the naassene fragment is a fragmentary text that survives in no document except a quotation in the early third century encyclopedia of heresies by hippolytus of rome, "refutation of all heresies" (5.7.2-9). it may be considered part of the new testament apocryphal tradition. the naassenes (from hebrew "na'asch", snake) were a gnostic ophite sect. the fragmentary quotation is given by hippolytus as expressing the fundamental ideas of the naassene ophites, and possibly of all gnostics.