The Gospel of Matthew

Aquarian Gospel

Chapter Two

Chapter Five

BEYOND the river Euphrates the magians lived; and they were wise, could read the language of the stars, and they divined that one, a master soul, was born; they saw his star above Jerusalem.
 

2) And there were three among the magian priests¹ who longed to see the master of the coming age; and they took costly gifts and hastened to the West in search of him, the newborn king, that they might honor him.
 

3) And one took gold, the symbol of nobility; another myrrh, the symbol of dominion and of power; gum-thus the other took, the symbol of the wisdom of the sage.
 

4) Now when the magians reached Jerusalem the people were amazed, and wondered who they were and why they came.

2: Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.

3: When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him.

6) And Herod sent a courtier forth to bring the magians to his court.

7) And when they came they asked again, Where is the newborn king? And then they said, While yet beyond the Euphrates we saw his star arise, and we have come to honor him.

8) And Herod blanched with fear. He thought, perhaps, the priests were plotting to restore the kingdom of the Jews,
and so he said within himself,
I will know more about this child that has been born a king.

9) And so he told the magian priests to tarry in the city for a while and he would tell them all about the king.

4: And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born

10) He called in council all the Jewish masters of the law and asked,
What have the Jewish prophets said concerning such a one?
 

5: And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for thus it is written by the prophet,

11) The Jewish masters answered him and said, The prophets long ago foretold that one would come to rule the tribes of Israel; that this Messiah would be born in Bethlehem

6: And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

12) They said, The prophet Micah wrote, O Bethlehem Judea, a little place among the Judean hills, yet out of you will one come forth to rule my people, Israel; yea, one who lived in olden times, in very ancient days.
 

7: Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared.

13) Then Herod called the magian priests again and told them what the masters of the Jewish law had said; 

8: And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

9: When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was.
 

10: When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.

11: And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.

15) The magians went their way and found the child with Mary in the shepherd's home.                                                   

16) They honored him; bestowed upon him precious gifts and gave him gold, gum-thus and myrrh.

17) These magian priests could read the hearts of men; they read the wickedness of Herod's heart, and knew that he had sworn to kill the new born king.

18) And so they told the secret to the parents of the child, and bid them flee beyond the reach of harm.

12: And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

19) And then the priests went on their homeward way; they went not through Jerusalem.

13: And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him.

20) And Joseph took the infant Jesus and his mother in the night and fled to Egypt land, and with Elihu and Salome in ancient Zoan they abode.

14: When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt:

15: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Chapter Six

16: Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.
 

NOW, when the magian priests did not return to tell him of the child that had been born a king, King Herod was enraged.
2) And then his courtiers told him of another child in Bethlehem, one born to go before and to prepare the people to receive the king.
3) This angered more and more the king; he called his guards and bid them go to Bethlehem and slay the infant John, as well as Jesus who was born to be a king.
4) He said,
Let no mistake be made, and that you may be sure to slay these claimants to my throne, slay all the male children in the town not yet two years of age.
5) The guards went forth and did as Herod bade them do.
 

17: Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying,

18: In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.
 

6) Elizabeth knew not that Herod sought to slay her son, and she and John were yet in Bethlehem; but when she knew, she took the infant John and hastened to the hills.
7) The murderous guards were near; they pressed upon her hard; but then she knew the secret caves in all the hills, and into one she ran and hid herself and John until the guards were gone.
8) Their cruel task was done; the guards returned and told the story to the king.
9) They said,
We know that we have slain the infant king; but John his harbinger, we could not find.
10) The king was angry with his guards because they failed to slay the infant John; He sent them to the tower in chains.
11) And other guards were sent to Zacharias, father of the harbinger, while he was serving in the Holy Place, to say,
The king demands that you shall tell where is your son.
12) But Zacharias did not know, and he replied,
I am a minister of God, a servant in the Holy Place; how could I know where they have taken him?
13) And when the guards returned and told the king what Zacharias said, he was enraged and said,
14) My guards, go back and tell that wily priest that he is in my hands; that if he does not tell the truth, does not reveal the hiding place of John, his son, then he shall die.
15) The guards went back and told the priest just what the king had said.
16) And Zacharias said, I can but give my life for truth; and if the king does shed my blood the Lord will save my soul.
17) The guards again returned and told the king what Zacharias said.
18) Now, Zacharias stood before the altar in the Holy Place engaged in prayer.
19) A guard approached and with a dagger thrust him through; he fell and died before the curtain of the sanctuary of the Lord.
20) And when the hour of salutation came, for Zacharias daily blessed the priests, he did not come.
21) And after waiting long the priests went to the Holy Place and found the body of the dead.
22) And there was grief, deep grief, in all the land.
 

19: But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
 

23) Now Herod sat upon his throne; he did not seem to move; his courtiers came; the king was dead. His sons reigned in his stead.

20: Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life.

Chapter Seven

21: And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel.

THE son of Herod, Archelaus, reigned in Jerusalem. He was a selfish, cruel king; he put to death all those who did not honor him.
2) He called in council all the wisest men and asked about the infant claimant to his throne.
3) The council said that John and Jesus both were dead; then he was satisfied.
 

4) Now Joseph, Mary and their son were down in Egypt in Zoan, and John was with his mother in the Judean Hills.
5) Elihu and Salome sent messengers in haste to find Elizabeth and John. They found them and they brought them to Zoan.
6) Now, Mary and Elizabeth were marveling much because of their deliverance.
 

7) Elihu said, It is not strange; there are no (random) happenings; law governs all events.
8) From olden times it was ordained that you should be with us, and in this sacred school be taught.
9) Elihu and Salome took Mary and Elizabeth out to the sacred grove nearby where they were wont to teach.
 

The rest of Chapter Seven omitted

(The teachings of Elihu and Salome to Mary and Elizabeth)

Chapters 8 thru 11 omitted

(more teachings to Mary and Elizabeth)

Chapter Twelve

22) Thus closed the lessons of Elihu and Salome. Three years they taught their pupils in the sacred grove, and if their lessons all were written in a book, lo, it would be a mighty book; of what they said we have the sum.

22: But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee:

23) Now, Mary, Joseph and Elizabeth with Jesus and his harbinger, set forth upon their homeward way. They went not by Jerusalem, for Archelaus reigned

23: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

24) They journeyed by the Bitter Sea, and when they reached Engedi hills they rested in the home of Joshua, a near of kin; and here Elizabeth and John abode.
25) But Joseph, Mary and their son went by the Jordan way, and after certain days they reached their home in Nazareth.