Richard I. Pervo provides the most complete translation of the pseudepigraphic Acts of Paul in English, together with a detailed commentary. The research perspective of this work is primarily literary, with detailed attention to the history of composition and revision. The author encourages a fresh look at this section of the 'Apocraphal Acts' through the lens of the Pauline legacy and in the context of ancient popular narrative.

The Pastoral Epistles (Titus, 1-2 Timothy) and Polycarp to the Philippians are uniquely similar among early second-century Christian texts. Gathered for the first time into a single volume for ease of study, these are the only texts to combine the traditional Roman Household Code with the emerging Church Order: the church, as they see it, is the household of God. The texts also share a concern for the corrosive effects of greed and explore the question of what price is worth paying for unity. This dynamic rather than literal translation by Pervo of this collection remains true to the everyday Greek original, and includes the Greek text, notes, and an introduction.

The Acts of John is here rescued from a long history of censorship and extensive editing that sought to whitewash aspects of the text that had become uncomfortable for later generations of the church. Although several tantalizing tales are now lost, what remains is a compelling story of the convert Drusiana, who was twice the victim of lust-once from her husband, who imprisoned her in a tomb, and later from an outsider, whose love sickness drove her to the tomb. This study edition features a detailed introduction that sorts out the complicated manuscript tradition together with cross references and notes on sources that enable in-depth study. The Early Christian Apocrypha series offers fresh new translations of the major apocryphal Acts that survive from the early period of the Christian church. These non-canonical writings are crucial for determining the complex history of Christian origins. Each text comes with cross-references, notes, and commentary. An extensive introduction also sets out the challenge of recovering and reconstructing the original text.

About the Contributor(s): Richard I. Pervo is a retired Professor of New Testament and Patristics. His recent books include Acts: A Commentary in Hermeneia (2009) and The Making of Paul: Constructions of the Apostle in Early Christianity (2010).

What prompted the anonymous author of Luke to edit his sources-Mark and Q-and retell the story of Jesus? Using the Scholars Version translation that is true to the everyday Greek of the gospel writers, Pervo explores the who, when, where, why, and how of the Gospel of Luke. Includes the Greek text, introduction, notes, and cross-references.

The influence of the apostle Paul in early Christianity goes far beyond the reach of the seven genuine letters he wrote to early assemblies; Paul was reveredand fiercely opposedin an even larger number of letters penned in his name, and in narratives told about him and against him, that were included in our New Testament and, far more often, treasured and circulated outside it. Richard Pervo provides an illuminating and comprehensive survey of the legacy of Paul and the various ways he was remembered, honored, and vilified in the early churches.

The author of ""Acts"" unwittingly committed a near-perfect crime: He told his story so well that all rival accounts vanished with but the faintest of traces. And thus future generations were left with no documents that recount the history of the early Christian tradition - because ""Acts"" is not history. According to Richard Pervo, '""Acts"" is a beautiful house that readers may happily admire, but it is not a home in which the historian can responsibly live'. Luke did not even aspire to write history but rather told his story to defend the gentile communities of his day as the legitimate heirs of Israelite religion. In ""The Mystery of Acts"", Pervo explores the problem of history in ""Acts"" by asking, and answering, the fundamental questions: Who wrote ""Acts""? Where was ""Acts"" written? When was ""Acts"" written? Why was ""Acts"" written? How was ""Acts"" written? The result is a veritable tour-de-force that enlightens, entertains, and brings ""Acts"" to life.