s Joachim
for being childless.

THE blessed and ever glorious
Virgin Mary, sprung from
the royal race and family of David,
was born in the city of Nazareth,
and educated at Jerusalem, in the
temple of the Lord.

2 Her father's name was Joachim,
and her mother's Anna.
The family of her father was of
Galilee and the city of Nazareth.
The family of her mother was of
Bethlehem.

3 Their lives were plain and
right in the sight of the Lord,
pious and faultless before men;
for they divided all their substance
into three parts;

4 One of which they devoted to
the temple and officers of the
temple; another they distributed
among strangers, and persons in
poor circumstances; and the third
they reserved for themselves and
the uses of their own family.

5 In this manner they lived for
about twenty years chastely, in the
favour of God, and the esteem of
men, without any children.

6 But they vowed, if God should
favour them with any issue, they
would devote it to the service of
the Lord; on which account they
went at every feast in the year to
the temple of the Lord.

7 And it came to pass, that
when the feast of the dedication
drew near, Joachim, with some
others of his tribe, went up to
Jerusalem, and at that time,
Isachar was high-priest;

8 Who, when he saw Joachim
along with the rest of his
neighbours, bringing his offerings,
despised both him and his offerings,
and asked him,

9 Why he, who had no children,
would presume to appear among
those who had? Adding, that his
offerings could never be acceptable
to God, who was judged by him
unworthy to have children; the
Scripture having said, Cursed is
every one who shall not beget a
male in Israel.

10 He further said, that he ought
first to be free from that curse by
begetting some issue, and then
come with his offerings into the
presence of God.

11 But Joachim being much
confounded with the shame of such
reproach, retired to the shepherds
who were with the cattle in their
pastures;

12 For he was not inclined to
return home, lest his neighbours,
who were present and heard all
this from the high-priest, should
publicly reproach him in the same
manner.

CHAPTER II.

1 An angel appears to Joachim,
9 and informs him that Anna shall conceive and
bring forth a daughter, who shall be called Mary,
11 be brought up in the temple,
12 and while yet a virgin, in a way unparalleled,
bring