< .'J-.-.OPB/OLB450001373736THENAGHAMMADI LIBRARYy. INENGLISHTRANSLATEDBYMEMBERS OFTHECOPTICGNOSTIC LIBRARYPROJECTOFTHEINSTITUTEFORANTIQUITYANDCHRISTIANITYJames M. Robinson, DirectorLEIDENE. J. BRILL1977DANMARKS lIRERH0JSKOLES BIBLIOTEI'KRISTENOOMSKUNOSKABCONTRIBUTORS TABLEOFCONTE TSMarvinW. Meyer, ManagingEditorHaroldW. AttridgeHans-GebhardBethgeAlexander BohligJamesBrashierRogerA. BullardPeter A. DirkseJosephA. GibbonsSerenGiversenCharlesW. HedrickWesleyW. IsenbergHelmut KoesterThomasO. LambdinBentleyLaytonGeorgeW. MacRaeDieterMuellertWilliam R. MurdockElaineH. PagelsDouglasM. ParrottBirger A. PearsonMalcolmL. PeelJamesM. RobinsonWilliamC. Robinson, Jr.WilliamR. SchoedelJohnH. SieberJohnD. TurnerFrancisE. WilliamsR. McL. WilsonOrval S. WintermuteAntoinetteClarkWireFrederikWisseJanZandeePreface. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .MARVI W. MEYERTable of Tractatesin the agHammadi Library.Textual Signs . . . . .Introduction . . . . .JAMESM. ROBINSONThePrayer of the ApostlePaul(I, 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . .DIETERMUELLERTheApocryphonof James(I, 2) . . . . . . . ... ....fRANCISE. WILLIAMSandDIETERMUELLERTheGospel of Truth(1,3andXII, 2) . . . . ... ....GEORGE W. MAcRAEThe Treatise onResurrection (1,4). . . . . . . . . . . . . .MALCOLML. PEELThe TripartiteTractate(I, 5) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .HAROLDW. ATTRIDGE, ELAINE H. PAGELS, and DIETER MUELLERThe Apocryphon of John(II,I, III,I, IV, I,andBG 8502,2)FREDERIKWISSEIXXIIIXVI272937505498TheHypostasis of theArchons (II, 4) . . . . . . . . . . . .ROGERA. BULLARD andBENTLEYLAYTONOntheOrigin of the World(II, 5 andXIII, 2). . . . . . . . .HANS-GEBHARDBETHGE andORVAL S. WINTERMUTETheExegesis ontheSouI (II, 6) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WILLIAMC. ROBINSON, Jr.TheBook of ThomastheContender(II, 7)JOHND. TURNERTheGospel of theEgyptians (lII, 2 andIV, 2) .ALEXANDERBOHLIG andFREDERIKWISSE/"ISBN 90 04 05434 0Copyrighr1977h) E.f. Brill, Leiderl, The.>';etherland;All righIJ reJerfJed. No parI of ,hi! book may be reproduced orIram/aJed mQn)' form, by print, phOloprint, mirro/ilm, microficheoran) olhermeans wi/hoUI wriltenpermiuionfromthe pub/iJherCOMPOSITION BY E. ). BRILL, THE NETHERLAI'DSPRIKTED IN U.S.A.TheGospel of Thomas (II, 2) . . . . . . . .HELMUTKOESTERandTHOMAS O. LAMBDINTheGospel of Philip(II, 3) . . . . .WESLEY W. ISENBERG. . . . . . . . 117131152161180188195VI THE HAMMADI L1BRARV ENGLISHTABLEOFCONTENTS VII, . , . . .. . . . , . .... . . . . . . . . . ..Eugnostos the Blessed(JlI, 3and V, I) andTheSophiaofJesusChrist (Ill, 4 andBG8502.3) .DOUGLASM. PARROTTTheDialogue of theSavior (III, 5). . . . . . . . . . . . . .HELMTKOESTER, ELAINE H. PAGELS, and HAROLD W. ATTRIDGEThe Apocalypse of Paul (V, 2). . . . . . . . . . .GEORGEW. MAcRAE, WILLIAMR. MURDOCK, andDOUGLAS M. PARROTTTheFirst Apocalypseof James(V, 3) .WILLIAMR. SCHOIillEL andDOUGLASM. PARROTTTheSecondApocalypse of James(V, 4) . . . . . .CHARLES W. HEDRICK andDOUGLASM. PARROTTTheApocalypseof Adam(V, 5) . . . . . . . . . .GEORGEW. MACRAE andDOUGLASM. PARROTTTheActs of Peter andthe TwelveApostles (VI,1)DOUGLASM. PARROTT andR. McL. WILSONThe Thunder, Perfect Mind(Vr, 2). . . . . . .GEORGEW. MAcRAE andDOUGLASM. PARROTTAuthoritative Teaching (Vl,3) .GEORGEW. MACRAE andDOUGLASM. PARROTTTheConcept of our Great Power (VI, 4) . . . .FRANCIS E. WILLIAMS, FREDERIKWISSE, andDOUGLASM. PARROTTPlato, Republic588B-589B (VI. 5) . . . . . . . BRASHLER andDOUGLASM. PARROTTTheDiscourse ontheEighthand:-linth(VI, 6) .PETERA. DIRKSE andDOUGLASM. PARROTTThePrayer of Thanksgiving (VI, 7) . . . . . . . . . . . . . BRASHLER. PETER A. DIRKSE, andDOUGLAS M. PARROTTAsclepius21-29(VI, 8) . . . . . . . . . . . .PETERA. DIRKSE andDOUGLASM. PARROTTThe Paraphraseof Shem(VIl, I)FREDERIK\VISSEThe Second Treatise of the Great Seth(VII, 2) .JOSEPH A. GIBBONS, ROGERA. BULLARD, andFREDERIKWISSE206229239242249256265271278284290292298300308329Apocalypseof Peter (VII,3) .JAMESBRASHLER, ROGERA. BULLARD, andFREDERIKWISSEThe Teachings of Silvanus (VII, 4) .MALCOLML. PEEL. JA ZANDEE, andFREDERIKWISSEThe Three Steles of Seth(VII, 5) .JAMESM. andfREDERIKWISSEZostrianos (VIIl, 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOHNH. SIEBERTheLetter of PetertoPhilip(VIJ1, 2)fREDERIKWISSEMelchizedek(IX, 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BIRGERA. PEARSO andS0RENGIVERSENThe Thoughtof orea (IX, 2). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BIRGERA. PEARSON andS0RENThe Testimonyof Truth (lX, 3) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .BIRGERA. PEARSON andS0RENGIVERSENMarsanes (X, 1) . . . . . . . . . . .BIRGER A. PEARSONThe Interpretation of Knowledge (XI, I)ELAINEH. PAGELS andJOHND. TURNERAValentinian Exposition (XI,2), with On the Anointing,OnBaptism AandB, andOntheEucharistAandB.ELAINEH. PAGELS andJOHND. TURNERAllogenes (XI, 3) .ANTOINETTECLARKWIRE, JOHND. TURNER, andORVALS. WINTERMUTEHypsiphrone (XI, 4) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .JOHND. TURNERThe Sentences of Sextus (XII, I). . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FREDERIKWISSEFragments (XII, 3). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .FREDERIKWISSETrimorphic Protennoia(XIII, 1)JOH, D. TuRNERThe Gospelof Mary (BG8502, 1) . . . . . . . . . . . . . .GEORGE W. MACRAE, R. McL. WILSON, andDOUGLASM. PARROTTThe Actof Peter (BG8502, 4). . . . . . . . .JAMESBRASHLER andDOUGLASM. PARROTTIndexof ProperNames. . . . . . . . . . . .339346362368394399404406417427435443453454460461471475478PREFACEThisvolumehasbeen a longtime in coming. Since the NagHammadilibrary was discovered in December 1945 by Mul:lammad'Ali al-SammanMul:lammadKhalifah, thepublicationof thetractates hasencountereda number of obstacles ofa political and scholarly sort. As a result,thoughithasbeen somethirty-twoyearssincetheirdiscovery, theNagHarnmadi tractateshavenot previouslybeenavailableintheir entiretyin English translation-nor, for that matter, in any other modernlanguage. Even the publication of The Facsimile Edition ofthe NagHammadiCodices is ataskonly now reaching completion. With the com-pletion of the Facsimile Edition and the appearance of the present volume,the Nag Hammadilibraryis atlast availabletothe reading public.The NagHammadi LibraryinEnglishisonlyonefacetof theworkoftheCopticGnostic LibraryProject of the Institutefor AntiquityandChristianity, Claremont GraduateSchool, Claremont, California. SincetheProject beganin1966, thegoalsandprojectedpublications of theProject haveexpandedconsiderably, sothatatpresent threepublishingventures have beenundertaken. Inadditiontothepresent one-volumeedition, two series ofvolumes are in the process ofbeing published.Thefirst is the aforementioned Facsimile Edition, published (Leiden:E. J. Brill, 1972 If.)under theauspices of theDepartment of Antiquitiesofthe Arab Republic ofEgypt, inconjunction with UNESCO. Thisset of twelve volumes contains photographic reproductions of the papyruspages and leather covers, and is an invaluable tool for the scholarlystudyofthe Nag Hammadi codices. The introductory volume, to bepublishedlast, will containa historyof thediscoveryandsubsequentresearch, and a number of photographs of the persons, places, andartifacts connected with the Nag Hammadi library, as wellas correctionsandadditions totheFacsimileEdition. Thesecondseriesof volumesisThe Coptic Gnostic Library, a set to number eleven volumes whencomplete. These volumes, published intheNagHammadi StudiesseriesbyE. J. Brill, will provideCoptictranscriptions, English translations,introductions, notes, and indices forall thetractatesandthecartonnageinthe NagHammadilibrary, andwill include theBerlin GnosticCodex8502. Todateonevolume inthis set hasappeared: The Gospel of theEgyptians(The Holy Book oj theGreat InvisibleSpirit)(NagHammadiStUdies 4, 1975), edited by Alexander Bohligand Frederik Wisse inx THENAGHAMMADI LIBRARYINE:'{ }( )TEXTUALSIGNSSmall strokes above the line indicate linedivisions. Everyfifthline a small number is inserted in place ofthestroke; thefre-quencyofthesenumbers, however, mayvaryintractateswhicharequitefragmentary. Anew pageisindicatedwithanumberinboldtype. Whenthebeginningof a newlineor pagecoincideswiththeopeningof a paragraph, thelinedivider or number isplacedatthe endof thepreviousparagraph.Squarebrackets indicatea lacuna inthemanuscript. When thetext cannot be reconstructed, three dots are placed within thebrackets, regardless ofthe size ofthe lacuna; a fourth dot, ifappropriate, mayfunctionasaperiod. Anexceptiontothisruleistheoccasionaluse of adifferent number of dotstoestimatetheextent of the missing portion of a propernoun. In afew instancesthedotsareusedwithout bracketstoindicateaseriesof Copticletters which do not constitute a translatable sense unit. A bracketisnotallowedtodivide a word,except forahyphenatedwordorapropernoun. Otherwordsareplaced entirelyinside oroutsidethebrackets, depending onthecertaintyof theCopticwordandthenumber of Coptic letters visible.Pointedbrackets indicatea correctionof a scribal omissionorerror. The translator has either inserted letters unintentionallyomitted by the scribe, or replaced letters erroneously insertedwithwhat thescribepresumably intendedtowrite.Bracesindicatesuperfluouslettersorwordsaddedbythescribe.Parentheses indicatematerial suppliedby the editor or translator.Although this material may not directly reflect the text beingtranslated, it providesuseful informationforthereader.INTRODUCTlObyJAMESM. R O B I N S O ~I. TheStance of theTexIsTheNagHammadi libraryisacollectionof religioustexts that varywidely fromeach other as to when, where. and by whomthey werewritten. Eventhepointsof view divergetosuchanextent thatthetextsarenot tobethoughtof ascomingfromonegroupor movement. Yetthesediversified materials must havehadsomethingincommonwhichcausedthemtobechosenbythosewhocollectedthem. Thecollectorsno doubt contributed to this unity by finding in the texts hidden meaningsnot fullyintendedbytheoriginal authors. After all, oneofthem. theGospel of Thomas. beginswithawordtothewise: "Whoeverfinds theinterpretation of these sayings will not experience death." Thus thetextscanbereadat twolevels: what theoriginal author mayhave in-tendedtocommunicateandwhat thetextsmay subsequentlyhavebeentakento communicate.The focus that brought the collection together is an estrangement fromthe mass of humanity. an affinity to an ideal order that completelytranscendslife asweknowit, andalife-styleradicallyother thancom-monpractice. This life-styleinvolvedgivingup all thegoodsthat peopleusually desireandlonging foranultimateliberation. Itisnot anaggres-sive revolution thatis intended, but rather a withdrawal frominvolvementinthe contaminationthat destroys clarity of vision.As such, thefocusof thislibraryhasmuchin commonwithprimitiveChristianity, witheasternreligions, andwith holymen of all times, aswell aswiththemoresecular equivalentsof today, suchasthecounter-culturemovementscomingfromthe 1960's. Disinterest inthegoodsofa consumer society, withdrawalinto communes of thelike-mindedawayfromthebustleandclutter ofbig-citydistraction, non-involvement inthe compromises of the political process, sharing an in-group's knowledgebothof thedisaster-courseof thecultureandof anideal, radical alter-native not commonly known-all this in modern garb is the real challengerootedin suchmaterials asthe)fag Hammadi library.2 THENAGHAMMADl LIBRARYINENGLISH INTRODUCTlOI\ 3Tobesure, theseroots, fascinatingandprovocativeastheyare, canalsobe confusingandevenfrustrating, notonlyforthepersonscarcelyopentowhat theyhavetosay, butalsotothemoreattentivewhoseekto followthe light glimmeringthrough the flowof language. For thepoint of the NagHammadi libraryhasbeenbattered and fragmentedbythe historical process through whichit has finally come to light. A salvageoperationisneededat manylevelsif that pointis tobegraspedclearlytoday. The ancient world's religious and philosophical traditions andmythology were all that was available to express what was in fact aquite untraditional stance. Vet thestance was too radical toestablishitself withintheorganizedreligionsorphilosophical schoolsof theday,andhence washardly able totake advantage of the culture's educationalinstitutions to develop and clarify its implications.Gnostic schools begantoemerge withinChristianityand Neoplatonism, until both agreedinexcludingthemas the "heresy" ofGnosticism. Thus meaningful andeloquent myths and philosophic formulations of that radical stancebecame in their turn garbled traditions, reused by later and lesser authorswhosewatered-down, not tosaymuddied, versionmaybemost of whathas survived ... though there are several "classics"in the Nag Hammadilibrary.Thetextsweretranslatedone by onefromGreekintoCoptic, andnotalways bya translator capableofgraspingthe profundityor sublimityof what hehadbeforehim. Thetranslatorof abrief sectionof Plato'sRepublic clearly did not understand the philosophy before his eyes,though he did find something edifying and worth translating. Fortunately,most texts are better translated, but when there areduplications onecansensewhat adifferencethebetter translationmakes incomparisontothe poorer translation-which leads one towonder about the bulkof thetextsthatexist onlyinasingleversion. Thereisthesamekindofhazardinthetransmission of thetextsbyaseriesof scribeswhocopiedthem, generation after generation, from increasingly corrupt copies,firstinGreekandtheninCoptic. Thenumber of unintentional errorsishard toestimate, since sucha thingas a clean control copydoes notexist; nor doesone have, asinthe caseof theBible, a quantity of manu-scripts of thesametext that tendtocorrecteachotherwhencompared.Onlywhentheerrorcanbedetectedassuchinthecopywehavecanitbe corrected. Inadditionthere isthephysicaldeterioration of thebooksthemselves, which began no doubt before they were buried around400C.E., advancedsteadilywhiletheyremained buried, and unfortu-nately was not completely haltedinthe periodbetween their discovery in1945andtheir final conservationsomethirtyyears later. Whenonlyafewlettersaremising, they canoftenbefilledinadequately, but largerholes must simply remain blank. The present translation also has itsownlimitations. Manyof thetextshavenot beenpreviouslytranslated,muchlessfullyanalyzedandinterpreted. Theyareherepreentedtothepublic at largepreciselytofacilitate that process, whichshouldleadtoimprovedunderstandingandultimatelyimprovedtranslations.The reader shouldnot be misled by suchimpediments to understandinginto thinking that the stance inherent in these essays is unworthy ofserious consideration. Rather, wehaveto dohere withanunderstandingof existence, an answer to the human dilemma, an attitude towardsociety,thatisworthy of being taken quite seriouslyby anyone able andwillingtograpplewithsuchultimateissues. This basicstancehas untilnow beenknownalmost exclusivelythroughthemyopicview of heresy-hunters, whooftenquoteonlytorefuteorridicule. Thusthecomingtolight of the:'>fag Hammadilibrary gives unexpectedaccess to the Gnosticstance as Gnostics themselves presented it. It provides newroots fortheuprooted.Those who collected this library were Christians, and manyoftheessays were originallycomposed byChristian authors. Ina sense thisshouldnotbe surprising, sinceprimitiveChristianitywasitself aradicalmovement. Jesuscalledforafull reversalof values, announcingtheendof theworldas we have knownit andits replacement byaquitenew,utopiankind oflife in which the ideal would be the real. He took astandquite independent oftheauthorities ofhis day ... anddid notlast very longbefore theyeliminated him. Through a remarkable ex-perienceof hisVindication, hisfollowers reaffirmedhis stand-forthemhecametopersonifythe ultimategoal. Yet someof hiscircle, beingabit morepractical, followedamoreconventional wayof life. Thecirclegradually became an established organization with a quite naturalConcerntomaintainorder. continuity, linesof authority, andstability.But this concern could encourage a commitment to the status quo,rivalling, and attimes outweighing, the commitmenttotheultimate goalfar beyondanyandeveryattainedachievement. Those whocherishedtheradical dream. the ultimatehope. wouldtendtothrowit upas aninvidious comparison to what was achieved, andthus seem to be disloyal,andtoposeaseriousthreat totheorganization.As thecultural situationchanged with the passage of time and theshift ofenvironment, the language for expressing such radical tran-Scendence itself underwent change. The world of thought fromwhich4 THENAGHAMMADI LIBRARYINENGLISHINTRODUCTION 5Jesus and his first followers had come was the popular piety of theJewish synagogue, focussed interms of Johnthe Baptist's apocalypticrite oftransition fromthe old regime to the newideal world whosedramatic arrival was forthcoming. In this way of thinking, the evilsystemthat prevails is not the way things inherentlyare. In principle,thoughnot inpractice, theworldisgood. The evil that pervadeshistoryis a blight, ultimatelyalien to the world as such. But increasinglyforsome the outlookonlifedarkened; the very originofthe worldwasattributedtoa terriblefault, andevil was givenstatus as the ultimaterulerofthe world, not just a usurpationof authority. Hence the onlyhopeseemedtoresideinescape. Forhumans, or atleastsomehumans,areatheart not theproduct of such anabsurdsystem, but bytheirverynaturebelong totheultimate. Theirplightis thattheyhavebeen dupedandluredintothetrapof tryingtobe content intheimpossibleworld,alienated fromtheir true home. And for some a mystical inwardnessundistractedbyexternal factors cametobetheonlywaytoattaintherepose, the overview, the merger into the All which is the destiny ofone'ssparkof thedivine.ChristianGnosticism emergedas areaffirmation, thoughin somewhatdifferent terms, of the original stance of transcendence central to thevery beginnings of Christianity. Such Gnostic Christians surely con-sidered themselves the faithful continuation, under changing circum-stances, ofthat original stance which made Christians Christians. Butthe "somewhat different terms" and "under changingcircumstances"also involved real divergences, and other Christians surelyconsideredGnosticisma betrayal ofthe original Christianposition. This was theconvictionnot just of thosewhohadaccommodatedthemselves tothestatus quo, but nodoubt also ofsome who retained thefull force ofthe original protest and ultimate hope. But as Christianity becameorganized andnormalized, thisdivergence between thenew radicalsandthose who retained the more traditional Christian language becameintolerable.Gnostics came to be excluded fromthe Church as heretics. In theNewTestament two such Gnostic Christians are repudiated at thebeginning of thesecondcentury(2Timothy2: 16-18):Avoid empty and worldly chatter; those who indulge in it will stray furtherandfurther intogodlesscourses, andtheinfectionof their teachingwillspread like a gangrene. Such are Hymenaeus andPhiletus;they have shotwide of thetruth insayingthat ourresurrection has alreadytakenplace,andareupsetting people'sfaith.This view, that theChristian'sresurrectionhasalreadytakenplaceasaspiritual reality, is advocatedin the Treatise on Resurrection,the Exegesison theSoul, andtheGospel of PhilipintheNagHammadi library!ButtheNagHammadi libraryalsodocumentsthefact that therejec-tionwas mutual, inthat Christiansdescribedas"heretical"seemtobemorelikewhat isusuallythought of as"orthodox."TheApocalypse ofPeterhasChrist criticizetheorthodoxasfollows:They will cleave to the name of a dead man, thinking that they will becomepure. Buttheywill become greatlydefiledandtheywillfall intoanameof error and into the hand of an evil, cunning man and a manifold dogma,andtheywill beruledheretically. Forsomeof themwill blasphemethetruthand proclaimevil teaching. And they will sayevil things againsteach other. ... But manyothers, whoopposethetruthandarethemes-sengersof error, will set uptheirerrorandtheirlawagainst thesepurethoughts of mine, as lookingout fromone (perspective), thinking thatgoodandevil arefromone(source). Theydobusinessin myword ....And there shall be others of those who are outside our number who namethemselves bishop and also deacons, as if they have received their authorityfrom God. They bend themselves under the judgment of the leaders. Thesepeople are dry canals.With the conversion of theRoman Empire toChristianity of the moreconventionalkind, thesurvival chancesof GnosticChristianity, suchasthat reflectedintheNagHammadi library, weresharplyreduced. TheBishop of Cyprus, Epiphanius, whose main work was a "MedicineChest" against all heresies, describes his encounter with GnosticisminEgypt about the same time the Nag Hammadi library was beingcollected:I have had abrush with this sect myself, beloved, and got my informationabout itscustoms inperson, straight fromthe mouths ofits members.Womenwhobelievedthisnonsenseoffereditto me, and told me the kindof thing I have beendescribing. [ntheir brazenimpudence, whatismore,theytriedtoseduceme, likethat vicious, wickedEgyptianwomanwhowas married tothe chief cook-I was young, andthis made me attractiveto them....For thewomenwhotoldme about thissalaciousmythwereoutwardlyverycharming, but all the devil's ugliness was in their vileminds. However, themerciful Godsavedmefromtheirdepravity. Then,While I was at it, [ read their books, understood what they really intended,and was not entrapped as they had been; their literature left me unmoved.AndI promptlyreportedthese peopletothelocal bishops, and foundwhichofthemwere masqueradingas members of the church. Andsothey were driven out of the city, about eighty of them, and it was cleansedof their rank, thornygrowth.6 THE AGIIA\1MADI LIBRARYINE:--GLISH 1:-- TRODl.:CTIO", 7Gnosticismwas ultimately eradicated from Christendom, except foroccasional underground movements. affinities in medieval mysticism.and an occasional tamed echo that stays just within the limits of propriety,forexamplewithinEnglishromanticism:Ourbirthisbuta sleep and a forgetting:The Soul that rises withus, our life's Star,Hathhad elsewhereits settingAndCometh fromafar.The worldistoomuch with us:late andsoon,Getting and spending. we lay waste our powers.Gnosticismofsorts was alsoable tocontinue beyond the frontiers ofthe RomanEmpirebecomeChristendom. ft is still extant inthe formof a small sect of peasants inIraq calledMandaeans. whichistheir wordfor"Knowers." that istosay "Gnostics."This same withdrawal to inwardness or despair of the world fromwhichtheGnosticstanceemergedswept not onlythroughearlyChristianitytoproduceChristianGnosticism, but alsothroughlate antiquityingeneral, thus producingforms of Gnosticismoutsideof Christianity.There is a long-standing debate among historians of religion as to whetherGnosticismis tobeunderstoodasonlyaninner-Christiandevelopmentorasamovement broader than, andhenceindependent of, andperhapseven prior toChristianity. This debateseems to beresolvingitself. onthebasis of the NagHammadi library, infavorof understandingGnos-ticismas a much broader phenomenon than early Christian heresy-hunterswouldleadonetothink.Some of theGnosticessays donotseemtoreflectChristiantradition,but do build upon the Old Testament, which was ofcourse also theJewishBible. In this sense one often hears reference to Jewish Gnosticism.Suchaconcept isoftenrejectedasacontradictioninterms. HowcouldJews designate their God as the malevolent force whose misguidedblunder produced the world, a God who was ignorant of the hiddengoodGodbeyond?SinceChristiansworshipthesameGodasdoJews,this argument could also be made against the very idea ofChristianGnosticism. But since early Christian heresy-hunters clearly identifiedGnostic as Christians, though of course hereticalChristians, the conceptofChristian Gnosticismis firmlyestablished. Touseanother analogy,Simon Maguburied.In,iewof Iheorthodoxyofthe Pachomianmona!>tenes reflectedinthe Life of Sailll PadlOmius and other mona::.tic legends. some ha\ehesitatedtoas!>ociatetheHammadi library\\iththeseunless II beIhat suchtexts"erecopiedfor ready referenceinrefutlngheresy. But suchadefenderof"ouldnot bother tocollel:lIhenon-Christiantexts inthe'\agHammadi library. Andsomeof theChrislian le\.ts are nOI explicitly "heretical"' and hence \,ould hardlyhavebeenincludedinsuchablacklist. Norwouldduplit:ateshavebeenneeded. Theveryfaci Ihat thelibrary seems 10have beenmade upbycombiningseveral smallercollectionsto point towardindividualChristian or monasteries producingthe individual books orsmallfor their ownspiritual enlightenment. rather thantoaheresy-huntingcampilign. Sincethefamiliar heresy-huntingliteratureisinGreek, onc hc:)it:lIetopo!>tlliate sucha\\idespreadheresy-hunting activit}inCoptic.Of course it is concel\able thatbookmanufacture could ha\e been oneof Ihe handicrafts common 111 monasteries 10producecommodities 10tradeorsell for theneeesslliesof life, Henceonecouldconjecturethaiuninscribed books "'ere producedin the monasteryand "cre sold toGnostics (oranyoneelse) 10mscnbcasthey !Co:!" Ilt. BUI thereISsomeevidence from that period that books were first mscnbed andIhen bound.aswhenalineof "ritingpasse::. throughthefoldat theAnd 111theI agHammadi librarybloningisusuallypresent onthe fim andlastpagesbut not else"here. ",hichma} perhapsbe explained asdue10 thedampness of thepaSle111 the cartonnage atIhe time of bmdmg. inwhichcasethequirewouldhavetohavebeeninscribedbeforebeingbound,Thecare and religious devotion reflecledinthe manufactureoftheNagHammadi libraryhardly suggest that thebookswereproducedoutof antagonismor evendisinterest in their coments. but rather reflectIhevenerationaccordedto holytexts. The leather coversarenot veryornate, compared, for example,withtheManichaeanbooks of a centurylater, that are thoughtto havebeen studdedwith jewels. But this simplic-itywould be appropriate to the Pachomian monasteries, The LifeofSaint Pachomiusreports:He alsotaught the brothcrs topaynoaHcmion to thelovcliness andbeautyof this"orld. "hether it bebeautiful foodor clothing. or acell,or anout"ardly seducmebook.Thesimpletoolingof some ofthe leather cO\'ersdoes include crosses(II. IV, andVIII),The ankhhieroglyph of lifethat became Ihe Christiancrossansatais onthe beautifully-tooledco\er of CodexII andat theend of the Prayer ofthe Apostle Paul. The acrostic '"fish'" symbol standingforthecreed'"JesusChrist. Sonof God, Su\'ior'"occurs10 IWOscnbalnotes (inCodices III andVII). Inthefirst casethenameof Ihescribeis prCSCl"\ed inthe comment "in the fleshmy nameis Gongessos," whichisprobably thelatmnameConcessus. He alsohada spimual name ortitleofEugnostos. Thus he hadsomespirilual SlatuS, and referredtohis "fellowlights in incorruplibility'" Within Ihis spintual CIrcle hedescribedthetextas 'Godwntten."Evenif suchu scribal notewasnotcomposed bythe scribe whocopied the codex. that has survived, butrathercame fromanearher scribewhowroteanancestor ofthecopythat survived, nevertheless the scribe ofCodexIII did not feel calledupon toeliminate it, much less to replace it with a warning againstheresyinthetext. Somescribal notes, however. sincetheywerewrittenattheendof anextant codex, maybe assumedtohavebeencomposedthe scribe of thatparticular code"{. They reflectthe godlinesshefoundIn whathewas copying. CodexII concludes wilhthisnote:Remembermealso, mybrethren. (inl your pr3}ers: PeacetotheSaintsandthe Spiritual.18TIlEt\AGIlAM\IADJ LIBRARYINE:-iGLlSIl INfRODUCTJO,\/ 19CodexVIIends on a similar note:This bookbelongs 10 the fatherhood. It is the sonwhoIoHoieit. Bless me,o father. I bless you, 0 father, inpeace. Amen.Thetermfatherhoodmayrefer [0theleadership of amonastery. In anycase, these scribal nOles, togetherwiththe scribes'caretocorrect errorsand e,en add small explanalOry glosses andreading aids,lendto indicatethat the scribeswere of areligiouspersuasion congenial [0thecontentstheywere copying.Perhaps thecommonpresentationof themonastiCmovement ofthefounhcenturyC.E. assolidlyonhodox: is ananachronism, andmorenearlyreflects thesituationofthe later monasticismthat recordedthelegends abouttheearlierperiod. When ahermit withdrew fromcivilizationintothe deserthealso tendedtobe out of contact withtheChurch,forexamplewithits fellowship, sacraments, andauthority. Earlyinthefourthcentury therewasamonkintheDeltanamedHierakas, ascribebytradeandalearned interpreter of theBible, whowas so asceticinhISviewsastoarguethat marriagewaslimitedtotheold covenant, for nomarriedperson"caninheritthekingdom of heaven:' Althoughthisledtohimbeing classified as aheretic, it didnotprevent himfromhaving afollowing, The Testimony ofTrUlh in theNag Hammadi library representsasimilar view:For no one whois under theLaw will be able tolookup to the truth,fortheywillnot be abletoserve t"'omasters. For the defilement of theLa'"is manifest; but undefilement belongs (Qthelight. The Lawcommands(one)to take a husband (or)10 take a wife.andtobeget,tomultiplylikethe sand of the sea. But passionwhichis a delighttothem constrains thesouls of thosewho arebegotteninthisplace, thosewhodefile andthosewhoaredefiled, inorderthat theLawmight befulfilledthroughthem.Andtheyshowthat theyareassistingtheworld; andthey[turn) awayfromthelight,whoare unable [topassby}the archonof {darkness)untiltheypaythe last [penny).The Life ofSaim Pachomius narratesthat a ;'philosopher" from Panopolis(Akhmim), wherePachomiusbuilt amonastery just 108 kilometers(67 miles) downstream from where the Nag Hammadi library wasburied, came 10 test the monks' "understanding of the scriptures."Pachomius senthisassistantTheodore tomeet him:Thephilosopher queriedhimon something forwhichtheanswerwas notdifficult to find, "Who was notbornbU! died? Who wasbornbut didnotdie? And who died without givingoff the stenchofdecomposition?"TheodorerepliedthatAdamwasnotbornbut died, Enoch wasbornbutdidnot die. andLot'swifediedbut. havingbecomeapillarof salt. didnotgive off the stench of decomposition. Thephilosopher acceptedtheseanswers and departed.This may well be a faint echo of Pachomian debates with ChristianGnostics before the middle of the fourth century C.E. Epiphanius'effortstorunChristian Gnostics out of towntookplaceinEgypt aboutthe same time.In367C.E, ArchbishopAthanasius .... roteanEaster letter that condemns heretics and their "apocryphal books to which they attributeantiquityandgi,ethenameof saints:' Theodore, bythenheadofthePachomian monasteries. had the letter translated into Coptic, and"deposited it inthemonasterytoservethemas a rule:' Theremust stillhave been Gnostics or Gnostic books influencing the Pachomian monasticmovement whichmadethisact necessary. Of course manyofthe ~ a gHammadi texts are indeed pseudonymous. that is tosay, ascribed intheir titles to some"saim"ofthe past. Inanother ofthe Pachomianlegends one of "these books thattheheretics'" rite"but "give out underthe name of saints"is quoted:After Eve"..asdecel\edandhadealenthefruit ofthetree, it isofthedevilthat shebore Cain.TheHypoJrasis of theArchonJ inthe;..lagHammadi libraryhas anarrative that pointsinthis direction:Thenthe Authorities came to theirAdam,Andwhenthey saw his femalecounterpart speaking \\ith him, they became agitated with great agitation;andtheybecame enamored of her.They saidto one another, "Come, letus sow our seedinher:' andtheypursuedher. And she laughed at themfor their witlessness andtheirblindness; andintheir clutches, she becamea tree, andleft themher shadowyreflectionresemblingherself; andtheydefiled [it] foullY.-Andthey defiledtheform that shehad stamped inherlikeness. sothat by the formtheyhad modelled. together with[their](own)image, theymadethemselvesliabletocondemnation.Earlyinthefifthcentury C.E. Shenoute. Abbot of theWhiteMonasteryat thesame Panopolis where Pachomius hadfoundedmonasteriesandfromwhichthe"philosopher" hadcome, attackedagroupat thenearbytemple ofPneueit that called itself"kingless," worshippedthe"demiurge,"andwouldnotaccept Cyril, Archbishopof Alexandria. astheir "ilIuminator:' Theseterms, whichShenoute seemstoborrowfromthegroup, aresowell knowninthe:"lagHammadi librarythat it mayhave beenaChristianGnostic, perhapsa Sethiangroup. eventhoughin his polemic Shenoute calls them pagan heretics. He seized their "books20THENAG LIBRARYINENGLISHINTRODUCfION 21full of abomination" and "of everykind of magic." Series of vowels andunintelligible magic words-Plotinus called it "hissing"-occur intheNagHamrnadi libraryitself-andPachomiustoowrotetotheheadsofhis monasteries using a code that evenhis successors could not decipher!Hence the Nag Hammadi library and Pachomius' "books of spirit-ual letters" maynot have been entirely different in appearance fromwhat Shenoute wouldcall a bookof magic. Shenoute threatened theheretics:1shall make you acknowledge ... the Archbishop Cyril, or else the swordwillwipe out most of you, and moreover those of you who ace spared willgointo exile.Ju,tas theDead SeaScroll, wereputin jarsfor safekeeping andhiddenat the time of the approach of the Roman Tenth Legion, the burialof the NagHammadi libraryina jarmayalsohave been precipitatedby the approach of Roman authorities, who by now have becomeChristian.Thefact that the"1agHammadi librarywashiddenina jarsuggeststheintentionnot toeliminatebut topreservethebooks. For not onlyweretheDeadSeaScrollsput insuch jarsfor safekeeping, butbiblicalmanuscriptshavebeen foundsimilarlypreserved up and downtheNile,insome cases datingfromthesame period andburiedintheNagHam-madi region. TheBiblerefers toburial ina jaras thewaytopreserve,and to burningas the way to eliminate a book(Jeremiah 32: 14-15;36: 23). TheLife of Saint Pochomius reportsthat be got ridof abookbyOrigen, whomheconsideredaheretic, bythrowing itinthewaterwiththecomment that if theLord'snamehadnot beeninit hewouldhaveburnedit. Theburnjng of thegreatestlibraryinantiquityatAlexandriabyChristianslateinthefourthcenturyC.E. ,uggeststhat suchareadysolutionwouldhardlyhave beenoverlookedifthe intent hadbeentoget ridofthe Nag Hammadi library. It must havebeenburiedinthejar for safekeeping, perbapsforposterity.Twoof the texts in the Nag Hammadi library refer to their beingstoredfor safekeepingina mountainuntil theendof time. TheGospelof theEgyptians concludes:Thegreat Sethwrotethis bookwithlettersinonehundredandthirtyyears. Heplacedit inamountainthat iscalledCharaxio. inorderthat,at the end of the times and the eras,... it may come forth and reveal thisincorruptible, holyraceofthegreat savior, andthose whodwell withthem in love, and the great,invisible, eternal Spirit, and his only begottenSon....Near theendof Allogenes asimilaridea occurs:Write down(the thingsthat ] shall [tell) youand of whichI shallremindyoufor thesakeofthesewhowill beworthyafter you. Andyouwillleavethis bookuponthemountainandyouwill call uptheguardian,"Come, 0 DreadfulOne."OneachsideoftheNilevalleycliffsriseabruptlytothedesert above.The section of thecliff ontheright bankmarkingthelimit of the I ilevalleyand thearable landbetweenChenoboskeiaand Pabauis calledthe Jabalal-Tlirif. Aprotrudingboulder shaped somewhat like astalag-mite had brokenoff some time inantiquityfromthe face ofthe cliffandfallendownontothetalusbelow (theinclinedplaneof fallenrockthat overtheagesnaturally collects like abuuress at thefoot of acliff).Under thenorthernflank of one of the huge barrel-shapedpieces of thisboulderthe jar containingthe:"lagHammadilibrarywas secreted.In the face of the cliff, just at the top of the talus,sixth dynastytombsfromthereigns of Pepi I andII(2350-2200B.C.E.) hadin antiquity longsince beenrobbed. Thustheyhadbecomecool solitarycaves whereamonkmightwellholdhisspiritual retreats,asisreportedof Pachomiushimself, or whereahermit might havehiscell. GreekprayerstoZeusSarapis, opening lines of biblical Psalms inCoptic, andChristian crosses,all painted inredontothe walls of the caves, show thatthey were indeedsoused. Perhapsthosewhocherishedthe NagHammadi librarymadesuchuseofthecaves, whichwouldaccount for thechoiceofthis sitetoburythem. The jar restedthereamillenniumandahalf. . ,.3. TheDiscoveryIn the month of December peasants of the Naj( J:{ammadi regionfertilize their fields by carrying nitrates fromthe talus of the Jabalal-Tlirif to their fields, using the saddle-bags of their camels. Two brothers,and Khalifah 'Ali ofthe al-Sammlinclan, hobbled theircamels on thesouthsideofthefallen boulder andcameuponthejaras theywerediggingaroundits base. Mul:tammad (Ali reports that atfirst hewasafraidtobreakthe jar, whoselidmayhavebeensealedonwithbitumen, for fear thatajinnmight beclosedupinsideit; but, onreflectingthat the jarmight containgold, herecoveredhiscourage andsmashed it with his mattock. Out swirled golden-like particles thatdisappeared into thesky-neitherjinns nor gold but perhaps papyrusfragments!He wrappedthe booksin his tunic, slung it over his shoulder,unhobbledhis camel, and carriedthebookshome,ahovelinthehamlet22THENAGI-IAMMADI LIBRARY1"-: E:"!GUSII INTRODUCTION 23of which was the ancient site of Chenoboskeia wherePachomiushadbegunhislife as aChristian.HaIfa year earlier. during the night of7May 1945. the father of the twobrothers, whose name was (Ali, while onhisjobas night watchmanguardingirrigationequipment inthe fields. hadkilledamarauder. Bymid-morninghehadbeeninturnmurderedin bloodvengeance. Aboutamonthafterthediscoveryof thebooks. apeasant namedAl)madfellasleepsittingin theheat ofthedayon thesideofthedirt roadnearYiu1)ammad (X"RYPHO' OFJA\IES(I. 2) 35yoursakes I camedown. Youare3Dthehelmed; youarethey whowill be the causeoflife in many. Invoke the Father. implore Godoften. andhev.ill givetoyou. Blessed3$ishewhohasseenyouV.ilhHim when He was proclaimed among the angels. and glorifiedamong the saints: yours is life. Rejoice and beglad as II sons ofGod. Keep (his)will thatyoumaybe saved; accept reproof frommeand saveyourselves. Iintercede6 onyourbehalf wilhtheFather, andhewill forgiveyoumuch,"Andwhenwe hadheardthesewords, webecameglad, for wehadbeengrieved' al thewords wehave mentioned10before. But when hesawus' rejoicing, he said, "Woe to you, I you who Jack an advo-cate! ' Woetoyou, youwhostandinneed I of grace! Blessedwill theybe16 whohave I spoken out andobtained grace forthemselves. Liken Iyourselves toforeigners; I ofwhat sort are they in theeyes ofyour20city?Whyareyoudisturbed' whenyoucast yourselvesaway I of yourown accordand' separate yourselves fromyour city? Why' do youabandon your dwellingplaceofyour ownaccord. makingit readyfor those who want' to dwellinit? 0 you outcasts andfugitives: woeto you, for you will be caught! Or30 do you perhaps think that theFather is alover of mankind. orthatheis wono"er\\oithoutprayers.or that he grants remission 10 one on another's behalf. or that hebearswithonewho asks? 16-For heknowsthedesire and also ",hatIIisthat theflesh needs!- (Or doyou think) that it is not this(flesh)thatdesires thesoul? For without thesoul thebody doesnot sin. justas12 the soulisnot sa.. edwithout (the) spirit. But if the soul is sa\ed(whenit is)without evil. and' thespirit isalsosa\ed. thenthebody becomesfreefromsin. For it is thespirit that quickens thesoul. bUIthe bodythat' kills it; , that is, it is it (the soul) which kills itself.Verily I sayunto you,lOhe will not forgive the soul the sin by anymeans, nor theflesh theguilt; for noneof thosewhohave I worntheflesh will be saved. ' For do you think that many have16 found thekingdomofheaven?' Blessed is he whohas seenhimselfas I afourthone inheaven!" IWhenweheard thesewords. weweredistressed. ' But when hesa\\that weweredistressed,\ltI hesaid, "ForthiscauseI tell' youthis, thatyoumay' knowyourselves. Forthekingdom ofheavenislikeanearof grainafter it ' hadsproutedinafield. And iswhenit hadripened, itscatteredits fruit andagainfilledthefield withears for anotheryear.You also:hastentoreap an ear of life for yourselvesthat30 youmaybe filledwiththekingdom!"Andas longas 1 am \\Ith you. gi\e heedto me and obcy me:but ",hen I depan from remember me. And remember mebecause I \\oas\\olthyou (andl you didnot kno\\o me. Ble:>sed\\oill the)be\\oho ha\e kno"'nme. "'oe tothose\\hoha\e.wheardand ha\enotbelieved. Blessed ",illlhe)be \\ho 13 ha\e not seen yet (ha\e belie\ed]."And oncemore I pre\ail upon you. for 1amre\ealed to youbuilding ahousewhichis of great \alueto'>yousinceyoufindshelterbeneathit, just as it \\111 beable tostandbyyour neighbors' housewhenit threatens tofall. Veril) I say unto you. \\oe10 tothose forwhosesakesI was sent do\\ ntothis place: blessed will theybe"hoascend' to the Falher. Once more I reprove you. you who are:becomelikethosewhoarenot, that youmaybewiththosewho arenot."Do notmake I thekingdomof heavenadesert \\ithinyou. Donotbe proud20 because ofthe light that illumines. but betoyourselvesasI myselfam [Qyou. For your sakes I have placedmyself underthe curse,that you maybe sa\ed."But Peterreplied tothese\\ordsandsaid. "Sometimesyouurgeusontothekingdomof3(l he:l\en. andthenagainyou turn us back.Lord; sometimes you persuad( anddraw us tofaith and promiseus life, and then again you casl3,) us forth from the kingdom ofhea\en."But theLordanswered andsaidtous... , ha\egi\Cnyou(pl.) faithmany times:moreo\er. 'ha\e re\ealedmyself 10 you (sing,). 14 James.and you (pI.) ha\cnot kno\\nme.again' see you(pl.)rejoicingmany times; and\\ohenyouare elated'> atthepromise of life. areyouyetsad. anddoyou grie\e "henyouareInstructed 10thekingdom?But you, through fallh [and] koo\\ledge. ha\e recei\ed10 life. There-foredisdain therejection" henyou hearit. but whenyouhear thepromise, rejoiceIhemore. VerilyI sayunlOyoU.16he\\ho\\ill recei\elifeand believeinthe kingdom.... ill ne\er lea\e it. not e\enif theFatherwishes tobanishhim."These are the thmgs that I shall tell 20 yousofar; now. ho\\ever,I shall' ascendtotheplacefromwhenceI came. But you. whenIwaseager' togo. have cast me out. and instead of accompanyingme,uyouhavepursuedme. But payheedtotheglorythatawaits me and.haVingopened your heart. listentothe hymns that await me upintheheavens; 30for todayI must take(myplaceat) theright handoftheFather. But I ha.. e saId (my)last wordto you.andI shall depanfromyou, for achariol of spirit has borneme andfromthismoment on I shall stripm}self that I maydothe m}sdf. But gi.. e36 THENAGH.... MMADI LIBRARYINE1'oGlISIIheed: blessed are they ..... ho have proclaimed the Son before hisdescent40 that, when I have come, I might ascend (again). 'Thriceblessed 15are theywho(were) , proclaimed by the Son' before theycame tobe, that I youmighthaveaportion6 among them."Havingsaidthesewords, hedeparted. But webent (our) knee(s),I andPeter, andgavethanks and sent our heartls)upward toheaven.Weheardwilh10 our ears, andsawwith our eyes, thenoise of warsandatrumpet blare I andagreat turmoil.And when we hadpassedbeyond15 thatplace, we sent our mind(s)farther upward and saw with our eyes and heard' with our earshymns and angelic benedictions and!O angelic rejoicing. And' heavenlymajestieswere singingpraises, andwe too rejoiced..After this again we wished to send ourU spirit upward to theMajesty, andafter ascendingwe' were not permittedtoseeor hearanything, for theother disciplescalledusandallaskedus, "Whatdidyou hear from the Master? And what did he' say to you? Andwherehashegone?"But weanswered~ them, .. Hehasascended, and' hehasgivenusapledge and promisedlife tous all and revealedto us children(?) ,who are to come after us, after bidding 16 [us] love them, as we would be[saved] for their sakes."And when they heard (this),they indeed believed' the revelation, butwere displeasedI aboutthose to be born.And so,not wishing' to arousetheir resentment, ' I sent each one to another' place. But I myself went 'up toJerusalem, prayingthat I10 might obtaina portionamongthebeloved, whowill appear. 'AndI pray that' the beginning may come fromyou, ' forthusI shallbecapableof 11salvation, sincetheywill be' enlightenedthrough me,bymyfaith-' andthroughanother(faith) that is' better thanmine,for I would that Imine be the lesser.20Endeavor earnestly, then, tomake' yourselflike themand I praythat youmayobtaina portion'amongthem. For apartfromthe persons' I have mentioned, theSaviordid21notgiveustherevelation. I For theirsakewe proclaim, indeed, Iaportionamongthose' for whomtheproclamationwas made, ' thosewhomtheLordhasmadehis30 sons.THEGOSPELOFTRUTH(1,3ANDXII,2)IntroducedandtranslatedbyGEORGEW. MACRAEThe Gospel of Truthis aGnostic andperhaps aValentinian{ractate whichdiscusses, inthemannerof a meditation,theperson andwork of Chrisl. Thetille of the work, takenfromtheopening of theCoptic text, may correspondto the "Gospel of Truth"mentionedinIrenaeus. If thisisthe case, the Greekoriginal of theCopticGospel of Truthmaybe datedinthemiddle or secondhalf of the second ~ n 1 u r y , andmayhavebeenwrittenbyamember of theVa)entinian school. Some scholars have even suggested that Valentinus himselfmay have beenthe author of the tractate.In spite of thetitle, thisworkisnota gospel of the samesort astheNewTestament gospels: it does not focus upon the words and deeds of the historicalJesus. Yet theGospel 0/ Truthis"gospel"inthe sense of "good news"aboutJesus, about the eternal and divine Son, theWord who reveals theFather andpasses on knowledge, particularly self knowledge. For through this self-knowledge theGnostics knowwho theyare, where they have comefrom,alld where they are going; they realize thatthey themselves are esselltially sonsof theFather, that they are of divine origin, thattheir past andfuturerestinthe divine.Hence it call be said that this "gospel"is a joy for those \\ho havereceivedthe gift of knowing theFather. By means of such salvific knowledgethe Gnostic achieves joy andwholeness: thenightmare of livinginignoranceistransformedintothe joyful lifeinunionwiththeFather.Although the Gospd o/Truth does not explicitly cite either the Old Testamentor theNew Testament,it does clearly alludetomanythemesandpassages inthe NewTestament. Like the Valentinians. the Gospel ofTruth uses andinterprets theNewTestament asawitnesstoChristianGnosticism; andtheresultis aworkofpowerandbeauty.The following translation isbased on thetextof Codex I;the textof CodexXIIis very fragmentary.THEGOSPELOFTRUTH116,3143,24Thegospel of truth is a joy' for thosewhohavereceivedfromI theFather of truth the gift of knowing him, I through the power of the Wordthat cameforthfrom3Ii the pleroma-theonewho is inthethought'andthemindof theFather, that is, , theonewhoisaddressedas ' theSaVior, (that) being the name of the work he is ' {o performfor theredemption of those whowere17 ignorant of theFather, whilethename38 THENAGHAMMADl LIBRARYINENGLISH THEGOSPELOFTRUTH(t, 3) 39[of] the gospel is the proclamation' of hope. being discovery' forthosewhosearchfor him.Indeed5the all went about searching forthe one' fromwhomit (pl.)hadcomeforth, andtheall was' insideof him, the I incomprehensible,inconceivable one' whoissuperiortoeverythought.IIgnorance of theFather brought about anguish' and terror.Andthe anguish' grew solidlike a fog I sothat noone was able to sec. I For this reasonerror 15became powerful: it fashioned its own matter I foolishly, I not havingknownthetruth. It set about makingacrealure, , with(all its) mightpreparing, in2{1 beauty. thesubstituteforthetruth. IThis was not, then, a humiliation for him. ' the incomprehensible,inconceivable one, , fortheywerenothing-the anguish' andtheobliv-ionandthecreature25 of lying-while the established' truth is immu-table, I imperturbable. perfect in beauty. Forthis reason, despise' error.Being thus30 without anyroot, it fell into I a fog regarding theFather,whileitwasinvolvedin' preparingworksand oblivions andterrorsinorderthat bymeansof theseit mightenticethose35 of themiddleandcapturethem. I Theoblivionof error was' not revealed. It is not a18[ .. ] undertheFather. Oblivion I didnotcomeinto existenceundertheFather, although it did indeedcome intoexistencebecauseofhim.But what comes into existence inhimisknowledge,!> whichappearedinorder that oblivion might vanish I and the Father might be known.Since' oblivion came into existence because' the Father was not known.thenif10the Fathercomes tobe known. oblivion' will not exist fromthat moment on.This' (is) thegospel of theone whois searched I for, which(was>revealed to those who' are perfect through the mercies15 of the Father-the hidden mystery.' Jesus, the Christ. Through it' he enlightenedthosewhowereindarkness. Oulof oblivionhe enlightened' them, heshowed (them) a way.20 Andthewayis the truth' which hetaughtthem.For this reason I error grew angry at him,' persecuted him, wasdistressedat him, I (and) was brought to naught. He was nailed to atree;he25 became a fruit of the knowledge of ' theFather, which did not.however, become destructivebecause' it (was>eaten, but tothosewhoateit ' it gave(cause) tobecomeglad' in thediscovery. Forhe30dis-coveredtheminhimself, , andtheydiscoveredhiminthemselves, the Iincomprehensible, inconceivableone, the I Father, the perfect one, theonewho' made the aiLwhile the all is35 within himand the all hasneed of him. I since he retainedits (pl.)perfection I withinhimself whichhedidnot give' totheall. TheFatherwasnot jealous. ' What jealousyindeed(couldthere be) ~ o betweenhimself and his members? 19 For ifthe aeon had thus [received] their [perfection], I they could not havecome[ ... ] , theFather, sinceheretained' their perfectionwithinhim-s e l f , ~ granting itto them as a return to himI and a knowledge unique in Iperfection. It is hewhofashioned' theall, and theall is within I himandtheall hadneed10 of him.Asinthecase I of oneof whomsome I areignorant, who I wishestohavethemknowhimand' lovehim,so-15 for what didtheall haveneed of I if not knowledge regarding' the Father?-he became a guide, Irestful andleisurely. I Hewent intothe midst ofthe schooh. (and) hespoke20 thewordas ateacher. I Therecamethewisemen- I intheirownestimation- I puttinghimto the test. ' But heconfoundedthembecause they2S were foolish. They hated I himbecause they were notreally' wise.After allthese, I there camethelittle t children also, thosetowhom30theknowledgeof the Fatherbelongs. Havingbeenstrengthened, , theylearnedabout the impressions' ofthe Father. Theyknew, , theywereknown; they were glorified, they I glorified. There was revealedin their 35heart the livingbook' ofthe living-theone written I in the thoughtandthe mind 20 [of the] Father, andwhichfrombefore the I foundationof the allwas within I the incomprehensible (parts) of him-that (book) Iwhichnoonewasabletotake Ssinceit isreservedfortheonewhowilltakeit and' will beslain. Noonecouldhaveappeared I amongthosewhobelieved I in salvationunless I that bookhadintervened.lOForthisreason the mercifulone,thefaithful one, I Jesus, was patient in acceptingsufferings I until hetookthat book, , sinceheknowsthat hisdeath' islife formany.l!>Justastherelieshiddenina will, before' it (is>opened,the fortune'of thedeceasedmaster of thehouse, I so (it is)withtheall, which layhiddenwhiletheFather of theall was20invisible,theone I whois fromhimself, fromwhom' all spaces come forth. I For this reason Jesusappeared; I he put on that book; 2S he was nailed to a tree; I he publishedthe edict' of theFather on the cross. 0 I such great teaching! He draws Ihimself down to death though life30 eternal clothes him. Havingstripped' himself ofthe perishable rags, ' he put on imperishability, 'which no one' canpossiblytakeawayfromhim. Havingenteredali theemptySpacesof I terrors, hepassedthrough I thosewhowerestrippednakedby, oblivion, beingknowledge I and perfection, proclaimingthethings that arein theheart 21 ofthe[Father] in orderto[... ] I teachthosewhowill receiveteaching. ITHEIIAMMADI LIBRARY1'/ But those whoare to receive teaching[are]' the livingwhoare in-scribedinthcbook $ of Iheliving. Theyreceiveteaching I about them-Theyreceive it (pl.) ,fromIhe Father. turning' again to him.Sinceperfectionof the all is inthe it isnecessaryfortheall to ascendtohim. Then. if one has knowledge. he whal hisownanddraws themtohimself. For hewhois a ignoranl isinneed. and what he lacks is great since helacks that whichwillmakehimperfect. Since theperfection of I the all isinIheFather2(landit is necessary forthe all to' ascendtohim and for each' one toreceivewhat are his own, ' he enrolled themin advance, having' prepared themto givetoIhoseZ5who camefonhfromhim.Those whosenameheknewin advance I were called al the end, I sothat onewhohasknowledgeis the onewhosenametheFather" hasForhewhosename hasnotbeen spokenis ignorant. Indeed.howisone tohearif hisnamehasnot I beencalled?For hewhois3$ignoranl until theend is acreature ofoblivion, and he will I vanishalongwithit. Ifnot. I howis it that these miserable ones have 22 noname. (howisit that)they donot have the call? Therefore I if one hasknowledge, heis I fromabove. If heis called.$he heanswers,andheturnstohimwhois calling him. and ascendstohim. And heknowsinwhat manner he iscalled. Havingkno'\ledge. does10thewill of theonewho called him, hewishes tobepleasingtohim. her":Ceivesrest.Eachone'sname comestohim. Hewhois tohave knowledge Inthismanner knowswherehe comes\$fromandwhereheis going. I Heknows as one I whohavingbecomedrunkhas turnedawayfromI hisdrunkenness. (and) havingreturned to himself. has sel right whatto his own. He has brought many backfromerror. He hasbeforethemtotheirplaces. from\\hichIhey hadmmedaway whentheyreceived error.uonaccount of Ihe depth of the one who encirclesall spaces while there is none I thai encircles him. It was a great I wonderthat theywereintheFather, I not knowinghim. and (that)theywere:lOable to come forth by themselves, ' since they were unable to' comprehendortoknowthe one' inwhomtheywere. If' his will hadnotthusemergedfrom him-s:; for herevealedit inview of aknowledgeinwhich all its emanations concur.This is theknowledge of Ihe living book whichherevealedtothe23aeons toIhelast of its[letters]. revealinghowI theyart: not vowels Inoraretht:yconsonants, so that onemight themand thinkofsomethingfoolish, ' but theyart: lettersof the I truthwhichtheyaloneTHEGOSPEL mTRliTH(I, J)speak10whoknowthem. Eachletter isacomplete thought likeacomplete I book. since they are' letters written by15 Ihe Unity, theFather having I writtenthemfor theaeons inorderthat by, meansofhisletters they shouldknowthe Falher. Hiswisdom contemplates:!Othe Word. his leaching uttt:rs it. his kno'\ledge has re\'ealed it.His forbearanceis a crownuponit,25 his gladnessis in harmony withit, his glory has exalted it, his image hasre\ealed it. his repose has30receivedit intoitself, his love has made abodyover it. his fidelityhas embraced'it InthiswaytheWord of theFathergoes3$forthintheall, as the fruit 24[of] his heart and animpressionofhis will. 'But it supports the all;it ' choosesit (pl.) andalso $ the impres-sion of the aiL I purifying it (pl.), bringing it (pI.) back into IheFather.into theMother, Jesus of theinfiniteness of gentlt:ness.The reveals10 his bosom-nowhisbosom istheHolySpirit.He' reveals what is hiddenof him- what is hiddenofhimis hisSon-so thatthrough1$ the mercies of theFather I the aeonsmayknowhim' and cease laboringin search of theFather, resting there I in him,knowing20 that Ihisis res!. Having' filledthedeficiency. he abolished'the form-theformof it isIheworld. that I inwhichheserved.uFortheplacewherethereisenvy andsuifeis adeficiency, but theplacewhere (there is) Unity isaperfection. Sincethedeficiency cameintobeing bc:causethe:SOFather wasnot known. therefore when' theis known, fromthatmoment on the deficiency will no longer exist. Aswiththe ignorance I of aperson, whenhecomes3$ tohaveknowledgehisignorance' vanishes of itself, 'asthe darknessvanishes I whenlightappears,25 so also the deficiency vanishes I in theperfection. So fromthat moment on Ihe formis not apparenl.5but it will vanish inthefusion of Unity. for nowtheir works lie scattered. In lime Unitywill perfect10 thespaces. It iswithin Unitythat eachone '\ill altainhimself; within knowledge he will purify himself frommultiplicityinto15 Unity, consuming matterwithinhimself likefire. and dark-nessby light, deathby I life.If indeedthesethings havehappened2(1 toeachoneofus, thcn wemUst' see toit aboveall Ihat tht: house will beholy andsilent forthe Unity.1S(It is) as inthecaseof some people whomovedQut ofdwellings' where there were'jars that in spotswerenot good. TheyWouldbreakthem. and themaster of thehouse doesnot sufferloss.R.ather (he) is gladbecause in placeofthe badjars there are fullones whichare made3$ perfect. For such is I thejudgment which hascOme from26 above. It has passed judgment on I everyone;itis a drawn42 THESAGH.... \lMADI LIBRARYINESGLlSH THEGOSPELOFTRUTH(I, J) 43sword. withtwo edges, cutting on either side. Whenthe& Wordcameinto themidst.the onethatis withintheheart of thosewhoutter iI-it is nOI asoundalone but it became a bod)'-agreat disturbancetook placeamong10 thejarsbecausesome had beenemptied. othersfilled; thatis, somehadbeen supplied. otherspoured out. some hadbeenpurified, still 15 othersbrokenup. All thespaces wereshakenanddislUrbed because theyhadnoorder nor stability. Error ....'asupset.not knowing20 whal to do; it wasgrieved, inmourning, afflicting it-self becauseit knewI nothing. When knowledgedrewnear it-this!Sis the downfall of(error) andall its emanations- I error is empty.havingnothinginside. 'Truth came intothemidst; , allits emanationsknewil.:'IO They greetedthe Father in truth I with a perfect power 1 that joins themwith theFather. I For everyone lovesthetruth I becausethetruthisthemouth35ofthe Father; his tongue is the J HolySpirit. He who isjoined27tothetruthis joined' totheFather'smouth' byhistongue, wheneverheis to I receivetheHolySpiril.5Thisisthemanifestationofthe Fatherand his revelation to his aeons: he manifested I what was hiddenofhim;he explained it. I For who contains10 if nottheFather alone? I Allthe spaces are his emanations. I Theyhaveknownthatthey came forthfromhimlike children who are froma grownU man. They knew thattheyhadnot yet' receivedformnor yet' receivedaname,eachoneofwhich the Father begets,- Thenwhenthey receiveform byhiskno'>' l-edge. though truly within him, they do not know him. But theFather' is perfect, knowing25everyspacewithinhim. I Ifhewishes,hemanifestswhomeverhewishes I by givinghimformandgiving hima name, andhegivesa name30 tohimandbringsit about that thosecome into existencewho beforethey come into existence are ignorantof himwhofashionedthem. 'I donot say, then, thatastheyarenothing(at all) whohave not' yetcome intoexistence, but theyare 28 inhimwhowill wish' that theycomeintoexistencewhen he' wishes, like thetimethat is to Before all things appear, he knows what he will 1 produce. But thefruit I whichisnot yet manifest I knowsnothing, nor 10 doesit doany-thing. Thus I alsoeveryspace which is ' itselfin the Father is fromthe one whoexists, who Iestablished it 1$ fromwhat does not exist.For hewhohasno I roothasno fruit either,but I thoughhethinkstohimself,lIO"I have come into being," yet I he will perish byhimsdf.For this reason, he who did not exist at all will I never come intoexistence. What, then, did heU wish himtothinkofhimselt1 I This:") have come into being like the shadows and phantoms of the night. "When the light shines onthe terror3D which that personhadel:peri-enced, heknowsthat it isnothing.Thus theywereignorant ofthe Father. he beingtheone29whomtheydidnot see. Since it wasterroranddisturban\..'e andinstabilityand doubt and5 division. there weremany illusions atwork by meansofthese, and I (there were) empty fictions. as if they were sunk insleep 10 andfoundthemselves in disturbingdreams. Either (thereis)aplace I towhichtheyarefleeing. or without strengththeycome (from)havingchased after others, or theyare imolved in15 strikingblows.or theyarereceiving' blowsthemsehes, ortheyhave fallenfromhighplaces, or they take offinto the air though theydo not evenhavewings.:tOAgain, sometimes (it is as) if people I were murdering them,though there is ' nooneeven pursuingthem, or they themselves I arekilling theirneighbors, I fortheyhavebeen stainedwith U theirblood. IWhenthose who I are goingthrough I all thesethingswakeup. they seenothing, I theywhowereinthe midst30of all thesedisturbances. forthey arenothing. I SuchisIheway of thosewhohavecast Ignoranceaside fromthemlike sleep. not esteeming it as anything. nor dotheyesteemits30works assolid things either, but they lea\e thembehindlike I adreaminthenight. The5 knowledgeof theFathertheyvalue I as thedawn. This is theway eachone has acted, as thoughasleep atthetime whenhe wasignorant}O Andthisis theway he hascome to knowledge, as if hehadawakened. {And} Good forthe manwhowill cometo andawaken. And16 blessedishewhohasopenedtheeyes of theblind. And theSpirit ranafter him. hasteningfromwakinghimup. Having extendedhishand20tohimwholayupontheground, hesethimup onhisfeet, for I hehadnot yetrisen. Hegavethemthe meansofknowingU the knowledge ofthe Father andthe'revelation of his Son.For when they hadseenhim and had' heardhim, he grantedthemtotaStehimand30 tosmell himand totouchthe belovedSon. Whenhehad appeared I instructing themabout the Father, I the incomprehen-sible one,whenhehadbreathed intothem35 whatisinthemind,doinghisWill, whenmanyhad I receivedthelight, theyturned31tohim. Forthematerialoneswerestrangers anddidno!seehislikeness andhadnOIknown him. Forhe came' bymeans of fleshly' appearancewhile blocked his course because it was incorruptibility (and) ' Again, speaking10 new things, still speaking about whatIS in the hean of the Father. he brought forth the flawless word. I44 THE NAG HAMMADJ LIBRARYINENGLISH THEGOSPEl. OFTRUTH(1,3) 45Light spoke I throughhismouth,15 and his voice I gavebirth to life. Hegave themthought and understanding' andmercyand salvation andthe powerful spirit I fromthe infiniteness20 and the gentleness oftheFather. ' He made punishments and tortures cease, for it was theywhich I wereleadingastrayfromhis facesome I whowereinneedofmercy, in25error andinbonds; I andwithpower hedestroyedthemandconfoundedthemwithknowledge. ' He became a I wayfor thosewhowere lost30 and knowledge for thosewhowere I ignorant, adis-coveryfor those whowere searching, andasupport for those whowerewavering, I immaculatenessfor thosewho35were defiled.Heis theshepherd wholeft behindtheninety-nine32sheepwhichwere not lost. I He went searching for the one which I was lost. Herejoicedwhenhe foundit, for995is a numberthatis in Ihe lefthand Iwhichholds it. But I whenthe oneis found, I the entire number I passestotheright (hand). Thus (it iswith) 10 himwholackstheone; that is,the entire right which I draws what was deficient and' takes it from theleft-hand side and brings (it) to the15 right, and thus the numberbecomes 100. It is thesignof theonewhois in I theirsound; it is theFather. I Even on the Sabbath, he labored for the sheep I which hefoundfalleninto the20 pit. He gave life to I the sheep, havingbroughtitup I fromthepit in order that you' might know interiorly-38you, thesons of interior39knowledge- 2 ~ what istheSabbath, onwhichitisnotfitting for salvationtobe idle, I inorder that you may speak I fromthedayfromabove, , whichhasnonighl, ' andfromthelight 30 whichdoesnot sinkbecauseit isperfect. I Say, then, fromtheheart that' youare the perfect day I andinyoudwells I thelight that does not fail.3.ISpeakof thetruthwiththosewho' searchforit, and(of) knowledgeto those' whohave committed sin intheir error. 33Make firmthe footof those I whohave stumbled and stretchout I yourhandstothosewhoareill. Feed' thosewhoarehungryand5givereposetothosewhoareweary, and raiseupthosewhowishto' rise,andawakenthosewho Isleep. For you arethe I understanding that is drawnforth.rflo strengthacts thus, it becomes I evenstronger. Be concerned with yourselves; Idonot be concernedwith'atherthingswhichyouhave I rejectedfromyourselves.15Do not returnto whatyouhave vomited' to eat it. Do notbe moths, I donot be worms, for you havealready I cast it off. I Donot become a20 (dwelling) place for the devil, for' youhave alreadydestroyed him. ' Donot strengthen(those whoare) obstaclestoyou'whoare collapsing, as though(you were) a support (for them). ' Forthe unjust oneis someonetotreat 25 ill rather thanthe just one. ' Forthe former I does his works as an' unjust person; the latter as ' arighteous persondoes his30worksamongothers. So' you, dothewillof theFather, I foryou are fromhim. IFor theFatherisgentleandin' hiswill therearegood as things. Hetook cognizanceof ' thethingsthat areyoursthatyoumight findrest'in them. For by the I fruits doesone take cognizance ofI thethingsthatareyours becausethechildrenof the Father34arehisfragrance, for Ithey are fromthegraceof his I countenance. For thisreasontheFatherloves' his fragranceandmanifests it 5 ineveryplace, andif it mixes Iwithmatter hegives his fragrance I tothe light andinhis repose' hecauses it to surpass every formI (and) every sound. For itis notthe earsthat 10 smell thefragrance, but' (it is)thebreaththathas I thesenseofsmell and attracts the fragrance I to itself and is submerged' in thefragrance of the Father. itUshelters it, then,takes it to the place' whereit came from, , the first fragrancewhich I is grown cold. It is somethingin a' psychicform, being20likecoldwater I whichhas[... j, whichison earth' that is not solid, of which those' who seeit thinkit I is earth;afterwards it dissolvesU again. If a breath' draws it, it gets hot. Thefragrances' therefore that are cold are fromthe division. I For thisreason [faith] came; , it didawaywiththe division,30 anditbrought thewarmpleroma' of lovein order that' the cold should not come again Ibut there shouldbe theunity of ' perfect thought.asThis (is) the wordof the gospel I ofthediscoveryofthe pleroma,for' thosewhoawait 3Sthesalvationwhichiscoming I fromonhigh.Whiletheir I hopewhichthey' arewaitingfor is waiting-theywhoseimage6 is light withno shadowI in it-thenatthat time' thepleroma Iis about tocome. The deficiency' of matter has not arisenthrough10thelimitlessness of' theFather, whois about tobringthetime of' thedeficiency, althoughnoone I couldsaythat theincorruptibleonewill Comeinthis way. But 15 thedepthof the Father was multiplied' andthethought of I error didnot exist I withhim. Itisathingthat falls, ,it is a thing that easily stands upright (again):w inthe discovery of him':-,ho has come to him whom he shall bring back. ' For the bringing back'IS calledrepentance. 'For thisreasonincorruptibilityl!5breathedforth; it pursuedthe one'Whohadsinnedinorderthat hemight' rest. For forgiveness is I whatremains forthelight inthedeficiency, thewordof thepleroma.30Forthephysician runstothe place' where a sickness is because' thatishiswill that is ' inhim. Hewhohas adeficiency, then, does not I hideit,because onehas what36 the other lacks. $0withthe' pleroma, which46THE:-. ... GHAMMAOI LIBRARY1:"< E:-.GLl511 THEGOSPELOFTRUTH(I, J) 47has nodeficiency: ' it fills uphis deficiency-(it is) that which he 36provided for fillingup whalhe lacks. in order that thereforehemightrecei\eIhegrace. When hewasdeficienl hedidnOI ha\e lInegrace.That iswhy Iherewas diminution nisling in Iheplacewherethereisnograce. Whenthat whichwas diminished' wasreceived, herevealedwhat he10lacked, as apleroma: ' that is thediscoveryof thelight I oftruthwhichroseuponhimbecause il isimmutable.Thatiswhy Christ was spoken of intheiT II midst. so thaithosewhowere disturbed might receivea bringingback. andhe might anoin!themwiththe ointment. The ointment is themerc)' of theFatherwhowill havemercy' onthem. But thosewhomhehas anointed20 aretheones who have become perfect. For full jars are the ones that areusually anointed. But when theanointingof one (jar)is dissolved, itis emptied, andtheU reasonfor therebeingadeficiencyis thethlOgthroughwhichits ointment goes. For at that time abreathdraws it,one bythe power of the one with it.30But fromhimwho' has nodeficiencynoseal is removed. nor is anythingemptied. I But what helacks the perfect Father fills again.:s:i He is good. He knows hisplantingsbecause it ishe ""ho plantedtheminhisparadise. Nowhisparadise' ishisplace of reSt.This 37 istheperfection inthethought of theFather, andthese arethe wordsof his meditation. Eachoneofhis words5 is the workofhis onewill intherevelation' of his Word. Whiletheywerestill inthe depth of his thoughI. the Word which was first tocome forthrevealed10 themalong ""ith a mind that speaks the ODe Word insilent grace. It (mase.) was called thought sincethey I were init (fern.)beforebeingrevealed.15Itcameabout, then, that it was first 10comeforthat the I time that was pleasingtothe' will of himwhowilled.And the willis what theFather20 restSin and is pleased with. I othinghappenswithout him, nordoesanything happenWIthout thewill oftheFather, bUIhis will Z5 is incomprehensible. His trace is the will, andno one will knowit, norisit possible' forone to scrutinizeit inorderto graspit. But:tOwhenhe wills, what he wills isthis-evenif ' thesight does not please themI inan) way-beforeGod(it is) the I will.theFather. For heknowsthe:s:; beginning of all of them andtheir end.For at their end he will question them directly(?). Nowtheend isreceiving knowledge about the one who is hidden, and this is theFather, 38fromwhomthe beginningcame forth. [0whomall will 'return who have' come forth fromhim.5And they have appeared for theglory andthe joy of hisname.Nowthe nameofthe Father is the Son. It is he' whofirst gave anametothe one who cameforthfromhim,whowashimself.lo andhebegot himasason. Hegavehimhis namewhich belongedtohim:heis the one towhom belongs all that exists around him, theFather.His is the name: 15 his is the Son. It is possible' for himto be seen.But the name is invisible because I it alone is the mystery of theinvisible towhichcomestoearsthat arecompletelyfilled withit. Forindeed I the Father's nameis not spoken, but it is apparent throughaI Son.Inthis way, then. thenameisagreat thing.uWhothereforewill beable toutter a name for him, I thegreat name, except himI alone towhom' thenamebelongsandthe sons of thename' inwhomrested30thename of theFather. (who) inturnthemselvesrested inhisname?Sincethe Father is unengendered, healone is theone whobegOt aname for himself 3S beforehebrought forththe aeonsin order that thename' of theFather shouldbe overtheirheadas' lord, that is, the 39nameintruth, whichisfirmin his' commandthroughperfect power. 'For thenameisnot from (mere) words, nor5 doeshisname consist ofappellations, but it isinvisible. He gave anametohimself sincehesees himself, he alone having10 the power togive himself a name.Forhewho does nOI exist hasnoname. Forwhat nameisgiven10him' who doesnot exist?15But theone who exists' exists alsowithhisname, and' he knows himself. And togive himselfa name is (theprerogativeof)the Father. The SODtois his name. Hedid not thereforehideit inthework, but theSon existed: healonewas giventhename. 'ThenameIhereforeisthat of theFather,U asthename of theFather is the Son. Where I indeed wouldmercy find aname except withtheFather?But' nodoubt onewill say30tohisneighbor. "Whois it whowillgive a name tohimwho existed before himself. as if offspring didnotreceive a name 40 fromthose who begot them?" First, then, it isfittingfor us ' toreflect on this matter: what 5 is the name? It is thename' intruth; it isnot therefore' thenamefromthe father, for' itistheone which is the proper' name. Therefore he did not receive thename10 onloanas (do) others. accordingtotheform inwhicheachone' istobeproduced. But thisistheproper name.15Thereisno oneelsewhogaveil tohim. But heis unnameable, indescribable. untilthetimewhenhe I whoisperfect spokeof himself.20Andit ishe who'hasthepower to speak' hisname .lndto see' it.HI"AGIlA\I\tADl LIBRARYI" E ~ ( j L l S HTHEGOSPEL orTRUTH(I. J)49When therefore It pleased himthat his nameU which IS utteredshouldbehis Son. and hega\e the nametohim. that is. him whocame forthfromthe depth.he spoke abouthis secret things.knowingIhat IheFatheris abeing without evil.- For that \eryreason he broughthim forth in order tospeak about Ihe place andhis resting-placefrom .... hieh he had come forth. 41 and toglorify the pleroma, thegreatness ofhis name and Ihe gentleness ofthe Father. About Iheplaceeachone camefrom$ hewill speak. andtothe regionwhereherecei\edhisessential being hewill hastentoreturn again, andtobetakenfrom that place-theplacewherehe10 stood-receiving atastefromthatplace and receivingnourishment.receiving growth. And hisownresting-place ishispleroma.Therefore1$ all the emanations of theFather arepleromas, and' theroot ofaUhisemanations isin theonewhomadethemall I growupin himself. He assigned them'l(l their destinies. Each one then I is ap-parent' inorder that throughtheir ownthought [... ]. I Fortheplaceto .... hich theysend2$ their thought. that place I (is) their root, whichtakes them up in all the heights to the Father. They possess hishead.... hichis rest for Ihem30 andthey hold on dose to him, as Ihoughtosay thai theyha\c participatedin his face bymeansofkisses.3$But Ihcy donOI appear42inthisway. for Ihey didnot su;passthem-sehes nor lack the glory of the Falher nor tltinkof him$ as smallnorthat heis harsh northat heis wrathful. but abeing without evil.Imperturbable. gentle. kno.... ing all spaces before theyha\-e come intoexistence, and10 ha\ingnoneed10 beinstructed.This is the manner of Ihose who possess (somethmg) from above ofthe immeasurable greatness. asthe} 1$ stretchout afterthe one aloneandIhe perfect one. the one whois there for them. Andthey donot godown toHades nor ha\e they en\}nor'l(l groaning nor death withinthem, but they, rest inhimwhois at rest. not stri\ing nor' beingin-volved in the2$ search for truth. But they I themselves are the truth;and I the Father is within themand they are in the Father, beingperfect, ' being undivided in30 the trulygood one. being' in nowaydeficient inanything. but I theyareset at rest. refreshedinthe I Spirit.And they will heed their root. They will be concerned with those(Ihings)3$ in which he will find his root' and not suffer loss to his'soul. Thisis theplace of the I blessed: thisis their place.For therest. then. maythey""know. intheir places, that it is notfittingfor me. 43havingcometobeintheresting-place. tospeakofanything else. But it isinit th.II I shall cometobe, to be concernedat all times withthe Father 0[$theall and Ihe true brOlhers. thoseuponwhomtheIme of theFatherispoured out and inwhosemidslthereis nolackof him. They areIhe ones.... ho appear 10intruth sinceIheyexist in true andeternal lifeand speakofthe light .... hich isperfect andfilled .... ith Ihe seedofthe Falher. and1$ which is inhisheart andinthe pleroma, '" hilehis Spirit rejoices10it and glorifiesthe oneinwhomit existed becauseheis good. Andtohis children areperfect and worthyor his name, for heistheFather: it is childrenor thiskindthat he loves.THETREATISERESURRECTlO' (I. J)51THETREATISEONRESURRECTION(1,4)Imroduced andtranslatedbyMALCOLML PEELThe TreatiJe Off Resurrectionwas written byananonymous teacher 10hispupil, Rheginos, in response toquestions regardingdeathandthe afterlife.Accordingly, this tractate is of great importance in illuminating ChristianGnosticthought about the resurrection in the laic second century. Thoughpermeated with Valentinian symbols and imagery, the document"s mostslfikingfeatureisthe similarityof itsleachingtothe\'ic\\ ofHyrnenae-usandPhiletus combaued in 2Timothy 2: 18 that "the resurrection (of believers)hasalreadyoccurred,"Debate continues over whether the Oil Resurrectioll is a generalepistleaddressedtoabrotherhoodoramorepersonal letter, thoughlackinganopening naming sender andreceiver (likePtolemy'sLeiter 10Flora). What-evermaybethecase. themainleachingsareclear: theresurrection. thoughphilosophicallyundemonstrableandseeminglyfantastic. isa"necessity"andassuredlyreal: even nowtheelect participateprolepticallyin Christ"s owndeath. resurrection.and (cf. theuscof Romans 8: 17 andEphesians2:5-6in 45.24-28). Immediatelyfollowing death a "spiritual resurrection"ofthebelieveroccurs. involvingtheascensionof aspiritual bodycomposedof invisible"members"coveredwilha"spiritual flesh:' A citationofMark9:2-8 (48,3-11) demonstrates a continuity of identification thedeceased andthe resurrected person.Finally. afler much assurance. the is exhortedto live asif alreadyresurrecled(49, 19-36)!Thoughsomehavesuggestedthat theaUlhorofthelettermayha\"c beenValentinus himself. most scholars would nowdenythis. Rather, theauthorseems tobe a late second century Christian Gnostic whois certainly influencedbyValentinianismbut whoseviewson several crucial points areclosertotheapostlePaulthantoValcntinus.THETREATISE01\I 43. 25-50. 18Somethereare, mysonRheginos. I who.... ant 10learnmuch. ' Theyhavethis goal whentheyareoccupiedwithquestions whoseansweris lacking.30Iftheysucceedwiththese. theyusually thinkveryhighlyof themselves. But Idonot think that theyha\e stoodwithin theWord of Truth. They seekSl rather their own rest, which we ha\ereceivedthroughour Savior. our lordChrist.44Werecei\edit (Rest)whenweknew' thetruthandrested' ourselvesuponit. But 1 sinceyouask us to pleasantlywhat is proper concerningthe resurrection, amwriting you (to say) that it is necessary. To be sure. many arelackingfaith in ii, but thereare afew10 whofind it. Sothen. let usdiscusS the matter.HoW didtheLordmakeuse of things whileheexistedU in fleshandfter hehadre\ealedhimself asSon of HeIi\ed inthisplace:hereyou I remain. speaking20about the Lawof Nature-but I call 'it "Death"! 7'l"owtheSon I of God. Rheginos. I wasSonofMan. Heembracedthem25 both, possessingthe humanityandthedivinity, sotbat ontheone handhemightvanquish deaththroughhis being Sonof God,"andthat ontheotherthroughtheSonof Mantherestora-tion to the Pleroma might occur; because he was originally fromabove.asaseedof theTruth. before thisstructure (of thecosmos)hadcome into being. In this (structure) manydominions and I divinitiescameinto existence.I knowthat Iampresenting4Sthesolutionindifficult terms, butthereis nothing difficult intheWord of Truth. But since5 theSolu-tionappeared soas not toleaveanythinghidden, but tore\eal allthings openlyconcerning existence-thedestruction10ofevil on theonehand, therevelation I of theelect onthe O!her-thisis theemana-tionof Truthand Spirit; Graceisthatwhichbelongsto Truth.'TheSavior swallowedupIS death-{of this) youarenO! reckonedasbeingignorant- for he put aside theworld which is perishing. Hetransformed[himself) IOtOanimperishableAeon andraisedhimselfup havingllllswallowedthevisible bytheinvisible, andhegaveus, 25 dthe way of our immortality. Then, indeed, as the Apostle sal(Romans8:17. Ephesians2:5-6)."We suffered withhim_andwearose withhim, andwewent toheaven with him:'Now if "'e are manifest in:10 this world wearing him, we are that one'sbeams, and .... eare embracedby himuntil oursetting. that isU tosay. our death in this life. We are drawn 10 heaven by him, likebeams' by the sun, not beingrestrained I byanything. This is40 thespiritualresurrection 46 which swallows up the psychic' in the same wayasthefleshly.But ifthere is one who does not belie\e, he does not haveto the(capacity tobe)persuaded. For it istheposition of faith, myson, andnot that whichbelongs I topersuasion: thedeadshall arise! Thereisonewhobelieves I amongthephilosopherswhoareinthisworld.10Atleast he will arise. Andlet not the philosopher' who is inthis world52 THEHAMMADI LIBRARYINENGLISH THETREATISEONRESURRECTION(I, 3) 53have cause to' believe that heis one whoreturnshimself I by himself-and (that) because of our faith! I Forwehaveknownthe Son of Manand wehavebelieved I that herosefromamongthe I dead. This isof whom we say, I "He became the destruction I of death, as he is a greatone20 inwhomtheybelieve." (Great)arethosewhobelieve. 'Thethought of those I whoaresavedshall notperish. I Themindofthosewhohaveknownhim shall not perish.2STherefore, weare electedto I salvation and redemption since we are predestined from thebeginning not tofall intothe I foolishness ofthose whoare withoutknowledge,JObut we shall enter intothe I wisdomof those whohaveknown the I Truth. Indeed, the Truth which is guarded I cannot beabandoned, norhas it been.3/;"Strongisthe systemof the I Pleroma;small isthat which I brokeloose (and) became I [the] world. But the All is I what is encom-passed. It has[not]47 comeintobeing; it was existing.'Therefore, never doubt concerning I the resurrection, myson Rhegi-nos. For ifyouwere not existing 6 inflesh, you received flesh whenyou entered this world, Why' will you not receive flesh when you IascendintotheAeon? I That whichis better thantheflesh, whichis10for it (the)causeof life, I that whichcameintobeingon youraccount,isit not yours?Doesnot that whichisyours I exist with[you]? Yet,whileyouarein this world, what is it that you lack?This is whatyouhavebeenmaking every effort tolearn. 'Theafterbirthof thebodyis oldage, andyou exist incorruption.Youhave20 absence as a gain. I For youwill not give up what I is betterif you depart. That whichisworse' hasdiminution, I but thereis graceforit.Nothing,25then, redeemsusfrom I thisworld. But theAll which I weare- we are saved. Wehavereceived salvationfromend I toend. Letusthinkinthisway! 30Letuscomprehendinthisway!But there are some (who) wish tounderstand, I in the inquiry about Ithose things they are looking into, whether I he who is saved, if heleaves3.'i his bodybehind, will besavedimmediately. Let noonebegiven cause to doubt concerning this. I indeed, thevisible memberswhicharedead48shall not besaved, for (only) theliving[members] Iwhichexist within I themwould arise.What, then, is the resurrection?6 Itis alwaysthe disclosureof I thosewho have risen. For if you' remember reading in the Gospel I thatElijah appeared I andMoses10 withhim, donotthinktheresurrectionis an illusion. I II is no illusion, but I it is truth. Indeed, it is more Ifiltingto say that the world is an illusion, rather than the resurrectionwhich' has come into being through our Lord the Savior, JesusChrist.:KIBut what amI telling you now? Those whoare living I shall die.How' dotheylive inanillusion?' Therichhave become poor,25andthekingshavebeenoverthrown. ' Everythingis prone tochange. Theworld' is an I indeed, I rail at 30 thingsto excess!But' the resurrectiondoes nOI have' this aforesaidcharacter; forit isthetruthwhichstandsfirm. I Itistherevelationof 3.'i what is, andthe transformation I of things, and a transilion into newness. Forimperishability 49 [descends] upon I the perishable; the light flows'downuponthedarkness, I swallowingit up; andthePleromafillsupthe deficiency. I Thesearethe symbols and' the imagesof theresurrec-tion. ' Thisiswhat makesthe good.Therefore, do not 10 think in part, 0 Rheginos, I nor live in con-formitywiththis flesh for the sakeof I unanimity, but flee I fromthedivisionsandthe fetters, andalreadyyouhave theresurrection. Forif' hewhowill dieknows' about himself that he' willdie-evenifhespends many20 years inthis life heis ' brought to this- I whynot con-sideryourself' asrisenand(already) I brought tothis?2S If youhavetheresurrection but continue as if youare todie-andyet that oneknows' that hehas died-why, then, Ido( ignoreyour30lackof exer-cise? Itis fittingforeach 1 onetopractice inanumber of ways, and Iheshall bereleasedfromthis Element I that hemaynot bemisledbutshall himself3.'i receive again' what at fust was. IThesethings I havereceivedfromI themagnanimityofmy50LordJesusChrist. [I have] taught youandyour [brethren], mysons, concerning them, I whileI havenot omittedanyof ' thethingssuitableforstrengthening you (pl.).5 But if there is one thing written which isobscure in my exposition of theWord, I shall interpretit for you (pl.) ,whenyou(pI.) ask. Bu! now, donot beenviousof anyonewhois inyournumber10 whenheis abletohelp.Many arelooking forwardto I thiswhichIhave written' toyou. TotheseI say: ' peace(be)amongthemand I greet youandthosewho love' you (pI.)inbrotherly love. 'The Treatise on the'ResurrectionTIlETRIPARTITETRACTATE (I.5)55THETRIPARTITETRACTATE(1,5)IntroducedbyHAROLDW. ATTRIDGE andElAll'EH. PAGELSTranslatedbyHAROLDW. ATTRIDGEandDIETERMUELLERTheTripartite Tractate, namedfor thethreepartsof thetext, narratestheorigin and hislory of the universe fromthe beginning 10 the anticipated"restorationof all things." Thefirst part beginsbydescribingwhat is tran("the: things that are e",alted"), aboveall, theFather "who isthe Tootofe"erylhing:' the "depth. the abyss, and the UnengenderedOne:' WhilesuchlanguageshowsaffinitywiththelanguageofValc:ntinianGnostics. thisauthor. unlike Valentinus. declares that the Father is 'alone. without anycompanion:' encompassingwithinhimself all thequalifies that other Valen-liniansourcesattributetofeminineelements of thcdivinebeing (that is, theMother, Silence. Grace). TheFather, "out of the abundance of his sweetness,"desirestosharehimself,andsoengenderstheSon. the"onlyhegotten,"whoexists "from the beginning" in the Father's thought. With Ihe Son, "preexistingfromthebeginning," isthechurch.... hichcomes forlhfromIhelo\ebetweenthe Father and the Son. Thereby the author of lhe Triparlite Tractate interpretsthedivinebeing (herecalledthepleroma, literallylhe "fullness'")intermsofonly three primarymembers-Father, Son, andChurch-a theological in-novalion that Tenullian atlnbutes lothe western Valentinian teacher Heracleon.Thetextgoesontorelatetheprocess of devolution and preeceationknownfromValentiniansources in the formofthe myth of Sophia. Unlike anyknown Valentinianteacher, however, thisauthor transposes themythintoamyth of the Word (Logos). Here it is Ihe divineLogos who undergoes suffering,andbringsforthfromhimself theelements involvedincreation. Thisauthorinsists, perhaps in responseto"orthodo,,"criticism, Ihat the Logos' "rashact,"farfromviolatingtheFalher'swill, actuallyfulfillsil inbringingforththe dispensation.The second pan of theTripartite TraclOu, interpreting the Genesis account,relates thecreationof thehuman raceande"plains howthefall led 10Ihedominion ofdeath. Fromthisaccount theauthor explains that therecameintoe1l.istence three different types of human beings: those identifiedwithspirit (the pneumatics, or spiritual ones), those identifiedwith matter (Ihehylies, or material ones), and those identified with soul (the psychics, composedof amixture of spirit andmaner).Thethirdpart of the tractate describeshow theSavior came into the worldtoreleasehumankindfromdeath, 10redeemthechurch, andto"resloreallthings" 10theFather. HumanresponsetoChrist'scomingdependsoneachperson's essenti.al nature. Thosewhose inclinationismaterialrejecthim,andfaceultimatedestruction; those.... hoarespiritual, togetherwiththose of theh' .... whobelie\'c inChrist and obey him,arc 10 beredeemcd andrestoredpsyc ") h L d"oGod. Thetext closes .... ithpraise10the Fatherthrough esust C or:nd throughthe"HolySpirit." . .' ..While Ihe language and teaching of thiste>.:t show affimtles....Valenunlantheology, it offersradicallydifferent interpretallons of suchasthenatureof Godthe Father, andtheactivity of theLogosIncreatIonandrehimself glory, .... howonders. who honors. whoalsolmes: theonewhohas a Son.who subsists 15inhim.whois silent concerning him:whois theineffable one intheineffableone.the' invisibleone,theincomprehensibleone.theinconceivable onein30 theinconceivable one.Thus, theFalher e:(istsforever. aswesaid earlier. inanunbegoltenway, the one who' knows himself,35 who begot himself. who has athought. whichislhethought of himself,that is. the 57 perceptionofhimself. which is lhe (foundation) , of his constitution' forever. That is.inthe proper sense,6 the silence andthe wisdom' andthe gracewhichisdesignated' properly' inlhisway.Just as (the]' Father exists inthe fullest sense,IO theonebefore whom[therewas noone] , elseand[theone] , after [whom] thereis nootherunbegottenone, so 100the[Son] , existsinthe fullest sense,utheonebeforewhomIhereisno other andafter whom' no other sonexists.Therefore heis afirst-born and an only Son,2:(I the first-born because noone I existsbeforehimandthe onlySon becauseno oneis after hIm.Furthermore, hehas hisow n fruit.15that whichis unknownbecauseof its surpassing greatness. Yet hewantedIt tobe known, because oftheriches of his sweetness.30Andhere\ealedtheunsurpassablepowerand' hecombinedwithit [hegreat abundanceof his generosity.'olot onlydoestheSonexist fromthebeginning. but theChurch,3stoo.. exists fromthe beginning. "'-:"ow hewho thlOks that the disco\erythat theSonisanonlyson opposes theword(about thechurch}-becauseof themy:-.teriousqualityof thematter 10it is not so. For justas 58 theFather is a unity and has re\ealedhimself as a father for him(theSon) alone, sotoo.1otheSonwas found tobeabrother tohim(the Father) alone. invinueof the fact that he IS unbegouen andwithout beginning. He wonders at himselflo[alongWIth the] Father.andhe gives [him(self)j gloryandhonor and [Ime}. Furthermore. hetoo' is theonewhoconcei\esof himself asSon. 10accordancewiththe Uconditions; "without beginning" and "without end," The mailer(of the Son) exists justas something whichis fixed. His offspring. thethings whichexist. beinginnumerable,!Oillimitable. and 1Oseparable.have. like kisses. come forth fromthe Son and the Father. (likekisses) becauseof themuhitude~ of thosewhokissone anotherwitha good, insatiable thought. the kiss bemg a unity. although it 1Ovolvesmany. Such is the30 Church consistlOg of many men. which existsbefore the aeons. andwhichis called. intheproper sense. "the aeonsof theaeons," Suchisthenatureof the35holyimperishablespirits:uponwhichtheSonrests. sincehhessenccisltke that of the Fatherwhorests59 upontheSon.[... } theChurchexistsin{he conditions andproperties inwhichtheFatherandtheSonexist.s as I mentionedpreviously. Thereforeitsubsists in the innumerable aeonic procreations. Also 10 an un-countableway[they} toobeget. by[the] properties [and}LOthecondi-tionsinwhichit (theChurch)[exists]. These[comprisethe} constitu-tionwhich[theyform]' withoneanother and[withlhose} whohavecomeforth fromthem1.10 towardtheSon, for whoseglorytheyexist. 'Therefore it