CHAPTER 1
But it happened that after Jesus had risen from the dead he spent eleven years speaking with his disciples . And he taught them only as far as the places of the first ordinance and as far as the places of the First Mystery, which is within the veil which is within the first ordinance, which is the 24th mystery outside and below , these which are in the second space of the First Mystery, which is before all mysteries the Father in the form of a dove . And Jesus said to his disciples : “I have come forth from that First Mystery which is the last mystery, namely the 24th”..
And the disciples did not know and understand that there was anything within that mystery. But they thought that that mystery was the head of the All , and the head of all the things that exist . And they thought that it was the completion of all completions, because Jesus had said to them concerning the mystery, that it surrounded the first ordinance and the five incisions and the great light and the five helpers (parastatai) and the whole Treasury of Light. And moreover Jesus had not spoken to his disciples of the whole extent of the places of the great invisible one and the three triple powers and the 24 invisible ones and all their places and their aeons and all their ranks, how they extend – these which are the emanations of the great invisible one – and their unbegotten ones and their self-begotten ones and their begotten ones and their luminaries and their unpaired ones and their archons and their powers (exousiai) and their lords and their archangels and their angels and their decans and their ministers and all the houses of their spheres and all the ranks of each one of them.
And Jesus had not told his disciples of the whole extent of the emanations of the treasury, nor their ranks how they extend, nor had he told them of their saviours, according to the rank of each one, how they are. Nor had he told them which watcher is over each of the doors of the Treasury of Light. Nor had he told them of the place of the twin saviour who is the child of the child. Nor had he told them of the place of the three amens, in which places they extend, and he had not told them in which places the five trees are spread, nor of the seven other amens, namely the seven voices, which their place is and how they extend. And Jesus had not told his disciples of what type are the five helpers (Parastatai). Or into which places they are brought. Nor had he told them in what manner the great light extends, or into which places it is brought- Nor had he told them of the five incisions, nor concerning the first ordinance, into which places they are brought. But he had only spoken to them in general, teaching them that they existed. But he had not told them their extent and the rank of their places according to how they exist. Because of this they also did not know that other places existed within that mystery. And he had not said to his disciples : “I came forth from such and such places until I entered that mystery, until I came forth from it.” But he had said to them as hen thaught them : “I came forth from that mystery”.
Because of this they thought now of that mystery that it was the completion of all completions, and that it was the head of the All, and that it was (the) whole pleroma, since Jesus had said to his disciples : “That mystery surrounds the totalities of which I have told you all from the day on which I met you until today”. Because of this the disciples thought now that there was nothing existing within that mystery..
CHAPTER 2.
It happened as the disciples were sitting with one another upon the Mount of Olives, as they spoke these words they rejoiced with great joy, and they were very jubilant, and they said to one another: “We are blessed beyond all men who are on earth because the Saviour has revealed these things to us, and we have received the pleroma and the whole completion”. As they were saying these things to one another, Jesus was sitting at a short distance from them.
It happened, however, on the 1st of the moon in the month of Tôbe, which is the day on which the moon becomes full, now on that day when the sun had risen on its path , there came forth after it a great power of light, giving a very great light, and there was no measure to its accompanying light , for it came forth from the Light of Lights, exceedingly, with (a) light to which there was no measure.
And the disciples gazed after him, and not one of them spoke until he had reached heaven, but they all kept a great silence. Now these things happened on the 15th of the moon, on the day on which it is full in the month of Tôbe.
Now it happened when Jesus went up to heaven, after three hours all the powers of the heavens were disturbed, and they all shook against one another, they and all their aeons, and all their places and all their ranks and the whole earth moved with all who dwelt upon it. And all the men in the world were agitated, and also the disciples. And they all thought : “Perhaps the world will be rolled up”. And all the powers which are in the heavens did not cease from their agitation, they and the whole world, and they all moved against one another from the third hour of the 15th of the moon in (the month of) Tôbe until the ninth hour of the following day. And all the angels and their archangels and all the powers of the height all sang praises to the innermost of the inner , so that the whole world heard their voices, and they did not cease until the ninth hour of the following day.
CHAPTER 3.
Now it happened when the light-power had come down upon Jesus, it gradually surrounded him completely.
Then Jesus rose or ascended to the height, giving light exceedingly, with (a) light to which there was no measure.
And the disciples gazed after him, and not one of them spoke until he had reached heaven, but they all kept a great silence. Now these things happened on the 1st of the moon, on the day on which it is full in the month of Tôbe.
Now it happened when Jesus went up to heaven, after three hours all the powers of the heavens were disturbed, and they all shook against one another , they and all their aeons, and all their places and all their ranks and the whole earth moved with all who dwelt upon it. And all the men in the world were agitated, and also the disciples. And they all thought : “Perhaps the world will be rolled up”. And all the powers which are in the heavens did not cease from their agitation, they and the whole world, and they all moved against one another from the third hour of the 1st of the moon in (the month on Tôbe until the ninth hour of the following day. And all the angels and their archangels and all the powers of the height all sang praises to the innermost of the inner , so that the whole world heard their voices, and they did not cease until the ninth hour of the following day.
CHAPTER 4.
The disciples, however, sat with one another in fear, and were greatly agitated. ( They were afraid, however, on account of the great earthquake which happened, and they wept together, saying: “What will happen now? Perhaps the Saviour will destroy all the places”.
As they were saying these things and were weeping to one another, on the ninth hour of the following day the heavens opened, and they saw Jesus coming down, giving light exceedingly, and there was no measure to the light in which he was. For he gave more light than in the hour -that he went up to heaven, so that the men in the world were not able to speak of the light which was his, and it cast forth very many rays of light, and there was no measure to its rays. And his light was not equal throughout, but it was of different kinds, and it was of different types, so that some were many times superior to others, and the whole light together was in three forms, and the one was many times superior to the other; the second which was in the middle was superior to the first which was below; and the third which was above them all was superior to the second which was below. And the first ray which was below them all was similar to the light which had come down upon Jesus before he went up to heaven, and it was quite equal to it in its light. And the three light-forms were of different kinds of light and they were of different types. And some were many times superior to others.
CHAPTER 5.
It happened, however, when the disciples saw these they were greatly afraid and agitated. Now Jesus, the compassionate and tender-hearted, when he saw that his disciples were in great agitation, he spoke to them saying : “Be courageous. It is I, do not fear” .
CHAPTER 6.
Now it happened when the disciples heard these words, they said : “Lord, if it be thou, draw thy light-glory to thyself so that we can stand, otherwise our eyes are darkened and we are agitated, and also the whole world is agitated 1, because of the great light which is thine”.
Then Jesus drew to himself the glory of his light. And when this had happened all the disciples took courage, they came before Jesus, they all prostrated themselves at the same time, they worshipped him, rejoicing with great joy. They said to him : “Rabbi, where didst thou go, or what was thy service in which thou didst go, or for what reason were all these disturbances and all these earthquakes which happened ?”.
Then Jesus, the compassionate, said to them : “Rejoice and be glad from this hour because I have been to the places from whence I came forth. From today onwards now I will speak with you openly from the beginning of the truth until its completion. And I will speak with you face to face, without parable . I will not conceal from you, from this hour onwards, anything of the things of the height and of the place of the truth . For I have been given authority , through the Ineffable and through the First Mystery of all the mysteries, that I should speak with you from the beginning until the pleroma, and from within outwards, and from without inwards. Hear now, so that I tell you all things.
It happened as I was sitting at a short distance from you upon the Mount of Olives, I was thinking of the rank of the service for which I was sent, that it should be completed, and that my garment was not yet sent to me by the First Mystery, which is the 24th mystery from within outwards.
These (24 mysteries) are in the second space of the First Mystery in the rank of that space. It happened now when I knew that the rank of the service for which I had been sent was completed, and that that mystery had not yet sent me the garment, which I had left behind within it until the time was completed – as I thought of these things, I was sitting upon the Mount of Olives at a short distance from you.
CHAPTER 7
It happened when the sun rose in the East now after- wards, through the First Mystery which had existed from the beginning, because of which ( the All existed, from which I myself have come just now – not prior to my crucifixion , but now – it happened through the command of that mystery, it sent me my garment of light, which it had given to me from the beginning, which I had left behind in the last mystery which is the 24th mystery from within outwards, these (24 mysteries) which are in the ranks of the second space of the First Mystery. That garment (of light) now I had left behind in the last mystery until the time was completed that I should put it on me, and that I should begin to speak with the race of mankind, and reveal to them all things from the beginning of the truth until its completion, and speak to them from the innermost of the inner to the outermost of the outer, and from the outermost of the outer to the innermost of the inner. Rejoice and be glad , and rejoice still more, that it is given to you that I should speak with you first from the beginning of the truth until its completion. Because of this indeed I have chosen you from the beginning ( through the First Mystery. Rejoice now and be glad , because when I entered the world I brought the twelve powers with me, as I told you from the beginning, which I took from the twelve saviours of the Treasury of Light, according to the command of the First Mystery.
These now I cast into the wombs of your mothers when I came into the world, and it is these which are in your bodies today. For these powers have been given to you above the whole world, for you are those who are able to save the whole world, so that you should be able to withstand the threat of the archons of the world, and the sufferings of the world and their dangers, and all their persecutions which the archons of the height will bring upon you. For I have said to you many times that the power which is within you I have brought from the twelve saviours, which are in the Treasury of Light. For this reason I have indeed said to you from the beginning that you are not from the world; I also am not from it . For all men who are in the world have received souls from (the power) of the archons of the aeons. The power, however, which is in you, is from me but your souls belong to the height. I have brought twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, taking them from the part of my power which I received at first. And when I entered the world I came to the midst of the archons of the sphere, and I took the likeness of Gabriel, the Angel of the aeons, and the archers of the aeons did not recognize me . But they thought that I was the Angel Gabriel. Now it happened that when I came into the midst of the archons of the aeons, I looked down at the world of mankind, at the command of the First Mystery.
I found Elisabeth, the mother of John the Baptist , before she had conceived him and I cast into her a power which I had received from the Little Jao , the Good, who is in the Midst, so that he should be able to preach before me, and prepare my way and baptise with water of forgiveness .
Now that power was in the body of John. And again, in place of the soul of the archons which he was due to receive, I found the soul of the prophet Elias in the aeons of the sphere; and I took it in and I took his soul again; I brought it to the Virgin of the Light, and she gave it to her paralemptors . They brought it to the sphere of the archons, and they cast it into the womb of Elisabeth. But the power of the Little Jao, he of the Midst, and the soul of the prophet Elias were bound in the body of John the Baptist.
You doubted now at the time when I spoke to you because John said : ‘I am not the Christ’ and you said to me : ‘lt is written in the scripture : when the Christ shall come, there will come Elias before him and he will prepare his way’. But when you said this to me, I said to you : ‘Elias has indeed come and he has prepared all things, as it is written : And they did to him as they pleased. And when I knew that you did not understand what I said to you concerning the soul of Elias, which was bound in John the Baptist, I answered you openly in speech, face to face, saying : ‘If it pleases you to accept John the Baptist, he is Elias of whom I have said that he will come'”.
CHAPTER 8.
Jesus continued again speaking and said: “Now it happened after this, through the command of the First Mystery, I looked down again upon the world of mankind, I found Mary, who is called my mother according to the material body. I spoke to her in the type of Gabriel , and when she turned to the height towards me, I cast into her the first power which I had received from the Barbelo, which is the body which I wore in the height. And in place of the soul, I cast into her the power which I received from the great Sabaoth, the Good , who is in the place of the right. And the twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, which I received from the twelve servers which are in the Midst, I cast into the sphere of the archons. And the decans of the archons and their ministers thought that they were souls of the archons, and the ministers brought them, they bound them in the bodies of your mothers. And when your times were completed, they bore you into the world without there being souls of the archons in you. And you have received your parts from the power which the last helper (parastates) had breathed into the mixture, this (power) which is mixed with all the invisible ones and all the archons and all the aeons. In a word, it is mixed with the world of destruction, namely the mixture.
This (power) which, from the beginning, I brought out of myself, I cast into the first ordinance. And the first ordinance cast a part of it into the great light. And the great light cast a part of what it received into the five helpers (parastatai), and the last helper (parastates) took a part from what it received and cast it into the mixture. And (the part) has come to be in all who are in the mixture, as I have just said to you.” Now Jesus was saying these things to his disciples upon the Mount of Olives. Jesus now continued again in the discourse with his disciples: “Rejoice and be glad , and add joy to your joy, because the times are completed that I should put on my garment which was prepared for me from the beginning, which I left behind in the last mystery until the time of its completion. But the time of its completion is the time when I am commanded by the First Mystery to speak to you from the beginning of the truth to its fulfillment, and from the innermost of the inner (to the outermost of the outer), because the world will be saved by you. Rejoice and be glad because you are blessed beyond all men upon earth, because it is you who will save the whole world.”.
CHAPTER 9
It happened now when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he continued again with the discourse, and he said to them : “Behold, I have put on my garment and all authority is given to me through the First Mystery.
Yet a little time, and I will tell you ( the mystery of the All and the pleroma of the All, and I will not hide anything from you from this hour, but in completion I will complete you in every pleroma and in every completion and in every mystery ; these are the completion of all completions and the Pleroma of all Pleromas and the gnosis of all gnoses, these which are in my garment. I will tell you all the mysteries from the outermost of the outer to the innermost of the inner. Hear, nevertheless, and I will tell you everything which has happened to me.
CHAPTER 10.
It happened now when the sun rose in the East, a great power of light came down, in which was my garment which I had left in the 24th mystery, as I have just been telling you. And I found a mystery in my garment, written in the manner of writing of those of the height : whose interpretation is : ‘O Mystery which art outside the world , because of which the All exists – this is the whole coming forth and the whole ascent which has emanated all emanations and all that is within them, and because of which all mysteries and all their places exist – come forth to us because we are thy fellow-members.
But we all with thee alone, we and thou are one and the same. Thou art the First Mystery which has existed from the beginning in the Ineffable One, before he went forth, and the name of that one is all of us. Now all together we will approach thee at the last boundary , which is the last mystery from within, itself a part of us. Now we have sent thee thy garment which has belonged to thee from the beginning, which thou didst leave in the last boundary, which is the last mystery from within, until its time was completed according to the command of the First Mystery.
Behold, the time is completed. Put it on, come to us, that we all approach thee to put on thee the First Mystery with all his glory, through his own command; as the First Mystery, having two garments , has given it to us that we should put it on thee, apart from this which we have sent thee because thou art worthy, since thou art first among us and thou didst exist before us . Because of this the First Mystery has sent to thee through us the mystery of his whole glory, having two garments. That is, in the first is all the glory of all the names of all the mysteries and all the emanations and the ranks of the spaces of the Ineffable One. And in the second garment is the whole glory of the name of all the mysteries and all the emanations which are in the ranks of the two spaces of the First Mystery. And in this garment which we have now sent thee is the glory of the name of the mystery of the informer, which is the first ordinance, and the mystery of the five incisions, and the mystery of the great messenger of the Ineffable, who is the great light, and the mystery of the five leaders who are the five helpers (parastatai). And furthermore, there is in that garment the glory of the name of the mystery of all the ranks of the emanations of the Treasury of the Light, and their saviours, and (the mystery on the ranks of the ranks, which are the seven amens and the seven voices and the five trees and the three amens and the twin saviour, namely the child of the child, and the mystery of the nine watchers of the three gates of the Treasury of the Light . And furthermore there is in it the whole glory of the name (of all those) who are on the right, and all those who are in the Midst. And furthermore there is in it the whole glory of the name of the great invisible one, who is the great forefather , and the mystery of the triple power, and the mystery, of their whole place, and the mystery, of all their invisible ones and of all those who are in the thirteenth aeon , and the name of the twelve aeons and of all their archons and all their archangels and all their angels, and of all those which are in the twelve aeons, and the whole mystery, of the names of all those which are in the Heimarmene and all the heavens.
And the whole mystery of the name of all those in the sphere, and their firmaments and all those which are in them, and all their places. Behold now, we have sent thee that garment which no one knew, from the first ordinance downwards, because the glory of its light was hidden within it. And the spheres and all the places from the first ordinance downwards (did not know it). Behold now, put on this garment quickly.
Come to us that we approach thee to put on thee thy two garments, through the command of the First Mystery they having been for thee with the First Mystery since the beginning until the time appointed by the Ineffable One which contained their name. They were exceedingly afraid and all their bonds in which they were bound were loosened, and each one abandoned his rank. And they all prostrated themselves in my presence, they worshipped, saying : ‘How has the Lord of the All passed through us without our knowing?’ And they all sang praises at once to the innermost of the inner. However they did not see me, but they saw the light alone and they were in great fear . And they were greatly agitated, and they sang praises to the innermost of the inner.
CHAPTER 11
It happened now, when I saw the mystery, of all these words in the garment which was sent to me, I put it on in that hour, and I gave light exceedingly, and I flew to the height, and I came before the gate of the firmament, shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had. And the gates of the firmament were agitated against one another, and they all opened at the same time.
And all the archons and all the powers (exousiai) and all the angels therein were all agitated at the same time because of the great light which I had. And they looked upon the shining garment of light which I wore, they saw the mystery is completed. Behold the time is completed. Come now quickly to us that we put them on thee, until thou hast completed the whole service of the completion of the First Mystery, which is appointed by the Ineffable One. Come now quickly to us that we put them on thee, according to the command of the First Mystery. For yet a little time, an insignificant one, and thou wilt come to us and leave the world. Come now quickly, and thou shalt receive the whole glory which is the glory of the First Mystery ii. It happened now, when I saw the mystery, of all these words in the garment which was sent to me, I put it on in that hour, and I gave light exceedingly, and I flew to the height, and I came before the gate of the firmament, shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had. And the gates of the firmament were agitated against one another, and they all opened at the same time.
And all the archons and all the powers (exousiai) and all the angels therein were all agitated at the same time because of the great light which I had. And they looked upon the shining garment of light which I wore, they saw the mystery of their name within it. And they were increasingly agitated and they were in great fear, saying : “How has the Lord of the All passed through without our knowing?” And all their bonds were loosened, and their places and their ranks.
And each one abandoned his rank. And they all prostrated themselves at the same time, they all worshipped in my presence or in the presence of my garment. And they all sang praises at the same time to the innermost of the inner, being in great fear and great agitation.
CHAPTER 12.
Nevertheless I left that place behind me, I came up to the first sphere shining exceedingly, 49 times more than when I gave light within the firmament. Now it happened when I reached the gate of the first sphere, its gates were agitated and they opened of themselves at the same time.
I came into the houses of the spheres shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had. And all the archons and all those who were in that sphere were agitated together. And they saw the great light which I had.
And they looked upon my garment, they saw the mystery of their name within it. And they were increasingly agitated, and they were in great fear, saying: ‘How, has the Lord of the All passed through us without our knowing?’ And all their bonds were loosened, and their places and their ranks. And each one abandoned his rank. And they all prostrated themselves at the same time, they all worshipped in my presence or in the presence of my garment. And they all sang praises at the same time to the innermost of the inner, being in great fear and great agitation.
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CHAPTER 13.
And I left that place behind me, I came to the gate of the second sphere, which is the Heimarmene. But all its gates were agitated and they opened of themselves . And I entered into the houses of the Heimarmene, shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had, for I was shining in the Heimarmene 49 times more than in the sphere. And all the archons and all those who are in the Heimarmene were agitated and they fell upon one another, and were in very great fear as they saw the great light which I had. And they looked at my garment of light, they saw the mystery of their name in my garment, and they were increasingly agitated. They were in great fear, saying : ‘How has the Lord of the All passed through us without our knowing?’ And all the bonds of their places and their ranks and their houses were loosened. They all came at the same time, they prostrated themselves, they worshipped in my presence. And they all sang praises at the same time to the innermost of the inner, being in great fear and great agitation.
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CHAPTER 14.
And I left that place behind me, I came upwards to the great aeons of the archons, I came before their veils and their gates shining exceedingly, and there was no measure to the light which I had. Now it happened when I reached the twelve aeons , their veils and their gates were agitated against one another. The veils drew themselves aside and the gates opened of themselves , and I entered into their aeons shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had, 49 times greater than the light with which I was shining in the houses of the Heimarmene. And all the angels of the aeons and their archangels and their archons and their gods and their lords and their powers (exousiai) and their tyrants and their powers and their light-sparks and their luminaries and their unpaired ones and their invisible ones and their forefathers and their triple-powered glories, they saw me shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had. And they were agitated against one another, and great fear came upon them as they saw the great light which I had. And their great agitation and their great fear reached to the place of the great invisible forefather and the three great triple-powered ones. However, because of the great fear from their agitation, the great forefather continued to run from side to side in his place, he and the three triple-powered ones, and they could not close all their places because of the great fear in which they were. And they moved all their aeons at the same time, and all their spheres, and all their orders, fearing and greatly agitated because of the great light which I had. Not as at the time when I had it, in which I was upon the earth of mankind, when the garment of light came down upon me, for the world would not be able to bear the light as it is in its reality, else the world and all that is upon it would be dissolved at the same time. But the light which I had in the twelve aeons was 8700 myriad times greater than that which I had with you in the world.
CHAPTER 15.
Now it happened when all those that were in the twelve aeons saw the great light which I had, they were all agitated against one another, and they ran from side to side in the aeons. And all the aeons and all the heavens and their whole order moved against one another, because of the great fear which they had because they did not know the mystery which had happened. And Adamas, the great tyrant , and all the tyrants which are in all the aeons began to wage war in vain against the light. And they did not know against whom they waged war, because they saw nothing except the greatly surpassing light.
Now it happened when they waged war against the light, they were all exhausted together, and they were cast down into the aeons, and they became like the earth-dwellers who are dead and have no breath in them. And I took a third part of all their power so that they should not work their wicked actions, and in order that when men who are in the world call upon them in their mysteries – those which the transgressing angels brought down, namely their magic – that when now they call upon them in their wicked actions, they are not able to complete them. And (as for) the Heimarmene and the sphere over which they rule, I turned them and caused them to spend six months turned to the left, as they complete their (periods of) influence, and to look to the right for six months, as they complete their (periods on influence. However, through the command of the first ordinance and through the command of the First Mystery, Jeu the Overseer of the Light had placed them so that they were looking to the left at all times, as they completed their (periods of) influence and their actions.
CHAPTER 16
Now it happened when I came to their place, they rebelled and waged war against the light. And I took a third part of their power, so that they should not be able to complete their wicked actions. And (as for) the Heimarmene and the sphere over which they rule, I turned them, I placed them looking to the left for six months, as they complete their (periods of) influence, and I placed them for another six months turning to the right, as they complete their (periods of) influence.
CHAPTER 17.
Now when he had said these things to his disciples, he said to them : “He who has ears to hear, let him hear” .
Now it happened when Mariam heard these words as the Saviour was saying them, she stared for one hour into the air and said : “My Lord, command me that I speak openly”.
Jesus, the compassionate, answered and said to Mariam : “Mariam, thou blessed one, whom I will complete in all the mysteries of the height, speak openly, thou art she whose heart is more directed to the Kingdom of Heaven than all thy brothers”.
CHAPTER 18.
Then Mariam said to the Saviour: “My Lord, the word which thou hast spoken to us : ‘Who has ears to hear, let him hear’, thou sayest so that we may understand the word which thou hast spoken. Hear now, my Lord, for I will speak openly. The word which thou hast spoken: ‘I have taken a third part of the power of the archons of all the aeons, and I have turned their Heimarmene and their sphere over which they rule, so that when the race of mankind call upon them in their mysteries – these which the transgressing angels have taught them for the completion of their evil and iniquitous deeds in the mystery of their magic – from this hour now they should not be able to complete their iniquitous deeds, because thou hast taken their power from them and from their astrologers and from their soothsayers and from those who tell men who are in the world all things which will happen, so that from this hour they will not understand anything which will happen so as to tell it. For thou hast turned their sphere, and thou hast made them spend six months turned to the left, completing their (periods of) influence, and six months looking to the right, completing their (periods of) influence.’ Now concerning this word, my Lord, the power within the prophet Isaiah has spoken thus and has related once in a spiritual parable, speaking about the vision of Egypt : ‘Where now Egypt, where are thy soothsayers and thy astrologers, and those who call from the earth, and those who call from their bellies? Let them now tell thee, from this hour, the things which the Lord Sabaoth will do.’ Now before thou didst come, the power within Isaiah, the prophet, prophesied concerning thee, that thou wouldst take away the power of the archons of the aeons, and that thou wouldst turn their sphere and their Heimarmene, so that from this hour they would know nothing. Concerning this also it has said : ‘You will not know what the Lord Sabaoth will do’. That is, none of the archons will know what things thou wilt do from this hour. They (the archons) are Egypt, because they are matter. The power within Isaiah has once prophesied about thee saying : ‘You will not know from this hour what the Lord Sabaoth will do’ Concerning the power of light which thou hast taken from Sabaoth the Good, who is in the place of the right, and which today is in thy material body, concerning this now, thou hast said to us, my Lord Jesus: ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear, so that thou shouldst know whose heart is directed towards the Kingdom of Heaven.”.
CHAPTER 19.
Now it happened when Maria finished saying these words, he said : “Excellent, Maria. Thou art blessed beyond all women upon earth, because thou shalt be the pleroma of all Pleromas and the completion of all completions.” But when Maria heard the Saviour saying these words, she rejoiced greatly and she came before Jesus, she prostrated herself in his presence, she worshipped at his feet, she said to him : “My Lord, hear me that I question thee on this word before thou speakest with us of the places to which thou hast gone”.
Jesus answered and said to Mariam : “Speak openly and do not fear. I will reveal all things which thou seekest”.
CHAPTER 20.
She said : “My Lord, all men who know the mystery of the magic of all the archons of all the aeons, and the magic of the archons of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere, as the transgressing angels have taught them, when they call upon them in their mysteries, that is their evil magic to prevent good things: will they, from this hour, fulfill them or not?” Then Jesus answered and said to Maria : “They will not fulfill them in the manner in which they fulfilled them from the beginning, because I have taken a third part of their power. But they will borrow from those who know the mysteries of the magic of the third aeon. And when they call upon the mysteries of the magic of those who are in the third aeon, they will fulfill them well and certainly because I have not taken power from that place, according to the command of the First Mystery”.
CHAPTER 21.
It happened, however, when Jesus finished speaking these words, Maria answered again and said : “My Lord, will the astrologers and the soothsayers not tell men, from this hour, what will happen?” Jesus answered, however, and said to Maria : “When the astrologers find the Heimarmene and the sphere turned to the left, according to their first distribution, then their words concur and they will say what is due to happen. But when they meet the Heimarmene or the sphere turned to the right, they do not speak anything of the truth, because I have turned their (periods of) influence and their quadrangles and their triangles and their figures of eight , since their (periods of) influence remained turned to the left from the beginning, together with their quadrangles and their triangles and their figures of eight. However, I have now caused them to spend six months turned to the left, and six months turned to the right. He who now will find their reckoning from the time when I turned them, placing them to spend six months looking to their left hand parts, and six months looking to their right hand paths, and who will now consult them in this way, will know their (periods of) influence with certainty, and he will predict all things that they will do.
Likewise also the soothsayers, when they call upon the name of the archons, and they meet them looking to the left, everything concerning which they will seek of their decans, they will tell them with certainty. However, when their soothsayers call upon their names as they are looking to the right, they will not hear them, because they look in another form than their first ordinance in which Jeu established them, since their names are other when they are turned to the left than when they are turned to the right. And when they call upon them as they are turned to the right, they will not speak the truth to them, but in confusion they will confuse them, and with threats they will threaten them.
Those now who do not know their paths as they are turned to the right, with their triangles and their quadrangles and all their figures, they will find nothing of truth, but they will be confused in great confusion, and they will be in great error, and they will be deluded in great delusion, because the works which they did in the time when they were turned to the left in their quadrangles, in their triangles and in their figures of eight, these in which they continued as they were turned to the left, I have now turned. And I have caused them to spend six months making all their patterns turned to the right, so that they should be confused in confusion in their whole circuit. And furthermore I have caused them to spend six months turned to the left, doing the works of their (periods of) influence and all their patterns, so that the archons which are in the aeons and in their spheres and in their heavens and in all their places should be confused in confusion, and should wander in error, so that they should not understand their own paths”.
CHAPTER 22.
It happened when Jesus finished saying these words, Philip sat writing every word as Jesus said them. Now after this it happened that Philip came forward, he prostrated himself and worshipped at the feet of Jesus, saying : “My Lord, Saviour, give me authority that I speak in thy presence and that I question thee on this discourse before thou speakest with us of the places to which thou hast gone for the sake of thy service”.
The compassionate Saviour answered, he said to Philip : “The authority is given to thee to deliver the discourse which thou dost wish”.
Then Philip answered and spoke to Jesus: “My Lord, for the sake of what mystery hast thou turned the bondage of the archons and their aeons and their Heimarmene and their sphere and all their places, and in confusion hast thou caused them to be confused in their paths, and to wander in their course? Hast thou now done this for the sake of the salvation of the world or not?”.
CHAPTER 23.
Jesus answered, however, and said to Philip and all the disciples together : “I have turned their paths for the salvation of all souls. Truly, truly, I say to you : unless I had turned their paths a multitude of souls would have been destroyed. And they would have spent a long period if the archons of the aeons and the archons of the Heimarmene and the sphere and all their places and all their heavens and all their aeons were not dissolved. And the souls would have spent a great (period of) time outside. And there would have been delay in the completion of the number of perfect souls, which will be accounted among the inheritance of the height, through the mysteries, and will be in the Treasury of Light. Because of this, I have turned their paths so that they are confused and agitated, and give up the power which is in the matter of their world, which they make into souls, so that those that will be saved with all the power are purified quickly and ascend, and those who will not be saved are quickly dissolved”.
CHAPTER 24.
It happened now when Jesus finished speaking these words to his disciples, Maria, the beautiful in her speech, came forward. The blessed one prostrated herself at the feet of Jesus and said : “My Lord, suffer me that I speak in thy presence, and be not angry with me because I trouble thee many times, questioning thee”. The Saviour answered compassionately, he said to Maria: “Speak the discourse which thou dost wish, and I will reveal it to thee openly”” Maria answered and said to Jesus : “‘My Lord, in what manner would the souls be delayed outside or in what form will they be quickly purified?” .
CHAPTER 25.
However Jesus answered and said to Maria : “Excellent, Maria. Thou dost ask well with an excellent question and thou dost seek everything with certainty and with accuracy. Now indeed I will not conceal anything from you from this hour, but I will reveal everything to you with certainty and openly. Hear now, Maria, and give ear, all you disciples.
Before I preached to all the archons of the aeons, and all the archons of the Heimarmene and the sphere, they were all bound with their bonds, in their spheres and their seals, according to the manner in which Jeu, the Overseer of the Light, had bound them from the beginning. And each one of them was continuing in his rank and each one was proceeding according to his course, according to the manner in which Jeu, the Overseer of the Light, had settled it. And when the time came of the number of Melchizedek, the great Paralemptor of Light, he came to the midst of the aeons, and to all the archons which were bound in the sphere and in the Heimarmene, and he took away what is purified of the light from all the archons of the aeons, and from all the archons of the Heimarmene, and from those of the sphere, for he took away that which agitated them.
And he moved the hastener that is over them and made their cycles turn quickly, and he (Melchizedek) took away their power which was in them, and the breath of their mouths, and the tears of their eyes, and the sweat of their bodies. And Melchizedek, the Paralemptor of the Light, purified those powers, he carried their light to the Treasury of the Light. And all their matter was gathered together by the ministers of all the archons. And the ministers of all the archons of the Heimarmene and the ministers of the sphere which are below the aeons took them (the matter) and made them into souls of men and cattle and reptiles and beasts and birds. And they sent them to this world of mankind.
And furthermore the paralemptors of the sun and the paralemptors of the moon when they looked up and they saw the patterns of the paths of the aeons, and the patterns of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere, they took the light-power from them. And the paralemptors of the sun prepared to lay it down until they gave it to the paralemptor of Melchizedek, the purifier of the light. And their material dregs they brought to the sphere which is below the aeons, and they made it into the souls of men and they also made it into (souls of) reptiles and cattle and beasts and birds, according to the cycle of the archons of that sphere, and according to all the patterns of its revolution. And they cast them into this world of mankind, and they became souls in that place, according to what I have just told you.
CHAPTER 26 These things were now fully completed before their power diminished within them, and they declined and they weakened or they became powerless. It happened when they became weak, their power began to cease within them, and they became weak in their power. And their light, which was in their place, ceased. And their kingdom dissolved.
And the All was quickly carried up.
It happened now when these things in their time were known, and when the number of the cipher of Melchizedek, the Paralemptor (of the Light), occurred, he came forth, and he went into the midst of the archons of all the aeons, and to the midst of all the archons of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere. And he agitated them, and he caused them quickly to abandon their circles, and immediately they were afflicted, and they cast the power out of themselves, out of the breath of their mouths, and out of the tears of their eyes, and out of the sweat of their bodies. And Melchizedek, the Paralemptor of the Light purified them, according to the manner in which he did so continually. And he took their light to the Treasury of the Light. And the matter of their dregs was surrounded and swallowed by all the archons of the aeons and the archons of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere, and they did not allow them to go and become souls in the world. They now swallowed their matter, that they might not become powerless and weak, that their power might not cease within them and their rulership (kingdom) dissolve. And they swallowed them so that they should not dissolve, but that they should be retarded, and should spend a great time until the completion of the number of perfect souls which would be in the Treasury of the Light.
CHAPTER 27.
It happened now as the archons of the aeons and those of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere continued acting after this type; as they turned themselves they ate the dregs of their matter, they did not allow them to become souls in the world of mankind, so that they might be retarded as rulers. And the powers, namely the powers within them which were souls, spent a great time outside this. Now these remained making two cycles continually.
It happened now when I came to go forth for the service for the sake of which I was appointed, through the command of the First Mystery, I came forth to the midst of the tyrants of the archons of the twelve aeons. And my garment of light was upon me, and I was shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had.
Now it happened, when those tyrants saw the great light which I had, the great Adamas, the Tyrant, and all the tyrants of the twelve aeons all began to wage war with the light of my garment, wishing to restrain it for themselves, so that they might still be retarded in their rulership (kingdom). These now acted thus, not knowing with whom they waged war. When they now rebelled and waged war with the light, I then turned the paths and the courses of their aeons, and the paths of their Heimarmene and their sphere, according to the command of the First Mystery, and I caused them to spend six months looking to the triangles of the left, and to the quadrangles, and to those in their aspect , and to their pattern of eight, according to the manner in which they were at first. But I turned their rotation or their aspect to another rank. And I caused them to spend another six months looking to the works of their (periods of) influence in the quadrangles of the right, and in their triangles, and in those which are in their aspect, and in their pattern of eight. And I caused the archons of the aeons to be confused with much confusion, and I caused them to wander in error, together with all the archons of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere. And I agitated them greatly. And they were now, from this time, not able to turn themselves to the dregs of their matter in order to swallow it, so that their places might be continually retarded, and so that they might spend a great time as rulers. But when I had taken a third part of their power, I turned their sphere to cause them to spend (a period of) time looking to the left and to spend another (period of) time looking to the right. I turned their whole path and their whole course, and I caused the path of their course to be accelerated, so that they might be purified quickly, and they might go upwards quickly. And I lessened their cycles, and I made their path easier, and it was greatly accelerated, and they were confused in their path, and from this time they were not able to swallow the matter of the dregs of what is purified of their light. And further I lessened their times and their periods, so that the perfect number of souls which will receive mysteries and which will be in the Treasury of the Light should be completed quickly. And unless I had turned their courses and unless I had lessened their periods, they would not have allowed any souls to come to the world, on account of the matter of their dregs which they swallowed, and they would have destroyed a multitude of souls. On account of this now, I have said to you at this time : ‘I have lessened the times for the sake of my chosen ones, otherwise none of the souls could have been saved’. But I have lessened the times and the periods for the sake of the perfect number of the souls which will receive mysteries, which are the chosen ones. And had I not lessened their periods, none of the material souls would have been saved, but they would have been consumed in the fire which is in the flesh of the archons. This now is the discourse on which you have questioned me with accuracy”.
It happened, however, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, they all prostrated themselves at once, they worshipped him and they said to him : “We are blessed beyond all men, for thou hast revealed to us these great events”.
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CHAPTER 28.
Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples : “Hear [hear] concerning the things which happened to me among the archons of the twelve aeons, and all their archons and their lords and their powers (exousiai) and their angels and their archangels. Now when they saw the garment of light which was upon me, they and their unpaired ones, each one of them saw the mystery of his name which was in the garment of light which was upon me. They all prostrated themselves together, they worshipped the garment of light which was upon me. And they all cried out at once, saying : ‘How has the Lord of All passed through us without our knowing?’ And they all sang praises at once to the innermost of the inner. And all their triple-powered ones and their great forefathers and their unbegotten ones and their self-begotten ones and their begotten ones and their gods and their light-sparks and their luminaries, in a word, all their great ones saw the tyrants of their place, that their power was diminished within them, and that they were in a state of weakness. And they were in great fear, to which there was no measure. And they contemplated the mystery of their name in my garment and they tried to come to worship the mystery of their name in my garment, and they were not able, on account of the great light which I had.
But they worshipped at a little distance from me. However, they worshipped the light of my garment, and they all cried out at once as they sang praises to the innermost of the inner.
It happened moreover, when these things happened to the tyrants which are among the archons, they were all enfeebled, they fell down in their aeons, and they became like men of this world who are dead, having no breath within them, as they did moreover at the time when I took away their power from them.
It happened now after this, when I came forth from those aeons, each one of all those who are in the twelve aeons were all bound within their ranks, and they completed their works according to the manner in which I had disposed it, that they should spend six months turned to the left, doing their works in their quadrangles, and their triangles and those in their aspects; and furthermore that they should spend another six months looking to the right, and to their triangles and their quadrangles and those in their aspects.
Furthermore, this is the manner in which those who are in the Heimarmene and the sphere will proceed.
CHAPTER 29.
Now it happened after these things I came to the height to the veils of the thirteenth aeon. Now it happened that when I reached their veils, they drew themselves and they opened to me. I entered into the thirteenth aeon, I found the Pistis Sophia below the thirteenth aeon alone, none of them being with her. But she dwelt in that place, sorrow and grieving because she had not been taken to the thirteenth aeon, her place in the height. And furthermore she was sorrowful on account of the torments which the Authades inflicted on her, he being one of the three triple- powered ones. But when I tell you about their extent, I will tell you the mystery of how these things happened.
Now it happened, when the Pistis Sophia saw me shining exceedingly, there being no measure to the light which I had, she was in great agitation and she looked at the light of my garment. She saw the mystery of her name in my garment and the whole glory of its mystery because she was previously in the place of the height in the thirteenth aeon. But she was wont to sing praises to the light in the height which she saw in the veil of the Treasure of the Light.
It happened now when she continued to sing praises to the light in the height, all the archons, which are with the two great triple-powered ones, looked on, and also her invisible one which is paired with her, and the other 22 invisible emanations – since the Pistis Sophia with her partner, with the other 22 emanations make up the 24 emanations , which the great invisible forefather with the two great triple-powered ones has emanated.” .
CHAPTER 30.
It happened now when Jesus said these things to his disciples, Mariam came forward and said : “My Lord, I heard thee at the time when thou didst say that the Pistis Sophia herself is one of the 24 emanations. How is she not in their place? Moreover thou hast said : ‘I found her below the thirteenth aeon’.” Jesus answered and said to his disciples : “It happened as the Pistis Sophia was in the thirteenth aeon in the place of all her brethren, the invisible ones who are the 24 emanations of the great invisible one it happened now, through the ordinance of the First Mystery, the Pistis Sophia looked to the height, she saw the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light, and she desired to go to that place.
And she was not able to go to that place. Moreover she ceased performing the mystery of the thirteenth aeon, but she sang praises to the light of the height which she saw in the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light.
Now it happened, as she sang praises to the place of the height, all the archons which are in the twelve aeons beneath hated her because she ceased from their mystery, and because she wished to go to the height and to make herself above them all. Now on account of these things they were angry with her, and they hated her. And the great triple-powered Authades – the third triple-powered one who is in the thirteenth aeon, who had been disobedient – had not emanated all that was purified of his inner power, nor had he given what was purified of his light at the time when the archons had given their purification, and he had wished to be lord over the whole thirteenth aeon and those beneath it. Now it happened when the archons of the thirteenth aeon were angry at the Pistis Sophia, who was above them, they hated her greatly. And the great triple-powered Authades, about whom I have just been speaking to you now, was also included among the archons of the twelve aeons, and he also was angry at the Pistis Sophia, and he hated her greatly, because she thought to go to the light which was above him. And he emanated from within himself a great lion-faced power. And from out of the matter within him, he emanated forth a further multitude of material emanations which were very powerful. And he sent them to the places below, to the parts of the Chaos, so that they should pursue the Pistis Sophia there and take her power from her, because she thought to go to the height which is above them all, and because she ceased to perform their mystery, but she remained sorrowing, seeking the light which she saw. And the archons which continued or persisted in performing the mystery hated her. And all the watchers which were at the gates of the aeons also hated her.
It happened now after this, through the ordinance of the first ordinance, the great triple-powered Authades, -who is one of the three triple-powered ones, persecuted the ‘Sophia in the thirteenth aeon, so that she should look at the parts below, so that she should see in that place his light power, which has a lion-face, and she should desire it, and come to that place, and her light would be taken from her.
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CHAPTER 31.
It happened now after this she looked down. She saw his power of light in the parts below, and she did not know that it was that of the triple-powered Authades. But she thought that it was from the light which she had seen from the beginning in the height, which was from the veil of the Treasury of the Light. And she thought to herself : “I will go to that place without my partner, and take the light, and create of it for myself aeons of light, so that I shall be able to go to the Light of Lights which is in the highest height.” Now as she was thinking these things, she came forth from her place in the thirteenth aeon, and she came out to the twelve aeons . The archons of the aeons persecuted her, and they were angry with her, because she had thought to have greatness . However, she came forth from the twelve aeons, she came to the places of the Chaos. And she made her way to the light-power with a lion-face in order to swallow it. But all the material emanations of the Authades surrounded her. And the great light-power with a lion-face swallowed the light-powers in the Sophia. And it purified her light and swallowed it, and her matter was cast forth to the Chaos. There existed an archon with a lion- face in the Chaos, whose one half was fire and whose other half was darkness, namely Jaldabaoth, of whom I have spoken to you many times. Now when these things had happened, the Sophia became very greatly weakened. And again that light-power with a lion-face began to take away all the light-powers from the Sophia. And all the material powers of the Authades surrounded the Sophia at the same time, they oppressed her.
CHAPTER 32.
The Pistis Sophia cried out very much. She cried out to the Light of Lights which she had seen from the beginning, in which she had believed, and she said this repentance, speaking thus :
1. ‘O Light of Lights, in whom I have believed from the beginning, hear my repentance now at this time, O Light; save me, O Light, for wicked thoughts have entered into me.
2. I looked, O Light, to the parts below. I saw a light in that place, and I thought : I will go to that place to receive that light. And I went, and I came to be in the darkness which is in the Chaos below. And I was not able to proceed out to go to my place, because I was oppressed among all the emanations of the Authades. And the lion-faced power took away my inner light.
3. And I cried out for help, and my voice did not penetrate the darkness. And I looked to the height, so that the Light in which I had believed might help me.
4. And when I looked to the height, I saw all the archons of the aeons , that they were numerous and they looked down upon me, rejoicing over me, although I had done nothing evil to them, but they had hated me without cause.
And when the emanations of the Authades saw the archons of the aeons rejoicing over me, they knew that the archons of the aeons would not help me. And those emanations which oppressed me without cause were encouraged. And they took from me the light which I did not take from them. 5. Now at this time, O true Light, thou knowest that I have done these things in my simplicity, thinking that the lion-faced light belonged to thee, and the sin which I have committed is manifest in thy presence.
6. Do not now let me be lacking, O Lord, for I have believed in thy light from the beginning, O Lord, Light of the powers, do not let me now lack my light.
7. For on account of thee and thy light I have come to be in this oppression, and shame has covered me.
8. And because of the delusion of thy light, I have become a stranger to my brothers, the invisible ones, and also to the great emanations of the Barbelo.
9. These things happened to me, O Light, because I was eager for thy dwelling-place. And the anger of the Authades came down upon me – this one who did not obey thy command to emanate from the emanation of his power – because I was in his aeon and not performing his mystery.
10. And all the archons of the aeons mocked me.
11. And I was in that place, sorrowing and seeking the light which I had seen in the height.
12. And the watchers of the gates of the aeons were seeking me, and all those who continued in their mystery mocked me. 13. But I looked up to the height to thee, O Light. And I believed in thee. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, I am oppressed in the darkness of the Chaos. If now thou dost wish to come to save me – great is thy compassion – hear me truly and save me.
14. Save me out of the matter of this darkness, so that I shall not be immersed in it, and that I shall be saved from the emanations of the deity, Authades, which oppress me, and from their evils.
15. Do not allow this darkness to immerse me, and do not allow this lion-faced power to swallow up all my power completely. And do not allow this Chaos to cover over my power.
16. Hear me O Light, for thy mercy is precious, and look down upon me, according to the great compassion of thy light.
17. Do not turn away thy face from me, for I am greatly afflicted.
18. Hear me quickly and save my power.
19. Save me, on account of the archons which hate me, for thou knowest my affliction and my torment, and the torment of my power which they have taken from me.
Those who have put me into all these evils are in thy presence. Deal with them according to thy will.
20. My power looked forth from the midst of the Chaos, and from the midst of the darkness. I looked for my partner, that he should come and fight for me, and he did not come. And I looked that he should come and give power to me, and I did not find him.
21. And when I sought for light, I was given darkness.
And when I sought for my power, I was given matter .
22. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, let the darkness and the matter which the emanations of the Authades have brought upon me become a snare for them, and let them be ensnared therein. And do thou repay them and bring disgrace upon them, so that they do not come to the place of their Authades.
23. Let them remain in darkness and not see the light.
Let them look at the Chaos at all times, and do not let them look at the height.
24. Bring down upon them their vengeance, and let thy judgment seize them.
25. Do not let them go to their place from this time, to their deity, Authades. And do not let his emanations go to their places from this time. Because their god is impious and insolent, because he thought that he had done these wicked things of himself, not knowing that, unless I was humbled according to thy ordinance, he would have had no power over me.
26. But when thou didst humble me, according to thy ordinance, I was persecuted the more. And their emanations inflicted torments upon my humiliation. 27. And they took a light-power from me. And furthermore they began to torment me greatly , in order to take away all the light that was in me. On account of these things into which I was put, do not let them go up to the thirteenth aeon, the place of righteousness.
28. And do not let them be numbered within the portion of those who purify themselves and their light. And do not let them be numbered among those who will repent quickly, so that they will quickly receive mysteries in the light.
29. For they have taken my light from me. And my power has begun to decrease within me. And I lack my light.
30. Now at this time, O Light which art in thee and with me, I sing praises to thy name, O Light, in glory.
31. And may my song of praise, O Light, please thee, like an excellent mystery which is received into the gates of light, which those who will repent, will recite, and whose light they will purify.
32. Now at this time, let all material things rejoice; seek the light, all of you, so that the power of your souls, which is within you, may live.
33. Because the Light has heard the material things, and it will not leave any material things which it has not purified.
34. Let the souls and the material things bless the Lord of all the aeons ; the material things and all things in them. 35. For God will save their souls out of all matter, and a city will be prepared in the light; and all souls which will be saved will dwell in that city, and they will inherit it.
36. And the soul of those who will receive mysteries will be in that place, and they who have received mysteries in his name will be within it’.” .
CHAPTER 33.
Now it happened, as Jesus said these words to his disciples, he said to them : “This is the song of praise which the Pistis Sophia spoke in the first repentance, as she repented for her sin. And she spoke of all the things which had happened to her. Now at this time, he who has ears to hear, let him hear .” Maria came forward again and said : “My Lord, there are ears to my man of light , and I hear in my light-power, and thy Spirit, which is with me, has made me sober. Hear now, that I may speak concerning the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, as she spoke of her sin, and all the things which had happened to her. Thy light-power once prophesied about it through David, the prophet, in the 68th Psalm :
1. ‘Save me, O God, for the waters have come in to my soul.
2. I have sunk or been immersed by the mire of the abyss, and there was no power. I came to the depths of the sea ; a storm wind overwhelmed me.
3. I have suffered as I cried out. My throat has gone. My eyes have failed as I waited upon God.
4. Those who hate me without cause have become more numerous than the hairs of my head. My enemies that persecute me with violence have become strong. They deprived me of those things which I did not steal.
5. O God, thou knowest my foolishness; and my sins are not hidden from thee.
6. Let not them that wait on thee be ashamed on my account, O Lord, Lord of the powers. Let not those that seek thee be put to shame on my account, O Lord, God of Israel, God of the powers.
7. For I have borne disgrace on thy account; shame has covered my face.
8. I have become a stranger to my brothers, a stranger to the sons of my mother.
9. For the zeal of thy house has eaten me up. The reproaches of those who reproach thee have fallen upon me.
10. I bowed down my soul with fasting; it became a reproach to me.
11. I put sackcloth upon myself; I became a proverb to them.
12. They that sat in the gates talked against me ; and they that drink wine sang against me.
13. But I was praying in my soul to thee, O Lord ; it is the time of thy pleasure, O God ; in the magnitude of thy mercy, hear truly for my salvation.
14. Save me from this mire, that I do not sink in it. Let me be saved from those that hate me and from the depths of the waters.
15. Let not the water flood immerse me. Let not the abyss swallow me up ; let not a pit close its mouth over me.
16. Hear me, O Lord, for beneficent is thy mercy; according to the magnitude of thy compassion look down upon me.
17. Turn not away thy face from thy servant, for I am afflicted.
18. Hear me quickly; give heed to my soul and save it.
19. Save me on account of my enemies; for thou knowest my reproach and my shame and my infamy. All that afflict me are before thee.
20. My heart has looked for reproach and wretchedness ; I have looked for one to be sorrowful with me, I did not find him ; and for one to comfort me, I did not meet him.
21. They gave me gall for my food; they made me drink vinegar for my thirst.
22. Let their table become a snare in their presence; and a stumbling block and a retribution and a disgrace. 23. Do thou bend their backs at all times.
24. Pour out upon them thy wrath, and let the fury of thy wrath take hold of them.
25. Let their dwelling-place be made desolate and let there be no inhabitant in their dwelling-places.
26. For they have persecuted him whom thou hast smitten ; they have added to the pain of their blow .
27. They have added iniquity to their iniquities; let them not come into thy righteousness.
28. Let them be effaced from the book of the living, and let them not be written with the righteous.
29. I am a poor man and also a sorrowful one; the salvation of thy face, O God, is that which has accepted me.
30. I will bless the name of God in song, and raise him up in blessing.
31. It will please God more than a young bull which carries horns and hoofs.
32. Let the poor see and rejoice ; seek God that your souls may live.
33. For the Lord has heard the poor and he has not despised those in fetters .
34. Let the heavens and the earth bless the Lord, the sea and all that are within it. 35. For God will save Zion ; and the cities of Judaea will be built, and (men) will dwell there and inherit it.
36. The seed of his servants will take possession of it, and they that love his name will dwell in it’.” .
CHAPTER 34.
Now it happened when Mariam finished saying these words to Jesus in the midst of the disciples, she said to him ; “My Lord, this is the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia”.
It happened now when Jesus heard Mariam saying these words, he said to her : “Excellent, Mariam, thou blessed one, thou Pleroma or thou all-blessed Pleroma, who will be blessed among all generations” .
CHAPTER 35.
Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said : “The Pistis Sophia continued again, she also sang a second repentance, in which she spoke thus :
1. ‘O Light of Lights, I have believed in thee. Do not leave me in the darkness until the completion of my time.
2. Help me and save me in thy mysteries. Incline thy ear to me and save me.
3. Let the power of thy light save me and carry me to the aeons on high, for it is thou who savest me and takest me to the height of thy aeons. 4. Save me, O Light, from the hand of this lion-faced power, and from the hands of the emanations of the deity, Authades.
5. For thou, O Light, art the one in whose light I have believed and in whose light I have trusted from the beginning.
6. And I have believed in it from the hour that it emanated me forth. And thou indeed art he who caused me to be emanated forth. And I have indeed believed in thy light from the beginning.
7. And when I believed in thee, the archons of the aeons mocked me, saying : she has ceased in her mystery. It is thou who wilt save me. And thou art my Saviour. And thou art my mystery, O Light.
8. My mouth has been filled with glory, so that I might tell the mystery of thy greatness at all times.
9. Now, O Light, do not leave me in the Chaos during the completion of my whole time. Do not abandon me, O Light.
10. For my whole light-power has been taken away from me. And all the emanations of the Authades have surrounded me. They wanted to take all my light from me completely, and they watched for my power.
11. They were saying at the same time to one another : the light has left her ; let us seize her and take away all the light within her. 12. .
13. May those who want to take away my power fall and become powerless. May those who want to take away my light-power from me be wrapped in darkness and exist in powerlessness.
This is the second repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, singing praises to the light.” .
CHAPTER 36.
It happened now, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said : “Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you?” Peter leapt forward, he said to Jesus : “My Lord, we are not able to suffer this woman who takes the opportunity from us, and does not allow anyone of us to speak, but she speaks many times.” Jesus answered, he said to his disciples : “Let him in whom the power of his Spirit has welled up so that he understands what I say, come forward and speak. Nevertheless, thou Peter, I see thy power within thee understands the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke. Now at this time do thou, Peter, speak the thought of her repentance in the midst of thy brethren.” Peter answered, however, he said to Jesus : “Lord, hear, so that I say the thought of her repentance, about which thy power once prophesied through David the prophet, saying her repentance in the 70th Psalm :
1. ‘O God, my God, I have trusted in thee; let me never be put to shame.
2. Save me in thy righteousness and deliver me. Incline thy ear to me and save me.
3. Be to me a strong God and a fortified place to save me ; for thou art my strength and my place of refuge.
4. My God, save me from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the lawless and the impious.
5. For thou, O Lord, art my endurance; O Lord, thou art my hope from my youth.
6. I have relied upon thee from the womb; thou hast brought me forth from my mother’s womb; my memory is of thee at all times.
7. I have become for many like the crazy; thou art my help and my strength, thou art my Saviour, O Lord.
8. My mouth has been filled with blessings, so that I might bless the glory of thy greatness all the day.
9. Cast me not out in the time of my old age; when my soul diminishes, do not forsake me.
10. For my enemies have spoken evil against me; and they who lie in wait for my soul have taken counsel against my soul.
11. Saying at the same time : God has forsaken him ; run and seize him, for there is none to save him.
12. O God, give heed to my help.
13. Let those that slander my soul be brought to shame and diminished; let those who seek evil against me be clothed with shame and disgrace.’ This now is the interpretation of the second repentance which the Pistis Sophia said.”.
CHAPTER 37.
The Saviour answered and said to Peter : ” Well done, Peter, this is the interpretation of her repentance. You are blessed beyond all men upon earth, for I have revealed to you these mysteries. Truly, truly, I say to you : I will fulfill you in every pleroma, from the mysteries of the inner to the mysteries of the outer. And I will fill you with Spirit so that you are called Pneumatics, fulfilled in every pleroma. And truly, truly, I say to you that I will give you all the mysteries of all the places of my Father, and all the places of the First Mystery, so that he whom you receive on earth will be received into the light of the height. And he whom you cast out upon earth will be cast out of the Kingdom of my Father which is in heaven . Nevertheless now hear and give ear to all the repentances which the Pistis Sophia said. She continued again and spoke the third repentance, saying :
1. ‘O Light of the powers, give heed and save me.
2. May those that want to take away my light from me fail and he in darkness. Let them return to the Chaos, and may those who want to take away my power be put to shame.
3. May those that persecute me and say : we have become lords over her, return quickly to the darkness.
4. May all those who seek after the light rejoice and flourish and may they who want thy mystery say at all times : let the mystery be raised up.
5. Do thou now at this time save me, O Light, for I am lacking in my light, which has been taken away. And I need my power which has been taken from me. Thou, O Light, thou art my Saviour, and thou art my rescuer, O Light.
Save me quickly out of this Chaos’.” .
CHAPTER 38.
It happened, however, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, saying: “This is the third repentance which the Pistis Sophia said”, he said to them : “Let him in whom the Spirit of perception has arisen, come forward and speak with understanding of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said”.
It happened now, before Jesus had finished speaking, Martha came forward, she prostrated herself at his feet, she kissed them. She cried out, she wept aloud in humility, saying: “My Lord, have mercy on me, and be compassionate towards me, and allow me to say the interpretation of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said”. And Jesus gave Martha his hand , he said to her : “Blessed is every man who humbles himself, for to him will mercy be given . Now at this time, Martha, thou art blessed. Never- ‘ give now the interpretation of the thought of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia”.
Martha, however, answered and said to Jesus in the midst of the disciples : “Concerning the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, O my Lord Jesus, thy light-power which was in David once prophesied in the 69th psalm, saying :
1. O Lord God, give heed to my help.
2. Let those that seek after my soul be put to shame and disgraced.
3. May those that say to me : excellent, excellent, be turned back immediately and put to shame.
4. May all those that seek after thee be glad and rejoice over thee; and may those that love thy salvation say at all times : let God be exalted.
5. But I am poor and I am needy. O Lord, help me ; thou art my help and my defense. O Lord, do not delay.’ This now is the interpretation of the third repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, singing praises to the height.”.
CHAPTER 39.
It happened now when Jesus heard Martha saying these words, he said : “Excellent, Martha, and well done.” Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said to his disciples : “The Pistis Sophia continued again with the fourth repentance, saying it when the lion-faced power and all the material emanations with it, which the Authades had sent to the Chaos, had not yet afflicted her for the second time, to take away all the remaining light which was in her. She now said this repentance thus :
1. ‘O Light whom I have trusted, hear my repentance; and let my voice come into thy dwelling-place.
2. Do not turn thy image of light away from me, but give heed to me. If they oppress me, save me quickly at the time when I cry to thee.
3. For my time has vanished like a breath, and I have become matter.
4. My light has been taken from me, and my power has dried up. I have forgotten my mystery which I performed at first.
5. Through the voice of fear and the power of the Authades, my power has diminished within me.
6. I have become like a peculiar demon, which dwells in matter, in whom is no light. And I have become like a spirit counterpart which is in a material body, in which there is no light-power.
7. And I have become like a decan, which is upon the air alone.
8. The emanations of the Authades have afflicted me greatly; and my partner has spoken of it thus : in place of the light within her, they have filled her with Chaos .
9. I have swallowed the sweat of my matter myself and the anguish of the tears of the matter of my eyes, lest those that oppress me take away these things also.
10. All these things have happened to me, O Light, through thy ordinance and with thy command. And it is thy ordinance that I should be among these things.
11. Thy ordinance has brought me down, and I have come down like a power of the Chaos.; and my power has congealed within me.
12. But thou, O Lord, art eternal light; and at all times thou dost seek those who are oppressed.
13. Now at this time, O Light, arise and seek after my power and my soul within me. Thy ordinance is completed, which thou hast ordained for me in my affliction. My time has come, that thou shouldst seek after my power and my soul, and this is the time which thou hast ordained to seek me ; 14. For thy saviours have sought after the power which is in my soul, because the number is completed, and that they should save its matter also.
15. And then in that time all the archon. of the material aeons will fear before thy light: and all the emanations of the thirteenth material aeon will fear before the mystery of thy light, that the others may put on themselves what is purified of their light.
16. For the Lord will seek after the power of your souls; he has revealed his mystery.
17. For he will look at the repentance of those who are in the places below; and he has not overlooked their repentance.
18. This is that mystery which has become a type for the race which will be born ; and the race which will be born will sing praises to the height.
19. For the light has looked forth from the height of his light. He will look down upon all matter ; 20. To hear the groaning of those that are bound; to release the power of the souls whose power is bound.
21. To place his name in the soul, and his mystery in the Power .
CHAPTER 40
It happened, however, while Jesus was speaking these words to his disciples, saying to them : “This is the fourth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said; now at this time let him who understands understand” – now it happened when Jesus said these words, John came forward. He kissed (lit. worshipped) the breast of Jesus, he said : “My Lord, command me also and allow, me that I speak the interpretation of the fourth repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke”. Jesus said to John: “I command thee and I allow thee to give (lit, say) the interpretation of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke.” John answered, he said : “My Lord Saviour, concerning this repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke, thy light-power, which was in David, once prophesied about it in the 101st Psalm:
1. ‘Lord, hear my prayer and let my voice come to thee
2. Turn not thy face away from me ; incline thy ear to me in the day of my affliction ; hear me quickly in the day when I shall cry to thee
3. For my days have vanished like smoke, and my bones are parched like a stone
4. I am scorched like grass and my heart is dried up ; for I have forgotten to eat my bread
5. From the voice of my groaning my bone has cleaved to my flesh
6. I have become like a pelican in the wilderness. I have become like an owl in a house
7. I have spent nights of vigil; I have become like a sparrow alone upon a roof
8. My enemies have reproached me all day long ; and those that honour me have sworn against me. 9. For I have eaten ashes in place of my bread; I have mixed my drink with tears; 10. In the presence of thy wrath and thy anger; for thou hast lifted me up, thou hast cast me down
11. My days have declined like a shadow, and I am dried up like grass- l2. But thou, O Lord, dost exist for ever ; and thy memory from generation to generation.
13. Do thou arise and be compassionate to Zion; for it is (lit. has happened) time for compassion to her; for the appointed time has come
14. Thy servants have desired her stones; and they will show pity on her land
15. The peoples will fear the name of the Lord and the kings of the earth will fear thy glory
16. For the Lord will build Zion and be manifest in his glory’ 17. He has looked upon the prayer of the humble, and he has not despised their petition
18. Let this be written for another generation; and the people which will be created will bless the Lord
19. Because he has looked forth upon his holy height; the Lord has looked forth from heaven upon the earth; 20. To hear the groaning of those that are bound, to release the sons of those who have been killed; 21. To speak the name of the Lord in Zion, and his blessing in Jerusalem
This, my Lord, is the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke.” .
CHAPTER 41.
Now it happened when John finished saying these words to Jesus in the midst of his disciples, he said to him : “Excellent, John, thou virgin who wilt rule in the Kingdom of the Light,” Jesus, however, continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples : “it happened again thus : the emanations of the Authades oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos (es).
They wanted to take away all her light, and the ordinance was not yet completed to bring her forth from the Chaos, and the command had not yet come to me through the First Mystery to save her from the Chaos. Now it happened, when all the material emanations of the Authades oppressed her, she cried out and spoke the fifth repentance, saying :
1. ‘O Light of my salvation, I sing praise to thee in the place of the height, and again in the Chaos.
2. I will sing praise to thee in my song, with which I have praised thee in the height, and with which I have praised thee when I was in the Chaos; may it reach thee. And give heed, O Light, to my repentance.
3. My power has been filled with darkness; and my light has come down to the Chaos. 4. I have become like the archons of the Chaos which have gone to the darkness below; I have become like a material body, which has no one in the height who will save it.
5. I have become like material things whose power has been taken from them as they were cast into the Chaos, which thou hast not saved; and they have been destroyed by thy ordinance.
6. Now at this time I have been placed in the darkness below, in dark things and in material things which are dead ; and there is no power within them.
7. Thou hast brought thy ordinance upon me ; with all things which thou hast ordained.
8. And the Spirit has departed and left me; and again, through thy ordinance, the emanations of my aeon have not helped me ; and they have hated me and they have ceased towards me, and yet I am not completely destroyed.
9. And my light has diminished within me, and I have cried out to the light with all the light that is in me ; and I have stretched out my hands to thee.
10. Now at this time, O Light, wilt thou perhaps fulfill thy ordinance in the Chaos? And will the saviours, perhaps, who came according to thy ordinance, arise in the darkness and come and be disciples to thee? 11. Will they, perhaps, say the mystery of thy name in the Chaos? 12. Or will they not rather say thy name in matter of the Chaos, this in which thou wilt not purify? 13. But I have sung praises to thee, O Light, and my repentance will reach thee in the height.
14. May thy light come down upon me.
15. My light has been taken from me and I am in distress on account of the light, from the time when I was emanated forth. And when I looked to the height to the light, I looked down to the light-power which is in the Chaos ; I rose, I came down.
16. Thy ordinance came down upon me, and the fears which thou didst ordain for me, agitated me.
17. And they surrounded me roaring like water, they seized me at once for all my time.
18. And through thy ordinance, thou didst not allow my fellow-emanations to help me ; and thou didst not allow my partner to save me from my afflictions.’ This now is the fifth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said in the Chaos, when all the material emanations of the Authades continued to afflict her.”.
CHAPTER 42.
Now when Jesus said these things to his disciples, he said to them: “He who has ears to hear, let him the things which I will do, and the things which you will see.
And you will bear witness to all things of the Kingdom of Heaven.”.
CHAPTER 43.
Now when Jesus said these things he said to his disciples : “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” Mariam sprang up again, she came to the midst, she stood beside Philip, she said to Jesus : “My Lord, my man of light has ears, and I am prepared to hear by means of my power. And I have understood the word which thou hast spoken. Now at this time, my Lord, hear, so that I speak openly, for thou hast said to us : ‘He who has ears to hear, let him hear.’ Concerning the word which thou didst say to Philip: ‘Thou and Thomas and Matthew are the three to whom it has been given, through the First Mystery, to write every word of the Kingdom of the Light, and to bear witness to them’; hear now that I give the interpretation of these words. It is this which thy light-power once prophesied through Moses: ‘Through two and three witnesses everything will be established. The three witnesses are Philip and Thomas and Matthew”.
Now it happened when Jesus heard these words, he said : Excellent, Maria, this is the interpretation of the word.
Now at this time, do thou, Philip, come forward and give the interpretation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. And afterwards sit and write every word which I shall speak until the completion of the number of thy part in the words of the Kingdom of the Light, which thou wilt write. After this thou shalt come forward and speak whatever thy Spirit shall understand. Nevertheless now, at this time give the explanation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.
But Philip answered and said to Jesus : “My Lord, hear that I say the interpretation of her repentance. For thy power once prophesied about it through David in the 87th Psalm, saying :
1. ‘O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried to thee by day and night.
2. Let my prayer come before thy presence. Incline thy ear, O Lord, to my petition.
3. For my soul is filled with evil ; my life has approached Amente .
4. I am numbered with those who have gone down to the pit, I have become like a man without a helper.
5. The free among the dead are like the slain who are cast out and sleep in graves, whom now thou dost not remember; and they are destroyed through thy hands.
6. I have been laid in a pit below in darknesses and the shadow of death. 7. Thy anger has pressed down upon me ; and all thy cares have come down upon me. Pause.
8. Thou hast caused those that know me to be distant from me ; they have set me as an abomination to themselves ; they have set me and I did not go.
9. My eye(s) became weak through my poverty; I cried to thee, O Lord, all the day; I spread out my hands to thee.
10. Wilt thou perhaps do thy wonders among the dead? Will shades 1 rise that they confess thee? 11. Will thy name perhaps be spoken in the graves? 12. And thy righteousness in a land which thou hast forgotten? 13. But I have cried to thee, O Lord, and my prayer will reach thee at the hour of daybreak.
14. Turn not thy face away from me.
15. For I am poor; I have been in distress since my youth ; but when I was exalted I humbled myself, and I arose.
16. Thy rages have come down upon me, and thy fears have agitated me.
17. They have surrounded me like water; they have seized me all day.
18. Thou hast caused my companions to be distant from me; and those that know me on account of my wretchedness’*.
This now is the interpretation of the fifth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said when she was afflicted in the Chaos. .
CHAPTER 44.
It happened now when Jesus heard these words which Philip said , he said to him : ” Excellent, Philip, thou beloved one. Come now at this time, sit and write thy part of every word which I shall say, and what I shall do, and everything which thou shalt see”. And immediately Philip sat down and wrote.
It happened furthermore after this Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said to his disciples : ” Then the Pistis Sophia cried out to the Light. He forgave her sin, that she had forsaken her place, she had come down to the darkness.
She spoke the sixth repentance in this way, saying : 1. I have sung praises to thee, O Light, in the darkness below.
2.Hear my repentance, and may thy light give heed to the voice of my entreaty.
3. O Light, if thou dost remember my sins I shall not be able to come before thee, and thou wilt forsake me.
4. For thou, O Light, art my Saviour on account of the light of thy name. I have believed in thee, O Light.
5. And my power believed in thy mystery. And furthermore, my power trusted in the light, when it was in those of the height, and it (my power) trusted it (the light) when it (my power) was in the Chaos below.
6. May all the powers within me trust the light, when I am in the darkness below, and may they trust it when they come to the place of the height. 7. For it (the light) is merciful to us and saves us, and there is a great mystery of salvation within it.
8. And it will save all the powers from the Chaos on account of my transgression, because I have forsaken my place, I have come down to the Chaos.’ At this time now, he whose understanding (mind) is uplifted , let him understand.”.
CHAPTER 45.
Now it happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : “Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you?” Andrew came forward, he said : “My Lord, concerning the interpretation of the sixth repentance of the Pistis Sophia, thy light-power prophesied once, through David, in the 129th Psalm, saying :
1. ‘Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord.
2. Hear my voice; let thine ears be inclined to the voice of my supplication.
3. O Lord, if thou givest heed to my iniquities who will be able to stand? 4. For forgiveness is with thee; I have waited for thee, O Lord, for thy name’s sake.
5. My soul has waited on thy word.
6. My soul has hoped in the Lord from morni ng until evening; may Israel hope in the Lord from morning until evening. 7. For mercy is in the hand of the Lord, and with him is a great salvation.
8. And he will save Israel out of all his iniquities “.
Jesus said to him : “Excellent, Andrew, thou blessed one.
This is the interpretation of her repentance. Truly, truly, I say to you, I will fulfill you in all the mysteries of the light, and every gnosis, from the innermost of the inner to the outermost of the outer; from the Ineffable to the darkness of darknesses ; and from the Light of Lights to the (? matter) of matter ; from all the gods to the demons ; from all the lords to the decans; from all the powers (exousiai) to the ministers ; from the creation of men to (that off beasts and cattle and reptiles, in order that you be called perfect, fulfilled in every pleroma. Truly, truly, I say to you that, in the place in which I shall be in the Kingdom of my Father, you will also be there with me . And when the perfect number is completed so that the mixture is dissolved, I will command that all the tyrant gods who did not give (up) what is purified of their light be brought. I will command the fire of wisdom, which the perfect ones transmit, to consume those tyrants until they give (up) the last of what is purified of their light.” It happened, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : “Do you understand in what manner I have spoken to you?” Maria said : “Yes, O Lord, I have understood the discourse which thou hast spoken. Concerning the word now which thou didst say : ‘At the dissolving of the whole mixture thou wilt sit upon a light-power, and thy disciples, that is we, we will sit to the right of thee . And thou wilt judge the tyrant gods which did not give (up) what is purified of their light. And the fire of wisdom will consume them until they give (up) the last of the light which is in them.’ Now concerning this word, thy light-power once prophesied, through David, in the 81st Psalm, saying : ‘God will sit in the assembly of gods and will judge the gods “.
Jesus said to her : “Excellent, Maria.”.
CHAPTER 46.
Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples : “It happened when the Pistis Sophia finished saying the sixth repentance concerning the forgiveness of her transgression, she turned again to the height to see whether her sins were forgiven her, and to see whether she would be brought up from the Chaos. And she was not yet heard, through the command of the First Mystery, that her sin would be forgiven, and that she would be brought out of the Chaos. ( When she turned to the height to see whether her repentance was accepted, she saw all the archons of the twelve aeons mocking her and rejoicing over her, because her repentance was not yet accepted. When she now saw them mocking her, she was very sorrowful, she lifted up her voice to the height, saying in the seventh repentance :
1. ‘O Light, I have raised up my power to thee, my Light.
2. I have believed in thee ; do not make me to be despised.
Do not make the archons of the twelve aeons, which hate me, rejoice over me.
3. For all those that believe in thee will not be brought to shame. May those who have taken away my power remain in darkness, and have no profit from it, but have it taken away from them.
4. O Light, show me thy ways, and I will be saved by them ; and show me thy paths, so that I be saved in the Chaos.
5. And lead me in thy light, and may I know, O Light, that thou art my Saviour; I will trust thee in my whole time.
6. Give heed, so that thou savest me, O Light, because thy compassion exists for ever.
7. Concerning my transgression which I have committed from the beginning in my ignorance, do not count it against me, O Light, but rather save me through thy great mystery of forgiveness of sins, for the sake of thy goodness, O Light. 8. For the Light is good and upright. Because of this he (the Light) will allow me (lit. give me my way) to be saved from my transgression.
9. And my powers, which are diminished through fear of the material emanations of the Authades, he will draw out thence by his ordinance. And to my powers, which are diminished through lack of mercy, he will teach his knowledge.
10. For all knowledges of the light are salvations and are mysteries to everyone who seeks the places of his inheritance and his mysteries.
11. For the sake of the mystery of thy name, O Light, forgive my transgression, for it is great.
12. To everyone who trusts the light, he will give the mystery which pleases him.
13. And his soul will exist in the places of the light; and his power will inherit the Treasury of the Light.
14. It is the light which gives power to those that believe in it. And the name of its mystery is for those that trust it.
And it will show them the place of the inheritance which is in the Treasury of the Light.
15. Moreover I have believed in the light at all times, that it is this which will save my feet from the bonds of the darkness. 16.Give heed to me, o Light, and save me, for my name has been taken from me in the Chaos.
17. Beyond all the emanations, my questions and my oppressions are very numerous; save me from my transgression and this darkness.
18. And look upon the distress of my oppression and forgive my transgression.
19. Give heed to the archons of the twelve aeons which hate me with envy.
20. Watch over my power and save me ; and let me not remain in this darkness, for I have believed in thee.
21. And they have committed a great folly for I have believed in thee, O Light.
22. Now at this time, O Light, save my powers from the emanations of the Authades, by which I am oppressed.’ Now at this time, he who is sober, let him be sober.” Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples, Thomas came forward, he said: “My Lord, I am sober, I have become more sober, and my Spirit is ready within me. And I rejoice greatly because thou hast revealed to us these words. Nevertheless I have suffered my brothers up till now lest I cause anger in them. But I suffer each one of them to come before thee to say the interpretation of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Now at this time, O Lord, concerning the interpretation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia, thy light-power prophesied about it, through David the prophet, saying it thus in the 24th Psalm : 1. O Lord, I have lifted up my soul to thee, my God.
2. I have relied on thee; let me not be put to shame, nor let my enemies mock at me.
3. Because everyone that waits upon thee will not be put to shame. Let those that commit iniquity without cause be ashamed.
4. O Lord, show me thy ways, and teach me thy paths.
5. Lead me in the way of thy truth, and teach me for thou art my God, my Saviour. I will wait on thee the whole day.
6. Remember thy compassion, O Lord, and thy mercies, for they are from eternity.
7. Remember not the sins of my youth and those of my ignorance. Remember me rather according to the greatness of thy mercy, for the sake of thy beneficence, O Lord.
8. Beneficent and upright is the Lord; because of this, he will teach the sinners on the way.
9. He will guide the compassionate in judgment; he will teach the compassionate his ways.
10. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth for those that seek his righteousness and his witness.
11. For thy name’s sake, O Lord, forgive me my sin, (for) it is very great.
12. Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will appoint (the) law for him in the way which he has chosen.
13. His soul will be in good things; and his seed will inherit the earth. 14. The Lord is the strength of those that fear him ; and the name of the Lord, to those that fear him, is that which tells them of his covenant.
15. My eyes are directed to the Lord at all times; for it is he who will draw my feet out of the snare.
16. Look down upon me and have mercy on me ; for I am an only son , l am poor.
17. The afflictions of my heart have multiplied; lead me forth from my necessities.
18. Look upon my humbleness and my distress, and forgive all my sins.
19. Look upon my enemies, for they have multiplied and they have hated me with an unjust hatred.
20. Guard my soul and save me ; let me not be put to shame for I have hoped in thee.
21. The harmless and the upright have joined themselves to me ; for I have waited upon thee, O Lord.
22. O God, save Israel from all his afflictions’ “.
When however Jesus heard the words of Thomas, he said to him : “Excellent, Thomas, and well done. This is the interpretation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia.
Truly, truly, I say to you that all the generations of the world will bless you upon the earth, because I have revealed this to you, and you have received of my Spirit, and you have become understanding and Pneumatic, since you have understood what I have said. And after this I will fill you with all the light and all the power of the Spirit, so that from this time you will understand all those things which will be said to you, and those things which you will see. Yet a little time and I will speak with you of all the things of the height, from the outer to the inner, and from the inner to the outer.”.
CHAPTER 47 Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to the disciples : “Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia said her seventh repentance in the Chaos, the command, through the First Mystery, that I should save her and bring her up from the Chaos, had not yet come forth to me.
But I of myself, out of compassion, without command, I brought her to a place in the Chaos which was a little wider.
And when the material emanations of the Authades knew she had been brought to a place in the Chaos which was a little wider, they ceased a little from oppressing her, thinking she would be brought up from the Chaos completely. Now when these things happened, the Pistis Sophia did not know that it was I who helped her, nor did she know me at all.
But she continued singing praises to the light of the Treasury which she had once seen, and in which she believed. And she thought, furthermore, that it was he who helped her. And it was he to whom she sang praises, thinking that he was the true light. But since she believed in the light which belongs to the true Treasury, for this reason she will be brought up from the Chaos and her repentance will be received. But the ordinance of the First Mystery that her repentance should be received was not yet completed. Therefore hear now, and I will tell you all the things (lit. words) which happened to the Pistis Sophia.
It happened when I brought her to a place in the Chaos, which was a little wider, the emanations of the Authades ceased from oppressing her greatly , thinking she would be brought up from the Chaos completely. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades knew that the Pistis Sophia was not brought up from the Chaos, they turned again at the same time to oppress her greatly. Because of this she now said the eighth repentance, because they had ceased from oppressing her, and they had turned again to oppress her to the last. She spoke this repentance, saying it thus :
1. ‘I have hoped in thee, O Light. Leave me not in the Chaos; save me and deliver me with thy knowledge.
2. Give heed to me and save me. Be to me a Saviour, O Light, and save me and bring me into the presence of thy light.
3. For thou art my Saviour and thou wilt bring me to thy presence. And for the sake of the mystery of thy name, lead me and give me thy mystery. 4. And thou wilt save me as I am ensnared by this lion-faced power; for thou art my Saviour.
5. And I will give what is purified of my light into thy hands; thou hast saved me, O Light, with thy knowledge.
6. Thou hast been angry with those who watch for me, who will not be able to seize me at all. But I have believed in the light.
7. I will rejoice and sing praises, for thou hast had compassion on me ; and thou hast given heed to the oppression in which I am. And thou hast saved me. And also thou wilt deliver my power from the Chaos.
8. And thou didst not leave me to be in the hands of the lion-faced power, but thou hast brought me to a place which is not oppressed’.”.
CHAPTER 48.
When Jesus had said these things to his disciples, he answered again and said to them : “It happened now when the lion-faced power knew that the Pistis Sophia was not brought up from the Chaos at all, it came again with all the rest of the material/ emanations of the Authades. They oppressed the Pistis Sophia again. Now it happened when they oppressed her, she cried out in this same repentance, in which she spoke thus: 9. Have compassion on me, O Light, for they have oppressed me again. The light within me has been agitated on account of thy ordinance; and my power and my understanding (mind).
10. My power has begun to decrease while I am in these oppressions; and the reckoning of my time while I am in the Chaos. My light has diminished, for they have taken away my power from me, and all the powers within me have been shaken.
11. I have become powerless before 1 all the archons of the aeons which hate me, and before the 24 emanations in whose places I was. And my brother, my partner, feared to help me, on account of those among whom I was held.
12. And all the archons of the height have reckoned me to be matter without light in it. I have become like a material power which has fallen out of the archons.
13. And all those who were in the aeons said : she has become Chaos. And after this the merciless powers surrounded me at the same time, and spoke to take away all my light that was in me.
14. But I trusted thee, O Light, and I said : thou art my Saviour.
15. And my ordinance which thou hast ordained for me is in thy hands; save me from the hands of the emanations of the Authades which oppress me and pursue after me.
16. Send down thy light upon me, for I am nothing before thee; and save me in thy compassion.
17. Let me not be despised, for thou art he to whom I have sung praises, O Light. May the Chaos cover over the emanations of the Authades, and may they be cast down to the darkness. 18. May the mouth be shut of those who, with cunning, want to swallow me ; who say : let us take away all the light within her, although I have done nothing wicked to them’.” .
CHAPTER 49.
When, however, Jesus had said these things, Matthew came forward and said : “My Lord, thy Spirit has moved me, and thy light has made me sober, so that I should tell the eighth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. For thy power once prophesied about it through David, in the 30th Psalm, saying :
1. ‘I have hoped in thee, O Lord. Let me not be put to shame for ever; save me in thy righteousness.
2. Incline thine ear to me; save me quickly, be to me a protecting God and a house of refuge to save me.
3. For thou art my support and my refuge; for the sake of thy name thou wilt guide me and nourish me.
4. And thou wilt bring me forth from this snare which they have hidden for me, for thou art my protector.
5. I will give up my spirit into thy hands. Thou hast saved me, O Lord, God of truth.
6. Thou hast hated those who idly keep to what is vain.
But I have trusted; 7. And I will rejoice over the Lord , and I will be glad over thy mercy; for thou hast looked upon my humbleness, and thou hast saved my soul out of my necessities.
8. Thou hast not shut me in the hands of the enemy ; thou hast set my feet in a wide place.
9. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted; my eye is I troubled with anger; and my soul and my belly.
10. For my years have been spent in distress and my life has been spent in groanings; my power has become weak in poverty, and my bones are troubled.
11. I have become a reproach to all my enemies and my neighbors. I have become a fear to those that know me, and those that saw me ran away from me.
12. I have been forgotten like a corpse in their hearts; and I have become like a broken vessel.
13. I have heard contempt from many at my side who surrounded me ; when they gathered together against me, they took counsel to take away my soul from me.
14. But I have trusted thee, O Lord, I have said : thou art my God.
15. My lots are in thy hands; save me from the hand of my enemies, and deliver me from those that persecute me.
16. Reveal thy face over thy servant, and save me in thy mercy, O Lord.
17. Let me not be put to shame, for I have cried to thee; let the impious be put to shame and turned to Amente.
18. Let the cunning lips be dumb, who speak iniquity against the righteous with pride and contempt’.”.
CHAPTER 50.
When however Jesus heard these words, he said: “Well done, Matthew. Now at this time truly I say to you, when the perfect number is completed and the All is raised up, I will sit in the Treasury of the Light, and you yourselves will sit on twelve light-powers, until we have set up again all the ranks of the twelve saviors at the place of the inheritance of each one of them.” But when he had said these things, he said : “Do you understand what I say?” Maria came forward and said : “O Lord, concerning this, thou didst once say to us in a parable: ‘You have endured with me in temptations. I will establish a kingdom for you in the way in which my Father established it for me , so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel’.” He said to her : “Excellent, Maria.” Jesus continued again and said to his disciples : “Now it happened after these things, when the emanations of the Authades oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos, she spoke the ninth repentance, saying :
1. ‘O Light, smite down those who have taken my power away from me ; and take the power from those who have taken mine from me.
2. For I am thy power and thy light ; come and save me. 3. May a great darkness cover over those that oppress me ; say to my power : it is I who will save thee.
4. All those who want to take my light from me completely : may their power fail; those who want to take my light from me completely : may they turn to the Chaos and become powerless.
5. May their power become like dust; and may Jeu, thine angel, smite them down.
6. And if they come to go to the height, may a darkness seize them, so that they stumble and turn to the Chaos; and may thine angel, Jeu, pursue them and send them to the darkness below.
7. For without my having done evil to them, they have ensnared me with a lion-faced power from which their light will be taken; they have oppressed the power within me, which they will not able to take away.
8. Now at this time, O Light, take away what is purified from the lion-faced power, without his knowing; and the thought which the Authades had (lit. thought), to take away my light : take his own away; and let the light of the lion-faced power, which ensnared me, be taken away.
9. My power will flourish in the light and will rejoice because it will save it.
10. And all the parts of my power will say : there is now no Saviour except thee; for it is thou who wilt save me from the hands of the lion-faced power which has taken my power from me. And it is thou who savest me from the hands of those who have taken my power and my light from me.
11. For they stood up against me and told lies about me.
And they say : I know the mystery of the light which is in the height, in which I have believed. And they have compelled me, saying : Tell us the mystery of the light which is in the height, this one which I do not know.
12. And they have repaid me with all these wicked things, because I have believed in the light of the height; and they have made my power to be without light.
13. But when I was compelled, I sat in the darkness, while my soul was humble in sorrow.
14. And, O Light, concerning whom I sing praises to thee, save me ; I know that thou wilt save me, because I have done thy will since I was in my aeon. I have done thy will like the invisible ones who are in my place, and like my partner; and I became sorrowful as I looked, seeking for thy light.
15. Now at this time all the emanations of the Authades have surrounded me ; and have rejoiced over me, and they have oppressed me greatly, without my knowing; and they have run away, they have left me, and they have not been merciful to me.
16. They turned again and tempted me, and they oppressed me with great oppression; they gnashed their teeth at me, wanting to take away my light from me completely.
17. How long now, O Light, dost thou suffer them, that they oppress me ? Save my power from their wicked thoughts, and save me from the lion-faced power, for I alone among the invisible ones am in this place.
18. I will sing praise to thee, O Light, while I am in the midst of all those gathered against me. And I will cry out to thee in the midst of all those that oppress me.
19. Now at this time, O Light, let not those that hate me and want to take away my power from me, rejoice over me; these who hate me, as they move their eyes against me, without my having done anything to them.
20. For indeed they flatter me with sweet words while they seek from me the mysteries of the light which I do not know; speaking to me with cunning against me, and raging against me, because I have believed in the light which is in the height.
21. They have opened their mouths against me ; they have said : Yes. We will take away her light.
22. Now at this time, O Light, thou hast known their cunning ; suffer them not, and let not thy help be far from me.
23. Make haste, O Light, judge me and avenge me. 24. And give judgment to me in thy goodness; now at this time, O Light of Lights, let them not take my light from me.
25. And do not let them say in their hearts : Our power has satisfied itself with her light; and let them not say : We have swallowed her power.
26. But rather let darkness come down upon them; and let those that want to take away my light from me become powerless; and those that say : We will take away her light and her power, let them be covered with Chaos and darkness, 27. Now at this time, save me, that I may rejoice, because I want the thirteenth aeon, the place of righteousness. And I will say at all times : May the light of Jeu, thy angel, give more light.
28. And my tongue will sing praises to thee in thy knowledge, all my time in the thirteenth aeon’.”.
CHAPTER 51.
It happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : “He who is sober among you, let him give their interpretation.” James came forward, he kissed the breast of Jesus and said : “My Lord, thy Spirit has made me sober , and I am willing to give their interpretation. Concerning this, indeed, thy power prophesied once, through David, in the 34th Psalm, speaking thus about the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia :
1. ‘Judge, O Lord, those who do injustice to me; fight with those who fight with me. 2. Take hold of a weapon and shield, and rise to help me.
3. Draw forth a sword and unsheathe it in the presence of those that afflict me ; say to my soul : I am thy salvation.
4. May they be put to shame and disgrace that seek my soul; may those that think wicked things about me be turned back and be put to shame.
5. May they become like dust before the wind; and may the angel of the Lord pursue them.
6. May their paths become dark and slippery; and may the angel of the Lord afflict them.
7. For, without cause, they have hidden for me a snare to their own destruction; and in vain they have slandered my soul.
8. May the snare which they do not know come to them; and may the net, which they have hidden for me, catch them, and may they fall into this snare.
9. But my soul will rejoice over the Lord, and be glad over its salvation.
10. All my bones will say : O Lord, who can resemble thee? Thou dost save the poor out of the hand of those that are stronger than he ; and thou dost save a poor man and a needy from the hands of those that rob him.
11. Unjust witnesses have arisen; they have questioned me about things which I do not know. 12. They repaid me evil things for good, and childlessness to my soul.
13. But I, when they troubled me, I put on sackcloth, and I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer will return again to my bosom.
14. I was agreeable as if to my neighbor, and as if to my brother ; and I humbled myself like a mourner and a sorrowful one.
15. They have rejoiced over me and have been put to shame. Scourges were gathered against me and I did not know; they were separated and they were not distressed.
16. They tempted me, and they sneered at me contemptuously; they gnashed their teeth against me.
17. O Lord, when wilt thou look down upon me ? Establish my soul away from their wicked deeds; and save my only-begotten one from the lions.
18. I will confess thee, O Lord, in a great congregation, and I will bless thee among countless people.
19. Let not those who are enemies to me unjustly, who hate me without cause and wink with their eyes, rejoice over me.
20. For indeed they speak to me with peaceful words ; and they imagine wrath with cunning. 21. They opened wide their mouths against me and they said : Excellent, our eyes have had a full view of him.
22. Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not silent, O Lord; draw not back from me.
23. Arise, O Lord, give heed to my judgment; give heed to my revenge, my God and my Lord.
24. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness; let them not rejoice over me, my God.
25. Neither let them say : Excellent, our soul; let them not say : We have swallowed him.
26. Let those that rejoice over my misfortunes be put to shame, and disgraced at the same time; let those that speak great words against me be covered with shame and disgrace.
27. Let those that wish my righteousness be glad and rejoice; and may those that wish the peace of his servant say : let the Lord be magnified and lifted up.
28. My tongue will rejoice at thy righteousness and thy glory all the day’.”.
CHAPTER 52.
When James had said these things, Jesus said : Excellent, well done, James. This is the interpretation of the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Truly, truly, I say to you that you will become first in the Kingdom of Heaven, before all the invisible ones, and all the gods, and all the archons, which are in the thirteenth aeon, and in the twelfth aeon. But not only you, but also everyone who will perform my mysteries.” When he had said these things, he said to them : “Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you ?” Mariam sprang up again, she said : “Yes, O Lord. This is what thou didst say to us once : ‘The last will become first and the first will become last.’ Now the first, which were created before us, are the invisible ones, since they existed before mankind, they and the gods and the archons; and the men who will receive mysteries will precede them in the Kingdom of Heaven.” Jesus said to her : “Excellent, Mariam.” Jesus continued again, he said to his disciples: “Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia had said the ninth repentance, the lion-faced power oppressed her again, wanting to take away all the power within her. She cried again to the Light, saying : ‘O Light, in whom I have believed from the beginning, for whose sake I have suffered great afflictions, help me.’ And in that hour her repentance was accepted. The First Mystery heard her. And I was sent at his command, I came to help her, I brought her up from the Chaos because she had repented, and also because she had believed in the light, and she had suffered these great afflictions and these great dangers. She was deceived by the deity Authades. And she was deceived by nothing except a light-power, because of the likeness of the light in which she believed. Now because of this I was sent, through the command of the First Mystery to help her secretly. But I had not yet come to the place of the aeons at all. But I came forth from the midst of them all without any power knowing; neither the innermost ones of the inner, nor the outermost ones of the outer, except for the First Mystery alone.
Now it happened when I came to the Chaos, to help her, she saw that I was understanding, and that I was shining exceedingly and with compassion towards her. For I was not insolent like the lion-faced power, which had taken away the power of light from the Sophia, and which had also afflicted her, to take away all the light within her. Now the Sophia saw me, that I was shining ten thousand times more than the lion-faced power, and that I had great compassion towards her. And she knew that I was from out of the height of heights, in the light of which she had believed from the beginning. The Pistis Sophia took courage and she spoke the tenth repentance, saying :
1. ‘I have cried out to thee, O Light of Lights, in my affliction, and thou hast heard me.
2. O Light, save my power from unjust and iniquitous lips, and from cunning snares. 3. The light which was taken away from me with a cunning snare will not be brought to thee.
4. For the snares of the Authades are widespread, with the traps of the merciless.
5. Woe to me, for my dwelling was far off and I was in the dwellings of the Chaos.
6. My power was in places which were not mine.
7. And I flattered those merciless ones, and when I flattered them, they attacked me without cause’.” .
CHAPTER 53.
Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples, he said to them : “Now at this time let him whose spirit moves him, come forth and say the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.” Peter answered and said : “O Lord, concerning this also, thy power prophesied once, through David, in the l19th Psalm, saying :
1. ‘I cried to thee, O Lord, in my affliction and thou didst hear me.
2. O Lord, save my soul from unjust lips and from a cunning tongue.
3. What will be given to thee and what will be taken from thee with a cunning tongue? 4. The arrows of the strong are sharpened, together with the coals of the desert.
5. Woe on me, for my dwelling was far off. I dwelt in the dwellings of Kedar. 6. My soul has been a sojourner in many places.
7. I was peaceful with those who hate peace. When I spoke with them they fought me without cause.’ Now at this time, O Lord, this is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia, which she said when the material emanations of the Authades oppressed her, they and his lion-faced power, and when they afflicted her greatly.” Jesus said to him : “Excellent, Peter, and well done. This is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.”.
CHAPTER 54.
Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples: “Now it happened when the lion-faced power saw me approaching the Pistis Sophia, that I was shining exceedingly, it was more angry, and it emanated from itself another multitude of very powerful emanations. Now when these things happened, the Pistis Sophia spoke the eleventh repentance, saying :
1. ‘Why has the strong power risen among the wicked? 2. Its thought took the light away from me at all times.
And like sharp iron they took power from me.
3. I preferred to come down to the Chaos more than to remain in the place of the thirteenth aeon, the place of righteousness.
4. And they wanted to take me by cunning, that they might swallow all my light.
5. Because of this now, the light will take all their light, and also their whole matter will be destroyed. And he will take their light, and he will not let them exist in the thirteenth aeon, their dwelling place, and he will not let their names be in the place of those that will live.
6. And the 24 emanations will see what has happened to thee, O lion-faced power, and they will fear and they will not be disobedient, but they will give what is purified of their light.
7. And they will see thee, and they will rejoice over thee and they will say : Behold an emanation which has not given what is purified of its light, that it might be saved, but it boasts of the magnitude of the light of its power, because it did not emanate the power within it ; and it said : I will take away the light of the Pistis Sophia, this which will be taken from her.’ Now at this time, let him in whom his power has arisen come forward and give the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia.” Then Salome came forward and said : “My Lord, concerning this, thy light-power once prophesied, through David, in the 51st Psalm, saying : I. “why does the mighty, boast of his evil? 2. Thy tongue has devised injustice all the day; like a sharp cutting knife thou hast practiced deceit.
3. Thou hast loved evil more than goodness; thou host loved injustice more than to speak righteousness. 4. Thou hast loved all words of subterfuge and a cunning tongue, 5. For this reason God will destroy thee completely, He will uproot thee; and he will draw thee from thy dwelling, and he will pluck out thy root and cast it outside of those that are living, Pause.
6. The righteous will see and will fear; and they will mock at him and say : 7. Behold a man who did not make God his helper, but he trusted in his great wealth and he had power upon his vanity.
8. But I am like a fruit-bearing olive tree in the House of God ; I have trusted in the mercy of God for ever and ever.
9. And I will give thanks to thee, for thou hast dealt with me ; and I will wait upon thy name, for it is beneficent in the presence of thy holy ones.’ Now at this time, my Lord, this is the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia. As thy light-power moved me, I said it according to thy will.” Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Salome said, he said : “Excellent, Salome. Truly, truly , I say to you that I will complete you in all mysteries of the Kingdom of the Light.”.
CHAPTER 55.
Jesus, however, continued again with the discourse.
He said to his disciples : “It happened now after these things I entered into the Chaos, shining exceedingly, in order that I might take away the light of that lion-faced power.
As I was of exceeding light, it was afraid, it cried out to its deity, Authades, to help it. And at that hour the deity Authades looked forth from the thirteenth aeon, he looked down upon the Chaos. He was exceedingly angry, wishing to help his lion-faced power. And at that hour the lion-faced power and all its emanations turned to the Pistis Sophia, wishing to take away all the light which was in the Sophia.
It happened now when they oppressed the Sophia, she cried out to the height, she cried out to me, that I should help her. Now it happened when she looked to the height, she saw the Authades who was very angry, and she was afraid.
She said the twelfth repentance because of the Authades and his emanations. But she cried out to me, saying thus :
1. ‘O Light, forget not my song of praise.
2. For the Authades and his lion-faced power opened their mouths against me, they dealt cunningly with me. 3. And they surrounded me, wishing to take away my power; and they hated me because I sang praises to thee.
4. Instead of loving me, they slandered me, but I sang praises.
5. They planned to take away my power because I sang praises to thee, O Light. And they hated me because I loved thee.
6. Let the darkness come over the Authades, and may the archon of the outer darkness remain at his right hand.
7. And when thou dost judge him, take his power away from him ; and that which he thought – to take away my light from me – do thou take his from him.
8. And may all his powers of his light within him diminish; and may another one take his greatness in the three triple-powered ones.
9. May all the powers of his emanations become without light; and may his matter be without light in it.
10. May his emanations remain in the Chaos, and may they not be allowed to go to their place; may their light which is in them diminish, and let them not be allowed to go up to the thirteenth aeon, their place.
11. May the paralemptes, the purifier of the lights, purify all the lights which are in the Authades; and may he take them from them.
12. May the archons of the darkness below rule over his emanations, and let not anyone receive him to himself in his place ; and let not anyone hear the power of his emanations in the Chaos.
13. May the light which is in his emanations be taken away, and may their name be removed from the thirteenth aeon; indeed rather may his name be taken away from that place for ever.
14. And upon the lion-faced power, may there be brought the sin of him who emanated it in the presence of the light; and may the iniquity, of the matter which brought him (the Authades) forth not be erased.
15. And may their sin immediately be in the presence of the eternal light ; and may they not be allowed to see, and may their name be removed from every place; 16. Because they did not spare me, and they oppressed the one whose light and power they took away. And afterwards they put me among them, wishing to take away all my light from me.
17. They loved to come down to the Chaos; may they be within it, and not be brought forth from this time hence.
They did not want the place of righteousness as dwelling place, and they will not be taken to it from this time forth.
18. He put on the darkness like a garment; and it (the darkness) went into him like water, and it went into all his powers like oil.
19. May he wrap himself in the Chaos like a garment, and gird himself with the darkness like a leather girdle at all times. 20. While these things happen to those who brought these things upon me on account of the light; and they said: let us take away all her power.
21. But thou, O Light, have compassion on me, on account of the mystery of thy name; and save me in the beneficence of thy mercy.
22. Because they have taken away my light and my power, and my power is shaken within me, and I have not been able to stand upright in their midst, 23. I have become like matter which has fallen; I have been cast on this side and that, like a demon which is in the air.
24. My power has been destroyed, for I possess no mystery ; and my matter has faded because of my light, for they took it away.
25. And as for me, they mocked me ; they looked at me as they winked about me.
26. Help me according to thy compassion.’ Now at this time, he whose spirit is eager, let him come forward and say the interpretation of the twelfth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.”.
CHAPTER 56.
Andrew however came forward, he said : “My Lord and Saviour, thy light-power prophesied once, through David, concerning this repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, and spoke in the 108th Psalm, saying :
1. ‘O God, do not be silent to my praise.
2. For the mouths of the sinner and the cunning, they have opened against me ; they have spoken about me with a cunning tongue.
3. And they surround me with words of hatred; and they have fought against me without a cause.
4. Instead of loving me, they slandered me, but I prayed.
5. They established for me evil in the place of good, and hatred in the place of my love.
6. Set a sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.
7. When he is judged, may he come forth condemned, and may his prayer become sin.
8. May his days be diminished, and may another take his office.
9. May his sons become orphans, and may his wife become a widow.
10. May his sons be moved, and may they be turned out and beg ; may they be cast forth from their house.
11. May the creditor search all his belongings; and may strangers rob all his efforts.
12. May there not exist for him anyone who gives him a hand, or who is compassionate to his orphans.
13. May his sons be blotted out; and may his name be blotted out in one generation. 14. May the sin of his fathers be remembered in the presence of the Lord ; and let not the iniquity of his mother be blotted out.
15. May they be in the presence of the Lord at all times ; and may his memory be wiped out from the earth.
16. Because he did not remember to show mercy; and he pursued a poor man and a wretched one, and he persecuted one who was afflicted, to kill him.
17. He loved cursing and may it come to him; he did not wish to bless and may it be removed from him.
18. He put on cursing like a garment, and it went to his interior like water; it became like oil in his bones.
19. May it be to him like the garment with which he will wrap himself; and like a girdle with which he will gird himself at all times.
20. This is the dealing for those that slander me before the Lord, and those that speak lawless things into my soul.
21. But thou, O Lord, Lord show mercy on me, on account of thy name; save me.
22. For I am a poor man and I am a wretched one ; my heart is agitated within me.
23. I have been taken into the midst like a shadow which goes down; I am blown forth like locusts. 24. My knees are weak with lasting; and my flesh is changed on account of the (lack of) oil.
25. But I have become a mockery to them; they saw me and they shook their heads.
26. Help me, O Lord God, and save me, according to thy mercy.
27. May they know that this is thy hand, and thou hast created it, O Lord.’ This is the interpretation of the twelfth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, as she was in the Chaos.”.
CHAPTER 57.
Jesus continued again, however, with the discourse.
He said to his disciples : “It happened again after these things, the Pistis Sophia cried out to me, saying : ‘O Light of Lights, I have transgressed against the twelve aeons. I came down from them. For this reason I have said the twelve repentances, one according to each aeon. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is very great.
Because I left the places of the height. I came to dwell in the places of the Chaos.’ Now when the Pistis Sophia finished saying these things, she continued again with the thirteenth repentance, saying :
1. ‘Hear me as I sing praises to thee, O Light of Lights.
Hear me as I say the repentance of the thirteenth aeon, the place from which I came down, so that the thirteenth repentance of the thirteenth aeon be completed. These (aeons) ( against which I have transgressed, from them I came down.
2. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, hear me as I sing praises to thee in the thirteenth aeon, my place from which I came forth.
3. Save me, O Light, in thy great mystery and forgive my transgression in thy forgiveness.
4. And give me the baptism and forgive my sins and purify me from my transgression.
5. And this my transgression is the lion-faced power, which was not hidden from thee at any time, for on account of it I came down.
6. And I alone among the invisible ones, in whose place I existed, transgressed, and I came down to the Chaos.
I transgressed before thee so that thy ordinance should be fulfilled.’ The Pistis Sophia now said these things. Now at this time let him whose spirit moves him to understand her words, come forth and give their thought.” Martha came forward and said: “My Lord, my spirit moves me to give the interpretation of those things which the Pistis Sophia said. Concerning them, thy power once prophesied through David in the 50th Psalm, speaking thus :
1. ‘Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great pity; according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my sin .
2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. 3. And my sin is present to me at all times.
4. That thou shouldst be justified in thy words and victorious when thou judgest me.’ This is the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.” Jesus said to her : “”Excellent, well done Martha, thou blessed one”.
CHAPTER 58.
Jesus however continued again with the discourse.
He said to his disciples : “Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia said these words, the time was fulfilled that she should be brought forth from the Chaos. And by myself alone, without the First Mystery’, I brought forth from myself a light-power, I sent it down to the Chaos that it should bring the Pistis Sophia up from the deep places of the Chaos and bring her to the upper place of the Chaos, until the command came forth from the First Mystery that she should be brought up from the Chaos completely. And my light-power brought the Pistis Sophia up to the upper places of the Chaos. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades knew that the Pistis Sophia was brought up to the upper places of the Chaos, they followed her upwards, wanting to take her again to the lower places of the Chaos. And my light-power, which I had sent to bring the Sophia up from the Chaos, gave light exceedingly. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades followed the Sophia when she was brought to the upper places of the Chaos, she sang praises again and she cried out to me, saying : I. ‘I will sing praises to thee, O Light, for I wanted to come to thee. I will sing praises to thee, O Light, for thou art my Saviour.
2. Leave me not in the Chaos. Save me, O Light of the height, for thou art he to whom I have sung praises.
3. By thyself thou hast sent to me thy light and thou hast saved me. Thou hast brought me to the upper places of the Chaos.
4. May the emanations of the Authades which follow me fall down to the lower places of the Chaos. And let them not come to the upper places so that they see me.
5. And may a great darkness cover them over and may a cloud of darkness come to them. And let them not see me in the light of thy power which thou hast sent to me to save me, lest they gain power over me again.
6. And their plan which they thought of, to take away my power, let it not happen for them. And according to how they spoke against me to take away my light from me, take theirs rather instead of mine.
7. And they have spoken to take away all my light. And they were not able to take it, for thy light-power was with me ; 8. Because they deliberated without thy ordinance, O Light.
On account of this they were not able to take away my light.
9. Because I have believed in the light, I will not fear; and the light is my Saviour, and I will not fear.’ Now at this time let him whose power is elevated say the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.” But it happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, Salome came forward. She said : “My Lord, my power compels me to say the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said. Thy power prophesied once through Solomon, saying thus :
1. I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, for thou art my God.
2. Leave me not, O Lord, for thou art my hope.
3. Thou hast given me thy judgment freely, and I have been saved through thee.
4. May those that persecute me fall and let them not see me.
5. May a cloud of smoke cover their eyes, and may a misty air darken them; and let them not see the day, lest they seize me.
6. May their counsels become powerless; and may those things which they have devised come upon them, 7. They have devised a counsel, and it has not happened for them.
8. And they, the powerful, are vanquished; and those things which they prepared with evil intent are cast down .
9. My hope is in the Lord and I will not fear ; for thou art my God, my Saviour’. ” Now it happened when Salome finished saying these words, Jesus said to her : “Excellent, Salome, and well done.
This is the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.”.
CHAPTER 59.
Jesus continued again, however, with the discourse.
He said to his disciples : “Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia finished saying these words in the Chaos, I caused the light-power which I had sent to save her, I caused it to become a crown of light on her head, so that from this hour the emanations of the Authades would have no power over her. And when it became a crown of light on her head, all the evil materials which were in her were moved, and they were all purified within her; they were destroyed and came to be in the Chaos, while the emanations of the Authades saw them and they rejoiced. And what was purified of the pure light within the Sophia gave power to the light of my light-power which had become a crown on her head. Now it happened further, as it surrounded the pure light within the Sophia, her pure light was not (left) without 1 the crown of the flame of the light-power, so that the emanations of the Authades did not steal it.
Now when these things had happened, the pure light-power within the Sophia began to sing praises; but she sang praises to my light-power which had become a crown on her head.
She sang praises, saying thus :
1. ‘The light has become a crown on my head and I will not be (left) without it, so that the emanations of the Authades do not steal it from me.
2. And even if all the materials move, I however will not move.
3. And even if all my materials are destroyed and remain in the Chaos – these which the emanations of the Authades see – I however will not be destroyed.
4. For the light is with me, and I myself am with the light.’ But the Pistis Sophia said these words. Now at this time let him who understands the thought of these words come forward and give their interpretation.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward. She said : “My son according to the world, my God and my Saviour according to the height, command me that I give the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.” But Jesus answered and said : “Thou also, Mary, thou hast received form which is in the Barbelo according to the matter, and thou hast received likeness which is in the on her head. Now it happened further, as it surrounded the pure light within the Sophia, her pure light was not (left) without the crown of the flame of the light-power, so that the emanations of the Authades did not steal it.
Now when these things had happened, the pure light-power within the Sophia began to sing praises; but she sang praises to my light-power which had become a crown on her head.
She sang praises, saying thus :
1. ‘The light has become a crown on my head and I will not be (left) without it, so that the emanations of the Authades do not steal it from me.
2. And even if all the materials move, I however will not move.
3. And even if all my materials are destroyed and remain in the Chaos – these which the emanations of the Authades see – I however will not be destroyed.
4. For the light is with me, and I myself am with the light.’ But the Pistis Sophia said these words. Now at this time let him who understands the thought of these words come forward and give their interpretation.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward. She said : “My son according to the world, my God and my Saviour according to the height, command me that I give the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.” But Jesus answered and said : “Thou also, Mary, thou hast received form which is in the Barbelo according to the matter, and thou hast received likeness which is in the Virgin of the Light according to the light, thou and the other Mary, the blessed one. And for thy sake the darkness exists and furthermore, from thee has come forth the material body in which I exist, which I have cleaned and purified. Now at this time I command thee to give the interpretation of the words which the Sophia said.
However Mary, the mother of Jesus, answered, she said : “My Lord, thy light-power once prophesied about these words through Solomon in the 19th Ode and said :
1. ‘The Lord is upon my head like a crown and I shall not be without him.
2. They plaited for me the true crown , and it caused thy branches to sprout in me.
3. For it is not like a withered crown which does not sprout; but thou livest upon my head and thou dost sprout upon me.
4. Thy fruits are full and ripe, filled with thy salvation’. ” Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary his mother spoke , he said to her : “Excellent, well done.
Truly, truly, I say that they will bless thee from end to end of the earth , for the pledge of the First Mystery was entrusted to thee. And by means of that pledge all those of the earth and all those of the height will be saved. And that pledge is the beginning and the end.” .
CHAPTER 60 Jesus however continued with the discourse. He said to his disciples : ‘”lt happened when the Pistis Sophia said the thirteenth repentance, moreover at that hour the ordinance was completed of all the afflictions which had been ordained for the Pistis Sophia, because of the completion of the First Mystery , which had been since the beginning. And the time came that she should be saved from the Chaos and brought forth from all the darknesses. For her repentance was received by the First Mystery’. And that Mystery sent me a great light-power from the height, so that I should help the Pistis Sophia and bring her up from the Chaos. But I looked to the aeons of the height , I saw the light-power which the First Mystery had sent to me so that I should save the Sophia from the Chaos. Now it happened, when I saw it coming forth from the aeons and it hastened towards me — but I was above the Chaos – another light-power also came forth from me, in order to help the Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which came forth from the height through the First Mystery came down upon the light-power which came forth from me. And they met one another and became a great outpouring of light.” Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples he said: “Do you understand the manner in which I am speaking with you?” Mariam sprang up, she said : “My Lord, I understand what thou dost say. Concerning the interpretation of these words, thy light-power once prophesied through David in the 84th Psalm, saying : 10. ‘Mercy and truth have met one another, and righteousness and peace have kissed one another.
11. Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven.’ Now mercy is the light-power which came forth through the First Mystery, for the First Mystery, heard the Pistis Sophia, and had mercy on her in all her afflictions. Truth, on the other hand, is the power which came forth from thee, because thou didst fulfill the truth that thou shouldst save her (the Pistis Sophia) from the Chaos. And furthermore, righteousness is the power which came forth through the First Mystery, which will guide the Pistis Sophia. And again peace is the power which came forth from thee, because it will go into the emanations of the Authades and take away from them the lights which they took from the Pistis Sophia; that is, thou dost gather them within the Sophia and dost make them to be at peace with her power.
Truth, on the other hand, is the power which came forth from thee when thou wast in the lower places of the Chaos.
Concerning this, thy power spoke through David thus: ‘Truth has sprouted from the earth’, because thou wast in the lower places of the Chaos. Righteousness, on the other hand, which looked forth from heaven, is the power which came forth from the height, through the First Mystery, and which entered into the Sophia.”.
CHAPTER 61.
Now it happened when Jesus heard these words, he said: “Excellent, Mariam, thou blessed one who wilt inherit the whole Kingdom of the Light.” After these things Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came forward and said: “My Lord and my Saviour, command me also that I answer this discourse.” Jesus said: “I will not prevent him whose spirit has become understanding, but I urge him the more to speak the thought which has moved him. Now at this time, Mary, my mother according to the matter, to whom I was entrusted, I command thee that thou also sayest the thought of the discourse.” Mary answered, however, and said : “My Lord, concerning the word which thy power prophesied through David : 10. ‘Mercy and truth have met one another; righteousness and peace have kissed one another.
11. Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven.’ Thy power once prophesied in these words about thee.
When thou wast small, before the Spirit came upon thee, while thou wast in a vineyard with Joseph, the Spirit came forth from the height ø, he came to me into my house, he resembled thee. And I did not recognize him and I thought that he was thou. And the Spirit said to me : ‘Where is Jesus, my brother, that I meet him ?’ And when he said these things to me, I was confused and I thought that he was a phantom to tempt me. But I took him, I bound him to the leg of the bed in my house, until I came out to you in the field, thou and Joseph, and I found you in the vineyard, as Joseph was hedging the vineyard with reeds. Now it happened, when thou didst hear me speaking the word to Joseph, thou didst understand the word and thou didst rejoice. And thou didst say : ‘Where is he that I may see him? Or else I await him in this place’. But it happened when Joseph heard thee saying these words, he was agitated and we came up at the same time, we went into the house. We found the Spirit bound to the bed. And we looked at thee with him, we found thee like him. And he that was bound to the bed was released, he embraced thee, he kissed thee. And thou also, thou didst kiss him and you became one.
This now is the discourse and its interpretation. Mercy is the Spirit which came forth from the height, through the First Mystery, because he (the First Mystery) had mercy on the race of men. He sent his Spirit that it should forgive the sins of the whole world so that they (men) should receive mysteries and inherit the Kingdom of the Light. Truth, on the other hand, is the power which was entrusted to me; when it came forth from the Barbelo, it became for thee a material body. And it preached about the place of the truth . Righteousness is thy Spirit which has brought the mysteries forth from the height, to give them to the race of mankind. Peace, on the other hand, is the power which was entrusted to thy material body ,, according to the world, which baptised the race of mankind until they became strangers to sin. And it made them to be at peace with thy Spirit, and they came to be at peace with the emanations of the light. That is, righteousness and peace have kissed one another. And as it was said : ‘Truth has sprouted from the earth’: truth however is thy material body , which sprouted from me, according to the earth of mankind, and which has preached about the place of the truth. And also as it was said: ‘Righteousness (looked forth) from heaven’: righteousness is the power which looked forth from the height, which will give the mysteries of the light to the race of mankind. And they will become righteous and good and inherit the Kingdom of the Light.” Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary his mother said, he said : “Excellent, well done, Mary. “.
CHAPTER 62.
The other Mary came forward and said : “My Lord, suffer me and be not angry with me, for since the time that thy mother spoke with thee concerning the interpretation of these words, my power has agitated me that I should come forward and also say the interpretation of these words. ” Jesus said to her : “I command thee to say their interpretation.” Maria said : “My Lord : ‘Mercy and truth have met one another’. Now mercy is the Spirit which came down upon thee when thou didst receive baptism from John . Now mercy is the Spirit of Godhood which came forth upon thee, which had mercy upon the race of mankind. It came down, it met the power of Sabaoth the Good which is within thee and which has preached on the places of the truth. But it is said furthermore : ‘Righteousness and peace have kissed one another. Now righteousness is the Spirit of the light, which came down upon thee, bringing the mysteries of the height in order to give them to the race of mankind. Peace, on the other hand, is the power of Sabaoth the Good which is within thee. It is this which baptised and forgave the race of mankind and made them to be at peace with the Sons of the Light . And furthermore, as thy power has said through David : ‘Truth has sprouted from the earth’ : that is, the power of Sabaoth the Good, [as it said : ‘It sprouted from the earth’] it is this which sprouted from Mary thy mother, the earth-dweller . On the other hand, righteousness which looked forth from heaven ~ is the Spirit which is in the height, which has brought forth all the mysteries from the height. It gave them to the race of mankind, and they became righteous and good and they inherited the Kingdom of the Light.” It happened however when Jesus finished hearing these words which Mariam spoke, he said; “Excellent, Mariam, thou inheritor of the light.” Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward again. She prostrated herself at his feet, she kissed them, and she said : “My Lord and my Son and my Saviour, be not angry with me, but forgive me that I say the interpretation of these words a second time: ‘Mercy and truth have met one another’. I am Mary thy mother, and Elisabeth, the mother of John whom I met . Now mercy is the power in me of the Sabaoth which came forth from me , which is thou.
Thou hast had mercy on the whole race of mankind. On the other hand, truth is the power which was in Elisabeth, which is John who came and preached on the true way, which is thou, before whom he preached. And furthermore: ‘Mercy and truth have met one another’ : that is thou, my Lord, who didst meet John on the day when thou didst receive baptism . But furthermore, thou and John are righteousness and peace, which kissed one another.
‘Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven’: that is the time when thou didst do service to thyself. Thou didst take the type of Gabriel, thou didst look down upon me from heaven , thou didst speak with me; and when thou didst speak with me thou didst sprout from me . That is, the truth which is the power of Sabaoth the Good which is in thy material body – that is the truth which sprouted from the earth. ” Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary, his mother, spoke, he said : “Excellent and well done.
This is the interpretation of all the words about which my light-power once prophesied through David the prophet.
These, however, are the names which I will give from the endless one. Write them with a sign so that the sons of God will be manifest from here. This is the name of the immortal one : []; and this is the name of the voice by which the perfect man is moved : [] But these are the interpretations of the names of these mysteries : the first name which is uuu, its interpretation is []; the second which is ppp, its interpretation is []; the third which is [], its interpretation is ooo, the fourth which is [], its interpretation is vvv, the fifth which is ôôô, its interpretation is aaa. That which is on the throne is uuu; this is the interpretation of the second : aaaa,aaaa,aaaa ; this is the interpretation of the whole name .
End of the First Book of Pistis Sophia