The Writings That Survived for More Than 1,500 Years
More than 50 ancient texts in one modern scholarly volume, edited by Marvin W. Meyer with an introduction by Elaine H. Pagels.
Choose your copies, and the book ships tracked to your door. Begin with the texts readers start with most, Thomas, Mary, and Thunder, a few pages at a time.
More than 50 ancient texts and tractates with modern introductions and notes, including the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and Thunder, Perfect Mind.
A wider window into early Christianity
Early Christianity was never a single voice. In the first centuries, different communities asked different questions about God, about knowledge, about who was allowed to speak, and wrote down their answers.
Most of those writings never entered the accepted canon, and most modern readers have only heard about them secondhand. This volume brings together the surviving Nag Hammadi writings and related Gnostic texts in a careful modern translation, so you can read them for yourself, slowly and critically, instead of relying on someone else's summary.
Three places readers often begin
The Gospel of Thomas
114 sayings attributed to Jesus, many presented without a surrounding narrative.
The Gospel of Mary
A related early Christian text recovered separately in Egypt, written through Mary's voice and included in this modern collection.
Thunder, Perfect Mind
A striking poetic work spoken through a powerful and paradoxical feminine voice.
Descriptions are original summaries. The site quotes at most a few short lines from the translation and never reproduces full texts.
An important book can still be an overwhelming book.
This is a complete scholarly edition. The texts come from different centuries and communities, and some need historical context to open up. Most readers don't struggle because the book is difficult to love, they struggle because no one tells them where to begin. So a remarkable book waits on a shelf.
Some books are better read in company.
An edition readers and scholars stand behind
Everything below refers to the HarperOne edition itself and can be verified independently. It is not a review of CampVale.
“The most complete, up-to-date, one-volume, English-language edition of the renowned library of Gnostic manuscripts discovered in Egypt in 1945.”
A few ways this book can enter a real reading life
Readers, in their own words
I ordered this after years of being curious about what was left out of the story I grew up with. It is a serious, beautiful edition, the introductions before each text genuinely help, and it rewards slow reading. I keep it on the table and read a few pages with my coffee most mornings. Very glad I finally did this.
Honestly, I expected something that reads like a textbook. Some of the texts are strange, some are stunning, and the notes keep you oriented the whole way. I started with the Gospel of Thomas, which was the right call.
Beautiful edition. Much thicker than I expected, in the best way.
We bought two copies and read the same text each week, then talk about it on our evening walks. Different reactions every time. It has become our favorite ritual.
I came for the Gospel of Mary and stayed for everything else. Reading these voices directly, instead of someone else’s summary of them, felt overdue.
Sunday mornings now look like this: coffee, the dog, and one text at a time. It is dense, but you are allowed to go slowly. The glossary in the back earns its keep.
Arrived carefully packed, exactly the edition pictured. The paper and type are lovely, and it feels respectful of the material.
Did not expect my favorite read of the year to be 1,600 years old. Wild and wonderful.
The translation is clear and the introductions are excellent. Four stars only because it is a big book to hold, I read it at a table rather than in bed.
A gift for my husband that turned into a book we pass back and forth. We read Thunder, Perfect Mind out loud on a trip and talked about it for the rest of the drive.
This may be for you if…
This may not be for you if…
Draw a saying
Frequently asked questions
Every order includes the physical paperback.
The 2009 HarperOne paperback edition, ISBN 978-0061626005, edited by Marvin W. Meyer with an introduction by Elaine H. Pagels.
Your chosen number of copies of the HarperOne paperback edition, free shipping with tracking, and a 60-day return policy.
These are historical early Christian writings translated and edited by respected scholars. CampVale does not present them as a replacement for the Bible or as instructions for what you must believe. We offer them as a wider window into early Christian history and personal reflection.
Some passages are accessible, while others require historical context. The collection is more than 800 pages long, so readers may prefer to begin with selected texts rather than reading the entire volume from front to back.
It is a complete scholarly collection, not a light introduction. Most first-time readers begin with the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Mary, and Thunder, Perfect Mind, a few pages at a time.
The Gospel of Mary was recovered separately in Egypt, not inside the Nag Hammadi jar. It is included in this modern edition alongside the Nag Hammadi writings as a related early Christian text.
No. The physical book is the official HarperOne edition edited by Marvin W. Meyer. CampVale is an independent reading experience and is not affiliated with or endorsed by HarperCollins.
Many readers order a second copy as a gift. Gift wrapping and separate gift addresses per item are not available yet.
Most orders arrive within 7 to 14 business days of ordering, which includes 1 to 3 business days of processing. Shipping is free within the United States, and a tracking number is emailed once your order ships.
Yes. We ship across North America, Europe, and Oceania, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, the European Union, Australia, and New Zealand. U.S. standard shipping is free; options and rates for other countries are shown at checkout.
Orders ship together to one address.
Contact us at support@campvale.com with a photo of the damage and your order number. We will review the issue and arrange an appropriate replacement or resolution.
You may request a return within 60 days of your order date. Items must be unused, in their original packaging, with proof of purchase, and returns must be approved before being sent back — contact support@campvale.com to start. Refunds go to your original payment method within 10 business days of approval. Full details are in our Returns & Refunds Policy.
Read the texts for yourself.
More than 1,500 years of survival.
More than 50 ancient writings.
One place to begin.