THE GOSPEL CALLED THE PROTEVANGELION

FORBIDDEN BOOKS OF THE NEW TESTAMENT.

Or, an Historical Account of the BIRTH of CHRIST, and the perpetual
VIRGIN MARY, his Mother, by JAMES THE LESSER, Cousin and Brother
of the Lord Jesus, chief Apostle and first Bishop of the Christians in
Jerusalem.
 

CHAPTER XVI.

1 Herod enraged, orders the infants in Bethlehem to be slain.
2 Mary puts her infant in an ox-manger.
3 Elizabeth flees with her son John to the mountains.
6 A mountain miraculously divides and receives them.
9 Herod incensed at the escape of John, causes Zacharias
to be murdered at the altar.
23 The roofs of the temple rent, the body miraculously
conveyed, and the blood petrified.
25 Israel mourns for him.
27 Simeon chosen his successor by lot.

THEN Herod perceiving that
he was mocked by the wise
men, and being very angry,
commanded certain men to go and
to kill all the children that were
in Bethlehem, from two years old
and under.

2 But Mary hearing that the
children were to be, killed, being
under much fear, took the child,
and wrapped him up in swaddling
clothes, and laid him in an ox-
manger, because there was no
room for them in the inn.

3 Elizabeth also, hearing that
her son John was about to be
searched for; took him and went
up unto the mountains, and looked
around for a place to hide him;

4 And there was no secret place
to be found.

5 Then she groaned within herself,
and said, O mountain of the Lord,
receive the mother with the child.

6 For Elizabeth could not climb up,

7 And instantly the mountain
was divided and received them.

8 And there appeared to them
an angel of the Lord to preserve
them.

9 But Herod made search after
John, and sent servants to Zacharias,
when he was (ministering) at the altar,
and said unto him, Were hast thou hid
thy son?

10 He replied, to them, I am a
minister of God, and a servant at
the altar: how should I know
where my son is?

11 So the servants went back,
and told Herod the whole; at
which he was incensed, and said,
Is not this son of his like to be
king of Israel?

12 He sent therefore again his
servants to Zacharias, saying, Tell
us the truth, where is thy son, for
you know that your life is in my
hand.

13 So the servants went and told
him all this:

14 But Zacharias replied to
them, I am a martyr for God, and
if ye skied my blood, the Lord will
receive my soul.

15 Besides know that ye shed
innocent blood.

16 However Zacharias was murdered
in the entrance of the temple
said altar, and about the partition;

17 But the children of Israel
knew not when he want killed.

18 Then at the hour of salutation
the priests went into the temple
but Zacharias did not according
to custom, meet them and bless them.

19 Yet they still continued
waiting for him to salute them;

20 And when they found he did
not in a long time come, one of
them ventured into the holy place
where the altar was, and he saw
blood lying upon the ground
congealed:

21 When, behold, a voice from
heaven said, Zacharias is murdered,
and his blood shall not be
wiped away, until the revenger
of his blood come.

22 But when he heard this, he
was afraid; and went forth and told
the priests what he had seen and
heard; and they all went in, and
saw the fact.

23 Then the roofs of the temple
howled, and were rent from the
top to the bottom:

24 And they could not find the
body, but only blood made hard
like stone.

25 And they went away, and
told the people, that Zacharias
was murdered, and all the tribes
of Israel heard thereof, and mourned
for him, and lamented three days:

26 Then the priests took
council together concerning
a person to succeed him.

27 And Simeon and the other
priests cast lots, and the lot fell
upon Simeon.

28 For he had been assured by
the Holy Spirit, that he should not
die, till he had seen Christ come in
the flesh.

(I James wrote this History in Jerusalem: and when the disturbance
was I retired into a desert place, until the death of Herod, and the
disturbances ceased at Jerusalem. That which remains is, that I
glorify God that he hath given me such wisdom to write unto you who
are spiritual, and who love God: to whom (be ascribed) glory and
dominion for ever and ever. Amen.)

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