Acknowledgments    ix

Gnosticism, Gnostics, and the Gnostic Bible • Marvin Meyer    1
Letting in the Light: Translating Holy Texts • Willis Barnstone    21

Part One
Early Wisdom Gospels   29
    Introduction • Marvin Meyer   31
    1. The Gospel of Thomas   43
    2. The Gospel of John   70

Part Two
Literature of Gnostic Wisdom   105
    Introduction • Marvin Meyer   107
    3. The Book of Baruch • Justin   119
Sethian Literature:
    4. The Secret Book of John    135
    5. The Reality of the Rulers    166
    6. The Revelation of Adam    178
    7. Three Forms of First Thought    189
    8. The Three Steles of Seth    201
    9. The Vision of the Foreigner    212
    10. The Sermon of Zostrianos    215
    11. The Baptismal Ceremony of the Gospel of the Egyptians    218
    12. Thunder    224
    13. The Letter of Peter to Philip    233
Valentinian Literature:
    14. The Gospel of Truth    239
    15. The Gospel of Philip    257
    16. The Letter to Flora • Ptolemy    299
    17. Commentary on the Gospel of John • Herakleon    307
    18. The Treatise on Resurrection    326
    19. The Prayer of the Messenger Paul    332
    20. Valentinian Liturgical Readings    335
    21. The Secret Book of James    340
    22. The Round Dance of the Cross    351
Thomas and Other Syrian Literature
    23. The Songs of Solomon    357
    24. The Song of the Pearl    386
    25. The Book of Thomas    395
Additional Literature of Gnostic Wisdom:
    26. The Exegesis on the Soul   405
    27. On the Origin of the World   414
    28. The Paraphrase of Shem   438
    29. The Second Treatise of the Great Seth   465
    30. The Gospel of Mary   477
    31. The Naassene Sermon   482

Part Three
Hermetic Literature   495
    Introduction • Willis Barnstone   497
    32. Poimandres   502
    33. The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth   512
    34. The Prayer of Thanksgiving   521

Part Four
Mandaean Literature   525
    Introduction • Nathaniel Deutsch   527
    35. The Ginza   536
    36. Hibil's Lament from the Book of John   555
    37. Songs from the Mandaean Liturgy   561

Part Five
Manichaean Literature   567
    Introduction • Paul Mirecki   569
    38. On the Origin of His Body   581
    39. The Story of the Death of Mani   593
    40. Kephalaia   598
    41. The Coptic Manichaean Songbook   616
    42. Parthian Songs   639
    43. The Great Song to Mani   647

Part Six
Islamic Mystical Literature   655
    Introduction • Marvin Meyer   657
    44. The Mother of Books   665

Part Seven
Cathar Literature   727
    Introduction • Willis Barnstone   729
    45. The Gospel of the Secret Supper   740
    46. The Book of the Two Principles   751
    47. A Nun's Sermon   762

Epilogue: Historical Meditation on the Inner Light of Gnosis • Willis Barnstone   765

Glossary   801
Bibliography:
    Further Reading   821
    Sources Cited   835
    Index of Proper Names   849