The New Testament and Other Early Christian Writings; A Reader

by Ehrman, Bart D.

• ISBN13: 9780195154641
• ISBN10: 0195154649
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-07-31
• Publisher: Oxford University Press

Summary

The twenty-seven books of the New Testament were not the only writings produced by early Christians. Nor were they the only ones to be accepted, at one time or another, as sacred Scripture. Unfortunately, nearly all the other early Christian writings have been lost or destroyed. Butapproximately twenty-five books written at about the same time as the New Testament have survived--books that reveal the rich diversity of early Christian views about God, Jesus, the world, salvation, ethics, and ritual practice. This reader presents, for the first time in one volume, every Christian writing known to have been produced during the first hundred years of the church (30-130 C.E.). In addition to the New Testament itself, it includes other, noncanonical Gospels, Acts, Epistles, and Apocalypses, as well asadditional important writings, such as those of the Apostolic Fathers. Each text is provided in an up-to-date and readable translation (including the NRSV for the New Testament), and introduced with a succinct and incisive discussion of its author, date of composition, and overarching themes. Thissecond edition adds The Martyrdom of Polycarp, an important text that will enhance the collection's utility in the classroom. It also features Ehrman's new, accessible translations of many of the noncanonical works and provides updated introductions that incorporate the most recent scholarship. With an opening overview that shows how the canon of the New Testament came to be formulated--the process by which some Christian books came to be regarded as sacred Scripture whereas others came to be excluded--this accessible reader will meet the needs of students, scholars, and generalreaders alike. An ideal primary text for courses in the New Testament, Christian Origins, and Early Church History, it can be used in conjunction with its companion volume, the author's The New Testament: A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 3/e (OUP, 2003).

Table of Contents

Preface to the Second Edition	vii
Preface to the First Edition	ix
General Introduction	1	(6)
Early Christian Gospels	7	(136)
The Gospel According to Matthew	9	(31)
The Gospel According to Mark	40	(20)
The Gospel According to Luke	60	(32)
The Gospel According to John	92	(24)
The Gospel of Thomas	116	(8)
The Gospel of Peter	124	(3)
The Infancy Gospel of Thomas	127	(4)
The Secret Gospel of Mark	131	(2)
Papyrus Egerton 2: The Unknown Gospel	133	(3)
The Gospel of the Ebionites	136	(2)
The Gospel of the Nazareans	138	(3)
The Gospel According to the Hebrews	141	(2)
Early Christian Acts	143	(46)
The Acts of the Apostles	145	(32)
The Acts of Paul and Thecla	177	(6)
The Martyrdom of Polycarp	183	(6)
Early Christian Letters Attributed to Paul	189	(80)
The Letter to the Romans	191	(14)
The First Letter to the Corinthians	205	(13)
The Second Letter to the Corinthians	218	(9)
The Letter to the Galatians	227	(6)
The Letter to the Ephesians	233	(5)
The Letter to the Philippians	238	(4)
The Letter to the Colossians	242	(4)
The First Letter to the Thessalonians	246	(4)
The Second Letter to the Thessalonians	250	(3)
The First Letter to Timothy	253	(5)
The Second Letter to Timothy	258	(4)
The Letter to Titus	262	(2)
The Letter to Philemon	264	(2)
The Third Letter to the Corinthians	266	(3)
General Epistles and Other Early Christian Writings	269	(104)
The Letter to the Hebrews	271	(11)
The Letter of James	282	(4)
The Letter of 1 Peter	286	(5)
The Letter of 2 Peter	291	(3)
The Letter of 1 John	294	(4)
The Letter of 2 John	298	(1)
The Letter of 3 John	299	(1)
The Letter of Jude	300	(2)
The Letter of 1 Clement	302	(18)
The Didache	320	(5)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Ephesians	325	(5)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Magnesians	330	(3)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Trallians	333	(3)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Romans	336	(3)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Philadelphians	339	(3)
The Letter of Ignatius to the Smyrneans	342	(3)
The Letter of Ignatius to Polycarp	345	(3)
The Letter of Polycarp to the Philippians	348	(4)
The Letter of Barnabas	352	(13)
The Preaching of Peter	365	(3)
The Fragments of Papias	368	(5)
Early Christian Apocalypses	373	(41)
The Revelation to John	375	(17)
The Shepherd of Hermas	392	(22)
The Apocalypse of Peter	414