The Protevangelion — True Church Edition
The Protevangelion 16
1THEN 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.
2But 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.
3Elizabeth 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;
4And there was no secret place to be found.
5Then she groaned within herself, and said, O mountain of the Lord, receive the mother with the child.
6For Elizabeth could not climb up.
7And instantly the mountain was divided and received them.
8And 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, Where hast thou hid thy son?
10He replied to them, I am a minister of God, and a servant at the altar; how should I know where my son is?
11So 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 in Israel?
12He 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.
13So the servants went and told him all this:
14But Zacharias replied to them, I am a martyr for God, and if he shed my blood, the Lord will receive my soul.
15Besides know that ye shed innocent blood.
16However Zacharias was murdered in the entrance of the temple and altar, and about the partition;
17But the children of Israel knew not when he was 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;
19Yet they still continued waiting for him to salute them;
20And 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;
21When, behold, a voice from heaven said, Zacharias is murdered, and his blood shall not be wiped away, until the revenger of his blood come.
22But 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.
23Then the roofs of the temple howled, and were rent from the top to the bottom:
24And they could not find the body, but only blood made hard like stone.
25And they went awry, and told the people, that Zacharias was murdered, and all the tribes of Israel heard thereof, and mourned for him, and lamented three days.
26Then the priests took counsel together concerning a person to succeed him.
27And Simeon and the other priests cast lots, and the lot fell upon Simeon.
28For 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 disturbance ceased at Jerusalem. That which remains is, that I glorify God that he hall; 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.