The Book of Allogenes
CT, 4
The following translation has been committed to the public domain. It may be freely copied and used, in whole or in part, changed or unchanged, for any purpose. The text is based on the fourth-century Codex Tchacos, pages 59 to 66 (TC, 4, 59-66). The Codex Tchacos was discovered in the 1970s in Egypt, and was first published in 2006 by National Geographic. Subsequently, fragments not included in the first publication of the Codex text came to light. These are incorporated in the present translation, by Samuel Zinner, based on the Coptic text edited in Lance Jenott, “The Book of the Foreigner from Codex Tchacos,” Bulletin of the American Society of Papyrologists 57 (2020), 235-276.
Zinner’s translation was edited by Mark M. Mattison. The translation and its editing were made possible by the generous support of Other Gospels.
This tract narrates the temptation, transfiguration, and ascent of a protagonist called Allogenes (literally, “Stranger” or “Foreigner”).
Symbols
[ ] Gap in the text (known as a “lacuna”)
( ) Editorial insertion to clarify the text
[59] Page number of the Coptic codex (hyperlinked)
[59] The [Book of Allogenes]
Introduction
“'My son, [. . .].
[. . .] to the Father of every age,
so that he would dispatch to us a spirit of knowledge
for the disclosure of mysteries,
[so that] we can know ourselves,
the place from which we [have] come,
the place to which we are going,
and what we should observe so that we would live.”
And they went out, and scaled a mountain called Tabor. They bent their knees and prayed, saying:
“O Lord God,
you who are superior to all of the mighty aeons,
you who are without beginning or end,
dispatch to us a spirit of knowledge
for the disclosure of mysteries,
so that we can know ourselves,
the place from which we have come,
the place to which we are going,
and what we should observe so that we would live.”
The Temptation of the Stranger
When the Stranger had finished speaking these things, [Satan] appeared [60] [on] earth, [given that he compels the world]. He spoke [to him: “. . .], as you scale this mountain, because even if you search, you will not find anything, but (nevertheless), come [. . .], and [select for] yourself anything that exists in my world. Eat of my delectable foods. Select for yourself silver, gold, and garments.”
The Stranger, however, responded, saying: “Leave me, Satan, because I am not looking for you, but for my Father, who is superior to all the mighty aeons, because I have been called the Stranger on account of my origin from a different race. I do not originate from your race.”
Then he who compels [the world] spoke to him: “We [61] ourselves [. . .]. Come [. . .] in my [world].”
The Stranger [then] responded to him: “Leave [me], Satan, depart, because I [am not] yours.”
Satan then [left] him, after he had repeatedly infuriated him, yet had been unable to deceive [him], and when he had been vanquished, he withdrew to his own place with deep humiliation.
The Transfiguration of the Stranger
The Stranger then cried out and raised his voice, saying:
“O God,
you who dwell in the mighty aeons,
listen to my voice,
show me pity,
and rescue me from every evil.
Look down on me,
and listen to me
while I dwell in this isolated place.
Now, therefore, [may an] unspeakable [light] shine on me.
[62] [. . .] your light [. . .].
Verily, Lord, come to my assistance,
because [I] know not [. . .],
forever and ever.”
As I was uttering this, behold! A cloud of light encompassed [me]. I was unable to look at the brightness surrounding it, because it shone so intensely.
I then heard an utterance come out of the cloud and the light, and it spread its light on me, saying: “O Stranger, the sound of your prayer has been accepted, and I have been dispatched to you here in this place in order to declare the message to you before you leave [this place], so that [63] you will [know . . .] become manifest [. . . body] loosens [. . .] the [spirit . . . above].
The Ascent of the Stranger
“Now, when you depart, [you] will enter into the power[1] of the first authority, who is (called) Power of Lust, and he will compel you, even question you, saying: ‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’ However, for your part, respond: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon,’ and he will release you.
“You will then enter into the power of the second authority, who is (called) Power of Darkness, [and he] will compel [you], and he will [64] [question you, saying]: ‘To which place [are you going, O Stranger?]’ For your part, however, respond: [‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father], who is [superior to every mighty] aeon.’
[“And he will release you, and you] will enter into the power of the third authority, called Ignorance. He will compel you, and say to you: ‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’ For your part, however, respond to him: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. With respect to myself, I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon.’
“He will then release you, and you will enter into the power of the fourth authority, who is (called) Searching for Death. He will say to you: [‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’] [65] [For your part, however, respond: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon.’
“And he will release you, and you will enter into the power of the fifth] authority, [the one (called)] Kingdom of Flesh, [and he will] say to you: ‘To which place are] you [going,] O Stranger?’ For your part, however, [respond to] him: ‘He who [compels] me has been [killed], and I have been liberated. [Now], therefore, I ascend [to my Father], who is superior [to every mighty] aeon.’
[“And he will] release you, [and you will enter into the power] of the sixth [authority], who is (called) Foolish Doctrine of [Flesh, and] he will say to you: ‘To which place [are you going], O Stranger?’ [For your part], however, respond to him: ‘He who compels me [has been killed, and] I [have been lib]erated. [I ascend to my Father], [66] [who is superior to every mighty aeon,’ and he will release you].
[“. . .] in [. . .], and you will [ascend] above [these] angel[s . . .]. [. . .] tens of thousands of [holy] angels [. . . tens of thousands of] angels [. . .].
Be not faint-hearted [. . .].
Be strong [. . . O Stran]ger [. . .].
Fear not [. . .], which was remarked [. . .].”
Lafayette College Fragment
[“. . .] you [. . .] their [. . .] a mighty [. . .] will asc[end . . .]. [. . .] angels [. . .] it can be [. . . say]ing that [. . .] God [. . .].”
[“. . . O Str]ang[er. . .”] he dispatched [. . .], so that they could [. . . the] judgment.
Peace [be to the person] who copied them [and to whoever will] fulfill them.
Note
[1] “Power,” here and below, literally, “hands.”