Page:Apocryphal Gospels and Other Documents Relating to the History of Christ.djvu/564

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APOCRYPHAL GOSPELS.


APPENDIX.


THE SYRIAC GOSPEL OF THE BOYHOOD OF OUR LORD JESUS.

It will be seen that the following document resembles very closely the first Greek text of the Gospel of Thomas, but it differs in isolated words, contains additional sentences, and omits extensive portions. Dr. William Wright edited this Syriac from a MS. of the sixth century in the British Museum. I have not exactly followed his translation, because it has been made closely literal for critical purposes. Readers who wish for a more minute rendering than the following must consult Dr. Wright's valuable work[1] of which I have made free use with his full concurrence. I believe this to be the most ancient extant form of the so-called Gospel of Thomas; I have therefore thought it would be interesting to the student who wishes to see the different forms of these documents. The quotations from St. Luke ii. 41-52, in chap, xv., are not made from either the Peshito, Curetonian, or Heraclean Syriac; although the translator may have known the first and second of these.

  1. Contributions to the Apocryphal Literature of the New Testament, collected from Syriac MSS. in the British Museum, and edited with an English translation and notes by AV. Wright, LL.D., &c. — 8vo. London, 1865.