Illuminated Syriac Bible

Again, we begin to write some stories that went forth from the Gospel of His birth, and from the history of Joseph the Carpenter, and from the teaching of Mar Ephrem, and of Mar Jacob, and of others, concerning the birth of our Lord, and concerning the Magi, and concerning the flight to Egypt, and concerning the slaughter of the children, and concerning other matters that happened in that time. Our Lord, help me by Your mercies. Amen.

For Joseph the Carpenter was of the tribe of Judah, and of the House of David. And he was a righteous man and feared God. And he had four sons: Jacob, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas; and two daughters: Mary and Salome. And his wife died, and he remained a widower. And when he was eighty years old, Mary came from the Temple of the Lord, and she was given to him for guardianship. And when she had been in his house for six months, she conceived from the Holy Spirit. And when Joseph saw that she was pregnant, he was troubled and afraid. And he said in his soul, "How shall I cover up the sin of this [one], or how shall I cast her out?" And he thought to divorce her secretly. And the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife. For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus. For He shall save His people from their sins."

to the wilderness. And they went forth, thing from thing. The separated ones and the travelers to the wilderness to seek and to see what had happened. And for everything that they were seeking, by the power of Mary herself, it was known and they spoke to them. And they were convinced concerning the Virgin. And it was known to them by the blessed Joseph. And Joseph arose and went out from the city of Nazareth. And he brought Mary to his house. And he found her while she was praying. And he said to her, "Peace be to you, daughter of David." And she did not answer him a word. And he said to her again, "What is this that I see in you, my daughter? Why have you made yourself sad? You who were glorious in the temple of the Lord, have you committed any sin?" And she wept and said, "As the Lord God lives, I am a virgin, and I know nothing." And Joseph was in great fear. And he said, "What shall I do? If I conceal it, I find [I am party to] sin. And if I reveal it, because it is from an angel, I am pained for the blood of the innocent." And he went out from before her and went to the wilderness. And he was there for one day. And in the night, the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said to him, "Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary your wife. For that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. And she shall bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus." And when Joseph awoke from his sleep, he praised God who saved him from an evil thought. And he rejoiced in Mary the Virgin. And he found rest from his distress. And in that time, a decree went forth from Augustus Caesar that the whole world should be registered. And this first registration was in the administration of Quirinius in Syria. And everyone was going to be registered in his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was from his house and from his lineage of David, to be registered with Mary, who was betrothed to him, while she was pregnant. And when they were there, her days were fulfilled to give birth. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn. And there were shepherds in that same region, who were watching and keeping the night watch over their flock. And behold, the angel of the Lord came to them, and the glory of the Lord shone upon them, and they feared a great fear. And the angel said to them, "Do not fear. For behold, I bring you great joy, which shall be for all the world. For there is born to you today a Savior, who is the Lord Messiah, in the city of David. And this is a sign for you: you shall find the infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and placed in a manger." And suddenly there appeared with the angel a great host of heaven, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, and good hope to human beings."