`Judas' is synonymous with `traitor'. But a newly-discovered ancient text of the Gospel of Judas offers a picture of Judas Iscariot radically different from the Church's traditional understanding of him, and maintains that far from being the infamous betrayer, Judas was actually Jesus' trusted friend and the recipient of secret revelation. Simon Gathercole's new book includes a translation of the ancient Egyptian text of the Gospel of Judas and a running commentary, and offers new translations of all the ancient evidence about Judas Iscariot and the Gospel attributed to him. It gets behind the hype which the Gospel of Judas has attracted, and looks at why the group which produced the work were in such bitter conflict with the mainstream Christian church, and shows how the document provides us with a window into the turbulent world of Christianity and Gnosticism in the century after Jesus.

Gathercole's erudition is a welcome contribution to the ongoing and often sensational discussions about the newly discovered gospel, and his work serves as an insightful and lucid investigation that will profit both scholar and casual reader with an interest in the Gospel of Judas. * The Edinburgh Review of Theology and Religion *
A careful examination and exposition of the new text whcih lays bare the error of some of the claims that have been made for it... a real contribution to genuine research. * R McL. Wilson, Journal of Theological Studies *
A discussion so free of error and sustained misrepresentation stands in a league of its own among the books inspired by this alluring but protean gift of the Nile. * Mark Edwards, Journal of Ecclesiastical History *
Simon Gathercole writes clearly and his book will meet the needs of the curious more than adequately. * David Blatherwick, Methodist Recorder *
a very balanced, informative and interesting account * Séan Goan, Milltown Studies *

Simon Gathercole is Senior Lecturer in New Testament, University of Aberdeen.