The Pistis Sophia |
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The 62 chapters of Book 1. should suffice to give the flavour of this mystical work, which purports to tell the mystery-laden instructions given by Jesus to his inner circle of disciples, in the first eleven years after the resurrection. It is typical of that cauldron of Gnostic ideas against which Irenaeus rails in his Adversus Haereses. I have modified the paragraphing and updated the old-fashioned verb-forms of Charlesworth's translation. PR. |
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01.
It happened, when Jesus had risen from the dead, that he passed eleven years discoursing with his disciples, and instructing them only up to the regions of the First Commandment and up to the regions of the First Mystery, that within the Veil, within the First Commandment, which is the four-and-twentieth mystery without and below - those [four-and-twenty] 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 am come forth out of that First Mystery, which is the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery. And his disciples have not known nor understood that anything exists within that mystery; but they thought of that mystery, that it is the head of the universe and the head of all existence; and they thought it is the completion of all completions, because Jesus had said to them concerning that mystery, that it surroundsthe First Commandment and the five Impressions and the great Light and the five Helpers and the whole Treasury of the Light.
And moreover Jesus had not told his Disciples the total expansion of all the regions of the great Invisible and of the three triple-powers and of the four-and-twenty invisibles, and all their regions and their aeons and their orders, how they are extended - those which are the emanations of the great Invisible - and their ungenerated and their self-generated and their generated and their light-givers and their unpaired and their rulers and their authorities and their lords and their archangels and their angels and their servitors and all the houses of their spheres and all the orders of every one of them.
And Jesus had not told his disciples the total expansion of the emanations of the Treasury, nor their orders, how they are extended; nor had he told them their saviours, according to the order of every one, how they are; nor had he told them what guard is at every [gate] of the Treasury of the Light; nor had he told them the region of the Twin-saviour, who is the Child of the Child; nor had he told them the regions of the three Amens, in what regions they are expanded; nor had he told them into what region the five Trees are expanded; nor as to the seven Amens, that is the seven Voices, what is their region, how they are expanded.
And Jesus had not told his disciples of what type are the five Helpers, nor into what region they are brought; nor had he told them how the great Light has expanded itself, nor into what region it has been brought; nor had he told them of the five Impressions, nor as to the First Commandment, into what region they have been brought. But he had discoursed with them generally, teaching that they exist, but he had not told them their expansion and the order of their regions, how they are. For this cause they have not known that there were also other regions within that mystery.
And he had not told his disciples: I have gone forth out of such and such regions until I entered into that mystery, and until I went forth out of it; but, in teaching them, he said to them: I am come forth from that mystery. For this cause then they thought of that mystery, that it is the completion of completions, and that it is the head of the universe and that it is the total Fulness. For Jesus had said to his disciples: That mystery surrounds that universe of which I have spoken to you from the day when I met with you even to this day. For this cause then the disciples thought there is nothing within that mystery.
02.
And so it was, when the disciples were sitting together on the Mount of Olives, speaking of these words and rejoicing in great joy, and exulting very much and saying one to another: Blessed are we before all men who are on the earth, because the Saviour has revealed this to us, and we have received the Fulness and the total completion, - they said this to one another, while Jesus sat a little removed from them.
And it happened then, on the fifteenth day of the moon in the month Tybi, which is the day on which the moon is full, on that day then, when the sun had come forth in his going, that there came forth behind him a great light-power shining brightly, and there was no measure to the light conjoined with it. For it came out of the Light of lights, and it came out of the last mystery, which is the four-and-twentieth mystery, from within without, - those which are in the orders of the second space of the First Mystery. And that light-power came down over Jesus and surrounded him entirely, while he was seated removed from his disciples, and he had shone brightly, and there was no measure for the light which was on him.
And the disciples had not seen Jesus because of the great light in which he was, or which was about him; for their eyes were darkened because of the great light in which he was. But they saw only the light, which shot forth many light-rays. And the light-rays were not like one another, but the light was of divers kind, and it was of divers type, from below upwards, one [ray] more excellent than the other, . . . , in one great immeasurable glory of light; it stretched from under the earth right up to heaven. - And when the disciples saw that light, they fell into great fear and great agitation.
03.
And it happened, when that light-power had come down over Jesus, that it gradually surrounded him entirely. Then Jesus ascended or soared into the height, shining brightly in an immeasurable light. And the disciples gazed after him and none of them spoke, until he had reached to heaven; but they all kept in deep silence. This then happened on the fifteenth day of the moon, on the day on which it is full in the month Tybi.
And it happened, when Jesus had reached the heaven, after three hours, that all the powers of the heaven fell into agitation, and all were set in motion one against the other, they and all their aeons and all their regions and all their orders, and the whole earth was agitated and all they who dwell thereon. And all men who are in the world fell into agitation, and also the disciples, and all thought: Peradventure the world will be rolled up.
And all the powers in the heavens ceased not from their agitation, they and the whole world, and all were moved one against the other, from the third hour of the fifteenth day of the moon of Tybi until the ninth hour of the morrow. And all the angels and their archangels and all the powers of the height, all sang praises to the interiors of the interiors, so that the whole world heard their voices, without their ceasing till the ninth hour of the morrow.
04.
But the disciples sat together in fear and were in very great agitation and were afraid because of the great earthquake which took place, and they wept together, saying: What will then be? Peradventure the Saviour will destroy all regions? Thus saying, they wept together.
While they then said this and wept together, then, on the ninth hour of the morrow, the heavens opened, and they saw Jesus descend, shining brightly, and there was no measure for his light in which he was. For he shone more [radiantly] than at the hour when he had ascended to the heavens, so that men in the world cannot describe the light which was on him; and it shot forth light-rays in great abundance, and there was no measure for its rays, and its light was not alike together, but it was of divers kind and of divers type, some [rays] being more excellent than others . . . ; and the whole light consisted together.
It was of threefold kind, and the one [kind] was more excellent than the other. . . . The second, that in the midst, was more excellent than the first which was below, and the third, which was above them all, was more excellent than the two which were below. And the first glory, which was placed below them all, was like to the light which had come over Jesus before he had ascended into the heavens, and was like only itself in its light. And the three light-modes were of divers light-kinds, and they were of divers type, one being more excellent than the other.
05.
And it happened then, when the disciples saw this, that they feared exceedingly, and were in agitation. Then Jesus, the compassionate and tender-hearted, when he saw his disciples, that they were in great agitation, spoke with them, saying: Take courage. It is I, be not afraid.
06.
And it happened, when the disciples had heard this word, that they said: Lord, if it be you, withdraw your light-glory into yourself that we may be able to stand; otherwise our eyes are darkened, and we are agitated, and the whole world also is in agitation because of the great light which is about you.
Then Jesus drew to himself the glory of his light; and when this was done, all the disciples took courage, stepped forward to Jesus, fell down all together, adored him, rejoicing in great joy, and said to him: Rabbi, whither have you gone, or what was your ministry on which you have gone, or wherefor rather were all these confusions and all the earth-quakings which have taken place? He Then Jesus, the compassionate, said to them: Rejoice and exult from this hour on, for I have gone to the regions out of which I had come forth. From this day on then will I discourse with you in openness, from the beginning of the Truth to its completion; and I will discourse with you face to face without similitude. From this hour on will I not hide anything from you of the [mystery] of the height and of that of the region of Truth. For authority has been given me through the Ineffable and through the First Mystery of all mysteries to speak with you, from the Beginning right up to the Fulness,. both from within without and fro without within. Listen, therefore, that I may tell you all things.
It happened, when I sat a little removed from you on the Mount of Olives, that I thought on the order of the ministry for the sake of which I was sent, that it was completed, and that the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery from within without, - those which are in the second space of the First Mystery, in the orders of that space, - had not yet sent me my Vesture. And it happened, when I had known that the order of the ministry for the sake of which I had come, was completed, and that that mystery had not yet sent me my Vesture, which I had left behind in it, until its time was completed, thinking then this, I sat on the Mount of Olives a little removed from you.
07.
It happened, when the sun rose in the east, thereafter then through the First Mystery, which existed from the beginning, on account of which the universe has arisen, out of which also I am myself now come, not in the time before my crucifixion, but now, - it happened, through the command of that mystery, that there should be sent me my Light-vesture, which it had given me from the beginning, and which I had left behind in the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery from within without, - those which are in the orders of the second space of the First Mystery. That Vesture then I left behind in the last mystery, until the time should be completed to put it on, and I should begin to discourse with the race of men and reveal to them all from the beginning of the Truth to its completion, and discourse with them from the interiors of the interiors to the exteriors of the exteriors and from the exteriors of the exteriors to the interiors of the interiors. Rejoice then and exult and rejoice more and more greatly for to you it is given that I speak first with you from the beginning of the Truth to its completion.
For this cause have I chosen you verily from the beginning through the First Mystery. Rejoice then and exult, for when I set out for the world, I brought from the beginning with me twelve powers, as I have told you from the beginning, which I have taken from the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, according to the command of the First Mystery. These then I cast into the womb of your mothers, when I came into the world, that is those which are in your bodies to-day. For these powers have been given to you before the whole world, because you are they who will save the whole world, and that you may be able to endure the threat of the rulers of the world and the pains of the world and its dangers and all its persecutions, which the rulers of the height will bring upon you. For many times have I said to you that I have brought the power in you out of the twelve saviours who are in the Treasury of the Light. For which cause I have said to you indeed from the beginning that you are not of the world. I alsoam not of it. For all men who are in the world have gotten their souls out of [the power of] the rulers of the aeons. But the power which is in you is from me; your souls belong to the height. I have brought twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, taking them out of the portion of my power which I did first receive. And when I had set forth for the world, I came into the midst of the rulers of the sphere and had the form of Gabriel the angel of the aeons; and the rulers of the aeons did not know me, but they thought that I was the angel Gabriel.
And it happened, when I had come into the midst of the rulers of the aeons, that I looked down on the world of mankind, by command of the First Mystery. I found Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer, before she had conceived him, and I sowed into her a power which I had received from the little Iao, the Good, who is in the Midst, that he might be able to make proclamation before me and make ready my way, and baptize with the water of the forgiveness of sins. That power then is in the body of John.
Moreover in place of the soul of the ruler which he was appointed to receive, I found the soul of the prophet Elias in the aeons of the sphere; and I took him thence, and took hi soul and brought it to the Virgin of Light, and she gave it over to her receivers; they brought it to the sphere of the rulers and cast it into the womb of Elizabeth. So the power of the little Iao, who is in the Midst, and the soul of the prophet Elias, they were bound into the body of John the Baptizer. For this cause then were you in doubt in the past, I when I said to you: John said: I am not the Christ, and you said to me: It stands written in the scripture: When the Christ shall come, Elias comes before him and makes ready his way. But when you said this to me, I said to you: Elias verily is come and has made ready all things, as it stands written, and they have done to him as they would. And when I knew that you had not understood that I had discoursed with you concerning the soul of Elias which is bound into John the Baptize, I answered you in the discourse in openness face to face: If you like to accept John the Baptizer: he is Elias, of whom I have said that he will come.
08.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said: And it happened thereafter, that at the command of the First Mystery I looked down on the world of mankind and found Mary, who is called my mother according to the body of matter. I spoke with her in the type of Gabriel, and when she had turned herself to the height towards me, I cast thence into her the first power which I had received from Barbelo - that is the body which I have borne in the height. And instead of the soul I cast into her the power which I have received from the great Sabaoth, the Good, who is in the region of the Right.
And the twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light which I had received from the twelve ministers of the Midst, I cast into the sphere of the rulers. And the servants of the rulers and their servitors thought that they were souls of the rulers; and the servitors brought them, they bound them into the body of your mothers. And when your time was completed, you were born in the world without souls of the rulers in you. And you have received your portion out of the power which the last Helper has breathed into the Mixture, that [power] which is blended with all the invisibles and all rulers and all aeons, - in a word, which is blended with the world of destruction which is the Mixture. This [power], which from the beginning I brought out of myself, I have cast into the First Commandment, and the First Commandment cast a portion thereof into the great Light, and the great Light cast a portion of that which it had received, into the five Helpers, and the last Helper took a portion of that which t received, and cast it into the Mixture. And [this portion] is in all who are in the Mixture, as I have just said to you.
This then Jesus said to his disciples on the Mount of Olives. Jesus continued again in the discourse with his disciples [and said]: Rejoice and exult and add joy to your joy, for the times are completed for me to put on my Vesture, which has been prepared for me from the beginning, which I left behind in the last mystery until the time of its completion. Now the time of its completion is the time when I shall be commanded through the First Mystery to discourse with you from the beginning of the Truth to the completion thereof, and from the interiors of the interiors [to the exteriors of the exteriors], for the world will be saved through you. Rejoice then and exult, for you are blessed before all men who are on the earth. It is you who will save the whole world.
09.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished saying these words to his disciples, that he continued again in the discourse, and said to them: Lo, I have then put on my Vesture, and all authority has been given me through the First Mystery. Yet a little while and I will tell you the mystery of the universe and the fulness of the universe; and I will hide nothing from you from this hour on, but in fulness will I perfect you in all fulness and in all perfection and in all mysteries, which are the perfection of all perfections and the fulness of all fulnesses and the gnosis of all gnoses, - those which are in my Vesture. I will tell you all mysteries from the exteriors of the exteriors to the interiors of the interiors. But listen that I may tell you all things which have befallen me.
10.
And it happened, when the sun had risen in the east, that a great light-power came down, in which was my Vesture, which I had left behind in the four-and-twentieth mystery, as I have said to you. And I found a mystery in my Vesture, written in five words of those from the height: zama zama ozza rachama ozai, - whose solution is this:
O Mystery, which is without in the world, for whose sake the universe has arisen, - this is the total outgoing and the total ascent, which has emanated all emanations and all that is therein and for whose sake all mysteries and all their regions have arisen, - come hither to us, for we are your fellow-members. We are all with yourself; we are one and the same. You are the First Mystery, which existed from 1 the beginning in the Ineffable before it came forth; and the name thereof are we all. Now, therefore, are we all come to meet you at the last limit, which also is the last mystery from within; itself is a portion of us. Now, therefore, have we sent you your Vesture, which has belonged to you from the beginning, which you have left behind in the last limit, which also is the last mystery from within, until its time should be completed, according to the commandment of the First Mystery. Lo, its time is completed; put it on [you].
Come to us, for we all draw nigh to you to clothe you with the First Mystery and all his glory, by commandment of himself, in that the First Mystery has given us it, consisting of two vestures, to clothe you therewith, besides the one which we have sent you, for you are worthy of them, since you are prior to us, and exists before us. For this cause, therefore, has the First Mystery sent you through us the mystery of all his glory, consisting of two vestures.
In the first is the whole glory of all the names of all mysteries and all emanations of the orders of the spaces of the Ineffable.
And in the second vesture is the whole glory of the name of all mysteries and all emanations which are in the orders of the two spaces of the First Mystery.
And in this [third] vesture, which we have The third vesture. just sent you, is the glory of the name of the mystery of the Revealer, which is the First Commandment, and of the mystery of the five Impressions, and of the mystery of the great Envoy of the Ineffable, who is the great Light, and of the mystery of the five Leaders, who are the five Helpers. There is further in this vesture the glory of the name of the mystery of all orders of the emanations of the Treasury of the Light and of their saviours, and [of the mystery] of the orders of the orders, which are the seven Amens and the seven Voices and the five Trees and the three Amens and the Twin-saviour, that is the Child of the Child, and of the mystery of the nine guards of the three gates of the Treasury of the Light. There is further therein the whole glory of the name [of all those] which are in the Right, and of all those which are in the Midst. And further there is therein the whole glory of the name of the great Invisible, which is the great Foreather, and the mystery of the three triple-powers and the mystery of their whole region and the mystery of all their invisibles and of all those who are in the thirteenth aeon, and the name of the twelve aeons and of all their rulers and all their archangels and all their angels and of all those who are in the twelve aeons, and the whole mystery of the name of all those who are in the Fate and in all the heavens, and the whole mystery of the name of all those who are in the sphere, and of its firmaments and of all who are in them, and of all their regions.
Lo, therefore, we have sent you this vesture, which no one knew from the First Commandment downwards, for the glory of its light was hidden in it, and the spheres and all regions u from the First Commandment downwards [have not known it]. Haste you, therefore, clothe yourself with this vesture and come to us. For we draw nigh to you, to clothe you by command of the First Mystery with your two vestures [other] which existed for you from the beginning with the First Mystery until the time appointed by the Ineffable is completed. Come, therefore, to us quickly, that we may put them on you, until you have fulfilled the total ministry of the perfection of the First Mystery which is appointed by the Ineffable. Come, therefore, to us quickly, in order that we may clothe you with them, according to the command of the First Mystery. For yet a little while, a very little while, and you shalt come to us and leave the world. Come, therefore, quickly, that you may receive your whole glory, that is the glory of the First Mstery.
11.
And it happened, when I saw the mystery of all these words in the vesture which was sent me, that straightway I clothed myself therewith, and I shone brightly and soared into the height.
I came before the [first] gate of the firmament, shining brightly, and there was no measure for the light which was about me, and the gates of the firmament were shaken one over against another and all opened at once.
And all rulers and all authorities and all angels therein were thrown all together into agitation because of the great light which was on me. And they gazed at the radiant vesture of light with which I was clad, and they saw the mystery which contains their names, and they feared greatly. And all their bonds with which they were bound, were unloosed and every one left his order, and they all fell down before me, adored and said: How has the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing? And they all sang praises together to the interiors of the interiors; but me they saw not, but they saw only the light. And they were in great fear and were exceedingly agitated and sang praises to the interiors of the interiors.
12.
And I left that region behind me and ascended to the first sphere, shining greatly, forty-and-nine-times more brightly than I had shone in the firmament. And it happened, when I had reached the gate of the first sphere, that its gates were shaken and opened of themselves at once.
I entered into the houses of the sphere, shining greatly, and there was no measure to the light that was about me. And all the rulers and all those who are in that sphere, fell into agitation one against another. And they saw the great light that was about me, and they gazed upon my vesture and saw thereon the mystery of their name. And they fell into still greater agitation, and were in great fear, saying: How has the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing? And all their bonds were unloosed and their regions and their orders; and every one left his order, and they fell down all together, adored before me, or before my vesture, and all sang praises together to the interiors of the interiors, being in great fear and great agitation.
13.
And I left that region behind me and came to the gate of the second sphere, which is the Fate. Then were all its gates thrown into agitation and opened of themselves. And I entered into the houses of the Fate, shining greatly, and there was no measure for the light that was about me, for I shone in the Fate forty-and-nine times more than in the [first] sphere.
And all the rulers and all those who are in the Fate, were thrown into agitation and fell on one another and were in exceeding great fear on seeing the great light that was about me. And they gazed on my vesture of light and saw the mystery of their name on my vesture and fell into still greater agitation; and they were in great fear, saying: How has the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing? And all the bonds of their regions and of their orders and of their houses were unloosed; they all came at once, fell down, adored before me and sang praises all together to the interiors of the interiors, being in great fear and great agitation.
14.
And I left that region behind me and ascended to the great aeons of the rulers and came before their veils and their gates, shining greatly, and there was no measure for the light which was about me. And it happened, when I arrived at the twelve aeons, that their veils and their gates were shaken one over against the other. Their veils drew themselves apart of their own accord, and their gates opened one over against the other. And I entered into the aeons, shining greatly, and there was no measure for the light that was about me, forty-and-nine times more than the light with which I shone in the houses of the Fate.
And all the angels of the aeons and their archangels and their rulers and their gods and their lords and their authorities and their tyrants and their powers and their light-sparks and their light-givers and their unpaired and their invisibles and their forefathers and their triple-powers saw me, shining greatly, and there was no measure for the light which was about me. And they were thrown into agitation the one over against the other and great fear fell upon them, when they saw the great light that was about me. And in their great agitation and their great fear they withdrew as far as the region of the great invisible Forefather, and of the three great triple-powers. And because of the great fear of their agitation, the great Forefather, he and the three triple-powers, kept on running hither and thither in his region, and they could not close all their regions because of the great fear in which they were. And they agitated all their aeons together and all their spheres and all their orders, fearing nd being greatly agitated because of the great light which was about me - not of the former quality that it was about me when I was on the earth of man-kind, when the light-vesture came over me, - for the world could not bear the light such as it was in its truth, else would the world at once be destroyed and all upon it, - but the light which was about me in the twelve aeons was eight-thousand-and-seven-hundred-myriad times greater than that which was about me in the world among you.
15.
And it happened, when all those who are in the twelve aeons saw the great light which was about me, that they were all thrown into agitation one over against the other, and ran hither and thither in the aeons. And all aeons and all heavens and their whole ordering were agitated one over against the other on account of the great fear which was on them, for they knew not the mystery which had taken place. And Adamas, the great Tyrant, and all the tyrants in all the aeons began to fight in vain against the light, and they knew not against whom they fought, because they saw nothing but the overmastering light.
And it happened, when they fought against the light, that they were weakened all together one with another, were dashed down in the aeons and became as the inhabitants of the earth, dead and without breath of life.
And I took from all a third of their power, that they should no more be active in their evil doings, and that, if the men who are in the world, invoke them in their mysteries - those which the angels who transgressed have brought down, that is their sorceries, - in order that, therefore, if they invoke them in their evil doings, they may not be able to accomplish them.
. And the Fate and the sphere over which they rule, I have changed and brought it to pass that they spend six months turned to the left and accomplish their influences, and that six months they face to the right and accomplish their influences. For by command of the First Commandment and by command of the First Mystery Yew, the Overseer of the Light, had set them facing the left at every time and accomplishing their influences and their deeds.
16.
And it happened, when I came into their region, that they mutinied and fought against the light. And I took the third of their power, in order that they should not be able to accomplish their evil deeds. And the Fate and the sphere, over which they rule, I have changed, and set them facing the left six months and accomplishing their influences, and I have set them turned another six months to the right and accomplishing their influences.
17.
When then he had said this to his disciples, he said to them: Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
And it happened, when Mary had heard the Saviour say these words, that she gazed fixedly into the air for the space of an hour. She said: My Lord, give commandment to me to speak in openness.
And Jesus, the compassionate, answered and said to Mary: Mary, you blessed one, whom I will perfect in all mysteries of those of the height, discourse in openness, you, whose heart is raised to the kingdom of heaven more than all your brethren.
18.
Then said Mary to the Saviour: My Lord, the word which you have spoken to us: Who has ears to hear, let him hear, you say in order that we may understand the word which you have spoken. Listen, therefore, my Lord, that I may speak openly.
The word which you have spoken: I have taken a third from the power of the rulers of all the aeons, and changed their Fate and their sphere over which they rule, in order that, if the race of men invoke them in the mysteries - those which the angels who transgressed have taught them for the accomplishing of their evil and lawless deeds in the mystery of their sorcery,' - in order then that they may no more from this hour accomplish their lawless deeds, because you have taken their power from them and from their horoscope-casters and their consulters and from those who declare to the men in the world all things which shall come to pass, in order that they should no more from this hour know how to declare to them any thing at all which will come to pass (for you have changed their spheres, and have made them spend six months turned to the left and accomplishing their influences, and another six months facing the right and accomplishing their influences), - concerning this word then, my Lord, the power which was inthe prophet Isaiah, has spoken thus and proclaimed in the past in a spiritual similitude, discoursing on the Vision about Egypt': Where then, O Egypt, where are your consulters and horoscope-casters and those who cry out of the earth and those who cry out of their belly? Let them then declare to you from now on the deeds which the lord Sabaoth will do!'
The power then which was in the prophet Isaiah, prophesied before you came, that you would take away the power of the rulers of the aeons and would change their sphere and their Fate, in order that they might know nothing from now on. For this cause it has said also: You shall then know not of what the lord Sabaoth will do ; that is, none of the rulers will know what you wilt do from now on, - for they are Egypt, because they are matter. The power then which was in Isaiah, prophesied concerning you in the past, saying: From now on you shall then know not what the lord Sabaoth will do. Because of the light-power which you did receive from Sabaoth, the Good, who is in the region of the Right, and which is in your material body to-day, for this cause then, my Lord Jesus, you have said to us: Who has ears to hear, let him hear,' - in order that you might know whose heart is ardently raised to the kingdom of heaven.
19.
And it happened, when Mary had finished saying these words, that he said: Well said, Mary, for you are blessed before all women on the earth, because you shalt be the fulness of all fulnesses and the perfection of all perfections.
Now when Mary had heard the Saviour speak these words, she exulted greatly, and she came before Jesus, fell down before him, adored his feet and said to him: My Lord, listen to me, that I may question you on this word, before that you talk with us about the regions whither you did go.
Jesus answered and said to Mary: Discourse in openness and fear not; all things on which you questionest, I will reveal to you.
20.
She said: My Lord, will all the men who know the mystery of the magic of all the rulers of all the aeons of the Fate and of those of the sphere, in the way in which the angels who transgressed have taught them, if they invoke them in their mysteries, that is in their evil magic, to the hindering of good deeds, - will they accomplish them henceforth from now on or not?
Jesus answered and said to Mary: They will not accomplish them as they accomplished them from the beginning, because I have taken away a third of their power; but they will raise a loan from those who know the mysteries of the magic of the thirteenth aeon. And if they invoke the mysteries of the magic of those who are in the thirteenth aeon, they will accomplish them well and surely, because I have not taken away power from that region, according to the command of the First Mystery.
21.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished saying these words, that Mary continued again and said: My Lord, will not then the horoscope-casters and consulters from now on declare to men what will come to pass for them?
And Jesus answered and said to Mary: If the horoscope-casters find the Fate and the sphere turned towards the left, according to their first extension, their words will come to pass, and they will say what is to take place. But if they chance on the Fate or the sphere turned to the right, they are bound to say nothing true, for I have changed their influences and their squares and their triangles and their octagons; seeing that their influences from the beginning onwards were continuously turned to the left and their squares and their triangles and their octagons. But now I have made them spend six months turned to the left and six months turned to the right. He who then shall find their reckoning from the time when I changed them, setting them so as to spend six months facing towards their left and six months facing their right paths, - he who then shall observe them in this wise, will know their influences surely and will declare all things which they will do. In like manner also the consulters, if they invoe the names of the rulers and chance on them facing the left, will tell [men] with accuracy all things concerning which they shall ask their servants. On the contrary, if the consulters invoke their names when they face to the right, they will not give ear to them, because they are facing in another form compared with their former position in which Yew had established them; seeing that other are their names when they are turned to the left and other their names when they are turned to the right. And if they invoke them when they are turned to the right, they will not tell them the truth, but they will con-found them with confusion and threaten them with threatening. Those then who do not know their path, when they are turned to the right, and their triangles and their squares and all their figures, will find nothing true, but will be confounded in great confusion and will find themselves in great delusion, because I have now changed the works which they effected in the past in their squares, when turned to the eft, and in their triangles and in their octagons, in which they were busied continuously turned to the left; and I have made them spend six months forming all their configurations turned to the right, in order that they may be confounded in confusion in their whole range. And moreover I have made them spend six months turned to the left and accomplishing the works of their influences and all their configurations, in order that the rulers who are in the aeons and in their spheres and in their heavens and in all their regions, may be confounded in confusion and deluded in delusion, so that they may not understand their own paths.
22.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished saying these words, while Philip sat and wrote all the words that Jesus spoke, - thereafter then it happened that Philip came forward, fell down and adored the feet of Jesus, saying: My Lord and Saviour, grant me authority to discourse before you and to question you on this word, before you talk with us concerning the regions whither you did go because of your ministry.
And the compassionate Saviour answered and said to Philip: Authority is given you to bring forward the word which you willest.
And Philip answered and said to Jesus: My Lord, on account of what mystery have you changed the binding of the rulers and their aeons and their Fate and their sphere and all their regions, and made them confounded in confusion on their path and deluded in their course? Have you then done this to them for the salvation of the world or have you not?
23.
And Jesus answered and said to Philip and to all the disciples together: I have changed their path for the salvation of all souls. Amen, amen, I say to you If I had not changed their path, a host of souls would have been destroyed, and they would have spent a long time, if the rulers of the aeons and the rulers of the Fate and of the sphere and of all their regions and all their heavens and all their aeons had not been brought to naught; and the souls would have continued a long time here outside, and the completion of the number of perfect souls would have been delayed, which [souls] shall be counted in the Inheritance of the Height through the mysteries and shall be in the Treasury of the Light. For this cause then I have changed their path, that they might be deluded and fall into agitation and yield up the power which is in the matter of their world and which they fashion into souls, in order that those who shall be saved, might be quickly purified and raised on high, they and the whole power, and that thos who shall not be saved, might be quickly destroyed.
24.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished saying these words to his disciples, that Mary, the fair in her discourse and the blessed one, came forward, fell at the feet of Jesus and said: My Lord, suffer me that I speak before you, and be not wroth with me, if oft I give you trouble questioning you.
The Saviour, full of compassion, answered and said to Mary: Speak the word which you willest, and I will reveal it to you in all openness.
Mary answered and said to Jesus: My Lord, in what way will the souls have delayed themselves here outside, and in what type will they be quickly purified?
25.
And Jesus answered and said to Mary: Well said, Mary; you ask well with your excellent question, and you throw light on all things with surety and precision. Now, therefore, from now on will I hide nothing from you, but I will reveal to you all things with surety and openness. Listen then, Mary, and give ear, all you disciples: Before I made proclamation to all the rulers of the aeons and to all the rulers of the Fate and Of the sphere, they were all bound in their bonds and in their spheres and in their seals, as Yew, the Overseer of the Light, had bound them from the beginning; and every one of them remained in his order, and every one journeyed according to his course, as Yew, the Overseer of the Light, had established them. And when the time of the number of Melchisedec, the great Receiver of the Light, came, he was wont to come into the midst of the aeons and of all the rulers who are bound in the sphere and in the Fate, and he carried away the purification of the light from all the rulers of the aeons andfrom all the rulers of the Fate and from those of the sphere - for he carried away then that which brings them into agitation - and he set in motion the hastener who is over them, and made them turn their circles swiftly, and he [sc. the hastener] carried away their power which was in them and the breath of their mouth and the tears [lit. waters] of their eyes and the sweat of their bodies.
And Melchisedec, the Receiver of the Light; purifies those powers and carries their light into the Treasury of the Light, while the servitors of all the rulers gather together all matter from them all; and the servitors of all the rulers of the Fate and the servitors of the sphere which is below the aeons, take it and fashion it into souls of men and cattle and reptiles and wild-beasts and birds, and send them down into the world of mankind. And further the receivers of the sun and the receivers of the moon, if they look above and see the configurations of the paths of the aeons and the configurations of the Fate and those of the sphere, then they take from them the light-power; and the receivers of the sun get it ready and deposit it, until they hand it over to the receivers of Melchisedec, the Light-purifier. And their material refuse they bring to the sphere which is below the aeons, and fashion it into [souls of] men, and fashion it also into souls of reptiles and of cattle and of wild-beasts and of birds, acording to the circle of the rulers of that sphere and according to all the configurations of its revolution, and they cast them into this world of mankind, and they become souls in this region, as I have just said to you.
26.
This then they accomplished continuously before their power was diminished in them and they waned and became exhausted, or powerless. And it happened, when they became powerless, that their power began to cease in them, so that they became exhausted in their power, and their light, which was in their region, ceased and their kingdom was destroyed, and the universe became quickly raised up.
And it happened, when they had perceived this at the time, and when the number of the cipher of Melchisedec, the Receiver [of the Light], happened, then had he to come out again and enter into the midst of the rulers of all the aeons and into the midst of all the rulers of the Fate and of those of the sphere; and he threw them into agitation, and made them quickly abandon their circles. And forthwith they were constrained, and cast forth the power out of themselves, out of the breath of their mouth and the tears of their eyes and the sweat of their bodies.
And Melchisedec, the Receiver of the Light, purifies them, as he does continually; he carries their light into the Treasury of the Light. And all the rulers of the aeons and the rulers of the Fate and those of the sphere turn to the matter of their refuse; they devour it and do not let it go and become souls in the world. They devour then their matter, so that they may not become powerless and exhausted and their power cease in them and their kingdom become destroyed, but in order that they may delay and linger a long time until the completion of the number of the perfect souls who shall be in the Treasury of the Light.
27.
And it happened, when the rulers of the aeons and those of the Fate and those of the sphere continued to carry out this type, - turning on themselves, devouring the refuse of their matter, and not allowing souls to be born into the world of mankind, in order that they might delay in being rulers, and that the powers which are in their powers, that is the souls, might spend a long time here outside, - they then persisted doing this continually for two circles.
And it happened, when I wished to ascend for the ministry for the sake of which I was called by command of the First Mystery, that I came up into the midst of the tyrants of the rulers of the twelve aeons, with my light-vesture about me, shining greatly, and there was no measure for the light which was about me.
And it happened, when those tyrants saw the great light which was about me, that the great Adamas, the Tyrant, and all the tyrants of the twelve aeons, all together began to fight against the light of my vesture, desiring to hold it fast among them, in order to delay in their rulership. This then they did, not knowing against whom they fought.
When then they mutinied and fought against the light, thereon by command of the First Mystery I changed the paths and the courses of their aeons and the paths of their Fate and of their sphere. I made them face six months towards the triangles on the left and towards the squares and towards those in their aspect and towards their octagons, just as they had formerly been. But their manner of turning, or facing, I changed to another order, and made them other six months face towards the works of their influences in the squares on the right and in their triangles and in those in their aspect and in their octagons. And I made them to be confounded in great confusion and deluded in great delusion - the rulers of the aeons and all the rulers of the Fate and those of the sphere; and I set them in great agitation, and thence on they were no longer able to turn towards the refuse of their matter to devour it, in order that their regions may continue to delay and they [themselves] may spend a long time as rulers.
But when I had taken away a third of their power, I changed their spheres, so that they spend a time facing to the left and another time facing to the right. I have changed their whole path and their whole course, and I have made the path of their course to hurry, so that they may be quickly purified and raised up quickly. And I have shortened their circles, and made their path more speedy, and it will be exceedingly hurried. And they were thrown into confusion in their path, and from then on were no more able to devour the matter of the refuse of the purification of their light. And moreover I have shortened their times and their periods, so that the perfect number of souls who shall receive the mysteries and be in the Treasury of the Light, shall be quickly completed. For had I not changed their courses, and had I not shortened their periods, they would not have let any soul come into the world, because of the matter of their refuse which they devoured, and they would have destroyed many souls. For this case I said to you in the past: I have shortened the times because of my elect; otherwise no soul would have been able to be saved. And I have shortened the times and the periods because of the perfect number of the souls who shall receive the mysteries, that is to say, the elect'; and had I not shortened their periods, no material soul would have been saved, but they would have perished in the fire which is in the flesh of the rulers. This then is the word on which you dost question me with precision.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished speaking these words to his disciples, that they fell down all together, adored him and said to him: Blessed are we before all men, for to us you have revealed these great exploits.
28.
And Jesus continued again in his discourse and said to his disciples: Listen concerning the things which befell me among the rulers of the twelve aeons and all their rulers and their lords and their authorities and their angels and their archangels. When then they had seen the vesture of light which was about me, they and their unpaired, then every one of them saw the mystery of his name, that it was on my vesture of light, which was about me. They fell down all together, adored the vesture of light which was about me, and cried out all together, saying: How has the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing it? And they all sang praises together to the interiors of the interiors. And all their triple-powers and their great forefathers and their ungenerated and their self-generated and their generated and their gods and their light-sparks and their light-bearers - in a word all their great ones - saw the tyrants of their region, that their power was diminished in them. And they were in weakness ad themselves fell into great and immeasurable fear. And they gazed on the mystery of their name on my vesture, and they had set out to come and adore the mystery of their name which was on my vesture, and they could not because of the great light which was about me; but they adored a little removed from me, and they adored the light of my vesture and all cried out together, singing praises to the interiors of the interiors.
And it happened, when this befell among the tyrants who are below these rulers, that they all lost power and fell down to the ground in their aeons and became as the dead world- dwellers with no breath in them, as they became in the hour when I took from them their power.
And it happened thereafter, when I left those aeons, that every one of all those who were in the twelve aeons, was bound to their order all together, and they accomplished their works as I have established them, so that they spend six months turned to the left and accomplishing their works in their squares and their triangles and in those which are in their aspect, and that further they spend another six months facing to the right and towards their triangles and their squares and those which are in their aspect. Thus then will those who are in the Fate and in the sphere travel.
29.
And it happened thereafter that I ascended to the veils of the thirteenth aeon. And it happened, when I had arrived at their veils, that they drew apart of their own accord and opened themselves for me. I entered in into the thirteenth aeon and found Pistis Sophia below the thirteenth aeon all alone and no one of them with her. And she sat in that region grieving and mourning, because she had not been admitted into the thirteenth aeon, her higher region. And she was moreover grieving because of the torments which Self-willed, who is one of the three triple-powers, had inflicted on her. But this, - when I shall come to speak with you respecting their expansion, I will tell you the mystery, how this befell her.
And it happened, when Pistis Sophia saw me shining greatly and with no measure for the light which was about me, that she was in great agitation and gazed at the light of my vesture. She saw the mystery of her name on my vesture and the whole glory of its mystery, for formerly she was in the region of the height, in the thirteenth aeon, - but she was wont to sing praises to the higher light, which she had seen in the veil of the Treasury of the Light.
And it happened, when she persisted in singing praises to the higher light, that all the rulers who are with the two great triple-powers, and her invisible who is paired with her, and the other two-and-twenty invisible emanations gazed [at the light], - in as much as Pistis Sophia and her pair, they and the other two-and-twenty emanations make up four-and-twenty emanations, which the great invisible Forefather and the two great triple-powers have emanated.
30.
And it happened, when Jesus had said this to his disciples, that Mary came forward and said: My Lord, I have heard you say in the past: Pistis Sophia is herself one of the four-and-twenty emanations, how then is she not in their region? But you have said: I found her below the thirteenth aeon.
[the story of pistis sophia]
And Jesus answered and said to his disciples: It happened, when Pistis Sophia was in the thirteenth aeon, in the region of all her brethren the invisibles, that is the four-and-twenty emanations of the great Invisible, - it happened then by command of the First Mystery that Pistis Sophia gazed into the height. She saw the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light, and she longed to reach to that region, and she could not reach to that region. But she ceased to perform the mystery of the thirteenth aeon, and sang praises to the light of the height, which she had seen in the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light.
The rulers hate her for ceasing in their mystery. And it happened, when she sang praises to the region of the height, that all the rulers in the twelve aeons, who are below, hated her, because she had ceased from their mysteries, and because she had desired to go into the height and be above them all. For this cause then they were enraged against her and hated her, [as did] the great triple-powered Self-willed, that is the third triple-power, who is in the thirteenth aeon, he who had become disobedient, in as much as he had not emanated the whole purification of his power in him, and had not given the purification of his light at the time when the rulers gave their purification, in that he desired to rule over the whole thirteenth aeon and those who are below it.
And it happened, when the rulers of the twelve aeons were enraged against Pistis Sophia, who is above them, and hated her exceedingly, that the great triple-powered Self-willed, of whom I have just now told you, joined himself to the rulers of the twelve aeons, and also was enraged against Pistis Sophia and hated her exceedingly, because she had thought to go to the light which is higher than her. And he emanated out of himself a great lion-faced power, and out of his matter in him he emanated a host of other very violent material emanations, and sent them into the regions below, to the parts of the chaos, in order that they might there lie in wait for Pistis Sophia and take away her power out of her, because she thought to go to the height which is above them all, and moreover she had ceased to perform their mystery, and lamented continuously and sought after the light which she. had seen. And the rulers who abide, or persist, in performing the mystery, hated her, and all the guards who are at the gates of te aeons, hated her also.
And it happened thereafter by command of the First Commandment that the great triple-powered Self-willed, who is one of the three triple-powers, pursued Sophia in the thirteenth aeon, in order that she should look towards the parts below, so that she might see in that region his lion-faced light-power and long after it and go to that region, so that her light might be taken from her.
31.
And it happened thereafter that she looked below and saw his light-power in the parts below; and she knew not that it is that of the triple-powered Self-willed, but she thought that it came out of the light which she had seen from the beginning in the height, which came out of the veil of the Treasury of the Light. And she thought to herself: I will go into that region without my pair and take the light and thereout fashion for myself light-aeons, so that I may go to the Light of lights, which is in the Height of heights.
This then thinking, she went forth from her own region, the thirteenth aeon, and went down to the twelve aeons. The rulers of the aeons pursued her and were enraged against her, because she had thought of grandeur. And she went forth also from the twelve aeons, and came into the regions of the chaos and drew nigh to that lion-faced light-power to devour it. But all the material emanations of Self-willed surrounded her, and the great lion-faced light-power devoured all the light-powers in Sophia and cleaned out her light and devoured it, and her matter was thrust into the chaos; it became a lion-faced ruler in the chaos, of which one half is fire and the other darkness, - that is Yaldabaoth, of whom I have spoken to you many times. When then this befell, Sophia became very greatly exhausted, and that lion-faced light-power set to work to take away from Sophia all her light-powers, and all the material powers of Self-willed surrounded Sophia at the same time and pressed her sore.
32.
And Pistis Sophia cried out greatly, she cried to the Light of lights which she had seen from the beginning, in which she had had faith, and uttered this repentance, saying,
O Light of lights, in whom I have had faith from the beginning, listen now then, O Light, to my repentance. Save me, O Light, for evil thoughts have entered into me.
I gazed, O Light, into the lower parts and saw there a light. thinking: I will go to that region, in order that I may take that light. And I went and found myself in the darkness which is in the chaos below, and I could no more speed thence and go to my region, for I was sore pressed by all the emanations of Self-willed, and the lion-faced power took away my light in me.
And I cried for help, but my voice has not reached out of the darkness. And I looked to the height, that the Light, in which I had had faith, might help me.
And when I looked to the height, I saw all the rulers of the aeons, how in their numbers they looked down on me and rejoiced over me, though I had done them no ill; but they hated me without a cause. And when the emanations of Self-willed saw the rulers of the aeons rejoicing over me, they knew that the rulers of the aeons would not come to my aid; and those emanations which sore pressed me with violence, took courage, and the light which I had not taken from them, they have taken from me.
Now, therefore, O Light of Truth, you know that I have done this in my innocence, thinking that the lion-faced light-power belonged to you; and the sin which I have done is open before you.
Suffer me no more to lack, O Lord, for I have had faith in your light from the beginning; O Lord, O Light of the powers, suffer me no more to lack my light.
For because of your inducement and for the sake of your light am I fallen into this oppression, and shame has covered me.
And because of the illusion of your light, I am become a stranger to my brethren, the invisibles, and to the great emanations of Barbelo.
This has befallen me, O Light, because I have been zealous for your abode; and the wrath of Self-willed is come upon me - of him who had not hearkened to your command to emanate from the emanation of his power - because I was in his aeon without performing his mystery.
And all the rulers of the aeons mocked me. And I was in that region, mourning and seeking after the light which I had seen in the height.
And the guards of the gates of the aeons searched for me, and all who remain in their mystery mocked me.
But I looked up to the height towards you and had faith in you. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, I am sore pressed in the darkness of chaos. If now you wilt come to save me, - great is your mercy, - then hear me in truth and save me.
Save me out of the matter of this darkness, that I may not be submerged therein, that I may be saved from the emanations of god Self-willed which press me sore, and from their evil doings.
Let not this darkness submerge me, and let not this lion-faced power entirely devour the whole of my power, and let not this chaos shroud my power.
Hear me, O Light, for your grace is precious, and look down upon me according to the great mercy of your Light.
Turn not your face from me, for I am exceedingly tormented.
Haste you, listen to me and save my power.
Save me because of the rulers who hate me, for you know my sore oppression and my torment and the torment of my power which they have taken from me. They who have set me in all this evil are before you; deal with them according to your good pleasure.
My power looked forth from the midst of the chaos and from the midst of the darkness, and I waited for my pair, that he should come and fight for me, and he came not, and I looked that he should come and lend me power, and I found him not.
And when I sought the light, they gave me darkness; and when I sought my power, they gave me matter.
Now, therefore, O Light of lights, may the darkness and the matter which the emanations of Self-willed have brought upon me, be to them for a snare, and may they be ensnared therein, and recompense them and may they be made to stumble and not come into the region of their Self-willed.
May they remain in the darkness and not behold the light; may they behold the chaos for ever, and let them not look to the height.
Bring upon them their revenge, and may your judgment lay hold upon them.
Let them not henceforth come into their region to their god Self-willed, and let not his emanations henceforth come into their regions; for their god is impious and self-willed, and he thought that he had done this evil of himself, not knowing that, had I not been brought low according to your command, he would not have had any authority over me.
But when you hadst by your command brought me low, they pursued me the more, and their emanations added pain to my humiliation.
And they have taken light-power from me and fallen again to pressing me sore, in order to take away all the light in me. Because of this in which they have set me, let them not ascend to the thirteenth aeon, the region of Righteousness.
But let them not be reckoned in the lot of those who purify themselves and the light, and let them not be reckoned with those who will quickly repent, that they may quickly receive mysteries in the Light.
For they have taken my light from me, and my power has begun to cease in me and I am destitute of my light.
Now, therefore, O Light, which is in you and is with me, I sing praises to your name, O Light, in glory.
May my song of praise please you, O Light, as an excellent mystery, which leads to the gates of the Light, which they who shall repent will utter, and the light of which will purify them.
Now, therefore, let all matters rejoice; seek you all the Light, that the power of the stars which is in you, may live.
For the Light has heard the matters, nor will it leave any without having purified them.
Let the souls and the matters praise the Lord of all aeons, and [let] the matters and all that is in them [praise him].
For God shall save their soul from all matters, and a city shall be prepared in the Light, and all the souls who are saved, will dwell in that city and will inherit it.
And the soul of them who shall receive mysteries will abide in that region, and they who have received mysteries in its name will abide therein.
33.
And it happened, when Jesus had spoken these words to his disciples, that he said to them: This is the song of praise which Pistis Sophia uttered in her first repentance, repenting of her sin, and reciting all which had befallen her. Now, therefore: Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Mary again came forward and said:
My Lord, my indweller of light has ears, and I hear with my light-power, and your spirit which is with me, has sobered me. Listen then that I may speak concerning the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, speaking of her sin and all that befell her. Your light-power has prophesied thereof in the past through the prophet David in the sixty-eighth Psalm:
Save me, O God, for the waters are come in even to my soul.
I sank and am submerged in the slime of the abyss, with no power .
I have gone-down into the depths of the sea; a tempest has submerged me.
I have kept on crying; my throat is gone, my eyes faded, waiting patiently for God.
They who hate me without a cause are more than the hairs of my head;
mighty are my foes, who violently pursued me. They required of me that which I took not from them.
God, you have known my foolishness, and my faults are not hid from you.
Let not them that wait on you, O Lord, Lord of powers, be ashamed for my sake;
let not those who seek you be ashamed for my sake, O Lord, God of Israel, God of powers.
For your sake have I endured shame; shame has covered my face.
I am become a stranger to my brethren, a stranger to the sons of my mother.
For the zeal of your house has consumed me; the revilings of them that revile you have fallen upon me.
I bowed my soul with fasting, and it was turned to my reproach.
I put on sackcloth; I became to them a bye-word.
They who sit at the gates, chattered at me; and they who drink wine, harped about me.
But I prayed with my soul to you, O Lord; the time of your mercy now, O God.
In the fulness of your grace give ear to my salvation in truth.
Save me out of this slime, that I sink not therein;
let me be saved from them that hate me, and from the deep of waters.
Let not a water-flood submerge me, let not the deep swallow me,
Let not a well close its mouth above me.
Hear me, O Lord, for your grace is good;
according to the fulness of your compassion look down upon me.
Turn not your face away from your servant, for I am oppressed.
Hear me quickly, give heed to my soul and deliver it.
Save me because of my foes, for you know my disgrace, my shame and my dishonour;
all my oppressors are before you.
My heart awaits disgrace and misery; I waited for him who should sorrow with me,
but I could not come at him, and for him who should comfort me, and I found him not.
They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink.
Let their table be to them for a trap and for a snare and for a retribution and for a stumbling-block.
May you bend their backs at all time.
Pour out your anger upon them, and let the wrath of your anger lay hold upon them.
Let their encampment be desolate, let there be no dweller in their habitations.
For they persecuted him whom you have smitten, and added to the smart of their woundings.
They added iniquity to their iniquities; let them not come into your righteousness.
Let them be wiped out of the book of the living, and let them not be written in among the righteous.
I am a poor wretch who is heart-broken too; it is the salvation of your face which has taken me to itself.
I will praise the name of God in the ode, and exalt it in the song of thanksgiving.
This shall please God better than a young bull which putts forth horns and hoofs.
May the wretched see and make merry; seek you God, that your souls may live.
For God has heard the wretched and despises not the prisoners.
Let heaven and earth praise the Lord, the sea and all that is therein.
For God will save Zion, and the cities of Judaea will be built up, and they will dwell there and inherit it.
The seed of his servants shall possess it, and they who love his name shall dwell therein.
34.
And it happened, when Mary had finished speaking these words to Jesus in the midst of the disciples, that she said to him: My Lord, this is the solution of the mystery of the repentance of Pistis Sophia.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard Mary speak these words, that he said to her: Well said, Mary, blessed one, the fulness, or all-blessed fulness, you who shalt be sung of as blessed in all generations.
35.
Jesus continued again in the discourse and said: Pistis Sophia again continued and still sang praises in a second repentance, saying,
Light of lights, in whom I have had faith, leave me not in the darkness until the end of my time.
Help me and save me through your mysteries; incline your ear to me and save me.
May the power of your light save me and carry me to the higher aeons; for you wilt save me and lead me into the height of your aeons.
Save me, O Light, from the hand of this lion-faced power and from the hands of the emanations of god Self-willed.
For it is you, O Light, in whose light I have had faith and in whose light I have trusted from the beginning.
And I have had faith in it from the time when it emanated me, and you yourself did make me to emanate; and I have had faith in your light from the beginning. And when I had faith in you, the rulers of the aeons mocked at me, saying: She has ceased in her mystery. You are my saviour and you are my deliverer and you are my mystery, O Light.
My mouth was filled with glorifying, that I may tell of the mystery of your grandeur at all times.
Now, therefore, O Light, leave me not in the chaos for the completion of my whole time; forsake me not, O Light.
For all the emanations of Self-willed have taken from me my whole light-power and have surrounded me.
They desired to take away my whole light from me utterly and have set a watch on my power,
Saying one to another together: The Light has forsaken her, let us seize her and take away the whole light in her.
Therefore then, O Light, cease not from me; turn you, O Light, and save me from the hands of the merciless.
May they who would take away my power, fall down and become powerless.
May they who would take away my light-power from me, be enwrapped in darkness and sink into powerlessness.
This then is the second repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, singing praises to the Light.
36.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished speaking these words to his disciples, that he said to them: Do you understand in what manner I discourse with you?
And Peter started forward and said to Jesus: My Lord, we will not endure this woman, for she takes the opportunity from us and has let none of us speak, but she discourses many times.
And Jesus answered and said to his disciples:
Let him in whom the power of his spirit shall seethe, so that he understands what I say, come forward and speak. But now, Peter, I see your power in you, that it understands the solution of the mystery of the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered. Now, therefore, Peter, speak the thought of her repentance in the midst of your brethren.
And Peter answered and said to Jesus O Lord, give ear that I may speak the thought of her repentance, of which in the past your power prophesied through the prophet David, uttering her repentance in the seventieth Psalm:
O God, my God, I have trusted in you, let me no more be put to shame for ever.
Save me in your righteousness and set me free; incline your ear to me and save me.
Be to me a strong God and a firm place to save me; for you are my strength and my refuge.
My God, save me from the hand of the sinner and from the hand of the transgressor and from the impious [one].
For you are my endurance, O Lord, you are my hope from my youth up.
I have trusted myself to you from my mother's womb; you have brought me out of my mother's womb. My remembrance is ever in you.
I have become as the crazy for many; you are my help and my strength, you are my deliverer, O Lord.
My mouth was filled with glorifying, that I may praise the glory of your splendour the whole day long.
Cast me not away in the time of age; if my soul fades, forsake me not.
For mine enemies have spoken evil against me and they who lay in wait for my soul, have taken counsel against my soul,
Saying together: God has forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is no saviour.
God, give heed to my help.
Let them be ashamed and destroyed who calumniate my soul. Let them be enwrapped in shame and disgrace who seek evil against me.
This then is the solution of the second repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
37.
The Saviour answered and said to Peter: Well, Peter; this is her solution: repentance. Blessed are you before all men on the earth, because I have revealed to you these mysteries. Amen, amen, I say to you: I will perfect you in all fulness from the mysteries of the interior to the mysteries of the exterior and fill you with the spirit, so that you shall be called spiritual, perfected in all fulness. And, amen, amen, I say to you: I will give to you all the mysteries of all the regions of my Father and of all the regions of the First Mystery, so that he whom you shall admit on earth, shall be admitted into the Light of the height; and he whom you shall expel on earth, shall be expelled from the kingdom of my Father in the heaven. But listen, therefore, and give ear attentively to all the repentances which Pistis Sophia has uttered. She continued again and uttered the third repentance, saying:
O Light of powers, give heed and save me.
May they who would take away my light, be in want and be in the darkness. May they who would take away my power, turn into chaos and be put to shame.
May they turn quickly to darkness, who press me sore and say: We have become lords over her.
May rather all those who seek the Light, rejoice and exult, and they who desire your mystery, say ever: May the mystery be exalted.
Save me then now, O Light, for I lacked my light, which they have taken away, and I needed my power, which they have taken from me. You then, O Light, you are my saviour, and you are my deliverer, O Light. Save me quickly out of this chaos.
38.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished telling his disciples, that this is the third repentance of Pistis Sophia, that he said to them: Let him in whom a sensitive spirit has arisen, come forward and speak the thought of the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
Then, before Jesus had finished speaking, Martha came forward, fell down at his feet, kissed them, cried aloud and wept with lamentation and in humbleness, saying: My Lord, have mercy upon me and have compassion with me, and let me speak the solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered. And Jesus gave his hand to Martha and said to her: Blessed is every one who humbles himself, for on him they shall have mercy. Therefore, Martha, you are blessed. Now, proclaim the solution of the thought of the repentance of Pistis Sophia.
And Martha answered and said to Jesus in the midst of the disciples: Concerning the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, O my Lord Jesus, of it your light-power in David prophesied in the past in the sixty-ninth Psalm, saying:
O Lord God, give heed to my help.
Let them be put to shame and con-founded who seek after my soul.
May they turn straightway and be put to shame, who say to me: Ha, ha.
May all who seek you, be joyful and exult because of you, and they who love your salvation, say ever: May God be exalted.
But I am wretched, I am poor; O Lord, help me. You are my helper and defence; O Lord, delay not.
This then is the solution of the third repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, singing praises to the height.
39.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard Martha speak these words, that he said to her: Well said, Martha, and well.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: Pistis Sophia again continued in the fourth repentance, reciting it before she was oppressed a second time, in order that the lion-faced power and all the material emanations with it, which Self-willed had sent into the chaos, might not take away her total light in her. She uttered then this repentance as follows:
O Light, in whom I have trusted, give ear to my repentance, and let my voice reach to your dwelling-place.
Turn not away your light-image from me, but have heed to me, if they oppress me; and save me quickly at the time when I shall cry to you.
For my time is vanished like a breath and I am become matter.
They have taken my light from me, and my power is dried up.
I have forgotten my mystery which heretofore I was wont to accomplish.
Because of the voice of the fear and the power of Self-willed my power is vanished.
I am become as a demon apart, who dwells in matter and light is not in him,
and I am become as a counterfeiting spirit, which is in a material body and light-power is not in it.
And I am become as a servant who is alone in the air.
The emanations of Self-willed have sore oppressed me, and my pair has said to himself:
Instead of with light which was in her, they have filled her with chaos.
I have devoured the sweat of my own matter and the anguish of the tears from the matter of my eyes,
so that they who oppress me may not take the rest.
All this has befallen me, O Light, by your commandment and your command,
and it is your commandment that I am here. Your commandment has brought me down,
and I am descended as a power of the chaos, and my power is numbed in me.
But you, O Lord, are Light eternal, and dost visit them who are for ever oppressed.
Now, therefore, O Light, arise and seek my power and the soul in me.
Your commandment is accomplished, which you did decree for me in my afflictions.
My time is come, that you should seek my power and my soul,
and this is the time which you did decree to seek me.
For your saviours have sought the power which is in my soul,
because the number is completed, and in order that also its matter may be saved.
And then at that time shall all the rulers of the material aeons be in fear of your light,
and all the emanations of the thirteenth material aeon shall be in fear of the mystery of your light,
so that the others may put on the purification of their light.
For the Lord will seek the power of your soul. He has revealed his mystery,
So that he may regard the repentance of them who are in the regions below;
and he has not disregarded their repentance.
This is then that mystery which is become the type in respect of the race which shall be born;
and the race which shall be born will sing praises to the height.
For the Light has looked down from the height of its light. It will look down on the total matter,
To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the power of the souls whose power is bound, -
So that it may lay its name in the soul and its mystery in the power.
40.
It happened while Jesus spoke these words to his disciples, saying to them: This is the fourth repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered; now, therefore, let him who understandeth, understand, - it happened then, when Jesus had spoken these words, that John came forward, adored the breast of Jesus and said to him: My Lord, give commandment to me also, and grant me to speak the solution of the fourth repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
Jesus said to John: I give you commandment, and I grant you to speak the solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
John answered and said: My Lord and Saviour, concerning this repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, your light-power which was in David, has prophesied in the past in the one-hundred-and-first Psalm:
Lord, give ear to my supplication and let my voice reach to you.
Turn not away your face from me; incline your ear to me in the day when I am oppressed;
quickly give ear to me on the day when I shall cry to you.
For my days are vanished as smoke and my bones are parched as stone.
I am scorched as the grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
From the voice of my groaning my bones cleaved to my flesh.
I am become as a pelican in the desert; I am become as a screech-owl in the house.
I have passed the night watching; I am become as a sparrow alone on the roof.
My enemies have reviled me all the day long, and they who honour me, have injured me.
For I have eaten ashes instead of my bread and mixed my drink with tears,
Because of your wrath and your rage; for you have lifted me up and cast me down.
My days have declined as a shadow, and I am dried up as the grass,
But you, O Lord, you endure for ever, and your remembrance to the generation of generation[s].
Arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time is come to have mercy upon her; the proper time is come.
Your servants have longed for her stones, and will take pity on her land.
And the nations will have fear of the name of the Lord, and the kings of the earth have fear of your sovereignty.
For the Lord will build up Zion and reveal himself in his sovereignty.
He has regarded the prayer of the humble and has not despised their supplication.
This shall be recorded for another generation, and the people who shall be created will praise the Lord.
Because he has looked down on his holy height; the Lord has looked down from the heaven on the earth,
To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the sons of those who are slain,
To proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem.
This, my Lord, is the solution of the mystery of the repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
41.
And it happened, when John had finished speaking these words to Jesus in the midst of his disciples, that he said to him: Well said, John, the Virgin, who shalt rule in the kingdom of the Light.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse anti said to his disciples: It happened again thus: The emanations of Self-willed again oppressed Pistis Sophia in the chaos and desired to take from her her whole light; and not yet was her commandment accomplished, to lead her out of the chaos, and not yet had the command reached me through the First Mystery, to save her out of the chaos. And it happened, when all the material emanations of Self-willed oppressed her, that she cried out and uttered the fifth repentance, saying:
Light of my salvation, I sing praise to you in the region of the height and again in the chaos.
I sing praise to you in my hymn with which I sang praise in the height
and with which I sang praise to you when I was in the chaos.
Let it come into your presence, and give heed, O Light, to my repentance.
For my power is filled up with darkness, and my light has gone down into the chaos.
I am myself become as the rulers of the chaos, who are gone into the darknesses below;
I am become as a material body, which has no one in the height who will save it.
I am become also as matters from which their power has been taken, when they are cast down into the chaos, -
[matters] which you have not saved, and they are condemned utterly by your commandment.
Now, therefore, have they put me into the darkness below,
- in darknesses and matters which are dead and in them [is] no power.
You have brought your commandment upon me and all things which you have decreed.
And your spirit has withdrawn and abandoned me.
And moreover by your commandment the emanations of my eon have not helped me
and have hated me and separated themselves from me, and yet am I not utterly destroyed.
And my light is diminished in me, and I have cried up to the light with all the light in me,
and I have stretched forth my hands to you.
Now, therefore, O Light, wilt you not accomplish your commandment in the chaos,
and will not the deliverers, who come according to your commandment, arise in the darkness and come and be disciples for you'?
Will they not utter the mystery of your name in the chaos?
Or will they not rather utter your name in a matter of the chaos, in which you wilt not [yourself] purify?
But I have sung praises to you, O Light, and my repentance will reach to you in the height.
Let your light come upon me,
For they have taken my light, and I am in pain on account of the Light from the time when I was emanated.
And when I had looked into the height to the Light, then I looked down below at the light-power in the chaos;
I rose up and went down.
Your commandment came upon me, and the terrors, which you did decree for me, have brought me into delusion.
And they have surrounded me, in numbers as water, they have laid hold on me together all my time.
And by your commandment you have not suffered my fellow-emanations to help me,
nor have you suffered my pair to save me out of my afflictions.
This then is the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered in the chaos, when all the material emanations of Self-willed had continued and oppressed her.
42.
When then Jesus had spoken these words to his disciples, he said to them: Who has ears to hear, let him hear; and let him whose spirit seethes up in him, come forward and speak the solution of the thought of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia.
And when Jesus had finished saying these words, Philip started forward, held up and laid down the book in his hand, - for he is the scribe of all the discourses which Jesus spoke, and of all of that which he did, - Philip then came forward and said to him: My Lord, surely then it is not on me alone that you have enjoined to take care for the world and write down all the discourses which we shall speak and [all we shall] do? And you have not suffered me to come forward to speak the solution of the mysteries of the repentance of Pistis Sophia. For my spirit has ofttimes seethed in me and been unloosed and constrained me to come forward and speak the solution of the repentance of Pistis Sophia; and I could not come forward because I am the scribe of all the discourses.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard Philip, that he said to him: Listen, Philip, blessed one, that I may discourse with you; for it is you and Thomas and Matthew on whom it is enjoined by the First Mystery to write all the discourses which I shall speak and [all which I shall] do, and all things which you shall see. But as for you, the number of the discourses which you have to write, is so far not yet completed. When it is then completed, you are to come forward and proclaim what pleases you. Now, therefore, you three have to write down all the discourses which I shall speak and [all things which I shall] do and which you shall see, in order that you may bear witness to all things of the kingdom of heaven.
43.
When then Jesus had said this, he said to his disciples: Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Mary started forward again, stepped into the midst, placed herself by Philip and said to Jesus: My Lord, my in-dweller of light has ears, and I am ready to hear with my power, and I have understood the word which you have spoken. Now, therefore, my Lord, listen that I may discourse in openness, you who have said to us: Who has ears to hear, let him hear.
Concerning the word which you have spoken to Philip: It is you and Thomas and Matthew on whom it has been enjoined - to you three by the First Mystery, to write all the discourses of the kingdom of the Light and thereto to bear witness ; listen, therefore, that I may proclaim the solution of this word. This is what your light-power prophesied in the past through Moses: By two or three witnesses shall every matter be established. The three witnesses are Philip and Thomas and Matthew.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard this word, that he said: Well said, Mary, this is the solution of the word. Now, therefore, do you, Philip, come forward and proclaim the solution of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia, and thereafter take your seat and write all the discourses which I shall speak, until the number of your portion which you have to write of the words of the kingdom of the Light is completed. Then shalt you come forward and speak what your spirit shall understand. But do you then now proclaim the solution of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia.
And Philip answered and said to Jesus: My Lord, listen that I may speak the solution of her repentance. For your power has prophesied in the past concerning it through David in the eighty-seventh Psalm, saying:
Lord, God of my salvation, by day and by night have I cried to you.
Let my weeping come before you; incline your ear to my supplication, O Lord. For my soul is full of evil, my life has drawn nigh to the world below.
I am counted among them who have gone down into the pit; I am become as a man who has no helper.
The free among the dead are as the slain who are thrown away and sleep in tombs, whom you no more rememberest, and they are destroyed through your hands.
They have set me in a pit below, in darkness and shadow of death.
Your wrath has settled down upon me and all your cares have come upon me. (Selah. )
You have put away mine acquaintances far from me; they have made me an abomination for them. They have abandoned me, and I cannot go forth.
My eye has become dim in my misery; I have cried to you, O Lord, the whole day and have stretched forth my hands to you.
Wilt you not surely work your wonders on the dead? Will not surely the physicians arise and confess you?
Will they not surely proclaim your name in the tombs,
And your righteousness in a land which you have forgotten?
But I have cried to you, O Lord, and my prayer shall reach you early in the morning.
Turn not your face away from me.
For I am miserable, I am in sorrow from my youth up. And when I had exalted myself, I humbled myself and arose.
Your angers are come upon me and your terrors have brought me into delusion. They have surrounded me as water; they have seized upon me the whole day long.
My fellows have you kept far from me and my acquaintances from my misery.
This is then the solution of the mystery of the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, when she was oppressed in the chaos.
44.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard Philip speak these words, that he said: Well said, Philip, well-beloved. Now, therefore, come, take your seat and write your portion of all the discourses which I shall speak, and [of all things which I shall] do, and of all that you shalt see.
And forthwith Philip sat down and wrote.
It came. to pass thereafter that Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: Then did Pistis Sophia cry to the Light. It forgave her sin, in that she had left her region and gone down into the darkness. She uttered the sixth repentance, saying,
I have sung praises to you, O Light, in the darkness below.
Listen to my repentance, and may your light give heed to the voice of my supplication.
O Light, if you think on my sin, I shall not be able to stand before you, and you wilt abandon me,
For you, O Light, are my saviour; because of the light of your name I have had faith in you, O Light.
And my power has had faith in your mystery; and moreover my power has trusted in the Light when it was among those of the height; and it has trusted in it when it was in the chaos below. Let all the powers in me trust in the Light when I am in the darkness below, and may they again trust in the Light if they come into the region of the height.
For it is [the Light] which has compassion on us and delivers us; and a great saving mystery is in it.
And it will save all powers out of the chaos because of my transgression. For I have left my region and am come down into the chaos.
Now, therefore, whose mind is exalted, let him understand.
45.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished speaking these words to his disciples, that he said to them: Understand you in what manner I discourse with you?
Andrew came forward and said: My Lord, concerning the solution of the sixth repentance of Pistis Sophia, your light-power prophesied in the past through David in the one-hundred-and-twenty-ninth Psalm, saying:
Out of the depths I have cried to you, O Lord.
Listen to my voice; let your ears give heed to the voice of my supplication.
O Lord, if you heed my iniquities, who will be able to pass [the test]?
For pardon is in your hands; for the sake of your name have I waited for you, O Lord.
My soul has waited for your word.
My soul has hoped in the Lord from the morning until the evening.
Let Israel hope in the Lord from the morning until the evening.
For grace stands by the Lord and with him is great redemption.
And he will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.
Jesus said to him: Well said, Andrew, blessed one. This is the solution of her repentance. Amen, amen, I say to you: I will perfect you in all mysteries of the Light and all gnoses from the interiors of the interiors to the exteriors of the exteriors, from the Ineffable down to the darkness of darknesses, from the Light of lights down to the . . . . of matter, from all the gods down to the demons, from all the lords down to the servants, from all the authorities down to the servitors, from the creation of men down to [that] of the wild-beasts, of the cattle and of the reptiles, in order that you may be called perfect, perfected in all fulness. Amen, amen, I say to you: In the region where I shall be in the kingdom of my Father, you will also be with me. And when the perfect number is completed, so that the Mixture shall be dissolved, I will give commandment that they bring all tyrant gods, who have not given up the purification of their light, and will give commandment to the wise fire, over which the perfect ass, to eat into those tyrants, until they give up the last purification of their light.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished speaking these words to his disciples, that he said to them: Understand you in what manner I speak with you?
Mary said: Yea, Lord, I have understood the word which you have spoken. Concerning then the word which you have said: At the dissolution of the whole Mixture you shalt take your seat on a light-power and your disciples, that is ourselves, shall sit on the right of you, and you shalt judge the tyrant gods, who have not given up the purification of their light, and the wise fire will bite into them, until they give up the last light in them, - concerning this word then your light-power prophesied in the past through David, in the eighty-first Psalm, saying:
God shall sit in the assembly (synagogue) of the gods and try the gods.
Jesus said to her: Well said, Mary.
46.
Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: It happened, when Pistis Sophia had finished uttering the sixth repentance for the forgiveness of her transgression, that she turned again to the height, to see if her sins were forgiven her, and to see whether they would lead her up out of the chaos. But by commandment of the First Mystery not yet was she hearkened to, so that her sin should be forgiven and she should be led up out of the chaos. When then she had turned to the height to see whether her repentance were accepted from her, she saw all the rulers of the twelve aeons mocking at her and rejoicing over her because her repentance was not accepted from her. When then she saw that they mocked at her, she grieved exceedingly and lifted up her voice to the height in her seventh repentance, saying:
O Light, I have lifted up my power to you, my Light.
On you have I had faith. Let me not be scorned;
let not the rulers of the twelve aeons, who hate me, rejoice over me.
For all who have faith in you shall not be put to shame.
Let them who have taken away my power, remain in darkness;
and let them not get from it any profit, but let it be taken away from them.
O Light, show me your ways, and I shall be saved in them;
and show me your paths, whereby I shall be saved out of the chaos.
And guide me in your light, and let me know, O Light, that you are my saviour.
On you will I trust the whole of my time.
Give heed that you save me, O Light, for your mercy endures for ever.
As to my transgression, which I have committed from the beginning in my ignorance,
put it not to my account, O Light, but rather save me through your great mystery of the forgiveness of sins
because of your goodness, O Light.
For good and sincere is the Light. For this cause will it grant me my way, to be saved out of my transgression;
And for my powers, which are diminished through the fear of the material emanations of Self-willed,
will it draw near after its commandment, and will teach my powers, which are diminished because of the merciless, its gnosis.
For all gnoses of the Light are saving means and are mysteries for all who seek the regions of its Inheritance and its mysteries.
For the sake of the mystery of your name, O Light, forgive my transgression, for it is great.
To every one who trusts in the Light it will give the mystery which suits him;
And his soul will abide in the regions of the Light and his power will inherit the Treasury of the Light.
The Light gives power to them who have faith in it; and the name of its mystery belongs to those who trust in it. And it will show them the region of the Inheritance, which is in the Treasury of the Light.
But I have ever had faith in the Light, for it will save my feet from the bonds of the darkness.
Give heed to me, O Light, and save me, for they have taken away my name from me in the chaos.
Because of all the emanations my afflictions and my oppression have become exceedingly manifold. Save me out of my transgression and this darkness.
And look upon the grief of my oppression and forgive my transgression.
Give heed to the rulers of the twelve aeons, who have hated me through jealousy.
Watch over my power and save me, and let me not remain in this darkness, for I have had faith in you.
And they have made of me a great fool for having had faith in you, O Light.
Now, therefore, O Light, save my powers from the emanations of Self-willed, by whom I am oppressed.
Now, therefore, who is sober, let him be sober.
When then Jesus had spoken this to his disciples, Thomas came forward and said: My Lord, I am sober, I am plentifully sober, and my spirit is ready in me, and I rejoice exceedingly that you have revealed these words to us. But indeed I have borne with my brethren until now, so that I should not anger them; nay rather I have borne with every one that he should come before you and speak the solution of the repentance of Pistis Sophia. Now, therefore, my Lord, concerning the solution of the seventh repentance of Pistis Sophia your light-power has prophesied through the prophet David in the twenty-fourth Psalm, thus
O Lord, to you have I lifted up my soul, O my God.
I have abandoned myself to you; let me not be put to shame and let not mine enemies mock at me.
For all who wait upon you shall not be put to shame; let them be put to shame who do iniquity without a cause.
O Lord, show me your ways and teach me your paths.
Lead me in the way of your truth and teach me, for you are my God and my saviour; on you will I wait all the day long.
Call to remembrance your mercies, O Lord, and the favours of your grace, for they are from eternity.
Remember not the sins of my youth and those of my ignorance. Remember me according to the fulness of your mercy because of your goodness, O Lord.
The Lord is gracious and sincere; therefore fore will he instruct sinners in the way.
He will guide the tender-hearted in the judgment and will teach the tender-hearted his ways.
All the ways of the Lord are grace and truth for them who seek his righteousness and his testimonies. For your name's sake, O Lord, forgive me my sin, [for] it is exceedingly great.
Who is the man who fears the Lord? For him will he establish laws in the way which he has chosen.
His soul will abide in good things and his seed will inherit the land.
The Lord is the strength of them who fear him; and the name of the Lord belongs to them who fear him, to make known to them his covenant.
Mine eyes are raised ever to the Lord, for he will draw my feet out of the snare.
Look down upon me and be gracious to me, for I am an only-begotten; I am wretched.
The afflictions of my heart have in-creased; bring me out of my necessities.
Look upon my abasement and my woe, and forgive me all my sins.
Look upon mine enemies, how they have increased themselves and hated me with unjust hatred.
Preserve my soul and save me; let me not be put to shame, for I have hoped on you.
The simple and sincere have joined themselves to me, for I have waited on you, O Lord.
O God, deliver Israel from all his afflictions.
And when Jesus had heard the words of Thomas, he said to him: Well said, Thomas, and well. This is the solution of the seventh repentance of Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen, I say to you: All generations of the world shall bless you on earth, because I have revealed this to you and you have received, of my spirit and have become understanding and spiritual, understanding what I say. And hereafter will I fill you full with the whole light and the whole power of the spirit, so that you may understand from now on all which shall be said to you and which you shall see. Yet a little while and I will speak with you concerning the height without within and within without.
47.
Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: And it happened, when Pistis Sophia had uttered the seventh repentance in the chaos, that the commandment through the First Mystery had not come to me to save her and lead her up out of the chaos. Nevertheless of myself out of compassion without commandment I led her into a somewhat spacious region in the chaos. And when the material emanations of Self-willed had noticed that she had been led into a somewhat spacious region in the chaos, they ceased a little to oppress her, for they thought that she would be led up out of the chaos altogether. When this then took place, Pistis Sophia did not know that I was her helper; nor did she know me at all, but she continued and persisted withal singing praises to the Light of the Treasury, which she had seen in the past and on which she had had faith, and she thought that it [sc. the Light] also was her helper and it was the same to which she had sung praises, thinking it was the Light in truth. But as ndeed she had had faith in the Light which belongs to the Treasury in truth, therefore will she be led up out of the chaos and her repentance will be accepted from her. But the commandment of the First Mystery was not yet accomplished to accept her repentance from her. But listen now in order that I may tell you all things which befell Pistis Sophia.
It happened, when I had led her to a somewhat spacious region in the chaos, that the emanations of Self-willed ceased entirely to oppress her, thinking that she would be led up out of the chaos altogether. And it happened, when the emanations of Self-willed had noticed that Pistis Sophia had not been led up out the chaos, that they turned about again all together, oppressing her vehemently. Because of this then she uttered the eighth repentance, because they had not ceased to oppress her, and had turned about to oppress her to the utmost. She uttered this repentance, saying,
On you, O Light, have I hoped. Leave me not in the chaos; deliver me and save me according to your gnosis.
Give heed to me and save me. Be to me a saviour, O Light, and save me and lead me to your light.
For you are my saviour and wilt lead me to you. And because of the mystery of your name lead me and give me your mystery.
And you wilt save me from this lion-faced power, which they have laid as a snare for me, for you are my saviour.
And in your hands will I lay the purification of my light; you have saved me, O Light, according to your gnosis.
You are become wroth with them who keep watch over me and will not be able to lay hold of me utterly. But I have had faith in the Light.
I will rejoice and will sing praises that you have had mercy upon me and have heeded and saved me from the oppression in which I was. And you wilt set free my power out of the chaos.
And you have not left me in the hand of the lion-faced power; but you have led me into a region which is not oppressed.
48.
When then Jesus had said this to his disciples, he answered again and said to them: And it happened, when the lion-faced power had noticed that Pistis Sophia had not been led up altogether out of the chaos, that it came again with all the other material emanations of Self-willed, and they oppressed Pistis Sophia again. And it happened, when they oppressed her, that she cried out in the same repentance, saying:
Have mercy upon me, O Light, for they have oppressed me again.
Because of your commandment, the light in me is distracted and my power and my understanding.
My power has begun to wane while I am in these afflictions,
and the number of my time while I am in the chaos.
My light is diminished, for they have taken away my power from me,
and all the powers in me are tossed about.
I am become powerless in the presence of all the rulers of the aeons, who hate me,
and in the presence of the four-and-twenty emanations, in whose region I was.
And my brother, my pair, was afraid to help me, because of that in which they have set me.
And all the rulers of the height have counted me as matter in which is no light.
I am become as a material power which has fallen out of the rulers,
And all who are in the aeons said: She has become chaos.
And thereafter all the pitiless powers surrounded me together and proposed to take away the whole light in me.
But I have trusted in you, O Light, and said: You are my saviour.
And my commandment, which you have decreed for me, is in your hands.
Save me out of the hands of the emanations of Self-willed, which oppress me and persecute me.
Send your light over me, for I am as naught before you, and save me according to your compassion.
Let me not be despised, for I have sung praises to you, O Light.
Let chaos cover the emanations of Self-willed, let them be led down into the darkness.
Let the mouth of them be shut up, who would devour me with guile, who say:
Let us take the whole light in her, - although I have done them no ill.
49.
And when Jesus had spoken this, Matthew came forward and said: My Lord, your spirit has stirred me and your light has made me sober to proclaim this eighth repentance of Pistis Sophia. For your power has prophesied thereof in the past through David in the 30thPsalm, saying:
On you, O Lord, have I hoped. Let me never be put to shame; save me according to your righteousness.
Incline your ear to me, save me quickly. Be you to me a protecting God and a house of refuge to save me.
For you are my support and my refuge; for your name's sake you wilt guide me and feed me.
And you wilt draw me out of this snare, which they have laid privily for me; for you are my protection.
Into your hands I will render my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, God of Truth.
You have hated them who hold to vain emptiness; but I have trusted.
And I shall rejoice because of my Lord and make merry over your grace.
For you have looked down upon my humbleness and saved my soul out of my necessities.
And you have not shut me up in the hands of my foes; you have set my feet on a broad space.
Be gracious to me, O Lord, for I am afflicted; my eye is distracted in the wrath and my soul and my body.
For my years have wasted away in sadness and my life is wasted in sighing.
My power is enfeebled in misery and my bones are distracted.
I am become a mockery for all my foes and my neighbours.
I am become a fright for my acquaintances, and they who saw me, are fled away from me.
I am forgotten in their heart as a corpse, and I have become as a ruined vessel.
For I have heard the scorn of many who surround me round about.
Massing themselves together against me, they took counsel to take away my soul from me.
But I have trusted in you, O Lord. I said: You are my God.
My lots are in your hands. Save me from the hand of my foes and free me from my persecutors.
Reveal your face over your slave, and free me according to your grace, O Lord.
Let me not be put to shame, for I have cried to, you.
Let the impious be put to shame and turn towards hell.
Let the crafty lips be struck dumb, which allege iniquity against the righteous in pride and scorn.
50.
And when Jesus had heard these words, he said: Well [said], Matthew. Now, therefore, amen, I say to you: When the perfect number is completed and the universe is raised hence, I will take my seat in the Treasury of the Light, and you yourselves will sit on twelve light-powers, until we have restored all the orders of the twelve saviours to the region of the inheritances of every one of them.
And when he had said this, he said: Under-stand you what I say?
Mary came forward and said: O Lord, concerning this matter you have said to us in the past in similitude: You have awaited with me in the trials, and I will bequeath to you a kingdom, as my Father has bequeathed it to me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you shall sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. He said to her: Well said, Mary.
Jesus continued again and said to his disciples: And it happened thereafter, when the emanations of Self-willed oppressed Pistis Sophia in the chaos, that she uttered the ninth repentance, saying:
O Light, smite down them who have taken away my power from me,
and take away the power from them who have taken away mine from me.
For I am your power and your light. Come and save me.
Let great darkness cover my oppressors. Say to my power: I am he who will save you.
Let all those who would take away my light from me utterly, lack their power.
Let them face about to the chaos and become powerless, who would take away my light from me utterly.
Let their power be as dust, and let Yew, your angel, smite them.
And if they would go into the height, let darkness seize upon them and let them slip down and turn to the chaos.
And let your angel Yew pursue them and cast them down into the darkness below.
For though I have done them no ill, they have set a lion-face as a trap for me, from which its light will be taken;
and they have oppressed the power in me, which they will not be able to take away.
Now, therefore, O Light, take away the purification from the lion-faced power without its knowing it,
- the thought which Self-willed has thought, to take away my light;
- take away his own and let the light be taken away from the lion-faced power, which set the trap for me.
But my power will exult in the Light and rejoice that he will save it.
And all the portions of my power shall say: There is no saviour but you.
For you wilt save me out of the hand of the lion-faced one which has taken away my power
and you save me out of the hands of them who have taken away my power and my light from me.
For they have risen up against me, lying against me and saying that I know the mystery of the Light which is in the height, [the Light] in which I have had faith. And they have forced me, [saying:] Tell to us the mystery of the Light in the height, - that which I know not.
And they have requited me with all this ill because I have had faith in the Light of the height;
and they have made my power lightless.
But when they forced me, I sat in the darkness, my soul bowed down in mourning.
And do you, O Light - for that reason sing I praise to you - save me.
I know that you wilt save me because I fulfilled your will ever since I was in my aeon.
I fulfilled your will, as the invisibles who are in my region, and as my pair.
And I mourned, looking unceasingly and searching for the Light.
Now, therefore, have all the emanations of Self-willed surrounded me
and rejoiced over me and sore oppressed me without my knowing [them].
And they have fled away and ceased from me but have had no pity upon me.
They have returned again and tested me and they have oppressed me in great oppression
and ground their teeth against me, desiring to take away my light from me utterly.
How long, therefore, O Light, dost you suffer them, that they oppress me?
Save my power from their evil thoughts and save me from the hand of the lion-faced power;
for I alone of the invisibles am in this region.
I will sing praises to you, O Light, in the midst of all who are gathered together against me,
and I will cry to you in the midst of all who oppress me.
Now, therefore, O Light, let not them who hate me and desire to take away my power from me, rejoice over me
- who hate me and flash their eyes against me, though I have not done anything to them.
For indeed they have fawned upon me with sweet words, asking me concerning the mysteries of the Light which I know not, and have craftily spoken against me and been enraged against me, because I have had faith in the Light in the height.
They have opened their chops against me and said. : Well indeed, we will take from her her light.
Now, therefore, O Light, you have known their guile; suffer them not and let not your help be far from me.
Quickly, O Light, vindicate and avenge me,
And give judgment on me according to your goodness.
Now, therefore, O Light of lights, let them not take away my light from me,
And let them not say in their heart: Our power is glutted with her light.
And let them not say: We have consumed her power.
But rather let darkness come upon them, and let those who long to take away my light from me, become powerless, and let them be clothed with chaos and darkness, who say there: We will take away her light and her power.
Now, therefore, save me that I may rejoice, for I long for the thirteenth aeon, the region of Righteousness,
and I shall say ever-more: May the light of your angel Yew shine more and more.
And my tongue will sing praises to you in your gnosis my whole time in the thirteenth aeon.
50.
And when Jesus had heard these words, he said: Well [said], Matthew. Now, therefore, amen, I say to you: When the perfect number is completed and the universe is raised hence, I will take my seat in the Treasury of the Light, and you yourselves will sit on twelve light-powers, until we have restored all the orders of the twelve saviours to the region of the inheritances of every one of them.
And when he had said this, he said: Under-stand you what I say?
Mary came forward and said: O Lord, concerning this matter you have said to us in the past in similitude: You have awaited with me in the trials, and I will bequeath to you a kingdom, as my Father has bequeathed it to me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you shall sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel. He said to her: Well said, Mary.
Jesus continued again and said to his disciples: And it happened thereafter, when the emanations of Self-willed oppressed Pistis Sophia in the chaos, that she uttered the ninth repentance, saying:
O Light, smite down them who have taken away my power from me, and take away the power from them who have taken away mine from me.
For I am your power and your light. Come and save me.
Let great darkness cover my oppressors. Say to my power: I am he who will save you.
Let all those who would take away my light from me utterly, lack their power. Let them face about to the chaos and become powerless, who would take away my light from me utterly.
Let their power be as dust, and let Yew, your angel, smite them.
And if they would go into the height, let darkness seize upon them and let them slip down and turn to the chaos. And let your angel Yew pursue them and cast them down into the darkness below.
For they have set a lion-faced power as a trap for me, although I have done them no ill, from which its light will be taken; and they have oppressed the power in me, which they will not be able to take away.
Now, therefore, O Light, take away the purification from the lion-faced power without its knowing it, - the thought which Self-willed has thought, to take away my light; take away his own and let the light be taken away from the lion-faced power, which set the trap for me.
But my power will exult in the Light and rejoice that he will save it.
And all the portions of my power shall say: There is no saviour but you. For you wilt save me out of the hand of the lion-faced power, which has taken away my power from me, and you save me out of the hands of them who have taken away my power and my light from me.
For they have risen up against me, lying against me and saying that I know the mystery of the Light which is in the height, [the Light] in which I have had faith. And they have forced me, [saying:] Tell to us the mystery of the Light in the height, - that which I know not.
And they have requited me with all this ill because I have had faith in the Light of the height; and they have made my power lightless.
But when they forced me, I sat in the darkness, my soul bowed down in mourning.
And do you, O Light - for that reason sing I praise to you - save me. I know that you wilt save me because I fulfilled your will ever since I was in my aeon. I fulfilled your will, as the invisibles who are in my region, and as my pair. And I mourned, looking unceasingly and searching for the Light.
Now, therefore, have all the emanations of Self-willed surrounded me and rejoiced over me and sore oppressed me without my knowing [them]. And they have fled away and ceased from me but have had no pity upon me.
They have returned again and and they have oppressed me in great oppression and ground their teeth against me, desiring to take away my light from me utterly.
How long, therefore, O Light, dost you suffer them, that they oppress me? Save my power from their evil thoughts and save me from the hand of the lion-faced power; for I alone of the invisibles am in this region.
I will sing praises to you, O Light, in the midst of all who are gathered together against me, and I will cry to you in the midst of all who oppress me.
Now, therefore, O Light, let not them who hate me and desire to take away my power from me, rejoice over me - who hate me and flash their eyes against me, though I have not done anything to them.
For indeed they have fawned upon me with sweet words, asking me concerning the mysteries of the Light which I know not, and have craftily spoken against me and been enraged against me, because I have had faith in the Light in the height.
They have opened their chops against me and said. : Well indeed, we will take from her her light.
Now, therefore, O Light, you have known their guile; suffer them not and let not your help be far from me.
Quickly, O Light, vindicate and avenge me,
And give judgment on me according to your goodness. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, let them not take away my light from me,
And let them not say in their heart: Our power is glutted with her light. And let them not say: We have consumed her power.
But rather let darkness come upon them, and let those who long to take away my light from me, become powerless, and let them be clothed with chaos and darkness, who say there: We will take away her light and her power.
Now, therefore, save me that I may rejoice, for I long for the thirteenth aeon, the region of Righteousness, and I shall say ever-more: May the light of your angel Yew shine more and more.
And my tongue will sing praises to you in your gnosis my whole time in the thirteenth aeon.
52.
When James then had said this, Jesus said to him: Well said, well, James. This is the solution of the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen, I say to you: You shall be the first in the kingdom of heaven before all invisibles and all gods and rulers who are in the thirteenth aeon and in the twelfth aeon; and not only you, but also every one who shall accomplish my mysteries.
And when he had said this, he said to them: Understand you in what manner I discourse with you?
Mary started forward again and said: Yea, O Lord, this is what you did say to us in the past: The last shall be first and the first shall be last. The first then, who were created before us, are the invisibles, for indeed they arose before mankind, they and the gods and the rulers; and the men who shall receive mysteries, will be first into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus said to her: Well said, Mary.
Jesus continued again and said to his disciples: And it happened, when Pistis Sophia had proclaimed the ninth repentance, that the lion-faced power oppressed her again, desiring to take away all powers from her. She cried out again to the Light, saying: O Light, in whom I have had faith from the beginning, for whose sake I have endured these great pains, help me.
And in that hour her repentance was accepted from her. The First Mystery hearkened to her, and I was sent off at his command. I came to help her, and led her up out of the chaos, because she had repented, and also because she had had faith in the Light and had endured these great pains and these great perils. She had been deluded through the god-like Self-willed, and had not been deluded through anything else, save through a light-power, because of its resemblance to the Light in which she had had faith. For this cause then was I sent forth at the command of the First Mystery to help her secretly. I did not however yet go to the region of the aeons at all; but I passed down through the midst out of them, without any single power knowing it, either those of the interior of the interior or those of the exterior of the exterior, save only the First Mystery.
And it happened, when I came into the chaos to help her, that she saw me, that I was understanding and shone exceedingly and was full of compassion for her. For I was not self-willed as the lion-faced power, which had taken away the light-power from Sophia, and had also oppressed her in order to take away from her the whole light in her. Sophia then saw me, that I shone ten-thousand times more than the lion-faced power, and that I was full of compassion for her. And she knew that I came out of the Height of heights, in whose light she had had faith from the beginning. Pistis Sophia then took courage and uttered the tenth repentance, saying:
I have cried to you, O Light of lights, in my oppression and you have hearkened to me.
O Light, save my power from unjust and lawless lips and from crafty traps.
The light which was being taken from me in crafty snaring, will not be brought to you.
For the traps of Self-willed and the nooses of the merciless [one] are spread out.
Woe to me, that my dwelling was far off, and I was in the dwellings of the chaos.
My power was in regions which are not mine.
And I entreated those merciless [ones]; and when I entreated them, they fought against me without a cause.
53.
When then Jesus had said this to his disciples, he said to them: Now, therefore, let him whom his spirit stirreth, come forward and speak the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia.
Peter answered and said: O Lord, concerning this your light-power prophesied in the past through David in the one-hundred-and-nineteenth Psalm; saying:
I cried to you, O Lord, in my oppression, and you listen to me.
O Lord, save my soul from unjust lips and from crafty tongues.
What will be given to you or what will be added to you with a crafty tongue?
The arrows of the strong [one] are made sharp with the coal of the desert.
Woe to me, that my dwelling is far off, and I dwelt in the tents of Kedar.
My soul has dwelt in many regions as a guest.
I was peaceful with them who hate peace; if I spoke to them, they fought against me without a cause.
This is now, therefore, O Lord, the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia, which she has uttered when the material emanations of Self-willed oppressed her, they and his lion-faced power, and when they oppressed her exceedingly.
Jesus said to him: Well said, Peter, and well. This is the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia.
54.
Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: And it happened, when this lion-faced power saw me, how I drew nigh to Pistis Sophia, shining very exceedingly, that it grew still more furious and emanated from itself a multitude of exceedingly violent emanations. When this then befell, Pistis Sophia uttered the eleventh repentance, saying:
Why has the mighty power raised itself in evil?
Its plotting takes away the light from me all the time, and as sharp iron have they taken away power from me.
I chose to descend into the chaos rather than to abide in the thirteenth aeon, the region of Righteousness.
And they desired to lead me craftily, in order to consume my whole light.
For this cause then will the Light take away their whole light, and also their whole matter will be made naught. And it will take away their light and not suffer them to abide in the thirteenth aeon, their dwelling-place, and will not have their name in the region of those who shall live.
And the four-and-twenty emanations will see what has befallen you, O lion-faced power, and will be afraid and not be disobedient, but give the purification of their light.
And they will see you and will rejoice over you and say: Lo, an emanation which has not given the purification of its light, so that it may be saved, but boasted itself in the abundance of the light of its power, because it did not emanate from the power in it, and has said: I will take away the light from Pistis Sophia, which will now be taken from it.
Now, therefore, let him in whom his power is raised, come forward and proclaim the solution of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia.
Then Salome came forward and said: My Lord, concerning this your light-power prophesied in the past through David in the fifty-first Psalm, saying:
Why does the mighty [one] boast himself in his wickedness?
Your tongue has studied unrighteousness all the day long; as a sharp razor have you practised craft.
You lovedst wickedness more than goodness; you lovedst to speak unrighteousness more than righteousness.
You lovedst all words of submerging and a crafty tongue.
Wherefor will God bring you to naught utterly, and will uproot you and drag you out from your dwelling-place, and will root out your root and cast it away from the living. (Selah. )
The righteous will see and be afraid, and they will mock at him and say:
Lo, a man who made not God for his helper, but trusted to his great riches and was mighty in his vanity.
But I am as a fruit-bearing olive-tree in the house of God. I have trusted in the grace of God from all eternity.
And I will confess to you, for you have dealt faithfully with me; and I will wait on your name, for it is auspicious in the presence of your holy [ones].
This then is now, therefore, my Lord, the solution of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia. While your light-power has roused me, I have spoken it according to your desire.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard these words which Salome spoke, that he said: Well said, Salome. Amen, amen, I say to you: I will perfect you in all mysteries of the kingdom of the Light.
55.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: And it happened thereafter, that I drew near to the chaos, shining very exceedingly, to take away the light from that lion-faced power. As I shone exceedingly, it was in fear and cried out to its self-willed god, that he should help it. And forthwith the self-willed god looked out of the thirteenth aeon, and looked down into the chaos, exceedingly wrathful and desiring to help his lion-faced power. And forthwith the lion-faced power, it and all its emanations, surrounded. Pistis Sophia, desiring to take away the whole light in Sophia. And it happened, when they oppressed Sophia, that she cried to the height, crying to me that I should help her. And it happened, when she looked to the height, that she saw Self-willed exceedingly wrathful, and she was in fear, and uttered the twelfth repentance because of Self-willed and his emanations. She cried on high to me, saying:
O Light, forget not my praise-singing.
For Self-willed and his lion-faced power have opened their chops against me and have acted craftily against me.
They have surrounded me, desiring to take away my power, and have hated me,
because I have sung praises to you.
Instead of loving me they slandered me. But I sang praises.
They plotted a plot to take away my power, because I have sung to you praises, O Light;
and hated me, because I have loved you.
Let the darkness come over Self-willed, and let the ruler of the outermost darkness abide at his right hand.
And when you pass sentence, take from him his power; and the deed which he has plotted, to take from me my light, - may you take his from him.
And may all his powers of his light in him finish, and let another of the three triple-powers receive his sovereignty.
May all the powers of his emanation be lightless and may his matter be without any light in it.
May his emanations remain in the chaos and not dare to go to their region.
May their light in them die away and let them not go to the thirteenth aeon, their region.
May the Receiver, the Purifier of the lights, purify all the lights which are in Self-willed, and take them from them.
May the rulers of the lower darkness rule over his emanations,
and let no one give them shelter in his region; and let no one listen to the power of his emanations in the chaos.
Let them take away the light in his emanations and blot out their name from the thirteenth aeon,
yea rather take his name for ever out of that region.
And on the lion-faced power let them bring the sin of him who emanated it, before the Light,
and not wipe out the iniquity of the matter which has brought him [sc. Self-willed] forth.
And may their sin be altogether before the Light eternally, and may they let them not look beyond [the chaos] and take their names out of all regions;
Because they have not spared me and have oppressed him whose light and whose power they have taken away,
and also conformably with those who set me therein, they desired to take away my whole light from me.
They loved to descend to the chaos; so let them abide therein, and they shall not be brought up [therefrom] from now on. They desired not the region of Righteousness for dwelling-place, and they shall not be taken thither from now on. He put on darkness as a garment, and it entered into him as water, and it entered in into all his powers as oil.
Let him wrap himself into the chaos as into a garment, and gird himself with the darkness as with a leathern girdle for ever.
Let this befall them who have brought this upon me for the Light's sake and have said: Let us take away her whole power.
But do you, O Light, have mercy upon me for the sake of the mystery of your name, and save me in the goodness of your grace.
For they have taken away my light and my power; and my power has inwardly tottered, and I could not stand upright in their midst.
I am become as matter which is fallen; I am tossed hither and thither as a demon in the air.
My power has perished, because I possess no mystery; and my matter has become dwindled because of my light, for they have taken it away.
And they mocked me; they looked at me, nodding at me.
Help me according to your mercy.
Now, therefore, let him whose spirit is ready, come forward and utter the solution of the twelfth repentance of Pistis Sophia.
56.
And Andrew came forward and said: My Lord and Saviour, your light-power has prophesied in the past through David concerning this repentance which Pistis Sophia has uttered, and said in the one-hundred-and-eighth Psalm:
God, keep not silent at my praise-singing.
For the mouths of the sinner and crafty have opened their chops against me and with crafty deceitful tongue have talked behind me.
And they have surrounded me with words of hate and have fought against me without a cause.
Instead of loving me they have slandered me. But I prayed.
They showed evil against me for good and hate for my love.
Set a sinner over him, and let the slanderer stand at his right hand.
When sentence is passed upon him, may he go forth condemned and his prayer become sin.
May his days be shortened and another receive his overseership.
May his children become orphans and his wife a widow.
May his children be carried away and be driven forth and beg; may they be thrown out of their houses.
May the money-lender sift out all that he has, and may strangers plunder all his best efforts.
Let there be no man to back him, and no one to take pity on his orphans.
May his children be exterminated and his name blotted out in a single generation.
Let the sin of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and the sin of his mother be not blotted out.
Let them be ever present to the Lord and his memory be rooted out from the earth;
In that he has not thought of using mercy and has persecuted a poor and wretched man and has persecuted a sorry creature to slay him.
He loved cursing, - and it shall come to him. He desired not blessing, - it shall stay far from him.
He clothed himself with cursing as with a vesture, and it entered into his bowels as water, and it was as oil in his bones.
May it be for him as a garment in which he shall be wrapped, and as a girdle with which he shall ever be girded.
This is the work of them who slander [me] before the Lord, and speak unlawfully against my soul.
But do you, O Lord God, be gracious to me; for your name's sake save me.
For I am poor and I am wretched; my heart is tumult within me.
I am carried away in the midst as a shadow which has sunk down, and I am shaken out as grass-hoppers.
My knees have become weak from fasting, and my flesh is altered from [lack of] oil.
But I have become a mock to them; they saw me and wagged their heads.
Help, O Lord God, and save me according to your grace.
May they know that this is your hand, and that you, O Lord, have fashioned them.
This is then the solution of the twelfth repentance which Pistis Sophia uttered, when she was in the chaos.
57.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: It happened again thereafter that Pistis Sophia cried to me, saying:
O Light of lights, I have transgressed in the twelve aeons, and have descended from them; wherefor have I uttered the twelve repentances, [one] for each aeon. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is exceedingly great, because I have abandoned the regions of the height and have come to dwell in the regions of the chaos.
When then Pistis Sophia had said this, she continued again in the thirteenth repentance, saying:
Listen to me singing praises to you, O Light of lights. Listen to me uttering the repentance for the thirteenth aeon, the region out of which I have come down, in order that the thirteenth repentance of the thirteenth aeon may be accomplished, - those [aeons] which I have overstepped and out of which I have come down.
Now, therefore, O Light of lights, listen to me singing praises to you in the thirteenth aeon, my region out of which I have come down.
Save me, O Light, in your great mystery and forgive my transgression in your forgiveness.
And give to me the baptism and forgive my sins and purify me from my transgression.
And my transgression is the lion-faced power, which will never be hidden from you; for because of it have I gone down.
And I alone among the invisibles, in whose regions I was, have transgressed, and have gone down into the chaos. Moreover I have transgressed, that your commandment may be accomplished.
This then Pistis Sophia said. Now, therefore, let him whom his spirit urges to understand her words, come forward and proclaim her thought.
Martha came forward and said: My Lord, my spirit urges me to proclaim the solution of that which Pistis Sophia has spoken; your power has prophesied in the past concerning it through David in the 50th Psalm, saying,
Be gracious to me, O God, according to your great grace; according to the fulness of your mercy blot out my sin.
Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
And may my sin be ever present to you,
That you may be justified in your words and prevail when you judge me.
This is then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
Jesus said to her: Well said, well, Martha, blessed [one].
58.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: And it happened, when Pistis Sophia had said these words, that the time was fulfilled that she should be led out of the chaos. And of myself, without the First Mystery, I despatched out of myself a light-power, and I sent it down to the chaos, so that it might lead Pistis Sophia forth from the deep regions of the chaos, and lead [her] to the higher regions of the chaos, until the command should come from the First Mystery that she should be led entirely forth out of the chaos. And my light-power led Pistis Sophia up to the higher regions of the chaos. And it happened, when the emanations of Self-willed had noticed that Pistis Sophia was led forth into the higher regions of the chaos, that they also sped after her upwards, desiring to bring her again into the lower regions of the chaos. And my light-power, which I had sent to lead up Sophia out of the chaos, shone exceedingly. And it happened, when the emanations of Self-willed pursued Sohia, when she had been led into the higher regions of the chaos, that she again sang praises and cried out to me, saying:
I will sing praises to you, O Light, for I desired to come to you. I will sing you praises, O Light, for you are my deliverer.
Leave me not in the chaos. Save me, O Light of the Height, for it is you that I have praised.
You has sent me your light through yourself and have saved me. You have led me to the higher regions of the chaos.
May the emanations of Self-willed which pursue me, sink down into the lower regions of the chaos, and let them not come to the higher regions to see me.
And may great darkness cover them and darker gloom come over them. And let them not see me in the light of your power, which you have sent to me to save me, so that they may not again get dominion over me.
And let not their resolution which they have formed, to take away my power, take effect for them. And as they have spoken against me, to take from me my light, take rather from them theirs instead of mine. And they have proposed to take away my whole light and have not been able to take it, for your light-power was with me.
Because they have taken counsel without your commandment, O Light, therefore have they not been able to take away my light.
Because I have had faith in the Light, I shall not be afraid; and the Light is my deliverer and I shall not fear.
Now, therefore, let him whose power is exalted, speak the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
And it happened, when Jesus had finished speaking these words to his disciples, that Salome came forward and said: My Lord, my power constrains me to speak the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered. Your power has prophesied in the past through Solomon, saying:
[Salome interprets the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon.]
I will give thanks to you, O Lord, for you are my God.
Abandon me not, O Lord, for you are! my hope.
You have given me your vindication for naught, and I am saved through you.
Let them who pursue me, fall down and let them not see me.
May a smoke-cloud cover their eyes and an air-mist darken them, and let them not see the day, so that they may not seize me.
May their resolution be impotent, and may what they concoct come upon them.
They have devised a resolution, and it has not taken effect for them.
And they are vanquished, although they be mighty, and what they have wickedly pre-pared is fallen upon them.
My hope is in the Lord, and I shall not be afraid, for you are my God, my Saviour.
And it happened, when Salome had finished saying these words, that Jesus said to her: Well said, Salome; and well. This is the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
59.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: And it happened, when Pistis Sophia had finished saying these words in the chaos, that I made the light-power, which I had sent to save her, become a light-wreath on her head, so that from now on the emanations of Self-willed could not have dominion over her. And when it had become a light-wreath round her head, all the evil matters in her were shaken and all were purified in her. They perished and remained in the chaos, while the emanations of Self-willed gazed upon them and rejoiced. And the purification of the pure light which was in Pistis Sophia, gave power to the light of my light-power, which had become a wreath round her head.
And it happened moreover, when it surrounded the pure light in Sophia, and her pure light did not depart from the wreath of the power of the light-flame, so that the emanations of Self-willed should not rob it from it, - when then this befell her, the pure light-power in Sophia began to sing praises. And she praised my light-power, which was a wreath round her head, and she sang praises, saying:
The Light has become a wreath round my head; and I shall not depart from it, so that the emanations of Self-willed may not rob it from me.
And though all the matters be shaken, yet shall I not be shaken.
And though all my matters perish and remain in the chaos, - those which the emanations of Self-willed see, - yet shall I not perish.
For the Light is with me, and I myself am with the Light.
These words then Pistis Sophia uttered. Now, therefore, let him who understands the thought of these words, come forward and proclaim their solution.
Then Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward and said: My son according to the world, my God and Saviour according to the height, bid me proclaim the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
And Jesus answered and said: You also, Mary, have received form which is in Barbelo, according to matter, and have received likeness which is in the Virgin of Light, according to light, you and the other Mary, the blessed one; and on your account the darkness has arisen, and moreover out of you did come forth the material body in which I am, which I have purified and refined, - now, therefore, I bid you proclaim the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia has uttered.
And Mary, the mother of Jesus, answered and said: My Lord, your light-power has prophesied in the past concerning these words through Solomon in the nineteenth Ode and said:
The Lord is on my head as a wreath, and I shall not depart from him.
The wreath in truth is woven for me; and it has caused your twigs to sprout in me.
For it is not like to a wreath withered that sprouts not. But you are alive on my head and you have sprouted upon me.
Your fruits are full and perfect, filled with your salvation.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard his. mother Mary say these words, that he said to her: Well said, well. Amen, amen, I say to you: They shall proclaim you blessed from one end of the earth to the other; for the pledge of the First Mystery has taken up its abode with you, and through that pledge shall all from the earth and all from the height be saved, and that pledge is the beginning and the end.
60.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said to his disciples: It happened when Pistis Sophia had uttered the thirteenth repentance, - in that hour was fulfilled the commandment of all the tribulations which were de-creed for Pistis Sophia for the fulfilment of the First Mystery, which was from the beginning, and the time had come to save her out of the chaos and lead her out from all the darknesses. For her repentance was accepted from her through the First Mystery; and that mystery sent me a great light-power out of the height, that I might help Pistis Sophia and lead her up out of the chaos. So I looked towards the aeons into the height and saw that light-power which the First Mystery had sent me, that I might save Pistis Sophia out of the chaos. It happened, therefore, when I had seen it, coming forth from the aeons and hastening down to me, - I was above the chaos, - that another light-power went forth out of me, that it too might help Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which had come from the height trough the First Mystery, came down upon the light-power which had gone out of me; and they met together and became a great stream of light.
When then Jesus had said this to his disciples, he said: Understand you in what manner I discourse with you?
Mary started forward again and said: My Lord, I understand what you say. Concerning the solution of this word your light-power has prophesied in the past through David in the eighty-fourth Psalm, saying:
Grace and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other.
Truth sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven.
Grace then is the light-power which has come down through the First Mystery; for the First Mystery has hearkened to Pistis Sophia and has had mercy on her in all her tribulations. Truth on the other hand is the power which has gone forth out of you, for that you have fulfilled the truth, in order to save her out of the chaos. And righteousness again is the power which has come forth through the First Mystery, which will guide Pistis Sophia. And peace again is the power which has gone forth out of you, so that it should enter into the emanations of Self-willed and take from them the lights which they have taken away from Pistis Sophia, that is, so that you may gather them together into Pistis Sophia and make them at peace with her power. Truth on the other hand is the power which went forth out of you, when you wast in the lower regions of the chaos. For this cause your power has said through David
'Truth sprouted out of the earth, because you wert in the lower regions of the chaos. Righteousness on the other hand which has looked down from heaven,' - it is the power which has come down from the height through the First Mystery and has entered into Pistis Sophia.
61.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard these words, that he said: Well said, Mary, blessed one, who shalt inherit the whole luminous kingdom.
Thereon Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came forward and said: My Lord and my Saviour, give commandment to me also that I repeat this word.
Jesus said: Whose spirit is understanding, him I do not prevent, but I urge him on still more to speak the thought which has moved him. Now, therefore, Mary, my mother according to matter, you in whom I have sojourned, I bid you that you also speak the thought of the discourse.
And Mary answered and said: My Lord, concerning the word which your power has prophesied through David: Grace and truth met together, righteousness and peace kissed each other. Truth sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven,' - thus has your power prophesied this word in the past about you.
When you wert little, before the spirit had come upon you, whilst you wert in a vineyard with Joseph, the spirit came out of the height and came to me in my house, like to you; and I had not known him, but I thought that you wast he. And the spirit said to me: Where is Jesus, my brother, that I meet with him? And when he had said this to me, I was at a loss and thought it was a phantom to try me. So I seized him and bound him to the foot of the bed in my house, until I went forth to you, to you and Joseph in the field, and I found you on the vineyard, Joseph propping up the vineyard. It happened, therefore, when you did hear me speak the word to Joseph, that you did understand the word, wert joyful and saidest: Where is he, that I may see him; else I await him in this place. And it happened, when Joseph had heard you say these words, that he was startled. And we went down together, entered the house and found the spirit bound to the bed. And we looked on you and him and found you like to him. And he who as bound to the bed was unloosed; he took you in his arms and kissed you, and you also did kiss him. You became one.
This then is the word and its solution. Grace is the spirit which has come down out of the height through the First Mystery, for it has had mercy on the race of men and sent its spirit that he should forgive the sins of the whole world, and they should receive the mysteries and inherit the luminous kingdom. Truth on the other hand is the power which has sojourned with me. When it had come forth out of Barbelo, it became material body for you, and has made proclamation concerning the region of Truth. Righteousness is your spirit, who has brought the mysteries out of the height to give them to the race of men. Peace on the other hand is the power which has sojourned in your material body according to the world, which has baptized the race of men, until it should make it stranger to sin and make it at peace with your spirit, so that they may be at peace with the emanations of the Light; that is, Grace and truth kissed each other. As it says: Truth sprouted forth out of the earth,' - 'truth is your material body whch sprouted forth out of me according to the world of men, and has made proclamation concerning the region of Truth. And again as it says: Righteousness [looked down] from heaven' - 'righteousness is the power which looked out of the height, which will give the mysteries of the Light to the race of men, so that they will become righteous and good, and inherit the luminous kingdom.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard these words which his mother Mary spoke, that he said: Well said, well, Mary.
62.
The other Mary came forward and said: My Lord, bear with me and be not wroth with me. Yea, from the moment when your mother spoke with you concerning the solution of these words, my power disquieted me to come forward and like-wise to speak the solution of these words.
Jesus said to her: I bid you speak their solution.
Mary said: My Lord, Grace and truth met together,' - 'grace then is the spirit who has come upon you, when you did receive the baptism from John. Grace then is the godly spirit who has come upon you; he has had mercy on the race of men, has come down and has met with the power of Sabaoth, the Good which is in you and which has made proclamation concerning the regions of Truth. It has said again: Righteousness and peace kissed each other,' - 'righteousness then is the spirit of the Light, which did come upon you and has brought the mysteries of the height, to give them to the race of men. Peace on the other hand is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which is in you, - he who has baptized and has forgiven the race of men, - and it has made them at peace with the sons of the Light. And moreover as your power has said through David: Truth sprouted forth out of the earth,' - that is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which sprouted forth out of Mary, your mother, the dweller on earth. Righteousness, which looked down from eaven, on the other hand is the spirit in the height who has brought all mysteries of the height and given them to the race of men; and they have become righteous and good, and have inherited the luminous kingdom.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard Mary speak these words, that he said: Well said, Mary, inheritress of the Light.
And Mary, the mother of Jesus, again came forward, fell down at his feet, kissed them and said: My Lord, my son and my Saviour, be not wroth with me, but pardon me, that I may once more speak the solution of these words. Grace and truth met together,' - it is I, Mary, your mother, and Elizabeth, mother of John, whom I have met. Grace then is the power of Sabaoth in me, which went forth out of me, which you are. You have had mercy on the whole race of men. Truth on the other hand is the power in Elizabeth, which is John, who did come and has made proclamation concerning the way of Truth, which you are, - who has made proclamation before you. And again, Grace and truth met together,' - that is you, my Lord, you who did meet John on the day when you hadst to receive the baptism. And again you and John are Righteousness and peace kissed each other. - 'Truth has sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven,' - this is, during the time when you did minister to yourself, you did have the form of Gabriel, you looked down upon me from heaven and speak with me. And when you hadst spoken with me, you did sprout up in me, - that is the truth, that is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which is in your material body, that is the truth which sprouted up out of the earth.
And it happened, when Jesus had heard his mother Mary speak these words, that he said: Nicely said, and well. This is the solution of all the words concerning which my light-power has prophesied in the past through the prophet David.