Baptisms of Zostrianos

Baptisms mentioned in Zostrianos (Nag Hammadi text; translation from Meyer 2007).

Text selections

Then I knew that my inner power had overcome the darkness, because it contained total light.

I was baptized there, and I received the image of the glories there and became like one of them.

I traversed the atmospheric realm and passed by the Aeonic Copies after immersing myself there seven times in living water,

once for each of the aeons without pausing until I had traversed them all at once.

I ascended to the truly existent Sojourn.

I was baptized, and I abandoned the world.

I ascended to the truly existent Repentance and was baptized there six times.

I passed through the sixth and was empowered from this very one.

I ascended to the Self-Generated Aeons, and stood there after having seen a really existing and true light;

it was truly existing from its self-generated root, along with great angels and glories beyond measure.

I was baptized in the name of the divine Self-Generated One by those powers that preside over the living water, Michar and Micheus.

I was purified by the great Barpharanges.

I was glorified and inscribed in glory.

I was sealed by those who preside over these powers, Michar, Micheus, Seldao, Elenos, and Zogenethlos.

I became a contemplative angel and stood upon the first—that is, the fourth—aeon together with the souls.

I blessed the divine Self-Generated One

and the forefather Pigeradamas, an eye of the Self-Generated One, the first perfect human being;

and Seth Emmacha Seth, the son of Adamas, the father of the immovable race;

and the Four Luminaries, Armozel and Oroiael, Daveithe and Eleleth;

and Mirothea the mother of Adamas,

and Prophania the mother of the luminaries,

and Plesithea the mother of the angels.

I was baptized for the second time in the name of the divine Self-Generated One by these same powers.

I became an angel of masculine gender.

I stood upon the second—that is, the third—aeon along with the children of Seth, and I blessed these same ones.

And I was baptized for the third time in the name of the divine Self-Generated One by these same powers.

I became a holy angel and stood upon the third—that is, the second—aeon, and blessed these same ones.

And I was baptized for the fourth time by these same powers. I became a perfect angel and stood upon the fourth—that is, the first—aeon, and blessed these same ones.

...

“And there exists a water for each of them. Therefore they are three perfect waters:

that belongs to Vitality

in which you now have been baptized in the Self-Generated One.

It is the water of Blessedness

that belongs to Knowledge

in which you will be baptized in the Protophanes.

It is the water of Existence

that belongs to Divinity,

that is, to Kalyptos.

And the water of Life exists with respect to power,

that of Blessedness with respect to essence,

and that of Divinity with respect to Existence.

...

When I was baptized the fifth time in the name of the Self-Generated One by these same powers, I became divine.

I stood upon the fifth aeon, a habitation for all of them;

I saw all those belonging to the Self-Generated One, those who truly exist.

Indeed, I was immersed five times by Audael and Isaouel, the guardians of the great Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus,

the one from ... that one and ... perfect ... and the great virginal glory,

the all-glorious one,

she of the great divine male gender,

the mother who revealed all the doubly perfect aeons,

even the one belonging to all the male species,

the ruler of the glory,

the mother of the glories Youel,

and the Four Luminaries of the male Mind Protophanes:

Selmen and the one with him,

the god-revealers Zachthos and Yachthos,

Setheus and Antiphantes,

Seldao and Elenos ...

...

When she had said these things, she baptized me in living water ... of the great male invisible perfect Mind Protophanes-Armedon ... the first...

I received power from her and she appeared to me and I received form and semblance.

I received a light that was beyond my calculation, and I received a holy spirit.

I became truly existing.

Then she brought me into the great [aeon] where the perfect Triple-Male is.

I saw the invisible Child within an invisible light.

Then she baptized me again in living water ...

I was able to see in the presence of the great and perfect Self-Generated ones.

And Yoel the all-glorious one said to me,

“You have received all the baptisms in which it is fitting to be baptized,

and you have become perfect for the hearing of all these matters.

Therefore call now upon Salamex and Semen and the all-perfect Arme, the luminaries of the Barbelo Aeon, the immeasurable knowledge.

They will reveal to you those of the invisible, great perfect male Protophanes, and the unengendered Kalyptos

and then they will teach you about the virginal Barbelo Aeon and the Invisible Triple-Powered Spirit.”

References

• Meyer, Marvin (2007). The Nag Hammadi scriptures. New York: HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-162600-5. Search this book on

---