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Codex II

Nag Hammadi Codex II is one of the most important codices in the Nag Hammadi library, containing the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, and the Apocryphon of John.|||Papyrus codex, 4th century CE. In the Coptic Museum, Cairo (Inv. 10544).|||Copied in the 4th century CE. Texts composed between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.|||Contains the Apocryphon of John, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Hypostasis of the Archons, On the Origin of the World, the Exegesis on the Soul, and the Book of Thomas the Contender.|||Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.|||Layton, B., ed. Nag Hammadi Codex II, 2-7. Brill, 1989.|||Meyer, M. The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus. HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.|||Nag Hammadi Library — Gnostic Society|https://gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl.html|Complete texts and introductions.;; Early Christian Writings — Nag Hammadi|https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/naghammadi.html|Indexed texts and scholarly resources.|||" These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Judas Thomas the Twin recorded." — Gospel of Thomas, Prologue (NHC II,2)

Collection: Nag Hammadi Library Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.

Date & Provenance

Copied in the 4th century CE. Texts composed between the 2nd and 3rd centuries CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Papyrus codex, 4th century CE. In the Coptic Museum, Cairo (Inv. 10544).

Why It Matters for Study

Contains the Apocryphon of John, the Gospel of Thomas, the Gospel of Philip, the Hypostasis of the Archons, On the Origin of the World, the Exegesis on the Soul, and the Book of Thomas the Contender.

" These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Judas Thomas the Twin recorded." — Gospel of Thomas, Prologue (NHC II,2)

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.
Layton, B., ed. Nag Hammadi Codex II, 2-7. Brill, 1989.
Meyer, M. The Gospel of Thomas: The Hidden Sayings of Jesus. HarperSanFrancisco, 1992.