Chapter 1

Premium narration

I, Thomas the Israelite, have thought it needful to make known unto all the brethren that are of the gentiles the mighty childhood deeds which our Lord Jesus Christ wrought after His birth in our country. The beginning thereof is on this wise.

When this boy Jesus was five years old, He was playing at the ford of a brook; and He gathered together the waters that flowed there into pools; and He made them straightway clean; and He commanded them by His word alone.

And having made soft clay, He fashioned thereof twelve sparrows. It was the sabbath day when He did these things; and there were also many other children playing with Him.

But a certain Jew, beholding the things which Jesus did at His play upon the sabbath, departed straightway and told His father Joseph, saying: Behold, Thy boy is at the brook; He hath taken clay and fashioned twelve birds, and hath profaned the sabbath.

Joseph came unto the place; and beholding it, cried out unto Him, saying: Wherefore doest Thou these things on the sabbath, which it is not lawful to do? Jesus clapped His hands together, and cried out unto the sparrows, and said unto them: Go away. The sparrows took flight, and went away chirping.

And the Jews seeing it were astonished; and they departed and told their elders that which they had beheld Jesus do.

Now the son of Annas the scribe was standing there with Joseph; and he took a willow branch, and let out the waters which Jesus had gathered. And Jesus, beholding what was done, was wroth, and said unto him: Thou unrighteous, ungodly, and foolish one — what harm did the pools and the waters do thee? Behold, even now thou shalt wither away as a tree, and shalt bear neither leaves nor root nor fruit. And straightway that lad was withered up wholly. But Jesus departed, and went unto Joseph's house. The parents of him that was withered took him up, mourning his youth, and brought him unto Joseph, and reproached Joseph that he had a son which doeth such things.

After this again He went through the village; and a child ran and dashed against His shoulder. Jesus was provoked, and said unto him: Thou shalt not finish thy course. And straightway he fell down, and died. But certain that beheld it said: Whence was this boy born, since His every word is an accomplished deed? And the parents of the dead child went unto Joseph, blaming him, and saying: Forasmuch as Thou hast such a child, Thou canst not dwell with us in the village; or do Thou teach Him to bless, and not to curse — for He is slaying our children.

Joseph called the young child apart, and admonished Him, saying: Wherefore doest Thou such things, that these suffer and hate us and persecute us? Jesus said: I know that these are not Thy words; nevertheless for Thy sake I shall hold My peace. Yet they shall bear their punishment. And straightway they that accused Him were smitten with blindness.

But beholding what had befallen them, Joseph took hold of His ear, and wrung it sore. The boy was vexed, and said unto him: It sufficeth Thee to seek and not to find; and most unwisely hast thou done. Knowest thou not that I am Thine? Vex Me not.

And as Joseph reproved Him for the things He had done, behold, His mercy was moved; and He stretched forth His hand, and touched the eyes of them that were blind, and they saw. And He raised up the child that had fallen, and the boy that had been withered. And the parents of the children glorified God, saying: This is a great child of God, and a holy one.