Codex XI, Text 2d — Nag Hammadi Library
On the Eucharist A is one of the earliest surviving eucharistic prayers from any Gnostic community. Appended to A Valentinian Exposition in Nag Hammadi Codex XI, it occupies page 43, lines 20–38 — a fragment of liturgy that opens mid-prayer and closes with the Amen. The prayer's structure is trinitarian in a distinctly Valentinian mode: the Father is addressed, the Son remembered, and the Anointed One named as the medium through whom the Father's will is accomplished.
The manuscript is lacunose in its middle section, with seven lines partially or wholly lost. What survives is remarkable for its plainness — no secret names, no aeons, no Pleroma cosmology. The prayer could pass as orthodox Christian liturgy, which is precisely the Valentinian argument: they did not reject the church's eucharist but claimed to understand it at a deeper level than the psychic Christians who performed it without gnosis.
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.
We give thanks to you and we
offer the eucharist, O Father, remembering
your Son, the teacher, the Anointed
One, that they come forth [...]
[...] invisible [...]
[...] your [...]
[...]
[...] his love
[...]
[...] to knowledge.
[...] they do your will
through the name of the teacher, the Anointed One,
and they shall do your will
now and at all times, fulfilled
with every grace and every purity.
Glory to you, through your Son
and your offspring, the teacher, the Anointed
One, from now forever.
Amen.
Colophon
On the Eucharist A is the fourth of five liturgical sub-texts appended to A Valentinian Exposition in Codex XI. It occupies page 43 (lines 20–38). This is one of the earliest surviving eucharistic prayers from any Gnostic community. The prayer gives thanks to the Father, remembers the Son, and asks that the will of the Father be done through the name of the Anointed One.
Source: Coptic (Sahidic) text from Nag Hammadi Codex XI, page 43. Translation: Good Works Translation, New Tianmu Anglican Church.
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Source Text — Sahidic Coptic
Page 43
43.20 ⲧⲛ̅ϣⲱⲡ ϩⲙⲁⲧ ⲛⲧⲟⲟⲧⲕ̅ ⲛⲧⲛ̅ⲣ
43.21 ⲉⲩⲝⲁⲣⲓⲥⲧⲉⲓ ⲡⲓⲱⲧ ⲉⲛⲣⲡⲙⲉⲩⲉ
43.22 ⲉⲧⲃⲉ ⲡⲉⲕϣⲏⲣⲉ ⲓⲏⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲝⲣⲏ
43.23 ⲥⲧⲟⲥ ϫⲉ ⲥⲉⲉⲓ ⲁⲃⲁⲗ
43.24 [ 8- ⲁϩⲟⲣⲁⲧⲟⲛ
43.25 [ 6- ⲛϣ[
43.26 [ 6-
43.27 [ 7- .ⲧϥ̅ⲁⲅⲁⲡⲏ
43.28 [ 6- ⲁⲧ[
43.29 [ 6- ⲙ[
43.30 [ 8- .ⲉⲩ ⲁⲧⲅⲛⲱⲥⲓⲥ
43.31 ⲥⲉⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲟⲩⲱϣⲉ
43.32 ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲡⲣⲉⲛ ⲛⲓⲏⲥ̅ ⲡⲉⲝⲣⲏⲥⲧⲟⲥ
43.33 ⲁⲩⲱ ⲥⲉⲛⲁⲉⲓⲣⲉ ⲙⲡⲉⲕⲟⲩⲱϣⲉ
43.34 tⲛⲟⲩ ⲙⲛ̅ ⲟⲩⲁⲉⲓϣ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲩϫⲏⲕ
43.35 ⲁⲃⲁⲗ ⲛⲝⲁⲣⲓⲥ ⲛⲓⲙ ϩⲓ ⲧⲟⲩⲃⲟ
43.36 ⲛⲓⲙ ⲡⲉⲁⲩ ⲛⲉⲕ ϩⲓⲧⲛ̅ ⲡⲉⲕϣⲏ
43.37 ⲣⲉ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲡⲉⲕⲙⲓⲥⲉ ⲓⲏⲥ̅ ⲡⲝⲣⲏ
43.38 ⲥⲧⲟⲥ ϫⲓⲛ tⲛⲟⲩ ϣⲁ ⲁⲛⲏϩⲉ ϩⲁⲙⲏⲛ
Source Colophon
Sahidic Coptic text of On the Eucharist A, Nag Hammadi Codex XI, pages 43. 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 Eucharist B — the companion eucharistic text. · On the Anointing, On the Baptism A, On the Baptism B — the other ritual sub-texts in the liturgical sequence. · The Gospel of Philip (Codex II) — reflects on the Valentinian eucharist and its relationship to the bridal chamber mystery.
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