The History of Joseph the Carpenter (Historia Josephi Fabri Lignari) is a compilation of traditions concerning Mary (mother of Jesus), Joseph, and the Holy Family, probably composed in Byzantine Egypt in Greek in the late sixth or early seventh centuries, but surviving only in Coptic and Arabic language translation[1] (apart from several Greek papyrus fragments[2]).
Agreeing with Mary's continued virginity, the text proclaims that Joseph had four sons (Judas, Justus, James, and Simon) and two daughters (Assia and Lydia) by a previous marriage.
After this basic background, the text proceeds to paraphrase the Gospel of James, stopping at the point of Jesus' birth.
[3] The first English translation of the Ethiopic manuscript was published by E. A. W. Budge in 1896 (The Life and Exploits of Alexander the Great, vol.
555-584), while the first English translation of the Greek manuscript was published by W. A. Craigie (The Narrative of Zosimus Concerning the Life of the Blessed, ANF 10, pp.