Apocryphon of John

Coptic work

Written by

The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

Last updated

June 18, 2026

Quick Summary

The Apocryphon of John is a significant Gnostic text, primarily known through Coptic translations discovered in Egypt, particularly the Nag Hammadi library. This work purports to be a secret revelation from Jesus to the apostle John.1

It describes a complex divine realm with personified divine beings called aeons, emanating from a transcendent, ineffable god. The material world is depicted as an imperfect imitation of this spiritual realm, created by a lesser being named Ialdabaoth, who is a distorted version of the Genesis creator god. The myth explains the origin of humanity and the struggle between spiritual insight and the ignorance imposed by the material realm's rulers. The text draws on Platonic philosophy and biblical narratives, reinterpreting them within a Gnostic framework that emphasizes salvation through hidden knowledge.1

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

4 Britannica Sources

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.

gnosticism
Apocryphon of John
Until the 20th century the works of Irenaeus and other heresiologists (orthodox Christian writers who described unorthodox groups) were the principal sources of information about gnostic movements. Only a handful of manuscripts containing the authentic writings of such groups were known; they…
Read More
Until the 20th century the works of Irenaeus and other heresiologists (orthodox Christian writers who described unorthodox groups) were the principal sources of information about gnostic movements. Only a handful of manuscripts containing the authentic writings of such groups were known; they…
Read More

patristic literature
The gnostic writers
…are Pistis Sophia and the Apocryphon of John, the former consisting of conversations of the risen Jesus with his disciples about the fall and redemption of the aeon (emanation from the Godhead) called Pistis Sophia, the latter of revelations made by Jesus to St. John explaining the presence of evil…
Read More
…are Pistis Sophia and the Apocryphon of John, the former consisting of conversations of the risen Jesus with his disciples about the fall and redemption of the aeon (emanation from the Godhead) called Pistis Sophia, the latter of revelations made by Jesus to St. John explaining the presence of evil…
Read More