| Source: www.naghammadi.org +GoogleTranslate | Source: THE GNOSTIC SOCIETY LIBRARY | Source: Nag Hammandi Scriptures | Source: Nag Hammandi Scriptures The Greek Gospel of Mary |
Source: The Coptic papyrus | |
| (Pages 1 to 6 of the manuscript, containing chapters 1 - 3, are lost. The extant text starts on page 7.) | |||||
Chapter 4 | |||||
| 21) | ... Will matter then be destroyed or not? | ... Will matter then be destroyed or not? | ... Will matter then be utter destroyed or not?" | "...will, then, matter be saved or not?" | |
| 22) | The Savior said: "All natures, all creatures, all creations are linked to each other but it is in their own root that they will return to dissolve | The Savior said, All nature, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots. | The Savior replied, "Every nature, every modeled form, every creature exists in and with each other. They will dissolve again into their own proper root. | The Savior said, "All natures, all formed things, all creatures exist in and with one another and will again be resolved into their own roots, | |
| 23) | because it is only in the roots of its nature that the nature of matter dissolves. | For the nature of matter is resolved into the roots of its own nature alone. | For the nature of matter is dissolved into what belongs to its nature. | because the nature of matter is dissolved into the roots of its nature alone. | |
| 24) | Let him who has ears to hear, hear. | He who has ears to hear, let him hear | Whoever has ears to hear should hear." | He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | |
| 25) | Peter said to him: "Since you have explained all things to us, tell us this again: What is the sin of the World?" | Peter said to him, Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world? | Then Peter said to him, "You have been explaining every topic to us; tell us one other thing. What is the sin of the world?" | Peter said to him, "Since you have now explained all things to us, tell us this: what is the sin of the world?" | |
| 26) | The Savior said: "There is no sin, but it is you who make sin exist when you act in accordance with the nature of adultery which is called "sin". | The Savior said There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. | The Savior replied. "There is no such thing as sin; rather, you yourselves are what produces sin when you act in accordance with the nature of adultery, which is called 'sin.' | The Savior said, "Sin as such does not exist, but you make sin when you do what is of the nature of fornication, which is called 'sin.' | |
| 27) | This is why Good That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order to restore it to its root. has come among you to the elements of all nature to restore it in its root." | That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature in order to restore it to its root. | For this reason, the Good came among you, pursuing the good that belongs to every nature. It will set within its root." | For this reason the Good came into your midst, to the essence of each nature, to restore it to its root." | |
| 28) | He continued and said again: "This is why you are weakened and you die since you ... of that which ... | Then He continued and said, That is why you become sick and die, for you are deprived of the one who can heal you. | Then he continued. He said, "This is why you get sick and die: because you love what deceives you. | He went on to say, "For this reason you come into existence and die ... whoever knows may know ... a suffering which has nothing like itself, which has arisen out of what is contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in the whole body. For this reason I said to you, Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged, still take courage over against the various forms of nature. | |
| 29) | Let him who can understand, understand. | He who has a mind to understand, let him understand. | Anyone who thinks should consider these matters." | He who has ears to hear, let him hear." | |
| 30) | Matter has engendered a passion which does not possess the Image since it is the product of a union against nature. Disorder then arises in the entire body. | Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arises a disturbance in its whole body. | "Matter gave birth to a passion that has no Image because it derives from what is contrary to nature. A disturbing confusion then occurred in the whole body" | ||
| 31) | That is why I said to you: 'Be obedient and at the same time disobedient, provided that you are obedient to every Image of nature. | That is why I said to you, Be of good courage, and if you are discouraged be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature. | That is why Itold you, 'Become content at heart, while also remaining discontent; indeed, become contented only in the presence of every true Image of nature. | ||
| 32) | He who has ears to hear, let him hear. | Whoever has ears to hear should hear. | |||
| 33) | After saying this, the Blessed One greeted them all, saying: "Peace to you. May my peace be generated in you. | When the Blessed One had said this, He greeted them all,saying, Peace be with you. Receive my peace unto yourselves. | When the Blessed One hd said these things, he greeted them all. "Peace be with you," he said. "Aquire my peace within yourselves | ||
| 34) | See to it that no one misleads you by saying: 'Here he is' or 'There he is', for it is within you that the Son of Man is. | Beware that no one lead you astray saying Lo here or lo there! For the Son of Man is within you. | Be on your guard so that no one deceives you by saying, ''Look over here' or 'Look over there.' For the Child of Humanity exists within you. | Take heed lest anyone lead you astray with the words, 'Lo, here!' or 'Lo, there!' for the Son of Man is within | |
| 35) | Follow him. | Follow after Him! | Follow it. | Follow him; | |
| 36) | Those who seek him will find him. | Those who seek Him will find Him. | Those who search for it will find it. | those who seek him will find him | |
| 37) | Go therefore and proclaim the Gospel of the Kingdom. | Go then and preach the gospel of the Kingdom. | "Go then, preach the good news about the kingdom." | Go, therefore, and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. | |
| 38) | Do not impose any rule except the one I have set for you and do not give a Law in the manner of the Lawgiver, so that you may never be dominated by it." | Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it. | Do not lay down any rule beyond what I determined for you, nor promulgate law like the lawgiver, or else you might be dominated by it. | I have left no commandment but what I have commanded you, and I have given you no law, as the lawgiver did, lest you be bound by it." | |
| 39) | When He had said this, He departed. | When He said this He departed. | After he said these things, he departed from them. | ...having said these things, he departed. | |
Chapter 5 | |||||
| 1) | But they were afflicted and wept greatly, saying, "How shall we go to the Gentiles and proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of the Son of Man? If He was not spared, how shall we be spared?" | But they were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare Him, how will they spare us? | But they were distressed and wept greatly. "How are we going to go out to the rest of the world to announce the good news about the kingdom of the Child of Humanity?" they aid. "If they didn't spare him, how will they spare us?" | But they were distressed, weeping greatly. "How are we to go to the rest of the world preaching the good" news of the kingdom of the Child of Humanity?" they said. "For if they did not spare him, how will they keep away from us?" | They grieved and mourned greatly, saying, "How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of the Son of Man? If even he was not spared, how shall we be spared?" |
| 2) | Then Mary arose and embraced them all and said to her brothers, "Stop weeping and grieving, and do not let your hearts be divided, for His grace will accompany you all and protect you. | Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for His grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. | Then Mary stood up. She greeted them all, addressing her brothers and sisters, "Do not weep and be distressed nor let your hearts be irresolute. For his grace will be with you all and will shelter you" | Then Mary stood up and greeted them; she tenderly kissed them all and said, "Brothers and sisters, do not weep, do not be distressed nor be in doubt. For "his grace will be with you, sheltering you. | Then Mary stood up and greeted all of them and said to her brethren, "Do not mourn or grieve or be irresolute, for his grace will be with you all and will defend you. |
| 3) | Rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us, He has made us men. | But rather, let us praise His greatness, for He has prepared us and made us into Men. | Rather, we should praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us human beings." | Rather, we should praise his greatness, for he has united us and made us human beings." | Let us rather praise his greatness, for he prepared us and made us into men." |
| 4) | With these words, Mary converted their hearts to Good, and they began to argue about the words of the Savior. | When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior. | When Mary said these things, she turned their heart toward the Good, and they began to debate about the words of the Savior. | When Mary said these things, she turned their mind toward the Good, and they began to debateabout the sayings of the Savior. | When Mary said this, their hearts changed for the better, and they began to discuss the words of the Savior. |
| 5) | Peter said to Mary, "Sir, we know that the Savior preferred you to other women; | Peter said to Mary, Sister we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of woman. | Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than all other women. | Peter said to, "Sister, we know that you were greatly loved by the Savior, as no other woman. | Peter said to Mary, "Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than other women. |
| 6) | tell us the words of the Savior that you have in mind, the ones you know but we do not and have not heard." | Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember which you know, but we do not, nor have we heard them. | Tell us the words of the Savior that you remember, the things you know that we don't because we haven't heard them."" | Therefore tell us those words of the Savior that you know but that we haven't heard." | Tell us the words of the Savior which you have in mind since you know them; and we do not, nor have we heard of them." |
| 7) | Mary answered and said, "What is hidden from you I will declare to you," | Mary answered and said, What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you. | Mary responded. "I will teach you about what i hidden from you." | Mary replied, "I will report to you as much as I remember that is unknown to you." | Mary answered and said, "What is hidden from you I will impart to you." |
| 8) | and she began to speak to them thus: "I," she said, "saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, 'Lord, I have seen you this day in a vision.' He answered and said to me, | And she began to speak to them these words: I, she said, I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to Him, Lord I saw you today in a vision. He answered and said to me, | And she began to speak these words to them. She said, "I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, 'Lord, I saw you today in a vision.' He answered me, | And she began to speak these words to them. "When the Lord appeared to me in a vision, I said, 'Lord, today I saw you.' "He replied, | And she began to say the following words to them. "I," she said, "I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, 'Lord, I saw you today in a vision.' He answered and said to me, |
| 9) | 'Blessed are you who are not troubled by my sight, for where the mind is, there is the treasure. | Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of Me. For where the mind is there is the treasure. | 'Blessed are you for not wavering at seeing me. For where the mind is, there is the treasure.' | 'Blessed are you...'" | 'Blessed are you, since you did not waver at the sight of me. For where the mind is, there is your countenance'. |
| 10) | Then I said to him, "And now, Lord, does he who perceives the vision see it by means of the soul or of the pneuma? | I said to Him, Lord, how does he who sees the vision see it, through the soul or through the spirit? | I said to him, 'So now, Lord, does a person who sees a vision see it with the soul or with the spirit? | I said to him, 'Lord, the mind which sees the vision, does it see it through the soul or through the spirit?' | |
| 11) | The Savior answered and said: It is neither by means of the soul nor by means of the pneuma that he sees, but the mind [being] between the two, it is he who perceives the vision and it is he who... | The Savior answered and said, He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind that is between the two that is what sees the vision and it is [...] | "The Savior answered, 'A person does not see with the soul or with the spirit. Rather, the mind, which exists between the two, sees the vision, and that is what..." | The Savior answered and said, 'It sees neither through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind, which is between the two, which sees the vision, and it is...'" | |
| (Pages 11 to 14 are missing from the manuscript) | |||||
Chapter 8 | |||||
| 9) | ...him, | ...it. | ...it. | ||
| 10) | and Desire spoke: "I did not see you descend and yet I see you ascend. Now how can you deceive me since you belong to me?" | And desire said, I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending. Why do you lie since you belong to me? | "And Desire said, 'I did not see you go down, yet now I see you go up. So why do you lie, since you belong to me?'" | "...and Desire said, 'I did not see you descend; but now I see you rising. Why do you speak falsely, when you belong to me?' | |
| 11) | The soul answered and said: "I saw you but you did not see me and you did not recognize me. I was yours, as far as clothing is concerned and you did not know me." | The soul answered and said, I saw you. You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment and you did not know me. | "The soul answered, 'I saw you. You did not see me, nor did you know me. You mistook the garment I wore for my true self. And you did not recognize me.' | The soul answered and said, 'I saw you, but you did not see me or recognize me; I served you as a garment and you did not recognize me.' | |
| 12) | Having said this, it went away all rejoiced | When it said this, it (the soul) went away rejoicing greatly. | "After it had said these things, it left rejoicing greatly. | After it had said this, it went joyfully and gladly away. | |
| 13) | and again it fell into the hands of the third Power, that which is called Ignorance. | Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance. | "Again, it came to the third power, which is called 'Ignorance.'" | Again it came to the third power, Ignorance. | |
| 14) | It questioned the soul asking it: "Where are you going? By an evil inclination have you not been dominated? Yes, you have been dominated. Do not set yourself up as a judge." | The power questioned the soul, saying, Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge! | It examined the soul closely, saying, 'Where are you going? You are bound by wickedness. Indeed you are bound! Do not judge.' | This power questioned the soul: 'Whither are you going? You were bound in wickedness, you were bound indeed. Judge not'. | |
| 15) | Then the soul said: "Why do you judge me, who have not judged? | And the soul said, Why do you judge me, although I have not judged? | "And the soul said, 'Why do you judge me, since I have not passed judgment?" | And the soul said, 'Why do you judge me, when I judged not? | |
| 16) | I have been dominated, I who have not dominated. | I was bound, though I have not bound. | I have been bound, but I have not bound anything. | I was bound, though I did not bind. | |
| 17) | I have not been recognized, but I have recognized that the All must dissolve, both earthly things and heavenly things." | I was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the heavenly. | They did not recognize me, but I have recognized the the universe is to be dissolved, both the things of earth and those of heaven. | I was not recognized, but I recognized that all will go free, things both earthly and heavenly.' | |
| 18) | The soul having rendered harmless the third Power continued to ascend and it perceived the fourth Power: it had seven forms. | When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, which took seven forms. | When the soul had brought the third power to naught, it went upward and saw the fourth power. It had seven forms | After the soul had left the third power behind, it rose upward, and saw the fourth power, which had seven forms. | |
| 19) |
These are the seven Powers of Anger. |
The first form is darkness,
the second desire,
the third ignorance,
the fourth is the excitement of death,
the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh,
the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh,
the seventh is the wrathful wisdom.
These are the seven powers of wrath. | The first form is darkness; the second is desire; the third is ignorance; the fourth is zeal for death; the fifth is the kingdom of flesh; the sixth is the foolish wisdom of the flesh; the seventh is the wisdom of the wrathful person. These are the seven powers of Wrath. | The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth the arousing of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the wisdom of the folly of the flesh, the seventh is wrathful wisdom. These are the seven participants in wrath. | |
| 20) | that press the soul with questions: "Where do you come from murderer or where are you going you who master the place?" | They asked the soul, Whence do you come slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space? | "They interrogated the soul, 'Where are you coming from, human-killer, and where are you going, destroyer of realms?' | They ask the soul, 'Whence do you come, killer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?' | |
| 21) | The soul answered and said: "He who dominated me was struck to death and he who surrounded me was mastered | The soul answered and said, What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, | "The soul replied, saying, 'What binds me has been slain, and what surrounds me has been destroyed, | The soul answered and said, 'What seizes me is killed; what turns me about is overcome; | |
| 22) | and then my desire was appeased while my ignorance died. | and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died. | and my desire has been brought to an end, and ignorance has died. | my desire has come to an end and ignorance is dead. | |
| 23) | In a world, I was delivered thanks to a world and in an Image, thanks to a superior Image. Now, it is the bonds of forgetfulness that are temporary. | In a aeon I was released from a world, and in a Type from a type, and from the fetter of oblivion which is transient. | In a world, I was set loose from a world and in a type, from a type that is above, and from the chain of forgetfulness, which exists in time. | In a world I was saved from a world, and in a "type," from a higher "type" and from the fetter of the impotence of knowledge, the existence of which is temporal. | |
| 24) | From now on I will obtain rest in the instantaneous time of eternity, in Silence." | From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence. | From this hour on, for the time of the due season of the age, I will receive rest in silence.'" | ...for the rest of the due measure of the time of age, I will rest in silence.'" | From this time I will reach rest in the time of the moment of the Aeon in silence.'" |
Chapter 9 | |||||
| 1) | After she had said this, Mary remained silent: this is how the Savior had spoken to her until then. | When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her. | After Mary said these things, she went silent, since it was up to this point that the Savior has spoken to her. | After she had said these words, Mary was silent, for the Savior had spoken up to this point. | When Mary had said this, she was silent, since the Savior had spoken thus far with her. |
| 2) | Now Andrew spoke and said to his brothers: "Say, what do you think of what she has just affirmed? For my part, I do not believe that the Savior said this. For, it seems, these teachings differ in thought." | But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, Say what you wish to say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are strange ideas. | Andrew responded, addressing the brothers and sisters, "Say what you will about the things she has said, but I do not believe that the Savior said these things, for indeed these teachings are strange ideas." | Andrew said, "Brothers and sisters, what is your opinion of what was just said? Indeed, I do not believe that the Savior said these things, for what she said appears to give views that are different from his thought." | But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, 'Say what you think concerning what she said. For I do not believe that the Savior said this. For certainly these teachings are of other ideas." |
| 3) | Peter spoke up and, discussing similar questions, | Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. | Peter responded, bringing up similar concerns. | After examining these matters, Peter said, | Peter also opposed her in regard to these matters |
| 4) | asked them about the Savior: "Is it possible that he talked with a woman in secret-without our knowledge-and not openly, so that we should all stand together and listen to him? He chose her rather than us?" | He questioned them about the Savior: Did He really speak privately with a woman and not openly to us? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did He prefer her to us? | He questioned them about the Savior, "Did he, then, speak with a woman in private without our knowing about it? Are we to turn around and listen to her? Did he choose her over us?" | "Has the Savior spoken secretly to a woman and not openly so that we would all hear? Surely he didn't want to show that she is more worthy than we are? ..." | and asked them about the Savior. "Did he then speak secretly with a woman, in preference to us, and not openly? Are we to turn back and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?" |
| 5) | Then Mary began to weep. She said to Peter, "Brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought these things in my heart alone, or that I am lying about the Savior?" | Then Mary wept and said to Peter, My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I have thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior? | Then Mary wept and said to Peter, "My brother Peter, what are imagining? Do you think that I have thought up these things by myself in my heart or that I am telling lies about the Savior?" | "... about the Savior." | Then Mary grieved and said to Peter, "My brother Peter, what do you think? Do you think that I thought this up myself in my heart or that I am lying concerning the Savior?" |
| 6) | Levi spoke up and said to Peter, "Peter, you have always been hot-tempered; | Levi answered and said to Peter, Peter you have always been hot tempered. | Levi answered, speaking to Peter, "Peter, you have always been a wrathful person. | Levi said to Peter, "Peter, you are always ready to give way to your perpetual inclination to wrath. | Levi answered and said to Peter, "Peter, you are always irate. |
| 7) | now I see you arguing against women as an adversary. | Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. | And even now you are doing exactly that by questioning the woman as though you're her advisary. | Now I see that you are contending against the woman like the adversaries. | |
| 8) | Yet if the Savior has made her worthy, who are you to reject her? Without a doubt, the Savior knows her unfailingly. | But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her? Surely the Savior knows her very well. | For if the Savior made her worthy, who are you then for your part to reject her? Assuredly the Savior's knowledge of her is completely reliable. | If the Savior considered her to be worthy, who are you to disregard her? For he knew her completely and loved her steadfastly. | But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you to reject her? Surely the Savior knew her very well. |
| 9) | That is why He loved her more than us. Let us rather be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, beget him in us as He has commanded us, and proclaim the gospel, imposing no other rule or law than that which the Savior has prescribed." | That is why He loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect Man, and separate as He commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said. | That is why he loved her more than us. Rather, we should be ashamed. We should clothe ourselves with the perfect human, acquire it for ourselves as he commanded us, and announce the good news, not laying down any other rule or law that differs from what the Savior said." | "Rather, we should be ashamed and, once we have clothed ourselves with perfect human, we should do what we were commanded. We should announce the good news as the Savior said, and not be laying down any rules or making laws." | For this reason he loved her more than us. And we should rather be ashamed and put on the Perfect Man, to form us [?] as he commanded us, and proclaim the gospel, without publishing a further commandment or a further law than the one which the Savior spoke." |
| 10) | Now after Levi had spoken these words, they set out to announce and preach. | And when they heard this they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach. | After he said these things, they started going out to | After he said these things, Levi left and began to announce the good news. | When Levi had said this, they began to go out in order to proclaim him and preach him. |
| The Gospel according to Mary. | The Gospel according to Mary. | The Gospel According to Mary | The Gospel According to Mary | ||