Preface; Abbreviations; Introduction; PART I: PROLEGOMENA; Chapter 1 HISTORY OF RESEARCH; Early Contributions; P. Batiffol''s Contribution and its Aftermath; Stimulus from the Qumran Discoveries and the Study of Christian Origins; Landmark Monographs; Recent Studies; Application to New Testament Study; New Annotated Translations; Chapter 2 TEXT, ORIGINAL LANGUAGE, CHARACTER, PROVENANCE, DATE AND GENRE: THE PRESENT STATE OF RESEARCH; Text; Original Language; Character; Provenance; Date; Genre; Retrospect and Prospect; PART II: DESCRIPTIVE ANALYSIS; Introduction to Part II. Chapter 3 THE LITERARY CONTEXT: SOCIAL TENSIONS IN THE NARRATIVE OF ASENETH''S CONVERSIONJews and Gentiles; Internal Jewish Dissension; Familial Ostracism of the Convert; Chapter 4 FORMAL AND CONCEPTUAL FEATURES OF ASENETH''S CONVERSION; Elements of a Ritual Form?; Conceptual Features; Conclusion; PART III: COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS; Introduction to Part III; Chapter 5 JEWISH PROSELYTISM; Requirements for the Admission of Proselytes: Rabbinic Dicta; The Silence of Joseph and Aseneth concerning These Requirements; Points of Comparison; Conclusion. Chapter 6 INITIATION INTO GROUPS WITHIN JUDAISM: ESSENES, THERAPEUTAE, HABUROTH, GNOSTICS, AND MERKABAH MYSTICSEssenes; Therapeutae; Haburoth; Gnostics; Merkabah Mystics; Conclusion; Chapter 7 MYSTERY INITIATION; Method; Isiac Initiation: A Descriptive Analysis; Isiac Initiation and the Conversion of Aseneth: Comparisons and Contrasts; Conclusion; Chapter 8 CONCLUSIONS; Conclusions regarding the Conversion of Aseneth; The Conversion of Aseneth and the Readership and Purpose of Joseph and Aseneth; Desiderata; Bibliography; Index of References; Index of Authors; A; B; C; D; E; F; G; H; I; J; K. Lm; n; o; p; r; s; t; u; v; w; y; z.