Codex XI, Text 2a — Nag Hammadi Library
On the Anointing is the first of five liturgical sub-texts appended to A Valentinian Exposition in Nag Hammadi Codex XI. It occupies page 40, lines 7–29, but the upper portion of the page is lost, and the prayer survives only from its middle section onward. What remains is a petition addressed to the Father: send your Son, the Anointed One, to anoint us — so that we might trample the snares of the heavens and the power of the adversary — followed by a trinitarian doxology addressed to the Father in the Son, in the holy church, and in the holy angels.
The rite of anointing was one of five Valentinian sacraments described in The Gospel of Philip (Codex II), where it is linked to the light and the Holy Spirit. Here the prayer is nearly identical in structure to On the Eucharist A and B: address to the Father, petition through the Son, doxology, Amen. The brevity is liturgical, not damaged — these are prayers, not discourses.
The Sahidic Coptic text was transcribed from codex photographs and critical editions. This English translation is a Good Works Translation produced by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, working from the original Coptic.
[...] the type of [...]
[...] it is fitting for
you now to send your Son,
the teacher, the Anointed One, and let him anoint
us, so that we might be able
to trample the snares of the heavens
and the thorns of the paths
and all the power of the adversary —
for he has the shepherd of the seed
through him. We have
known you, and we give glory to you.
Glory to you, Father, in the Son,
the Father in the Son, the Father in the
holy church and the
holy angels. From now
he exists forever,
the eternal aeons, forever
and ever, the imperishable aeons.
Amen.
Colophon
On the Anointing is the first of five liturgical sub-texts appended to A Valentinian Exposition in Codex XI. It occupies page 40 (lines 7–29). The surviving text is a prayer invoking the Son and the Father, asking for anointing so that the worshippers might overcome the adversary, culminating in a trinitarian doxology. The upper portion of the page is lost.
Source: Coptic (Sahidic) text from Nag Hammadi Codex XI, page 40. Translation: Good Works Translation, New Tianmu Anglican Church.
🌲
Source Text — Sahidic Coptic
Page 40
40.7
40.8 11- ⲣⲉ.
40.9 [ 10- ϩ ⲕⲁⲧⲁ
40.10 [ 10- ⲡⲧⲩⲡⲟⲥ ⲙ
40.11 [ 7- ⲛⲉⲩ ⲁⲣⲁϥ ⲥϣⲉ ⲁ-
40.12 ⲣⲁⲕ tⲛⲟⲩ ⲁⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲁⲩ ⲙⲡⲉⲕϣⲏ-
40.13 ⲣⲉ ⲓⲏⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲝⲣⲏⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲛϥ̅ⲧⲱϩⲥ̅
40.14 ⲙⲙⲁⲛ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥⲉ ⲉⲛⲁϣϭⲛ
40.15 ϭⲁⲙ ⲛⲕⲁⲧⲁⲡⲁⲧⲉⲓ ⲛⲧⲡⲉ ⲛⲛ-
40.16 ϩⲁϥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲛⲁⲡⲉ ⲛⲛⲟⲩⲟⲟϩⲉ
40.17 ⲙⲛ ⲧϭⲁⲙ ⲧⲏⲣⲥ ⲙⲡⲇⲓⲁⲃⲟⲗⲟⲥ
40.18 ϫⲉ ⲛⲧⲁϥ ⲡⲡⲟⲓⲙⲏⲛ ⲛⲡⲥⲡⲉ
40.19 ⲣⲙⲁⲧⲟⲥ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ̅ ⲛⲧⲁϩⲛ
40.20 ⲥⲟⲩⲱⲱⲛⲕ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲧⲛ̅t ⲉⲁⲩ ⲛⲉⲕ
40.21 ⲡⲉⲁⲩ ⲛⲉⲕ ⲡⲓⲱⲧ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲡ
40.22 ⲓⲱⲧ ϩⲙ ⲡϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲡⲓⲱⲧ ϩⲛ̅ ⲧ
40.23 ⲉⲕⲕⲗⲏⲥⲓⲁ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁϥ ⲙⲛ ⲛ
40.24 ⲁⲅⲅⲉⲗⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲟⲩⲁⲁϥ ϫⲓⲛ t
40.25 ⲛⲟⲩ ϥϣⲟⲟⲡ ϣⲁ ⲁⲛⲏϩⲉ
40.26 ⲛⲧⲁⲓⲱⲛⲓⲁ ⲛⲛⲁⲓⲱⲛ ϣⲁ
40.27 ⲛⲓⲁⲛⲏϩⲉ ϣ]12ⲁ ⲛⲓⲁⲓⲱⲛ ⲛ
40.28 ⲁⲧⲛⲣⲉⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲧⲉ ⲛⲓⲁⲓⲱⲛ ϩⲁ
40.29 ⲙⲏⲛ
Source Colophon
Sahidic Coptic text of On the Anointing, Nag Hammadi Codex XI, pages 40. Transcription from codex photographs and critical editions.
Source: Milan Konvicka / Marcion Project (GPL v2).
Related texts in the archive: A Valentinian Exposition (Codex XI) — the main theological text to which this ritual fragment is appended. · On the Baptism A, On the Baptism B, On the Eucharist A, On the Eucharist B — the other four ritual sub-texts forming a complete Valentinian liturgical sequence. · The Gospel of Philip (Codex II) — describes anointing as one of the five Valentinian sacraments and discusses its theological significance in relation to baptism and the bridal chamber.
🌲