“The one who has received the knowledge has become a free being.”
— Gospel of Philip

What are “documents of the Nag Hammadi”

Set of 13 codices of parchment, bound in leather (12 complete, and fragments of a 13th), discovered in 1945 near the town of Nag Hammadi in upper Egypt. Contain more than fifty treaties (52, according to the reckoning usual), in coptic (dialect sahídico), which are translations of original Greek compounds between the II–III centuries; the codices were copied to the century IV. Meet christian texts of orientation gnostic, parts of the hermetic tradition, and even a fragment of Plato, Republic 588a–589b).

Discovery, origin and conservation

Finding (1945): local farmers found a vessel to be sealed with the codices near the cliff Jabal al-Ṭarif. Classical narration picked it up James M. Robinson; the historicity of details of the story is discussed and presents contradictions between versions.
Hypothesis of origin: often linked to a monastery pacomiano area (Chenoboskion) and it has been conjectured that were buried after the Letter Festal of Athanasius (367) alleging books “non-canonical”. This explanation is plausible but not proven.
Current situation: the codices are in the Coptic Museum of Cairo; there are facsimiles, editions, reviews, and modern translations.

What's in them (picture by genres)

Gospels and dialogues of Jesus: Gospel of Thomas, Gospel of Philip, Gospel of Truth, Book of Thomas the Contender, Letter of Peter to Philip.
Revelation and revelations: Apocryphon (Secret) John (several versions), First and Second Apocalypse of James, The apocalypse of Adam, The apocalypse of Paul, Second Treatise of the Great Seth.
Treaties theological-cosmological: Treaty Threesomes (valentinian), Hypostasis of the Archons, On the origin of the world, Exegesis on the soul.
Texts airtight and philosophical: Asclepius (Latin, Greek lost; here in coptic), Discourse on the Eighth and the Ninth, Prayer of thanksgiving, and Plato, Republic (fragment).
Poetry theological-philosophical tone: The Thunder, Intellect Perfect.

the whole reflects current various. Not everything is “gnostic” in the strict sense; there are materials that do not fit exactly into a worldview gnostic systematic.

Eight key texts and why they matter

Gospel of Thomas (Codex II): 114 loggia attributed to Jesus without a narrative of passion and miracles. Dated commonly in the century II; some argue earliest strata. Important to study traditions of these and their relationship to the synoptics. Coptic manuscript of the fourth century; Greek fragments of the Oxyrhynchus s. II–III.
Gospel of Philip: collection valentiniana with metaphors sacramental; valuable to understand practices and symbols (e.g., “bridal chamber”).
Gospel Truth: attributed in Antiquity to Valentine's day by Irenaeus; reflection soteriological knowledge, and forgetfulness.
Apocryphon of John (versions long and short): myths of creation, Barbelo, Demiurge and archons; text “bridge” to rebuild theologies setianas.
Hypostasis of the Archons On the origin of the world: rereadings of Genesis from a theogony alternative; key to study politics with readings “orthodox”.
Asclepius and Discourse on the Eighth and Ninth: corpus airtight; show the mix judeo-hellenistic and the movement of literature of philosophical and religious in Egypt.
The Thunder, Intellect Perfect: monologue divine in first person, with investment paradoxical pairs (virgin/whore); single piece of religious poetry tardoantigua.
The apocalypse of Paul: travel celeste based on 2 Cor 12, with reprocessing visionary typical literature apocalyptic christian.

“The world is a mistake, but one who understands that, you can transcend it.”
— Apocryphon of John

Language, materiality and technique

Language: coptic sahídico; many treaties translate original Greek today lost.
Support: papyrus in format codex, bound in leather straps; evidence crucial to the early history of the book in Egypt, a christian.
Dating: codices copied ca. the middle of the fourth century; composition of the texts of the main s. II–III (varies by site).

Historical context-religious

Provide primary sources for current early christian not represented (or fought) in the Parents “heresiológos” as Irenaeus or Epiphanius, allowing listening to the internal voices and not only rebuttals.
Illustrate the diversity the christianity of the II–III centuries: schools valentinianas, setianas, traditions of Santiago and Thomas, without forgetting materials non-christians (hermetic).

Chronology essential

1945: finding near Nag Hammadi.
1956-59: first publications Jung Codex (NHC I) and translations initials.
1966-1977: international project coordinated by Robinson culminates in The Nag Hammadi Library in English (1977).
2007 (rev. 2009 et seq.): edition The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, ed. Marvin Meyer (translation revised and expanded).

“The soul is like a maiden that has forgotten its origin; but when he hears her name, she stands up and went back to his house.”
— Exegesis on the Soul

Discussions and common misunderstandings

“Gnosticism” = a single religion: wrong. The term covers families of speeches and various practices; the own corpus shows a plurality.
Buried “fault” of Athanasius (367): it is a hypothesis influential, not a proven fact.
Story of discovery: colourful details (the “genius” of the vessel, burning leaves, etc) are inconsistent between releases, several experts call for caution.
“Prove” a historical Jesus alternative: what they bring, especially, is evidence of theological traditions and devotions of the II–III centuries, not biographical data independent on Jesus.

How to read with method

Editions and translations criticism: used by Robinson (1977, with reviews) and Meyer (The Nag Hammadi Scriptures); avoids compendiums popular without critical apparatus.
It contextualizes each treaty: identifies school (valentiniana/setiana), gender (gospel of the sayings, revelation, dialog), biblical sources re-read and lexicon technician (pleroma, aeons, archons).
Contrasts with heresiólogos: compared with Irenaeus (Adversus haeresesto calibrate coincidences and divergences, avoid assuming that the heresiólogos describe faithfully to their opponents.
Fixed levels date: distinguishes between date of the codex (s. IV), date of translation (Greek→coptic) and date of composition (s. II–III).

“The light is not comprehended by the darkness, but the darkness there because of the light.”
— Hypostasis of the Archons

Map minimum content (codices)

NHC I (the Jung Codex): The prayer of the Apostle Paul; Apocryphon of James; Gospel of Truth; Treatise on the Resurrection; Treaty Threesomes.
NHC II: Apocryphon of John (long version); Gospel of Thomas; Gospel of Philip; Hypostasis of the Archons; On the origin of the world; Exegesis on the soul; Book of Thomas the Contender.
NHC III–V: Apocryphon of John (short); Gospel of the Egyptians (Book of the Great Invisible Spirit); Eugnostos the Blessed; Wisdom of jesus Christ; Dialogue of the Saviour; The apocalypse of Paul; First/Second Apocalypse of James; The apocalypse of Adam.
NHC VI: Acts of Peter and the Twelve; Thunder; Doctrine Authorized; Concept of Great Power; Plato, Republic (frag.); Discourse on the Eighth and the Ninth; Prayer of thanksgiving; Asclepius.
NHC VII–XIII: Paraphrase of Shem; Second Treatise of the Great Seth; and others (includes duplicates and fragments).

Academic impact

Opened up whole fields in history of primitive christianity, coptic, book tardoantiguo, and comparative studies with Qumran, hermeticism, and neoplatonism.
Publication (UNESCO and Ministry of Culture of Egypt promoted the international committee) became an example of cooperation and scientific-cultural.

Where to find texts reliable

The Nag Hammadi Library in English, ed. J. M. Robinson (1977; eds. updated).
The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, ed. Marvin Meyer (HarperOne, 2007/2009).
Reference inputs: Britannica and Oxford Reference for synthesis verified.
Academic resources on line on the Gospel of Thomas and other treaties (texts, translations, bibliographies).

Summary

What they are: 13 codices coptic in the fourth century with 52 treaties; translations of original Greek of s. II–III.
Why they matter: preserve currents christian and philosophical-religious marginal or deleted, essential to understand the diversity of early christianity.
How to read them well: with critical editionsdistinguishing levels of dating and avoiding facile generalizations about “gnosticism”.
Current state: in the Coptic Museum (Cairo); widely edited, translated and studied.

“Ignorance is the mother of all evil; the true knowledge is freedom.”
— Gospel of Truth

The manuscripts prohibited from Nag Hammadi: Texts that changed what we knew of Christianity