Pistis Sophia

the great Receiver of the Light, The coming of Melchisedec.came, he was wont to come into the midst of the æons and of all the rulers | who are bound in the sphere and in the Fate,

“they and his lion-faced power, and when they oppressed her exceedingly.”

“as they did also in the Treasury of the Light. And the nine guards of the Treasury of the Light”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Every one who shall receive the mysteries of the First Mystery, if he again turneth and transgresseth twelve times and again twelve times repenteth, praying in the mystery of the First Mystery, it will be forgiven.”

Nevertheless of myself out of compassion without commandment I led her into a somewhat spacious region in the chaos.

“that he said unto her: Well said, finely. Amēn, amēn, I say unto thee: They shall proclaim thee blessed from one end of the earth to the other; for the pledge of the First Mystery hath taken up its abode with thee, 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.”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: It is the rulers of the Fate who compel the man until he sinneth.” Mary answered and said unto the Saviour: “My Lord,”

He disposed the offering before them, and set a cup of water before the wine-vessel on the right and set a cup of wine before the wine-vessel on the left, and laid loaves according to the number of the disciples in the middle between the cups

And moreover it constituteth five mysteries, although it is a one and only [one]; but the type of every one is different. So that these five mysteries are alike with one another in the mystery | of the kingdom in the inheritances of the Light; but the type of each of them is different. And their kingdom is higher and more exalted than the whole kingdom of the twelve mysteries together of the First Mystery;

“Mary said: My Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me.”

“AND those who are worthy of the mysteries which abide in the Ineffable, which are those which have not gone forth,--these exist before the First Mystery, and to use a likeness and similitude, that ye may understand it, they are as the Limbs of the Ineffable.”

And that soul surrendereth their destiny, saying unto them: Take your destiny! I come not to your regions from this moment onwards. I have become a stranger unto you for ever, being about to go unto the region of my inheritance.

“and why continence hath arisen. And that mystery knoweth why insolence and boasting have arisen”

and I will overshadow him, because he hath known my name,'--that is the word: When Pistis Sophia was on the point of coming forth out of the chaos, she trod on the emanations of Self-willed, and she trod on the serpent-faced ones and on the basilisk-faced ones, which have seven heads; and she trod on the lion-faced power and on the dragon-faced one. Because she had had faith in the Light, is she saved from all of them.

and not yet had the command reached me through the First Mystery, to save her out of the chaos.

“And the ruler who is in the third dungeon,--a dog's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his region 'Archarōch.' And the ruler who is in the fourth dungeon,--a serpent's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his region 'Achrōchar.”

“Say unto them: Renounce all unknowing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the servitors of Yaldabaōth and the fire-seas.”

“and wherefor those Uncontainables and Boundless have come forth from the Fatherless. And that mystery knoweth wherefor the four-and-twenty mysteries of the first Thrice-spiritual have rent themselves asunder and wherefor they are called the four-and-twenty spaces of the first Thrice-spiritual”

“But he carried Sabaōth, the Adamas, and his rulers who had not been active in the mysteries of the Light, but have been persistently active in the mysteries of congress, and inbound them into the sphere.”

and in order that he whom I shall bind in the world to the seals and the vestures and the orders of the Light, may be bound in the Light-land to the orders of the inheritances of the Light.

“16. Hear me, O Lord, for thy grace is good; according to the fulness of thy compassion look down upon me. 17. Turn not thy face away from thy servant, for I am oppressed.”

“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 their rulers and their authorities

And every one existeth according to the dignity of its glory: the head according to the dignity of the head and the eye according to the dignity | of the eyes and the ear according to the dignity of the ears and the rest of the Limbs [in like fashion]; so that the matter is manifest: There is a multitude of limbs but one only body.

It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had finished speaking these words unto the disciples,

“When Martha had said this, the First Mystery which looketh without, said unto her: Well said, finely, Martha, blessed [one].”

“And when the soul shall have said this, the receivers of the Light fly with it on high and lead it into the æons of the Fate, it giving every region its apology and its seals,”

“surely the rulers do not come down to the world and compel the man until he sinneth?”

“and why humbleness and meekness have arisen. And that mystery knoweth why tears have arisen”

and he carried away the purification of the light from all the rulers of the æons and from all the rulers of the Fate and from those of the sphere

“Jesus said unto him: Well said, Peter, and finely.”

will be superior to the saviours in the inheritances of the Light. And the Twin-saviours will be superior to the nine guards in the kingdom.

“And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: It came to pass when Pistis Sophia had uttered the thirteenth repentance,”

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 aforetime 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 indeed she had had faith in the Light which belongeth to the Treasury in truth,

but they are not alike in the kingdom [with the one and only mystery] of the First Mystery in the Light-kingdom.

“But if after the twelve times he again transgresseth and turneth and transgresseth, it will not be forgiven him for ever, so that he should turn himself to any [mystery] of his mystery; and this [man] hath not repentance unless he receiveth the mysteries of the Ineffable, which have compassion at every time and forgive at every time.”

“When then the First Mystery said this to the disciples, that it had befallen Pistis Sophia in the chaos, he answered and said unto them: Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you?”

and set a cup of water behind the loaves.

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Question concerning what thou desirest to question, and I will reveal it | unto thee in openness.”

It came to pass then, when all the material emanations of Self-willed oppressed her,

“Say unto them: Renounce evil doing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the demons of Yaldabaōth and all his judgments.”

“And the ruler who is in the fifth dungeon,--a black bull's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his region 'Marchūr.' And the ruler who is in the sixth dungeon,--a wild boar's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his region 'Lamchamōr.”

“This, my Lord, is the solution of the words which thou hast spoken.”

“and wherefor they have come forth from the second Thrice-spiritual. And that mystery knoweth wherefor the four-and-twenty mysteries of the | second Thrice-spiritual have rent themselves asunder”

“Of this indeed have I spoken in a pattern and similitude and likeness, but not in a form in truth; nor have I revealed the word in truth, but the mystery [only] of the Ineffable. And all the Limbs which are in it,--according to the word with which I have made comparison,--that is, those which abide on the mystery of the Ineffable, and those which abide in it, and also the three spaces which are after them according to the mysteries,--of all these in truth and verity”

“He bound eighteen-hundred rulers in every æon, and set three-hundred-and-sixty | over them, and he set five other great rulers as lords over the three-hundred-and-sixty and over all the bound rulers, who in the whole world of mankind are called with these names: the first is called Kronos, the second Arēs, the third Hermēs, the fourth Aphroditē, the fifth Zeus.”

“18. Hear me quickly, give heed to my soul and deliver it. 19. Save me because of my foes,”

“For the sake of sinners, therefore, have I torn myself asunder at this time and have brought them the mysteries, that I may free them from the æons of the rulers and bind them to the inheritances of the Light, and not only the sinners, but also the righteous, in order that I may give them the mysteries and that they may be taken into the Light,”

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 most exceedingly. And all their bonds with which they were bound, were unloosed and every one left his order,

“Peter came forward and said: My Lord, concerning the solution of the words which thou hast spoken,”

and their lords and their archangels

“and why laughter hath arisen. And that mystery knoweth why slander hath arisen and why good report hath arisen. And that mystery knoweth why appreciation hath arisen”

“Mary continued again and said: My Lord, but if on the other hand they who have received the mysteries of the First Mystery, turn and transgress, and if they come out of the body before they have repented, will they inherit the kingdom or not, because indeed they have received the gift of the First Mystery?”

“that Mary came forward and said: My Lord,”

--for he carried away then that which brings them into agitation

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: They do not come down in this manner into the world. But the rulers of the Fate,”

--which I will tell you at the expansion of the universe. And it giveth the counterfeiting spirit to the rulers

“This is the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia.”

Jesus stood before the offering, set the disciples behind him, all clad with linen garments, and in their hands the cipher of the name of the father of the Treasury of the Light,

“And Mary answered and said: My Lord, suppose a good and excellent brother whom we have filled with all the mysteries of the Light,”

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 hearken now in order that I may tell you all things which befell Pistis Sophia.

And the three Amēns will be superior to the Twin-saviours in the kingdom. And the five Trees will be superior to the three Amēns in the inheritances of the Light.

--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,

It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished telling his disciples all the adventures which had befallen Pistis Sophia when she was in the chaos,

“In like manner also the three mysteries are not [?] alike in the Light-kingdom; but the type of every one of them is different. And they themselves also are not alike in the kingdom with the one and only mystery of the First Mystery in the Light-kingdom;”

“that she cried out and uttered the fifth repentance, saying: 1. Light of my salvation,”

and the way | she had sung praises to the Light, that it should save her and lead her out of the chaos, and lead her into the twelve æons,

“Say unto them: Renounce sloth, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething pitch-seas of Yaldabaōth.”

“for thou knowest my disgrace, my shame and my dishonour; all my oppressors are before thee. 20. My heart awaiteth disgrace and misery;”

“And the ruler who is in the seventh dungeon, | --a bear's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his region with his authentic name 'Luchar.”

and their angels and their decans and their servitors and all the houses of their spheres

and they all fell down before me, adored and said: 'How hath the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing?'

“for without mysteries they cannot | be taken into the Light. For this cause, therefore, I have not hidden it, but I have cried it aloud clearly. And I have not separated the sinners, but I have cried it aloud and said it unto all men, unto sinners and righteous, saying: 'Seek that ye may find, knock that it may be opened unto you; for every one who seeketh in truth, will find, and who knocketh, to him it will be opened.”

It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had heard these words,

and telleth them the mystery of the bonds with which it is bound to it, and sayeth unto them: There have ye your counterfeiting spirit! I come not to your region from this moment onwards. I have become a stranger unto you for ever.

“and why disdain of men hath arisen. And that mystery knoweth why murmuring hath arisen”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Every man who hath received mysteries in the First Mystery, | having transgressed for the first and the second and the third time, and if he cometh out of the body before he hath repented, his judgment is far sorer than all the judgments;”

--and he set in motion the hastener who is over them, and made them turn their circles swiftly,

when an old soul is about to come down through them, then the rulers of that great Fate who [are] in the regions of the head of the æons,--which is that region which is called the region of the kingdom of Adamas,

“Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: It came to pass then, when this lion-faced power saw me, how I drew nigh unto Pistis Sophia, shining very exceedingly,”

and the type of every one of the three of them, and the type of the configuration of each of them, is different from one another.

and the time had come to save her out of the chaos and lead her out from all the darknesses.

I am their treasury beside whom there is no other treasury, who hath not his like in the world; but there are still words and mysteries and other regions.

and that brother hath a brother or kinsman, in a word he hath in general [any] man, and this [man] is a sinner and impious or better he is no sinner, and such an one hath gone out of the body, and the heart of the good brother is grieved and mourneth over him, that he is in judgments and chastisements,

“and he made invocation thus, saying: Hear me, O Father, father of all fatherhood, boundless Light: iaō iouō iaō aōi ōia psinōther therōpsin ōpsither nephthomaōth nephiomaōth marachachtha marmarachtha”

“It came to pass, when I had led her unto a somewhat spacious region in the chaos,”

“thus hath thy light-power prophesied aforetime through Solomon in his Odes: 1. A stream came forth and became a great wide flood.”

“my | mind is ever understanding, at every time to come forward and set forth the solution of the words which she hath uttered; but I am afraid of Peter, because he threatened me and hateth our sex.”

“And Yew and the guard of the veil of the Great Light, and the receiver of Light and the two great guides and the great Sabaōth, the Good, will be kings in the first saviour of the first Voice of the Treasury of the Light, [the saviour] who will be in | the region of those who have received the first mystery of the First Mystery.”

“and wherefor they have come forth from the third Thrice-spiritual. And that mystery knoweth why the four-and-twenty mysteries of the third Thrice-spiritual--that is the four-and-twenty spaces of the third Thrice-spiritual--have rent themselves asunder and wherefor they have come forth from the Fatherless.”

“Jesus continued and said: Hearken then, that I may tell you their mystery. It came to pass then, when Yew had thus bound them, that he drew forth a power out of the great Invisible and bound it to him who is called Kronos. And he drew another power out of Ipsantachounchaïnchoucheōch, who is one of the three triple-powered gods, and bound it to Arēs. And he drew a power out of Chaïnchōōōch,”

“I sing praise unto thee in the region of the height and again in the chaos. 2. I sing praise unto thee in my hymn with which I sang praise in the height and with which I sang praise unto thee when I was in the chaos. Let it come into thy presence,”

“And when she had said this, the First Mystery said unto her: Every one who shall be filled with the spirit of light to come forward and set forth the solution of what I say,--no one shall be able to prevent him. Now, therefore, O Mary, set forth then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.”

“For I have said unto all men: They are to seek the mysteries of the Light-kingdom which shall purify them and make them refined and lead them into the Light. For this cause, therefore, hath John the Baptizer prophesied concerning me, saying:”

and also the way it had saved her out of all her afflictions with which the rulers of the chaos had constrained her, because she longed to go to the Light,

“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. “21. They gave me gall for my meat; and in my thirst they gave me vinegar to drink. 22. Let their table be unto them for a trap and for a snare and for a retribution and for a stumbling-block. 23. Mayest thou bend their backs at all time.”

And they all sang praises together to the interiors of the interiors;

and all the orders of every one of them.

“2. It tore away all to itself and turned itself against the temple. “3. Dams and buildings could not hold it, nor could the art of them who hold the waters. 4. It was led over the whole land and laid hold of all. 5. They who were on the dry sand, drank;”

“and why innocence and humbleness have arisen. And that mystery knoweth why sin hath arisen”