Ante-Nicene Fathers/Volume VIII/Apocrypha of the New Testament/The Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew/Chapter 10

Chapter 10.

While these things were doing, Joseph was occupied with his work, house-building, in the districts by the sea-shore; for he was a carpenter.&#160; And after nine months he came back to his house, and found Mary pregnant.&#160; Wherefore, being in the utmost distress, he trembled and cried out, saying:&#160; O Lord God, receive my spirit; for it is better for me to die than to live any longer.&#160; And the virgins who were with Mary said to him:&#160; Joseph, what art thou saying?&#160; We know that no man has touched her; we can testify that she is still a virgin, and untouched.&#160; We have watched over her; always has she continued with us in prayer; daily do the angels of God speak with her; daily does she receive food from the hand of the Lord.&#160; We know not how it is possible that there can be any sin in her.&#160; But if thou wishest us to tell thee what we suspect, nobody but the angel of the Lord has made her pregnant.&#160; Then said Joseph:&#160; Why do you mislead me, to believe that an angel of the Lord has made her pregnant?&#160; But it is possible that some one has pretended to be an angel of the Lord, and has beguiled her.&#160; And thus speaking, he wept, and said:&#160; With what face shall I look at the temple of the Lord, or with what face shall I see the priests of God?&#160; What am I to do?&#160; And thus saying, he thought that he would flee, and send her away.