** Say unto them: Renounce murmuring, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire of the dog-faced [one].
*' Say unto them: Renounce eavesdropping [?], that ye may [be worthy of the mysteries of the Light] and be saved from the judgments of the dog-faced [one].
*' Say unto them: Renounce litigiousness [?], that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of Ariel.
'* Say unto them: Renounce false slander, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the 213 214 PISTIS SOPHIA Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
** Say unto them: Eenounce false witness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and that ye may escape and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
*' Say unto them: Renounce pride and haughti- ness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-pits of Ariel.
'' Say unto them: Renounce belly-love, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of Amente.
" Say unto them: Renounce babbling, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fires of Amente. 256. '' Say unto them: | Renounce craftiness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements which are in Amente.
" Say unto them: Renounce avarice, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dog-faced [one].
" Say unto them: Renounce love of the world, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the pitch- and fire- coats of the dog-faced [one].
" Say unto them: Renounce pillage, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of Ariel.
*' Say unto them: Renounce evil conversation, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the chastisements of the fire-rivers...THIRD BOOK 215 *' Say unto them: Renounce wickedness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of Ariel.
'* Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the judgments of the dragon- faced [ones].
*' Say unto them: Renounce wrath, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the dragon- faced [ones.]
** Say unto them: Renounce cursing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-seas of the dragon- faced [ones]. I ** Say unto them: Renounce thieving, that ye 257. may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the bubbhng seas of the dragon-faced [ones].
'' Say unto them: Renounce robbery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from Yaldabaoth.
" Say unto them: Renounce slandering, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the fire-rivers of the lion- faced [one].
'' Say unto them: Renounce fighting and strife, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the seething rivers of Yaldabaoth.
** Say unto them: Renounce all unknowing, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the servitors of Yalda- baoth and the fire-seas.
** Say unto them: Renounce evil doing, that 216 PISTIS SOPHIA ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the demons of Yaldabaoth and all his judgments.
'* 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 Yalda- baoth.
** Say unto them: Renounce adultery, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light- kingdom and be saved from the sulphur- and pitch-seas of the lion-faced [one].
*' Say unto them: Renounce murder, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the crocodile-faced ruler, — 258, this one who is in the cold, | is the first chamber of the outer darkness.
*' Say unto them: Renounce pitilessness and impiety, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the rulers of the outer darkness.
" Say unto them: Renounce atheism, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the howling and grinding of teeth.
'* Say unto them: Renounce [magic] potions, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great cold and the hail of the outer darkness.
** Say unto them: Renounce blasphemy, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from the great dragon of the outer darkness.
** Say unto them: Renounce the doctrines of error, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and be saved from all the chas- THIRD BOOK 217 tisements of the great dragon of the outer darkness.
*' Say unto those who teach the doctrines of error and to every one who is instructed by them: Woe unto you, for, if ye do not repent and abandon your error, ye will go into the chastisements of the great dragon and of the outer darkness, which is exceedingly evil, and never will ye be cast [up] into the world, but will be non-existent until the end. | ** Say unto those who abandon the doctrines 259. of truth of the First Mystery: Woe unto you, for your chastisement is sad compared with [that of] all men. For ye will abide in the great cold and ice and hail in the midst of the dragon and of the outer darkness, and ye will never from this hour on be cast [up] into the world, but ye shall be frozen up [?] in that region and at the dissolution of the universe ye will perish and be- come non-existent eternally.
*' Say rather to the men of the world: BeTheboundcalm, that ye may receive the mysteries 01 the ways of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom. worthy.
'* Say unto them: Be ye loving-unto-men, that ye may be worthy of the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
*' Say unto them: Be ye gentle, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
*' Say unto them: Be ye peaceful, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
*' Say unto them: Be ye merciful, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
218 PISTIS SOPHIA 260.
Unto whom are the mys- teries of the Light to be given.
The mys- teries are for the for- giveness of sins.
" Say unto them: Give ye alms, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
*' Say unto them: Minister unto the poor and the sick and distressed, that ye may receive the mysteries | of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
" Say unto them: Be ye loving-unto-God, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
** Say unto them: Be ye righteous, that ye may receive the mysteries [of the Light] and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
" Say unto them: Be good, that ye may receive the mysteries [of the Light] and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
** Say unto them: Renounce all, that ye may receive the mysteries of the Light and go on high into the Light-kingdom.
" These are all the boundaries of the ways for those who are worthy of the mysteries of the Light.
*' Unto, such, therefore, who have renounced in this renunciation, give the mysteries of the Light and hide them not from them at all, even though they are sinners and they have been in all the sins and all the iniquities of the world, all of which I have recounted unto you, in order that they may turn and repent and be in the submission which I have just recounted unto you. Give unto them the mysteries of the Light- kingdom and hide them not from them at all; for it is because of sinfulness that I have brought the mysteries into the world, that I may forgive all their sins which they have com- mitted from the beginning on. For this cause THIRD BOOK 219 have I said unto you aforetime: ' I am not come to call the righteous.' Now, | therefore, I have 26i. brought the mysteries that [their] sins may be forgiven for every one and they be received into the Light-kingdom. For the mysteries are the gift of the First Mystery, that he may wipe out the sins and iniquities of all sinners."
It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished chap. io3. saying these words unto his disciples, that Mary ^oneth^ht came forward and said to the Saviour: '' My Saviour. Lord, will then a righteous man who is perfected in all righteousness, and that man who hath no sin at all, will such an one be tormented in the chastisements and judgments or not? Or will rather that man be brought into the kingdom of heaven or not? " And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary: of the soui *' A righteous man who is perfected in all righteous- eous man^* ness and who hath never committed anv sin of ^^^. ^**^,^^* '^ received the any kind, and such an one who never hath mysteries at received mysteries of the Light, if the time is at hand when he goeth forth out of the body, then straightway come the receivers of one of the great triple-powers, — those among whom there is a great [one], — snatch away the soul of that man from the hands of the retributive receivers and spend three days circling with it in all the creatures of the world. After three days they lead it down into the chaos, so as to lead it into all the chastisements of the judgments and to dis- patch it to all the judgments. The fires of the | chaos do not trouble it greatly; but they will 262. trouble it partly for a short time.
*' And with haste they take pity on it quickly, to lead it up out of the chaos and lead it on the 220 PISTIS SOPHIA way of the midst through all the rulers. And they [sc, the rulers] do not chastize it in their harsh judgments, but the fire of their regions troubleth it partly. And if it shall be brought into the region of Yachthanabas, the pitiless, then will he indeed not be able to chastize it in his evil judg- ments, but he holdeth it fast a short time, while the fire of his chastisements troubleth it partly.
'* And again they take pity on it quickly, and lead it up out of those regions of theirs and they do not bring it into the seons, so that the rulers of the aeons do not carry it away ravishingly; they bring it on the way of the sun and bring it before the Virgin of Light. She proveth it and findeth that it is pure of sins, but letteth them not bring it to the Light, because the sign of the kingdom of the mystery is not with it. But she sealeth it with a higher seal and letteth it 263. be cast down into the body | into the aeons of righteousness, — that body which will be good to find the signs of the mysteries of the Light and inherit the Light-kingdom for ever.
"If on the contrary he hath sinned once or twice or thrice, then will he be cast back into the world again according to the type of the sins which he hath committed, the type of which I will tell you when I shall have told you the ex- pansion of the universe.
'' But amen, amen, I say unto you: Even if a righteous man hath committed no sins at all, he cannot possibly be brought into the Light- kingdom, because the sign of the kingdom of the mysteries is not with him. In a word, it is impossible to bring souls into the Light without the mysteries of the Light-kingdom."
THIRD BOOK 221 It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished chap. 104. saying these words unto his disciples, that John ^oneth"^^ came forward and said: '' My Lord, suppose Jesus, a sinning and a law-breaking man is re- plete in all iniquities, and he hath ceased from these for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and renounced the whole world and the whole matter therein, and we give him from the be- ginning onwards the mysteries of the Light which are in the first space from without, and if he receiveth the mysteries, and after a Httle while again if he returneth and transgresseth, and there- after again if he turneth and ceaseth from all sins and turneth and | renounceth the whole world 264. and the whole matter therein, so that he cometh again and is in great repentance, and if we know truly in truth that he longeth after God, so that we give him the second mystery of the first space which is from without; — in like manner if he turneth anew and transgresseth and is again in the sins of the world, and again if he thereafter turneth and ceaseth from the sins of the world and again renounceth the whole world and the whole matter therein and again is in great repentance, and we know it with certainty that he is not a play-actor, so that we turn and give him the mysteries of the beginning, which [are] in the first space from without; — in like manner, if he turneth again and sinneth and is in every type [of sin]; — desirest thou that we forgive him unto seven times and give him the mysteries which are in the first space from with- out, unto seven times or not? " The Saviour answered again and said unto John: ** Not only forgive him unto seven times, 222 PISTIS SOPHIA The dis- ciples are to forgive many times seven times.
265.
Of the re- ward of the savers of souls.
CHAP. 105.
John con- tinueth his questioning.
26& but amen, I say unto you: Forgive him unto many times seven times, and every time give him the mysteries from the beginning onwards which are in the first space from without. Per- chance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom.
** For this cause, therefore, when ye questioned me aforetime, | saying: ' If our brother sin against us, desirest thou that we forgive him unto seven times? ' — I answered and spake unto you in a simiUtude, saying: ' Not only unto seven times, but unto seventy times seven.'
*' Now, therefore, forgive him many times and every time give him the mysteries which are in the first space which is from without. Perchance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom.
*' Amen, amen, I say unto you: He who shall keep in Life and save only one soul, besides the dignity which he possesseth in the Light- kingdom, he will receive yet another dignity for the soul which he hath saved, so that he who shall save many souls, besides the dignity which he possesseth in the Light he will receive many other dignities for the souls which he hath saved."
When then the Saviour had said this, John started forward and said: " My Lord, bear with me if I question thee, for from now on I will begin to question thee on all things con- cerning the manner, how we are to herald it to mankind.
" If, therefore, I give that brother a mystery out of the mysteries of the beginning which are in the first space from without, and if I give him many mysteries and he doeth not what | is THIRD BOOK 223 worthy of the kingdom of heaven, — desirest thou that we let him pass through to the mysteries of the second space? Perchance we win the soul of that brother, and he turneth, repenteth and inheriteth the Light-kingdom. Desirest thou that we let him pass through to the mysteries [which are in the second space] or not? " And the Saviour answered and said unto John: That the *' If it is a brother who is not play-acting, but ^^^u bT^ in truth lonereth after God, if ye have given ^^^^^ ^^^^^ *-*...unto a rehim many times the mysteries of the beginning pentant and because of the necessity of the elements of even up to the Fate he hath not done what is worthy of *{;^ g^J^^^* the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, then forgive ^p^^®- him, let him pass through and give him the first mystery which is in the second space. Per- chance ye win the soul of that brother.
" And if he hath not done what is worthy of the mysteries of the Light and hath committed transgression and divers sins, and thereafter hath turned' again and been in great repentance and hath renounced the whole world and ceased from all the sins of the world, and ye know with certainty that he doth not play-act but in truth longeth after God, then turn ye anew, forgive him, let him pass on through and give him the second mystery in the second | space of the First Mystery. Per- 267. chance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom.
*' And again if he hath not done what is worthy of the mysteries, but hath been in transgression and divers sins, and thereafter again hath turned and been in great repentance and hath renounced the whole world and the whole matter therein and ceased from the sins of the world, so that 224 PISTIS SOPHIA The limit of the power of the disye know truly that he is not play-acting but longeth truly after God, then turn ye anew, forgive him and receive his repentance, because the First Mystery is compassionate and merciful- minded; let also that man pass through and give him the three mysteries together which are in the second space of the First Mystery.
** If that man [then] transgresseth and is in divers sins, from that moment onwards ye are give sins *°^" ^^^ ^^ forgive him nor to receive his repentance; but let him be among you as a stumbling-block and as a transgressor.
** For, amen, I say unto you: Those three mysteries will be witnesses for his last repentance, and he hath not repentance from this moment onwards. For, amen, I say unto you: The soul of that man will not | be cast back into the world above from this moment onwards, but will be in the abodes of the dragon of the outer darkness.
*' For regarding the souls of such men I have spoken unto you aforetime in a similitude, say- ing: * If thy brother sinneth against thee, bring him over between thee alone and him. If he hearkeneth unto thee, thou wilt win thy brother; if he hearkeneth not unto thee, take with thee yet another. If he hearkeneth not unto thee and the other, bring him to the assembly. If he hearken not unto the others, let him be for you as a trans- gressor and as a stumbling-block.' — That is: If he is not usable in the first mystery, give him the second; and if he is not usable in the second give him the three, assembled together, which is * the assembly '; and if he is not usable in the third mystery, let him be for you as a stumbhng- block and as a transgressor.
268.
A former saying ex- plained.
THIRD BOOK 225 '' And the word which I have spoken unto you of the aforetime: ' So that through two to three witnesses Sry*^f Sr every word may be estabhshed,' — it is this: ^^^^i^^ess Those three mysteries will witness for his last repentance. And amen, | I say unto you: If 269. that man repenteth, no mystery can forgive him his sins, nor can his repentance be received, nor can he at all be hearkened to through any mystery, save through the first mystery of the First Mystery and through the mysteries of the Ineffable. It is these alone which will receive the repentance of that man and forgive his sins; for those mysteries in sooth are compassionate and merciful - minded and forgiving at every time."
When then the Saviour had said this, John chap. io6. continued again and said to the Saviour: " MyJ^^^^^?- . '^ tinueth his Lord, suppose an exceedingly smful brother who questionmg.
hath renounced the whole world and the whole matter therein and all its sins and all its cares, and we shall prove him and know that he is not in deceit and play-acting but that in uprightness and in truth he longeth [after God], and we know that he hath become worthy of the mysteries of the second space or of the third, — desirest thou that we give him of the mysteries of the second space and of the third, before he hath at all received mysteries of the Inheritance of the Light or not? Desirest thou that we give or not?"
And the Saviour answered and said unto John Further of in the midst of the disciples: " If ye know with ntss^o?s^t certainty that that man | hath renounced the 270 whole world and all its cares and all its associations and all its sins, and if ye know in truth that he 15 226 PISTIS SOPHIA is not in deceit, neither that he was play-acting nor that he was curious to know the mysteries, how they are brought to pass, but that he longeth after God in truth, hide them not from such an one, but give him of the mysteries of the second and third space and try even of what mystery he is worthy; and that of which he is worthy, give him and hide it not from him, for if ye hide it from him, ye may be guilty of a great con- demnation.
** If ye give him once [of the mysteries] of the second space or of the third and he turneth again and sinneth, ye are to continue again the second time up to the third time. If he still sinneth, ye shall not continue to give him, for those three mysteries will be witnesses unto him for his last repentance. And amen, I say unto you: He who shall give that man anew mysteries of the second space or of the third, is guilty of a great condemnation. But let him be for you as a transgressor and as a stumbling-block.
** Amen, I say unto you: The soul of that man 271. cannot be cast back into the world | from this moment onwards; but his habitation is in the midst of the jaws of the dragon of the outer darkness, the region of howling and grinding of teeth. And at the dissolution of the world his soul will be frozen up [?] and perish in the violent cold and exceedingly violent fire and will be non- existent eternally.
*' Even if he yet again turneth and renounceth the whole world and all its cares and all its sins, and he is in great citizenship and great repentance, no mystery can receive from him his repentance, nor can it hearken unto him, to have mercy THIRD BOOK 227 THIRD BOOK 227 upon him and receive his repentance and for- give his sins, save the mystery of the First Mystery and the mystery of the Ineffable. It is these alone which will receive the repentance of that man and forgive his sins; for in sooth those mysteries are compassionate and merciful- minded and forgiving of sins at every time."
And when the Saviour had said this, John chap. iw. continued aeain and said: *' My Lord, bearfo^,?^^: ^. 1 tmueth his with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth questioning, with me, for I question concerning all things with surety and certainty for knowledge of the manner, how we are to herald it to the men of the world."
And the Saviour answered and said unto John: *' Question concerning all things on which thou questionest, and I will reveal them unto thee, face to face | in openness without similitude, or 272. with surety."
And John answered and said: *' My Lord, if we go forth and herald it and come into a city or a village, and if the men of that city come forth to meet us without our knowing who they are, and if they receive us unto themselves in great deceit and great play-acting and bring us into their house, desiring to make trial of the mys- teries of the Light-kingdom, and if they play-act with us in submission and we suppose that they long after God, and we give them the mysteries of the Light-kingdom, and if we thereafter know that they have not done what is worthy of the mystery, and we know that they have play- acted with us, and have been deceitful against us and that they have also made a show of the mysteries region by region, making trial of us 228 PISTIS SOPHIA Of pre- tenders who receive the mysteries.
273.
A former saying ex- plained.
and also of our mysteries, — what is then the thing which will befall such? " And the Saviour answered and said unto John: ''If ye come into a city or a village, where ye enter into the house and they receive you unto themselves, give them a mystery. If they are worthy, ye will win their souls and they will inherit the Light-kingdom; but if they are not worthy but are deceitful against you, and if they also make a show of the mysteries, making trial of you and also of the mysteries, then invoke | the first mystery of the First Mystery which hath mercy on every one, and say: Thou Mystery, which we have given unto these impious and iniquitous souls who have not done what is worthy of thy mystery but have made a show of us, turn back [then] the mystery unto us and make them for ever strangers to the mystery of thy kingdom. And shake ye off the dust of your feet as a witness against them, saying: May your souls be as the dust of your house. And amen, I say unto you: In that hour all the mysteries which ye have given unto them, will return unto you, and all the words and all the mysteries of the region up to which they have received figures, will be taken from them.
" Concerning such men, therefore, have I aforetime spoken unto you in similitude, saying: * Where ye enter into a house and are received, say unto them: Peace be with you. And if they are worthy, let your peace come upon them; and if they are not worthy, let your peace return unto you,' — that is: If those men do what is worthy of the mysteries and in truth long after God, give them the mysteries of the Light-kingdom; THIRD BOOK 229 but if they play-act with you and are deceitful against you, without your having known it, | and if ye give them the mysteries of the Light- 274. kingdom, and again thereafter they make a show of the mysteries and they make also trial of you and also of the mysteries, then perform the first mystery of the First Mystery, and it will turn back unto you all the mysteries which ye have given unto them, and it will make them strangers to the mysteries of the Light for ever.
*' And such men will not be led back to the world from this moment onwards; but amen, I say unto you: Their dwelling is in the midst of the jaws of the dragon of the outer darkness. And if they still at a time of repentance renounce the whole world and the whole matter therein and all the sins of the world, and they are in entire submission to the mysteries of the Light, no mystery can hearken unto them nor forgive their sins, save this same mystery of the Ineffable, which hath mercy on every one and forgiveth every one his sins."
It came to pass, when Jesus had finished chap. 108. sayine: these words unto his disciples, that Mary Mary again adored the feet of Jesus and kissed them. Mary Jesus, said: ''My Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me."
The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: ** Question concerning what thou desirest to question, and I will reveal it | unto thee in 275. openness."
And Mary answered and said: *' My Lord, suppose a good and excellent brother whom we have filled with all the mysteries of the Light, and that brother hath a brother or kinsman, in a 230 PISTIS SOPHIA How the souls of those who have come out of the body may be helped by those on earth.
276, 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, — now, therefore, my Lord, what are we to do to remove him out of the chastisements and harsh judgments? " And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary: ** Concerning this word, therefore, I have aheady spoken unto you at another time, but hearken that I may say it again, so that ye may be per- fected in all mysteries and be called ' the per- fected in every fulness.'