Library

Gospel of the Egyptians (Gnostic)

The Gospel of the Egyptians (The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit) is a Sethian Gnostic text presenting a complex cosmology centered on the great invisible Spirit.|||Coptic text in Nag Hammadi Codex III and IV.|||Composed in the 2nd or 3rd century CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition. Sethian Gnostic in orientation.|||Presents a complex cosmology centered on the great invisible Spirit, with intricate genealogies of the aeons. Important for understanding Sethian cosmological speculation.|||Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.|||Böhlig, A., & Wisse, F. " The Gospel of the Egyptians." In The Nag Hammadi Library in English.|||Böhlig, A., & Wisse, F. Nag Hammadi Codices III, 2 and IV, 2. Brill, 1975.|||Gospel of the Egyptians — Gnostic Society|https://gnosis.org/naghamm/gosep.html|Full translation with introduction.;; Early Christian Writings — Gospel of the Egyptians|https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/gospegyptians.html|Indexed text and scholarly resources.|||" The holy book of the great invisible Spirit, the Father, the infinite light." — Gospel of the Egyptians (paraphrase)

Collection: Gnostic Literature Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition. Sethian Gnostic in orientation.

Date & Provenance

Composed in the 2nd or 3rd century CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Coptic text in Nag Hammadi Codex III and IV.

Why It Matters for Study

Presents a complex cosmology centered on the great invisible Spirit, with intricate genealogies of the aeons. Important for understanding Sethian cosmological speculation.

" The holy book of the great invisible Spirit, the Father, the infinite light." — Gospel of the Egyptians (paraphrase)

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

Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.
Böhlig, A., & Wisse, F. " The Gospel of the Egyptians." In The Nag Hammadi Library in English.
Böhlig, A., & Wisse, F. Nag Hammadi Codices III, 2 and IV, 2. Brill, 1975.