Jefferson's Secret Bible

Jefferson's Secret Bible

Relatively few people know that along with authoring the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson also compiled his own text, drawn carefully from passages extracted out of the New Testament, that he titled "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth." The book, which focused on the ethical teachings of Jesus, was a private undertaking for Jefferson and never made public in his lifetime. Now, experts at the Smithsonian's National Museum of American History are meticulously conserving this fragile volume, page by brittle page. Along the way, they discover subtle hidden clues to Jefferson himself.

Jefferson's Secret Bible (Full Episode)

A compilation of carefully chosen passages from the New Testament, Jefferson's "The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth" provides an inside look at the ethical convictions of a Founding Father.

There's MORE to the story. Discover the inspirations, see the artifacts and meet the experts of the Smithsonian Institution.