The Prayer of the Apostle Paul

1THE PRAYER OF THE APOSTLE PAUL (1,7) Introduced and translated by D ieter M u eller The Prayer o f the Apostle Paul occupies the front flyleaf of Codex I, also known as the Jung Codex. The scribe apparently added this prayer to the collec­ tion of tractates in the codex after he had finished copying The Tripartite Trac­ tate (1,5). The title, followed by a brief colophon, is placed at the end of the prayer. The Greek language retained in that title was no doubt the original lan­ guage of the prayer as a whole. The short text is of unknown provenance. Its gen­ eral gnostic affinities are clear. Details such as the reference to the “ psychic God” (A,31) may indicate Valentinian connections. That association in turn sug­ gests a date of origin between the second half of the second century and the end of the third century. In form and content The Prayer o f the Apostle Paul echoes various other com­ positions. It displays a striking resemblance not only to prayers in the Corpus Hermeticum (1.31-32; 5.10-11; 13.16-20) but also to invocations found in magical texts. Furthermore, its beginning is rather similar to that of the hymn of the First Stele of The Three Steles o f Seth (VII,5). Both documents may use a common tradition. There are also similarities within The Gospel o f Philip (11,5). In general, The Prayer o f the Apostle Paul is heavily indebted to the Psalms and the Pauline letters. The most striking echo of the apostle, and at the same time a clear index of gnostic orientation, is the request to be granted “ what no angel-eye has seen and no archon-ear has heard and what has not entered into the human heart” (cf. 1 Co 2:9). TH E PRAYER OF THE APOSTLE PAUL I A, 1-B, 10 A 1 {Approximately two lines are missing.) 1 [your] light, give me your [mercy! My] 1 Redeemer, redeem me, for 5 [I am] yours; the one who has come 1 forth from you. You are [my] mind; bring me forth! 1 You are my treasure house; open for me! You 1 [are] my fullness; take me to you! 1 You are (my) repose; give me 10 [the] perfect thing that cannot be grasped! 1 I invoke you, the one who is 1 and who pre-existed in the name 1 [which is] exalted above every name, through Jesus Christ, 1 [the Lord] of Lords, the King o f the ages; 15 give me your gifts, of which you do

2not repent, 1 through the Son of Man, 1 the Spirit, the Paraclete of 1 [truth]. Give me authority 1 [when I] ask you; give 20 healing for my body when I ask 1 you through the Evangelist, 1 [and] redeem my eter­ nal light soul 1 and my spirit. And the First-born of the Pleroma of grace - 25 reveal him to my mind! Grant 1 what no angel eye has 1 [seen] and no archon ear 1 (has) heard and what 1 has not entered into the human heart 30 which came to be angelic and (modelled) 1 after the image of the psychic God 1 when it was formed 1 in the beginning, since I have 1 faith and hope.35 And place upon me your 1 beloved, elect, 1 and blessed greatness, the 1 First­ born, the First-begotten, B 1 and the [wonderful] mystery 1 of your house; [for] 1 yours is the power [and] 1 the glory and the praise 5 and the greatness 1 for ever and ever. [Amen.] 1 Prayer of Paul 1 (the) Apostle. 1 In Peace. 10 Christ is holy.