The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth

The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, originally produced in 1820 – six years before Thomas Jefferson’s death – was bound in red leather. He had pored over six copies of the New Testament, in Greek, Latin, French and King James English. Jefferson cut out passages with a very sharp blade and glued the lines from each of the Gospels in four columns onto blank paper – Greek and Latin on one side of the pages, French and English on the other. The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth was the second version of what is often called the Jefferson Bible. In 1804, he published The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth. That volume has been lost. Jefferson wrote his intention was “the result of a life of enquiry and reflection, and very different from that anti-Christian system, imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions.” The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth focused on Christ’s moral teachings, organized by topic. The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth contains not only the teachings, but also events from the life of Jesus.