Canon Status
Not canonical in any tradition.
Date & Provenance
Composed in Greek in the 2nd–3rd century CE; translated into Coptic in the 4th century CE.
Language & Manuscripts
Coptic texts in Nag Hammadi Codex VI (4th century CE). Also Coptic fragments in various collections.
Why It Matters for Study
Preserves Hermetic texts in Coptic translation, including the Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth and the Prayer of Thanksgiving. Important for understanding Hermeticism in Egypt.
" Lord, grant us the wisdom that is in the eighth and ninth heavens." — Coptic Hermetic Fragments (Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth)
Read the Text & External Resources
Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.
- " Lord, grant us the wisdom that is in the eighth and ninth heavens." — Coptic Hermetic Fragments (Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth) " Lord, grant us the wisdom that is in the eighth and ninth heavens." — Coptic Hermetic Fragments (Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth)
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.
Litwa, M. D. Hermetica II. Cambridge University Press, 2018.
Coptic Hermetic Fragments — Wikipedia|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetica|Background and discussion.;; Nag Hammadi Library — Gnostic Society|https://gnosis.org/naghamm/nhl.html|Complete texts and introductions.