Nag Hammadi Library — Codex I, Text 2

The Apocryphon (Secret Book) of James presents a post-resurrection dialogue between Jesus and the apostles James and Peter, in which Jesus imparts secret teachings about suffering, the kingdom, and spiritual fullness. The text is notable for its emphasis on direct personal knowledge over mere faith.

This edition reproduces the translation available through the Gnostic Society Library (gnosis.org), based on the critical editions of the Nag Hammadi texts.

James writes to you: May peace flow to you from Peace itself, love from Love itself, grace from Grace, faith from Faith, and life from the Holy Life!

Since you asked, I am sending you the secret book revealed to Peter and myself by the Lord. But be mindful, as you minister salvation among the holy people, guard this book carefully and reveal it sparingly, for it contains truths the Savior chose not to share even with us, his twelve disciples. Yet, blessed indeed are those who shall find salvation by faith in these words.

Ten months ago, I sent you another secret text, also disclosed to me by the Savior. Keep that previous revelation as I instructed you. But now, receive this, revealed uniquely to me, James.

Now, the twelve of us disciples gathered together, recalling and recording all that the Savior shared with each of us, openly or secretly. As I wrote down what was entrusted to me, suddenly, the Savior appeared among us once more, though he had previously departed from our sight.

Five hundred and fifty days after his resurrection, we asked him, "Have you truly left us?"

Jesus answered gently, "No, but I am returning to the place from where I came. If your hearts yearn to follow, come."

We replied, "If you command us, Lord, we shall come."

Yet Jesus answered us, "Truly, no one enters heaven merely by my command, but only when you yourselves become filled. Leave James and Peter to me; I must fill them myself."

He called these two disciples aside privately and asked the others to continue with what occupied them.

The Savior said, "You have received mercy... Do you not seek to be truly filled? Is your heart not yet weary from earthly intoxication? Now, whether awake or sleeping, keep always in remembrance that you have seen, spoken with, and listened directly to the Son of Man.

"Alas, those who have seen the Son of Man face greater trials. Blessed are you who have never seen him, who never spoke nor listened directly, for yours is true life! Know this: he healed you in sickness so that you might inherit the Kingdom. Yet, sorrow awaits those who rest comfortably, believing themselves healed. Blessed are you who have never recovered from your yearning, who have found no rest from your seeking—the Kingdom of God is yours.

"So I urge you: Become filled; leave no space within empty, lest the Coming One find room to mock your incompleteness."

Then Peter replied, "Lord, you have thrice urged us, 'Become filled,' yet we already feel full."

The Savior answered wisely, "I tell you: Be filled so that you never diminish, for emptiness leads away from salvation. Though fullness is goodness and lack harmful, remember, he who seems full also knows emptiness. Not everyone lacking is filled in the same way; rather, each finds their own measure of fullness. Thus, let yourselves lack, that you might be filled more completely. Be full of spirit, but embrace humility in your understanding—for human reason belongs to the soul."

Then I responded, "Lord, we have already abandoned our fathers, mothers, homes, and villages to follow your path. Grant us, then, protection from the evil one's temptations."

The Master answered compassionately, "Where is the value if you follow the Father's will without facing trials? But when, in the face of temptation, persecution, and hardship from Satan, you persist in the Father's will, He will cherish you greatly, for you have freely chosen fidelity under trial. Do not cling anxiously to the flesh, nor fear affliction. Have you yet endured false accusation, imprisonment, unjust condemnation, crucifixion, or shameful burial, as I myself suffered at the evil one's hands? Do you dare to pamper the body, you whom the Spirit safeguards? Consider the span of ages before and after your short existence, and you shall know your life as merely a day, your sufferings but a single fleeting hour. Goodness is foreign to this world; thus, disdain death and cherish life. Remember my cross, my sacrifice, and you shall truly live."

I said then, "Lord, speak not of the cross and death—they seem distant from your glory."

But the Master replied, "Truly, I tell you, no soul shall find salvation without faith in my cross, for the Kingdom of God belongs only to those who embrace its mystery. Seek death, as those who have died now seek true life, for what they seek is soon revealed clearly. What harm can befall them? For when you seek death, you shall grasp your calling. Indeed, no one who fears death will enter salvation; rather, the Kingdom belongs to those who willingly lay down their lives. Strive then to surpass even me; strive to become like the child of the Holy Spirit."

Then I asked him, "Lord, how can we prophesy to those who come to us seeking prophecy? For many come to us longing to hear your word spoken through us."

The Lord gently replied, "Do you not know that the head of prophecy was severed with John?"

I said, "Lord, is it even possible to remove the head of prophecy?"

The Lord answered me, "When you understand what 'head' truly signifies, and that prophecy flows forth from the head, then you shall grasp the meaning of 'its head was removed.' At first, I spoke to you in parables, but you did not understand. Now I speak openly, and still you struggle. Yet you yourselves have been to me as a parable among parables, and also as clarity among things plainly spoken."

"Be eager to seek salvation without being urged. Instead, pursue it fervently of your own accord, and if you can, even surpass me in eagerness. In this way the Father will delight in you."

"Reject hypocrisy and evil intentions, for intentions breed hypocrisy, and hypocrisy stands far from truth."

"Do not let the Kingdom of Heaven wither. It is like a young palm whose fruits have fallen around it. They sprouted, and after they budded, their womb dried up. The fruit of this single root, when harvested, produced much more. Truly, the root was good. If you could now cause this new growth to spring forth, you would indeed find it."

"Since I have already been glorified in this manner, why do you restrain me when my heart yearns to depart? Because of the parables, you have kept me here another eighteen days after my work was finished. For some, it was sufficient to hear and understand teachings like 'The Shepherds,' 'The Seed,' 'The Building,' 'The Lamps of the Virgins,' 'The Workers’ Wages,' 'The Silver Coins,' and 'The Woman.'"

"Be earnest about the Word. The first dimension of the Word is faith, the second love, the third works—and from these springs life itself. For the Word is like a grain of wheat. When it was sown, the sower had faith. When it sprouted, he loved it, seeing many grains instead of one. When he harvested, he was saved, having prepared food from it, yet keeping some grain to sow again. Thus, you too may inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. But unless you receive this truth through deep understanding, you will not find it."

"Therefore, be sober-minded and do not be led astray. Many times I have said to you together—and especially to you, James—'Be saved.' I have commanded you to follow me and taught you how to speak before rulers. Observe that I descended and endured hardship, spoke truthfully, and claimed my crown when I rescued you. I came down to dwell with you so you might one day dwell with me. Finding your homes incomplete, I stayed in houses ready to receive me upon my arrival."

"Trust me, my brothers, and understand the meaning of the great Light. The Father does not need me—rather, the Son needs the Father. It is to him that I go. Indeed, the Father of the Son has no need of you."

"Hear the Word, gain understanding, love Life, and no one will persecute or oppress you—no one, except yourselves."

"O wretched ones, poor souls, pretenders to truth, distorters of knowledge, sinners against the Spirit! How can you still bear to listen when from the start you should have been speaking? How can you still sleep when from the start you ought to have awakened, so the Kingdom of Heaven might welcome you? Truly, had I been sent to those who would truly hear me, I never would have descended upon the earth. Therefore, be ashamed for these things!"

"Behold, I am leaving you now and will not linger any longer—for indeed, you yourselves have not wished me to stay. Come quickly now and follow me. I say to you, it was for your sake I descended. You are beloved, and you will be the source of life for many. Pray frequently to the Father, implore him earnestly, and he will generously respond. Blessed indeed are those who have seen you together with him when he is proclaimed among angels and glorified among saints—yours is true life. Rejoice as children of God; fulfill his will so you may be saved. Accept correction humbly, and save yourselves. I intercede with the Father for you, and he will abundantly forgive."

Hearing these words, we rejoiced greatly, for previously we had been sorrowful. Yet when he saw our joy, he warned:

"Woe to those who have no advocate.
Woe to those in desperate need of grace.
Blessed are they who speak boldly and find grace for themselves."

"Consider yourselves as strangers: how are foreigners viewed in your city? Why are you distressed when you yourselves have willingly become strangers, distancing yourselves from your true home? Why abandon your dwelling willingly, allowing others to occupy it? O you exiles and wanderers, woe to you—for you will be captured! Do you suppose the Father loves humanity without reservation, that he yields readily to prayers, or freely grants pardon due to someone else’s pleading? Or do you think he endures anyone simply because they seek him? He indeed knows your desires and what your flesh craves. Yet does not the flesh crave the soul? Without the soul, the body does not sin—just as the soul, without the spirit, cannot be saved. But if the soul is saved from evil and the spirit too is redeemed, then the body becomes free of sin. For it is the spirit that enlivens the soul, yet the body that destroys it—or rather, the soul destroys itself."

"I tell you plainly, the Father will not forgive the soul its sins nor the flesh its guilt. For none who have lived merely for fleshly comfort will be saved. Do you truly think many have discovered the Kingdom of Heaven? Blessed indeed is one who beholds oneself as a fourth presence in heaven!"

When we heard these things, we became troubled. Seeing our sorrow, he said gently, "I say these things so that you may truly know yourselves. The Kingdom of Heaven is like an ear of grain planted in a field: when it ripens, its seeds scatter and again fill the entire field with grain for the next harvest. Likewise, be eager to harvest for yourselves a grain of life, so that you may be filled with the Kingdom."

"As long as I remain with you, heed my words and obey. But when I am gone, hold fast in memory all I have taught. Remember me, especially because I lived among you, yet you did not recognize me. Blessed indeed are those who have known me; woe to those who heard my words yet did not believe! But blessed even more are those who never saw me yet believed with their whole heart."

"Again I urge you—see, I am revealed to you like one who builds a precious house. It shelters you securely, and will support your neighbors’ houses when theirs threaten to collapse. Truly I say, woe upon those for whom I descended into this world; blessed are those who rise to the Father. Again I correct you: you who consider yourselves something, become like nothing, so that you may dwell with those who are nothing."

"Do not allow the Kingdom of Heaven to become barren within you. Do not become proud because you bear the illuminating light. Rather, humble yourselves, just as I humbled myself for your sake. I willingly placed myself under a curse, that through it you might be saved."

Peter replied with confusion, "Master, sometimes you urge us toward the Kingdom, and other times you seem to drive us away. Sometimes you encourage us with promises of life and faith, but then you expel us from your presence."

The Lord answered gently, "Many times I have granted you faith and revealed myself clearly, yet you have not truly known me—even you, James. I see you often rejoicing, yet when taught about the Kingdom, you grow sorrowful. Still, through faith and understanding you have already received life. When you hear words of rejection, pay them no mind, but when you hear the promises of life, rejoice even more. Truly I tell you, anyone who accepts life and believes in the Kingdom will never depart from it—not even if the Father himself wished to send them away."

"These things I have spoken to you plainly. Now, however, I shall ascend to the place from which I came. When I was eager to depart, you tried to hold me back. Instead of coming with me, you pursued me here. Pay attention now to the glory awaiting me, and open your hearts to the hymns sung in heaven, welcoming my return. Today I must take my place at the right hand of the Father."

"I have said my final words; I depart from you now. A chariot of spirit has lifted me, and from now onward, I shall strip away all earthly garments to put on heavenly ones. Hear this clearly: Blessed are those who proclaimed the Son before his descent, so that upon my coming, I might again ascend. Three times blessed are those announced by the Son before their birth, so that you may share in their joy."

After saying this, he departed from our sight. Peter and I knelt, offered heartfelt thanks, and lifted our hearts to heaven. We heard with our ears and saw with our eyes the sounds of wars, trumpet blasts, and great disturbances.

Passing beyond that tumult, we sent our minds higher still. There we heard celestial hymns, angelic praises, and rejoicing of heavenly majesties. We, too, joined joyfully in their celebration.

Wishing to send our spirits even higher, into the Majesty itself, we ascended—but were not permitted to see or hear beyond that point. Then the other disciples called to us anxiously, asking, "What did you hear from the Master? What did he reveal to you? Where has he gone?"

We answered them simply, "He has ascended. He left us a promise, granting all of us life. He revealed to us children who would come after us, urging us to love them, since our salvation would be for their sake."

When the others heard this, they believed—but were troubled about those yet to be born. Not wishing to disturb them further, I sent each to a different place. But I myself went to Jerusalem, praying fervently to have a portion among those beloved ones yet to come.

Now, I pray earnestly that this new beginning may start from you, for in this way I myself may find salvation. Those future souls will be enlightened through my faith and even more through another's—whose faith surpasses mine, as I desire mine to be the lesser.

Strive earnestly, therefore, to be like these beloved souls, and pray that you also may receive your portion with them. For beyond what I have spoken, the Savior revealed nothing more to us for their sake. Indeed, it is for their sake that we proclaim this good news—a share in the inheritance promised to those whom the Lord himself has made his children.

Colophon

This text is reproduced from translations made available through the Gnostic Society Library (gnosis.org), based on the critical editions of the Coptic Gnostic Library published by E. J. Brill (Leiden). The Nag Hammadi codices were discovered in Upper Egypt in 1945.

Compiled and formatted for the Good Work Library by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026.

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