The Essential Gnostic Gospels: Including the Gospel of Thomas and the Gospel of Mary Magdalene

The Gnostics were early Christians whose beliefs and practices put them at odds with the orthodox Church; indeed, the Church considered Gnostics to be heretics and made a concerted effort to destroy their writings. However, in 1945, a remarkable discovery was made in Nag Hamadi, in the Egyptian desert: a jar containing 13 papyrus documents, dating back to the fourth century ad, with genuine Gnostic texts in the original Greek. In addition, this manuscript included four gospels that offered accounts of Jesus and His times that are strikingly different from the New Testament. Alan Jacobs brings his unrivalled scholarship to bear on these illuminating and eye-opening works, offering inspiring and poetic translations that capture the verses’ uplifting spiritual message and beauty.