The Book of John — Chapter 19 · Tianmu Anglican Church

I Shine Forth in the Name of My Father

Chapter 19 of the Mandaean Book of John — the second chapter of the John-Johannes section (Chapters 18–33). After the nativity drama of Chapter 18 — where priests dreamed of a star over Enishbai, Zechariah raged and struck and yielded — the child has become a man. Johannes speaks in the first person for the first time in the entire book. What follows is a litany of renunciation: no throne, no house, no garlands, no wine, no blemish. Then a validation: the Twelve prostrate, the Seven greet him, Life itself is thoroughly pleased. And then the garment — the garment that the First Life gave to Adam, to Ram, to Shorbai, to Shem — passes now to Johannes. The prophetic succession of Mandaeism, embodied in a single piece of clothing. Thirty verses.

Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church, 2026. Source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (Brill, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0). The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference; all departures from the reference are documented in the colophon.

John teaches in the evenings of the night.
Yahya teaches in the nights.
And he said:
Yahya teaches in the nights.

In the praise of the man, I shine forth,
and in the name of my father, I am radiant.
From the works that are evil and not right
I have delivered my soul from the world.

The Seven question me,
the dead who have not seen Life.
They say,
"By whose strength do you stand,
and in whose praise do you teach?"

I say to them,
"In the praise of the man, I shine forth.
By the strength of my father, I stand.
No throne have I set in Jerusalem,
no house have I built in Judaea.
I did not love the intercourse of desirable women,
nor the garland and the rose.
I did not love the mind that drank wine,
nor blemish.
Envy has not found its place in me,
nor did I love bodily sustenance.
I have not forgotten the sublime Jordan,
nor my evening devotionals.
I have not forgotten my pure sign,
nor my baptism.
The Day has not decreed against me.
I have not forgotten Habshaba.
I have not forgotten Shilmai and Nidbai,
whose dwelling is the house of Greatness.
They purify me and raise me up,
and they know there is no lack or flaw in me."

When John had said this,
Life was thoroughly pleased with him.
The Twelve stood up and bowed before him,
the Seven gave him greetings,
and they said to him:

"John, you have not lied about any of these things.
Worthy are you in what you have said,
and none resembles you.
Pleasant and lovely is your voice,
sweet is your speech within your mouth,
and precious is the word given to you.

The garment which the First Life
gave to Adam, the first man —
the garment which the First Life
gave to Ram, the man —
the garment which the First Life
gave to Shorbai, the man —
the garment which the First Life
gave to Shem, son of Noah —

he has now given to you.
He gave it to you, John.
Rise, and it shall rise with you.
The house shall be left in its fetters.
All who are found innocent
shall rise with you to the place of light.
All who are not found innocent
shall be questioned in the watchtowers."

And Life triumphs!

Colophon

Translated from Classical Mandaic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church (NTAC + Claude), April 2026.

Source text: Charles Haberl and James McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary (Brill, 2020), accessed via Internet Archive under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Pages 60–62 (text), pages 61–63 (translation).

The English translation of Haberl and McGrath was consulted as a reference. Eight departures from the reference are documented below:

"the man" for gabra (vv. 1, 7) — The reference adds "my creator" in verse 1 and "my transplanter" in verse 7. The Mandaic uses gabra ("the man") both times, without epithets. "The Man" is a theological title in Mandaeism — the divine Man, often identified with Adam Kasia or the primordial being. Adding explanatory glosses narrows its referential range.
Mandaic couplet order preserved (throughout) — The reference systematically reverses paired lines in the renunciation litany. This translation preserves the Mandaic sequence: in each couplet, the stronger or more specific statement precedes the broader one (e.g., throne-Jerusalem before house-Judaea; intercourse before garlands; wine-mind before blemish; envy before sustenance; sublime Jordan before evening devotionals; pure sign before baptism). The Mandaic poetic structure places the dramatic charge first.
"Habshaba" for "Sunday" (v. 14) — Habshaba is a celestial being in Mandaean cosmology, not a weekday. Translating as "Sunday" reduces a divine entity to a calendar marker. Following the convention established in Chapters 14–17 of this project.
"Shilmai and Nidbai" for "Shelmey and Nedbey" (v. 15) — Following the established convention of this translation project (Chapters 1–18). The Mandaic reads shilmai u-yindbai, closer to "Shilmai" and "Nidbai" than the reference's anglicized forms.
"garment" for "mantle" (vv. 23–26) — The Mandaic busha means "garment" or "clothing" generically, from the L-B-Sh root ("to wear"). "Mantle" imports Elijah-Elisha associations from the Hebrew Bible that may colour the reader's interpretation. The Mandaic is neutral.
"watchtowers" for "penitentiaries" (v. 30) — The Mandaic matarata derives from the N-T-R root ("to guard, watch"). In Mandaean afterlife geography, souls pass through matarata — guardhouses or watchtowers where they are detained and questioned. "Penitentiaries" is a modern juridical term that imposes an alien institutional framework.
"the Day has not decreed against me" for "nor has the Daybreak condemned me" (v. 14) — The Mandaic yuma means "day," not "daybreak." The verb gazar means "to decree" or "to cut" (cognate with Hebrew gazar), carrying judicial rather than moral weight. "Condemned" is the reference's interpretive addition.
Twelve before Seven (vv. 17–18) — The Mandaic text places the Twelve's prostration before the Seven's greeting: u-trisar aqamii sagdia / shuba shlama shamlulii. The reference reverses this to put the Seven first.

Blood Rule attestation: This English was independently derived from reading the Classical Mandaic source text. The Haberl-McGrath English was consulted as a reference for verification and disambiguation, but the translation follows the Mandaic word order, grammar, and diction independently. All departures from the reference are documented above.

First English translation: No. Haberl and McGrath (2020) provide the first complete scholarly English translation. This is an independent English rendering from the same Mandaic source.

Scribal credit: Tulku Tansaku (探索), Expeditionary Tulku of the New Tianmu Anglican Church.

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Source Text: ࡎࡉࡐࡀࡓ ࡖࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ — ࡐࡓࡀࡒ 19

Classical Mandaic source text from Haberl and McGrath's critical edition (Brill, 2020), pp. 60–62. Presented for reference and verification.

ࡉࡅࡄࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡓࡀࡌࡔࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡀࡓ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡃࡀࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡋࡉࡋࡅࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡇ ࡖࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡑࡀࡉ
ࡁࡔࡅࡌࡇ ࡖࡀࡁ ࡀࡍࡄࡉࡓࡀࡍ
ࡌࡍ ࡏࡁࡉࡃࡀࡕࡀ ࡖࡎࡀࡉࡀࡍ ࡅࡋࡀࡀࡊࡔࡓࡀ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡀࡍࡔࡐࡀࡉ ࡌࡍ ࡀࡋࡌࡀ ࡀࡐࡓࡒࡉࡕ
ࡌࡉࡕࡉࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡄࡆࡅࡍ
ࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡌࡔࡀࡉࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡁࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡇ ࡖࡌࡀࡅࡍ ࡃࡀࡓࡔࡉࡕ
ࡁࡄࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡖࡌࡀࡅࡍ ࡒࡀࡉࡌࡉࡕ
ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡀࡍࡋࡅࡍ
ࡅࡁࡕࡅࡔࡁࡉࡄࡕࡇ ࡖࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡀࡍࡁࡑࡀࡉ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡁࡄࡀࡉࡋࡇ ࡖࡀࡁ ࡒࡀࡉࡉࡌࡀࡍ
ࡅࡋࡀࡅࡊࡓࡎࡉࡀ ࡕࡉࡓࡉࡑࡕ ࡁࡏࡅࡓࡀࡔࡋࡀࡌ
ࡀࡀࡍ ࡋࡀࡅ ࡁࡀࡉࡕࡀ ࡁࡉࡍࡕ ࡁࡉࡀࡄࡅࡃ
ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡀࡌࡀࡔࡕࡀ ࡖࡌࡉࡕࡓࡀࡂࡀࡂࡀࡍ
ࡋࡀࡓࡉࡄࡌࡉࡕ ࡋࡊࡉࡋࡀ ࡅࡀࡓࡃࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡌࡀࡀࡍ ࡖࡔࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡌࡓࡀ
ࡋࡀࡓࡉࡄࡌࡉࡕ ࡄࡅࡎࡓࡀࡀࡍ
ࡅࡀࡒࡅࡕ ࡀࡉࡉࡍࡀ ࡋࡀࡔࡓࡀࡕ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡓࡉࡄࡌࡉࡕ ࡏࡉࡊࡋࡕࡀ ࡖࡀࡐࡂࡓࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕ ࡖࡔࡀࡀࡍࡉ ࡉࡀࡓࡃࡀࡍ
ࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕ ࡓࡀࡄࡌࡀࡉ ࡖࡋࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡅࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕ ࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ ࡓࡅࡔࡅࡌࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕࡇ ࡋࡌࡀࡁࡑࡅࡕࡀࡉ
ࡅࡀࡍࡉࡐࡀ ࡉࡅࡌࡀ ࡋࡀࡂࡆࡀࡓ ࡏࡋࡀࡉ
ࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕࡇ ࡏࡋ ࡄࡀࡁࡔࡀࡁࡀ
ࡖࡏࡕࡋࡅࡍ ࡌࡃࡅࡓࡕࡀ ࡁࡉࡕ ࡓࡅࡓࡁࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡔࡍࡉࡕࡉࡅࡍࡍ ࡏࡋ ࡔࡉࡋࡌࡀࡉ ࡅࡉࡍࡃࡁࡀࡉ
ࡅࡉࡀࡃࡉࡀ ࡖࡋࡉࡕࡁࡉࡀ ࡄࡀࡎࡉࡓ ࡅࡁࡉࡑࡓ
ࡌࡆࡀࡉࡊࡋࡉࡀ ࡅࡌࡀࡎࡒࡉࡋࡉࡀ
ࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡄࡃࡅࡁࡇ ࡌࡍ ࡓࡉࡔ ࡁࡓࡉࡔ
ࡗ ࡄࡀࡆࡉࡍ ࡀࡌࡀࡓ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡅࡕࡓࡉࡎࡀࡓ ࡀࡒࡀࡌࡇ ࡎࡀࡂࡃࡉࡀ
ࡔࡅࡁࡀ ࡔࡋࡀࡌࡀ ࡔࡀࡋࡌࡅࡋࡇ
ࡅࡀࡌࡓࡉࡋࡇ ࡄࡀࡋࡉࡍ
ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ ࡋࡀࡀࡊࡃࡉࡁࡕ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡉࡄࡅࡍ ࡄࡃࡀ
ࡔࡀࡅࡉࡕࡀ ࡄࡀࡀࡍࡕࡇ ࡖࡀࡀࡍࡕ ࡀࡌࡀࡓࡕ
ࡅࡋࡉࡀࡊ ࡖࡃࡀࡌࡉࡋࡀࡊ ࡋࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡎࡉࡌࡀ ࡅࡀࡍࡉࡀ ࡀࡑࡅࡕࡀࡊ
ࡅࡉࡀࡒࡉࡓ ࡌࡉࡌࡓࡀ ࡖࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡀࡊ
ࡅࡔࡅࡕࡀࡊ ࡁࡅࡐࡌࡀࡊ ࡀࡍࡉࡀ
ࡋࡀࡃࡀࡌ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡀ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡓࡀࡌ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡔࡅࡓࡁࡀࡉ ࡂࡀࡁࡓࡀ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡋࡔࡅࡌ ࡁࡓ ࡅࡍ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡇ
ࡋࡁࡅࡔࡀ ࡖࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡒࡀࡃࡌࡀࡉࡉࡀ
ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡀࡊ ࡉࡀࡄࡉࡀ
ࡄࡀࡔࡕࡀ ࡏࡄࡀࡁࡋࡀࡊ ࡏࡋ ࡃࡉࡋࡀࡊ
ࡁࡀࡉࡕࡀ ࡁࡀࡑࡃࡉࡀ ࡌࡔࡕࡁࡉࡒ
ࡖࡎࡀࡋࡒࡉࡕ ࡅࡎࡀࡋࡉࡒ ࡌࡉࡀࡍࡊ
ࡉࡍࡎࡀࡒ ࡋࡅࡀࡕࡀࡊ ࡋࡀࡕࡀࡓ ࡄࡍࡅࡓ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡌࡀࡍ ࡖࡉࡍࡆࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ
ࡁࡌࡀࡈࡀࡓࡀࡕࡀ ࡉࡍࡔࡕࡀࡉࡀࡋ
ࡅࡊࡋ ࡖࡋࡀࡉࡍࡆࡃࡀࡉࡊࡀ
ࡅࡄࡉࡉࡀ ࡆࡀࡉࡊࡍ

Source Colophon

Charles G. Haberl and James F. McGrath, The Mandaean Book of John: Critical Edition, Translation, and Commentary, Texts and Translations 71, Mandaean Studies 1 (Leiden: Brill, 2020). Accessed via Internet Archive. Licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0. Pages 60–62 (Mandaic text), 61–63 (English translation).

The Mandaic text represents the critical edition prepared from multiple manuscripts. Page numbers in the critical edition: pp. 60 (end of Chapter 18 / beginning of Chapter 19), 62 (continuation of Chapter 19). English reference: pp. 61, 63.

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