Paul's Travels
Apostle Paul Founder of Christianity

The Thought of Norea

Translated by Søren Giversen and Birger A. Pearson

Father of All, Ennoia¹ of the Light, dwelling in the heights above the (regions) below, Light dwelling in the heights, Voice of Truth, upright Nous², untouchable Logos³, and ineffable Voice, incomprehensible Father!

It is Norea who cries out to them. They heard, (and) they received her into her place forever. They gave it to her in the Father of Nous, Adamas⁴, as well as the voice of the Holy Ones, in order that she might rest in the ineffable Epinoia⁵, in order that <she> might inherit the first mind which <she> had received, and that <she> might rest in the divine Autogenes⁶, and that she (too) might generate herself, just as she also has inherited the living Logos, and that she might be joined to all of the Imperishable Ones, and speak with the mind of the Father.

And she began to speak with the words of Life, and <she> remained in the presence of the Exalted One, possessing that which she had received before the world came into being. She has the great mind of the Invisible One, and she gives glory to <her> Father, and she dwells within those who [...] within the Pleroma⁷, and she beholds the Pleroma.

There will be days when she will behold the Pleroma, and she will not be in deficiency, for she has the four holy helpers who intercede on her behalf with the Father of the All, Adamas. He it is who is within all of the Adams, possessing the thought of Norea, who speaks concerning the two names which create a single name.

Selection made from James M. Robinson, ed., The Nag Hammadi Library, revised edition. Harper Collins, San Francisco, 1990.

1. Ennoia: Means "thought" Sophia in her high form Barbelo is the first thought (so she is the first Aeon and the last one as well). Creation happens in the triad of thought, word, action.

2. Nous: The soul, which is not the same as the pneuma or spirit. It is the part of the anima (also translated as "soul") that gives us reason. The anima as a whole gives life (or literally movement.. "animates") to our bodies.

3. Logos: Means "word". The Logos is the light that gives us Gnosis spiritual knowledge) via communication. Thus it is the Christ (not to be confused with Jesus). First there was a thought, then the word, and thus God spake to create. We pass on knowledge in this world through words. It is something that gives us guidance by "seeing" or a certain amount of comprehension.

5. Epinoia: Means "insight" as it comes from the higher connections of spirit. I can be translated as "wisdom" in the modern sense of the word. Without it one cannot gain Gnosis.

6. Autogenes: "Self Generated" is a reference to the first Aeon or the guiding light (usually the Logos, but sometimes Barbelos).

7. Pleroma: The word means "fullness". It refers to all existence beyond matter but not including Bythos (pre-beginning forefather) who is beyond it. In other words it is the world of the Aeons (emanations from the Prime Source of all or god) Archons⁸ and of our own (divine) spark, or spirit.

8. Archon: "Ruler". Refers to the creators and governing forces in the material world. The Demiurge is an archon, as are his offspring the angels.