There is a body of religious literature, most of which was written centuries after the New Testament, that attempts to provide supplemental or alternative accounts of the life of Jesus Christ. The most exhaustive surviving alternative versions to the New Testament come from orthodox circles and are often creative "imaginings" that try to fill holes in the canonical gospel accounts of Jesus' life.

This work investigates the origins and nature of noncanonical retellings in detail--both orthodox and heretical as well as Roman and traditionalist Jewish ones. Extensive summaries of the text as well as substantial verbatim extracts of key incidents and assertions are provided to give the reader a "feel" for the character and intents of the various sources. A concise introduction to a much neglected area of Bible-related study that should be of potential use to students of Biblical literature, comparative religion, and early medieval thought.