Secret Book of John

Secret Book of John

Author	John the Apostle
Original title	Apocryphon of John
Illustrator
Country	Roman Empire
Language	Coptic translation of Greek original
Series	Nag Hammadi Library
Subject	Gnosticism
Published	100s A.D.
Pages

The Secret Book of John (the Apocryphon of John) is:

1. the teaching of the savior
2. the revelation of the mysteries
3. the things hidden in silence
4. things he taught his student John

Genealogy summary:

1. The One
2. Barbelo
3. Spark of light
4. 4 luminaries [lights] and 12 eternal realms [aeons] (including Sophia)
5. Yaldabaoth [Demiurge] (from Sophia)
6. 12 authorities, 7 powers [archons], Adam

The One

The revealer appears to John the brother of James, who are the sons of Zebedee. The revealer says that he is:

1. the father
2. the mother
3. the child
4. the incorruptible
5. the undefiled one

The One is:

• a sovereign that has nothing over it
• god and father of all
• the invisible one that is over all
• incorruptible
• pure light at which no eye can gaze
• the invisible spirit
• greater than a god, because it has nothing over it and no lord above it
• does not exist within anything inferior to it, since everything exists within it alone
• eternal, since it does not need anything
• absolutely complete
• has never lacked anything in order to be completed by it
• is always absolutely complete in light
• illimitable
• unfathomable
• immeasurable
• invisible
• eternal
• unutterable
• unnamable
• the immeasurable light, pure, holy, immaculate
• unutterable
• perfect in incorruptibility
• not corporeal and is not incorporeal
• not large and is not small
• not among the things that exist, but it is much greater
• not a part of the eternal realms or of time
• majestic and has an immeasurable purity
• a realm that gives a realm
• life that gives life
• a blessed one that gives blessedness
• knowledge that gives knowledge
• a good one that gives goodness
• mercy that gives mercy and redemption
• grace that gives grace
• gives immeasurable and incomprehensible light

The eternal realm [of the One] is:

• incorruptible
• at peace
• dwelling in silence
• at rest
• before everything
• the head of all realms

Barbelo

Barbelo, the 1st emanation, is the first power who preceded everything and came forth from the father’s mind as the forethought of all. She is:

• the perfect power
• the image of the perfect and invisible virgin spirit
• the 1st power
• the glory of Barbelo
• the perfect glory among the realms
• the glory of revelation
• the 1st thought
• the image of the spirit
• the universal womb, for she precedes everything
• the mother-father
• the 1st human
• the holy spirit
• the triple male
• the triple power
• the androgynous one with 3 names
• the eternal realm among the invisible beings
• the 1st to come forth

Barbelo asked the invisible virgin spirit [the father] to give her:

1. foreknowledge
2. incorruptibility
3. life eternal
4. truth

The father’s androgynous realm of 5 = realm of 10 = the father:

1. the 1st human = the image of the invisible spirit = forethought = Barbelo = thought
2. foreknowledge
3. incorruptibility
4. life eternal
5. truth

Barbelo (Forethought) then conceives a spark of light from the father's gaze. It is similar to the blessed light but not as great. This was the only child of the mother-father that had come forth, its only offspring, the only child of the father, the pure light.

The spark of light asked to be given mind as a companion to work with, and the spirit consented. When the invisible spirit consented, mind appeared and stood by the anointed, and glorified the spirit and Barbelo.

The 4 Luminaries and 12 Eternal Realms

Now, from the (spark of) light, which is the anointed, and from incorruptibility, by the grace of the spirit, the 4 luminaries that derive from the self-conceived god (Barbelo) gazed out in order to stand before it.

The 3 beings are:

1. will
2. thought
3. life

The 4 powers are:

1. understanding
2. grace
3. perception
4. thoughtfulness

The luminaries (angels) in order:

1. Harmozel
2. Oroiael
3. Daveithai
4. Eleleth

The 4 luminaries (angels) and the 12 eternal realms (aeons):

Realm number	1. Harmozel	2. Oroiael	3. Daveithai	4. Eleleth
1	grace	afterthought	understanding	perfection
2	truth	perception	love	peace
3	form	memory	idea	Sophia

Appointees

The virgin spirit [father] appoints the following people to each eternal realm:

Realm number	Appointee(s)	Luminary
1	Geradamas	Harmozel
2	Seth (son of Geradamas)	Oroiael
3	the offspring of Seth	Daveithai
4	the souls of those who were ignorant of the fullness	Eleleth

Yaldabaoth's world order

Sophia (Wisdom, Afterthought; one of the 12 eternal realms or aeons) then conceived Yaldabaoth from within herself.

Yaldabaoth is the 1st ruler, who took great power from his mother. Then he left her and moved away from the place where he was born. He took control and created for himself other realms with luminous fire, which still exists. He mated with the mindlessness in him and produced authorities for himself.

This gloomy ruler (Yaldabaoth) has 3 names:

1. Yaldabaoth
2. Sakla
3. Samael

12 authorities

The 12 authorities of Yaldabaoth:

1. Athoth = the reaper
2. Harmas = the jealous eye
3. Kalila-Oumbri
4. Yabel
5. Adonaios = Sabaoth
6. Cain = the sun
7. Abel
8. Abrisene
9. Yobel
10. Armoupieel
11. Melcheir-Adonein
12. Belias, who is over the depth of the underworld

Yaldabaoth stationed 7 kings, one for each sphere of heaven, to reign over the 7 heavens, and 5 to reign over the depth of the abyss. He shared his fire with them, but he did not give away any of the power of the light that he had taken from his mother. For he is ignorant darkness.

When light mixed with darkness, it made the darkness shine. When darkness mixed with light, it dimmed the light and became neither light nor darkness, but rather gloom.

He is wicked in his mindlessness that is in him. He said, "I am god and there is no other god but me," since he did not know where his own strength had come from.

7 powers

The rulers created 7 powers for themselves. These are the names and the corresponding appearances/faces (the 7-fold nature of the week):

Power	Name	Face
goodness	Athoth	sheep
forethought	Eloaios	donkey
divinity	Astaphaios	hyena
lordship	Yao	snake with 7 heads
kingdom	Sabaoth	snake
jealousy	Adonin	ape
understanding	Sabbataios	flaming fire

Each has a sphere in its own realm.

The powers created 6 angels apiece, until there were 365 angels.

Sophia then repents, and the human then appears.

Creation of Adam

The voice calls

A voice called from the exalted heavenly realm:

• "The human exists
• and the human child."

The 1st ruler, Yaldabaoth, heard the voice and thought it had come from his mother. He did not realize its source. The voice was:

1. the holy perfect mother-father
2. the complete forethought
3. the image of the invisible one
4. being the father of everything, through whom everything came into being
5. the 1st human — this is the one who showed them, and appeared in human shape

Yaldabaoth then ordered the authorities to create Adam in the image of god.

7 powers create souls

Each of the 7 powers created the following:

Power	Name	Face	Soul created by power
goodness	Athoth	sheep	soul of bone
forethought	Eloaios	donkey	soul of sinew
divinity	Astaphaios	hyena	soul of flesh
lordship	Yao	snake with 7 heads	soul of marrow
kingdom	Sabaoth	snake	soul of blood
jealousy	Adonin	ape	soul of skin
understanding	Sabbataios	flaming fire	soul of hair

Angels create body parts

The throng of angels stood by and received these 7 psychical substances from the authorities in order to create a network of limbs and trunk, with all the parts properly arranged. There are 74 of them:

Name of angel	Body part created by angel
Raphao	head
Abron	skull
Meniggesstroeth	brain
Asterechme	right eye
Thaspomocha	left eye
Yeronumos	right ear
Bissoum	left ear
Akioreim	nose
Banen-Ephroum	lips
Amen	teeth
Ibikan	molars
Basiliademe	tonsils
Achcha	uvula
Adaban	neck
Chaaman	vertebrae
Dearcho	throat
Tebar	right shoulder
N——	the left shoulder
Mniarchon	right elbow
——e	left elbow
Abitrion	right underarm
Euanthen	left underarm
Krus	right hand
Beluai	left hand
Treneu	fingers of the right hand
Balbel	fingers of the left hand
Krima	fingernails
Astrops	right breast
Barroph	left breast
Baoum	right shoulder joint
Ararim	left shoulder joint
Areche	belly
Phthaue	navel
Senaphim	abdomen
Arachethopi	right ribs
Zabedo	left ribs
Barias	right hip
Phnouth	left hip
Abenlenarchei	marrow
Chnoumeninorin	bones
Gesole	stomach
Agromauma	heart
Bano	lungs
Sostrapal	liver
Anesimalar	spleen
Thopithro	intestines
Biblo	kidneys
Roeror	sinews
Taphreo	backbone
Ipouspoboba	veins
Bineborin	arteries
Aatoimenpsephei	breaths in all the limbs
Entholleia	all the flesh
Bedouk	right buttock
Arabeei	left buttock
...	penis
Eilo	testicles
Sorma	genitals
Gormakaiochlabar	right thigh
Nebrith	left thigh
Pserem	muscles of the right leg
Asaklas	muscles of the left leg
Ormaoth	right leg
Emenun	left leg
Knux	right shin
Tupelon	left shin
Achiel	right ankle
Phneme	left ankle
Phiouthrom	right foot
Boabel	toes of the right foot
Trachoun	left foot
Phikna	toes of the left foot
Miamai	toenails
Labernioum	?

Those who are appointed over all these are 7 in number:

1. Athoth
2. Armas
3. Kalila
4. Yabel
5. Sabaoth
6. Cain
7. Abel

Angels activate body parts

Those who activate the limbs are, part by part (30 total listed):

Name of angel	Body part activated by angel
Diolimodraza	head
Yammeax	neck
Yakouib	right shoulder
Ouerton	left shoulder
Oudidi	right hand
Arbao	left one
Lampno	fingers of right hand
Leekaphar	fingers of left hand
Barbar	right breast
Imae	left breast
Pisandraptes	chest
Koade	right shoulder joint
Odeor	left shoulder joint
Asphixix	right ribs
Sunogchouta	left ribs
Arouph	abdomen
Sabalo	womb
Charcharb	right thigh
Chthaon	left thigh
Bathinoth	all genitals
Choux	right leg
Charcha	left leg
Aroer	right shin
Toechtha	left shin
Aol	right ankle
Charaner	left ankle
Bastan	right foot
Archentechtha	toes of the right foot
Marephnounth	left foot
Abrana	toes of the left foot

7 have been empowered over all these:

1. Michael
2. Uriel
3. Asmenedas
4. Saphasatoel
5. Aarmouriam
6. Richram
7. Amiorps

Senses

Those who are over the senses are the Archendekta:

Archendekta	Sense
Deitharbathas	perception
Oummaa	imagination
Aachiaram	arrangement
Riaramnacho	all impulse to action

Demons of the physical states

The source of the demons that are in the entire body:

Name of demon	State
Phloxopha	heat
Oroorrothos	cold
Erimacho	dryness
Athuro	wetness

The mother of them all is matter (Onorthochras).

Demons of the mental states

The 4 principal demons of mental states are:

Name of demon	Mental state	Passions coming from mental state
Ephememphi	pleasure	evil, vain conceit, etc.
Yoko	desire	anger, wrath, bitterness, intense lust, greed, etc.
Nenentophni	grief	jealousy, envy, pain, trouble, distress, hardheartedness, anxiety, sorrow, etc.
Blaomen	fear	terror, servility, anguish, shame

The mother of them all is Esthesis-Ouch-Epi-Ptoe, who dwells with Anaro (head of the material soul).

There are 365 angels in total.

Fall of Adam

Adam then receives spirit and life.

In the middle of paradise, there is a tree of life. The parts of the tree of life and their representations are:

Part of tree	Representation
root	bitterness
branches	death
shadow	hatred
leaves	trap
blossom	bad ointment
fruit	death
seed	desire

• The dwelling place of those who taste of it is the underworld.
• Darkness is their resting place.

Next:

• Humanity is imprisoned.

Eve and her sons

• Eve is created.
• Yaldabaoth defiles Eve.

Sons of Yaldabaoth and Eve:

1. Elohim (face of a bear) = Cain
2. Yahweh (face of a cat) = Abel

Son of Adam and Eve:

• Seth

Comparisons with On the Origin of the World

In On the Origin of the World (Marvin Meyer, trans.):

The sons of Yaldabaoth:

1. Yao
2. Eloai
3. Astaphaios

The Seven Powers of the Heavens of Chaos (which are feminine names):

1. Sambathas (forethought) = Yaldabaoth
2. mastery = Yao
3. divinity = Sabaoth
4. kingship = Adonaios
5. envy = Eloaios
6. wealth = Oraios
7. Sophia = Astaphaios

Order of creation:

1. Psyche loved Eros, and Psyche's blood poured upon the earth and turned into the first rose, which came out of a thorn bush
2. Flowers, from the blood of the virgin daughters of Sambathas (forethought)
3. Plants
4. Animals, reptiles, birds
5. Adam of Light

References

• Meyer, Marvin (trans). The Apocryphon of John. The Gnostic Society Library. (This original translation by Marvin Meyer of The Secret Book of John is presented in the Gnostic Society Library by permission and under license from the copyright holder. It is reproduced in The Gnostic Bible, © 2003, Willis Barnstone & Marvin Meyer.)

External links

• Outline of the Secret Book of John
• Gnostic cosmology at the Dark Mirrors of Heaven
• Heretics
• Sethian emanationist diagram at r/Gnostic
• Valentinian and Sethian cosmology (now with better resolution) at r/Gnostic

📰 Article(s) of the same category(ies)

• Hylics
• Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit
• Sananel
• Tafsir Pagra
• God as the devil
• Hystereme
• Psalms of Thomas

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