Early Christian Texts (1st–2nd Century CE)
These writings reflect the beliefs, teachings, and organization of early Christian communities.
The Didache (Teaching of the Twelve Apostles) – A Christian ethical and liturgical manual.
DIDACHE the teaching of the twelve apostles
The Shepherd of Hermas – A Christian apocalyptic and visionary text.
Shepard of Hermas PDF
The Epistle of Barnabas – An early Christian interpretation of the Old Testament.
The Epistle of Barnabas PDF
1 & 2 Clement – Early Christian letters discussing church leadership and unity.
The First Epistle of Clement of Rome PDF
Second Epistle of Clement PDF
The Gospel of Thomas – A collection of Jesus’ sayings, possibly linked to Gnostic traditions.
Gospel of Thomas PDF
The Gospel of Mary – A text portraying Mary Magdalene as a prominent disciple.
The Gospel of Mary PDF
The Odes of Solomon – A collection of hymns with Christian and Jewish influences.
The Odes of Solomon PDF
Hellenistic Jewish Texts (2nd Century BCE–1st Century CE)
These texts were written in Greek by Jewish authors and often blend Jewish and Hellenistic religious thought.
The Septuagint (LXX) – The Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible, foundational for Hellenistic Judaism.
The Septuagint PDF
The Book of Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon) – A Hellenistic Jewish wisdom text.
The Psalms of Solomon – A collection of Jewish psalms from the late Second Temple period.
4 Maccabees – A philosophical text discussing martyrdom and reason.
4 Maccabees PDF
Philo of Alexandria’s Writings – Jewish-Hellenistic philosophical and mystical interpretations of the Torah.
Philo of Alexandria’s Writings PDF
Gnostic Texts (1st–2nd Century CE)
These texts incorporate dualistic and esoteric religious themes, often focusing on hidden knowledge (gnosis).
The Gospel of Truth – A Gnostic reflection on divine knowledge and salvation.
The Gospel of Truth PDF
The Apocryphon of John – A Gnostic account of creation and the fall of humanity.
Apocryphon of John PDF
The Gospel of Judas – A controversial Gnostic text portraying Judas in a different light.
The Gospel of Judas PDF
The Secret Book of James – A mystical dialogue between Jesus and his disciples.
The Secret Book of James PDF
The Sophia of Jesus Christ – A Gnostic discussion on wisdom (Sophia) and the divine.
The Sophia of Jesus Christ PDF
Mystery Cult Texts (2nd Century BCE–2nd Century CE)
These texts come from mystery religions (secretive initiatory cults) that thrived in the Greco-Roman world.
Orphic & Dionysian Texts
The Orphic Hymns – A collection of hymns used in Orphic mystery cults, focused on Dionysus and the afterlife.
The Orphic Hymns PDF
The Derveni Papyrus – A philosophical-religious Orphic text discussing the cosmos and the divine.
The Derveni Papyrus PDF
Eleusinian Mysteries
Hymn to Demeter (Homeric Hymn to Demeter) – A foundational text for the Eleusinian Mysteries, focusing on Persephone’s descent into the underworld.
Hymn to Demeter PDF
Mithraic Texts
The Mithras Liturgy (from the Greek Magical Papyri) – A mystical prayer associated with the cult of Mithras.
The Mithras Liturgy PDF
Isis and Egyptian-Inspired Cults
The Golden Ass (Metamorphoses) by Apuleius – A novel that includes an initiation into the cult of Isis.
Metamorphoses of Apuleius PDF
Hymns to Isis – Greek hymns dedicated to the Egyptian goddess Isis, widely venerated in the Greco-Roman world.
Hymns to Isis PDF
Philosophical-Religious Texts (2nd Century BCE–2nd Century CE)
These writings explore the relationship between philosophy and religion, often incorporating mystical elements.
The Chaldean Oracles – A collection of mystical philosophical verses influenced by Platonism and Persian thought.
The Chaldean Oracles PDF
The Corpus Hermeticum – A collection of Hellenistic mystical and philosophical texts attributed to Hermes Trismegistus, discussing divine knowledge and spiritual ascent.
Numenius of Apamea’s Writings – A Neopythagorean-Platonic thinker blending Greek philosophy with religious mysticism.