Forbidden Gospels and Epistles, Complete

CHAPTER V.

1 Joseph and Mary leave Egypt. 3 Go to the Haunts of rob­bers, 4 Who hear­ing a mighty noise, as of a great army flee away.

NOW Joseph and Mary when they heard that the idol was fall­en down and de­stroyed, were seized with fear and, trem­bling, and said, When we Were in the land of Is­rael, Herod, in­tend­ing to kill Je­sus, slew for that pur­pose all the in­fants at Beth­le­hem, and that neigh­bour­hood.

2 And there is no doubt but the Egyp­tians if they come to hear that this idol is bro­ken and fall­en down, will burn us with fire.

3 They went there­fore hence to the se­cret places of rob­bers, who robbed trav­ellers as they pass by, of their car­riages and their clothes and car­ried them away bound.

4 These thieves up­on their com­ing heard a great noise such as the noise of a king with a great army, and many horse and the trum­pets sound­ing at his de­par­ture from his own city, at which they were so af­fright­ed, as to leave all their booty be­hind them and fly away in haste.

5 Up­on this the pris­on­ers arose, and loosed each oth­er’s bonds, and tak­ing each man his bags, they went way, and saw Joseph and Mary com­ing to­wards them, and in­quired, Where is that king, the noise of whose ap­proach the rob­bers heard, and left us, so that we are now come off safe?

6 Joseph an­swered, He will come af­ter us.