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

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of the Lord the Virgin

       which you took thence.

      17 But he wept bitterly, and the

       priest added, I will cause you both

       to drink the water of the Lord,

       which is for trial, and so your

       iniquity shall be laid open before

       you.—[bitter water that causeth the curse]

      18 Then the priest took the water,

       and made Joseph drink, and sent him

       to a mountainous place,

      19 And he returned perfectly

       well, and all the people wondered

       that his guilt was not discovered.

      20 So the priest said, Since the

       Lord hath not made your sins

       evident, neither do I condemn

       you.

      21 So he sent them away.

      22 Then Joseph took Mary, and

       went to his house, rejoicing and

       praising the God of Israel.

      CHAP. XII.

      1 A decree from Augustus for taxing the Jews.

       5 Joseph puts Mary on an ass, to return to Bethlehem,

       6 she looks sorrowful,

       7 she laughs,

       8 Joseph inquires the cause of each,

       9 she tells him she sees two persons,

       one mourning and the other rejoicing.

       10 The delivery being near, he takes her

       from the ass, and places her in a cave.

      AND it came to pass, that there

       went forth a decree from

       the Emperor Augustus, that all

       the Jews should be taxed, who

       were of Bethlehem in Judaea.

      2 And Joseph said, I will take

       care that my children be taxed;

       but what shall I do with this young

       woman?

      3 To have her taxed as my wife

       I am ashamed; and if I tax her as

       my daughter, all Israel knows she

       is not my daughter.

      4 When the time of the Lord's

       appointment shall come, let him do

       as seems good to him.

      5 And he saddled the ass, and

       put her upon it, and Joseph and

       Simon followed after her, and

       arrived at Bethlehem within three

       miles.

      6 Then Joseph turning about

       saw Mary sorrowful, and said

       within himself, Perhaps she is in

       pain through that which is within

       her.

      7 But when he turned about

       again, he saw her laughing, and

       said to her,

      8 Mary, how happens it, that I

       sometimes see sorrow, and sometimes

       laughter and joy in thy countenance?

      9 And Mary replied to him,

       I see two people with mine eyes,

       the one weeping and mourning,

       the other laughing and rejoicing.

      10 And he went again across

       the way, and Mary said to Joseph,

       Take me down from the ass, for

       that which is in me presses to come

       forth.

      11 But Joseph replied, Whither

       shall I take thee? for the place is

       a desert.

      12 Then said Mary again to Joseph,

       take me down, for that which is

       within me mightily presses me.

      13 And Joseph took her down.

      14 And he found there a cave,

       and let her into it.

      CHAPTER XIII.

      1 Joseph seeks a Hebrew midwife,

       2 perceives the owls stopping in their flight,

       3 the working people at their food not moving,

       8 the sheep standing still,

       9 the shepherd fixed and immoveable,

       10 and kids with their mouths touching

       the water but not drinking.

      AND leaving her and his sons

       in the cave, Joseph went

       forth to seek a Hebrew midwife in

       the village of Bethlehem.

      2 But as I was going (said Joseph),

       I looked up into the air,

       and I saw the clouds astonished,

       and the fowls of the air stopping in

       the midst of their flight.

      3 And I looked down towards

       the earth, and saw a table spread,

       and working people sitting around

       it, but their hands were upon the

       table and they did not move to

       eat.

      4 They who had meat in their

       mouths did not eat.

      5 They who lifted their hands

       up to their heads did not draw

       them back,

      6 And they who lifted them up

       to their mouths did not put any

       thing in;

      7 But all their faces were fixed

       upwards.

      8 And I beheld the sheep dispersed,

       and yet the sheep stood still.

      9 And the shepherd lifted up

       his hand to smite them, and his

       hand continued up.

      10 And I looked unto a river,

       and saw the kids with their mouths

       close to the water, and touching it,

       but they did not drink.

      CHAPTER XIV.

      1 Joseph finds a midwife.

       10 A bright cloud overshadows the cave.

       11 A great light in the cave, gradually

       increases until the infant

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