In this landmark work, Elaine Pagels demonstrates how evidence from gnostic sources may challenge the long-established assumption that Paul writes his letters to combat “gnostic opponents” and to repudiate their claims to secret wisdom. Drawing upon evidence from a variety of gnostic sources, including the Nag Hammadi documents, Pagels demonstrates how gnostic writers not only failed to grasp the whole point of Paul’s writings, but dared to claim his letters as a primary source for their anthropology, Christology, and sacramental theology.