Protevangelium of James 1

Pseudonymously attributed to James, brother of Jesus; actual author unknown, likely composed in the mid-to-late 2nd century AD. An early devotional account of Mary's birth, childhood, and the nativity of Jesus, hugely influential on later Marian tradition and iconography.

1In the histories of the twelve tribes of Israel it is written that there was one Ioacim, exceeding rich: and he offered his gifts twofold, saying: That which is of my superfluity shall be for the whole people, and that which is for my forgiveness shall be for the Lord, for a propitiation unto me.

Ἐν ταῖς ἱστορίαις τῶν δώδεκα φυλῶν τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ ἦν Ἰωακείμ, πλούσιος σφόδρα, καὶ προσέφερε τὰ δῶρα αὐτοῦ διπλᾶ, λέγων· ἔσται τῆς περιουσίας μου παντὶ τῷ λαῷ, καὶ τὸ τῆς ἀφέσεώς μου κυρίῳ εἰς ἱλασμὸν ἐμοί. (23898)

2Now the great day of the Lord drew nigh and the children of Israel offered their gifts. And Reuben stood over against him saying: It is not lawful for thee to offer thy gifts first, forasmuch as thou hast gotten no seed in Israel.

Ἤγγικεν δὲ ἡ ἡμέρα κυρίου ἡ μεγάλη, καὶ προσέφερον οἱ υἱοὶ Ἰσραὴλ τὰ δῶρα αὐτῶν. καὶ ἔστη κατεμπρόσθιον αὐτοῦ Ῥουβὶμ λέγων· οὐκ ἔξεστίν σοι πρῶτον προσενεγκεῖν τὰ δῶρά σου, καθότι σπέρμα οὐκ ἐποίησας ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. (19110)

3And Ioacim was sore grieved, and went unto the record of the twelve tribes of the people, saying: I will look upon the record of the twelve tribes of Israel, whether I only have not gotten seed in Israel. And he searched, and found concerning all the righteous that they had raised up seed in Israel. And he remembered the patriarch Abraham, how in the last days God gave him a son, even Isaac.

Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Ἰωακεὶμ σφόδρα, καὶ ἀπίει εἰς τὴν δωδεκάφυλον τοῦ λαοῦ λέγων· θεάσομαι τὴν δωδεκάφυλον τοῦ Ἰσραήλ, εἰ ἐγὼ μόνος οὐκ ἐποίησα σπέρμα ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ. καὶ ἠρεύνησε, καὶ εὗρε πάντας τοὺς δικαίους ὅτι σπέρμα ἀνέστησαν ἐν τῷ Ἰσραήλ· καὶ ἐμνήσθη τοῦ πατριάρχου Ἀβραάμ, ὅτι ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ἔδωκεν αὐτῷ ὁ θεὸς υἱὸν τὸν Ἰσαάκ. (30479)

4And Ioacim was sore grieved, and showed not himself to his wife, but betook himself into the wilderness, and pitched his tent there, and fasted forty days and forty nights, saying within himself: I will not go down either for meat or for drink until the Lord my God visit me, and my prayer shall be unto me meat and drink.

Καὶ ἐλυπήθη Ἰωακεὶμ σφόδρα, καὶ οὐκ ἐφάνη τῇ γυναικὶ αὐτοῦ· ἀλλ᾽ ἔδωκεν ἑαυτὸν εἰς τὴν ἔρημον κἀκεῖ ἔπηξε τὴν σκηνὴν αὐτοῦ, καὶ ἐνήστευσεν ἡμέρας τεσσαράκοντα καὶ νύκτας τεσσαράκοντα, λέγων ἐν ἑαυτῷ· οὐ καταβήσομαι οὔτε ἐπὶ βρωτὸν οὔτε ἐπὶ ποτὸν ἕως οὗ ἐπισκέψεταί με κύριος ὁ θεός μου, καὶ ἔσται μου ἡ εὐχὴ βρῶμα καὶ πόμα. (30159)