# Protevangelium of James

- Author: Anonymous
- Latin title: *Protevangelium Iacobi*
- Date: ca. 150–200 (approximate)
- Source: Constantin von Tischendorf, ed., Evangelia apocrypha, 2nd ed. (Leipzig: Hermann Mendelssohn, 1876), 1–50 (OCR made for this site)

- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/
- Passages: 14

## Protevangelium of James (title)

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-0
- Source: Tischendorf, 1
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The title of the work as printed by Tischendorf.

### Greek text

Γέννησις Μαρίας τῆς ἁγίας θεοτόκου καὶ ἐνδόξου μητρὸς Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ

### English translation (Claude)

The Birth of Mary, the holy Mother of God and glorious mother of Jesus Christ.

### Translation notes

- The title is one of several in the manuscripts; "Mother of God" renders θεοτόκος. The name Protevangelium ("First Gospel") is a later, modern title. The Greek text of the whole work here is an uncorrected OCR of Tischendorf's 1876 printing: it has many misread letters, and some lines are lost; the translation reads it by sense, and lost lines are marked "…".

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. pref. (Tischendorf, 1; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-0).

## Protevangelium of James 1

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-1
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Joachim, a rich man rebuked for having no children, withdraws to the wilderness to fast and pray.

### Greek text

κείν, τλούσιος σφόδρα, kai Ὡροσέφερε τὰ δῶρα αὑτοῦ διωλᾶ, AcYo ἔσται τῆς τυεριουσίας pou wapri τῷ λαῷ, kal τὸ τῆς ἀφέ-σεώς μου κυρίῳ elo IAacpóp ἐμοί. ἥγγικεν δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα κυρίου ἡ μεγάλη; καὶ τροσέφερον ot υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν. καὶ ἔστειι κατεμώτσιον αὑτοῦ "Pou&ip Aévoop * οὐκ ἔτεστίν σοι πτρῶτον wpoc[A εμεγκεῖν τὰ δῶρά cou, καθότι στσέρμα οὐκ évofucac ἐν τῷ "loραήλ. ? καὶ ἐλυτσσήθη "Ιοακεὶμ σφόδρα, καὶ áwía cio τὴν δωδεκάὕλον τοῦ λαοῦ λέγων: θεάσομαι τὴν δωδεκάφυλον τοῦ "lg αἴλ καὶ ἐμμήσθη τοῦ warpidpyxou "ABpaáy, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἔδωκεν auroo ὁ θεὸς υἱὸν τὸν Ἰσαάκ. “ καὶ ἐλυσσήθη "looaκεὶν σφόδρα, καὶ οὐκ ἐφάμη τῷ γυμαικὶ αὑτοῦ" ἀλλ᾽ ἔδωκεν ξαυτὸν cic τὴν ἔρημον κἀκεῖ Co;c τὴν oxupüp αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐμήστευσεν hpépao τεσσαράκομτα καὶ μύκτας τεσσαράκομτα, λέγων ép ξαυ1c οὔ καταβήσομαι οὔτε ἐσσὶ βρωτὸν οὔτε ἐσσὶ woróp Coo οὗ ἐσισκέψεταί με κύριος ὁ θεός μου, καὶ ἔσται μου ἡ εὐχὴ βρῶμα καὶ τυόμα.

### English translation (Claude)

… [Joachim] was very rich, and he used to bring his gifts double, saying: "What comes from my abundance shall be for the whole people, and what is for my forgiveness shall be for the Lord, as an atonement for me." Now the great day of the Lord drew near, and the sons of Israel were bringing their gifts. And Reuben stood before him, saying: "It is not lawful for you to bring your gifts first, since you have raised up no offspring in Israel." And Joachim was greatly grieved, and went away to the record of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: "I will look in the record of the twelve tribes of Israel …" And he remembered the patriarch Abraham, that in his last days God gave him a son, Isaac. And Joachim was greatly grieved, and did not show himself to his wife, but gave himself to the wilderness, and pitched his tent there, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying within himself: "I will not go down, either for food or for drink, until the Lord my God visits me; and my prayer shall be my food and drink."

### Scripture references

- Gen 21:2: allusion, high confidence
- Exod 34:28: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The opening words of the chapter (in Tischendorf, "In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel there was") are lost in the OCR; the text begins in the middle of Joachim's name.
- A passage of the edition's apparatus (variant titles of the work in the manuscripts) had leaked into the text and is removed.
- After "the record of the twelve tribes of Israel" a line or more is lost in the OCR (in Tischendorf, Joachim's search of the record and his finding that the righteous had all raised up offspring); marked "…".
- Abraham's son in old age: Gen 21:1–3. Forty days and nights of fasting: compare Moses (Exod 24:18; 34:28).

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 1 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-1).

## Protevangelium of James 2

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-2
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Anna mourns her childlessness, refuses her maid's headband, and laments in the garden that all creation is fruitful but she is not.

### Greek text

1Ἢ δὲ γυμὴ αὐτοῦ "Appa δύο θρήμους ἐθρήμει καὶ δύο koweτοὺς ἐκόστετο, λέγουσα: κόψομαι τὴν χηρείαν μου, κόψομαι καὶ τὴν &rekpíap μου. ἔγγισεν δὲ ἢ ἡμέρα κυρίου ἡ μεγάλη, καὶ etτσεν "louói0 ἡ τυαιδίσκη αὐτῆς- ἔως wóre τασυειμοῖς τὴν ψυχήν σου; ἰδοὺ ἥγγικεν & ἡμέρα κυρίου ἢ μεγάλη, καὶ οὐκ ἔφεστίν σοι τσεμθεῖν: ἀλλὰ λάβε τοῦτο τὸ κεφαλοδέσμιον, ὃ ἔδοοκέν μοι ἢ κυpía τοῦ ἔργου, καὶ οὐκ ézcoxíy μοι ἁμαδήσασθαι αὐτό, καθότι woiδίσκη εἶμί, καὶ χαρακτῆρα ἔχει βασιλικόν. καὶ εἴσσεν "Appa* áνóστηθι dw ἐμοῦ, καὶ ταῦτα οὐκ éwo(noa, καὶ κύριος Crawmeíyoooép με σφόδρα: μήσσος wapoupyoo ὅδοοκέν σοι τοῦτο, kal HAÓco Κοιμομῆσαί με τῇ ἁμαρτίᾳ σου. καὶ εἴσσεν “Ιουδίθ- τί ἀράσομαί σοι, t καθότι κύριος doékAeice τὴν μήτραν cou τοῦ μὴ δοῦμαι σοι kapΝ wp ἐν τῷ ᾿Ισραήλ; * καὶ ἐλυσήθη "Appa σφόδρα, καὶ τυεριείλατο τὰ ipária αὐτῆς τὰ τυεμθικά, καὶ ἀσσεσμήτατο τὴν κεφαλὴν αὐτῆς «αἱ ἐμεδύσατο τὰ Ἰμάτια αὐτῆς τὰ μυμφικά, καὶ τσερὶ ópap ἐμάτην κατέβη cio τὸν τυαράδεισον τοῦ τσεριστατῆσαι. καὶ εἶδε δαφμηδαίαν, καὶ ἐκάθισεν ὑτσοκάτου αὑτῆς, καὶ ἐλιτάμευσεν τὸν δεστσόΤΗρ λέγουσαʼ ὁ θεὸς τῶν τυατέρωον ἡμῶν, εὐλόγησόν. με καὶ émάκουσον τῆς δεήσεώς uou, καθὼς εὐλόγησας τὴν uürpay (άρρας καὶ ἔδωοκας αὐτῇ υἱὸν τὸν "lcaák. ! Kai árepícaca clo τὸν οὐραμὸν εἶδε καλιὰν στρουθίωψ ἐν à δαφμηδαίᾳ, καὶ ἑσσοίησε θρῆμον cy ξαυτῇ λέγουσα: οἵ μοι, τίς uc ἐγέμμησεν; ooía δὲ μέτρα ἐφέφυσέ με; ὅτι κατάρα ἐγεμμήθην ἐγὼ ἐμώσιον τῶν υἱῶν "Ισραήλ, kal ὡμειδίσθην, καὶ ἐτεμυκτήρισάν με ἐκ μαοῦ κυρίου. οἵ μοι, τίμι ὦμοιώθην ἐγώ; οὐχ ὦμοιώθην ἐγὼ τοῖς werewoto τοῦ οὐραμοῦ; ὅτι καὶ τὰ τυετειμὰ τοῦ οὐpapoU γόμιμά eio ἐμώτσιόν σου, κύριε. οἵμοι, τίμι ὥμοιώθεην ἐγώ; οὔχ ὦμοιώθην ἐγὼ roto θηρίοις τῆς γῆς, ὅτι καὶ τὰ θηρία τῆς "γῆς γόμιμά εἷσιν ἐμώτσιόν σου, κύριε. ? οἵμοι, τίμι ὠμοιώθεν ἐγώ; οὔχ ὠμοιώθην rote ὕδασιν τούτοις, ὅτι καὶ τὰ ὕδατα raura yóμιμά εἷσιν ἐμώτσιόν σου, κύριε. οἵ μοι, τίμι ὠμοιώθην ἐγώ; οὐχ. ὠμοιώθην ἐγὼ τῇ γᾷ ταύτῃ, ὅτι καὶ ἢ γῇ αὕτη τὩροσφέρει τοὺς καρτοοὺς αὐτῆς κατὰ καιρόν, καὶ σὲ εὐλογεῖ, κύριε.

### English translation (Claude)

But his wife Anna was mourning with two laments and beating her breast with two lamentations, saying: "I will lament my widowhood, and I will lament my childlessness." And the great day of the Lord drew near, and Judith her maidservant said to her: "How long will you humble your soul? See, the great day of the Lord has drawn near, and it is not lawful for you to mourn. But take this headband, which the mistress of the workshop gave me; it is not right for me to bind it on, since I am a servant, and it bears a royal mark." And Anna said: "Get away from me! I have not done these things, and the Lord has humbled me greatly. Perhaps some wicked person gave you this, and you have come to make me share in your sin." And Judith said: "Why should I curse you, since the Lord has shut up your womb so as not to give you fruit in Israel?" And Anna was greatly grieved, and she took off her mourning garments, and washed her head, and put on her bridal garments, and about the ninth hour she went down into the garden to walk. And she saw a laurel tree, and sat down under it, and prayed to the Master, saying: "O God of our fathers, bless me and hear my prayer, just as you blessed the womb of Sarah and gave her a son, Isaac." [3] And looking intently into the sky she saw a nest of sparrows in the laurel tree, and she made a lament within herself, saying: "Woe is me, who begot me? What womb brought me forth? For I was born a curse before the sons of Israel, and I have been reproached, and they have mocked me and driven me out of the temple of the Lord. Woe is me, what am I like? I am not like the birds of the sky, for even the birds of the sky are fruitful before you, O Lord. Woe is me, what am I like? I am not like the beasts of the earth, for even the beasts of the earth are fruitful before you, O Lord. Woe is me, what am I like? I am not like these waters, for even these waters are fruitful before you, O Lord. Woe is me, what am I like? I am not like this earth, for even this earth brings forth its fruits in its season and blesses you, O Lord."

### Scripture references

- Gen 21:2: allusion, high confidence
- 1 Sam 1:6: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The numeral of chapter 3 was not found in the OCR; chapter 3 begins at "[3]", inside this ref.
- Two passages of the edition's apparatus (variant readings) had leaked into the text and are removed.
- "Washed her head" reads the garbled verb by sense; the Greek in this OCR is uncertain at that word.
- Sarah: Gen 21:1–2. Anna's name and barrenness recall Hannah (1 Sam 1).

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 2 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-2).

## Protevangelium of James 4

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-4
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: An angel promises Anna a child, Joachim returns with offerings, and Anna gives birth to a daughter.

### Greek text

Cai i900 ἄγγελος κυρίου ἐἑπσσέστη λέγων αὑτῇ: λμμα "Apa, ἑτσήκουσε κύριος τῆς δεήσεώῶς σου, καὶ συλλήψει καὶ γεμμήσεις, καὶ λαληθήσεται τὸ στσέρμα σου ἐν ὅλῃ τῇ οἰκουμέμῃ. καὶ εἴσσενʼ "Apa: τῇ κύριος ὁ θεός μου, ἐὰν γεμμίσω εἴτε ἄρρεν εἴτε θῆλυ wpocá;o αὐτὸ δῶρον κυρίου τῷ θεῷ pou, καὶ ἔσται A^erroupyoup auro uácac ràc ἡμέρας τῆς τοοῆς αὐτοῦ. ? καὶ ἰδοὺ ἤλθον ἄγγέλοι δύο λέγομτες αὐτῇ: ἰδοὺ "loakcii ó áptip σου ἔρχεται μετὰ τῶν τυοιμμίων αὐτοῦ. ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου κατέβη τυρὸς αὐτὸν ^€yvoop: ᾿ἰορακεὶμ "looakefu, ἐπσήκουσε κύριος ὁ θεὸς τῆς δείσεώς σου" κατάβηθι ἐμτεῦθεν- ἰδοὺ γὰρ à γυμή σου "Appa ἐν γαστρὶ λήψεται. ὃ καὶ κατέβη "loookeíp, καὶ cKáAcoep τοὺς τυοιμέμας αὖToU λέγονʼ φέρετέ μοι ὧδε δέκα ἅμμάδας dow(Nouc καὶ ἁμώμους, καὶ ἔσομται κυρίοο τοῦ θεῷ μου" καὶ φέρετέ μοι δεκαδύο μόσχους ἀτσαλούς, καὶ ἔσομται τοῖς ἴερευσι καὶ τῇ γερουσίᾳ: καὶ &katóp χιμάρους τυαμτὶ τοῦ λαοῦ. * καὶ ἰδοὺ "looakcip ἧκε μετὰ τῶν σποιμμίων αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἕστη "Appa wpóc rüp σσύλην καὶ εἶδε τὸν “Ἰωακεὶμ ἐρχόμεμον, καὶ δραμοῦσα ἐκρεμάσθη cio τὸν τράχηλον αὑτοῦ λέγουσα * μῦν οἷδα ὅτι κύριος ὁ θεὸς εὐλόγησέ με σφόδρα" ἰδοὺ γὰρ € χήρα οὐκέτι χήρα, καὶ ἢ ἅτεκμος ép γαστρὶ λήψομαι. καὶ ἀμεσσαύσατο "Ἰοσακεὶμ τὴὲν τρώτην ἡμέραν eio τὸν ofkop αὐτοῦ. Ju δὲ évaüpiop τροσέφερε rà δῶρα αὕτου Aévooy ép ξαυτυοροσεῖχεν τῷ τετάλῳ τοῦ Ἰερέως, ὧς cutn Cul τὸ θυσιαστήθιον κυρίου, καὶ οὔκ εἶδεν ápapríap ἐν ξαυτῷ. καὶ cta cy "ἰΙοσακείμUp οἶδα ὅτι κύριος IAácÓn μοι kai ἀφῆκεν wápra τὰ ἀμαρτήματά μου. καὶ κατέβη ἐκ μαοῦ κυρίου δεδικαιομέμος;, καὶ ἀσήλθεν ἐν τῷ οἵκο αὐτοῦ. ? ἑσσληρώθησαν δὲ οἵ μῆμες αὑτῆς- ἐν δὲ τῷ ἐμάτο μημὶ ἐγέμμησεν "Apya. καὶ εἶσσεν τῇ μαίᾳ- τί ἐγέμμησα; à δὲ eiH, vcy* θήλυ. καὶ etoep "Aypa- ἐμεγαλύμθη à ψυχή μου £p
ἡμέρᾳ - ταύτῃ καὶ ἅμέκλιμεν αὐτήν. Ὡληροθεισῶν δὲ τῶν ἡμερῶν dwcσμήφατο "Apa, kai ἔδοοκεν μασθὸν ru τσαιδί, kai éwoopópaoce TO: ópopa αὑτῆς Μαριάν.

### English translation (Claude)

And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by her, saying: "Anna, Anna, the Lord has heard your prayer, and you will conceive and bear, and your offspring will be spoken of in the whole inhabited world." And Anna said: "As the Lord my God lives, if I bear either male or female, I will bring it as a gift to the Lord my God, and it shall minister to him all the days of its life." And behold, two angels came, saying to her: "See, Joachim your husband is coming with his flocks." For an angel of the Lord had gone down to him, saying: "Joachim, Joachim, the Lord God has heard your prayer. Go down from here; for see, your wife Anna will conceive in her womb." And Joachim went down, and called his shepherds, saying: "Bring me here ten lambs without spot and without 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 council of elders; and a hundred kids for the whole people." And behold, Joachim came with his flocks, and Anna stood at the gate and saw Joachim coming, and she ran and hung upon his neck, saying: "Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me greatly; for see, the widow is no longer a widow, and I, the childless, will conceive in my womb." And Joachim rested the first day in his house. [5] And on the next day he offered his gifts, saying within himself: "…" and he looked intently at the plate of the priest as 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 to me and has forgiven all my sins." And he went down from the temple of the Lord justified, and went to his house. And her months were fulfilled, and in the ninth month Anna gave birth. And she said to the midwife: "What have I borne?" And she said: "A female." And Anna said: "My soul is magnified on this day." And she laid her down. And when the days were fulfilled, Anna purified herself, and gave the breast to the child, and called her name Mary.

### Scripture references

- Exod 28:36: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 18:14: echo, medium confidence
- 1 Sam 1:11: echo, medium confidence
- Lev 12:4: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The numeral of chapter 5 was misplaced in the OCR: chapter 5 begins at "[5]", inside this ref, and its last line is staged as ref 5 (see the renumbering note).
- In chapter 5 a line is lost in the OCR after "saying within himself" (in Tischendorf, Joachim's words that the priest's plate would show whether God was gracious to him, and that he offered his gifts); marked "…". The "plate" (πέταλον) is the gold plate on the high priest's turban (Exod 28:36–38).
- Garbled duplicate words and stray marks of the OCR are removed by logged corrections.
- "Went down justified": compare Luke 18:14.
- This ref holds only the end of chapter 5, whose beginning is staged in ref 4.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 4 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-4).

## Protevangelium of James 6

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-6
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Mary takes her first steps, is kept in a household sanctuary, and is blessed by the priests at her first birthday feast.

### Greek text

l'Huépa δὲ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἐκραταιοῦτο ἢ wofo- γεμομέμης δὲ αὑτῆς ἔφαμημιαίου ἔστησεν αὐτὴν ἢ μήτηρ αὐτῆς χαμαί, τοῦ διατσειράσαι εἶ ἴσταται. καὶ ξυστὰ βήματα τυερισσατήσασα ἤλθεν cio τὸν κόλτσον αὐτῆς. καὶ ἀμήρτσασεν αὐτὴν λέγουσα: τῇ κύριος θεός μου, οὗ μὴ ττερισσατήσῃς ép τῇ γῇ ταύτῃ, ἔωος ἂν dudo σε ἔν τῷ paco κυρίου. καὶ ἐσσοίησεν ἀγίασμα ἐν τῷ κοιτῶμι αὐτῆς, καὶ wap κοιμὸν καὶ ἀκάθαρτον οὔκ εἴα διέρχεσθαι δ αὐτῆς- καὶ ἐκάλεσε rào θυγατέρας τῶν ᾿Εἰβραίων τὰς ἁμιάμτους, καὶ διε-τλάμωον aurüp. ἐγέμετο δὲ wpóroc ἐἔμιαυτὸς τῇ wai, καὶ éwoíucep ᾿Ιοοακεὶμ. δοχὴν μεγάλεν, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τοὺς Ἰερεῖς καὶ τοὺς γραμματεῖς καὶ τὴν γερουσίαν καὶ wápra τὸν λαὸν τοῦ "loραήλ. καὶ τυροσήμεγκεν 'loakeip τὴν τυαῖδα τοῖς tepeUci, καὶ εὐλόγησαν αὑτὴν λέγομτες- ὃ θεὸς τῶν τσατέρον ἡμῶν, eUAóvucop τὴν τσαῖδα ταύτην καὶ δὸς αὑτῇ ὅμομα ὁμομαστὸν aicopioy ἐν Udcaic ταῖς γεμεαῖς. καὶ εἶσσε wao ὁ λαός- γέμοιτο γέμοιτο, app. καὶ τυροσήμεγκεν αὑτὴν rote ἀρχιερεῦσι, καὶ εὐλόγησαν αὖτὴν λέγομτεςʼ ὃ θεὸς τῶν ὑψωμάτων, ἐασίθλεψον éwi τὴν αταῖδα ταύτην καὶ εὐλόγησον αὑτὴν ἐσχάτην εὐλογίαν, ἤτις διαδοχὴν οὐκ ἔχει. ? καὶ ápápoaccy αὑτὲν & μήτηρ αὐτῆς ἐν τῷ ἁγιάσματι τοῦ κοιτῶμος αὑτῆς, καὶ ἔδοοκεν αὑτῇ μασθόν. καὶ ἑσσοίησεν "Apya ᾷσμα κυρίῳ τῷ θεῷ λέγουσα: doo οὐδὴν kupío τῷ θεώ μου, ὅτι ςτσεσκέψατό με καὶ ἀφείλατο ἄπ ἐμοῦ τὸ ὄμειδος τῶν ἐχθρῶν μου" καὶ ἔδοοκέν μοι κύριος καρτσὸν δικαιοσύμης αὑτοῦ, μομοούσιον τσολυωλάσιον ἐμώτσιον αὑτοῦ. τίς ἀμαγγελεῖ roto υἱοῖς "Pou&iu ὅτι "Appa θηλάζει; ἀκούσατε ἀκούσατε, αἵ δώδεκα φυλαὶ τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, ὅτι Ἄμμα θηλάζει. καὶ ἀμέτσσαυσεν αὑτὴν ἐν τῶ κοιτῶμι ToU ἀγιάσματος αὑτῆς, καὶ é;HAOep καὶ διηκόμει αὑτοῖς. τελεσθέμτος δὲ τοῦ δείσμου κατέβησαν εὐφραιμόμεμοι καὶ δοζάζτομτες τὸν θεὸν “Ισραήλ.

### English translation (Claude)

Day by day the child grew strong. When she was six months old, her mother stood her on the ground to test whether she could stand. And she walked seven steps and came to her mother's lap. And her mother snatched her up, saying: "As the Lord my God lives, you shall not walk on this ground until I bring you into the temple of the Lord." And she made a sanctuary in her bedroom, and allowed nothing common or unclean to pass through it. And she called the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and they kept her amused. And when the child had her first birthday, Joachim made a great feast, and invited the priests and the scribes and the council of elders and the whole 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 a name renowned forever 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 of the heights, look upon this child and bless her with a final blessing, which has no successor." And her mother snatched her up into the sanctuary of her bedroom 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 has visited me and taken away from me the reproach of my enemies; and the Lord has given me a fruit of his righteousness, single in essence and manifold before him. Who will announce to the sons of Reuben that Anna is nursing a child? Hear, hear, you twelve tribes of Israel: Anna is nursing a child." And she laid her to rest in the bedroom of her sanctuary, and went out and served them. And when the dinner was finished they went down rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel.

### Scripture references

- 1 Sam 2:1: echo, medium confidence
- Gen 30:23: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 1:25: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- "Single in essence and manifold" renders μονοούσιον πολυπλάσιον (OCR μομοούσιον τσολυωλάσιον), an obscure phrase; the sense is uncertain.
- Anna's song echoes Hannah's (1 Sam 2:1–10); "taken away my reproach" echoes Gen 30:23 and Luke 1:25.
- "Reuben" reads the garbled name (OCR "Pou&iu") by sense, from Reuben's rebuke in chapter 1.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 6 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-6).

## Protevangelium of James 7

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-7
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: At three years old Mary is brought to the temple with lamps and received by the priest.

### Greek text

! ἢ δὲ σσαιδὶ τροσετίθεμτο οἵ μῆμες αὑτῆς. ἐγέμετο δὲ διετὴς τυαῖς, καὶ εἴσσεν "looake(p* ἁμάτομεν αὐὑτὴν ép τῶ pao) κυρίου, 0wococ ἄσσοδῶμεν τὴν ἐσσαγγελίαν np ἐσηγγειλάμεθα, μήτσος ἀσσοστείλῃ ὃ δεσσστότης ἔφ hpàc καὶ ἀτυρόσδεκτον γέμηται 6mooc μὴ τητήσει ἢ mote ττατέρα ἣ μητέρα. καὶ εἴσσεν ᾿Ιοακείν ἀμαμείμοομεν. καὶ ἐγέμετο τριετὴς ἢ τυαῖς, καὶ eta ep "Ιοσακείν καλέσατε rào θυγατέρας τῶν ' C&paíoop τὰς ἁμιάμτους καὶ Aa&cτῶσαν ἅἁμὰ λαμσάδα, καὶ ἔστοοσσαν καιόμεμαι, ἵμα μὴ στραφῇ à ταῖς cic τὰ owícoo καὶ αἰχμαλοοτισθῇ ἡ καρδία αὐτῆς ἐκ μαοῦ κυρίου. καὶ ἔἑσσοίησαν οὕτοος coc dpé&ucap ἔν τῷ pao κυρίου. καὶ ζδέγατο αὑτὴν ὃ Ἰερεύς, καὶ φιλήσας εὐλόγησεν αὐτὴν καὶ εἴσσεμἐμεγάλυμεν κύριος τὸ ὅμομά cou ép τάσαις ταῖς γεμεαῖς: ἐσὶ σοὶ ἐπ ἐσχάτου τῶν ἡμερῶν φαμερώσει κύριος τὸ λύτρον αὑτοῦ τοῖς viofo “Ισραήλ. ? καὶ ἐκάθισεν αὐτὰν ἐσσὶ τρίτου βαθμοῦ τοῦ θυσιαστηρίου, kal ἐπσέβαλεν κύριος ὃ θεὸς χάριν ἐπ αὐτήν, καὶ κατεχόρευσεν rote τοσὶν αὑτῆς, καὶ ἀγάσησεν aürüy τυᾶς οἶκος “Ἰσραήλ.

### English translation (Claude)

Month after month was added to the child. And when the child was two years old, Joachim said: "Let us take her up to the temple of the Lord, so that we may fulfil the promise we promised, lest the Master send to us and our gift be unacceptable." … so that the child may not long for father or mother." And Joachim said: "Let us wait." And the child became three years old, and Joachim said: "Call the undefiled daughters of the Hebrews, and let each take a lamp, and let them stand with the lamps burning, so that the child may not turn back and her heart be drawn away captive from the temple of the Lord." And they did so until they had gone up into the temple of the Lord. And the priest received her, and kissed her and blessed her and said: "The Lord has magnified your name among all generations; in you, at the end of the days, the Lord will make manifest his redemption to the sons of Israel." And he set her on the third step of the altar, and the Lord God cast grace upon her, and she danced with her feet, and the whole house of Israel loved her.

### Scripture references

- Luke 1:48: echo, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Words are lost in the OCR after "unacceptable" (in Tischendorf, Anna's reply that they should wait until the third year); marked "…".
- "All generations": compare Luke 1:48.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 7 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-7).

## Protevangelium of James 8

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-8
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: At twelve Mary is entrusted by lot to the widower Joseph, and later is chosen to spin purple and scarlet for the temple veil.

### Greek text

! Cai κατέβησαν oi γομεῖς αὐτῆς θαυμάζομτες καὶ αἱμοῦμτες τὸν δεσισότην θεόν, ὅτι οὐκ ἐτεστράφη ἡ τσαῖς cio τὰ ówíooo. Hp δὲ PJapía ἐν τῷ pac κυρίου óc τυεριστερὰ μεμομέμη, καὶ ἐλάμβαμεν vpojüp ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου. ? γεμομέμης δὲ αὑτῆς δοδεκαετοῦς, συμθούλιον ἐγέμετο τῶν Tepéop Aeyópiooy: ἰδοὺ ἡ IMapía γέγομεν δωδεκαετὴς ἐν τῷ pac) κυρίου: τί oup αὐτὴν τσοιήσωμεν,; μάσσος μιάμιι τὸ ἁγίασμα κυρίου; καὶ εἴσσον τοῦ ἀρχιερεῖ: σὺ ἔστηkac cmi τὸ θυσιαστήριον κυρίου, εἴσελθε kai τυρόσευφαι wepl αὖτῆς, καὶ ὃ éàp φαμερώσει coi κύριος, τοῦτο καὶ -σποιήσωμεν. καὶ εἷσῆλθεν ὃ ἀρχιερεὺς AaBdoy τὸν δωοδεκακώδωμα elo τὰ ἅγια τῶν ἀγίων, καὶ εὕτατο τσερὶ αὐτῆς. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἑασέστη Aéyop αὑτῷ" Ζαχαρία Ζαχαρία, ἔξελθε καὶ ἐκκλησίασον τοὺς Χηρεύομτας τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐμεγκάτωσαν ápà ῥάβδον, kal d ἐὰν €unócí;u κύριος σημεῖον, τούτου ἔσται γυμή. ἐζῆλθον δὲ οἵ κήρυKec καθ᾽ ὅλης τῆς τυεριχώρου τῆς "louóaíac, καὶ Hxucey à σάλΧΥ; κυρίου, καὶ ἔδραμον wápreo. ! "οσὴφ δὲ ῥίψας τὸ oxémapyoy ἐτῆλθεν cio συμάμτησινʼ αὐτῶν: καὶ συμαχθέμτες aunAÜOop wpóo τὸν ἀρχιερέα, λαβόμτες τὰς βάβδους. λαβὼν δὲ ἀσσάμτον τὰς φάβδους εἰσῆλθεν cio τὸ: lepóp καὶ HUgaro. τελέσας δὲ τὴν εὐχὴν ἔλαβε τὰς βάβδους καὶ. poopar Toto υἱοῖς "Ἰσραήλ. καὶ efmep Ἰερεὺς τῷ "Ἰωσήφ: $ο8áθητι κύριον τὸν θεόν σου, καὶ μμήσθητι ὅσα émo(Hcey ὃ θεὸς Δαθὰν καὶ ᾿Ἀβειρὼν καὶ KKopé, wo ἐδιχάσθη ἡ γῆ καὶ karewó8ncap διὰ τὴν ἀμτιλογίαν αὐτῶν. καὶ μῦν φοβήθητι, “Ἰωσήφ, μήστως ἔσται ταῦτα ἐν τοῦ οἵκω σου. ? καὶ φοβηθεὶς "looo τυαρέλαβεν αὐτὴν eic τήρησιν ξαυτῷ. kal εἴσσεν "Ἰωσὴφ τῇ Mapiáp: ἰδοὺ τυαρέλαβδόν σε ἐκ μαοῦ κυρίου, καὶ μῦν καταλείσσο σε ἐν τῷ οἵκου μου καὶ ἄτσσέρχομαι οἰκοδομῆσαι rác οἴκοδομάς μου, καὶ Fco τυρὸς σέ: κύριός σε διαφυλάτει. τ᾿ Cvépero δὲ συμβούλιον τῶν Tepéoop Aeyoproop* τσοιῆσοομεν κατατσέτασμα το μαῷ κυρίου. καὶ εἴσσεν ὃ TepeUo* καλέσατέ μοι Aáxeré μοι τίς μήσει τὸ xpucíoy καὶ τὸ ἁμίαμτον καὶ vp βύσσον καὶ τὸ σηρικὸν καὶ τὸ ὑακίμθιμον καὶ τὸ κόκκιμον καὶ τὲν ἀληθιμὴν τποορφύραν. καὶ ἔλαχεν τὴν Mapiág ἡ ἄληθιμὴ τυορφύρα καὶ τὸ κόκκιμον, καὶ λαβοῦσα due cic τὸν οἴκον αὐτῆς. τῷ δὲ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ ἐσίγησεν Zaxapíac, kai évépero ἄμτ᾽ αὑτοῦ (αμουέήλ, μέχρις ὅτου ἐλάλησεν Zaxapíac. Iapiáu δὲ λαβοῦσα τὸ κόκκιμον ξκλοθεν.

### English translation (Claude)

And her parents went down marvelling and praising the Master God, because the child had not turned back. And Mary was in the temple of the Lord like a dove being nurtured, and she received food from the hand of an angel. And when she was twelve years old, there was a council of the priests, who said: "See, Mary has become twelve years old in the temple of the Lord. What then shall we do with her, lest she defile the sanctuary of the Lord?" And they said to the high priest: "You stand at the altar of the Lord; go in and pray concerning her, and whatever the Lord reveals to you, that we will do." And the high priest went in, taking the robe with the twelve bells, into the Holy of Holies, and prayed concerning her. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood by, saying to him: "Zacharias, Zacharias, go out and assemble the widowers of the people, and let them each bring a rod; and to whomever the Lord shows a sign, his wife she shall be." And the heralds went out through the whole surrounding region of Judea, and the trumpet of the Lord sounded, and all ran. [9] And Joseph, throwing down his adze, went out to meet them; and when they had gathered together they went away to the high priest, taking their rods. And he took the rods of all, went into the temple, and prayed. And having finished the prayer he took the rods and … to the sons of Israel." And the priest said to Joseph: "Fear the Lord your God, and remember what God did to Dathan and Abiram and Korah, how the earth was split open and they were swallowed up because of their rebellion. And now fear, Joseph, lest these things happen in your house." And Joseph, being afraid, took her into his keeping. And Joseph said to Mary: "See, I have received you from the temple of the Lord, and now I leave you in my house, and I am going away to build my buildings, and I will come back to you. The Lord will guard you." [10] And there was a council of the priests, who said: "Let us make a veil for the temple of the Lord." And the priest said: "Call to me … Cast lots for me, to see who will spin the gold and the undefiled and the fine linen and the silk and the blue and the scarlet and the true purple." And the true purple and the scarlet fell by lot to Mary, and taking them she went away to her house. And at that time Zacharias became silent, and Samuel took his place until Zacharias spoke. But Mary, taking the scarlet, spun it.

### Scripture references

- Num 17:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Num 16:31: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 1:20: allusion, medium confidence
- Exod 28:33: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The numerals of chapters 9 and 10 were not found in the OCR; they begin at "[9]" and "[10]", inside this ref.
- In chapter 9 several lines are lost in the OCR after "he took the rods and" (in Tischendorf, the sign of the dove from Joseph's rod, the priest's words to him, and Joseph's objection that he is old and would be a laughingstock); marked "…".
- In chapter 10 a line or more is lost after "Call to me" (in Tischendorf, the summoning of undefiled virgins of the tribe of David, Mary among them); marked "…".
- "The undefiled" (ἀμίαντον) is one of the threads for the veil; the word is translated literally.
- The rods recall Aaron's rod (Num 17); Dathan, Abiram and Korah: Num 16:31–33. Zacharias's silence: Luke 1:20–22. The work makes Zacharias the high priest.
- Joseph is presented as a widower; the work's account is translated as written.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 8 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-8).

## Protevangelium of James 11

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-11
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The annunciation to Mary at the well and at her spinning, and her visit to Elizabeth.

### Greek text

! Kai ἔλαδεν τὴν káXonp kal ἐτῆλθεν γεμίσαι ὕδωρ: καὶ ἰδοὺ Φφομὴ λέγουσα: χαῖρε κεχαριτομέμη, ὃ κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, εὐλογημέμη σὺ ἐν γυμαιφίν. καὶ wepieBAéw ero δεφιὰ kal ἀριστερά, σσόθεν αὕτη H φωμή. καὶ σύμτρομος γεμομέμη ἀσίει elo τὸν οἶκον αὐτῆς καὶ dpémaucey rp κάλτσην, καὶ λαβοῦσα τὴν τσορφύραν ἐκάθισεν ἐσσὶ rou 0pópou aurHc kai eiAkep αὐτήν. ?kai ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου ἔστη ἐμώτσιον αὑτῆς Aévooy: μὴ φοβοῦ, lJapiáp* εὗρες γὰρ χάριν ἐμώτσιον τοῦ wáprooy δεσωότου, καὶ συλλήψῃ ἐκ λόγου αὐτοῦ. ἡ δὲ ἀκούσασα διεκρίθη ép ξαυτῇ λέγουσα: el ἐγὼ συλλήψομαι dw κυρίου θεοῦ zóproc, καὶ veppcoo ὧς τυᾶσα γυμὴ γεμμᾷ; καὶ εἴσεν ὁ ἄγγελος κυρίου: οὐχ οὕτος, Japiág: δύμαμις γὰρ κυρίου ἐσσισκιάσει σοι" διὸ καὶ τὸ γεμρμώμεμον ἐκ σοῦ ἄγιον κλεθήσεται υἱὸς ὑψίστου. καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὅμομα αὐτοῦ "IncoUp* αὖτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὑτοῦ dwó τῶν ἀμαρτιῶὼν αὐτῶν. καὶ ctoep PJapiáu: ἰδοὺ ἡ δούλη κυρίου κατεμώσσιον αὐτοῦ: γέμοιτό μοι κατὰ τὸ ρῆμά σου. Καἱὶ ἐσσοίησεν τὴν τυορφύραν καὶ τὸ κόκκιμον, καὶ ἀσστήγαγεν τοῦ lepet. καὶ εὐλόγησεν aurHp ὁ ἱερεὺς καὶ εἴσσεν [“]αριάν, épeγάλυμεν κύριος ὁ θεὸς τὸ ὅμομά σου, καὶ ἔσῃ εὐλογημέμη ἐν τάσαις ταῖς γεμεαῖς τῆς γῆς. χαρὰν δὲ λαβοῦσα Μήίαριὰν amí(ei τορὸς ᾿Ελισάβετ rhy συγγεμίδα αὐτῆς. καὶ Ékpoucep τυρὸς τὴν θύραν. καὶ ἀκούσασα ἢ ᾿Ελισάβετ ἔρριψεν τὸ κόκκιμον καὶ ἔδραμεν vpóo τὴν θύραν καὶ ἥμοιφεν, καὶ ἰδοῦσα τὴν PJapiáp. εὐλό-γῆσεν αὐτὴν kai etaey* τυόθεν μοι τοῦτο "ipa ἔλθῃ ἡ μήτηρ τοῦ κυρίου uou upóc με; ἰδοὺ γὰρ τὸ ἔν ἐμοὶ ἐσκίρτησεν καὶ cUAóγησέν ce. Mlapiàp δὲ émeAó0cro τῶν μυστηρίωον ὧν ἐλάλησεν αὐτῇ Γαβριὴλ ὃ ἀρχάγγελος, καὶ ἡτέμισεν eio τὸν οὐραμὸν καὶ εἴασεν᾽ τίς εἶμι ἐγώ, κύριε, ὅτι wácai ai γεμεαὶ τῆς γῆς €UAoγοῦσίν με; ? καὶ éwoíucey τρεῖς μῆμας uwpóc τὴν ᾿Ελισάβετ. ἡμέρᾳ δὲ καὶ ἡμέρᾳ ἡ γαστὴρ αὐὑτῆς ὡγκοῦτο- καὶ φοβηθεῖσα Μαριὰν ἀσυνῆλθεν elo τὸν οἶκον αὑτῆς, καὶ ἕκρυβεν ξαυτὴν do τῶν vi&y ᾿Ισραήλ. ἥν δὲ ἑτῶν δέκα & ὅτε ταῦτα ἐγέμετο τὰ. μυστέρια.

### English translation (Claude)

And she took the pitcher and went out to fill it with water; and behold, a voice saying: "Hail, favored one; the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women." And she looked around to the right and to the left, to see where this voice came from. And trembling she went into her house, and set down the pitcher, and taking the purple she sat down on her seat and drew out the thread. And behold, an angel of the Lord stood before her, saying: "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor before the Master of all, and you will conceive from his Word." And when she heard, she was doubtful within herself, saying: "Shall I conceive from the Lord, the living God, and give birth as every woman gives birth?" And the angel of the Lord said: "Not so, Mary; for the power of the Lord will overshadow you; therefore also the holy one born of you shall be called Son of the Most High. And you shall call his name Jesus; for he will save his people from their sins." And Mary said: "See, the servant of the Lord is before him; let it be to me according to your word." [12] And she made the purple and the scarlet, and brought them to the priest. And the priest blessed her and said: "Mary, the Lord God has magnified your name, and you shall be blessed among all the generations of the earth." And Mary, filled with joy, went away to Elizabeth her kinswoman. And she knocked at the door. And when Elizabeth heard, she threw down the scarlet 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 see, the one in me leaped and blessed you." But Mary forgot the mysteries that Gabriel the archangel had spoken to her, and she gazed into heaven and said: "Who am I, Lord, that all the generations of the earth bless me?" And she spent three months with Elizabeth. And day by day her womb grew larger; and being afraid, Mary went away to her house and hid herself from the sons of Israel. She was sixteen years old when these mysteries took place.

### Scripture references

- Luke 1:28: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:30: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:35: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:38: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:42: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 1:43: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:48: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 1:56: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The numeral of chapter 12 was not found in the OCR; chapter 12 begins at "[12]", inside this ref.
- A line displaced from chapter 10 by the OCR stood inside the angel's greeting ("… concerning Mary, that she is of the tribe of David. And they called her, and [the lot] fell …"); it is removed here, and its sense is given in this note.
- The annunciation follows Luke 1:28–38, with Matt 1:21 ("he will save his people from their sins"); the visit to Elizabeth follows Luke 1:39–56.
- "From his Word" renders ἐκ λόγου αὐτοῦ.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 11 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-11).

## Protevangelium of James 13

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-13
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Joseph finds Mary pregnant, is reassured by an angel, both are accused before the priest and cleared, and on the journey to Bethlehem Mary goes into labour, while Joseph sees all creation stand still.

### Greek text

!"€yépero δὲ αὑτῇ ἔκτος pp, καὶ ἰδοὺ RAOcp Ἰωσὴφ duo: "ép οἴκοδομῶν αὐτοῦ, καὶ εἰσελθὼν ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ αὐτοῦ εὗρεν αὖὔ-τὴν ὀγκωμέμην. καὶ ἔτυψε τὸ wpócowoy αὑτοῦ καὶ ἔρριψεν ξαυτὸν χαμαὶ ἐσσὶ τὸν σάκκον, καὶ ἔκλαυσε τπσικρῶὼς λέγων᾽ woíoo τροσώτσο dreyíoo τυρὸς kópiop τὸν θεόν μου; τί δὲ εὔξομαι wepl τῆς κόρης ταύτης; ὅτι wapÜCpop τσαρέλαβον αὐτὴν ἐκ μαοῦ κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ μου, καὶ οὔκ ἐφύλατα. τίς θηρεύσας με; τίς τὸ τσομη-ρὸν τοῦτο émoíuccy ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου kal ἐμίαμεν τὴν τσαρθέμοῳ; iiim ete. ἐμὲ ἀμεκεφαλαιώθη à ἱστορία τοῦ ᾿λδάν; ὥστσερ γὰρ ép τῇ ὥρᾳ τῆς δοφτολογίας αὑτοῦ λθεν ὃ ὄφις καὶ εὗρε τὴν Εὕὔαν μόμην Kal ἐφτησσάτησεν, oUrooc κἀμοὶ ἐγέμετο. ?kai ἀμέστη ἸΙοσὴφ στὸ τοῦ σάκκου, καὶ ἐκάλεσε τὴν ᾿Ἴαριὰν καὶ εἴασεν αὑτῇ μεμελημέμη τῷ θεῷ; τί τοῦτο émoíucac; ἐσπσπελάθου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ σου; τί ἐτασείμοσας rp Ψψυχήν σου, ἢ ἁματραφεῖσα εἷς τὰ ἄγια τῶν ἀγίων καὶ τροφὴν λαβοῦσα ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου; 5ἢ δὲ ἔκλαυey τσικρῶς, λέγουσα ὅτι καθαρά εἶμι ἐγὼ καὶ dpópa oU γινώσκω. καὶ εἴσσεν αὑτῷ locüo: wó0ep oup ἐστὶ τὸ ἐν τῇ γαστρί σου; ἡ δὲ εἴσσεν᾽ τῇ κύριος ὁ θεός μου καθότι οὗ γιμώσκο τυόθεν ἐστίν μοι. ! Kai ἐφοβήθη "loot σφόδρα, kal ἠρέμησεν €; αὑτῆς, koi διελογίζετο τὸ τί αὑτὴν wowica. kal etoey "leocáo- ἐὰν αὑτῆς κρύψου τὸ ἁμάρτημα, εὐρίσκομαι μαχόμεμος τοῦ μόμο κυρίου καὶ ἐὰν αὑτὴν φαμερώσω τοῖς υἱοῖς "Ισραήλ, φοβοῦμαι μήσσοος ἄγγελικόν ἔστιν τὸ ἐν αὐτῇ, καὶ εὑρεθήσομαι τυαραδιδοὺς αἷμα à0coop cic κρίμα θαμάτου. ví oup αὑτὴν τυοιήσου; λάθρα αὐτὴν ἀσυολύσου &wm' ἐμοῦ. καὶ κατέλαβεν αὑτὸν ἢ Ug. ὅ καὶ ἰδοὺ ἄγγελος κυρίου φαίμεται αὑτῷ kar ὅμαρ Aévooy* μὴ φοβηθῇς τὴν woióa ταύτημτὸ γὰρ ἐν αὑτῇ Oy ἐκ τμεύματός co" ἁγίου: τέφζεται δὲ υἱόν, καὶ καλέσεις τὸ ὅμομα αὑτοῦ "Incoüy* αὐτὸς γὰρ σώσει τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ dwó τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὑτῶν. καὶ ἁμέστη ᾿Ιοσὲφ dwó τοῦ ὕωμου, καὶ éógacey τὸν θεὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸν δόμτα αὐτῷ τὴν χάριν, υἱοῖς "Ισραήλ. kai ἁπποκριθεὶς ὃ Ἰερεὺς εἴασσεν - "looo τοῦτο ἔτσοίHcey; καὶ εἶσσεν “Ἄμμας ὃ γραμματεύς-: ἁπυόστειλον ὑτσηρέτας, καὶ εὑρήσεις τὴν υταρθέμον ὀγκωμέμην. καὶ ἀστῆλθον οἵ ὑπηρέται καὶ εὗρον καθὼς εἴσσεν, καὶ ἀσστήγαγον αὐτὴν ἄμα τῷ ᾿Ιοσὴφ eic τὸ κριτήριον. ? καὶ εἴασεν ὃ Ἰερεύς- Papía, τί τοῦτο éwoíucaoc; καὶ iparí ἐτατσείμοσας τὴν ψυχήν σου καὶ ἐσσελάθου κυρίου τοῦ θεοῦ cou; ἡ dparpaóeica cio τὰ ἄγια τῶν ἁγίων καὶ λαβοῦσα τροφὴν ἐκ χειρὸς ἀγγέλου καὶ ἀκούσασα τῶν Üppoop καὶ χορεύcaca ἐμώσιον αὐτοῦ, τί τοῦτο éwoíncac; ἡ δὲ ἔκλαυσεν ττικρῶὼς λέγουσα" zt κύριος θεός μου καθότι καθαρά εἶμι ἐμώσσιον αὐτοῦ καὶ ἄμδρα οὔ γιμώσκω. * καὶ εἴστεν ὃ ἴερεὺς τρὸς “Ἰοσήφ- τί τοῦτο ἑτοίησας; καὶ εἴασεν "loch: τῇ κύριος ὃ θεός μου καθότι καθαρός εἶμι ἐγὼ ἐξ αὑτῆς. καὶ εἴστεν o Ἰερεύς: μὴ ψευδομαρτύρει ἀλλὰ λέγε τὸ ἀληθές: ἔκλεψας τοὺς γάμους αὐτῆς καὶ οὐκ ἐφαμέροσας τοῖς uioto lopanA, καὶ οὐκ ἔκλιμας rtp κεφαλήν σου ὑσσὸ THp κραταιὰν χεῖρα ὅσουος εὐλογηθῇ τὸ στσέρμα σου. καὶ ὃ λαὸς ὅτι ἁμαρτία οὐκ ἐφάμη ἐν αὑτοῖς. ? καὶ εἴσσεν ὃ ἱερεύςʼ εἴ κύριος ὃ θεὸς οὐκ ἐφαμέρωσε τὰ ἀμαρτήματα ὑμῶν, οὐδὲ ἐγὼ κρίμοο ὑμᾶς. καὶ ἀσσέλυσεν αὑτούς. καὶ τυαρέλαδεν ᾿Ἰωσὴφ τὴν uou θυγάτηρ. αὐτὴ ἡ ἡμέρα κυρίου τοοιήσει ὧς βούλεται κύριος. ? καὶ ἑσέστρωοσεν τὴν ὅμον καὶ ἐπσεκάθισεν αὐτήν, καὶ εἴλκεν ὃ vióc aurou, καὶ ἠκολούθει "loco. kai ἥγγισαν ἐσσὶ μιλίον rpióp* καὶ ἐστράφη "loco, kai εἶδεν aurüp στυγμήν, kai εἶσεν ἐν &avro ἴσως τὸ ἐν αὑτῇ χειμάζει αὐτήν. καὶ τυάλιν ἐστράφη “Ἰωσήφ, καὶ εἶδεν aürüp γελῶσαν. καὶ εἴσσεν aura - PJapía, τί σοί ἔστιν τοῦτο, ὅτι τὸ τρόσοτυόν σου 8Aéwo τοτὲ μὲν γελῶν, uworé δὲ στυγμάζον. kal εἶσσε PJapiáy τῷ Ἰωσήφ. ὅτι δύο λαοὺσ.&Aéwoo τοῖς ὀφθαλμοῖς pou, ἔμα κλαίομτα καὶ κοσστόμεμον, καὶ Spa xaípoyra kai ἀγαλλιώμεμον. ὃ καὶ RA0op £y τῇ μέσῃ 0800, καὶ εἴσσεν auro) Papiáu* κατάγαγέ με dw τῆς ὅμου, ὅτι τὸ ἐν ἐμοὶ ἐσείγει με wpoeAÜ0ciy. καὶ κατήγαγεν αὑτὲν duwó τῆς ὅμου, Koi εἴασεν αὑτῇ τυοῦ σε ἄσσάζω kal σκεσσάσω σου τὴν ἄσχημοσύμην; ὅτι ὁ róuoc ἔρημός ἐστιν. Καὶ εὔρεν συσήλαιον ἐκεῖ καὶ εἰσήγαγεν αὑτήν, καὶ τυαρέστησεν αὑτῇ τοὺς υἱοὺς αὑτοῦ, καὶ ἐξελθὼν ἐζήτει μαῖαν᾽ Εβραίαν ἐν χώρᾳ Βηθλεέμ. ἀμέβλεψα cio τὸν ἀέρα, kal εἶδον τὸν ἀέρα ἔκθαμβον: kal ἄμέβλεψα εἷς τὸν ττόλον τοῦ οὐραμοῦ; καὶ εἶδον αὐτὸν ἔστῶτα καὶ τὰ τετειμὰ τοῦ οὐραμοῦ ἠρεμοῦμτα: καὶ ἐσσέβλεψα ἐσσὶ τὴν γῆν; καὶ εἶδον σκάφην κειμέμην καὶ ἐργάτας ἁμακειμέμους, καὶ ai χεῖpeo αὐτῶν ἐν τῇ σκάφῃ: καὶ oi μασσώμεμοι οὐκ ἐμασσῶμτο; καὶ οἵ αἵρομτες οὔκ ἀμέφερον, καὶ οἵ τροσφέρομτες τῷ στόματι αὑτῶν οὗ τροσέφερον, dAAd τυάμτων Hp rà wpóccowa ἅμοω δλέσομτα᾽ καὶ ἰδοὺ πρόβατα ἐλαυμόμεμα Hp, καὶ οὔ τροέβαιμον ἄλλ᾽ ἴσταμτο, καὶ ἐσσῆρεν ὃ cop τὴν χεῖρα αὐτοῦ τοῦ τατάται αὑτὰ ἐν τῇ ῥάδδου, καὶ € χεὶρ αὐτοῦ ἔστη ἅμω- καὶ ἐπέβλεψα ἐσὶ τὸν xcíμαρρον τοῦ worapoU, καὶ εἶδον τὰ στόματα τῶν €píbooy éwikeíμεμα καὶ μὴ wípoyra, kai wápra ὑπὸ θῆτιν τῷ δρόμῳ αὐτῶν ἀσηλαύμομτο.

### English translation (Claude)

Her sixth month came, and behold, Joseph came from his building work, and entering his house he found her with child. And he struck his face, and threw himself on the ground on sackcloth, and wept bitterly, saying: "With what face shall I look to the Lord my God? And what shall I pray concerning this girl? For I received her a virgin from the temple of the Lord my God, and I did not guard her. Who has hunted me down? Who has done this evil thing in my house and defiled the virgin? Has the story of Adam been repeated in me? For just as in the hour of his giving glory the serpent came and found Eve alone and deceived her, so it has happened to me also." And Joseph rose up from the sackcloth, and called Mary and said to her: "You who were cared for by God, why have you done this? Have you forgotten the Lord your God? Why have you humbled your soul, you who were brought up in the Holy of Holies and received food from the hand of an angel?" But she wept bitterly, saying: "I am pure, and I do not know a man." And Joseph said to her: "Where then does this in your womb come from?" And she said: "As the Lord my God lives, I do not know where it comes from." [14] And Joseph was greatly afraid, and left her in peace, and considered what he should do with her. And Joseph said: "If I hide her sin, I am found fighting against the law of the Lord; and if I make her known to the sons of Israel, I fear that what is in her may be from an angel, and I shall be found handing over innocent blood to the judgment of death. What then shall I do with her? I will put her away from me secretly." And night overtook him. And behold, an angel of the Lord appears to him in a dream, saying: "Do not be afraid of this girl; for what is in her is from the Holy Spirit; and she will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus; for he will save his people from their sins." And Joseph rose up from sleep, and glorified the God of Israel who had given him this grace, … to the sons of Israel." And the priest answered and said: "Has Joseph done this?" And Annas the scribe said: "Send officers, and you will find the virgin with child." And the officers went away and found it as he had said, and they brought her together with Joseph to the court. And the priest said: "Mary, why have you done this? Why have you humbled your soul and forgotten the Lord your God? You who were brought up in the Holy of Holies and received food from the hand of an angel, and heard the hymns and danced before him, why have you done this?" But she wept bitterly, saying: "As the Lord my God lives, I am pure before him, and I do not know a man." And the priest said to Joseph: "Why have you done this?" And Joseph said: "As the Lord my God lives, I am pure in regard to her." And the priest said: "Do not bear false witness, but speak the truth: you have stolen your marriage with her and have not made it known to the sons of Israel, and you have not bowed your head under the mighty hand so that your offspring might be blessed." … And the people [marvelled] that sin was not revealed in them. And the priest said: "If the Lord God has not revealed your sins, neither do I judge you." And he released them. And Joseph took Mary … not my daughter. This day of the Lord will do as the Lord wills." And he saddled the donkey and set her on it, and his son led it, and Joseph followed. And they drew near to the third mile, and Joseph turned and saw her sad, and said within himself: "Perhaps what is in her is troubling her." And again Joseph turned and saw her laughing. And he said to her: "Mary, what is this with you, that I see your face now laughing and now sad?" And Mary said to Joseph: "It is because I see two peoples with my eyes, one weeping and mourning, and one rejoicing and exulting." And they came halfway along the road, and Mary said to him: "Take me down from the donkey, for what is in me presses me to come forth." And he took her down from the donkey, and said to her: "Where shall I take you and shelter your shame? For the place is desert." [18] And he found a cave there and brought her in, and set his sons beside her, and went out and sought a Hebrew midwife in the region of Bethlehem. … I looked up into the air, and saw the air in amazement; and I looked up at the vault of heaven, and saw it standing still, and the birds of heaven at rest; and I looked down on the earth, and saw a bowl lying there and workmen reclining, and their hands in the bowl; and those chewing did not chew, and those lifting food did not bring it up, and those bringing it to their mouths did not bring it, but the faces of all were looking upward. And behold, sheep were being driven, and they did not go forward but stood still; and the shepherd raised his hand to strike them with his staff, and his hand stayed up. And I looked at the torrent of the river, and saw the mouths of the kids laid upon it and not drinking; and all things in a moment were held back from their course.

### Scripture references

- Gen 3:13: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 1:19: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 1:20: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 1:21: quotation, high confidence
- Luke 1:34: allusion, high confidence
- Num 5:18: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 2:4: allusion, medium confidence
- Gen 25:23: echo, low confidence
- 1 Pet 5:6: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The numerals of chapters 15, 16 and 17 were not found in the OCR, and chapter 14's numeral is lost as well; these chapters and chapter 18 (whose heading "XVIII" is removed from the text) lie inside this ref. Only the beginnings of chapters 14 and 18 are marked, because the beginnings of 15–17 fall in lines lost in the OCR.
- Several passages are lost in the OCR and marked "…": (1) after "who had given him this grace" (in Tischendorf, the end of chapter 14 and the opening of chapter 15, where Annas the scribe visits, sees Mary with child, and denounces Joseph to the priest); (2) after "so that your offspring might be blessed" (in Tischendorf, Joseph's silence, the priest's order that both drink the "water of conviction" and go into the hill country, and their return unharmed, at which all marvelled); (3) after "And Joseph took Mary" (in Tischendorf, the end of chapter 16 and the opening of chapter 17: Augustus's decree of enrolment and Joseph's question how to enrol Mary, not as his wife nor as his daughter); (4) in chapter 18, before "I looked up into the air", where the narrative turns to the first person (Joseph).
- "Has the story of Adam been repeated in me?" renders ἀνεκεφαλαιώθη, "summed up again". Gen 3.
- The trial echoes the ordeal of jealousy (Num 5:11–31); the work presents Mary and Joseph as vindicated, and its account is translated as written.
- "Two peoples, one weeping and one rejoicing": compare Gen 25:23.
- Joseph's sons (from an earlier marriage, in the work's account) accompany the journey.
- The last clause of chapter 18 is uncertain in the OCR; it is translated by sense.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 13 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-13).

## Protevangelium of James 19

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-19
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Joseph brings a midwife to the cave, where a cloud and a great light attend the birth; Salome refuses to believe that a virgin has given birth.

### Greek text

! Kai ἰδοὺ γυμὴ καταβαίμουσα dwó τῆς ὁρειμῆς, καὶ etoép μοιʼ dpÜpoome, wou ττορεύν; kal εἴασον- μαῖαν ζητῶ ᾿Εβραίαν. ὶ ἁτυοκριθεῖσα εἴσσέν μοι: £; ᾿Ισραὴλ εἴ; καὶ εἴσσον αὑτῇ" yat, ἡ καὶ ἄτσοκρ y μοι" ἔς "lop; Καὶ εἴσσον αὐτῇ paf. δὲ eimey* καὶ τίς ἔστιν & γεμμῶσα ἐν τῷ σπηλαίου; καὶ εἴσσον ἐγώ: ἢ μεμμηστευμέμη μοι. καὶ etwé μοιʼ οὐκ ἔστιν σου γυμή; καὶ εἴσσον αὑτῇ: Japiáp ἔστιν ἡ ἅματραφεῖσα ἐν τῶ pac κυρίου, Kal ἐκληρωσάμην αὑτὴν γυμαῖκα: καὶ οὐκ ἔστιν μου Yupá, ἀλλὰ σύλληψιν ἔχει ἐκ τμεύματος ἀγίου. καὶ εἶἴσσεν αὐτῶ ἢ μαῖα" τοῦτο ἄλεθές; καὶ εἶσσεν αὐτῇ "loco: δεῦρο καὶ ἴδε. καὶ ἁσίει ἢ μαῖα μετ᾽ʼ αὑτοῦ. καὶ Corucay ἐν τῷ τόσου τοῦ cwuAaíou, καὶ ἰδοὺ μεφέλη φοωτειμὴ ἐσισκιάζτουσα τὸ σσυήλαιον. καὶ cimep n μαῖα: ἐμεγαλύμθη ἡ ψυχά μου σήμερον, ὅτι εἶδον οἱ ὀφθαλμοί uou oapáóoga, ὅτι σουτηρία τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐγεμμήθη. καὶ wapaχρῆμα & μεφέλη ὑτσεστέλλετο Ck τοῦ σπηλαίου, καὶ ébápu φῶς μέγα ἐν τῷ owuAaío, ὥστε τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς ἡμῶν μὴ φέρειν. καὶ wpóo ολίγον τὸ φῶς ἐκεῖμο ὑπεστέλλετο, Éo oU ἐφάμη τὸ βρέφος καὶ ἦλθε καὶ ἔλαβε μασθὸν ἔκ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ PMapíac. καὶ ἀμεβόησεν ἢ μαῖα καὶ εἴασεν" μεγάλη μοὶ σήμερον ἢ ἡμέρα αὕτη; ὅτι εἶδον τὸ καιμὸν θέαμα τοῦτο. καὶ ἔφῆλθεν ἡ μαῖα ἐκ ToU σαηλαίου,; καὶ ὑσήμτησεν αὑτῇ CaAcouH. καὶ etoey αὑτῇ" (ζαλώμη (αλώμη;, καιμόν σοι θέαμα ἔχω διηγήσασθαι" τσαρθέμος ἐγέμμησεν ὃ οὐ χωρεῖ ἡ φύσις αὐτῆς. καὶ etwey ζαλώμη: τῇ κύριος ὁ θεός μους, ἐὰν μὴ βαλῶ τὸν δάκτυλόν μου καὶ ἐρευμήσου τὴν φύσιν αὐτῆς, οὗ μὴ τοιστεύσου ὅτι σταρθέμος ἐγέμμησεν.

### English translation (Claude)

And behold, a woman was coming down from the hill country, and she said to me: "Man, where are you going?" And I said: "I am looking for a Hebrew midwife." And she answered and said to me: "Are you from Israel?" And I said to her: "Yes." And she said: "And who is the one giving birth in the cave?" And I said: "The one betrothed to me." And she said to me: "Is she not your wife?" And I said to her: "She is Mary, who was brought up in the temple of the Lord, and I received her by lot as my wife; and she is not my wife, but she has conceived from the Holy Spirit." And the midwife said to him: "Is this true?" And Joseph said to her: "Come and see." And the midwife went with him. And they stood at the place of the cave, and behold, a bright cloud overshadowing the cave. And the midwife said: "My soul is magnified today, for my eyes have seen wonders: salvation has been born to Israel." And immediately the cloud withdrew from the cave, and a great light appeared in the cave, so that our eyes could not bear it. And little by little that light withdrew until the infant appeared, and it came and took the breast from its mother Mary. And the midwife cried out and said: "How great this day is for me today, for I have seen this new sight." And the midwife went out of the cave, and Salome met her. And she said to her: "Salome, Salome, I have a new sight to tell you: a virgin has given birth, which her nature does not allow." And Salome said: "As the Lord my God lives, unless I put in my finger and examine her nature, I will not believe that a virgin has given birth."

### Scripture references

- Luke 1:46: echo, medium confidence
- Luke 2:30: allusion, medium confidence
- John 20:25: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 1:18: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The OCR repeats one exchange in garbled form (the midwife's question "Are you from Israel?" and Joseph's answer); it is translated once.
- The narrative is still in the first person (Joseph) at the start, then returns to the third person.
- The midwife's words echo Luke 1:46 and Luke 2:30; Salome's condition echoes Thomas in John 20:25. The work's account of the birth is translated as written.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 19 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-19).

## Protevangelium of James 20

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-20
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Salome's hand is withered for her unbelief and healed when she holds the child; the magi come by Herod to the cave and worship.

### Greek text

! Kai εἰσηλθεν à μαῖα καὶ ete τῇ PJapiáy: σχημάτισον σεαυτήν: oU γὰρ μικρὸς ἀγὼν τσερίκειται wepi σοῦ. καὶ ἔβαλε CaAcoun τὸν δάκτυλον αὑτῆς cio rp bow αὑτῆς, καὶ ἡλάλαϑε καὶ εἴσσεν᾽ οὐαὶ τῇ ἁμομίᾳ pou καὶ τῇ ἀτσιστίᾳ pou, ὅτι é;ewcípaca θεὸν τῶμτα, καὶ ἰδοὺ ἡ χείρ μου wupi ἀστοσίσστεται am ἔμου. ? καὶ ἔκλιμεν τὰ γόματα aürHo τρὸς τὸν ÓcowórHp λέγουσα" ὁ θεὸς τῶν warépooy μου, μμήσθητί μου ὅτι σπέρμα εἰμὶ ᾿ἈΑθραὰν τροσέμεγκε τὴν χεῖρά σου ro» waibío καὶ βάσταφον αὗτό, καὶ ἔσται σοι σοτηρία καὶ χαρά. ὅ καὶ τροσῆλθε (αλώμη καὶ é8áσταήεν αὑτό, λέγουσα: τυροσκυμήσου aíro, ὅτι βασιλεὺς ἐγεμμέθη μέγας τῷ "lopaáA. καὶ ἰδοὺ εὐθέωος ἰάθη (ζαλώμη, καὶ ὁπῆλθεν ἐκ τοῦ cwnAaíou δεδικαιοομέμη. καὶ ἰδοὺ φωμὴ λέγουσα: (αλώμη (αλώμη, μὴ ἁμαγγείλῃς ὅσα εἶδες σσαράδοτα, ἔως οὗ εἰσέλθῃ εἷς ᾿ἰερουσαλὴμ ὁ waíoc. ! ai ἰδοὺ ᾿Ιυσὴφ ἡτοιμάσθη τοῦ ἐφελθεῖν elo τὴν "lovóaíap. καὶ θόρυβος ἐγέμετο μέγας ἐν Βηθλεὲμ τῆς ᾿Ἰουδαίας- ἥλθον γὰρ μάγοι λέγομτες᾽ʼ «τοῦ ἐστὶν o τεχθεὶς βασιλεὺς τῶν ᾿Ἰουδαίων; εἴδομεν γὰρ αὑτοῦ róp ἀστέρα ἐν τῇ ἀματολῇ, καὶ ἤλθομεν vpocκυμῆσαι αὑτόν. καὶ ἀκούσας ᾿Ηρώδης ἐταράχθη, καὶ ἔσεμψεν ὑσηρέτας τρὸς τοὺς μάγους" καὶ uereméuyaro τοὺς ἀρχιερεῖς καὶ dpékpipey αὑτοὺς λέγων: ατῶς γέγρασται τυερὶ τοῦ Χριστοῦ, τσοῦ γεμμᾶται; λέγουσιν αὑτοῦ: ép Βηθλεὲμ τῆς “᾿ἸΙουδαίας- oUrooc γὰρ γέγρασται. καὶ ἀτσέλυσεν αὑτούς. καὶ ἁμέκριμε τοὺς μάγους λέγων αὑτοῖς᾽ τί εἴδετε σημεῖον ἐσσὶ τὸν γεμμηθέμτα βασιλέα; NJ καὶ εἴσσον ol μάγοι εἴδομεν ἀστέρα σοαμμεγέθη λάμψαμτα ép roto ἄστροις τούτοις καὶ ἀμθλύμομτα αὑτούς, ὥστε τοὺς ἀστέρας μὴ φαίμεσθαι: kai ἠμεῖς οὕτοος ἔγμωμεν ὅτι βασιλεὺς ἐγεμμήθη τοῦ “Ισραήλ, καὶ ἥἤλθομεν τοροσκυμῆσαι αὐτόν. καὶ εἶσσεν ᾿Ηρώδησὑτσυάγετε καὶ ζητήσατε" καὶ ἐὰν eUpure, ἀσσαγγείλατέ μοι, καγὼ ἐλθὼν τροσκυμήσου αὑτόν. ? καὶ é3HA0op oi μάγοι. καὶ ἰδοὺ Op εἶδον ἀστέρα ép τῇ dparoAH τυροῆγεν αὐτοὺς ἔως cicἤλθον elo τὸ στσήλαιον, καὶ ἕστη ἐσὶ τὴν κεφαλὲν τοῦ στσηλαίου. καὶ εἶδον oi μάγοι τὸ σταϊιδίον μετὰ τῆς μητρὸς αὐτοῦ PAJapíac, καὶ égé&aAoy ἀσσὸ τῆς σσήρας αὐτῶν δῶρα, χρυσὸν καὶ λίβαμον καὶ σμύρμαν. * καὶ χρηματισθέμτες ὑσσὸ τοῦ ἀγγέλου μὴ εἷσελθεῖν cio τὴν "louóaíay, δ ἄλλης 6800 ξσσορεύθησαν clo rüp χώραν αὑτῶν.

### English translation (Claude)

And the midwife went in and said to Mary: "Position yourself; for no small contest is set about you." And Salome put her finger into her nature, and cried out and said: "Woe for my lawlessness and my unbelief, for I have put the living God to the test; and see, my hand is falling away from me, burned with fire." And she bent her knees to the Master, saying: "O God of my fathers, remember me, that I am offspring of Abraham …" "Bring your hand to the child and lift him up, and it will be salvation and joy to you." And Salome came near and lifted him, saying: "I will worship him, for a great king has been born to Israel." And behold, at once Salome was healed, and she went out of the cave justified. And behold, a voice saying: "Salome, Salome, do not announce the wonders you have seen until the child comes into Jerusalem." [21] And behold, Joseph made ready to go out into Judea. And a great commotion arose in Bethlehem of Judea; for magi came, saying: "Where is the one born king of the Jews? For we saw his star in the east, and have come to worship him." And when Herod heard, he was troubled, and sent officers to the magi; and he summoned the chief priests and questioned them, saying: "How is it written concerning the Christ? Where is he born?" They say to him: "In Bethlehem of Judea; for so it is written." And he released them. And he questioned the magi, saying to them: "What sign did you see concerning the king who has been born?" And the magi said: "We saw a star of very great size shining among these stars and dimming them, so that the stars did not appear; and so we knew that a king had been born to Israel, and we came to worship him." And Herod said: "Go and seek; and if you find him, report to me, so that I too may come 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 head of the cave. And the magi saw the child with his mother Mary, and they brought out gifts from their bag: gold and frankincense and myrrh. And being warned by the angel not to go into Judea, they went into their own country by another way.

### Scripture references

- Matt 2:2: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 2:3: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 2:5: quotation, high confidence
- Mic 5:2: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 2:8: quotation, high confidence
- Matt 2:9: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 2:11: allusion, high confidence
- Matt 2:12: allusion, high confidence

### Translation notes

- The numeral of chapter 21 was not found in the OCR; chapter 21 begins at "[21]", inside this ref.
- After "offspring of Abraham" lines are lost in the OCR (in Tischendorf, the rest of Salome's prayer and the appearance of an angel who tells her the Lord has heard her); the words "Bring your hand to the child …" are the angel's. Marked "…".
- A passage of the edition's apparatus (variant readings) after the voice's words is removed.
- Chapter 21 follows Matt 2:1–12, quoting Mic 5:2 only by reference ("so it is written").

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 20 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-20).

## Protevangelium of James 22

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-22
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Herod orders the infants killed; Mary hides Jesus in a manger, and a mountain opens to shelter Elizabeth and John.

### Greek text

! Γμοὺς δὲ "Ἡρώδης ὅτι ἐμεσταίχθη ὑπὸ τῶν μάγοων, ὀργισθεὶς ἔσεμψεν φομευτὰς λέγοων αὑτοῖς: τὰ βρέφη àwó διετοῦς καὶ ἀκούσασα []αριὰν ὅτι ἅμαιθουμται τὰ βρέφη, φοβηθεῖσα ἔλαβεν τὸ τυαιδίον καὶ ἐσσσαργάμῶσεν αὑτὸ καὶ ἔθηκεν ἐν φάτμῃ βοῶν. ὃ à δὲ ᾿Ελισάβετ, ἀκούσασα ὅτι ᾿Ιοοάμμης ζητεῖται, λαβοῦσα αὐτὸν ἀμέβη elo τὴν ορειμῆν; καὶ τϑεριεθλέσσετο uou αὕτον κρύψει: καὶ οὐκ Hp rówoo ἁσσοκρυφῆς. kal στεμάτασα ἡ ᾿Ελισάβετ φωμῇ μεγάλῃ Aéyer ὅρος θεοῦ, δέται μητέρα μετὰ τέκμου. οὐ γὰρ ἀδύματο ἁμαβῆμαι ἡ ᾿Ελισάβετ. καὶ τταραχρῆμα ἐδιχάσθη τὸ ὅρος καὶ ἐδέξατο αὑτήν. καὶ Rp διαφαῖμον αὑτοῖς φῶς- ἄγγελος γὰρ κυρίου Rp μετ᾽ αὐτῶν, διαφυλάσσοων αὐτούς.

### English translation (Claude)

And when Herod realized that he had been mocked by the magi, he was angry, and sent murderers, saying to them: "… the infants from two years old …" And Mary, hearing that the infants were being killed, was afraid, and she took the child and wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in an ox manger. But Elizabeth, hearing that John was being sought, took him and went up into the hill country, and looked around for where she might hide him; and there was no hiding place. And Elizabeth groaned and said with a loud voice: "Mountain of God, receive a mother with her child." For Elizabeth was not able to go up. And immediately the mountain was split open and received her. And a light was shining through for them; for an angel of the Lord was with them, guarding them.

### Scripture references

- Matt 2:16: allusion, high confidence
- Luke 2:7: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Words of Herod's order are lost in the OCR (in Tischendorf, "kill the infants from two years old and under"); marked "…".
- Matt 2:16; the manger recalls Luke 2:7.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 22 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-22).

## Protevangelium of James 23

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-23
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: Zacharias refuses to give up his son to Herod's officers and is murdered in the temple.

### Greek text

1*O δὲ "Ηρώδης ézárei τὸν "looáppap, καὶ ἀτσέστειλεν ὕτσηρέτας wpóc Ζαχαρίαν Aévooy* woU ἀτπσέκρυψας τὸν υἱόν σου; ὃ δὲ ἀσσεκρίματο Aévooy αὑτοῖς ἐγὼ λειτουργὸς ὑπάρχον τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ τοροσεδρεύου τῷ paoo κυρίου, οὐκ οἷδα woU ἐστὶν ὃ υἱός μου. * καὶ ἀσῆλθον οἵ ὑπηρέται καὶ ἀμήγγειλαν τῷ "Hpoóu ταῦτα wápra. καὶ ὀργισθεὶς ὁ ᾿Ηρώδης εἴατεν᾽ ὁ υἱὸς αὑτοῦ μέλλει βασιλεύειν του ᾿Ισραήλ. καὶ ἀσσέστειλεν τρὸς αὑτὸν τυάλιν Aévoop* εἷσσὲ τὸ ἀληθέςʼ wouU ἐστὶν ὁ υἱός cou; οἷδας γὰρ ὅτι τὸ αἷμά cou ὑπὸ τὴν χεῖρά μου ἐστίν. καὶ ἀσσῆλθον oi ὑπσηρέται καὶ ἀσάέγγειλαν αὑτῷ ταῦτα wdpra. * καὶ etae Zaxapíac* μάρτυς ciui τοῦ θεοῦ, εἴ ἐκχέεις μου τὸ αἷμα: τὸ γὰρ τμεῦμά μου ὁ δεστυσότης δέφεται, ὅτι αἷμα ἀθῷῶον ἐκχέεις eio τὰ τυρόθυρα τοῦ uaot κυρίου. kai wepi τὸ διάφαυμα ἐφομεύθη Ζαχαρίας. καὶ οὔκ ἤδεισαν οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ὅτι ἐφομεύθη.

### English translation (Claude)

And Herod was seeking John, and he sent officers to Zacharias, saying: "Where have you hidden your son?" And he answered them, saying: "I am a minister of God and serve continually 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 angry and said: "His son is going to be king over Israel." And he sent to him again, saying: "Tell the truth: where is your son? For you know that your blood is under my hand." And the officers went away and reported these things to him. And Zacharias said: "I am a witness of God if you shed my blood; for the Master will receive my spirit, because you are shedding innocent blood at the forecourt of the temple of the Lord." And about daybreak Zacharias was murdered. And the sons of Israel did not know that he had been murdered.

### Scripture references

- Matt 23:35: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- "Witness" renders μάρτυς, which also means "martyr".
- Zacharias's death in the temple is the work's reading of Matt 23:35 ("Zechariah … murdered between the sanctuary and the altar").

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 23 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-23).

## Protevangelium of James 24

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-24
- Source: Tischendorf, 1–50
- Translation: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), 2026-09-27

Summary: The priests find Zacharias's blood turned to stone and appoint Simeon in his place; James, the narrator, closes the history.

### Greek text

!^AAAd áwRAOop oi ἱερεῖς elo τὴν ὥραν τοῦ ἄστσασμου, kal οὔκ ἀσσήμτησεν αὑτοῖς κατὰ τὸ é0oc n εὐλογία rou Ζαχαρίου. καὶ ἔστησαν οἵ lepete ττοροσδοκῶμτες τὸν Ζαχαρίαν τοῦ dowdσασθαι αὑτὸν ἐν τῇ εὐχῇ καὶ δοφάσαι τὸν ὕψιστον. *xpop(caproc δὲ αὐτοῦ ἐφοβήθησαν dwayreo: ἀτσοτολμήσας δὲ cio ἐφ αὐτῶν εἰσῆλθεν, καὶ εἶδε wapà τὸ θυσιαστήριον αἷμα ττεσηγὸς καὶ φομὴν ^éyoucay* Ζαχαρίας wedoópeurai, καὶ οὐκ ἐταλειφθέήσεται τὸ αἷμα αὑτοῦ ἔως ἂν ἔλθῃ ὃ ἔκδικος αὑτοῦ. καὶ ἀκούσας τὸν λόγον ἐφοβήθη, καὶ ἐξῆλθε καὶ ἀμήγγειλε roto Ἰερεῦσιν. ὅ καὶ τολμήσαμτες εἴσηλθον καὶ εἶδον τὸ γεγομός, καὶ τὰ φατμώματα Tou μαοῦ ὁλόλυφαν, καὶ αὐτοὶ wepiecxícayro au ἅμοοθεν ἔως κάτου. καὶ τὸ σῶμα αὑτοῦ οὔχ εὕρον, ἀλλ᾽ εὗρον τὸ αἷμα αὕτου λίθον γεγεμημέμοψ. καὶ φοβηθέμτες ἔφηλθον καὶ ἀμήγγειλαν υσαμτὶ τοῦ λαῷ ὅτι Ζαχαρίας τυεφόμευται. καὶ ἥκουσαν πσᾶσαι ai φυλαὶ τοῦ λαοῦ, καὶ ἐσσέμθησαν αὑτὸν καὶ ἐκόψαμτο τρεῖς ἡμέρας καὶ τρεῖς μύκτας. “ὁ μετὰ δὲ rào τρεῖς ἡμέρας ἐβονλεύσαμτο oi iepeio τίμα àpr αὑτοῦ στάσουσιν, καὶ ἀμέβη o κλῆρος ἐστὶ (υμεοῦνʼ οὗτος γὰρ np ὃ χρηματισθεὶς Umó τοῦ ἁγίου τυμεύματος, μὴ ἴδεῖν ᾿θάματον ἔως ἂν ἴδιῃι τὸν Χριστὸν ἐν σαρκί. Ἐγὼ Ἰάκωβος ὃ γράψας τὴν Ἰστορίαν ταύτην Cpy'lepouσαλήν, θορύβου γεμομέμου, ὅτε ὁτελεύτησεν᾽ Ηρώδης, συμέστειλα ἐμαυτὸν ἐν τῇ ἑρήμο ἔωος κατέσσαυσεν ὁ θόρυβος ἐν "Ἰερουσαλέμ, $ogáscoy τὸν δεσσσότην θεὸν τὸν δόμτα μοι τὴν δωρεὰν καὶ τὴν coóíay τοῦ γράψαι τὴν ioropíay ταύτην. ? "Cora δὲ ἢ χάρις μετὰ τῶν φοβουμέμων τὸν κύριον ἡμῶν "lucoUp Χριστόν, ὦ à δότα eio τοὺς αἰῶμας τῶν αἰώμων, aunp.

### English translation (Claude)

But at the hour of the greeting the priests went away, and the blessing of Zacharias did not meet them as was the custom. And the priests stood waiting for Zacharias, to greet him with prayer and to glorify the Most High. But when he delayed, they were all afraid; and one of them took courage and went in, and he saw beside the altar congealed blood, and a voice saying: "Zacharias has been murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped away until his avenger comes." And when he heard the word he was afraid, and went out and reported it to the priests. And they took courage and went in and saw what had happened; and the panelled ceilings of the temple wailed, and they tore their garments from top to bottom. And they did not find his body, but they found his blood turned to stone. And being afraid they went out and reported to all the people that Zacharias had been murdered. And all the tribes of the people heard, and they mourned him and lamented for three days and three nights. And after the three days the priests took counsel whom they should appoint in his place, and the lot fell upon Simeon; for he was the one who had been told by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the Christ in the flesh. [25] And I, James, who wrote this history in Jerusalem, when a commotion arose at the death of Herod, withdrew into the wilderness until the commotion in Jerusalem ceased, glorifying the Master God who gave me the gift and the wisdom to write this history. And grace shall be with those who fear our Lord Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

### Scripture references

- Luke 2:26: allusion, high confidence
- Gen 4:10: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- Chapter 25 (whose heading "XXV" is removed from the text) begins at "[25]", inside this ref.
- Simeon: Luke 2:25–26. The blood crying for an avenger recalls Gen 4:10.
- The claim of authorship by James is the work's own; it is generally regarded as pseudonymous.

### Citation (SBL)

Prot. Jas. 24 (Tischendorf, 1–50; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/protevangelium-iacobi/0/#p-24).