and it was ...to them day or night, they knew that it was the star of a great King whose kingdom was greater than [that of] the kings of the people of the earth. The East believed that they should follow the light of the star, in it ...and the King who was born. They had gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh, and they travelled till they entered the Holy City, and the star departed from them. And they asked the people of the Holy City, saying, "There is a great King born among you; we have seen His star in the East; we have come to worship Him, and we have gifts." Their business reached Herod king of the

f. 119 b

Israelites, and this frightened him; and he asked the priests of the Jews, "Where should the Christ be born when He comes?" They said to him, "In Bethlehem, as God said by the tongue of His prophet Micah, And thou, Bethlehem, shalt not be despised in the dominion of Judah, for out of thee shall come a Prince, and He shall shepherd the people of Israel, and His going forth is from before the days of time." Who was that that was born among the people of the world, O ye company of men, who had signs like this? among the kings of the earth? or among the prophets of God? The Christ was born of a Maiden, and she remained a virgin after she gave Him birth, without any man having touched her. What sign could be greater or better than this? Then a star arose to Him in heaven, its light like the light of the sun. Then the Angels adored Him when He was born and announced to men, "There is born to you this day a Christ a Lord in the city of David." The Angels adore none but God, and His Word and His Spirit. The gifts to the Christ were frankincense. Verily frankincense is brought only to God; and verily gold is brought to kings. Thus the Christ was God of God, and He is the King who shall reign over all nations, and He led them away from error. Everything relating to the Christ was signs and wonders, from the day that He was born and in His mercy raised us up to Heaven, and lifted us up to the light of God and His honour. Praise be to God who lifted us up in the Christ.

David also prophesied by the Holy Ghost, saying, "The Lord