Protoevangelium of James 6

¹ And day by day, the child grew stronger. When she was six months old, her mother stood her on the ground to test whether she could stand. And walking seven steps, she came to her mother’s breast, and her mother caught her up, saying, “As the Lord my God lives, you won’t walk on this ground again until I bring you into the Temple of the Lord.” And she made a sanctuary in her bedroom and didn’t allow anything sacrilegious or impure to pass through it. And she called the pure daughters of the Hebrews, and they played with her. (PJA) ² And when the child grew to be a year old, Joachim made a great feast, and called the chief priests, and the priests, and the scribes, and the elders, and all the people of Israel. And Joachim brought the child to the priests, and they blessed her, saying, “God of our ancestors, bless this child and give her a name that’ll be spoken forever among all generations.” And all the people said, “So be it. Amen!” And they brought her to the chief priests, and they blessed her, saying, “Most High God, look upon this child, and bless her with a final blessing which can’t be surpassed.” (PJA) ^3a And her mother took her up to the sanctuary of her bedroom and gave her breast to the child. And Anna made a song to the Lord God, saying: “I’ll sing a holy song to the Lord my God, because God has visited me, and has removed the criticism of my enemies. “And the Lord God has given me the fruit of God’s justice, singular yet manifold before God. (PJA) ^3b “Who will report to Reubel’s people that Anna nurses a child? ‘Listen, listen, twelve tribes of Israel: Anna nurses a child!’” And Anna rested in the sanctuary of her bedroom. And she went and ministered to them. When dinner was finished, they went down rejoicing and glorifying the God of Israel. (PJA)