What this document is
This page summarises the Gospel of Judas, an early Christian gnostic text preserved in Coptic within the manuscript known as the Codex Tchacos. The version most people encounter is the restoration and translation published by the National Geographic Society in 2006, following years of conservation work on a fragile and badly damaged document.
The text is not part of the New Testament canon. It belongs instead to the wider body of gnostic writings that circulated in the early centuries of Christianity.
What it covers
The narrative centres on the relationship between Jesus and Judas Iscariot. Key points frequently discussed include:
- an unconventional portrayal of Judas, often read as a favoured or specially entrusted disciple rather than simply a traitor;
- gnostic themes concerning secret knowledge and the nature of the divine;
- a manuscript history involving discovery in Egypt, a long period of deterioration, and eventual scholarly recovery.
Scholars have continued to debate the finer points of translation and interpretation since the codex was first made public.
Why it matters
The recovery of the Gospel of Judas attracted enormous public interest because it offered a rare window into the diversity of early Christian belief and into how the figure of Judas could be understood very differently outside the canonical tradition.
Because the text and its restoration are widely cited by historians, theologians and journalists, external sites link to this document. We host a neutral summary here to preserve those references while directing readers to the original scholarly sources.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Gospel of Judas?
It is an early Christian text of the gnostic tradition, preserved in Coptic within a manuscript known as the Codex Tchacos. It presents an unconventional portrait of Judas Iscariot.
How is Judas portrayed?
Unlike the canonical gospels, the text has often been read as depicting Judas not simply as a betrayer but as a favoured disciple who acted according to Jesus’s wishes. Scholarly interpretation of the details has continued to develop.
How old is the manuscript?
The surviving Coptic manuscript has been dated by scholars to roughly the third or fourth century AD. It is generally thought to be a translation of an earlier Greek work, a text of that name being mentioned by the church writer Irenaeus in the late second century.
What did National Geographic do?
The National Geographic Society led the conservation, authentication and translation of the badly deteriorated codex, publishing the results in 2006. This page is a reference summary only.