Of all the books left out of the Bible, only the Apocrypha rivals the Pseudepigrapha in popularity and importance. This edition of the Pseudepigrapha was edited by R. H. Charles and was the definitive critical edition for over 70 years.

It is no longer news that the texts that became the official Bible excluded apocryphal books, in many cases because they didn?t serve the worldview of the ruling classes. Early in the 20th century, R.H. Charles translated and edited a series of these texts. In 2003, we published The Book of Enoch, apocrypha describing the hierarchy of angels and demons. Now we are pleased to publish this significant end-times text. Writing at the time of the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 ad, Baruch converses directly with God in a series of visions. The fall of Jerusalem is given as part of a larger end-of-the-world scenario. Baruch then receives prophecy: periods of light and darkness shall come, symbolized by rains bright and black, corresponding to alternating times when humanity lives in peace and harmony, then dark periods when evil reigns. Of particular note is the apocalypse when the Messiah appears again on earth. This alternate tale of the apocalypse inspires hope -- evil is punished, condemned to hell and cast off the earth, while those "left behind" are actually the righteous who will enjoy, literally, heaven on earth. Obviously a differing view from the currently in-vogue idea of "rapture." Also included in this edition is "The Assumption of Moses," an apocryphal fragment noted to have influenced other descriptions of the apocalypse included in the Bible. "For at the heights of the world they shall dwell, And they shall be made like unto the angels, And be made equal to the stars, And they shall be changed into every form they desire, From beauty into loveliness, And from that light into the splendour of glory."

The 'Apocalypse of Baruch' (or '2 Baruch') was evidently written originally in Hebrew, translated into Greek, and then from Greek into Syriac. This book presents a vivid picture of the hopes and beliefs of Judaism during the years 50-100 C.E. Its composition was thus contemporaneous with that of the New Testament and is therefore of great interest to both the religion of Judeans and the early Christ-followers. Two rabbis have been suggested as the author of the work: Rabbi Akiba and Rabbi Joshua ben Hananiah.

In this readable, engaging introduction to the Old Testament, a veteran biblical scholar shows the lay reader how the field of biblical scholarship uses the historical method to understand biblical texts.

2 Baruch is a Jewish pseudepigraphon from the late first or early second century CE. It is comprised of an apocalypse (2 Baruch 1-77) and an epistle (2 Baruch 78-87). This ancient work addresses the important matter of theodicy in light of the destruction of the temple by the Romans in 70 CE. It depicts vivid and puzzling pictures of apocalyptic images in explaining the nature of the tragedy and exhorting its ancient community of readers. Gurtner provides the first publication of the Syriac of both the apocalypse and epistle with a fresh English translation on the opposite page. Also present in parallel form are the few places where Greek and Latin texts of the book. An introduction orients readers to interpretative and textual issues of the book. Indexes and Concordances of the Syriac, Greek, and Latin will allow users to analyze the language of the text more carefully than ever before.