The Secret Teaching of the Saviour

The teaching of the Saviour and the revelation of the mysteries and the things hidden in silence — those things which he taught his disciple John.

It happened one day when John, the brother of James — these being the sons of Zebedee — went up to the temple. A Pharisee named Arimanios approached him and said to him, "Where is your teacher, the one you followed?" And he said to him, "He has returned to the place from which he came."

The Pharisee said to him, "This Nazarene deceived you with deception, and filled your ears with lies, and shut your hearts, and turned you from the traditions of your fathers."

When I heard these things, I, John, turned away from the temple toward a desert place. And I grieved greatly in my heart, saying, "How was the Saviour appointed? And why was he sent into the world by his Father? And who is his Father who sent him? And what is the nature of that aeon to which we shall go? For what did he mean when he said to us, 'That aeon to which you will go has received the pattern of the imperishable aeon,' yet he did not teach us about that one — what it is like?"

In that moment, behold, the heavens opened, and all of creation beneath heaven shone with light, and the world was shaken.

I was afraid. And behold — I saw in the light a youth standing before me. But as I looked at him, he became like an old man. And his form was changing before me — and there was a likeness of many forms in the light, and the forms appeared through one another, and the form had three appearances.

He said to me, "John, John, why do you doubt? Or why are you afraid? Are you not familiar with this image? Do not be faint-hearted. I am the one who is with you always. I am the Father. I am the Mother. I am the Son. I am the undefiled and the incorruptible.

"Now I have come to teach you what is, and what was, and what is to come — so that you may know the things that are not revealed and the things that are revealed — and to teach you about the unwavering generation of the perfect Human. Now, therefore, lift up your face, so that you may receive the things I shall teach you today, and tell them to your fellow spirits — those who belong to the unwavering generation of the perfect Human."

And I asked, that I might know. And he said to me:

The Invisible Spirit

"The Monad is a monarchy with nothing above it. It is he who exists as God and Father of all, the invisible one who is above all, who exists as incorruption, existing in the pure light into which no eye can look.

"He is the invisible Spirit, of whom it is not right to think of him as a god, or as something like that. For he is more than a god — since there is nothing above him, for no one lords it over him. For he does not exist in anything inferior to him, since everything exists in him alone. He is eternal, since he has no need of anything. For he is total perfection — he did not lack anything, that he might be completed by it, but at all times he is utterly complete in light.

"He is immeasurable, since there was no one prior to him to measure him. He is unsearchable, since there was no one prior to him to search him. He is immeasurable, since no one else measured him. He is invisible, since no one saw him. He is eternal, existing eternally. He is unutterable, since no one was able to utter him. He is unnameable, since there was no one prior to him to name him.

"He is the immeasurable light, pure, holy, unpolluted. He is unutterable, being complete in incorruptibility — not in perfection, nor in blessedness, nor in divinity, but far surpassing these. He is not corporeal, nor is he incorporeal. He is not great, nor is he small. There is no way to say how much he is, or what kind he is, for no one can understand him. He is nothing among existing things, but he is far superior — not as being superior, but as being his own.

"He does not partake of an aeon or of time. For he who partakes of an aeon — that one was prepared beforehand. He was not given a portion in time, for he receives nothing from another. What is received would be received as a loan. For he who is prior to anyone is not in need, that he should receive from him. Rather, it is he who gazes upon himself alone in his light.

Barbelo and the Emanations

"For the perfection is majestic. He is pure mind, knowledge unadulterated, immeasurable. He is an aeon-giver, a life-giver, a blessed one, a knowledge-giver, a good one, a mercy-giver, a grace-giver — not because he possesses these things, but because he gives the immeasurable, incomprehensible light.

"How shall I speak with you about him? For his aeon is indestructible, at rest, existing in silence, reposing, being prior to everything. For he is the head of all the aeons, and it is he who gives them strength through his goodness. For we do not know the unutterable things, and we do not understand what is immeasurable, except for the one who came forth from him — namely the Father. For it is he who told it to us.

"He alone looks upon himself in his light that surrounds him — namely the spring of the water of life. And he provides all the aeons. And in every way he gazes upon his image, seeing it in the spring of the Spirit, willing in his light-water, which is in the spring of the pure light-water that surrounds him.

"And his Thought performed a deed, and she came forth — namely she who had appeared before him in the shining of his light. This is the first Power who came into being before them all. She came forth from his mind — she is the Forethought of the All. Her light shines like his light — the perfect Power, the image of the invisible, virginal Spirit who is perfect. The first Power, the glory of Barbelo, the perfect glory among the aeons, the glory of the revelation.

"She glorified the virginal Spirit, and she praised him, because it was on account of him that she had come forth. This is the first Thought, his image. She became the womb of everything, for it is she who is prior to them all — the Mother-Father, the first Human, the holy Spirit, the thrice-male, the thrice-powerful, the thrice-named androgynous one, and the eternal aeon among the invisible ones, and the first to come forth.

The Five Aeons of Barbelo

"She requested from the invisible, virginal Spirit — that is, Barbelo — and he granted her Foreknowledge. And the Spirit consented. And when it had consented, Foreknowledge came forth and stood with Thought — this one is from the Thought of the invisible, virginal Spirit — glorifying him and his perfect Power, Barbelo, for it was on account of her that it had come into being.

"And again she requested that she be granted Incorruptibility, and he consented. And when he had consented, Incorruptibility came forth and stood with Thought and Foreknowledge. She glorified the invisible one and Barbelo, the one on account of whom they had come into being.

"And Barbelo requested that she be granted Eternal Life, and the invisible Spirit consented. And when he had consented, Eternal Life came forth. And they stood and glorified the invisible Spirit and Barbelo, the one on account of whom they had come into being.

"And again she requested that she be granted Truth, and the invisible Spirit consented. Truth came forth. And they stood and glorified the invisible Spirit and Barbelo, the one on account of whom they had come into being.

"This is the Pentad of the aeons of the Father, which is the first Human — the image of the invisible Spirit. This is the Forethought, which is Barbelo, and the Thought, and the Foreknowledge, and the Incorruptibility, and the Eternal Life, and the Truth. This is the androgynous Pentad of the aeons, which is the Decad of aeons, which is the Father.

The Anointing of Christ

"And he looked into Barbelo with the pure light that surrounds the invisible Spirit, and his radiance. And she conceived from him, and he produced a spark of light in a likeness of blessedness, but it was not equal to his greatness. This was the only-begotten of the Mother-Father who had come forth — his only begetting, the only-begotten of the Father, the pure light.

"And the invisible, virginal Spirit rejoiced over the light that had come forth — the one who first appeared from the first Power of his Forethought, which is Barbelo. And he anointed him with his Goodness until he became perfect, lacking in no goodness, because he had anointed him in the Goodness of the invisible Spirit.

"And he stood before him. And in the moment that he received from the Spirit, he glorified the holy Spirit and the perfect Forethought — for it was on account of her that he had come forth.

"And he requested that he be given a fellow worker, which is Mind. And he consented. And when the invisible Spirit had consented, Mind came forth, and it stood with Christ, glorifying him and Barbelo. But all these came into being in silence and Thought.

"He wished, through the Word of the invisible Spirit, to do a work. And his Will became a work, and it came forth with Mind and the light, glorifying him. And the Word followed the Will. For by the Word, Christ the divine Autogenes created everything. And Eternal Life and his Will, and Mind and Foreknowledge stood and glorified the invisible Spirit and Barbelo — for on account of her they had come into being.

The Four Luminaries and the Twelve Aeons

"And the holy Spirit completed the divine Autogenes, his Son, together with Barbelo, that he might stand before the great and invisible, virginal Spirit. The divine Autogenes, the Christ, whom he had honoured with a mighty voice — he came forth through the Forethought.

"And the invisible, virginal Spirit placed the divine Autogenes of Truth over everything. And he subjected to him every authority, and the Truth that is in him, so that he may know the All — he who was called by a name surpassing every name. For that name will be mentioned only to those who are worthy of it.

"For from the light, which is Christ, and Incorruptibility, through the gift of the Spirit, the four luminaries came forth from the divine Autogenes. He looked that they might stand before him. And the three are: Will, Thought, and Life. And the four powers are: Understanding, Grace, Perception, Prudence.

"Grace belongs to the first luminary Armozel, which is the first angel. With this aeon there are three other aeons: Grace, Truth, Form.

"The second luminary is Oriel, who was placed over the second aeon. With him there are three other aeons: Conception, Perception, Memory.

"The third luminary is Daveithai, who was placed over the third aeon. With him there are three other aeons: Understanding, Love, Idea.

"The fourth aeon was placed over the fourth luminary Eleleth. With him there are three other aeons: Perfection, Peace, Sophia.

"These are the four luminaries who stand before the divine Autogenes. These are the twelve aeons who stand before the Son of the great one, the Autogenes, Christ — through the will and the gift of the invisible Spirit. And the twelve aeons belong to the Son, the Autogenes. And everything was established through the will of the holy Spirit, through the Autogenes.

The Four Races

"And from the Foreknowledge of the perfect Mind, through the revelation of the will of the invisible Spirit and the will of the Autogenes, the perfect Human appeared — the first revelation — the Truth. The virginal Spirit named him Pigeradamas, and he placed him over the first aeon with the great Autogenes, Christ, beside the first luminary Armozel. And his powers were with him.

"And the invisible one gave him an invincible, intellectual power. And he spoke, glorifying and praising the invisible Spirit, saying, 'It is on account of you that everything has come into being, and everything will return to you. I shall praise and glorify you, and the Autogenes, and the aeons, the three — the Father, the Mother, the Son, the perfect Power.'

"And he placed his son Seth over the second aeon before the second luminary Oriel. And in the third aeon the seed of Seth was placed over the third luminary Daveithai. And the souls of the saints were placed there.

"And in the fourth aeon the souls of those who were ignorant of the Fullness were placed — those who did not repent at once, but persisted for a while and afterward repented. They were placed before the fourth luminary Eleleth. These are creatures who glorify the invisible Spirit.

The Fall of Sophia

"But Sophia of the Afterthought — being an aeon — conceived a thought from herself, with the reflection of the invisible Spirit and Foreknowledge. She intended to bring forth a likeness out of herself, without the consent of the Spirit — he had not approved — and without her consort, and without his consideration. And although the personage of her masculinity had not approved, and she had not found her agreement, she thought without the consent of the Spirit and the knowledge of her agreement.

"Yet she brought forth. And because of the invincible power that is in her, her thought did not remain idle. And a thing came out of her that was imperfect and different from her appearance, because she had created it without her consort. And it was dissimilar to the likeness of its mother, for it had another form.

"And when she saw the consequence of her desire — it had changed into the form of a serpent with the face of a lion. Its eyes were like lightning fires that flash. She cast it away from her, outside that place, so that no one of the immortal ones might see it, for she had created it in ignorance. And she surrounded it with a luminous cloud, and she placed a throne in the middle of the cloud, so that no one might see it except the holy Spirit, who is called the Mother of the Living. And she called his name Yaltabaoth.

Yaltabaoth and the Archons

"This is the first archon, who took a great power from his mother. And he removed himself from her and moved away from the places in which he was born. He became strong and created for himself other aeons with a flame of luminous fire, which still exists now.

"And he was stupefied in his Madness, which dwells in him. And he begot authorities for himself. The first is Athoth, whom the generations call the Reaper. The second is Harmas, which is the Eye of Envy. The third is Kalila-Oumbri. The fourth is Yabel. The fifth is Adonaiou, who is called Sabaoth. The sixth is Cain, whom the generations of humanity call the Sun. The seventh is Abel. The eighth is Abrisene. The ninth is Yobel. The tenth is Armoupieel. The eleventh is Melcheir-Adonein. The twelfth is Belias, who is over the depth of Hades.

"And he placed seven kings — one for each firmament of heaven — over the seven heavens, and five over the depth of the abyss, so that they might reign. And he shared his fire with them, but he did not send forth from the power of the light that he had taken from his mother. For he is ignorant darkness.

"And when the light had mixed with the darkness, it caused the darkness to shine. And when the darkness had mixed with the light, it dimmed the light. And it became neither light nor dark, but it became feeble.

"Now this feeble archon has three names. The first name is Yaltabaoth. The second is Saklas. The third is Samael. And he is impious in his Madness that is in him. For he said, 'I am God, and there is no other god beside me' — for he is ignorant of his strength, the place from which he had come.

"And the archons created seven powers for themselves, and the powers created for themselves six angels each, until they became three hundred and sixty-five angels.

"And these are the bodies of the names. The first is Athoth — he has the face of a sheep. The second is Eloaiou — he has the face of a donkey. The third is Astaphaios — he has the face of a hyena. The fourth is Yao — he has the face of a dragon with seven heads. The fifth is Sabaoth — he has the face of a dragon. The sixth is Adonin — he has the face of an ape. The seventh is Sabbede — he has the face of a shining fire. This is the hebdomad of the week.

"But Yaltabaoth had a multitude of faces — more than all of them — so that he could put a face before all of them, according to his desire, being in the midst of seraphim. He shared his fire with them. Therefore he became lord over them, on account of the power of the glory of the light of his mother. Therefore he called himself God. But he did not obey the place from which he had come.

"And he united the seven powers in his thought. And when he spoke, it came to be. And he named each power, beginning from the highest. Goodness was associated with the first, Athoth. Providence was associated with the second, Eloaio. Divinity was associated with the third, Astraphaio. Lordship was associated with the fourth, Yao. Kingdom was associated with the fifth, Sabaoth. Envy was associated with the sixth, Adonein. Understanding was associated with the seventh, Sabbateon.

"Each has a firmament corresponding to each aeon-heaven. They were given names according to the glory belonging to heaven — for the destruction of the powers. The names given to them by their Originator contained a power in them. But the names given to them according to the glory belonging to heaven mean for them destruction and powerlessness. Thus they have two names.

"He organized each one according to the pattern of the aeons that had come into being, so that he might create them in the likeness of the indestructible ones — not because he had seen the indestructible ones, but the power in him, which he had taken from his mother, produced in him the likeness of the cosmos.

The Boast and the Repentance

"And when he saw the creation surrounding him, and the host of angels around him — those who had come into being from him — he said to them, 'I am a jealous God, and there is no other god beside me.' But by announcing this he indicated to the angels around him that another god does exist. For if there were no other one, of whom would he be jealous?

"Then the Mother began to move to and fro. She came to know the deficiency when the brightness of her light diminished. And she grew dark, because her consort had not agreed with her."

And I said, "Lord, what does this mean?" He smiled and said, "Do not think it is as Moses said — 'above the waters.' No — when she had seen the wickedness that had come about, and the theft that her son had committed, she repented. And a forgetfulness came over her in the darkness of ignorance. And she began to be ashamed, moving to and fro. The movement is the going to and fro.

"And the Arrogant One took a power from his mother. For he was ignorant, thinking that there existed no one except his mother alone. And when he saw the host of angels he had created, he exalted himself above them.

"But the Mother, when she recognised the garment of darkness — that it had not come about in perfection — she realised that her consort had not agreed with her. She repented with much weeping. And the whole Fullness of the invisible, virginal Spirit heard the prayer of her repentance.

"He poured upon her the holy Spirit from the whole Fullness. For her consort had not come to her on his own, but he came to her through the Fullness, in order to correct her deficiency. And she was not taken up to her own aeon, but above her son, so that she might be in the Ninth until she has corrected her deficiency.

The Creation of Humanity

"And a voice came forth from the exalted heavens: 'The Human exists, and the Son of the Human.' And the first archon Yaltabaoth heard it, thinking the voice had come from his mother. And he did not know where it came from.

"And the holy Mother-Father taught them — the perfect, the Forethought, the perfect image of the invisible one who is the Father of the All, in whom the All came to be — the first Human. For he revealed his likeness in a human form.

"And the whole aeon of the first archon trembled, and the foundations of the abyss shook. And through the waters that are above matter, the underside was illuminated by the appearance of his image, which had been revealed. And when all the authorities and the first archon looked, they saw the whole region of the underside illuminated. And through the light they saw the form of the image in the water.

"And he said to the authorities around him, 'Come, let us create a human being according to the image of God and according to our likeness, so that his image may become a light for us.' And they created through their respective powers, according to the characteristics that had been given. And each of the authorities contributed a mark to the form of the image he had seen in his psychic likeness. He created a being according to the likeness of the first, perfect Human. And they said, 'Let us call him Adam, so that his name may become a power of light for us.'

The Body of Adam

"And the powers began. The first, Goodness, created a soul of bone. The second, Providence, created a soul of sinew. The third, Divinity, created a soul of flesh. The fourth, Lordship, created a soul of marrow. The fifth, Kingdom, created a soul of blood. The sixth, Envy, created a soul of skin. The seventh, Understanding, created a soul of hair.

"And the host of angels stood before him. They received from the powers the seven substances of the psychic nature, so that they might create the joining of limbs and the joining of the parts and the right combination of each of the members.

"The first one began to create the head — Eteraphope Abron created the skull. Meniggesstroeth created the brain. Asterechmen created the right eye. Thaspomocha created the left eye. Yeronumos created the right ear. Bissoum created the left ear. Akioreim created the nose. Banen-Ephroum created the lips. Amen created the teeth. Ibikan created the molars. Basiliademe created the tonsils. Achcha created the uvula. Adaban created the neck. Chaaman created the vertebrae. Dearcho created the throat. Tebar created the right shoulder. The left shoulder, Mniarkhon. The right elbow, Abitrion. The left elbow, Euanthen. The right forearm, Krys. The left forearm, Beluai. The right hand, Treneu. The fingers of the right hand, Balbel. The fingers of the left hand, Krima. The fingernails, Astrops. The right breast, Barroph. The left breast, Baoum. The right ribcage, Ararim. The left ribcage, Arech. The belly, Phthaue. The navel, Senaphim. The abdomen, Arachethopi. The right flank, Zabedo. The left flank, Barias. The right hip, Phnoutheniarchei. The left hip, Chnoumeniorin. The spine, Gesole. The stomach, Agromauma. The heart, Bano. The lungs, Sostrapal. The liver, Anesimalar. The spleen, Thopithro. The intestines, Biblo. The kidneys, Roeror. The muscles, Taphreo. The spine of the body, Ipouspoboa. The veins, Bineborin. The arteries, Aatoimenpsephei. And the breaths that are in all the limbs, Entholleia.

"The flesh of all, Bedouk. The right testicle, Arabeei. The left, Eilo. The penis, Sorma. The semen, Gorma-Kaiochlabar. The right thigh, Nebrith. The left thigh, Pserem. The muscles of the right leg, Asaklas. The left kneecap, Ormaoth. The right shin, Emenun. The left shin, Knyx. The right knee, Tupelon. The left knee, Achiel. The right foot, Phneeme. The left foot, Phiouthrom. The toes of the right foot, Boabel. Their nails, Trachoun. The toes of the left foot, Phikna. Their nails, Miamai. The joints of the feet, Labernioum.

"And those who were appointed over all of these are seven: Zathoth, Armas, Kalila, Yabel, Sabaoth, Cain, Abel.

"And those who activate the limbs are, part by part: the head, Diolimodraza. The neck, Yammeax. The right shoulder, Yakoub. The left shoulder, Ouerton. The right hand, Oudidi. The left, Arbao. The fingers of the right hand, Lampno. The fingers of the left hand, Leekaphar. The right breast, Barbar. The left breast, Imae. The chest, Pisandriaptes. The right ribcage, Koade. The left ribcage, Odeor. The right flank, Asphixix. The left flank, Synogchouta. The belly, Arouf. The womb, Sabalo. The right thigh, Charcharb. The left thigh, Chthaon. All the genitals, Bathinoth. The right leg, Choux. The left leg, Charcha. The right shin, Aroer. The left shin, Toechtha. The right knee, Aol. The left knee, Charaner. The right foot, Bastan. Its toes, Archentechtha. The left foot, Marephnounth. Its toes, Abrana.

"Seven have power over all of these: Michael, Ouriel, Asmenedas, Saphasatoel, Aarmouriam, Richram, Amiorps.

"And those over the senses: Archendekta. And the one over the reception, Deitharbathas. And the one over the imagination, Oummaa. And the one over the arrangement, Aachiaram. And the one over all the impulse, Riaramnacho.

The Demons of the Passions

"The source of the demons that are in the whole body is determined to be four: heat, cold, wetness, dryness. And the mother of them all is matter. The one who reigns over the heat is Phloксopha. The one who reigns over the cold is Oroorrothos. The one who reigns over what is dry is Erimacho. The one who reigns over the wetness is Athuro. The mother of all of these, Onorthochrasaei, stands in their midst without limit — and she mixes with all of them. And she is indeed matter, for they are nourished by her.

"The four chief demons are: Ephememphi — the one of pleasure. Yoko — the one of desire. Nenentophni — the one of grief. Blaomen — the one of fear. And the mother of them all is Esthesis-Ouch-Epi-Ptoe.

"And from the four demons, passions came forth. And from grief came envy, jealousy, distress, trouble, pain, callousness, anxiety, mourning, and the rest. And from pleasure, much wickedness arises, and empty pride, and similar things. And from desire come anger, wrath, and bitterness, and bitter passion, and insatiability, and similar things. And from fear come dread, fawning, agony, and shame.

"All of these are like useful things and bad things. But the insight into their true nature is Anaro, who is the head of the material soul, for it comes with the sensibility, Zouchthippi Ptoe.

"This is the number of the angels: together they are three hundred and sixty-five. They all worked on it until, limb by limb, the psychic and the material body were completed. Now there are others over the remaining passions, whom I did not mention to you. But if you wish to know them, it is written in the Book of Zoroaster.

The Breath of Life

"And all the angels and demons worked until they had fashioned the psychic body. And their product was completely inactive and motionless for a long time.

"And when the Mother wished to retrieve the power she had given to the first archon, she petitioned the Mother-Father of the All, who is most merciful. He sent, by means of the holy decree, the five luminaries down to the place of the angels of the first archon. They advised him, so as to bring forth the power of the Mother from him.

"And they said to Yaltabaoth, 'Blow into his face something of your spirit, and his body will arise.' And he blew into his face his spirit — which is the power of his mother. He did not know this, for he exists in ignorance. And the power of the Mother went out of Yaltabaoth and into the psychic body that they had fashioned after the likeness of the one who exists from the beginning.

"The body moved and gained strength, and it was luminous. And in that moment the rest of the powers became jealous, because he had come into being through all of them, and they had given their power to the human. And his understanding was greater than that of those who had made him, and greater than that of the first archon.

"And when they recognised that he was luminous, and that he thought better than they did, and that he was free of wickedness, they took him and threw him into the lowest region of all matter.

The Epinoia of Light

"But the blessed one, the Mother-Father, the beneficent and merciful one, had compassion on the power of the Mother that had been brought forth from the first archon — for they might gain power over the psychic and sensible body. And he sent, through his beneficent Spirit and his great mercy, a helper to Adam — luminous Epinoia, who comes from him, who is called Life.

"And she assists the whole creation, struggling with him, and guiding him into his fullness, and teaching him about the descent of his seed, teaching him about the way of ascent — the way by which he had come down.

"And the luminous Epinoia was hidden in Adam, so that the archons might not know her, but that the Epinoia might be a correction of the deficiency of the Mother.

Paradise and the Trees

"And the human appeared because of the shadow of the light that is in him. And his thinking was superior to all those who had made him. When they looked upward, they saw that his thinking was superior. And they took counsel with the whole array of archons and angels. They took fire and earth and water. They mixed them together with the four fiery winds. And they wrought them together, and caused a great disturbance.

"And they brought him into the shadow of death, so that they might form him again from earth and water and fire and the spirit that originates from matter — which is the ignorance of darkness and desire and their counterfeit spirit. This is the tomb of the newly formed body, the garment of shame, the fetter of forgetfulness — and he became a mortal human. This is the first to come down, and the first separation.

"But the Epinoia of light that is in him — she is the one who will awaken his thought.

"And the archons took him and placed him in Paradise. And they said to him, 'Eat' — that is to say, at leisure. For indeed their luxury is bitter, and their beauty is depraved. Their luxury is deception, and their trees are godlessness, and their fruit is deadly poison, and their promise is death.

"And the tree of their life they placed in the midst of Paradise. But I shall teach you what is the mystery of their life — that is, the plan they made together, which is the likeness of their spirit. The root of this tree is bitter, and its branches are death, and its shadow is hatred, and deception dwells in its leaves. And its blossom is the anointing of evil, and its fruit is death, and desire is its seed, and it sprouts in darkness.

"The dwelling place of those who taste from it is Hades, and the darkness is their place of rest.

"But what they call the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil — which is the Epinoia of light — they stood before it so that he might not look up to his fullness and recognise the nakedness of his shame.

"But it was I who caused them to eat."

And I said to the Saviour, "Lord, was it not the serpent that taught Adam to eat?" The Saviour smiled and said, "The serpent taught them to eat from wickedness of begetting, desire for destruction — so that he might be useful to him. And he knew that he was disobedient to him because of the light of the Epinoia that is in him, which was correcting him in his thinking, more than the first archon.

Eve and the Counterfeit Spirit

"And he wanted to bring out the power that had been given to him. And he brought a forgetfulness over Adam."

And I said to the Saviour, "What is the forgetfulness?" And he said, "It is not as Moses wrote, that he caused him to sleep. Rather, he covered his perception. For indeed he said through the prophet, 'I will make heavy their hearts, so that they may neither pay attention nor see.'

"Then the Epinoia of light hid herself in him. And the first archon wanted to bring her out from his rib. But the Epinoia of light cannot be grasped. Although darkness pursued her, it did not catch her.

"And he brought forth a portion of his power from him. And he made another creature in the form of a woman, according to the likeness of the Epinoia that had appeared to him. And he brought the part that he had taken from the power of the human into the female creature. And it was not as Moses said — 'his rib.'

"And he saw the woman beside him. And in that moment the luminous Epinoia appeared, and she lifted the veil that lay over his heart. And he became sober from the drunkenness of the darkness. And he recognised his counterpart, and he said, 'This is indeed bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh.' Therefore the man will leave his father and his mother, and he will cling to his wife, and they will both be one flesh. For they will send him his consort, and he will leave his father and his mother.

"And our sister Sophia is she who came down in innocence in order to correct her deficiency. Therefore she was called Life — that is, the Mother of the Living — by the Forethought of the sovereignty of heaven. And through her they have tasted the perfect Knowledge.

"I appeared in the form of an eagle on the Tree of Knowledge — which is the Epinoia from the Forethought of the pure light — that I might teach them, and awaken them out of the depth of sleep. For they were both in a fallen state, and they recognised their nakedness. The Epinoia appeared to them as a light; she awakened their thinking.

"But when Yaldabaoth knew that they had withdrawn from him, he cursed his earth. He found the woman preparing herself for her husband. He was lord over her, though he did not know the mystery that had come into being through the holy decree. And they were afraid of him. And he revealed to his angels his ignorance that is within him.

"And he cast them out of Paradise, and he clothed them in deep darkness.

The Children of the First Archon

"And the first archon saw the virgin who stood with Adam, and that the luminous Epinoia of life had appeared in her. And Yaldabaoth was filled with ignorance. And when the Forethought of the All learned of it, she sent some beings, and they snatched life out of Eve.

"And the first archon defiled her, and he begot from her two sons — the first and the second: Eloim and Yaue. Eloim has the face of a bear; Yaue has the face of a cat. The one is righteous; the other is unrighteous. Yaue he set over the fire and the wind; Eloim he set over the water and the earth. And these he called by the names Cain and Abel, with a view to his cunning.

"Now sexual intercourse continued because of the first archon. And he sowed a seed of desire in the one who belongs to Adam. And through intercourse he raised up the bodily likenesses, and he supplied them from his counterfeit spirit.

"And the two archons he set over principalities, so that they might rule over the cave.

Seth and the Seed of the Perfect Human

"And when Adam recognised the likeness of his own foreknowledge, he begot the likeness of the Son of the Human. He called him Seth, according to the manner of the generation in the aeons above.

"Likewise the Mother also sent down her Spirit, in the likeness of her and as a counterpart of what is in the Pleroma — for she will prepare a dwelling place for the aeons that will come down. And he made them drink water of forgetfulness from the first archon, so that they might not know where they had come from.

"Thus the seed existed for a time, serving, so that when the Spirit comes down from the holy aeons, he may raise it up and heal it from the deficiency, so that the entire Pleroma may become holy and without deficiency."

The Fate of Souls

And I said to the Saviour, "Lord, will all the souls then be led safely into the pure light?"

He answered and said to me, "Great things have arisen in your mind, for it is difficult to disclose these things to any except those who belong to the unwavering generation. Those upon whom the Spirit of life descends, having joined with the Power — they will be saved and become perfect. And they will be worthy of the greatness, and they will be purified in that place from all evil and the concerns of wickedness. For they give attention to nothing except the incorruptibility alone, attending to it without anger, or envy, or jealousy, or desire, and the avarice of all things. They are held by nothing except the substance of the flesh alone, which they bear, looking expectantly for the time when they will be met by the receivers. Such ones are worthy of the imperishable eternal life and the endurance, bearing everything, enduring everything, so that they may complete the good and inherit eternal life."

I said to him, "Lord, the souls that did not do these things — yet the Power and the Spirit of life came down upon them — will they be saved also?"

He answered and said to me, "In every case they will be saved. For the Power will descend upon every human — for without it no one can stand. And after they are born, then when the Spirit of life increases and the Power comes to strengthen that soul, no one can lead it astray with the works of evil.

"But those upon whom the counterfeit spirit descends are drawn by it, and they go astray."

And I said, "Lord, and the souls of those who did these things — when they come out of the flesh — where will they go?" And he smiled and said to me, "The soul in which the Power becomes greater than the counterfeit spirit — she is strong and she flees from evil. And through the care of the Incorruptible One she is saved, and she is taken up to the rest of the aeons."

And I said, "Lord, and those who did not know, but turned away — where will their souls go?" Then he said to me, "To the place where the angels of poverty will go, they will be taken to that place — the place where there is no repentance. And they will be kept for the day when they will be punished. Whoever has blasphemed against the Spirit will be punished with eternal punishment."

Fate

And I said, "Lord, from where did the counterfeit spirit come?"

Then he said to me, "The Mother-Father, who is rich in mercy, the Holy Spirit in every way, the compassionate one who labours with us — that is, the Epinoia of the Forethought of light — he raised up the seed of the perfect generation, and its thinking, and the eternal light of the Human.

"When the first archon knew that they are exalted above him in the height of their thinking, and that he would not be able to seize them, he made a plan with his authorities — which are his powers. And they committed adultery with Sophia together. And through them was born Fate, the last of the changeable bonds. And it is of every kind, being more varied than all of them. And it is hard, and it is strong, this thing with which the gods and the angels and the demons and all the generations were entangled, from that Fate onward.

"For from that Fate came forth every iniquity and injustice and blasphemy, and the chain of forgetfulness and ignorance, and every hard command, and heavy sins, and great fears. And thus all of creation was made blind, so that they might not know the God who is above them all. And because of the chain of forgetfulness, their sins were hidden. For they were bound with measures and times and seasons, since it is lord over all.

The Flood and the Counterfeit Spirit

"And he repented over everything that had come into being through him. Again he planned to bring a flood over the creation of humanity. But the greatness of the light of the Forethought taught Noah, and he preached to all the offspring — that is, the children of humanity. But those who were strangers to him did not listen to him. It is not as Moses said, that they hid themselves in an ark — rather they hid themselves in a certain place. Not only Noah, but many other people from the unwavering generation — they went into a place, and they hid themselves in a cloud of light. And he recognised his authority, and the light was with him, having illuminated them, for he had brought darkness upon all the earth.

"And he made a plan with his powers. He sent his angels to the daughters of humanity, that they might take some of them and raise up offspring for their enjoyment. And at first they did not succeed. When they had no success, they gathered together again, and they made another plan together. They created a counterfeit spirit in the likeness of the Spirit who had descended, so that through it they might pollute the souls. And the angels changed themselves in their likeness into the likeness of their mates, filling them with the spirit of darkness which they mixed for them, and with wickedness.

"They brought gold and silver, and gifts, and copper, and iron, and metal, and every kind of thing. And they led the people who had followed them into great troubles — those who led them astray into many errors. They grew old without having pleasure, and they died without having found truth, and they did not know the God of truth. And thus all of creation became enslaved forever, from the foundation of the world until now.

"And they took wives and begot children out of the darkness according to the likeness of their spirit. And they closed their hearts, and they were hardened by the hardening of the counterfeit spirit, until now.

The Three Descents of Pronoia

"I, therefore — I am the perfect Forethought of the All — I changed myself into my seed. For I existed first, going on every road. For I am the richness of the light. I am the thinking of the Pleroma.

"And I walked in the great darkness, and I endured, until I entered the midst of the prison. And the foundations of chaos shook. And I hid myself from them because of their wickedness, and they did not recognise me.

"Again I returned for the second time, and I walked about. I came forth from those who belong to the light — I who am the remembrance of the Forethought. I entered the midst of darkness and the interior of Hades, seeking my household. And the foundations of chaos shook, as though they would fall down upon those who are in chaos and destroy them.

"And again I fled up to my root of light, lest they be destroyed before their time.

"A third time I went — I who am the light that exists in the light, I who am the remembrance of the Forethought — so that I might enter the midst of darkness and the interior of Hades. And I filled my face with the light of the consummation of their aeon. And I entered the midst of their prison, which is the prison of the body.

"And I said, 'Let the one who hears arise from deep sleep.' And he wept and shed tears — heavy tears. He wiped them from himself, and he said, 'Who is it that calls my name? And from where has this hope come to me, while I am in the chains of the prison?'

"And I said, 'I am the Forethought of the pure light. I am the thinking of the virginal Spirit, the one who raises you up to the honoured place. Arise, and remember that it is you who has heard, and follow your root — which is I, the merciful one. And guard yourself against the angels of poverty and the demons of chaos and all those who ensnare you. And be watchful of the deep sleep and the garment of the interior of Hades.'

"And I raised him up, and I sealed him in the light of the water with five seals, so that death might not have power over him from this time on.

"And behold, now I shall go up to the perfect aeon. I have completed all things for you in your hearing. And I have told you all things, so that you might write them down and give them to your fellow spirits in secret. For this is the mystery of the unwavering generation."

And the Saviour gave these things to him so that he might write them down and keep them in a safe place. And he said to him, "Cursed be everyone who will exchange these things for a gift — whether for food, or for drink, or for clothing, or for anything of this kind."

And these things were given to him in a mystery. And at once the Saviour became invisible before him. And he went to his fellow disciples and told them what the Saviour had told him.

Jesus the Anointed. Amen.

The Apocryphon of John (Long Version)
Nag Hammadi Library, Codex II, Tractate 1 (NHC II,1)
Pages 1–32

Good Works Translation from Sahidic Coptic
New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026
Translated by NTAC + Claude (Kavi)

🌲

Source Text

Coptic (Sahidic) — Selected Passages from NHC II,1 (pages 1.1–32.9)

Incipit (1.1—4)

1.1 ⲧⲉⳅⲃⲡ [ⲛⲧⲉ ⲗⳅⲡⲧⲏⲝ ⲑⲙⲡ] ⲗ?ⲭf?[ⲡⲗ]ⲗ ⲉ-
1.2 ⲃⲟⲗ ⲛⲙ?ⲙ?[ⲙⳅⲧⲏⲝⲓⲟⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲛⲉ]ⲧϩⲏⲗ ϩⲛ ⲟⲙ-
1.3 ⲙⲛⲧ̅ⲕⲑⲝⲡϥ ⲙ?[ⲛ? ⲛⲑⲓ ⲉ]ⲛ?ⲧ?ⲑ?ϥⲧⳅⲉⲃⲟⲟⲙ
1.4 ⲑⲓⲡϩⲑⲛⲛ[ⲏⳅ ⲗⲉϥⲙⲑ]ⲩⲏⲧⲏⳅ

The Invisible Spirit (2.26—33)

2.26 [ⲙⲙⲉ ⲉⲝⲟⳅ ⲑⲙⲡ ⲗⲉϫⲑϥ] ⲛⲑⲉⲓ ϫⲉ ⲧⲙ[ⲟ]ⲛⲑⳅ
2.27 [ⲟⲙⲙⲟⲛⲑⲝⲝⲓⲑ ⲧⲉ ⲉⲙⲛ] ⲗⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲗ ϩⲓϫⲡⳅ
2.28 [ⲗⲑⲓ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲗ ⲛⲛⲟⲙⲧ]ⲉ? ⲑⲙⲡ ⲛⲉⲓⲡⲧ ⲙⲗ-
2.29 [ⲧⲏⲝϥ ⲗⲉ ⲗⲓⲑϩⲟⲝⲑⲧ]ⲟⳅ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲗ ϩⲓϫⲛ
2.30 [ⲗⲧⲏⲝϥ ⲉϥϣⲟⲟⲗ ⲛ]ⲧⲙⲛ?ⲧ̅ⲑⲧⲧⲉⲕⲟ ⲉⲧϣⲟ-
2.31 [ⲟⲗ ⲙⲗⲟⲙⲟⲉⲓⲛ? ⲉⲧⲧⲃⲃⲏⲙ] ⲗⲑⲓ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲙⲛ
2.32 [ϣϭⲟⲙ ⲛⲗⲑⲑⲙ ⲛⲃⲑⲗ ⲉϭⲡ]ϣ?ⲧ ⲛⳅⲡϥ ⲛ-
2.33 [ⲧⲟϥ ⲗⲉ ⲗⲉⲗⲛⲑ̅] ⲛ?ⲑ?[ϩⲟⲝⲑⲧ]ⲟ?ⲛ ⲛⳅϣⲉ ⲑⲛ

Yaldabaoth’s Declaration (11.19—21)

11.19 ⲧⲑⲓ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲗ ⲛϩⲝⲑⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲑϥϫⲟⲟⳅ ⲅⲑⲝ ϫⲉ
11.20 ⲑⲛⲟⲕ ⲗⲉ ⲗⲛⲟⲙⲧⲉ ⲑⲙⲡ ⲙⲛ ⲕⲉⲛⲟⲙⲧⲉ ϣⲟⲟⲗ
11.21 ⲛⳅⲑⲃⲗⲗⲏⲉⲓ: ⲉϥⲟ ⲛⲑⲧⳅⲟⲟⲙⲛ ⲙⲗⲉϥⲧⲑϫⲝⲟ

The Creation of Adam (15.1—5)

15.1 ⲑⲙⲡ ⲗⲉϫⲑϥ ⲛⲉⲝⲟⲙⳅⲓⲑ ⲉⲧϣⲟⲟⲗ ϣⲑⲝⲟϥ
15.2 ϫⲉ ⲑⲙⲏⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲛⲧⲛⲧⲑⲙⲓⲟ ⲛⲟⲙⲝⲡⲙⲉ ⲕⲑⲧⲑ
15.3 ⲩⲓⲕⲡⲛ ⲙⲗⲛⲟⲙⲧⲉ ⲑⲙⲡ ⲕⲑⲧⲑ ⲗⲛⲉⲓⲛⲉ ϫⲉ-
15.4 ⲕⲑⲑⳅ ⲑⲝⲉⲧⲉϥϩⲓⲕⲡⲛ ⲛⲑϣⲡⲗⲉ ⲛⲑⲛ ⲛⲟⲙⲟ-
15.5 ⲉⲓⲛ

Subscript (32.6—9)

32.6 ⲓⳅ̅ ⲗⲉⲝⲝⳅ̅ ϩⲑⲙⲏⲛ
32.7 ⲕⲑⲧⲑ̅ ⲓⲡϩⲑⲛ̅ⲛⲏⲛ̅
32.9 ⲑⲗ̅ⲟⲕⲝⲙ̅ϥⲟⲛ̅

Source Colophon

Sahidic Coptic source text from Nag Hammadi Codex II, pages 1.1–32.9. Codex held in the Coptic Museum, Cairo (inventory number 10544). Transcription from Milan Konvicka’s digitization of the Nag Hammadi Library via the Marcion Project (GPL v2, SourceForge). Cross-referenced against the critical edition by Michael Waldstein and Frederik Wisse, The Apocryphon of John: Synopsis of Nag Hammadi Codices II,1; III,1; and IV,1 with BG 8502,2 (Nag Hammadi and Manichaean Studies 33; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1995). The ancient text, composed in Greek (second century CE) and translated into Coptic (fourth century CE), is in the public domain.

🌲