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Nag Hammadi Library
Nag Hammadi Library — collected author-dedicated English translations
Unverified edition · NHC-V-2
Reading language: eng · Original language (catalog): Coptic; many works reflect Greek antecedents
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The Apocalypse of Paul — NHC-V-2 — supplied text part 1
Symbols [ ] Gap in the text (known as a “lacuna”) ( ) Editorial insertion to clarify the text < > Editorial correction of a scribal error [18] Page number of the Coptic codex (hyperlinked) A Small Child Gives a Revelation to Paul [18] (Line 1 missing) the road. And [he (Paul) spoke to him and] said, “[On which] road [shall I go] up to [Jerusalem]?” [In response] the small child [said], “Tell me your name; if you do this, [I will show] you the road.” [The small child] knew [who Paul was]. He wanted to carry on a conversation with him with his speech [so that] he might justify talking with him. In response the small child said, “I know who you are, Paul. You are he who was blessed already in his mother’s womb. For I have [come] to you so that you would [go up to Jerusalem] to your fellow [apostles. And] this is why [you have been called. [And] I am the [Spirit who goes with] you. Let [your mind awaken, Paul], with [...]. (Six lines missing). [19] For [...] all that [...] among the [principalities and] these authorities, [and] the archangels and powers, and the entire race of the demons, [...] the one who shows bodies to the seed of souls.” And after having finished that speech, he spoke to me and said, “Let your mind awaken, Paul, and see that this mountain on which you stand is Mount Jericho. In order that you may know the invisible things in those that are visible, you shall go to the twelve apostles, for they are chosen spirits, and they will give you their greeting.” He lifted up his eyes and saw them giving him their greeting. The Third and Fourth Heavens and the Trial of the Soul The Holy [Spirit] who was speaking with [him] then caught him up on high to the third heaven. He then passed beyond (that), to the fourth [heaven]. The [Holy] Spirit spoke to him and said, “Behold and see your [likeness] on the earth.” And he [gazed] downward and saw those [on] the earth. He stared intently [and saw] those on the [...]. [Then] [20] [he] gazed [down into the creation and] saw the [twelve] apostles [at] his right [and] at his left. And the Spirit was going in front of them. I, however, in the fourth heaven saw (things) according to (their) class. I saw angels who resemble gods. (These) angels took a soul from out of the land of the dead. They brought it to the gate of the fourth heaven, and the angels were lashing it. The soul spoke and asked, “What sin did I commit in the world?” In response the toll-collector living in the fourth heaven said, “It was unjust to commit all of those criminal acts found in the world of the dead.” In response the soul said, “Produce witnesses who will show you in what body I committed criminal acts. [Do you want] to present (only) a book [from which to read]?” And three witnesses arrived. The first spoke and asked, “Was I [not in] the body at the second hour [...]? I assaulted you [21] until [you fell] into anger [and wrath] and envy.” And the second spoke and asked, “Did I not dwell in the world? And I entered at the fifth hour, and I saw you and wanted to have you. And so, behold, I now charge you for the murders you committed.” The third spoke and asked, “Did I not come to you at the twelfth hour of the day, towards the setting of the sun? I delivered you to the darkness, until you committed your sins.” When the soul heard these things, it looked down, sad. And then it looked up, dejected. The soul which had been thrown down [entered] into [a] body prepared [for it]. [And] behold, its witnesses were finished (testifying). The Fifth Heaven [I then looked] up and [saw the] Spirit, who said [to me], “Paul, come forward! [Approach] me!”
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The Apocalypse of Paul — NHC-V-2 — supplied text part 2
As I [went], the gate then opened, [and] I went up to the fifth [heaven]. And I saw my fellow apostles [accompanying me] [22] while the Spirit went with us. And I saw a large angel in the fifth heaven. In his hand he held an iron rod. Three more angels accompanied him, and I gazed intently into their faces. They, however, were challenging each other, whips in their hands, pushing the souls forward to the judgment. I, however, went with the Spirit, and the gate opened to me. The Sixth Heaven Then we went up to the sixth heaven, and I saw my fellow apostles accompanying me. And the Holy Spirit was leading me in front of them. And I looked up on high and I saw a great light shining down onto the sixth heaven. I spoke and said to the toll-collector in the sixth heaven, [“Open] to me, and to the [Holy] Spirit [who is] in front of [me].” He opened [to me]. The Seventh Heaven and the Ancient of Days [Then we went] up to the seventh [heaven, and I saw] a man, ancient (of days), [...] light, [and whose garment] was white. [His throne], in the seventh heaven, [was seven] times brighter than the sun. [23] The man, ancient (of days), spoke and asked [me], “Where are you going, O Paul, O blessed one, and the one set apart from his mother’s womb?” I, however, gazed on the Spirit. And he was shaking his head, saying to me, “Speak to him!” And in response I said to the man, ancient (of days), “I go to the place whence I came.” And the man, ancient (of days), asked me, “Where are you from?” I, however, said in response, “I descend to the world of the dead to lead captivity captive, that which was led captive in the captivity of Babylon.” The man, ancient (of days), spoke to me and asked, “How can you escape from me? Behold and look on the principalities and authorities.” [The] Spirit spoke and said, “Give to him [the] sign you have, and [he will] open for you.” And I then gave [him] the sign. He turned his face down, towards his creation, and to those authorities who belong to him. The Eighth through Tenth Heavens And then the <seventh> heaven opened, and we went up to [the] [24] Ogdoad. And I saw the twelve apostles, who gave me their greeting. And we went up to the ninth heaven. I gave my greeting to everyone in the ninth heaven. And we went up to the tenth heaven, and I gave my greeting to my fellow spirits. The Apocalypse of Paul
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About this edition
Recorded completeness: Partial collection of 39 supplied English tractate titles in 45 manuscript and source chapters. The Nag Hammadi witnesses and the related Berlin, Codex Tchacos and British Library fragments have separate chapter identifiers. Translated by Samuel Zinner and edited by Mark M. Mattison, the texts were dedicated to the public domain by their author-publisher. This collected edition preserves the wording, manuscript gaps, editorial symbols and witness distinctions of the previously published editions. Coverage of the Nag Hammadi Library is partial. The English translations are reproduced from their recorded sources; no missing text has been reconstructed.. Available reading sections are listed below.
Available body coverage · eng
45 chapter/reading unit(s) · 248 nonempty passage record(s).
Supported chapters & passages
- NHC-I-1 · 1 passage record(s)
- NHC-1-2 · 8 passage record(s)
- NHC-I-4 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-I-5 · 22 passage record(s)
- NHC-II-4 · 10 passage record(s)
- NHC-II-5 · 18 passage record(s)
- NHC-II-6 · 7 passage record(s)
- NHC-II-7 · 5 passage record(s)
- NHC-III-3 · 7 passage record(s)
- NHC-V-1 · 7 passage record(s)
- NHC-III-2 · 11 passage record(s)
- NHC-IV-2 · 9 passage record(s)
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- NHC-V-4 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-V-5 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-1 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-2 · 1 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-3 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-4 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-6 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-7 · 1 passage record(s)
- NHC-VI-8 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VII-1 · 7 passage record(s)
- NHC-VII-2 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VII-3 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VII-4 · 6 passage record(s)
- NHC-VIII-1 · 13 passage record(s)
- NHC-IX-1 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-IX-2 · 1 passage record(s)
- NHC-IX-3 · 5 passage record(s)
- NHC-X · 5 passage record(s)
- NHC-XI-1 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-XI-2 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-XI-3 · 4 passage record(s)
- NHC-XI-4 · 1 passage record(s)
- NHC-XII-1 · 6 passage record(s)
- NHC-XIII-1 · 5 passage record(s)
- NHC-III-4 · 8 passage record(s)
- BG-8502-3 · 7 passage record(s)
- NHC-VII-5 · 3 passage record(s)
- NHC-VIII-2 · 6 passage record(s)
- CT-1-PETER-PHILIP · 5 passage record(s)
- NHC-XIII-2 · 1 passage record(s)
- OEYEN-ORIGIN-FRAGMENTS · 4 passage record(s)
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