by the start of the 2nd century, christianity was at a crossroads. after the crucifixion of jesus around 30 a.d., the new testament recounts how the faith he started took on a new life. inspired by the leadership of the apostles peter and paul, the message of the resurrected jesus spread into the heart of the roman empire. but success brought persecution and death. as christianity s early leaders began to die out, it was critical to keep the story of jesus alive, so they compiled sacred books about his life, what we know today as the new testament. but to the south and the desert sands of egypt, a group of christian monks and mystics were writing their own gospels with a very different version of the
today, more than 2 billion people call themselves christians, people who believe jesus rose from the dead. but perhaps it s a miracle that christianity did not disappear when the romans crucified jesus on a lonely hill outside jerusalem almost 2,000 years ago. this region, jerusalem and judea, represented an important land bridge between syria and egypt. so throughout history, this has been a critical place. jerusalem had been the holy city of judaism for more than 1,000 years, a place that the romans had occupied since 63 b.c. at the time the romans killed jesus, around 30 a.d., scholars
sun dial that sits outside the basilica brought over from egypt in 30 ad. nearly every religion, islam, buddhism, hinduism they have the fascination with the apocalypse. christians prophesize about the end of time and the holy scripture. lauren green reports. 6. reporter: christians mark the end of time in the final chapter of the new testament the book of revelation. chapter 11 verse 18 reads, now is the time to destroy those who destroy the earth. book is not about destruction. it s not about the wrath of god. it is about consequences. reporter: mark translated the book from the original greek text. he collaborated with hollywood writer to publish a graphic
sun dial that sits outside the basilica brought over from egypt in 30 ad. nearly every religion, islam, buddhism, hinduism they have the fascination with the apocalypse. christians prophesize about the end of time and the holy scripture. lauren green reports. 6. reporter: christians mark the end of time in the final chapter of the new testament the book of revelation. chapter 11 verse 18 reads, now is the time to destroy those who destroy the earth. book is not about destruction. it s not about the wrath of god. it is about consequences. reporter: mark translated the book from the original greek text. he collaborated with hollywood writer to publish a graphic
sun dial that sits outside the basilica brought over from egypt in 30 ad. nearly every religion, islam, buddhism, hinduism they have the fascination with the apocalypse. christians prophesize about the end of time and the holy scripture. lauren green reports. 6. reporter: christians mark the end of time in the final chapter of the new testament the book of revelation. chapter 11 verse 18 reads, now is the time to destroy those who destroy the earth. book is not about destruction. it s not about the wrath of god. it is about consequences. reporter: mark translated the book from the original greek text. he collaborated with hollywood writer to publish a graphic novel to help readers visualize