Читать книгу The suppressed Gospels and Epistles of the original New Testament of Jesus the Christ, Complete - William Wake - Страница 10

Table of Contents

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 rejoicing, 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 anoints 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 dispossessed.

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 journey, 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.