This Gnostic anthology was originally prepared for a series, now terminated, published under the auspices of the Committee on the History of Religion of the American Council of Learned Societies. Along the way it has received the benefit of a good deal of revision, especially by A.D. Nock, E.R. Hardy, and W.R. Schoedel. As they now stand, the translations from Greek and Latin documents were made by the editor (except for Corpus Hermeticum I, IV, and VII, originally prepared by F.C. Grant, and XIII, prepared by W.R. Schoedel. The Syriac Hymn oj the Soul, originally translated by A.A. Bevan in 1897, has been revised by W.R. Schoedel. The translations of the Gospel of Mary and The Secret Book of John are based on the German version of W. Till as revised from the Coptic by E.R. Hardy. The new translation of the Gospel of Truth was made by W.W. Isenberg and was awarded a prize by the Christian Research Foundation.

The translations of biblical passages are not derived from English versions but from the quotations made by Gnostic writers, though references to the Psalms are given in accordance with the English numbering.