55 minAudiobook15 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at cost
Audiobook edition · 55 minPaperback · 6 × 9 in · 38 pagesHardcover · 6 × 9 in · 38 pagesAbout this book
Before the familiar nativity scene, this ancient story imagines a childhood set apart for Mary.
The Infancy Gospel of James begins with Joachim and Anna, a childless couple facing grief and shame. According to the story, an angel promises Anna a child, and Mary grows up in the Temple at Jerusalem. Their vow places their daughter at the heart of a life devoted to purity and sacred service.
This anonymous Christian text from the second century names James as its author, though scholars do not accept that claim. It follows Mary into Joseph’s care, through the suspicion surrounding her pregnancy, and toward a cave near Bethlehem. Along the way, it explores questions about her family and early life that Matthew and Luke leave largely unanswered.
What you’ll discover
- Joachim and Anna’s longing Meet the grieving parents whose prayers and promise begin this account of Mary’s life.
- A childhood in the Temple Explore the story’s vivid image of Mary among lamps, sacred vows, and angelic care.
- Joseph’s difficult charge Follow an elderly widower chosen as guardian, then troubled by a pregnancy he cannot explain.
- The cave near Bethlehem Encounter a nativity account shaped by wonder, stillness, and a bewildered midwife’s witness.
- Traditions beyond the Gospels Discover details of Mary’s story that become familiar in Christian art and church feasts.
Who will love it
This is for readers who love the stories behind the stories: lovers of Christian art and feast days, students of early Christianity, and anyone curious about Mary's childhood.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- A rejected gift sends Joachim into the wilderness
- Anna's lament is heard under the laurel tree
- The child Mary is given back to God
- Joseph is chosen by a dove from a rod
- Mary hears a greeting at the well and spins purple
- Pregnancy brings Mary and Joseph before the priests
- The world stops and a child is born in a cave
- What the story means and how it is told
Who’s who
- JoachimA rich and devout man shamed at the Temple for having no child, who fasts in the wilderness and begs God for an answer.
- AnnaJoachim's wife, who mourns her childlessness, prays under a laurel tree, and promises to give any child to the Lord.
- MaryThe long-awaited daughter, raised in the Temple and fed by an angel, who is called to bear a son named Jesus.
- JosephAn older widower with sons, chosen by a sign from a rod to guard Mary, who fears for her and for himself.
- Annas the scribeA Temple scribe who notices Mary's pregnancy and accuses Joseph before the priest.
- SalomeA woman who hears of the virgin birth and insists on testing it for herself.
Formats and delivery
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet, computer or Kindle, with the type as large as you like.
- Large-print eBook
- The same book in bigger, clearer type, from the first page.
- Audiobook
- 55 min, complete, read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas in about 15 minutes, to read today.
- Paperback
- 6 × 9 in, 38 pages: USD 5.95 when you start free, USD 5.95 on its own.
- Hardcover
- 6 × 9 in, 38 pages: USD 13.95 when you start free, USD 13.95 on its own.
- Large print paperback
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
- Large print hardcover
- 8.5 × 11 in. Printing soon: leave your email under Paperback or Hardcover above.
Every printed copy is made when you order it and shipped worldwide; shipping is shown at checkout. The eBook and the audiobook open when the book texts go online.
How it works
- Start free. Nothing to pay today; the eBook of this book is yours to keep.
- Read, listen and print. 200,000+ classics as eBook, large-print eBook, audiobook and 15-minute summary, and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print, 5 accounts for the price of one.
- We remind you first. Free for 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment. Then USD 0.14 a day in your first year on the yearly plan and USD 0.27 a day after, or USD 0.66 a day on the monthly plan. Cancel online in two clicks.
Bought on its own? Every eBook, audiobook and printed book you buy without the plan carries our 30-day money-back guarantee.
The Infancy Gospel of James
by Attributed to James the Just · 150
A childless woman weeps under a laurel tree, and a girl is born who will dance on the temple steps.
Medium levelUnder 2 hours to readEnglish
Excellent
Free for 3 months · starts right away, on any device
Read free3 months free · cancel anytimeFree for 3 months, then USD 0.14 a dayCancel anytimeHow it works
- Read or listen
- Print and large print at cost
- 5 accounts for the price of one
“Woe to me, to what can I compare myself?”
In short
What happens to a woman who is told she is cursed because she has no child? In this ancient story, Anna sits under a laurel tree, looks up at a nest of sparrows, and weeps that even the birds and the waters are fruitful while she is not.
The Infancy Gospel of James at a glance
- Reading time
- About 20 min20 min fast, 25 min slow
- Length
- 5,260 words24 chapters
- Pages
- 38 pages
- Library level
- Medium longer sentences, everyday words
- First published
- about AD 150by Attributed to James the Just
Reading time at 238 words a minute (fast 300, slow 200). How long the classics take to read · Updated
Keep listening. The whole audiobook, 55 min, and 200,000+ more, free to start. Renews every year; cancel anytime.
Listen freeOr hold it in print: paperback, hardcover or large print, at costFrom the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
A rejected gift sends Joachim into the wilderness
The story opens with a rich man named Joachim. He divides his offerings in two, one share for the people and one for the Lord. Everyone can see that he is generous and devout.
Then the great day of the Lord draws near, and the tribes bring their gifts. A man named Reuben stands up and says it is not lawful for Joachim to give before others, since he has raised up no offspring in Israel. In front of the crowd, his wealth and piety count for nothing.
Free for 3 months · Cancel anytime
You looked at
Which edition is right for me
- eBook
- On your phone, tablet or computer. Your place follows you, and you can make the type as big as you like.
- Audiobook
- For the walk, the drive and the evening. Read by Lucas Linden.
- 15-minute summary
- The key ideas of the whole book in about 15 minutes. A good first look, or a refresher.
- Paperback
- Light and easy to carry. A real book for the bedside table and the beach.
- Hardcover
- Made to last. For the shelf, and for giving.
Details
- First published
- 150
- Language
- English
- Listening time
- 55 min
- Level
- Medium level
- Paperback
- 38 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Hardcover
- 38 pages · 6 × 9 in
- Delivery and returns
- Printed when you order. Usually here in 12 to 14 days.Arrives Fri 13 Nov to Thu 19 Novto United States, printed for you at cost
For Christmas, order by Thu 12 Nov
Cite this edition
James the Just. The Infancy Gospel of James. Library of Alexandria, 2026, libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-infancy-gospel-of-james.
James the Just. (2026). The infancy gospel of James. Library of Alexandria. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-infancy-gospel-of-james (Original work published ca. 150)
James the Just. The Infancy Gospel of James. Library of Alexandria, 2026. https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-infancy-gospel-of-james.
@book{jamesthejust2026infancy,
author = {James the Just},
title = {The Infancy Gospel of James},
publisher = {Library of Alexandria},
year = {2026},
url = {https://libraryofalexandria.com/products/loa-infancy-gospel-of-james},
note = {First published ca. 150}
}
Make it personal
Your own message printed on a page of its own at the front of the book. Free with every printed copy.
Free gifts
USD 580 in free gifts when you start
Every book in every format and in 25 languages, 5 accounts for the price of one. Nothing to pay today.
- 200,000+ classic eBooksIn 25 languages, side by side
USD 170FREE - Every audiobookIn 25 languages, any device
USD 120FREE - 15-minute summariesRead or listen, in 25 languages
USD 60FREE - Print at cost, no markupPaperback, hardcover, large print
USD 60FREE - 5 accounts for the price of oneA shelf for everyone at home
USD 170FREE - A part in rebuilding the libraryNew languages and books for all
FREE
Questions about The Infancy Gospel of James
Can I read it free?
Yes. The first key idea of the 15-minute summary is free with no sign-up. Start free and the whole book is yours for 3 months, with the eBook to keep, plus 200,000+ more classics and any book printed at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print. Nothing to pay today: we email you 7 days before your first payment, and you can cancel online in two clicks.
Can I buy just the printed book?
Yes. The paperback costs USD 5.95 on its own. Start free and you pay the cost of printing: USD 5.95 for this paperback, and any other book at cost as a paperback, hardcover or large print.
How many accounts do I get?
Five, for the price of one: you and 4 more people, each with their own login, shelf and their own place in every book.
Can I cancel anytime?
Yes. Cancel online in two clicks at any time and nothing more is charged. Nothing is charged in your first 3 months, and we email you 7 days before your first payment.
What is the Infancy Gospel of James about?
It tells the story of Mary's birth to the childless Joachim and Anna, her childhood in the Temple, her betrothal to Joseph, the annunciation, her trial before the priests and the birth of Jesus in a cave near Bethlehem.
Who wrote the Infancy Gospel of James and when?
The text names James, the brother of Jesus, as its author, but most scholars do not accept this. They place it in the second century and think an unknown Greek-speaking Christian wrote it, drawing on older traditions.
Why is the Infancy Gospel of James not in the Bible?
Church leaders who settled the New Testament list did not include it, since it was seen as a later account about Mary and not an apostolic writing. Even so, many Christians kept reading it, and it shaped feasts and art.
More like this
Our mission
The library burned once. We are building it back.
Every great book, in every language and every format, for every family. Every plan helps pay for new languages, new audiobooks and books for readers who have never had them. Join the movement.
Read our story- Every language25 languages today, side by side, and more every year
- No wastePrinted on demand: no warehouses, no unsold stock, no pulped copies
- For everyonePaperback, hardcover and large print at the cost of printing
