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For all those readers curious to read the actual texts of the Gnostic Gospels, here is the definitive collection of all the Gnostic Gospels and Gospel–like texts.

o Marvin Meyer, premier scholar of Gnostic and other Christian literature outside the New Testament, presents every Gnostic Gospel and Jesus text with a brilliant overall introduction, introductions to each text, and notes that explain everything the reader needs to know to understand the text. He includes his latest translations of not only the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary, but other texts such as the Secret Book of John, which some scholars regard as the second part of the New Testament Gospel of John. The material is largely from the discovery at Nag Hammadi, freshly translated and introduced, but also includes texts found elsewhere. The texts, especially taken together, present an image of Jesus as the ultimate wisdom teacher, a kind of mysterious Jewish Zen master, who scandalized listeners by his radical egalitarianism (regarding women, slaves, the poor, the marginalized as of equal status, or more, with establishment male believers) and his insistence on living the message, spiritual experience, vs. outer observance only.

o For those wanting to learn more after reading The Da Vinci Code. This book provides the definitive next book for those looking for expert presentation of the alternative Gnostic stream of Christianity, in which there is no talk of crucifixion and Mary Magdalene is presented as the disciple that Jesus loved best. "Marv is one of the original secret gospels scholars who has done an enormous amount of work to bring these texts to light. All of his research on the Nag Hammadi texts is having an incredible impact on our knowledge of early Christian history––it is virtually redefining it." ––Dr. Elaine Pagels, Princeton University

More than one–fourth of the Bible was prophetic in nature at the time it was written. And Christ’s second coming is mentioned more than 300 times in Scripture. Clearly, God wants us to understand the last days—and what better way to do so than with this trustworthy and easy–to–use encyclopedic guide to Bible prophecy, which provides...

• a comprehensive overview of prophecy–related terms
• helpful illustrations that provide graphic pictures and timetables of the end times
• informative surveys of all the major prophetic viewpoints
• concise explanations that answer tough questions about Bible prophecy

No library is complete without this popular–style resource with over 400 pages filled with thousands of facts about Christ’s return and the end times.

* presents an introduction to the science of Bible interpretation

* equips readers to become more skilled at interpreting the scriptures

* examines the role culture plays in forming our interpretation of the Bible