Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit
Author | |
---|---|
Illustrator | |
Country | Roman Empire |
Language | Coptic |
Series | Nag Hammadi Library |
Subject | Gnosticism |
Published | 200s A.D. |
Pages |
The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit (also known as the Gospel of the Egyptians) (Meyer 2007, trans.)
The Holy Book[edit]
The holy book of the...Great Invisible [Spirit]
- the Parent,
- the Father whose name cannot be named,
- who came from the heights of Fullness,
- light of light of the realms of Light,
- light of the silence of Forethought
- and the Father of silence,
- light of word and truth,
- light of the incorruptions,
- infinite light,
- radiance from the realms of light
- of the unrevealed, undisclosed, unaging, unannounced Father,
- aeon of aeons,
- self-generated,
- self-generating,
- self-producing,
- foreign,
- truly true eternal realm.
3 Heavenly Powers Come from the Great Invisible Spirit[edit]
3 powers came forth from the Great Invisible Spirit:
- the Father
- the Mother
- the Child
They came from the living silence of the incorruptible Father,
- from the silence of the unknown Father.
The aeon of Domedon Doxomedon came from it,
- the eternal realm of eternal realms
- and the light of each of their powers.
- The Child appeared 4th,
- the Mother [5th],
- the Father 6th.
The Great Invisible Spirit was...unrecognized,
- undisclosed among all the powers, glories, and incorruptions.
So from the Great Invisible Spirit came 3 powers,
- 3 realms of Eight that the Father brings forth
- from within, in silence, with forethought:
the Father, the Mother, and the Child.
The Father[edit]
The 1st realm of Eight,
- for whose sake the Child that is 3 times male came forth:
- thought
- word
- incorruptibility
- [life] eternal
- will
- mind
- foreknowledge
- the androgynous Father
The Mother[edit]
The 2nd power or realm of Eight:
- the Mother
- the virgin Barbelo
- Epititioch...ai
- Memeneaimen..., who is over heaven
- Karb...
- Adonai
- ..., the inexplicable power
- the ineffable Mother
She shone and appeared,
- and she took pleasure in the Father of the silent silence.
The Child[edit]
The 3rd power or realm of Eight:
- the Child of the silent silence
- the crown of the silent silence
- the glory of the Father
- the virtue of the Mother
From within, the Child produces 7 powers of great light,
- which are the 7 vowels,
- and the word completes them.
Epilogue[edit]
These are the 3 powers or 3 realms of Eight
- that the Father brought forth from within through forethought.
- He produced them there.
The Realm of Doxomedon[edit]
Domedon Doxomedon appeared,
- the eternal realm of eternal realms,
- with thrones in it,
- powers around it,
- and glories and incorruptions.
The Father of the great light [who came] forth in silence
- is [the great] realm of Doxomedon,
- in which [the triple-] male Child rests.
The throne of its glory was established in it,
- and the undisclosed name [is inscribed] on it,
- on the tablet,
- ...the word,
- the Father of the light of the All,
- who came from silence and rests in silence,
- whose name is in an invisible symbol.
A hidden, [invisible] mystery came forth:
- IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII
- OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
- UUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
- EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
- AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
Praise from the 3 Powers[edit]
And so the 3 powers offered praise
- to the Great Invisible Unnamable Ineffable Virgin Spirit,
- and the male virgin.
Yoel, Christ, Esephech[edit]
They asked for power.
- A silence of living silence appeared,
- glories and incorruptions in the eternal realms,
- ...aeons,
- myriads in addition,
- ...triple-male beings,
- [triple]-male offspring,
- [male] generations,
- [glories of the Father],
- glories of the great [Christ and the] male offspring.
The [generations] filled the great realm of Doxomedon
- with the power of the word of all the [Fullness].
The triple-male Child, the great Christ,
- whom the [Great] Invisible Spirit had anointed
- and whose power [is called] Ainon,
- offered praise to:
- the Great Invisible Spirit
- and the male virgin Yoel,
- and the silence of silent silence,
- and the majesty ...,
- ineffable...,
- unspeakable...,
- unanswered,
- uninterpreted,
- the 1st to [appear],
- unannounced...,
- wonderful...,
- unspeakable...,
- who has all the majesties of majesty of the silence of silence there.
The triple-[male Child] offered praise
- and asked for power
- from the [Great Invisible Virgin] Spirit.
There appeared in that place...
- [who] beholds [glories]...treasures...[invisible] mysteries...of silence...
- [the male] virgin [Youel].
[The child of the] child Esephech [appeared].
[So] it was completed:
- the [Father],
- the Mother,
- the Child,
- the Five Seals,
- the invincible power,
- who is the great [Christ]
- of all those who are
- incorruptible...holy...the end...incorruptible...
- are powers, [glories], and incorruptions...came forth....
This one offered [praise] to the undisclosed hidden [mystery]...
- hidden...in...the eternal realms...thrones,
- ...and each one...myriads of [powers] without number around [them,
- glories] and incorruptions...
- and they...
- the Father,
- the Mother,
- and the Child,
- and all [the Fullness], already [mentioned,
- and the] Five Seals,
- [and the mystery of mysteries].
They [appeared...who] is [over]...and the eternal realms,
- in truth, truly,...eternal...and the [eternal] realms,
- forever in truth, truly.
Divine Emanation[edit]
- [An emanation appeared in silence],
- with the [living] silence of the Spirit,
- the Father’s word,
- and light.
- [She...the Five] Seals,
- which the [Father brought] forth from within,
- and she passed [through] all the eternal realms,
- already mentioned.
- She established glorious thrones
- [and myriads] of angels [without] number around them,
- [powers and incorruptible] glories,
- and they all [sang songs],
- gave glory,
- and offered praise with [one voice],
- with one accord,
- [with a sound] that is never silent...to
- the Father,
- the [Mother],
- the Child...,
- [all the] fullnesses, [already] mentioned,
- that is, [the great] Christ,
- who came from [silence],
- who is the [incorruptible] Child,
- Telmael Telmachael [Eli Eli] Machar Machar [Seth],
- the power that truly lives,
- [and the] male [virgin] with [him], Youel,
- and Esephech, master of glory and [child] of the child,
- and the [crown of] its glory,
- ...of the Five Seals,
- the Fullness, [already mentioned].
The Word[edit]
The great living Self-Generated Word appeared, the true [God],
- the unborn nature,
- whose name I utter by saying,
- ...AIA...THA TH STH...,
- Child of the [great] Christ,
- Child of ineffable silence,
- [who] came from the Great [Invisible] Incorruptible [Spirit].
- The [Child] of silence appeared with [silence...invisible...hidden...
- and the] treasures of its glory.
- It appeared in the visible...and [established] four [eternal realms].
- Through the Word it established them.
Praise from the Self-Generated Word[edit]
The Word offered [praise]
- to the Great Invisible Virgin Spirit,
- [the silence] of :the [Father],
- in silence of the living silence of [silence],
- where humanity rests....
Mirothea and Adamas[edit]
- Then there came forth from that place
- the cloud of great light, living power,
- the Mother of the holy incorruptible ones,
- the great power Mirothea.
She gave birth to the being
- whose name I utter by saying,
- [You are one],
- you are one,
- you are one,
- EA EA EA.
This is Adamas,
- light that has radiated [from light],
- the eye of the [light],
- the 1st human being,
- through whom and to whom is everything,
- without whom is nothing.
The unknowable, incomprehensible Father came forth
- and descended from above to undo the deficiency.
- The great divine Self-Generated Word
- and the incorruptible human Adamas
- joined with each other,
- and a human power of the word was produced.
So humanity came into being through the word.
Praise from the Human Power of the Word[edit]
This human power of the word offered praise to
- the Great Invisible Incomprehensible Virgin Spirit,
- the male virgin [Barbelo],
- the triple-male Child,
- the male [virgin] Youel,
- Esephech,
- master of glory
- and Child of the Child,
- the crown of its glory,
- the great realm of Doxomedon,
- the thrones in it,
- the powers around it,
- glories,
- incorruptions,
- and all their fullness, already mentioned,
- the ethereal earth,
- receiving God,
- where holy people of the great light take shape,
- people of the Father of the silent living silence,
- the Father and all their fullness, already mentioned.
Four Eternal Realms, Seth, Four Luminaries[edit]
The great divine Self-Generated Word and the incorruptible human Adamas offered praise.
They requested power and eternal strength for the Self-Generated,
- so that four eternal realms may be fully completed
- and through them there may appear the glory and power
- of the invisible Father of the holy people of the great light coming into the world.
- The world resembles the night.
Then the incorruptible human Adamas requested that a child come from himself,
- so that the child may be father of the immovable incorruptible generation,
- and through this generation silence and speech may appear
- and through it the dead realm may rise and then fade away.
So the power of the great light came from above.
- She was revelation,
- and she gave birth to Four Great Luminaries,
- Harmozel
- Oroiael
- Daveithe
- Eleleth
- along with great incorruptible Seth,
- son of the incorruptible human Adamas.
And so was completed the perfect realm of 7,
- which exists in hidden mysteries.
When it receives [glory], it becomes 11 realms of Eight.
Partners and Attendants for the Luminaries[edit]
- The Father nodded approval,
- and the entire Fullness of the Luminaries agreed.
- Partners for the Luminaries appeared to complete
- the realm of Eight of the divine Self-Generated:
- grace, for the 1st luminary Harmozel
- perception, for the 2nd luminary Oroiael
- intelligence, for the 3rd luminary Daveithe
- understanding, for the 4th luminary Eleleth
- This is the 1st realm of Eight of the divine Self-Generated.
- The Father nodded approval,
- and the entire Fullness of the Luminaries agreed.
- The attendants appeared:
- 1st, great Gamaliel, for the 1st great luminary Harmozel
- great Gabriel, for the 2nd great luminary Oroiael
- great Samblo, for the great luminary Daveithe
- great Abrasax, for [the great luminary] Eleleth
- Partners for the attendants appeared by the will and good pleasure of the Father:
- memory, for the 1st, great Gamaliel
- love, for the 2nd, great Gabriel
- peace, for the 3rd, great Samblo
- life eternal, for the 4th, great Abrasax
Realm | Luminary | attribute of luminary | Attendant | attribute of attendant |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Harmozel | grace | Gamaliel | memory |
2 | Oroiael | perception | Gabriel | love |
3 | Daveithe | intelligence | Samblo | peace |
4 | Eleleth | understanding | Abrasax | life eternal |
Thus were the 5 realms of Eight completed,
- 40 in all,
- as inexplicable power.
Praise from the Self-Generated Word and the Four Luminaries[edit]
- The great Self-Generated Word
- and the expression of the fullness of the Four Luminaries
- offered praise to:
- the Great Invisible Unnamable Virgin Spirit
- the male virgin,
- the great realm of Doxomedon,
- the thrones in them,
- the powers around them,
- glories, authorities, and powers,
- the triple-male Child,
- the male virgin Youel,
- Esephech,
- master of glory
- and [child] of the child,
- the crown of its glory,
- all the Fullness,
- all the glories that are there,
- the infinite fullnesses and the unnamable realms,
- that they may call upon the Father as the 4th,
- along with the incorruptible generation,
- and call the seed of the Father the seed of great Seth.
The Luminaries Are Enthroned[edit]
- Then everything shook, and the incorruptible ones trembled.
- The triple-male Child came down from above to those unborn and self-generated,
- and to those conceived in the realm of birth.
- The Majesty appeared,
- all the Majesty of the great Christ,
- and established thrones of glory,
- myriads without number,
- in the four realms around them,
- myriads without number,
- powers, glories, and incorruptions.
- They came forth in this way.
- The incorruptible spiritual assembly expanded
- within the Four Luminaries of the great living Self-Generated God of truth.
- They praised, sang, and gave glory with one voice,
- with one accord,
- with a mouth that is not silent, to:
- the Father,
- the Mother,
- the Child,
- and all their fullness, already mentioned.
- The Five Seals of the myriads,
- the rulers over the realms,
- and the couriers of the glory of the governors
- were ordered to appear to those who are worthy.
- Amen.
The Seed of Great Seth[edit]
Great Seth,
- son of the incorruptible human Adamas,
- offered praise to the Great Invisible Unnamable Unspeakable Virgin Spirit,
- the male virgin,
- the triple-male Child,
- the male virgin Youel,
- Esephech, master of glory,
- the crown of its glory and Child of the Child,
- the great realms of Doxomedon,
- and the Fullness, already mentioned.
Seth asked for his seed.
Then Plesithea came from that place,
- the great power of great light,
- mother of the angels,
- mother of the Luminaries,
- glorious mother,
- virgin with four breasts,
- bearing fruit from the wellspring of Gomorrah and Sodom,
- fruit of the wellspring of Gomorrah within her.
- Plesithea came forth through great Seth.
Great Seth rejoiced over the gift given him by the incorruptible child.
- He took his seed from the virgin with the four breasts
- and established it with him in the four realms,
- in the 3rd great luminary Daveithe.
Sophia of Matter, Sakla, Nebruel, and Angels[edit]
- 5,000 years later the great luminary Eleleth said,
- “Let someone reign over chaos and Hades.”
- A cloud [named] Sophia of matter appeared....
- [She] surveyed the regions [of chaos],
- and her face looked like...in her appearance...blood.
- [The great] angel Gamaliel spoke [to great Gabriel],
- the attendant of [the great luminary] Oroiael, and [said,
- “Let an] angel appear to reign over chaos [and Hades].”
- The cloud [agreed and produced] two individuals...a little light...
- [the angel] she had established in the cloud [above].
- Sakla the great [angel observed] Nebruel the great demon who is with him.
- [Together] they brought a spirit of reproduction to the earth,
- and [they produced] angelic assistants.
- Sakla [said] to Nebruel the great [demon],
- “Let 12 realms come into being in the...realm, worlds....”
- Through the will of the Self-Generated One,
- [Sakla] the great angel said,
- “There shall be...7 in number....”
- He said to the [great angels],
- “Go, [each] of you reign over your own [world].”
- And each [of these] 12 [angels] left.
- [The 1st] angel is Athoth, whom [the great] generations of people call...,
- the 2nd is Harmas, [the eye of fire],
- the 3rd [is Galila],
- the 4th is Yobel,
- [the 5th is] Adonaios, who is [called] Sabaoth,
- the 6th [is Cain, whom] the [great generations of] people call the sun,
- the [7th is Abel],
- the 8th, Akiressina,
- the [9th, Youbel],
- the 10th is Harmoupiael,
- the 11th is Archir-Adonin,
- the 12th [is Belias].
- Athoth
- Harmas ("eye of fire")
- Galila
- Yobel
- Adonaios (Sabaoth)
- Cain ("the sun")
- Abel
- Akiressina
- Youbel
- Harmoupiael
- Archir-Adonin
- Belias
- These are set over Hades [and chaos].
The Arrogance of Sakla, the Coming of Repentance[edit]
- After [the world] was founded, Sakla said to his [angels],
- “I am a [jealous] god,
- and nothing has [come into being] apart from me.”
- He] felt certain of his nature.
- A voice called from on high and said,
- “Humanity exists,
- and the Child of Humanity.”
- The 1st modeled creature was formed from the descent of the image above.
- The image resembles its voice on high, the voice of the image.
- The image gazed out,
- and from the gaze of the image above the 1st creature was formed.
- And for the sake of this creature repentance came to be.
- Repentance was completed and empowered through the will and good pleasure of the Father.
- The Father approved of the great incorruptible immovable generation
- of great mighty people of great Seth,
- so that he might sow repentance
- in the aeons that had been produced,
- and through repentance the deficiency might become full.
- For Repentance came down from above to the world,
- which resembles the night.
- When she came,
- she prayed for the seed of the ruler of this aeon
- and the authorities derived from him,
- which is the defiled seed from the god
- who produces demons and who is destined to be destroyed,
- and she prayed for the seed of Adam
- and great Seth, which is like the sun.
Hormos and the Seed of Seth[edit]
Then the great angel Hormos came to prepare the seed of great Seth,
- through the holy Spirit,
- in a holy body begotten by the word,
- by means of virgins of the defiled sowing of seed in this aeon.
- Great Seth came with his seed,
- and he sowed it in the realms brought into being here below,
- whose number is the number of Sodom.
- Some say Sodom is the pastureland of great Seth—that is, Gomorrah.
- But others say great Seth took his crop from Gomorrah
- and planted it in a 2nd location,
- which he named Sodom.
- This is the generation that appeared through Edokla.
- For by the word she gave birth to truth and justice.
- This is the source of the seed of life eternal,
- which belongs to those who endure through knowledge of where they came from.
- This is the great incorruptible generation
- that has come through 3 worlds into this world.
Flood, Fire, Plagues, Famines, Temptations[edit]
The flood has come to indicate the end of the age,
- and it will be sent into the world.
Because of this generation a conflagration will come upon the earth,
- but to those who belong to this generation
- grace will be granted through prophets and guardians
- who protect the life of this generation.
Because of this generation there will be famines and plagues,
- which will take place because of this great incorruptible generation.
Because of this generation there will be temptations,
- and deception by false prophets.
Great Seth saw what the devil was doing,
- his many guises, his schemes against the incorruptible immovable generation,
- the persecutions by his powers and angels, their deception.
- They acted rashly against themselves.
Praise from Seth[edit]
Great Seth offered praise to:
- the Great Unnamable Virginal Spirit,
- the male virgin Barbelo,
- the triple-male Child Telmael Telmael Heli Heli Machar Machar Seth,
- the power that truly lives in truth,
- the male virgin Youel,
- Esephech, master of glory, the crown of its glory,
- the great realm of Doxomedon,
- the thrones in it,
- the powers around them,
- all the Fullness, already mentioned.
Guardian Angels and Incarnations of Seth[edit]
Seth requested guardians for his seed.
- 400 ethereal angels came from the great realms,
- accompanied by great Aerosiel and great Selmechel,
- to protect the great incorruptible generation,
- its fruitfulness,
- and the great people of great Seth,
- from the time and era of truth and justice
- until the end of the age and its rulers,
- whom the great judges condemned to death.
Great Seth was sent by the Four Luminaries,
- according to the will of the Self-Generated One and all the Fullness,
- through the gift and good pleasure of the Great Invisible Spirit,
- the Five Seals,
- and all the Fullness.
Seth went through 3 advents, already mentioned:
- flood,
- conflagration,
- and judgment of the rulers, powers, and authorities.
He did this to save the generation that went astray,
- by means of the destruction of the world,
- and baptism through a body begotten by the word,
- which great Seth prepared for himself,
- mystically, through the virgin,
- that the holy people may be conceived by the holy Spirit,
- through invisible secret symbols,
- through the destruction of world against world,
- through the destruction of the world
- and the god of the 13 realms,
- and the appeals of the holy ineffable incorruptible ones,
- in the heart and great light of the Father,
- which preexists in his forethought.
Seth Establishes Baptism Through Jesus[edit]
Through forethought Seth has instituted the holy baptism that surpasses heaven,
- by means of the incorruptible one,
- begotten by the Word,
- the living Jesus,
- with whom great Seth has been clothed.
He has nailed down the powers of the 13 realms.
- Through this means he has established those who are brought in and go out,
- and he has equipped them with armor of the knowledge of truth, with
- incorruptible, invincible power.
There appeared to them:
- the great attendant Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus, the living water,
- the great commanders:
- Jacob the great
- Theopemptos
- Isaouel
- one stationed over grace:
- Mep..el
- those stationed over the wellspring of truth:
- Micheus
- Michar
- Mnesinous
- one stationed over the baptism of the living, and the purifiers, Sesengenbarpharanges,
- those stationed over the gates of the waters:
- Micheus
- Michar
- those stationed over the height:
- Seldao
- Elainos
- those receiving the great generation, the incorruptible mighty people of great Seth, the attendants of the Four Luminaries:
- great Gamaliel
- great Gabriel
- great Samblo
- great Abrasax
- those stationed over sunrise:
- Olses
- Hupneus
- Heurumaious
- those stationed over the entrance into the state of rest of life eternal, the governors:
- Mixanther
- Michanor
- the guardians of chosen souls:
- Akramas
- Strempouchos
- the great power:
- Heli Heli Machar Machar Seth,
- the Great Invisible Unnamable Unspeakable Virgin Spirit,
- and silence,
the great luminary Harmozel,
- where the living Self-Generated God of truth is,
- with whom is the incorruptible human Adamas,
the 2nd luminary Oroiael,
- where great Seth and Jesus are,
- Jesus who has life
- and who has come and crucified what is under the law,
the 3rd luminary Daveithe,
- where the children of great Seth are,
the 4th luminary Eleleth,
- where the souls of the children are at rest,
5th, Yoel,
- stationed over the name
- of the one who will be ordained
- to baptize with the holy incorruptible baptism that surpasses heaven.
From now on, through the incorruptible human Poimael,
- with regard to those worthy of the invocation
- and words of renunciation of the Five Seals in the baptism of running water,
- they will know those who receive them, as they are instructed,
- and they will be known by them,
- and they shall not taste death.
Baptismal Hymn[edit]
Yesseus
- OU UA in truth truly
Yesseus Mazareus Yessedekeus
- living water
- child of the child
- glorious name
- in truth truly
- eternal being
- I I I I
- EEEE
- OOOO
- UUUU
- AAAA
- in truth truly
- I AAAA OOOO
- being who sees the eternal realms
- in truth truly
- A EE
- I I I I
- UUUUUU
- being who exists forever
- in truth truly
- I A AI
- in the heart
- being who exists
- U
- forever and ever
- you are what you are
- you are who you are.
- This great name of yours is upon me,
- you who lack nothing,
- you Self-Generated One,
- who are close to me.
- I see you,
- you who are invisible to all.
- Who can comprehend you?
- In another voice:
- Having known you,
- I have now mingled with your constancy.
- I have armed myself with the armor of light.
- I have become bright.
- The Mother was there for the lovely beauty of grace.
- So I have stretched out my two hands.
- I have been formed in the circle of the riches of light in my breast,
- giving form to the many beings
- produced in light beyond reproach.
- In truth I shall declare your glory,
- I have comprehended you:
- yours, Jesus;
- look,
- forever
- forever E
- O Jesus
- O aeon, aeon,
- God of silence,
- I honor you completely.
- You are my place of rest,
- Child,
- S S
- the E
- formless one existing among formless ones,
- raising the person by whom you will purify me into your life,
- according to your imperishable name.
- So the sweet smell of life is within me.
- I have mixed it with water as a model for all the rulers,
- that I may live with you in the peace of the saints,
- you who exist forever,
- in truth truly.
Conclusion[edit]
This is the book great Seth composed and placed high in mountains
- on which the sun has not risen and cannot rise.
- Since the days of the prophets, apostles, and preachers,
- the name has never risen in their hearts
- and cannot rise in their hearts,
- and their ears have not heard it.
Great Seth wrote this book letter by letter in a period of years.
- He placed it on the mountain called Charaxio,
- so that, at the end of the times and ages,
- according to the wish of the divine Self-Generated and the entire Fullness,
- through the gift of the unsearchable inconceivable fatherly will,
- he may come forth and appear to this holy incorruptible generation of the great Savior
- and those dwelling with them in love,
- and the great invisible eternal Spirit and its only Child,
- and eternal light, and its great incorruptible partner,
- and incorruptible Sophia,
- and Barbelo,
- and all the Fullness,
- in eternity.
- Amen.
Copyist’s Note[edit]
- The Egyptian Gospel, a holy secret book, written by God.
- Grace, intelligence, perception, and understanding be with the copyist,
- Eugnostos the beloved in the Spirit—
- my worldly name is Gongessos—
- and my fellow luminaries in incorruptibility.
- Jesus Christ, Son of God, Savior, ICHTHYS!
- The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit is written by God.
- Amen.
The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit
Amen.
References[edit]
- Meyer, Marvin (2007). The Nag Hammadi scriptures. New York: HarperOne. ISBN 978-0-06-162600-5.