Gerd Lüdemann confidently assesses the balance of 250 years of historical-critical engagement with early Christian writings. Which of the words and deeds attributed to Jesus must be regarded as a result of early legend formation, and which can be considered authentic with the greatest likelihood? Lüdemann neither extensively discusses the research findings of others nor opts for a thematically centered presentation. Instead, all surviving Jesus traditions from the first two centuries are newly translated and then examined for their historical credibility—presented in a way that even the educated layperson can follow the reasoning. In this manner, Lüdemann succeeds in providing guidance amidst the conflicting images of Jesus found in the flood of popular and scholarly Jesus literature in recent years.