Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/182

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APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.

CHAPTER XXVII.

And it came to pass after these things, that in the sight of all, Jesus took mud from the pools which he had made, and made twelve sparrows out of it. Now it was the Sabbath when Jesus did this, and there were many children with him. When therefore, one of the Jews had seen him do this, he said to Joseph, Joseph, seest thou not that the child Jesus worketh on the Sabbath, which it is not lawful for him to do? for he hath made twelve sparrows of mud. When he heard this, Joseph reproved him, saying, Why doest thou, on the Sabbath, such things as it is not lawful for us to do? And Jesus, hearing Joseph, and clapping his hands together, said to the sparrows, Fly! and at the voice of his command they began to fly. And as all who stood there saw and heard, he said to the birds, Go and fly through the globe and all the world, and live! Now when they who were there saw such signs, they were filled with great amazement. Some praised him and admired him; but others blamed him. And some went away to the chief priests, and to the chiefs of the Pharisees, and told them that Jesus the son of Joseph had done great signs and miracles in sight of all the people of Israel. And this was published among the twelve tribes of Israel.[1]

  1. The constant assumption of the continued integrity of the twelve