The Apocalypse of Adam

⏱ 1 min read Updated Jun 5, 2026
Quick Answer

The Apocalypse of Adam is a Sethian Gnostic text in which Adam, at the point of death, transmits to his son Seth a secret revelation about the true God, the Demiurge's deception, and the coming of a divine illuminator who will save the spiritual race. It is one of the Nag Hammadi texts with the fewest explicitly Christian elements.

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Quick Facts

  • Found in Nag Hammadi Codex V
  • Written as Adam's deathbed testament to Seth — a genre common in Jewish apocalyptic literature
  • One of the few Nag Hammadi texts that may predate Christian Gnosticism or show minimal Christian influence
  • Contains a "Paraphrase of Shem" — a list of 13 kingdoms and their failed attempts to explain the illuminator's origin

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