THE FIRST GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY OF JESUS CHRIST.

FORBIDDEN BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

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 annoints 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.

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