And unto the child her months were added: and the child became two years old. And Joachim said: Let us bring her up to the temple of the Lord that we may pay the promise which we promised; lest the Lord require it of us and our gift become unacceptable. And Anne said: Let us wait until the third year, so that the child may not long after her father or mother. And Joachim said: Let us wait.
And the child became three years old, and Joachim said: Call for the daughters of the Hebrews that are undefiled, and let them take every one a lamp, and let them be burning, that the child turn not backward and her heart be taken captive away from the temple of the Lord. And they did so until they were gone up into the temple of the Lord.
And the priest received her and kissed her and blessed her and said: “The Lord hath magnified thy name among all generations: in thee in the latter days shall the Lord make manifest his redemption unto the children of Israel.” And he made her to sit upon the third step of the altar. And the Lord put grace upon her and she danced with her feet and all the house of Israel loved her.
And her parents sat them down marveling, and praising the Lord God because the child was not turned away backward.
And Mary was in the temple of the Lord as a dove that is nurtured: and she received food from the hand of an angel.
