Notice on the Bruce Gnostic Papyrus

THE

GNOSTIC
BRUCE
PAPYRUS.

whose letters are in this world A diagram depicts two stylized cursive sigla resembling the letter z or the number 2.; for it is you who have caused the truth to emanate from your entire being, until you created through your emanation the place of this little thought, for such is your will, O immutable God. Then he had his disciples answer three times: "Amen, amen, amen." He also said to them: "Repeat amen after me at each glorification." He said again: "I will sing you a hymn of praise, O God, my father; for it is you who created the place of this little thought, so that it might shine in you, for, O immutable God, such was your will." Then they said: "A diagram depicts a circle with a cross above." three times. It is evident that here the siglum circle with cross above takes the place of what the disciples were to answer, that is to say amen. One could therefore believe, with a semblance of reason, that this siglum corresponds to the word amen (amen); but the rest of the text in no way allows this conclusion, for the same siglum is used for the beginning of the formula: I hymn you, O circle with cross above for you are. The entire formula is: I hymn you, O God, my immutable [one], for you are, etc. In this latter case, the siglum circle with cross above therefore takes the place of O God, my immutable [one]. It is therefore a sign that the formula in question is abbreviated when one uses it, and it is not an abbreviation of a formula that is always the same. I have said that this siglum was exchanged with Γ°; the proof of this is in the same formula: for what is your will that all these things should happen, O God Γ°, that is to say O God, my immutable [one]. These sigla are quite often followed by the last letters of the formula, such as for circle with cross above the end or the end (1), that is to say amen, amen, amen, O God, my immutable [one]. One even encounters the following abbreviation: for the endΓ° for you have gathered me, etc.; that is to say

(1) These letters are put for the initial O of the formula "O God" and the final letters "the end, my immutable [one]".