The gospel of John.

Our fourth canonical gospel.

Attributed author(s).
John (the son of Zebedee?).

Text(s) available.
John 1-4, 5-8, 9-12, 13-16, 17-21 (on site, Greek only).
Online Greek Bible (Greek only).
Bible Gateway (English only).
HTML Bible: John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (Greek and English).
HTML Bible: John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (Latin Vulgate only).
Zhubert (Greek and English).
Kata Pi: John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (Greek and English).
Sacred Texts: John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 (polyglot).

Useful links.
Listed inventory of the gospel of John (on site).
Synoptic project (on site).
John at the NT Gateway.
John at Early Christian Writings.
John by Daniel Wallace.
John in the Catholic Encyclopedia.
John at Kata Pi (R. M. Grant).
ECW e-Catena: John 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21.
Paraphrase of the Gospel of John by Nonnos of Panopolis (PDF; Tony Prost).
Mark Goodacre, NT Gateway Blog:

Tertullian and the Johannine appendix.
Marcan and Johannine chronology.
Gospel manuscripts.
The last page of John in K. W. Clark 16.
The pericope de adultera

Patristic tradition tends to attribute our fourth canonical gospel to John, son of Zebedee. However, an early note in Papias implies that there were at least two influential men named John in the early church, and it has been suggested more than once that a John other than the son of Zebedee penned the gospel. I myself am still sorting through all these traditions and attributions.

Papias.
Justin Martyr.
Anti-Marcionite prologues.
Irenaeus.
Polycrates.
Theophilus of Antioch.
Tertullian.
Origen.
Dionysius of Alexandria.
Victorinus of Pettau.
Eusebius.
Jerome.
The Monarchian prologues.

Papias.

Early century I.

From Papias, Exegesis of the Oracles of the Lord, preface, according to Eusebius, History of the Church 3.39.3-4:

Ουκ οκνησω δε σοι και οσα ποτε παρα των πρεσβυτερων καλως εμαθον και καλως εμνημονευσα συγκαταταξαι ταις ερμηνειας, διαβεβαιουμενος υπερ αυτων αληθειαν. ου γαρ τοις τα πολλα λεγουσιν εχαιρον ωσπερ οι πολλοι, αλλα τοις ταληθη διδασκουσιν, ουδε τοις τας αλλοτριας εντολας μνηνευουσιν, αλλα τοις τας παρα του κυριου τη πιστει δεδομενας και απ αυτης παραγιγνομενας της αληθειας.

But I shall not hesitate to arrange alongside my interpretations as many things as I ever learned well and remembered well from the elders, confirming the truth on their behalf. For I did not rejoice, like many, over those who spoke many things, but [rather] over those who taught the truth, nor over those who related strange commands, but over those who related those given by the Lord by faith and coming from the truth itself.

Ει δε που και παρηκολουθηκως τις τοις πρεσβυτεροις ελθοι, τους των πρεσβυτερων ανεκρινον λογους, τι Ανδρεας η τι Πετρος ειπεν η τι Φιλιππος η τι Θωμας η Ιακωβος η τι Ιωαννης η Ματθαιος η τις ετερος των του κυριου μαθητων α τε Αριστιων και ο πρεσβυτερος Ιωαννης, του κυριου μαθηται, λεγουσιν. ου γαρ τα εκ των βιβλιων τοσουτον με ωφελειν υπελαμβανον οσον τα παρα ζωσης φωνης και μενουσης.

And if anyone chanced to come along who had followed the elders, I inquired as to the words of the elders, what Andrew or what Peter had said, or what Philip or what Thomas or James or what John or Matthew or any other of the disciples of the Lord [had said], the things which both Aristion and the elder John, disciples of the Lord, were saying. For I did not suppose that things from books would profit me as much as things from a living and remaining voice.

From Philip of Side, Epitome, codex Baroccianus 142:

Παπιας Ιεραπολεως επισκοπος ακουστης του θεολογου Ιωαννου γενομενος, Πολυκαρπου δε εταιρος, πεντε λογους κυριακων λογιων εγραψεν, εν οις απαριθμησιν αποστολων ποιουμενος μετα Πετρον και Ιωαννην, Φιλιππον και Θωμαν και Ματθαιον εις μαθητας του κυριου ανεγραψεν Αριστιωνα και Ιωαννην ετερον, ον και πρεσβυτερον εκαλεσεν. ως τινας οιεσθαι οτι {τουτου} του Ιωαννου εισιν αι δυο επιστολαι αι μικραι και καθολικαι, αι εξ ονοματος Ιωαννου φερομεναι, δια το τους αρχαιους την πρωτην μονην εγκρινειν. τινες δε και την αποκαλυψιν τουτου πλανηθεντες ενομισαν. και Παπιας δε περι την χιλιονταετηριδα σφαλλεται, εξ ου και ο Ειρηναιος.

Papias, bishop of Hierapolis, who was hearer of the theologian John, and companion of Polycarp, wrote five volumes of the lordly oracles, in which, making an enumeration of the apostles, after Peter and John, Philip and Thomas and Matthew, to the disciples of the Lord he wrote up Aristion and another John, whom he also called elder, so that some suppose that of {this} John are the two short and catholic epistles which are extant from the name of John, because the ancients classified the first alone. And some who are deceived consider the revelation to be of this man. But Papias too was mistaken about the millennial years, and from him also Irenaeus.

Παπιας εν τω δευτερω λογω λεγει οτι Ιωαννης ο θεολογος και Ιακωβος ο αδελφος αυτου υπο Ιουδαιων ανηρεθησαν. Παπιας ο ειρημενος ιστορησεν ως παραλαβων απο των θυγατερων Φιλιππου οτι Βαρσαβας ο και Ιουστος δοκιμαζομενος υπο των απιστων ιον εχιδνης πιων εν ονοματι του Χριστου απαθης διεφυλαχθη. ιστορει δε και αλλα θαυματα και μαλιστα το κατα την μητερα Μαναιμου την εκ νεκρων αναστασαν. περι των υπο του Χριστου εκ νεκρων ανασταντων, οτι εως Αδριανου εζων.

Papias in the second volume says that John the theologian and James his brother were done away with by Jews. The aforesaid Papias reported as having received it from the daughters of Philip that Barsabas who is Justus, tested by the unbelievers, drank the venom of a viper in the name of the Christ and was protected unharmed. He also reports other wonders and especially that about the mother of Manaemus, her resurrection from the dead. Concerning those resurrected by the Christ from the dead, that they lived until Hadrian.

From the Chronicon of George Harmatolos, codex Coislinianus 305 (Lightfoot-Holmes 6):

Μετα δε Δομετιανον εβασιλευσε Νερουας ετος εν, ος ανακαλεσαμενος Ιωαννην εκ της νησου απελυσεν οικειν εν Εφεσω. μονος τοτε περιων τω βιω εκ των δωδεκα μαθητων και συγγραψαμενος το κατ αυτον ευαγγελιον, μαρτυριου κατηξιωται. Παπιας γαρ ο Ιεραπολεως επισκοπος αυτοπτης τουτου γενομενος εν τω δευτερω λογω των κυριακων λογιων φασκει οτι υπο Ιουδαιων ανηρεθη, πληρωσας δηλαδη μετα του αδελφου την του Χριστου περι αυτων προρρησιν και την εαυτων ομολογιαν περι τουτου και συγκαταθεσιν.

And, after Domitian, Nerva ruled as king for one year, who, having called John back from the island, released him to house in Ephesus. Being then the only one still alive from the twelve disciples, and having composed the gospel according to himself, he was held worthy of martyrdom. For Papias, the bishop of Heirapolis, who was the eyewitness of this man, in the second volume of the lordly oracles claims that he was done away with by Jews, having clearly fulfilled with his brother the prediction of Christ about them and their own confession about this and submission.

Ειπων γαρ ο κυριος προς αυτους· δυνασθε πιειν το ποτηριον ο εγω πινω; και κατανευσαντων προθυμως και συνθεμενων. το ποτηριον μου, φησι, πιεσθε και το βαπτισμα ο εγω βαπτιζομαι βαπτισθησεσθε. και εικοτως, αδυνατον γαρ θεον ψευσασθαι. ουτω δε και ο πολυμαθης Ωριγενης εν τη κατα Ματθαιον ερμηνεια διαβεβαιουται ως οτι μεμαρτυρηκεν Ιωαννης, εκ των διαδοχων των αποστολων υποσημαιναμενος τουτο μεμαθηκεναι. και ο πολυιστωρ Ευσεβειος εν τη εκκλησιαστικη ιστορια φησι· Θωμας μεν την Παρθιαν ειληχεν· Ιωαννης δε την Ασιαν, προς ους και διατριψας ετελευτησεν εν Εφεσω.

For the Lord said to them: Are you able to drink the cup that I drink? And they assented desirously and agreed. My cup, he says, you shall drink, and you shall be baptized the baptism with which I am baptized. And reasonably, for God is unable to pass falsehood. And thus also the very learned Origen in the interpretation according to Matthew confirms as that John has been martyred, having signaled that he learned this from the successors of the apostles. And the well-read Eusebius in the ecclesiastical history says: Thomas was allotted Parthia, and John Asia, where also, having passed his time, he came to his end in Ephesus.

It is also possible that Papias commented on the aloe mentioned in John 19.39, according to the following comment by Vardan Vardapet (originally in Armenian):

But, concerning the aloe which people brought, some say that it was a mixture of oil and honey, but aloe is certainly a kind of incense. The geographer and Papias report that there are fifteen kinds of aloe in India.

But this reference may be to Papias of Lombardy, a medieval lexicographer.

Papias also wrote a story about a woman caught in adultery which must have at least somewhat resembled the pericope de adultera found in John 7.53-8.11.

Justin.

Middle of century II.

Apology 1.61.4-5:

Και γαρ ο Χριστος ειπεν· Αν μη αναγεννηθητε, ου μη εισελθητε εις την βασιλειαν των ουρανων.

For Christ also said: Unless you are born again, you shall not go into the kingdom of the heavens.

Οτι δε και αδυνατον εις τας μητρας των τεκουσων τους απαξ γεννωμενους εμβηναι φανερον πασιν εστι.

But that those who have once been born are unable to enter into the maternal womb is apparent to all.

Confer John 3.3-4.

Anti-Marcionite prologues.

Late century II?

These Latin prologues, also called the Old Latin prologues, precede each of the gospels in some copies of the Latin Bible. Scholars disagree as to their exact date, but many place them in the late second century. A Matthean prologue is not extant.

Irenaeus.

Late century II.

Irenaeus of Lyons refers explicitly to all four canonical gospels.

From Irenaeus, Against Heresies 3.11.1:

Hanc fidem adnuntians Iohannes domini discipulus, volens per evangelii adnuntiationem auferre eum qui a Cerintho inseminatus erat hominibus errorem et multo prius ab his qui dicuntur Nicolaitae, qui sunt vulsio eiuj quae falso cognominatur scientiae, ut confunderet eos et suaderet quoniam unus deus qui omnia fecit per verbum suum, et non, quemadmodum illi dicunt, alterum quidem fabricatorem, altum autem patrem domini, et alium quidem fabricatoris filium, alterum vero de superioribus Christum quem et inpassibilem perseverasse, descendentem in Iesum filium fabricatoris et iterum revolasse in suum pleroma; it initium quidem esse monogenen, logon autem iterum filium unigeniti; et eam condicionem quae est secundum nos non a primo deo factam, sed a virtute aliqua valde deorsum subiecta et abscissa ab eorum communicatione quae sunt invisibilia et innominabilia, omnia igitur talia conscribere volens discipulus domini et regulam veritatis constituere in ecclesia quia est unus deus omnipotens qui per verbum suum omnia fecit et visibilia et invisibilia, significans quoque quoniam per verbum per quod deus perfecit condicionem in hoc et salutem his qui in condicione sunt praestitit hominibus, sic inchoavit in ea quae est secundum evangelium doctrina: In principio erat verbum, et verbum erat apud deum, et deus erat verbum; hoc erat in principio apud deum. omnia per ipsum facta sunt, et sine ipso factum est nihil. quod factum est in eo vita est, et vita erat lux hominum. et lux in tenebris lucet, et tenebrae eam non conprehenderunt.

John, the disciple of the Lord, preaches this faith and seeks, by the proclamation of the gospel, to remove that error which had been disseminated among men by Cerinthus, and a long time previously by those termed Nicolaitans, who are an offset of that knowledge falsely so called, that he might confound them and persuade them that there is but one God, who made all things by his word, and not, as they allege, that the creator was one but the father of the Lord another; and that the son of the creator was, forsooth, one, but the Christ from above another, who also continued impassible, descending upon Jesus, the son of the creator, and flew back again into his pleroma; and that monogenes was the beginning, but logos was the true son of the monogenes; and that this creation to which we belong was not made by the primary God but rather by some power lying far below him and shut off from communion with the things invisible and ineffable. The disciple of the Lord, therefore, desiring to put an end to all such doctrines and to establish the rule of truth in the church, that there is one almighty God, who made all things by his word, both visible and invisible, showing at the same time that by the word, through whom God made the creation, he also bestowed salvation on the men included in the creation, thus commenced his teaching in the gospel: In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, and the word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him, and without him was nothing made. What was made was life in him, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not.*

* Refer to John 1.1-5.

Irenaeus Against Heresies 5.33.4 (Greek from Eusebius, History of the Church 3.39.1):

Haec autem et Papias Iohannis auditor, Polycarpi autem contubernalis, vetus homo, per scripturam testimonium perhibit in quarto librorum suorum; sunt enim illi quinque libri conscripti.

Ταυτα δε και Παπιας ο Ιωαννου μεν ακουστης Πολυκαρπου δε εταιρος γεγονως, αρχαιος ανηρ, εγγραφως επιμαρτυρει εν τη τεταρτη των εαυτου βιβλιων. εστιν γαρ αυτω πεντε βιβλια συντεταγμενα.

These things Papias too, who was a hearer of John and companion of Polycarp, and an ancient man, wrote and testified in the fourth of his books. For there are five books arranged by him.

Polycrates.

Late century II.

Eusebius, History of the Church 3.31.1-3:

Παυλου μεν ουν και Πετρου της τελευτης ο τε χρονος και ο τροπος και προς ετι της μετα την απαλλαγην του βιου των σκηνωματων αυτων καταθεσεως ο χωρος ηδη προτερον ημιν δεδηλωται. του δε Ιωαννου τα μεν του χρονου ηδη πως ειρηται, το δε γε του σκηνωματος αυτου χωριον εξ επιστολης Πολυκρατους, της δ εν Εφεσω παροικιας επισκοπος ουτος ην, επιδεικνυται, ην Ουικτορι Ρωμαιων επισκοπω γραφων, ομου τε αυτου και Φιλιππου μνημονευει του αποστολου των τε τουτου θυγατερων ωδε πως·

So both the time and the manner of the death of Paul and Peter, as well as the place where their corpses were placed after their departure from this life, have been already shown by us. And the time of the death of John has already been given, but the place of his corpse is shown from an epistle of Polycrates, and he was bishop of the parish in Ephesus, which was written to Victor, bishop of Rome, in which [epistle] he mentions him and Philip the apostle and the daughters of the latter, suchwise:

Και γαρ κατα την Ασιαν μεγαλα στοιχεια κεκοιμηται, ατινα αναστησεται τη εσχατη ημερα της παρουσιας του κυριου, εν η ερχεται μετα δοξης εξ ουρανου και αναζητησει παντας τους αγιους, Φιλιππον των δωδεκα αποστολων, ος κεκοιμηται εν Ιεραπολει, και δυο θυγατερας αυτου γεγηρακυιαι παρθενοι, και η ετερα αυτου θυγατηρ εν αγιω πνευματι πολιτευσαμενη εν Εφεσω αναπαυεται· ετι δε και Ιωαννης, ο επι το στηθος του κυριου αναπεσων, ος εγενηθη ιυρευς το πεταλον πεφορεκως και μαρτυς και διδασκαλος, ουτος εν Εφεσω κεκοιμηται.

For in Asia also great luminaries have fallen asleep, which shall resurrect on the last day of the advent of the Lord, in which he is coming with glory from heaven and shall seek out all the saints, such as Philip of the twelve apostles, who sleeps in Hierapolis, and his two daughters who grew old as virgins, and the other daughter who conducted herself in the holy spirit and rests in Ephesus; and there was also John, who rested upon the breast of the Lord, who became a priest who wore the plate, both martyr and teacher; he sleeps in Ephesus.

In History of the Church 5.24.1-3 Eusebius writes the following of Polycrates:

Των δε επι της Ασιας επισκοπων το παλαι προτερον αυτοις παραδοθεν διαφυλαττειν εθος χρηναι διισχυριζομενων ηγειτο Πολυκρατης, ος και αυτος εν η προς Βικτορα και την Ρωμαιων εκκλησιαν διετυπωσατο γραφη την εις αυτον ελθουσαν παραδοσιν εκτιθεται δια τουτων· Ημεις ουν αραδιουργητον αγομεν την ημεραν, μητε προστιθεντες μητε αφαιρουμενοι.

But the bishops of Asia, led by Polycrates, decided to hold to the old custom handed down to them. He himself, in a letter which he addressed to Victor and the church of Rome, set forth in the following words the tradition which had come down to him: We observe the exact day; neither adding, nor taking away.

At this point the epistle of Polycrates continues exactly as in History of the Church 3.31.1-3, with the sentence about the great luminaries in Asia, except that in this instance Eusebius has omitted the word εσχατη modifying ημερα.

The Muratorian canon.

Late century II.

This canonical list witnesses to the gospel of John directly.

Theophilus of Antioch.

Late century II.

Jerome writes in epistle 121 that Theophilus compiled the sayings of the four evangelists into one work, and he refers in general to inspired gospels (in the plural).

Theophilus also quotes from the gospel of John by name in To Autolycus 2.22.2:

Οθεν διδασκουσιν ημας αι αγιαι γραφαι και παντες οι πνευματοφοροι, εξ ων Ιωαννης λεγει· Εν αρχη ην ο λογος, και ο λογος ην προς τον θεον, δεικνυς οτι εν πρωτοις μονος ην ο θεος και εν αυτω ο λογος. επειτα λεγει· Και θεος ην ο λογος· παντα δι αυτου εγενετο, και χωρις αυτου εγενετο ουδεν.

Whence the holy writings and all those borne by the spirit teach us, from among whom John says: In the beginning was the word, and the word was with God, showing that at first God was alone and the word was in him. Then he says: The word was God; all things came to be through him; and apart from him nothing came to be.

Tertullian.

Early century III.

Tertullian affirms the four gospels as authoritative.

Refer also to my page on Tertullian and the Johannine appendix.

Origen.

Early century III.

Origen knows all four canonical gospels by name.

Dionysius of Alexandria.

Middle of century III.

Dionysius affirms that the gospel and one epistle of John, but not the apocalypse of John, were penned by the apostle John, son of Zebedee, brother of James, according to Eusebius, History of the Church 7.25.7, quoting from Dionysius:

Καλεισθαι μεν ουν αυτον Ιωαννην και ειναι την γραφην Ιωαννου ταυτην ουκ αντερω, αγιου μεν γαρ ειναι τινος και θεοπνευστου συναινω ου μην ραδιως αν συνθειμην τουτον ειναι τον αποστολον, τον υιον Ζεβεδαιου, τον αδελφον Ιακωβου, ου το ευαγγελιον το κατα Ιωαννην επιγεγραμμενον και η επιστολη η καθολικη.

Therefore that he was called John, and that this book is the work of one John, I do not deny. And I agree also that it is the work of a holy and inspired man. But I cannot readily admit that he was the apostle, the son of Zebedee, the brother of James, by whom the gospel of John and the catholic epistle were written.

Victorinus of Pettau.

Late century III.

Victorinus knows all four canonical gospels by name.

Eusebius.

Early century IV.

Eusebius knows all four canonical gospels by name.

From the Chronicle:

Ιωαννην τον θεολογαν και αποστολον Ειρηναιος και αλλοι ιστορουσι παραμειναι τω βιω εως χρονων Τραιανου· μεθ ον Παπιας Ιεραπολιτης και Πολυκαρπος Σμυρνης επισκοπος ακουσται αυτου εγνωριζοντο.

Irenaeus and others record that John the theologian and apostle remained alive until the time of Trajan, after whom Papias of Hierapolis and Polycarp the bishop of Smyrna, his hearers, were made known.

Refer to my page on Papias for the Latin text of this passage that Jerome offers.

Jerome.

Late century IV or early century V.

Jerome knows all four canonical gospels by name.

Jerome, commentary on the epistle of Paul to the Galatians (translation slightly modified from Orchard and Riley, The Order of the Synoptics, pages 207-208):

Beatus Ioannes evangelista cum Ephesi moraretur usque ad ultimam senectutem et vix inter discipulorum manus ad ecclesiam deferretur nec posset in plura vocem verba contexere, nihil aliud per singulas solebat proferri collectas, nisi hoc: Filioli, diligite alterutrum. tandem discipuli et fratres qui aderant, taedio affecti quod eadem semper audirent, dixerunt: Magister, quare semper hoc loqueris? qui respondit dignam Ioanne sententiam: Quia praeceptum domini est, et si solum fiat, sufficit. hoc propter praesens apostoli mandatum: Operemur bonum ad omnes; maxime autem ad domesticos fidei.

Blessed John the evangelist, while dwelling at Ephesus, would even in extreme old age be borne with difficulty in the hands of his disciples into the church. He had not the strength for many words, yet he was in the habit of saying nothing in each of his prayers but this: Little children, love one another.¹ At last the disciples and brethren who were present, irritated at always hearing the same thing, said: Master, why do you keep on saying this? His answer was wholly characteristic of John: Because it is the command of the Lord, and, if it were that alone, it would be enough. Hence this present command of the apostle: Let us do good to all, but especially to members of the household of the faith.¹

¹ For loving one another refer to John 13.34; 15.12, 17; 1 John 3.11, 23; 4.7, 11-12; 2 John 1.5. Confer Romans 13.8; 1 Thessalonians 4.9; 1 Peter 1.22. For little children refer to John 13.33; 1 John 2.1, 12, 28; 3.7, 18; 4.4; 5.21.
² Refer to Galatians 6.10.

The Monarchian prologues.

Century IV or V.

These Latin prologues precede the gospels in some manuscripts of the Latin Bible. A prologue is extant for each of the four canonical gospels.

Attestation for the gospel: The epistles of Ignatius (?), the gospel of Thomas (?), the long ending of Mark (?), Papias (implied), the gospel of Peter (?), Ƿ⁵², papyrus Egerton 2 (?), Ƿ⁹⁰, Justin Martyr (Apology 1.61.4), Valentinus (Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.8.5-6; Clement of Alexandria, Excerpts from Theodotus), Heracleon (Origen, Commentary on John, passim), the odes of Solomon, the traditions of the elders, the gospel prologues, Melito of Sardis (Paschal Homily), Apollinaris of Hierapolis (from the Chronicon Paschale), the Montanists, the Epistula Apostolorum, the Diatessaron of Tatian, Irenaeus (including Against Heresies 3.11.9), the Muratorian canon, Polycrates of Ephesus (Eusebius, History of the Church 3.31.1-4), Theophilus of Antioch (To Autolycus 2.22.2; Jerome, epistle 121), Celsus (Origen, Against Celsus 1.70), Clement of Alexandria (century II), Origen, Gaius of Rome, the Alogi (Epiphanius, Panarion 51), Victorinus of Pettau (On the Apocalypse, book 4), Ƿ⁵, Ƿ²², Ƿ²⁸, Ƿ³⁹, Ƿ⁴⁵, Ƿ⁶⁶, Ƿ⁷⁵, Ƿ⁸⁰, Ƿ⁹⁵ (century III), Eusebius, Ƿ⁶, א, B, 0162 (century IV), Jerome, A, C, D, L, W, Δ, Θ, Ψ. Refer to my page on gospel origins.

Ptolemy on the prologue of John.

From Irenaeus, Against Heresies 1.8.5 (Greek from Epiphanius, Panarion 31.27.1):

Ετι δε Ιωαννην τον μαθητην του κυριου διδασκουσι την πρωτην ογδοαδα μεμηνυκεναι, αυταις λεξεσι λεγοντες ουτως· Ιωαννης ο μαθητης του κυριου, βουλομενος ειπειν την των ολων γενεσιν....

But [the Valentinians] teach that John the disciple of the Lord made mention of the first ogdoad, saying thus in these words: John the disciple of the Lord, wishing to say the origin of the whole of all things....

What follows from this point is an exposition of John 1.1-18. Source: Martin Hengel, The Johannine Question, page 145, note 34. Hengel notes that Ptolemy is explicitly mentioned at the end of the section (but only in the Latin version, not in the Greek): Et Ptolemaeus quidem ita (and indeed [it is] Ptolemy [who thinks] thus).

Martin Hengel, The Johannine Question, page 9:

In addition to Ptolemy, I should also mention Heracleon, who was his slightly later contemporary in Rome. Like Ptolemy, he calls John 'the disciple' (as opposed to the Baptist) and reckons him among the apostles. He also wrote the first allegorical commentary on the Gospel of John. The Alexandrian pupil of Valentinus, Theodotus, also often made use of it, calling John and Paul 'apostolos'.

On page 146, note 44, Hengel refers the reader to W. Völker, Quellen zur Geschichte der christlichen Gnosis, in Sammlung ausgewählter kirchen- und dogmengeschichtlicher Quellenschriften NF 5, 1932, pages 63-86.

Johannine editing quirks?

John 5.1-47 takes place in Jerusalem, but then John 6.1 has Jesus going to the other side of the sea of Galilee, or Tiberias; should chapters 5 and 6 be switched? In John 14.31 Jesus says: Arise, let us go, but then the speech continues for three more chapters. John 3.5 (unless one is born of water and spirit...) versus 7.39 (the spirit was not yet given). John 7.15-24 seems to go with John 5.1-47; the transition from 7.14 to 7.25 is smooth. John 10.19-21 seems to go with 9.1-41. John 10.1-18 seems to go with 10.27-29. John 12.44-50 seems to go with John 9.1-41.