Excerpt from the Perfect Discourse

NHC VI, 8

The following translation has been committed to the public domain and may be freely copied and used, changed or unchanged, for any purpose. It is based on the Coptic text of Nag Hammadi Codex VI, 8. The Nag Hammadi texts were written in the fourth century, subsequently buried, and then rediscovered in 1945. This excerpt describes a teaching by Hermes Trismegistus, considered by Christians to be a pagan prophet of the coming of Christianity, to three of his students in Egypt. A brief scribal note precedes the discourse. Although some modern scholars believe the scribal note concludes the copying process of the Prayer of Thanksgiving, the note most likely refers to the discourse translated below. 

This translation from the Coptic and Greek is by Samuel Zinner and was edited by Mark M. Mattison with the generous support of Other Gospels.

Symbols

  [  ] Gap in the text (known as a “lacuna”)
 (  ) Editorial insertion to clarify the text
<  > Editorial correction of a scribal error
[65] Page number of the Coptic codex (hyperlinked)

Scribal Note

[65] I have copied this single discourse by him. Certainly an abundance (of his discourses) has come to me. I have not copied those because I believed they had come to all of you. Furthermore, I am reticent to copy those for you because they have possibly come to you, and the affair might encumber you, given that there are several discourses of that one which have come to me.

Introduction

“Also, should you desire to behold the reality of this mystery, you should then consider the wondrous example of the union that occurs between male and female, because when the semen arrives at the (point of) climax, it shoots out. In that instant, the female obtains the virility of the male. In turn, the male obtains the virility of the female, as the semen so acts.

Consequently, the symbolic meaning of intercourse is enacted in secret, so that the two sexes will not humiliate themselves in the sight of many who do not enact that reality, because each one of them plays a role in begetting, because should this occur in the sight of those who do not know the reality, (that would be) ridiculous and incredible, and furthermore, they are sacred mysteries, consisting of both speech and actions, because they are neither heard nor seen.

Instruction is Derived from Knowledge

Consequently, [66] these kinds of people are blasphemers, atheistic, and sacrilegious, but the others are not numerous. Instead, when we count how many are pious, they are few. So evil persists among many, given that instruction in matters of justice is not to be found among them, because the knowledge of matters of justice is in truth the healing of the passions of matter. Consequently, instruction is derived from knowledge.

However, if ignorance is present, and instruction is absent from the soul of man, the incorrigible passions will persist in it, and even more evil will accompany them in the form of a sore that cannot be healed, and the sore continuously eats away at the soul, and by means of it the soul causes worms in the foulness and reeks. God, however does not cause these things, given that he sent knowledge and instruction to humans.”

“Trismegistus, did he send them only to humans?”

“Yes, Asclepius, he sent them only to them, and it is appropriate that we explain to you why he gave knowledge and learning, the allocation of his goodness, only to humans.

“And now, pay attention. God, even the Father and the Lord, created man[1]  after (creating) the gods, and he derived him from [67] the realm of matter. [Given that God has used] matter [equally as spirit] in the creation (of man), passions dwell in him. Consequently, they persistently flow over his body, because the only way for this living being to exist is to eat food, because he is mortal. Furthermore, it is unavoidable that untimely dangerous desires dwell inside him, because the gods, who derive their being from a pure matter, have no need of instruction and knowledge, because the deathlessness of the gods is (itself) instruction and knowledge, given that they derive their being from pure matter. (Deathlessness) functionally became for them knowledge and instruction. Out of necessity, he imposed a limit for man, placing him in instruction and knowledge, of which we have discussed from the beginning.

“He completed them so that by these things he could curb passions and evils, in accord with his will. He brought his state of being mortal into deathlessness. He became good, deathless, precisely as I have stated, because he created duality of nature for him, the deathless and the mortal.

Humans Become Superior to the Gods

“And it unfolded in this way on account of the desire [68] of God that humans become superior to the gods, given that the gods are indeed deathless, but only humans are both deathless and mortal. Consequently, humanity has become like the gods, even knowing with certitude concerning each other. The gods know the affairs of humans, and humans know the affairs of the gods, and I am referring to humans, Asclepius, who have obtained instruction and knowledge. By contrast, those who do not possess these, it is inappropriate for us to say anything improper, given that we are divine, and are announcing sacred topics.

“Given that we have arrived at the topic of the communion between gods and humans, know, Asclepius, in what humanity can be strong, because precisely as the Father, the Lord of the universe, creates gods, so precisely in this way, also humanity, this mortal, earthly, living being, who does not resemble God, on his own even creates gods. He not only strengthens, but he in turn is strengthened. He is not only a god, but he even creates gods. Are you astounded, Asclepius? Are even you yet another unconvinced person, like the many?”

[69] “Trismegistus, I consent to the things (addressed) to me, and I am convinced of what you speak. However, I have also been astounded at the discourse pertaining to this, and I have concluded that humanity is blessed, given that they have experienced this tremendous power.”

Images

“Further, Asclepius, what is greater than all these matters deserves wonder. Now, with regard to the race of the gods, this is obvious to us, and we confess together with all others that it has derived its existence from a pure matter, and their bodies consist of heads alone,[2] but what humans create is the very likeness of the gods. They originate from the most distant area of matter, and it originates from the exteriority of the being[3] of humans. Not only do they (create) heads, but also every other body part, even according to their likeness. Precisely as God desired that the interior man be created according to his image, in precisely the same way, humanity on earth creates gods according to its likeness.”

“Trismegistus, you are not referring to idols, are you?”

“Asclepius, it is you who are referring to idols. Look again, you yourself, Asclepius, even you are one of those unconvinced by the discourse. Those with life, and breath, and significant achievements, you call them idols. Of those who deliver prophecies, you say they are idols, who cause [70] [humans] sickness as well as healing, that [send] plagues.

“Or are you unaware, Asclepius, that Egypt is the image of heaven, and also the dwelling-place of heaven, and of all the hosts in heaven? If it is appropriate that we state the truth, our land is the temple of the cosmos, and it is fitting that you not be ignorant that a time will come in it (when) it will appear as if Egyptians had worshiped the divinity for nothing, and all their ways of religious worship will be loathed, because divinity will entirely forsake Egypt, and will flee upwards to heaven, and Egypt will become a widow, being forsaken by the gods, because foreigners will enter Egypt, and they will control Egypt. Even more, Egyptians will be forbidden from worshipping God.

The Punishment of Egypt

“Moreover, they will eventually meet with severe punishment, especially whoever of them is discovered worshipping, praising God, and at that time, the country that of all countries had been the most pious, will become impious. It will no longer have plentiful temples, but it will be overflowing with tombs. Nor will it be full of gods, but of corpses.

“Egypt, O Egypt, you will resemble fairytales, and no one [71] will remain faithful to your religious services, [nor] to the wondrous things, nor to the sacred words, not even to the wondrous sayings recorded on stones, and the barbarian will be superior to you, O Egyptian, with his religion, whether a Scythian, or Hindu, or some other kind, and what am I to say about the Egyptian, because they will not forsake Egypt? Because when the gods have forsaken the land of Egypt, and have fled upward to heaven, every single Egyptian will die, and the gods and the Egyptians will turn Egypt into a desert, and regarding you, O River, a time will come when you flow with more blood than with water, and corpses will grow higher than the dams, and the dead will go unmourned, just like the living. The latter will in fact be recognized to be an Egyptian by his language in the second period. Asclepius, why are you weeping? He will appear as a foreigner with respect to his customs. Divine Egypt will suffer tribulations worse than these.

“God-loving Egypt, even the dwelling-place of the gods, the school of religion, will become a model of impiety, and at that time, no one will marvel at the world [72] [because of its impiety] and irreligion, nor will it be respected. Concerning it, we will not be able to call it good or beautiful, nor as something that is or will be, but the danger of becoming an encumbrance to every human will loom. It will therefore be hated, the beautiful universe of God, the work beyond compare, the energy of goodness, the vision of diverse forms, the unenvying abundance replete with every vision. Darkness will be preferable to light, and death will be preferable to life. No one will look to heaven, and the pious will be considered insane, and the impious will be deemed as wise. The coward will be considered strong, and the good will be punished for being a criminal, and with respect to the soul, and to the matters of the soul, and the matters of deathlessness, together with the other things I have told you, O Tat, Asclepius, and Ammon, they will not only be considered ludicrous, but they will also be deemed vacuous.

“Believe me, though, these kinds of people will be threatened with the supreme threat to their soul, and a new law will be instituted. [. . .]. [73] [. . .], and the good [spirits] will [flee], while the evil angels will dwell among humans, being together with them, rashly leading them into evil things, by instructing them in unnatural things, even atheism, wars, and lootings.At that time, the earth will grow unstable, and people will stop sailing the sea, and they will become ignorant of the stars in heaven. The sacred sound of the message of God will be utterly silenced, and the air will become diseased.

The Will of God

“Such will be the cosmic dementia, namely, atheism, disrespect, and the neglect of honorable speech, and whenever these things have come to pass (previously), O Asclepius, then the Lord, the Father, and god from the unique first god, that is, the creator, when he then beheld the things that occurred, he instituted his plan of goodness against disorder. He removed error, and severed evil. At times, he drowned it with a large flood. At other times, he charred it with a scorching fire, and at even other times, he smashed it with wars and plagues, until he brought [74] [. . .] of this work, and this is the birth of the world.The renewal of the nature of the pious who are good will occur in a time period without any beginning, because the will of God is without any beginning, which is the case also with his nature, which coincides with his will, because the nature of God is will without beginning, and his will is goodness.”

“Trismegistus, then does intention coincide with will?”

“Yes, Asclepius, given that will exists with counsel, because what <he> wills is not (willed) out of lack. Given that he is perfect in every way, what he wills is (willed) out of what he possesses in fullness, and he possesses all of goodness, and whatever he wills is what he wills, and he possesses the goodness which he wills. Consequently, he possesses all things, and God wills whatever he wills, and the world of goodness is a reflection of the Good One.”

“Trismegistus, is the world (indeed) good?”

“Asclepius, it is (indeed) good in the way I will teach you it is, because precisely as [75] [God generates . . . spirit, soul, and] life, the [world generates goodness from out of] matter, climate variations, and fruits growing and maturing, and things like all of these. On account of this, God possesses control over the heavenly heights. He is omnipresent, and he beholds everything, and his location is neither heaven, nor star, and he is free of body.

“The creator exercises control in the place between earth and heaven. He is called ‘Zeus,’ which is, ‘Life.’ Plutonian Zeus is lord over earth and sea, and he does not oversee nourishment for any mortal living being, because Kore causes fruit-bearing. These forces continually prevail inside the circle of the earth, but other forces continually prevailing are from He Who Is, and the masters of the earth will retreat, and they will set up themselves inside a city in a corner of Egypt, and which will be constructed toward where the sun sets. All people will enter it, whether through the sea or shore.”

“Trismegistus, where will they then settle?”

“Asclepius, inside the great city on the [Libyan] mountain. [76] [. . .] death [terrifies . . ., like a] great [evil on account of] ignorance of this, because death is the dissolution of the bodily labors, and occurs when the body completes the amount of time allotted to it, because the amount of time allotted is what joins together the body. The body dies when it becomes incapable of supporting the person, and death is this, namely, the dissolution of the body, and the destruction of the bodily senses, and one need not fear this, nor on account of this, but (fear is) caused by the unknown, and by doubt.”

Final Punishment

“Yet, what is it that is unknown, or which is doubted?”

“Pay attention, Asclepius. There exists a large demon. The great God has assigned him as overseer or judge over the souls of humans, and God has positioned him in the middle of the air, between earth and heaven.

“When the soul departs from the body, it will have to encounter this demon, which straightaway will surround him, and he will examine him with respect to the character that he had developed during his life, and should he discover that he piously fulfilled each of his deeds for which he entered the world, this one will allow him [77] [. . .] turn him [. . .], but [should he examine and grow angry] at this person [who] wasted his life committing [evil] deeds, he will seize him as he escapes upward, and will cast him downwards, suspending him between heaven and earth, and he will be punished with a heavy punishment, and he will be divested of his hope, and will be in terrible pain, and that soul will be placed neither on the earth nor in heaven, but it will enter the open sea of the cosmic air, where a large fire prevails, as well as icy water and channels of fire, and a terrifying turmoil. The bodies will be variously tormented, sometimes being thrown down into the fire, so it will obliterate them. While I will not call this the death of the soul, given that it has been released from (the) evil (of bodily existence), it is nevertheless a sentence of death. Asclepius, one must be convinced of these things and fear them, lest we encounter them, because those who are not convinced are impious, and practice transgression. They will hereafter be forced into being convinced, and they hear this not just by word of mouth, but they will undergo the actual thing itself, because they persisted in thinking that they would not experience these things. Not only [. . .]. [78] First of all, [Asclepius], everyone of the earth [must] die, and [those who have] a body [must experience loss . . .] evil [. . .] with these of this kind, because those who dwell here are unlike those who dwell there. As the demons [. . .] persons, they detest [. . .] there. In this way, it is not the same, but the gods who dwell here will surely punish more severely the one who has daily concealed some matter here.”

“Trismegistus, what kind of evil prevails there?”

“You are thinking, Asclepius, that when someone steals something from a temple, he is impious, because that kind of person is a thief and a robber, and this situation involves both gods and humans, but do not compare those who dwell here with those who dwell in the other place. I wish to deliver this discourse to you in private. Nothing contained in it will convince, because the souls filled with excess evil will not travel in the air, but they will be confined to the places of the demons, which are replete with pain, ever replete with blood and carnage, and with their food, namely, weeping, lamentation, and moaning.”

“Trismegistus, who are these ones?”

“Asclepius, they are the ones called ‘stranglers,’ and those who roll souls down the ground, and those who lash them, and those who throw them under the water, and those who pitch them into the fire, and those who cause the sufferings and disasters experienced by humans, because these kinds do not originate from a divine soul, nor even from a rational human soul. They originate, instead, from dreadful evil.”

Notes

[1] I.e., Adam.

[2] Heads, standing for the location of the eyes, through which knowledge is largely obtained.

[3] “Being,” or alternatively, “image.”