The status of the apocryphal (or deuterocanonical) books has been one of the longstanding areas of disagreement among various Christian traditions. David deSilva suggests, however, that whether one views these books as Scripture (Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Christians) or not (Protestant Christians), these books should be read and studied for their inherent value. The books of the Apocrypha are a witness to faith, specifically the faith of Jewish people living from 200 B.C.E. to 100 C.E. Contemporary Christian readers find these books to be surprisingly relevant. In addition, they provide essential historical background for understanding the Judaism of Jesus\u2019 day and the Jewish matrix of early Christianity.After e ... more
The Apocrypha are sacred writings that were not included in the Jewish Bible. This edition comprises the same 15 books that are in the Latin Vulgate. The books span various genres: some are historical narratives from the period in between the Old and New Testaments, some literary works, and others add to material in the canonical Bible. This is the first time the Apocrypha appears as an independent edition in this translation.
A monumental project which brings the English-speaking work key selections from the remarkable literature of early Christianity -- vertiable trasures of Christian faith and theology in superb translations.
This new anthology of gospel literature contains texts that are not part of the New Testament but are of great importance for the study of Christian origins. Some of these apocryphal gospels are from the Nag Hammadi library, made available only recently. The sixteen texts constitue what remains of the non-canonical gospels form the first and second centuries. They transmit saying of Jesus and relate stories about Jesus.
The books of the Apocrypha are invaluable for our understanding of the inter-testamental period, as well as for the light they shed on Western art and literature.
This revised edition is a translation of the sixth German edition, just as the original English "New Testament Apocrypha" was a translation of the third German edition. The introductions to individual texts have been either completely rewritten or thoroughly revised. This book reflects current research findings. The bibliographical data in all sections has been updated as well. Some of the texts have been newly translated, some completely revised, and three completely new texts have been added. Indexes have been included in this volume that allow access to both volumes of the entire work.
This collection provides a multi-layered analysis of a neglected branch of early Christian apocryphal literature. The introduction takes the reader on the journey of editing, translating, and interpreting apocryphal and hagiographic narratives on the apostles and the first Christians and concludes with a critical examination of two previously unpublished Greek texts.
Comprehensive and careful, this is the first and only full-length commentary on "The Shepherd" in English. The revelations are glimpses of the religious imagination, social world, and moral ideals among early second-century Roman Christians.
