Library
All Collections Home

Codex VII

Nag Hammadi Codex VII contains five tractates, including the Paraphrase of Shem, the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, and the Apocalypse of Peter.|||Papyrus codex, 4th century CE. In the Coptic Museum, Cairo.|||Copied in the 4th century CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition. Sethian Gnostic in orientation.|||Contains the Paraphrase of Shem, the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Teachings of Silvanus, and the Three Steles of Seth.|||Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.|||Pearson, B. A., ed. Nag Hammadi Codex VII. Brill, 1996.|||Riley, G. " The Second Treatise of the Great Seth." In Nag Hammadi Codex VII. Brill, 1996.|||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.|||" I am the Christ, the Son of the Man, the one who is from the eternal realm." — Second Treatise of the Great Seth (NHC VII,2)

Collection: Nag Hammadi Library Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition. Sethian Gnostic in orientation.

Date & Provenance

Copied in the 4th century CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Papyrus codex, 4th century CE. In the Coptic Museum, Cairo.

Why It Matters for Study

Contains the Paraphrase of Shem, the Second Treatise of the Great Seth, the Apocalypse of Peter, the Teachings of Silvanus, and the Three Steles of Seth.

" I am the Christ, the Son of the Man, the one who is from the eternal realm." — Second Treatise of the Great Seth (NHC VII,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.
Pearson, B. A., ed. Nag Hammadi Codex VII. Brill, 1996.
Riley, G. " The Second Treatise of the Great Seth." In Nag Hammadi Codex VII. Brill, 1996.