Böcker av Mark M Mattison

Now, for the first time in one volume, you can read fresh new translations of: The Infancy Gospel of JamesThe Secret Book of JamesThe Letter of JamesThe First Revelation of JamesThe Second Revelation of James"I heartily recommend that Mattison's The Books of Jesus' Brother James be widely read by both scholars and popular audiences." Dr. Samuel Zinner, Aulla, Tuscany, Italy

According to the canonical Gospels, Jesus emerged alive from Joseph's tomb after a brutal and torturous death. However, none of them actually describes what that may have looked like, or what may have been happening in the spiritual realm between his death and resurrection.Where the other Gospels are silent, another claims to fill in the gaps. In the winter of 1886-87, French archaeologists found a Greek copy of the Gospel of Peter in Egypt. Originally written in Syria late in the second century, this Gospel narrates shocking and spectacular events never before imagined. But why? And what does it all mean? Though it's a straightforward narrative, nevertheless this ancient passion account raises more questions than answers for today's readers.This volume provides not only two new translations, but the first ever illustrated Greek-English interlinear, reproducing every page in vivid detail.

As they began to organize their communities of faith, early followers of Jesus struggled to understand and preserve his legacy. They wrote various Gospels, and debated which ones should guide their lives and spiritual practices. Late in the second century, one bishop sharply criticized the poetic Gospel of Truth, which was subsequently lost to history. However, two fourth-century Egyptian translations were discovered in 1945. This sublime Gospel describes a loving and merciful God who calls us all to return through "the Way" and find joyful rest in paradise. Was this Gospel written by the eloquent teacher Valentinus? Were Valentinus and his followers really "heretics," as some charged, or rather faithful mystics who were simply misunderstood? Explore these questions and more in the pages of this new, contemporary translation of the mystical Gospel of Truth.

Written in Greek in the second century, two Gospels describing the birth and childhood of Jesus were preserved and copied into many languages for centuries. Often dismissed as second-rate stories, these Gospels nevertheless profoundly shaped the development and traditions of the Church - for better and for worse. The Infancy Gospel of James narrates the birth and life of Jesus' mother Mary in a way that limits women's freedom but venerates Jewish tradition. The Infancy Gospel of Thomas narrates Jesus' childhood in a way that disparages Judaism while exploring how Jesus could have grown from childish immaturity to responsible adulthood. What must Jesus' family have been like? Together, these two Gospels raise more questions than they answer.

Decades before our earliest preserved Gospels were first penned, the things Jesus said and did were passed down by word of mouth among his followers. However, by carefully comparing Matthew, Mark, and Luke, biblical scholars have discerned a written source even earlier than these texts: The Gospel commonly known as "Q," from the German word for "source." Written in Greek sometime between 50 and 70 CE, this collection of Jesus' teachings was used by the authors of Matthew and Luke. Following the meticulous reconstruction of Q by an international team of experts, this new translation highlights the wisdom of Jesus' prophetic message - the Gospel behind the Gospels.

Forged in the flames of controversy and rejected by the very church authorities it criticized, the Gospel of Judas was once believed to be irretrievably lost to history. Its rediscovery in Egypt in the 1970s and initial publication in 2006 ignited an intense debate about Christian origins and meaning.How could a Gospel about Jesus have been written in the name of his greatest nemesis? What does it really say about Judas, about Jesus, about the church - and what does it mean for us today?Inside the pages of this enigmatic Gospel we can explore unfamiliar terrain, the outer limits of early Christian experience - and may just discover something about ourselves in the process.Note: This fresh new translation of Judas' Gospel includes the more recently recovered fragments published in 2010.

Twelve ancient Gospels in one volume: Sayings Gospels: The Gospel of QThe Gospel of ThomasThe Gospel of Philip Narrative Gospels: An Unknown GospelThe Gospel of Peter Mystical Gospels: The Secret Book of JamesThe Gospel of TruthThe Gospel of MaryThe Book of the StrangerThe Gospel of Judas Infancy Gospels: The Infancy Gospel of JamesThe Infancy Gospel of Thomas

Teens and adults looking to decode the Bible's secret prophetic symbols will love this fun activity book. Adapting popular puzzle formats to draw readers deeper into the Bible, "The Bible Prophecy Puzzle Book" seeks to reclaim Bible prophecy from Hollywood and the Christian mass consumer market.

The long-lost Gospel of Philip, shrouded in mystery since its composition in fourth-century Egypt, reveals ancient mystical teachings of Near Eastern Christians. Completely forgotten until its discovery in 1945, this enigmatic text explains the inner mysteries of the Church's historic sacraments and key Christian teachings, including the resurrection of the dead, the virgin birth, divine union, and spiritual rebirth.What's the hidden meaning of "the bridal chamber"? What kind of relationship did Jesus have with Mary Magdalene? What does it mean to become a Christian? Philip's Gospel explores these questions and more in its nonlinear, meandering journey through the mystical landscape of early Christianity.

"These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down."With this opening statement, the Gospel of Thomas, legendary Apostle to the East, introduces a startlingly profound list of Jesus' ancient Wisdom sayings. Similar to the collections of quotations copied by the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, Thomas' Gospel contains a hundred and fourteen sayings, half of which don't appear in the New Testament.Once known from only a handful of ancient sources, third-century Greek fragments of this Gospel first turned up at the end of the nineteenth century - but it wasn't until the middle of the twentieth that a complete Coptic manuscript was discovered. The Gospel of Thomas: A New Translation for Spiritual Seekers not only cuts through the ensuing debate, but also presents the very first public domain translation of this amazing discovery.

Lost and forgotten for more than a thousand years, the only ancient Gospel named after a woman apostle emerged from the sands of Egypt just over a century ago. Originally written in Greek early in the second century and later translated into Coptic, Mary Magdalene's Gospel comes to vivid life in this fresh translation with contemporary reflections on the ancient wisdom of this recovered treasure.Note on the cover artwork: The title format on the front cover is patterned after the inscription at the conclusion of the fifth-century Coptic text of the Gospel According to Mary.