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 Zostrianos and the Letter of Peter to Philip.
" I saw the aeons and the powers and the glories that are in them." — Zostrianos (NHC VIII,1)
Read the Text & External Resources
Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.
- Nag Hammadi Library — Gnostic Society Complete texts and introductions.
- Early Christian Writings — Nag Hammadi Indexed texts and scholarly resources.
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.
Sieber, J. H., ed. Nag Hammadi Codex VIII. Brill, 1991.
Turner, J. D. Sethian Gnosticism and the Platonic Tradition. Peeters, 2001.