Where Should I Start in The Lost Books of the Bible? A Reading Guide
Start with the subject that brought you to the book. In Joseph B. Lumpkin's Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts, begin on page 87 for First Enoch, page 10 for Adam and Eve, page 768 for the Gospel of Thomas, or page 577 for an introduction to the apocalyptic writings. Read the relevant introduction before moving into the text. You do not need to read all eighteen works in order.
The page references below follow the October 8, 2026 paperback interior, ISBN 9781933580661. They identify this edition's reading routes; other formats may have different pagination.
If you came for Enoch and the Watchers
Begin with the First Enoch section on page 87. Its opening chapter starts on page 92. For a focused first reading of the Watchers narrative, turn to chapters 6–11 on pages 94–99.
Keep a short list of the figures you meet and the actions attributed to them. Separate the Watchers, their offspring, Enoch, and the heavenly messengers instead of grouping every supernatural figure together. After reading, explain the sequence in your own words before consulting the commentary again.
Second Enoch has its own introduction beginning on page 183 and its opening chapter on page 187. Start a separate set of notes for it. Giving each reference its full work name—First Enoch or Second Enoch—makes later comparisons much easier.
The printed anthology includes these two Enoch works. The cover lists Third Enoch and the Book of Giants among the additional digital Reader Library readings. For more on Giants, see our comparison of the Book of Giants and the Books of Enoch.
If you want stories connected with Genesis
Begin with the First Book of Adam and Eve's introduction on page 10, then read the opening chapters from page 12. Pay attention to how the story develops the experience of life outside the garden. Keep the account in this work distinct from the wording of Genesis when comparing passages.
The Second Book of Adam and Eve begins its section on page 64. The introduction presents it as a continuation, making it a natural next step if you want to follow that narrative further.
For another route, turn to Jubilees on page 217; its first chapter begins on page 223. Read the opening scene carefully and ask who receives the revelation and how the account frames its retelling of earlier events. Our introduction to Jubilees offers a companion overview.
If you came for the Gospel of Thomas
Read the introduction beginning on page 768 and the presentation instructions on page 770 before starting the sayings on page 772.
This edition places Coptic-based renderings first, followed by Greek-based renderings where supplied, and adds biblical parallels. The editor explains that Thomas text, parallels, and notes use different formatting. That distinction is especially useful on the opening page, where some sayings appear in two renderings.
Choose three sayings for your first session. For each, write down what it says, which words or images need explanation, and what the accompanying comparison adds. A short, careful reading is more useful than treating every line on the page as part of the same source.
If you want visions, judgment, and the end of days
Begin with the collection's introduction to apocalyptic writings on page 577. Then choose a single work rather than trying to combine the whole section into one timeline.
The Apocalypse of Abraham begins its section on page 579; the Apocalypse of Thomas on page 600; 4 Ezra on page 606; 2 Baruch on page 644; and the War Scroll on page 681.
Keep four questions beside you: Who is speaking? Who receives the message? What problem does the passage describe? What response or future does it present? These questions help you compare the works while keeping each account distinct.
A four-session plan for a first reading
Choose your route. Use the starting points above and read the introduction to one work. Write down the question you want it to help you explore.
Read a small passage. Try First Enoch 6–11, the opening chapters of the First Book of Adam and Eve, or the first three Thomas sayings. Record the work and chapter or saying number as well as the page.
Compare the commentary. Return to the same passage with its notes. Separate what the text says from the editor's explanation and your own interpretation.
Choose one next step. Continue the same work, compare a related writing in the anthology, or use the Reader Library instructions on page 821 to explore the accompanying resources.
You do not need to finish a route in four days. Each session can be as long or short as your reading allows.
What should I check before choosing this edition?
Check whether the writing you want is printed in the book or offered through its digital extras. Our complete Lost Books contents guide lists the eighteen printed works and their section-opening pages.
Also distinguish an edition's contents from historical judgments about its texts. A work's inclusion in this anthology tells you that it is available to read here. Questions about authorship, date, transmission, or religious authority need evidence specific to that work.
Edition used: Joseph B. Lumpkin, Lost Books of the Bible: The Great Rejected Texts, Fifth Estate, ISBN 9781933580661. Reading locations checked in the supplied October 8, 2026 paperback interior: contents p. 3; Adam and Eve pp. 10–12 and 64; First Enoch pp. 87, 92, 94–99; Second Enoch pp. 183 and 187; Jubilees pp. 217 and 223; apocalyptic section pp. 577, 579, 600, 606, 644, and 681; Thomas pp. 768–772; Reader Library instructions p. 821. Named digital extras are listed on the accompanying cover.
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