The Apocryphon of John (Long Version), Nag Hammadi Codex II & IV

The Apocryphon of John (Long Version), Nag Hammadi Codex II & IV

Gnostic Christianity, theology, Sethian, pseudepigraphic text

An ancient Gnostic Christian manuscript detailing alleged secret knowledge given to John the Apostle by an angel sent by God. This secret knowledge outlines some of the theological beliefs of early Gnostic Christians, which stand in stark contrast with canonical Christian theology. This version of the Apocryphon of John is known as the long version. Two separate manuscripts exist with minor differences between them, one known as the Nag Hammadi Codex II and IV. Representing the same text, these two manuscripts stand in contrast to the so-called short version of the Apocryphon of John (Nag Hammadi Codex III & Berlin Codex). Though the words of these manuscripts are attributed to John the Apostle, it is unknown who exactly first authored them. The surviving manuscripts today are likely copies and their presumed scribe(s) are unknown.

John the Apostle

2nd-century CE

Unknown scibe(s)

The Coptic Museum Cairo

Nag Hammadi Library

image/JPG
800 x 800

Coptic

Text

NHC-II (p. 1-32) and NHC-IV (p. 1-49)

2nd-century CE, Egypt

Coptic text translated from ancient Greek

Manuscript