Levi - The Aquarian Gospel of Jesus the Christ

5 And strangers took the little one and wrapped him in the dainty robes that Mary had prepared and laid him in a trough from which the beasts of burden fed.

6 Three persons clad in snow-white robes came in and stood before the child and said,

7 All strength, all wisdom and all love be yours, Immanuel.

8 Now, on the hills of Bethlehem were many flocks of sheep with shepherds guarding them.

9 The shepherds were devout, were men of prayer, and they were waiting for a strong deliverer to come.

10 And when the child of promise came a man in snow-white robe appeared to them, and they fell back in fear. The man stood forth and said,

11 Fear not! behold I bring you joyful news. At midnight in a cave in Bethlehem was born the prophet and the king that you have long been waiting for.

12 And then the shepherds all were glad; they felt that all the hills were filled with messengers of light, who said,

13 All glory be to God on high; peace, peace on earth, good will to men.

14 And then the shepherds came with haste to Bethlehem and to the cave, that they might see and honor him whom men had called Immanuel.

15 Now, when the morning came, a shepherdess whose home was near, prepared a room for Mary, Joseph and the child; and here they tarried many days.

16 And Joseph sent a messenger in haste to Zacharias and Elizabeth to say, The child is born in Bethlehem.

17 And Zacharias and Elizabeth took John and came to Bethlehem with words of cheer.

18 And Mary and Elizabeth recounted all the wondrous things that had transpired. The people joined with them in praising God.

19 According to the custom of the Jews, the child was circumcised; and when they asked, What will you call the child? the mother said, His name is Jesus, as the man of God declared.

Consecration of Jesus. Mary offers sacrifices. Simeon and Anna prophesy. Anna is rebuked for worshipping the child. The family returns to Bethlehem.

Now, Mary took her son, when he was forty days of age, up to the temple in Jerusalem, and he was consecrated by the priest.

2 And then she offered purifying sacrifices for herself, according to the custom of the Jews; a lamb and two young turtle doves.

3 A pious Jew named Simeon was in the temple serving God.

4 From early youth he had been looking for Immanuel to come, and he had prayed to God that he might not depart until his eyes had seen Messiah in the flesh.

5 And when he saw the infant Jesus he rejoiced and said, I now am ready to depart in peace, for I have seen the king.

6 And then he took the infant in his arms and said, Behold, this child will bring a sword upon my people, Israel, and all the world; but he will break the sword and then the nations will learn war no more.

7 The master’s cross I see upon the forehead of this child, and he will conquer by this sign.

8 And in the temple was a widow, four and eighty years of age, and she departed not, but night and day she worshipped God.

9 And when she saw the infant Jesus she exclaimed, Behold Immanuel! Behold the signet cross of the Messiah on his brow!

10 And then the woman knelt to worship him, as God with us, Immanuel; but one, a master clothed in white, appeared and said,

11 Good woman, stay; take heed to what you do; you may not worship man; this is idolatry.

12 This child is man, the son of man, and worthy of all praise. You shall adore and worship God; him only shall you serve.

13 The woman rose and bowed her head in thankfulness and worshipped God.

14 And Mary took the infant Jesus and returned to Bethlehem.

Three magian priests honor Jesus. Herod is alarmed. Calls a council of the Jews. Is told that prophets had foretold the coming of a king. Herod resolves to kill the child. Mary and Joseph take Jesus and flee into Egypt.

Beyond the river Euphrates the magians lived; and they were wise, could read the language of the stars and they divined that one, a master soul, was born; they saw his star above Jerusalem.

2 And there were three among the magian priests who longed to see the master of the coming age; and they took costly gifts and hastened to the West in search of him, the new-born king, that they might honor him.

3 And one took gold, the symbol of nobility; another myrrh, the symbol of dominion and of power; gum-thus the other took, the symbol of the wisdom of the sage.

4 Now when the magians reached Jerusalem the people were amazed, and wondered who they were and why they came.

5 And when they asked, Where is the child that has been born a king? the very throne of Herod seemed to shake.

6 And Herod sent a courtier forth to bring the magians to his court.

7 And when they came they asked again, Where is the new born king? And then they said, While yet beyond the Euphrates we saw his star arise, and we have come to honor him.

8 And Herod blanched with fear. He thought, perhaps, the priests were plotting to restore the kingdom of the Jews, and so he said within himself, I will know more about this child that has been born a king.

9 And so he told the magian priests to tarry in the city for a while and he would tell them all about the king.

10 He called in council all the Jewish masters of the law and asked, What have the Jewish prophets said concerning such a one?

11 The Jewish masters answered him and said, The prophets long ago foretold that one would come to rule the tribes of Israel; that this Messiah would be born in Bethlehem.

12 They said, The prophet Micah wrote, O Bethlehem Judea, a little place among the Judean hills, yet out of you will one come forth to rule my people, Israel; yea, one who lived in olden times, in very ancient days.

13 Then Herod called the magian priests again and told them what the masters of the Jewish law had said; and then he sent them on the way to Bethlehem.

14 He said, Go search, and if you find the child that has been born a king, return and tell me all, that I may go and honor him.

15 The magians went their way and found the child with Mary in the shepherd’s home.

16 They honored him; bestowed upon him precious gifts and gave him gold, gum-thus and myrrh.

17 These magian priests could read the hearts of men; they read the wickedness of Herod’s heart, and knew that he had sworn to kill the new born king.

18 And so they told the secret to the parents of the child, and bid them flee beyond the reach of harm.

19 And then the priests went on their homeward way; they went not through Jerusalem.

20 And Joseph took the infant Jesus and his mother in the night and fled to Egypt land, and with Elihu and Salome in ancient Zoan they abode.

Herod learns of the supposed mission of John. The infants of Bethlehem are massacred by Herod’s order. Elizabeth escapes with John. Because Zacharias cannot tell where his son is hidden, he is murdered. Herod dies.

Now, when the magian priests did not return to tell him of the child that had been born a king, King Herod was enraged.

2 And then his courtiers told him of another child in Bethlehem, one born to go before and to prepare the people to receive the king.

3 This angered more and more the king; he called his guards and bid them go to Bethlehem and slay the infant John, as well as Jesus who was born to be a king.

4 He said, Let no mistake be made, and that you may be sure to slay these claimants to my throne, slay all male children in the town not yet two years of age.

5 The guards went forth and did as Herod bade them do.

6 Elizabeth knew not that Herod sought to slay her son, and she and John were yet in Bethlehem; but when she knew, she took the infant John and hastened to the hills.