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Gospel of Mary

The Gospel of Mary is a Gnostic Christian text that presents Mary Magdalene as a recipient of secret revelations from Jesus and a leader among the disciples.|||Coptic text in Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 (5th c.). Greek fragments from Oxyrhynchus (P. Oxy. 3525, 3rd c.).|||Composed in Greek in the 2nd century CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.|||Presents Mary Magdalene as a visionary leader and recipient of secret teachings. Important for understanding the role of women in early Christianity and the diversity of early Christian traditions.|||King, K. L. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala. Polebridge Press, 2003.|||Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.|||Tuckett, C. The Gospel of Mary. Oxford University Press, 2007.|||Gospel of Mary — Gnostic Society|https://gnosis.org/naghamm/gom.html|Full translation with introduction.;; Early Christian Writings — Gospel of Mary|https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/mary.html|Indexed text and scholarly resources.|||" Will matter then be destroyed or not? The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another." — Gospel of Mary 6:1

Collection: Gnostic Literature Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.

Date & Provenance

Composed in Greek in the 2nd century CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Coptic text in Papyrus Berolinensis 8502 (5th c.). Greek fragments from Oxyrhynchus (P. Oxy. 3525, 3rd c.).

Why It Matters for Study

Presents Mary Magdalene as a visionary leader and recipient of secret teachings. Important for understanding the role of women in early Christianity and the diversity of early Christian traditions.

" Will matter then be destroyed or not? The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another." — Gospel of Mary 6:1

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

King, K. L. The Gospel of Mary of Magdala. Polebridge Press, 2003.
Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.
Tuckett, C. The Gospel of Mary. Oxford University Press, 2007.