. And the priest remembered the girl Mary, that she was from the tribe of David and undefiled before God. And the servants went and brought her. ² And they brought her into the temple of the Lord. And the priest said: "Bring me here those who will spin the golden thread, the undefiled [thread], the byssus [fine linen], the silk, the hyacinth [deep blue gemstone], the scarlet [red fabric], and the true purple." And Mary received the true purple and the scarlet, and she took it and kept it in her house. At that time, Zacharias became mute, and Samuel was appointed in his place until Zacharias spoke again. But Mary took the scarlet and spun it.

11 The Annunciation to Mary

¹ And she took the jug and went out to draw water. And behold, a voice said to her: "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you. Blessed are you among women." And Mary looked to the right and left to see where the voice was coming from. And she was filled with fear and went into her house. After setting down the jug, she took the purple thread and sat on her seat, spinning the purple. ² And behold, an angel appeared before her and said: "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with the Lord of all. You will conceive by His word." But Mary, upon hearing this, was inwardly troubled and said: "Shall I conceive from the Lord, the living God, as every woman gives birth?" ³ And behold, an angel came to her and said: "Not so, Mary! For the power of God will overshadow you. Therefore, the one who is born will be called holy, the Son of the Most High. And you shall call Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." And Mary said: "Behold, [I am] the servant of the Lord before Him. Let it be to me according to your word."

12 Mary’s Pregnancy

¹ And she completed the purple and the scarlet and brought it to the priest. And the priest took it, blessed her, and said: "Mary, the Lord God has made your name great, and you shall be blessed among all generations of the earth." ² And Mary, full of joy, went to her relative Elizabeth and knocked on the door. And when Elizabeth heard it, she dropped the scarlet, ran to the door, and opened it. She blessed her and said: "Why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, the [child] in me leaped and blessed you." But Mary pondered the mysteries spoken by Gabriel, the angel, and raised her voice to heaven, saying: "Who am I, that behold, all women of the earth will call me blessed?" ³ And she stayed three months with Elizabeth, and day by day her body grew. And Mary, full of fear, returned to her house and hid herself from the sons of Israel. She was, however, sixteen years old when these mysteries occurred to her.

13 Joseph’s Doubts

¹ And it came to pass in the fifth month that Joseph returned from his building work and entered the house. And he found her pregnant. Then he struck his face, threw himself down in sackcloth, and wept bitterly, saying: "With what face shall I look to the Lord my God? What shall I pray for her? For I took her as a virgin from the temple of the Lord my God, and I have not kept her safe. Who has deceived me? Who has committed this evil in my house? Who has taken the virgin from me and defiled her? Has the story of Adam been summed up in me? For as Adam was in the hour of his praise, and the serpent came and found Eve alone and deceived and defiled her, so it has happened to me." ² And Joseph arose from the sackcloth, called her, and said to her: "You consecrated one, what have you done? Have you forgotten the Lord your God? Why have you humbled your soul, you who were raised in the Holy of Holies and received food from the hand of an angel?" ³ And she wept bitterly and said: "But I am pure and have known no man." And Joseph said to her: "Then where has this come from in your body?" And she said: "As the Lord my God lives, I do not know where this is from."

14 Joseph’s Dream

¹ And Joseph was very afraid and kept away from her, pondering what he should do with her. And Joseph said: "If I conceal her sin, I will be acting against the law of the Lord. But if I reveal her to the sons of Israel, I fear that what is in her might be from an angel, and I will be seen as delivering innocent blood to judgment. What then shall I do with her? I will send her away secretly." And night overtook him. ² And behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said: "Do not fear to take this child, for what is in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins." And Joseph arose from his sleep, praised the God of Israel, who had granted him His grace, and protected the child [in her womb].

15 The Priests’ Accusation

¹ Then the scribe Annas came to him and said: "Joseph, why have you not appeared at our assembly?" And he said to him: "Because I traveled a long way and rested for a day." Then Annas turned away and saw Mary, who was pregnant. ² And the witness [Annas] came before the priest and said to him: "Look, Joseph, for whom you gave testimony, has greatly strayed [from the law]." And the priest said: "What is it?" And he said: "The virgin whom Joseph took from the temple of the Lord stayed with him, and their marriage was kept secret and not revealed to the sons of Israel." And the high priest said to him: "Joseph, did you do this?" And he said to him: "Send servants, and you will find the virgin pregnant as he said." Then the servants went and found her as he had said. And they brought her into the temple and placed her before the tribunal. ³ And the high priest said to her: "Mary, why have you done this? Why have you humbled your soul? Have you forgotten the Lord your God? You who were raised in the Holy of Holies and received food from the hand of angels, who heard His hymns and danced before Him, why have you done this?" And she wept bitterly and said: "As the Lord lives, I am pure before Him and have known no man." ⁴ And the high priest said: "Joseph, what have you done?" And Joseph said: "As the Lord lives, and His Christ, the witness of His truth, I am pure from her." And the high priest said: "Do not give false testimony but speak the truth. You kept your marriage secret and did not reveal it to the sons of Israel, and you did not bow your head under the mighty hand so that your offspring might be blessed." And Joseph remained silent.

16 The Testing of Mary and Joseph

¹ And the high priest said: "Return the virgin whom you took from the temple of the Lord." And after Joseph became very sorrowful, the high priest said: "Drink the testing water⁶ of the Lord, and your transgression will be revealed before your eyes." ² And the high priest had Joseph drink and sent him into the wilderness, and it was fulfilled. And he also had the virgin drink and sent her into the wilderness, and it was fulfilled. And all the people marveled that no sin was revealed. ³ And the high priest said: "If the Lord God has not revealed your sin, then neither will I judge you." And he released them. And Joseph took Mary and let her live in his house, rejoicing and praising the God of Israel."

17 Mary’s Labor

¹ And a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all who were in Bethlehem of Judea should be registered. And Joseph said: "I will register my sons, but what shall I do with this girl? How shall I register her? I am ashamed to call her my wife. Yet the sons of Israel know she is not my daughter. The day of the Lord will do as He wills." ² And he saddled the donkey, set her upon it, and his son led it while Samuel followed. And they approached the third milestone. Joseph turned and saw that she looked sorrowful and said to himself: "Perhaps what is in her distresses her." Then he turned again and saw that she was laughing, and he said to her: "Mary, what is happening with you? Sometimes I see your face laughing, and other times sorrowful." And she said to him: "Joseph, I see with my eyes two peoples: one weeping and mourning, and the other rejoicing and exulting." ³ And as they traveled, Mary said to him: "Joseph, let me come down from the donkey, for what is within me presses me to come out." And he let her down and said to her: "Where shall I take you to cover your shame, for this place is desolate?"

18 Joseph’s Vision

¹ And they found a cave, and he took her inside. He placed his sons with her and went out to seek a Hebrew midwife in the region of Bethlehem. ² But I, Joseph, was walking, and yet I was not walking. I lifted my eyes to the heavens and saw that they stood still. I looked into the air and saw it troubled, and the birds of the sky were motionless. I looked upon the earth and saw a trowel lying there and workers resting beside it. Their hands were on the trowel, yet the diggers did not dig, the carriers did not carry, and those who raised something to their mouths did not finish. Instead, all turned their faces upward. ³ I saw sheep being driven, but they stood still. The shepherd raised his hand to strike them, but his hand remained raised. I looked at the stream of the river and saw goats whose mouths were over the water, yet they did not drink. All things moved in their course but were held fast.

19 The Birth of Jesus

¹ And I saw a woman descending from the mountain, and she said to me: "Man, where are you going?" And I said: "I am seeking a Hebrew midwife." And she replied to me, saying: "Are you from Israel?" And I said to her: "Yes." And she said: "Who is the one giving birth in the cave?" And I said: "My betrothed." And she said to me: "Is she not your wife?" And I said to her: "Mary is the one who was raised in the temple of the Lord, and I obtained her as my wife. Yet she is not my wife, for she has conceived by the Holy Spirit." And the midwife said: "Is this true?" And he said to her: "Come and see." ² And she went with him, and they stood at the place of the cave. And behold, a dark cloud overshadowed the cave. And the midwife said: "Today my soul has been exalted, for my eyes have seen wondrous things, for the salvation of Israel has occurred." And immediately, the cloud departed from the cave, and a great light appeared within, so that the eyes could not endure it. And after a short while, the light withdrew until an infant was visible. He came and took milk from His mother, Mary. And the midwife exclaimed: "How great is this day for me, for I have seen this new wonder!" ³ And the midwife went out of the cave, and Salome met her. She said to her: "Salome, Salome, I have a new wonder to tell you: A virgin has given birth, which is against her nature." And Salome said: "As the Lord my God lives, unless I put my finger and test her nature, I will not believe that a virgin has given birth."

20 The Testing of Mary’s Virginity

¹ And the midwife went in and said: "Mary, prepare yourself, for a great dispute concerns you." And Mary, hearing this, prepared herself. Salome placed her finger upon her nature, and she cried out loudly, saying: "Woe to my transgression and my unbelief, for I have tested the living God. And behold, my hand is consumed with fire." ² And Salome bowed her knees before the Lord and said: "O God of my fathers, remember me, for I am a descendant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Do not make me a sign to the sons of Israel, but restore me to the poor. For you know, Lord, that I have performed healings in Your name and received my reward from You." ³ And behold, an angel of the Lord appeared and said to her: "Salome, Salome, the Lord of all has heard your prayer. Place your hand upon the child and carry Him, and you shall receive healing and joy." ⁴ And with great joy, Salome approached the child, took Him in her arms, and said: "I will worship Him, for He was born as the King of Israel." And immediately, Salome was healed. And she departed from the cave justified. And behold, a voice said: "Salome, Salome, do not declare what you have seen until the child comes to Jerusalem."

21 Worship of the Magi

¹ And behold, Joseph prepared to go out to Judea, and a great commotion arose in Bethlehem of Judea. For Magi came, saying: "Where is the King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him." ² And Herod, hearing this, became troubled and sent servants to the Magi. He also summoned the high priests and questioned them in the praetorium⁸, saying: "What is written about the Christ? Where will He be born?" They said to him: "In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written." And he dismissed them. Then he questioned the Magi, saying: "What sign did you see concerning the newborn King?" And the Magi said: "We saw a very great star that shone among these stars and dimmed them so that the stars were no longer visible. And thus we knew that a King had been born in Israel, and we have come to worship Him." And Herod said to them: "Go and search, and when you find Him, report to me, so that I too may come and worship Him." ³ And the Magi went out, and behold, the star they had seen in the East went before them until they entered the cave, and it stopped over the top of the cave. And when the Magi saw the Child with His mother Mary, they brought forth gifts from their bags: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. ⁴ And having been warned by an angel not to return to Judea, they departed to their own country by another way.

22 The Massacre of the Innocents

¹ When Herod realized that he had been deceived by the Magi, he became enraged and sent out his assassins, saying: "Kill all the children two years old and under." ² And when Mary heard that the children were being killed, she was afraid, took the Child, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in an ox manger. ³ And Elizabeth, when she heard that John was being sought, took him and went up into the hill country. And she looked around to see where she could hide him, but there was no concealed place. Then Elizabeth sighed and said: "Mountain of God, receive me as a mother with my child," for Elizabeth could not ascend due to her fear. And immediately, the mountain split and took them in. And that mountain was filled with divine light, for an angel of the Lord was with them and protected them.

23 Zacharias’ Resistance

¹ Herod sought John and sent servants to the altar to Zacharias, saying: "Where have you hidden your son?" But he replied to them, saying: "I am a servant of God and perform service in His temple. How should I know where my son is?" ² And his servants went away and reported all this to Herod. And Herod, becoming angry, said: "His son will rule over Israel." And he sent the servants again, saying: "Tell me the truth: Where is your son? You know that your life is in my hands." And the servants went and reported this to Zacharias. ³ And he replied, saying: "I am a witness of God. Take my blood, but the Lord will receive my spirit, for you are shedding innocent blood at the doors of the temple of the Lord." And during this marvel⁹, Zacharias was murdered, and the sons of Israel did not know he had been killed.

24 The Discovery of the Murder but the Absence of the Body

¹ But at the hour of blessing, the priests went out, and the blessing of Zacharias did not come to them as usual. And the priests stood there, waiting for Zacharias to greet them with prayer and glorify the Most High God. ² But as he delayed, all became afraid. And one of them dared to enter the Holy Place and saw spilled blood beside the altar of the Lord and heard a voice saying: "Zacharias has been murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped away until the avenger comes." And hearing these words, he became afraid and went out and reported to the priests what he had seen and heard. ³ And they dared to enter and saw what had happened. And the curtains of the temple were torn from top to bottom. But they did not find his body; instead, they found his blood, which had turned to stone. And full of fear, they went out and reported that Zacharias had been murdered. And all the tribes of the people heard of this, and they mourned for him and lamented him for three days and three nights. ⁴ After the three days, the priests deliberated on whom they should appoint in Zacharias’ place. And the lot fell to Simeon, for he was the one who had been instructed by the Holy Spirit not to see death until he had seen the Christ in the flesh.

¹ I, James, who wrote this account, was in Jerusalem during the uproar that occurred after Herod's death and withdrew into the wilderness until the turmoil in Jerusalem had passed. I will praise the Lord, who has granted me the wisdom to write this account. ² And may grace be with all who fear the Lord. Amen.

¹ In the original text, the word used is "strouthôn" (meaning "small bird"). This term is often translated as "sparrow," but it generally refers to any type of small bird, such as a great tit, blue tit, or robin.

² The "Petalos" (Hebrew: "Tzitz") was a golden forehead plate worn by Jewish priests, affixed to a turban and used only on special occasions. It bore the inscription "Holy to the Lord" (Exodus 28:36–38). Joachim watches for the priest to wear the Petalos, as it would be a visible sign that his offering was accepted by God. The text implies that the Petalos was not used during every sacrificial act but only on significant or special occasions.

³ "Fulfillment of days" refers to the 40-day period of ritual purification after childbirth, as prescribed in Jewish law (Leviticus 12:2–4).

⁴ "Aphedros" in Greek refers to the ancient concept of ritual impurity due to childbirth or menstruation.

⁵ "Diaplainô" in classical Greek literally means "to shape," "to form," or "to mold." In some texts, particularly in ritual or practical contexts, it is also understood as "to clean" or "to wash," since cleansing was often part of shaping and nurturing. The immediate context here suggests that purity and care (both physical and ritual) are emphasized, making "to wash" a reasonable translation. However, "to entertain" might be chosen if the social or educational aspect is being highlighted.

⁶ The twelve bells refer to the priestly garment to which, according to Jewish tradition, they were attached (e.g., Exodus 28:33–35).

⁷ "Testing water" refers to a ritual from ancient Israelite practice used to determine adultery (Numbers 5:11–31). The accused woman had to drink specially prepared water. If swelling of the belly or sagging of the thighs occurred, it was considered a divine judgment of guilt. Unlike its depiction in the Protoevangelium of James, this ritual applied exclusively to women and was not associated with being sent into the wilderness.

⁸ The praetorium was, in ancient Rome, the official residence of a governor, a military headquarters, or the place where high-ranking Roman officials administered justice.

⁹ It is unclear what specific miracle is being referred to here. In context, it is likely the previously mentioned miracle of the split mountain that sheltered Zacharias' son John and Elizabeth.