Editing Apocrypha (section)

===New Testament apocrypha===
{{Main|New Testament apocrypha}}
New Testament apocrypha—books similar to those in the [[New Testament]] but almost universally rejected by Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants—include several gospels and lives of apostles. Some were written by early Jewish Christians (see the [[Gospel according to the Hebrews]]). Others of these were produced by [[Gnosticism|Gnostic]] authors or members of other groups later defined as [[Heterodoxy|heterodox]]. Many texts believed lost for centuries were unearthed in the 19th and 20th centuries, producing lively speculation about their importance in early [[Christianity]] among religious scholars,{{Citation needed|date=December 2014}} while many others survive only in the form of quotations from them in other writings; for some, no more than the title is known. Artists and theologians have drawn upon the New Testament apocrypha for such matters as the names of [[Dismas]] and [[Gestas]] and details about the [[Three Wise Men]]. The first explicit mention of the [[perpetual virginity of Mary]] is found in the [[pseudepigraphical]] [[Infancy Gospel of James]].

Before the fifth century, the Christian writings that were then under discussion for inclusion in the canon but had not yet been accepted were classified in a group known as the ancient [[antilegomena]]e. These were all candidates for the New Testament and included several books that were eventually accepted, such as: [[The Epistle to the Hebrews]], [[2 Peter]], [[3 John]] and the [[Revelation of John]] (Apocalypse). None of those accepted books can be considered Apocryphal now, since all Christendom accepts them as canonical. Of the uncanonized ones, the Early Church considered some heretical but viewed others quite positively.<ref name=EB1911 />

Some Christians, in an extension of the meaning, might also consider the non-heretical books to be "apocryphal" along the manner of Martin Luther: not canon, but useful to read. This category includes books such as the [[Epistle of Barnabas]], the [[Didache]], and [[The Shepherd of Hermas]], which are sometimes referred to as the [[Apostolic Fathers]]. The [[Gnosticism|Gnostic tradition]] was a prolific source of apocryphal gospels.<ref name=EB1911 />

While these writings borrowed the characteristic poetic features of apocalyptic literature from Judaism, Gnostic sects largely insisted on allegorical interpretations based on a secret apostolic tradition. With them, these apocryphal books were highly esteemed. A well-known Gnostic apocryphal book is the [[Gospel of Thomas]], the only complete text of which was found in the Egyptian town of [[Nag Hammadi]] in 1945. The [[Gospel of Judas]], a Gnostic gospel, also received much media attention when it was reconstructed in 2006.

Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and Protestants all agree on the canon of the [[New Testament]].<ref>See [[Development of the New Testament canon]]</ref> The [[Ethiopian Orthodox]] have in the past also included [[Epistles of Clement (disambiguation)|I & II Clement]] and [[Shepherd of Hermas]] in their [[New Testament]] canon.

====List of Sixty====
The List of Sixty, dating to around the 7th century, lists sixty books that the author claimed were the complete canonical scriptures. The unknown author also lists many apocryphal books that are not included amongst the sixty. These books are:<ref name=ISBE/>
{{div col|colwidth=23em}}
* [[Books of Adam|Adam]]
* [[Book of Enoch|Enoch]]
* [[Genesis Apocryphon|Lamech]]
* [[Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs|Twelve Patriarchs]]
* [[Prayer of Joseph]]
* [[Eldad and Modad]]
* [[Testament of Moses]]
* [[Assumption of Moses]]
* [[Psalms of Solomon]]
* [[Apocalypse of Elijah]]
* [[Ascension of Isaiah]]
* [[Apocalypse of Zephaniah]]
* [[Apocalypse of Zechariah]]
* [[Greek Apocalypse of Ezra|Apocalyptic Ezra]]
* [[History of James]]
* [[Apocalypse of Peter]]
* [[Itinerary and Teaching of the Apostles]]
* [[Epistle of Barnabas]]
* [[Acts of Paul]]
* [[Apocalypse of Paul]]
* [[Didascalia of Clement]]
* [[Didascalia of Ignatius]]
* [[Didascalia of Polycarp]]
* [[Gospel of Barnabas]]
* Gospel According to Matthew{{efn|See also [[Gospel of Pseudo-Matthew]]}}
{{div col end}}