Apocrypha
Arabic Gospel of the Infancy
Infancy of Jesus
1 chapter · read and listen
Reading note
An apocryphal or pseudepigraphal text — outside the canon of the Western churches, yet widely circulated among ancient Jews and Christians. Published here from a public-domain translation, edited for continuous reading.
Chapters
Dossier
The childhood of Jesus told with the flavour of an Eastern tale: cures worked with the water of the child's bath, the cloth of his garment that will not burn, and the two thieves of the cross met as children.
Where this text comes from
Arabic, probably 6th century AD, translated from a Syriac original. It was widely read in the Christian East and is one of the sources of the traditions about Jesus that circulate in the Islamic world.
Why it is not in the Bible
Apocryphal in every tradition.
What you will find
- Jesus speaks while still in the cradle, a scene that also appears in the Qur'an.
- The two men who would be crucified with him appear as robbers who spare the Holy Family during the flight.
- Cures by contact with the child's belongings make up most of the book.
- The closing episode in the temple at twelve, with the doctors discussing astronomy and medicine.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this gospel connected to the Qur'an?
- It shares traditions with it, such as Jesus speaking in the cradle. The relationship is debated: there may be dependence, or both may draw on a common stock of stories circulating in the East.