56 mercy to Abraham, and to his seed, for ever." And Mary abode with Elisabeth about three months, and returned to her own house.

57

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be deliver58 ed; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbours and her kindred heard that the Lord had shown great mery toward 59 her; and they rejoiced with her. And it came to pass on the eighth day, that they came to circumcise the child; and would 60 have called him Zachariah, after the name of his father. But

his mother spake and said, "Not so; but he shall be called 61 John." And they said unto her, " There is none among thy 62 kindred that is called by this name.” Then they made signs 63 to his father, how he would have him called. And he beckoned1 for a writing-tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is John." 64 And all wondered. And forthwith his mouth was opened, and 65 his tongue loosed, and he spake and blessed God. And fear

came on all who dwelt round about them: and all these things were reported throughout all the mountainous country of Judea. 66 And all those that heard them, laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What kind of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

67

And his father Zachariah was filled with the holy spirit, 68 and prophesied, saying, "Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel; for he hath regarded, and wrought redemption for his 69 people; and hath raised up an horn of salvation for us, in the 70 house of his servant David; (as he spake by the mouth of his 71 holy prophets, that have been from ancient times :) even sal

vation from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us ; 72 to perform the work of mercy promised to our fathers, and to 73 remember his holy covenant; according to the oath which he 74 sware to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us,

that we, being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, should 75 serve him without fear, by holiness and righteousness before him, all our days?.

76

"And thou, child, shalt be called a prophet of the Most

High: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to pre77 pare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation to his people, 78 by remission of their sins, through the tender mercy1 of our 79 God, by which the day-spring hath visited us, to shine from on high upon those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

80

2

And the child grew, and was strengthened in spirit, and was

in the deserts till the day of his public appearance to Israel. CH. 11. Now it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Cesar Augustus, that all the earth should be en 2 rolled. (Now this first registering was when Cyrenius was 3 governor of Syria*.) And all went to be enrolled, every one 4 to his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and family 5 of David,) to be enrolled with Mary his espoused wife, who 6 was great with child. And it came to pass that, while they

were there, the days were accomplished that she should be de7 livered. And she brought forth her first-born son, and swathed him, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

8

Now there were in the same country shepherds abiding in 9 the field, and keeping night watches over their flock. And, behold, an angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they feared greatly3. 10 And the angel said unto them, “ Fear not : for, behold, I bring

1 Gr. bowels of mercy. 3 Gr. with great fear.

" from on high hath visited us, to enlighten, N.

Which he never was in the time of Herod, and consequently the whole story is a fabrication. Archbishop Newcome to avoid this consequence adopts Lardner's version of the text: "This was the first enrolment of Cyrenius, afterwards governor of Syria." Lard. Cred. ii. 723; a version which would never have been thought of, had it not been to save a hypothesis. That in the text is Mr. Wakefield's. Bishop Chandler and Mr. Bowyer thought the sentence an interpolation. See Newcome's note.

you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all the people : 11 for unto you is born this day in the city of David, a saviour, 12 who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign unto you; 13 ye will find a swathed babe lying in a manger." And sud

denly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly 14 host, praising God, and saying, "Glory to God in the highest heavens, and on earth peace, good-will toward men.”

15

And it came to pass, when the angels were gone away from them into heaven, that the shepherds said one to another, “Let us now go to Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to 16 pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us." And they went with haste, and found Mary and Joseph, and the babe 17 lying in a manger. And when they had seen it, they declared 18 what had been told them concerning this child. And all that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the 19 shepherds. But Mary kept all these things in memory, con20 sidering them in her heart. And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things which they had heard and seen, as it had been told them.

21

22

And when eight days were accomplished for circumcising him', his name was called JESUS; the name given to him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb.

And when the days of their purification2 were accomplished, according to the law of Moses, his parents brought him to Je23 rusalem*, to present him to the Lord; (as it is written in the law of the Lord: "Every male, who first openeth the

the circumcising of the child, R. T. and N.

of his purification, Mss.

The time fixed by law for this ceremony was thirty-three days after the birth. See Lev. xii, 4. They brought him to Jerusalem, therefore they were not afraid of Herod. They returned, ver. 39, to Nazareth, not to Bethlehem, consequently the wise men from the East did not visit Jesus at Bethlehem. They returned to Nazareth because it was their own city: and not, as the pretended Matthew says, because they were warned in a dream, and to fulfil a prophecy which does not exist: Matt. ii. 23. Finally, they went up every year to Jerusalem at the passover, ver. 41; therefore they did not go down into Egypt. Hence it follows that both the accounts cannot be true; and in fact neither of them is worthy of credit.

24 womb, shall be called holy to the Lord;") and to offer a sacrifice, according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, a pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.

25

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and religious, looking for the consolation of Israel: and the holy spirit was upon 26 him. And it was revealed to him by the holy spirit, that he should not see death before he had seen the Lord's Anointed. 27 And he came by the spirit into the temple: and when the pa

rents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him according to 28 the custom of the law, Simeon took him up in his arms, and 29 blessed God, and said, “O sovereign Lord, now lettest thou 30 thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: for mine 31 eyes have seen thy salvation, which thou hast prepared before 32 the face of all people; a light to be revealed to the gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

33

And his father and mother1 wondered at those things which 34 were spoken of him. And Simeon blessed them; and said to Mary his mother, "Behold, this child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel: and for a sign which will be 35 spoken against; (yea a sword will pierce through thine own soul also ;) so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed."

36

And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: (she was far advanced in years, and had lived with an husband seven years from her 37 virginity: and she was now a widow of about eighty-four years, who departed not from the temple, but served God with 38 fastings and prayers night and day:) she also came upon them at the same time, and gave thanks to the Lord, and spake of the child to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem2. And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

39

And Joseph and his mother, R. T.

the redemption of Jerusalem, Mss.

40

41

And the child grew and was strengthened [in spirit], being filled with wisdom: and the favour of God was upon him.

Now his parents went to Jerusalem every year at the feast 42 of the passover. And when he was twelve years old, after they had gone up [to Jerusalem] according to the custom of the 43 feast, and had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus remained in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother' 44 knew it not:. but having supposed him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey: and they sought him among 45 their kindred and2 acquaintance: and when they found him3 46 not, they returned to Jerusalem, seeking him. And it came

66

to pass that, after three days, they found him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both hearing them and ask47 ing them questions. And all that heard him were astonished 48 at his understanding and answers. And when his parents saw him, they were amazed: and his mother said unto him, “ Child, why hast thou done thus unto us? behold, thy father and I 49 have sought thee sorrowing." And he said unto them, “How is it that ye sought me? knew ye not that I must needs be in 50 my Father's house?" But they understood not the thing 51 which he spake unto them. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject to them: and his mother kept all these things in her heart.

52

And Jesus advanced in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and men*.

CH.111. Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Ce

sar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias te2 trarch of Abilene, Annas being high-priest, and Caiaphas*,

1 and his parents, Mss.

among, R. T. 3 him, R. T. 4 Annas and Caiaphas being high priests, R. T. and N. t.

*This observation is very just, if Jesus was a human being in all respects like his brethren; but very absurd upon the supposition that he was the true God, or the greatest of all created beings, the maker and governor of the world.