A Graphical Representation of the Nag Hammadi Codices
The Nag Hammadi Library at EarlyChristianWritings (Peter Kirby)
... by codex ... by name
Alternate Tractate-names
Many of the Nag Hammadi texts have alternate titles in scholary use.
As in the chart below, the Greek term 'apocryphon' is sometimes rendered
'secret book', and 'apocalypse' as 'revelation' (as the canonical 'Apocalypse
of John' is known as 'Revelation'). Other differences are illustrated by the list
(by codex) at the
Bibliothéque copte de Nag Hammadi site (Université Laval,
Louis Painchaud). Most names there correspond to Robinson, except:
(1) "On the Origin of the World" (II,5) is called "The Writing without Title".
Actually, this tractate has an inscribed title, but it's the wrong one. The scribe
mistakenly used the title of the tractate which follows it. "On the Origin of the
World" was an attempt to construct a title from the contents of the text.
(2) Meyer's "The Wisdom of Jesus Christ" is used instead of Robinson's
"The Sophia ...", a commonly-accepted change, since 'Sophia' is confusing.
(3) Meyer's "The Book of Thomas" is used without Robinson's (and the title's)
additional "the Contender". Opinions differ on which is better.
(4) The Gospels of Thomas and Philip are called 'according to'. Not uncommon,
but it should be realized that the same word (kata) is in canonical gospel titles.
(5) Uses the name 'The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit' in preference
to Robinson's "The Gospel of the Egyptians". There is much (including the title
actually inscribed in III,2!) to indicate that Robinson's choice was a mistake.
(6) For IX,3, uses 'The True Testimony" instead of "The Testimony of Truth".
(7) For VI,8, favors Meyer, but "Fragment of..." instead of "Excerpt from..."
Differences Between Robinson's Nag Hammadi Library (1988) ... and Meyer's Nag Hammadi Scriptures (2007)
| I,2 | The Apocryphon of James | Ap. Jas. | The Secret Book of James | Scrt. Bk. Jas. |
| II,1* | The Apocryphon of John | Ap. John | The Secret Book of John | Scrt. Bk. John |
| II,4 | The Hypostasis of the Archons | Hyp. Arch. | The Nature of the Rulers | Nat. Rulers |
| II,7 | The Book of Thomas the Contender | Thom. Cont. | The Book of Thomas | Bk. Thom. |
| III,2* | The Gospel of the Egyptians | Gos. Eg. | The Holy Book of the Great Invisible Spirit | Holy Book |
| III,4 | The Sophia of Jesus Christ | Soph. Jes. Chr. | The Wisdom of Jesus Christ | Wisd. Jes. Chr. |
| V,2 | The Apocalypse of Paul | Apoc. Paul | The Revelation of Paul | Rev. Paul |
| V,3 | The (First) Apocalypse of James | 1 Apoc. Jas. | The First Revelation of James | 1 Rev. Jas. |
| V,4 | The (Second) Apocalypse of James | 2 Apoc. Jas. | The Second Revelation of James | 2 Rev. Jas. |
| V,5 | The Apocalypse of Adam | Apoc. Adam | The Revelation of Adam | Rev. Adam |
| VI,2 | The Thunder: Perfect Mind | Thund. | Thunder | Thund. |
| VI,3 | Authoritative Teaching | Auth. Teach. | Authoritative Discourse | Auth. Disc. |
| VI,8 | Asclepius 21-29 | Asclepius | Excerpt from the Perfect Discourse | Perf. Disc. |
| VII,2 | The Second Treatise of the Great Seth | Treat. Seth | The Second Discourse of Great Seth | Disc. Seth |
| VII,3 | Apocalypse of Peter | Apoc. Peter | The Revelation of Peter | Rev. Peter |
| XIII,1 | Trimorphic Protennoia | Trim. Prot. | Three Forms of First Thought | Three Forms |
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