Acknowledgments ix
Gnosticism, Gnostics, and the Gnostic Bible by Marvin Meyer 1
Letting in the Light: Translating Holy Texts by Willis Barnstone 21
PART ONE: EARLY WISDOM GOSPELS 29
Introduction by Marvin Meyer 31
1. The Gospel of Thomas 43
2. The Gospel of John 70
PART TWO: LITERATURE OF GNOSTIC WISDOM 105
Introduction by Marvin Meyer 107
3. The Book of Baruch by Justin 119
Sethian Literature
4. The Gospel of Judas 135
5. The Secret Book of John 155
6. The Reality of the Rulers 186
7. The Revelation of Adam 198
8. Three Forms of First Thought 209
9. The Three Steles of Seth 221
10. The Vision of the Foreigner 232
11. The Sermon of Zostrianos 235
12. The Baptismal Ceremony of the Gospel of the Egyptians 238
13. Thunder 244
14. The Letter of Peter to Philip 253
Valentinian Literature
15. The Gospel of Truth 259
16. The Gospel of Philip 277
17. The Letter to Flora by Ptolemy 319
18. Commentary on the Gospel of John by Herakleon 327
19. The Treatise on Resurrection 346
20. The Prayer of the Messenger Paul 352
21. Valentinian Liturgical Readings 355
22. The Secret Book of James 360
23. The Round Dance of the Cross 371
Thomas and Other Syrian Literature
24. The Songs of Solomon 377
25. The Song of the Pearl 406
26. The Book of Thomas 415
Additional Literature of Gnostic Wisdom
27. The Exegesis on the Soul 425
28. On the Origin of the World 434
29. The Paraphrase of Shem 458
30. The Second Treatise of the Great Seth 485
31. The Gospel of Mary 497
32. The Naassene Sermon 502
PART THREE: HERMETIC LITERATURE 515
Introduction by Willis Barnstone 517
33. Poimandres 522
34. The Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth 532
35. The Prayer of Thanksgiving 541
PART FOUR: MANDAEAN LITERATURE 545
Introduction by Nathaniel Deutsch 547
36. The Ginza 556
37. Hibil’s Lament from the Book of John 575
38. Songs from the Mandaean Liturgy 581
PART FIVE: MANICHAEAN LITERATURE 587
Introduction by Paul Mirecki 589
39. On the Origin of His Body 601
40. The Story of the Death of Mani 613
41. Kephalaia 618
42. The Coptic Manichaean Songbook 636
43. Parthian Songs 659
44. The Great Song to Mani 667
PART SIX: ISLAMIC MYSTICAL LITERATURE 675
Introduction by Marvin Meyer 677
45. The Mother of Books 685
PART SEVEN: CATHAR LITERATURE 747
Introduction by Willis Barnstone 749
46. The Gospel of the Secret Supper 760
47. The Book of the Two Principles 771
48. A Nun’s Sermon 782
Epilogue: Historical Meditation on the Inner Light of Gnosis by Willis Barnstone 785
Glossary 821
Bibliography
Further Reading 841
Sources Cited 855
Index of Proper Names 869
