Jesus` birth in a cave, his childhood, escapades, his secret sayings, and his descent to the underworld; the torments in Hell; Saint Paul baptizing a lion; the death of Pontius Pilate and Saint Peter being crucified upside down. These are among the fascinating stories found in this present selection. They all come from early Christian legends which did not get into the Bible, yet have had a profound influence on art, literature, and theology from the second century through the Middle Ages and even modern times. Some of the stories included here, especially those involoving the Virgin Mary, have affected matters of doctrine; others have influenced the church`s teaching on the after life - whilst from the apocryphal Acts there are some of the best examples of accounts of the lives of Christianity`s earliest saints. In this book Dr Elliott provides introductions to each of the most important and significant of these remarkable and often bizarre apocryphal texts.

Contents
Introduction
A: Stories Relating to the Period of the New Testament Gospels

1. The Birth of Jesus
2. The Childhood of Jesus
3. Jesus` Parents
4. The Ministry of Jesus
5. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus
6. Pilate
7. Jesus in the Underworld
8. Veronica
9. Zacharias
B: Stories Relating to the Growth of the Church

10. Peter
11. Paul
12. John
13. Thomas
14. Andrew
C. Stories Relating to Life After Death

15. Heaven and Hell
16. The End of Time