Clovis Star Gnostic Library

Home > Gnostics > Hypsiphrone Hypsiphrone At a Glance Treatise Genre: (5/5) ***** Reliability of Dating: (5/5) ***** Length of Text: Greek Original Language: Ancient Translations: Modern Translations: Estimated Range of Dating: 150-350 A.D. Chronological List of Early Christian Writings Discuss this text on the Early Writings forum. Text Hypsiphrone Offsite Links French Translation Claremont Coptic Encyclopedia: Hypsiphrone Nag Hammadi Codices XI, XII, XIII From the Prayer of the Apostle Paul to the Three Steles of Seth: Codices I, XI and VII from Nag Hammadi Viewed as a Collection Books Bentley Layton, The Gnostic Scriptures: A New Translation With Annotations and Introductions (Doubleday 1987) Marvin Meyer, ed., The Nag Hammadi Scriptures (HarperOne 2009) Birger A.

Pearson, Ancient Gnosticism: Traditions And Literature (Fortress Press 2007) Recommended Books for the Study of Early Christian Writings Information on Hypsiphrone John D. Turner writes, "Hypsiphrone, which means 'high-minded one' or perhaps 'arrogant one,' is the fourth and last treatise of Nag Hammadi Codex XI (69,23-72,35). It presently consists of four large and two or three small fragments containing the lower portions of the inner and outer margins of two or three papyrus leaves, which must have originally contained the entirety of this short treatise. It is written in the same script as the much longer and better preserved treatise preceding it in the codex, Allogenes the Stranger, although there is no discernible further relationship between these two treatises.

Unlike the other treatises of Codex XI, it is written in a standard Sahidic Coptic dialect. Its date can be fixed only at some point prior to a terminus ad quem of around 350 CE, the time of the burial of Codex XI along with the other Nag Hammadi codices, and its authorship is indeterminate. Although the conclusion of the treatise is not extant, it is possible that it bore the superscript title 'Hypsiph[rone],' the remainder of the title being restored form other occurences of this name within the treatise. Fragment 2 and probably fragment 1 of plates 81 and 82 of The Facsimile Edition of the Nag Hammadi Codices: Codices XI, XII, and XIII also belong to the text of Hypsiphrone (and - assuming a final inserted leaf without conjugate at the beginning of the codex - perhaps even fragment 4), but cannot be placed accurately, given the present state of the text." (The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, p.

701) Birger A. Pearson writes, "Hypsiphrone is a short tractate of less than four pages in length, or perhaps an excerpt from a larger tractate, that was inscribed into the last four pages of Codex XI. The title occurs at the beginning, marked with decorations: 'Hupsiph[rone].' The feminine name Hypsiphrone ('High-Minded') occurs in three other places in the tractate. Unfortunately, the codex is severely damaged, and only four large and two small fragments are preserved of the two leaves constituting those last four pages. The opening sentence has been reconstructed to read: 'The book [concerning the things] that were seen [by] Hypsiphrone [revealed] in the place of [her] virginity' (69,22-26)." (Ancient Gnosticism, p.

249) John D. Turner writes, "The only other named figure in Hypsiphrone is Phainops (phainops, 'he of the bright eye, or visage, or appearance'), whose more common form phainops is found as an astral epithet in astrological texts form the fourth century onward, perhaps suggesting a similar affiliation for terms like staying in or moving out of one's 'house' of virginity. He is named by Hypsiphrone as one who apparently presides over a 'wellspring' or 'fount' (pege) of blood into which he breathes and that seems to produce a fiery effect, perhaps a metaphor for sexual passion. Since in Leviticus 20:18 the phrase 'fout of blood' refers to the genitalia of a menstruating woman and in Mark 5:29 to those of a hemorrhaging woman, the reference to breathing into her fount or wellspring of blood seems a bit unusual, perhaps referring to an act of cunnilingus.

Nevertheless, in the end, Phainops is characterized as a benign figure who 'has not gone astray' or acted aggressively with Hypsiphrone." (The Nag Hammadi Scriptures, p. 702) Some Contemporary Texts Preaching of Paul (150-350 A.D.) Epistle to the Laodiceans (150-350 A.D.) Questions of Mary (150-350 A.D.) Allogenes, the Stranger (150-350 A.D.) Hypsiphrone (150-350 A.D.) Valentinian Exposition (150-350 A.D.) Act of Peter (150-350 A.D.) Concept of Our Great Power (150-360 A.D.) Acts of Pilate (150-400 A.D.) Go to the Chronological List of all Early Christian Writings Please buy the CD to support the site, view it without ads, and get bonus stuff! Early Christian Writings is copyright © Peter Kirby <E-Mail&gt.

Follow @mrpeterkirby MLA Style Kirby, Peter. "Hypsiphrone." Early Christian Writings. <http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/hypsiphrone.html>. Gospels Matthew Mark Luke John Acts Letters of Paul Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Letter to the Hebrews General Letters James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation Gospels Gospel of Thomas Egerton Gospel Gospel of Peter Oxyrhynchus 840 Gospel of Mary Epistula Apostolorum Infancy Gospel of James Infancy Gospel of Thomas Acts of Pilate Diatessaron Gospel Fragments Oxyrhynchus 1224 Fayyum Fragment Gospel of the Egyptians Gospel of the Hebrews Gospel of the Ebionites Gospel of the Nazoreans Traditions of Matthias Dura-Europos Gospel Harmony Apostolic Acts Preaching of Peter Acts of Peter Acts of John Acts of Paul Acts of Andrew Acts of Peter and the Twelve Book of Thomas the Contender Acts of Thomas Martyrologies Martyrdom of Polycarp Fifth and Sixth Books of Esra Acts of Carpus, Papylus, and Agathonice Letter from Vienna and Lyons Passion of the Scillitan Martyrs Acts of Apollonius Acts of Perpetua and Felicitas Didache Apocalypse of Peter Didascalia Dialogues with Jesus Sophia of Jesus Christ Secret James Gospel of Mary Dialogue of the Savior Gospel of the Savior Books of Jeu Pistis Sophia Apocalypses 2nd Apocalypse of James Coptic Apocalypse of Paul 1st Apocalypse of James Coptic Apocalypse of Peter Acts Acts of Peter and the Twelve Book of Thomas the Contender Letter of Peter to Philip More Nag Hammadi Apocryphon of John Gospel of Truth Treatise on the Resurrection Gospel of Philip Trimorphic Protennoia Authoritative Teaching Discourse on the Eighth and the Ninth Melchizedek Quoted Authors Basilides Naassene Fragments Valentinus Marcion Epiphanes Ophite Diagrams Gospel of Judas More Quoted Authors Ptolemy Isidore Theodotus Heracleon Apelles Julius Cassianus Apostolic Fathers Didache Epistle of Barnabas First Clement Shepherd of Hermas Ignatius of Antioch Polycarp to the Philippians Second Clement Epistle of Mathetes to Diognetus Martyrdom of Polycarp Apologists Aristides Justin Martyr Tatian Minucius Felix Athenagoras of Athens Theophilus of Antioch Quoted Authors Papias Quadratus Aristo of Pella Claudius Apollinaris Melito of Sardis Hegesippus Dionysius of Corinth Rhodon Theophilus of Caesarea More Quoted Authors Bardesanes Maximus of Jerusalem Polycrates of Ephesus Victor I Pantaenus Anonymous Anti-Montanist Serapion of Antioch Apollonius Caius Irenaeus of Lyons Hippolytus of Rome Clement of Alexandria Tertullian Origen Pagan and Jewish Mara bar Serapion Josephus Pliny the Younger Suetonius Tacitus Fronto Lucian of Samosata Marcus Aurelius Galen Celsus Talmud Philostratus Jewish/Christian The Twelve Patriarchs Non-Pagan Sibyllines Odes of Solomon Book of Elchasai Ascension of Isaiah Hypothesized Sources Passion Narrative Sayings Gospel Q Signs Gospel Anti-Marcionite Prologues Muratorian Canon Kerygmata Petrou Inscription of Abercias