

The (First) Apocalypse of James -- The Nag Hammadi Library

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    Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont Graduate University)

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The Nag Hammadi Library

    The (First) Apocalypse of James

Translated by William R. Schoedel

            It is the Lord who spoke with me: "See now the completion of my redemption. I have
            given you a sign of these things, James, my brother. For not without reason have I called
            you my brother, although you are not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant
            concerning you; so that when I give you a sign - know and hear."

"Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and ineffable. I myself am
            also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I have been given a number of names - two from
            Him-who-is. And I, I am before you. Since you have asked concerning femaleness, femaleness
            existed, but femaleness was not first. And it prepared for itself powers and gods. But it
            did not exist when I came forth, since I am an image of Him-who-is. But I have brought
            forth the image of him so that the sons of Him-who-is might know what things are theirs
            and what things are alien (to them). Behold, I shall reveal to you everything of this
            mystery. For they will seize me the day after tomorrow. But my redemption will be
            near."

James said, "Rabbi, you have said, 'they will seize me.' But I, what can I
            do?" He said to me, "Fear not, James. You too will they seize. But leave
            Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup of bitterness to the sons of light. She
            is a dwelling place of a great number of archons. But your redemption will be preserved
            from them. So that you may understand who they are and what kinds they are, you will
            [...]. And listen. They are not [...] but archons [...]. These twelve [...] down [...]
            archons [...] upon his own hebdomad."

James said, "Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as there are in
            the scriptures?" The Lord said, "James, he who spoke concerning this scripture
            had a limited understanding. I, however, shall reveal to you what has come forth from him
            who has no number. I shall give a sign concerning their number. As for what has come forth
            from him who has no measure, I shall give a sign concerning their measure"

James said, "Rabbi, behold then, I have received their number. There are
            seventy-two measures!" The Lord said, "These are the seventy-two heavens, which
            are their subordinates. These are the powers of all their might; and they were established
            by them; and these are they who were distributed everywhere, existing under the authority
            of the twelve archons. The inferior power among them brought forth for itself angels and
            unnumbered hosts. Him-who-is, however, has been given [...] on account of [...] Him-who-is
            [...] they are unnumbered. If you want to give them a number now, you will not be able to
            do so until you cast away from your blind thought, this bond of flesh which encircles you.
            And then you will reach Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are the
            One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all have been named."

<James said,>, "Rabbi, in what way shall I reach Him-who-is, since all these
            powers and these hosts are armed against me?" He said to me, "These powers are
            not armed against you specifically, but are armed against another. It is against me that
            they are armed. And they are armed with other powers. But they are armed against me in
            judgment. They did not give [...] to me in it [...] through them [...]. In this place
            [...] suffering, I shall [...]. He will [...] and I shall not rebuke them. But there shall
            be within me a silence and a hidden mystery. But I am fainthearted before their
            anger."

James said, "Rabbi, if they arm themselves against you, then is there no
            blame?"

            You have come with knowledge,
            that you might rebuke their forgetfulness.
            You have come with recollection,
            that you might rebuke their ignorance.

But I was concerned because of you.

            For you descended into a great ignorance,
            but you have not been defiled by anything in it.
            For you descended into a great mindlessness,
            and your recollection remained.
            You walked in mud,
            and your garments were not soiled,
            and you have not been buried in their filth,
            and you have not been caught.

And I was not like them, but I clothed myself with everything of theirs.

            There is in me forgetfulness,
            yet I remember things that are not theirs.
            There is in me [....],
            and I am in their [...].

[...] knowledge [...] not in their sufferings [...]. But I have become afraid before
            them, since they rule. For what will they do? What will I be able to say? Or what word
            will I be able to say that I may escape them?"

The Lord said, "James, I praise your understanding and your fear. If you continue
            to be distressed, do not be concerned for anything else except your redemption. For
            behold, I shall complete this destiny upon this earth as I have said from the heavens. And
            I shall reveal to you your redemption."

James said, "Rabbi, how, after these things, will you appear to us again? After
            they seize you, and you complete this destiny, you will go up to Him-who-is." The
            Lord said, "James, after these things I shall reveal to you everything, not for your
            sake alone but for the sake of the unbelief of men, so that faith may exist in them. For a
            multitude will attain to faith and they will increase in [...]. And after this I shall
            appear for a reproof to the archons. And I shall reveal to them that he cannot be seized.
            If they seize him, then he will overpower each of them. But now I shall go. Remember the
            things I have spoken and let them go up before you." James said,"Lord, I shall
            hasten as you have said." The Lord said farewell to him and fulfilled what was
            fitting.

When James heard of his suffering and was much distressed, they awaited the sign of his
            coming. And he came after several days. And James was walking upon the mountain which is
            called "Gaugelan", with his disciples, who listened to him because they had been
            distressed, and he was [...] a comforter, saying, "This is [...] second [...]"
            Then the crowd dispersed, but James remained [...] prayer [...], as was his custom.

And the Lord appeared to him. Then he stopped (his) prayer and embraced him. He kissed
            him, saying, "Rabbi, I have found you! I have heard of your sufferings, which you
            endured. And I have been much distressed. My compassion you know. Therefore, on
            reflection, I was wishing that I would not see this people. They must be judged for these
            things that they have done. For these things that they have done are contrary to what is
            fitting."

The Lord said, "James, do not be concerned for me or for this people. I am he who
            was within me. Never have I suffered in any way, nor have I been distressed. And this
            people has done me no harm. But this (people) existed as a type of the archons, and it
            deserved to be destroyed through them. But [...] the archons, [...] who has [...] but
            since it [...] angry with [...] The just [...] is his servant. Therefore your name is
            "James the Just". You see how you will become sober when you see me. And you
            stopped this prayer. Now since you are a just man of God, you have embraced me and kissed
            me. Truly I say to you that you have stirred up great anger and wrath against yourself.
            But (this has happened) so that these others might come to be."

But James was timid (and) wept. And he was very distressed. And they both sat down upon
            a rock. The Lord said to him, "James, thus you will undergo these sufferings. But do
            not be sad. For the flesh is weak. It will receive what has been ordained for it. But as
            for you, do not be timid or afraid". The Lord ceased.

Now when James heard these things, he wiped away the tears in his eyes and very bitter
            [...] which is [...]. The Lord said to him, "James, behold, I shall reveal to you
            your redemption. When you are seized, and you undergo these sufferings, a multitude will
            arm themselves against you that <they> may seize you. And in particular three of
            them will seize you - they who sit (there) as toll collectors. Not only do they demand
            toll, but they also take away souls by theft. When you come into their power, one of them
            who is their guard will say to you, 'Who are you or where are you from?' You are to say to
            him, 'I am a son, and I am from the Father.' He will say to you, 'What sort of son are
            you, and to what father do you belong?' You are to say to him, 'I am from the Pre-existent
            Father, and a son in the Pre-existent One.' When he says to you, [...], you are to say to
            him [...] in the [...] that I might [...]."

'[...] of alien things?' You are to say to him, 'They are not entirely alien, but they
            are from Achamoth, who is the female. And these she produced as she brought down the race
            from the Pre-existent One. So then they are not alien, but they are ours. They are indeed
            ours because she who is mistress of them is from the Pre-existent One. At the same time
            they are alien because the Pre-existent One did not have intercourse with her, when she
            produced them.' When he also says to you, 'Where will you go?', you are to say to him, 'To
            the place from which I have come, there shall I return.' And if you say these things, you
            will escape their attacks.

"But when you come to these three detainers who take away souls by theft in that
            place [...] these. You [...] a vessel [...] much more than [...] of the one whom you [...]
            for [...] her root. You too will be sober [...]. But I shall call upon the imperishable
            knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth.
            Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a female. She produced you
            without a male, since she was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother
            because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then
            they will fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their mother.
            But you will go up to what is yours [...] you will [...] the Pre-existent One."

"They are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs, [...] Achamoth,
            which is translated 'Sophia'. And who I myself am, (and) who the imperishable Sophia (is)
            through whom you will be redeemed, and (who are) all the sons of Him-who-is - these things
            they have known and have hidden within them. You are to hide <these things> within
            you, and you are to keep silence. But you are to reveal them to Addai. When you depart,
            immediately war will be made with this land. Weep, then, for him who dwells in Jerusalem.
            But let Addai take these things to heart. In the tenth year let Addai sit and write them
            down. And when he writes them down [...] and they are to give them [...] he has the [...]
            he is called Levi. Then he is to bring [...] word [...] from what I said earlier [...] a
            woman [...] Jerusalem in her [...] and he begets two sons through her. They are to inherit
            these things and the understanding of him who [...] exalts. And they are to receive [...]
            through him from his intellect. Now, the younger of them is greater. And may these things
            remain hidden in him until he comes to the age of seventeen years [...] beginning [...]
            through them. They will pursue him exceedingly, since they are from his [...] companions.
            He will be proclaimed through them, and they will proclaim this word. Then he will become
            a seed of [...]."

James said, "I am satisfied [...] and they are [...] my soul. Yet another thing I
            ask of you: who are the seven women who have been your disciples? And behold all women
            bless you. I also am amazed how powerless vessels have become strong by a perception which
            is in them." The Lord said, "You [...] well [...] a spirit of [...], a spirit of
            thought, a spirit of counsel of a [...], a spirit [...] a spirit of knowledge [...] of
            their fear. [...] when we had passed through the breath of this archon who is named
            Adonaios [...] him and [...] he was ignorant [...] when I came forth from him, he
            remembered that I am a son of his. He was gracious to me at that time as his son. And
            then, before <I> appeared here, <he> cast them among this people. And from the
            place of heaven the prophets [...]."

James said, "Rabbi, [...] I [...] all together [...] in them especially
            [...]." The Lord said, "James, I praise you [...] walk upon the earth [...] the
            words while he [...] on the [...]. For cast away from you the cup which is bitterness. For
            some from [...] set themselves against you. For you have begun to understand their roots
            from beginning to end. Cast away from yourself all lawlessness. And beware lest they envy
            you. When you speak these words of this perception, encourage these four: Salome and
            Mariam and Martha and Arsinoe [...] since he takes some [...] to me he is [...] burnt
            offerings and [...]. But I [...] not in this way; but [...] first-fruits of the [...]
            upward [...] so that the power of God might appear. The perishable has gone up to the
            imperishable and the female element has attained to this male element."

James said, "Rabbi, into these three (things), then, has their [...] been cast.
            For they have been reviled, and they have been persecuted [...]. Behold [...] everything
            [...] from anyone [...]. For you have received [...] of knowledge. And [...] that what is
            the [...] go [...] you will find [...]. But I shall go forth and shall reveal that they
            believed in you, that they may be content with their blessing and salvation, and this
            revelation may come to pass."

And he went at that time immediately and rebuked the twelve and cast out of them
            contentment concerning the way of knowledge [...].

[...]. And the majority of them [...] when they saw, the messenger took in [...]. The
            others [...] said, "[...] him from this earth. For he is not worthy of life."
            These, then, were afraid. They arose, saying, "We have no part in this blood, for a
            just man will perish through injustice" James departed so that [...] look [...] for
            we [...] him.

The Apocalypse of James

Original translation of this text was prepared by members of the

Coptic Gnostic Library Project of the Institute for Antiquity and Christianity, Claremont Graduate School

The Coptic Gnostic Library Project was funded by UNESCO, the National Endowment for the Arts, and other Institutions

 E. J. Brill has asserted copyright on texts published by the Coptic Gnostic Library Projects.

The translation presented here has been edited,  corrected and formatted for use in the Gnostic Society Library.

For academic citation, please refer to published editions of this text.

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