In 1947, in a cave near Qumran, a Bedouin shepherd made a sensational discovery. In an earthenware jar he found three leather scrolls covered in ancient script, later revealed to be biblical texts nearly 1,000 years older than any previously known. Not only did they contain commentaries on the Bible itself, but, as more scrolls were discovered, a picture emerged of a strict Jewish community - its laws, customs and beliefs - which was destroyed by the Romans in 68 AD. The 'Dead Sea Scrolls' are justly famous. In this superb translation, Geza Vermes gives us the chance to see why they are so crucial, by opening up a window on the lives of a desert people who lived through the birth of Christ.