Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New TestamentWhile most people think that the twenty-seven books of the New Testament are the only sacred writings of the early Christians, this is not at all the case. A companion volume to Bart Ehrman's Lost Christianities, this book offers an anthology of up-to-date and readable translations of many non-canonical writings from the first centuries after Christ--texts that have been for the most part lost or neglected for almost two millennia. Here is an array of remarkably varied writings from early Christian groups whose visions of Jesus differ dramatically from our contemporary understanding. Readers will find Gospels supposedly authored by the apostle Philip, James the brother of Jesus, Mary Magdalen, and others. There are Acts originally ascribed to John and to Thecla, Paul's female companion; there are Epistles allegedly written by Paul to the Roman philosopher Seneca. And there is an apocalypse by Simon Peter that offers a guided tour of the afterlife, both the glorious ecstasies of the saints and the horrendous torments of the damned, and an Epistle by Titus, a companion of Paul, which argues page after page against sexual love, even within marriage, on the grounds that physical intimacy leads to damnation. In all, the anthology includes fifteen Gospels, five non-canonical Acts of the Apostles, thirteen Epistles, a number of Apocalypses and Secret Books, and several Canon lists. Ehrman has included a general introduction, plus brief introductions to each piece. This important anthology gives readers a vivid picture of the range of beliefs that battled each other in the first centuries of the Christian era. |
Contents
1 | |
7 | |
9 | |
12 | |
15 | |
17 | |
The Coptic Gospel of Thomas | 19 |
The Unknown Gospel | 29 |
The Correspondence Between Paul and Seneca | 160 |
Pauls Letter to the Laodiceans | 165 |
The Letter of 1 Clement | 167 |
The Letter of 2 Clement | 185 |
The Letter of Peter to James and its Reception | 191 |
The Homilies of Clement | 195 |
Ptolemys Letter to Flora | 201 |
The Treatise on the Resurrection | 207 |
The Gospel of Peter | 31 |
The Gospel of Mary | 35 |
The Gospel of Philip | 38 |
The Gospel of Truth | 45 |
The Gospel of the Savior | 52 |
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas | 57 |
The ProtoGospel of James | 63 |
The Epistle of the Apostles | 73 |
The Coptic Apocalypse of Peter | 78 |
The Second Treatise of the Great Seth | 82 |
The Secret Gospel of Mark | 87 |
NONCANONICAL ACTS OF THE APOSTLES | 91 |
The Acts of John | 93 |
The Acts of Paul | 109 |
The Acts of Thecla | 113 |
The Acts of Thomas | 122 |
The Acts of Peter | 135 |
NONCANONICAL EPISTLES AND RELATED WRITINGS | 155 |
The Third Letter to the Corinthians | 157 |
The Didache | 211 |
The Letter of Barnabas | 219 |
The Preaching of Peter | 236 |
PseudoTitus | 239 |
NONCANONICAL APOCALYPSES AND REVELATORY TREATISES | 249 |
The Shepherdof Hermas | 251 |
The Apocalypse of Peter | 280 |
The Apocalypse of Paul | 288 |
The Secret Book of John | 297 |
On the Origin of the World | 307 |
The First Thought in Three Forms | 316 |
The Hymn of the Pearl | 324 |
CANONICAL LISTS | 329 |
The Muratorian Canon | 331 |
The Canon of Origen of Alexandria | 334 |
The Canon of Eusebius | 337 |
The Canon of Athanasius of Alexandria | 339 |
The Canon of the Third Synod of Carthage | 341 |
Other editions - View all
Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament Bart D. Ehrman Limited preview - 2003 |
Lost Scriptures: Books that Did Not Make It Into the New Testament Bart D. Ehrman Limited preview - 2005 |
Lost Scriptures:Books that Did Not Make It into the New Testament: Books ... Bart D. Ehrman No preview available - 2003 |
Common terms and phrases
able according Acts aeon angel answered apostle appeared asked became become believe blessed body bring brother brought called canon cast century child Christ Christian church coming commandments complete concerning created darkness dead death deeds dwell earth enter eternal everything evil exist faith Father fear fire flesh gave give given glory Gospel hand hear heard heart heaven holy human Jesus Jesus Christ John king knowledge known leave letter light living looked Lord Lost master means mind Moses mother Paul perfect person Peter prophet raised received repent replied rest revealed saved says seen sent servant Simon sins slave soul speak Spirit spoke stand suffer teaching Testament things thought took truth turn voice whole wish writings written young