The archaeological find of the century was the astounding discoveryby an Egyptian peasant in December 1945 of a large sealed jar filledwith ancient papyrus manuscripts. Painstakingly restored andtranslated, these fragments came to be known collectively as the NagHammadi Library. Through them we glimpse a fascinating alternativeperspective on Jesus and many of his earliest followers, including theinfluence of Gnosticism on their beliefs.

The struggle to publish these ancient manuscripts has at times felt likean ancient story of Egyptian magic, filled with curses and drama.Included in these discoveries are several gospels of Jesus' life thatnever made it into the modern Christian Bible, as well as a treasury ofthe lost and esoteric wisdom, which portrays a side of Christianitysuppressed by the institutionalised church. Meyer provides an overviewof all the texts and their contents, grouping the codices by theirrespective genres, schools of thought or attributed author, anddiscusses their meaning and significance for us today. It is the best guide available to the history and signifiance of the find at NagHammadi.

Marvin Meyer is one ofthe foremost scholars on Gnosticism, the Nag Hammadi library, and textabout Jesus outside the New Testament. He is the Griset Professor ofBible and Christian Studies at Chapman University, California.