The Lost Gospel

Judas Iscariot is a name synonymous with the word 'traitor.' Here is the history – Judas betrayed Jesus Christ to his enemies (the Roman soldiers) for a mere 30 pieces of silver.
However, in the late 1970s, farmers made a startling discovery in the Egyptian desert, which contained crumbling papyrus documents, 'The Gospel of Judas' and many others, dated around AD 200-400 (using carbon dating). As per National Geographic, apart from Carbon Dating, the manuscript was also authenticated through Ink Analysis, Multispectral imaging, content, linguistic style, and handwriting style.

In an international effort, the National Geographic Society, in collaboration with the Maecenas Foundation for Ancient Art and the Waitt Institute for Historical Discovery, to translate and authenticate a text called James (also known as First Apocalypse of James), the Letter of Peter to Philip, a fragment of a text called 'Book of Allogenes' and the only known surviving copy of the Gospel of Judas.

Judas is portrayed as a traitor according to the four Gospels of Mathew, Mark, Luke, and John in the New Testament. However, The Gospel of Judas shows that he was not only Jesus' favorite disciple but also that Judas' betrayal was a plan between Jesus and Judas. According to Youssef Sidhom, editor of the Coptic Weekly in Cairo, "There is an old school of thought that says one should not persecute Judas because his role was to complete the prophecies. The new manuscript (The Gospel of Judas) seems to support this point of view.

Religious and lay readers will debate the manuscript's meaning and truth. But it does show the diversity of beliefs in early Christianity, said Marvin Meyer, professor of Bible studies at Chapman University in Orange, California

World News
National Geographic: The Lost Gospel - TimeLine
Times Online: April 06, 2006, Judas did not betray Jesus, lost Gospel claims.
USA Today: April 6, 2006, 10:13 PM Long Lost Gospel of Judas recasts Traitor
LA Times: April 7, 2006, Judas is no Traitor in Long-Lost Gospel
BBC: April 7, 2006, 09:42 GMT Judas' helped Jesus save mankind'
ABC Online: April 7, 2006, 08:28:00 AM Lost Gospel casts Judas in New Light
The New York Times: April 7, 2006, 09:35 AM Ancient text shows a different Judas
Times of India: April 7, 2006, 03:32:05 PM Judas did not betray Jesus, says ancient documents