"Apocryphal literature offers a fascinating glimpse into the creativity surrounding the Biblical past in the premodern Jewish and Christian imagination—but it is also infamously confusing. Brandon Hawk here offers a guide of unprecedented scope and clarity, making up-to-date specialist findings accessible to everyone. The result is an invaluable resource for teaching but also a delight to read for anyone curious about the Biblical past outside the Bible." —Annette Yoshiko Reed, professor of religious studies and Jewish studies, New York University
"Brandon Hawk has compiled a highly readable and concise introduction to the texts you’ve heard so much about but didn’t know where to begin your own exploration. This is the guide you need from an expert in the field. Hawk’s analyses emphasize the value of apocrypha, both over time for their contributions to culture and over space for the communities who even today consider some of these texts Scripture. There is no (and never has been) one Bible for all people, no single set of universal beliefs. And Hawk shows why the world is better for it." —Dr. Tony Burke, editor of the series New Testament Apocrypha: More Noncanonical Scriptures
"Brandon Hawk's clear and engaging book covers all the major ancient apocryphal writings, from the Dead Sea Scrolls to the gnostic literature to the non-Biblical apocalypses. It is a must-read for everyone who is interested in these fascinating but little-known texts." —Dr. Lorenzo DiTommaso, professor, Department of Religions and Cultures, Concordia University
