Codex XI, Text 2b — Nag Hammadi Library
The Jordan is the descent that is the ascent, the going forth from the world into the Aeon.
This is the Fullness of the
Knowledge of gnosis, this
which was revealed to us through
our Lord, the teacher, the Anointed One,
the Only-Begotten. These are the
firm and necessary things,
so that we might be grounded
in them. These are the things
of the first baptism.
[...]
The first
baptism is the forgiveness of
sins [...] they
say that [...]
you [...] the [...]
sins [...] type of the [...]
of the Anointed One, which is
the equal of [...]
in it [...]
[...] for indeed the teacher [...]
the first baptism
is the forgiveness of
sins — it brings us forth from
those things, through him,
into the imperishable
dwelling, which is
the Jordan.
But this place is of
the world. So we have been sent
forth from the world
into the Aeon. For the interpretation
of John
is the Aeon. And the interpretation
of that which is the Jordan
is the descent that is the ascent,
which is the going
forth from the world into
the Aeon.
Colophon
On the Baptism A is the second of five liturgical sub-texts appended to A Valentinian Exposition in Codex XI. It occupies pages 40 (lines 30–38) through 41. The text discusses the Fullness of Knowledge revealed through the Only-Begotten, and interprets baptism as a crossing — from the world into the Aeon, through the Jordan. The identification of the Jordan with the passage from cosmos to Aeon reflects Valentinian reinterpretation of New Testament symbols as maps of spiritual geography.
Source: Coptic (Sahidic) text from Nag Hammadi Codex XI, pages 40–41. Translation: Good Works Translation, New Tianmu Anglican Church.
Scribe: Kavi
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Source Text — Sahidic Coptic
Page 40
40.30 ⲡⲉⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲡⲗⲏⲣⲱⲙⲁ ⲙⲡⲕⲉ
40.31 ϥⲁⲗⲁⲓⲟⲛ ⲛⲧⲅⲛⲱⲥⲓⲥ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ
40.32 ⲛⲧⲁϩⲟⲩⲁⲛϩϥ̅ ⲛⲉⲛ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲓ
40.33 ⲧⲛ̅ ⲡⲛ̅ϫⲁⲉⲓⲥ ⲓⲏⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲝⲣⲏⲥⲧⲟⲥ
40.34 ⲡⲓⲙⲟⲛⲟⲅⲉⲛⲏⲥ ⲛⲉⲉⲓ ⲛⲉ ⲛ
40.35 ⲃⲉⲃⲁⲓⲟⲛ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲛⲁⲛⲁⲅⲕⲁⲓ
40.36 ⲟⲛ ϫⲉⲕⲁⲥⲉ ⲉⲛⲁⲙⲁϩⲉ ⲛϩ
40.37 ⲣⲏⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧⲟⲩ ⲛⲉⲉⲓ ⲛⲇⲉ ⲛⲉ
40.38 ⲛⲁⲡϣⲁⲁⲣⲡ̅ ⲛⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ
Page 41
41.9
41.10 ⲡⲧ. ⲙ ⲡϣⲁⲣⲡ ⲛ
41.11 ⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥⲙⲁ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲕⲱⲉ ⲁ
41.12 ⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲛⲛⲁⲃⲓ ⲛ
41.13 ⲧⲁϩϫⲟⲟⲥ ϫⲉ
41.14 ⲙⲙⲱⲧⲛ̅ ⲁⲡ[ ⲛⲉ
41.15 ⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲁⲃⲓ ⲡⲓⲁ ϣⲟ
41.16 ⲟⲡ ⲛ̅ⲧⲩⲡⲟⲥ ⲙⲡ
41.17 ⲅⲟ[ⲥ ⲛⲡⲉⲝⲣⲏⲥⲧⲟⲥ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ
41.18 ⲡⲉ ⲡϣⲱϣ ⲛⲛ ⲛϩⲣⲏ
41.19 ⲓ ⲛϩⲏⲧϥ ⲙⲡ
41.20 ϥ [. ⲛⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲓⲏⲥ̅ .ⲉ
41.21 .[ ⲡϣⲁⲣⲡ̅ ϭⲉ ⲛⲃⲁⲡⲧⲓⲥ
41.22 ⲙⲁ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲕⲱⲉ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲛ
41.23 ⲛⲁⲃⲓ ⲥⲉⲓⲛⲉ ⲙⲙⲁⲛ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲛ̅
41.24 ⲛⲉⲧⲙ̅ⲙⲉⲩ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲓⲧⲟⲟⲧϥ̅
41.25 ⲁϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲛⲁⲩⲛⲉⲙ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ
41.26 ⲡⲉ ⲁϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲧⲙⲛ̅ⲧⲁⲧⲧⲉⲕⲟ
41.27 ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲓⲟⲣⲇⲁⲛⲏⲥ
41.28 ⲁⲗⲗⲁ ⲡⲓⲧⲟⲡⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲏ ⲛⲧⲉ
41.29 ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲛⲧⲁⲩⲧⲛ̅ⲛⲁⲩ
41.30 ϭⲉ ⲙⲙⲁⲛ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲙ ⲡⲕⲟⲥ
41.31 ⲙⲟⲥ ⲁϩⲟⲩⲛ ⲁⲡⲁⲓⲱⲛ ⲑⲉⲣ
41.32 ⲙⲏⲛⲓⲁ ⲅⲁⲣ ⲛⲓⲱϩⲁⲛⲛⲏⲥ
41.33 ⲡⲉ ⲡⲁⲓⲱⲛ ⲑⲉⲣⲙⲏⲛⲓⲁ ⲛ
41.34 ⲇⲉ ⲙⲡⲏ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲓⲟⲣⲇⲁⲛⲏⲥ ⲡⲉ
41.35 ⲡⲉ ⲧⲕⲁⲧⲁⲃⲁⲥⲓⲥ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲁⲛⲁⲃⲁⲥ
41.36 ⲙⲟⲥ ⲡⲉ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲡⲉⲉⲓ ⲡⲉ ⲡⲛ̅ⲉⲓ
41.37 ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ϩⲙ̅ ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲁϩⲟⲩⲛ
41.38 ⲁⲡⲁⲓⲱⲛ
Source Colophon
Sahidic Coptic text of On the Baptism A, Nag Hammadi Codex XI, pages 40–41. Transcription from codex photographs and critical editions.
Source: Milan Konvicka / Marcion Project (GPL v2).
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