'The Flight into Egypt' is the story of the first ten years of the life of Jesus, about which the Bible tells us nothing. The narrator is Jesus's older brother, James. During a ten day walk across the desert to escape Herod's soldiers the family witnesses a first display of divine power by the infant Jesus, and a first attack by the jealous Egyptian gods. They settle for four years in Memphis, the second city of an Egypt. During this time, on the way home from a country wedding, Mary, Jesus's mother, is bitten by a snake and dies. James has to descend into the fearsome Egyptian underworld to ask Lord Osiris to restore her to life. Immediately afterwards Roman soldiers discover the family's whereabouts and again they have to flee. After a desert journey on camels they reach Alexandria, the Mediterranean's foremost city, ruled from Rome but culturally Greek.

Protected by a wealthy gay Egyptian couple the family begins to put down roots. Jesus is educated by Greek philosophers at the famous Library, Mary starts a business and has another child, and Joseph and James find work in the city. But at the age of ten Jesus, becoming aware of his divine mission and overcome by pity, heals a group of diseased beggars in a square in Alexandria. The family has to go into hiding. They get news that Herod has at last died, and plan to take ship for Joppa to return home, but not before Jesus has a fateful face-to-face meeting with Lord Osiris, and the Roman military spring one last surprise.