  We present the first systematic study of higher-twist light-cone distribution
amplitudes of the nucleon in QCD. We find that the valence three-quark state is
described at small transverse separations by eight independent distribution
amplitudes. One of them is leading twist-3, three distributions are twist-4 and
twist-5, respectively, and one is twist-6. A complete set of distribution
amplitudes is constructed, which satisfies equations of motion and constraints
that follow from conformal expansion. Nonperturbative input parameters are
estimated from QCD sum rules.
