Compilation of little-known and never-before-published apocryphal Christian texts in English translation
This anthology of ancient nonbiblical Christian literature presents informed introductions to and readable translations of a wide range of little-known apocryphal texts, most of which have never before been translated into any modern language.
An introduction to the volume as a whole addresses the most significant features of the writings included and contextualizes them within the contemporary study of the Christian Apocrypha. The body of the book comprises thirty texts that have been carefully introduced, copiously annotated, and translated into English by eminent scholars. With dates of composition ranging from the second century CE to early in the second millennium, these fascinating texts provide a more complete picture of Christian thought and expression than canonical texts alone can offer.

Tony Burke is professor of humanities at York University. His academic interests include the study of Christian biographical literature of the second century (infancy gospels), children and the family in Roman antiquity, curses, and noncanonical Jewish and Christian writings.

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Bart D. Ehrman
— University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
"In this masterful volume we find that greatest of rarities—a collection of ancient texts scarcely known (let alone studied) by scholars of Christian antiquity. With these fresh translations of some thirty apocryphal works, each with a gratifyingly full introduction and bibliography, Burke, Landau, and all the contributors have provided us with a rigorous but highly accessible volume that will long prove to be a scholarly vade mecum."
April D. DeConick
— Rice University
"A treasure trove of early Christian writings dating from the second century onward. Created by Tony Burke and Brent Landau as a supplement to more traditional collections of apocryphal literature, this book contains amazing stories from the Christian imagination about Jesus and other biblical characters whose legends were popular witnesses to the Christian faith in late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Many of the texts introduced and translated here are being made available to us for the first time. A must-have collection."
Paul Foster
— University of Edinburgh
"Magnificent. . . . The thirty writings brought together here present a fascinating snapshot of the concerns, interests, and piety of various early believers expressed in the form of literary texts. This volume will become a standard work in the field; serious scholars of early Christianity and interested readers will learn much while being entertained and captivated by these enigmatic ancient texts."
Andrew Gregory
— University College, Oxford
"This fine collection brings together thirty recently published or long known but often neglected Christian texts, variously inspired by or responding to characters or events presented in the books of the New Testament, together with one Jewish parody of the life of Jesus. Editors and contributors alike are to be congratulated on their achievement, which paves the way for a wider appreciation and understanding of these varied, fascinating, and sometimes surprising texts, some of which may at times have been more popular than their biblical counterparts."
— Expository Times
"A wonderful collection of English translations and introductions to 30 almost completely unknown extracanonical writings. . . . Unlike those in many other US handbooks, the bibliographies show a clear awareness of German, French, Italian, Spanish and even Russian secondary literature."