LUX VERITAS

Apocrypha · Chapter 1 of 4

Nativity of Mary 1

Birth of the Virgin

There was a very rich man, named Joachim, who made his offerings in double quantities.

2Reuben said to Joachim: 'It is not lawful for you to offer your gifts, while you have not begotten offspring in Israel.'

3Joachim was mortified and consulted the archives of Israel to verify the genealogy.

4He found that all the righteous had begotten descendants. He remembered how the Lord gave Isaac to Abraham.

5Joachim was tormented, withdrew to the desert and fasted for forty days and forty nights.

6Anna lamented and groaned painfully for her widowhood and barrenness.

7Behold the angel of God appeared, saying: 'Anna, the Lord has heard your prayers! You shall conceive and give birth.'

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Words in this chapter

What these words meant in the original — and where else they appear.

About Nativity of Mary

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.