Chapter 10.
Joseph therefore came from Judæa into
Galilee, intending to marry the virgin who had been betrothed to him;
for already three months had elapsed, and it was the beginning of the
fourth since she had been betrothed to him. In the meantime, it
was evident from her shape that she was pregnant, nor could she conceal
this from Joseph. For in consequence of his being betrothed to
her, coming to her more freely and speaking to her more familiarly, he
found out that she was with child. He began then to be in great
doubt and perplexity, because he did not know what was best for him to
do. For, being a just man, he was not willing to expose her; nor,
being a pious man, to injure her fair fame by a suspicion of
fornication. He came to the conclusion, therefore, privately to
dissolve their contract, and to send her away secretly. And while
he thought on these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to
him in his sleep, saying: Joseph, thou son of David, fear not;
that is, do not have any suspicion of fornication in the virgin, or
think any evil of her; and fear not to take her as thy wife: for
that which is begotten in her, and which now vexes thy soul, is the
work not of man, but of the Holy Spirit. For she alone of all
virgins shall bring forth the Son of God, and thou shalt call His name
Jesus, that is, Saviour; for He shall save His people from their
sins. Therefore Joseph, according to the command of the angel,
took the virgin as his wife; nevertheless he knew her not, but took
care of her, and kept her in chastity.1705
And now the ninth month from her
conception was at
hand, when
Joseph, taking with him his
wife along
with what things he needed, went to Bethlehem, the city from which he
came. And it came to pass, while they were there, that her days
were fulfilled that she should bring forth; and she brought forth her
first-
born son, as the holy
evangelists have shown, our
Lord Jesus
Christ, who with the
Father and the Son
1706
| 1706 Thus in the
original. |
and the Holy
Ghost lives and reigns God from everlasting to
everlasting.
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