And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: *' It came to pass then thereafter, that I drew near unto the chaos, shining very exceedingly, to take away the light from that lion-faced power. As I shone exceed- ingly, it was in fear and cried out to its self- willed god, that he should help it. And forth- with 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 FIRST BOOK 87 and all its emanations, surrounded Pistis Sophia, desiring to take away the whole light in Sophia. It came to pass then, when they oppressed Sophia, that she cried to the height, crying unto me that I should help her. It came to pass then, 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 unto me, saying: " * 1. 0 Light, forget not my praise-singing. The twelfth " * 2. For Self-willed and his Hon-faced power ^s'opMa' have opened their chops against me and have acted craftily against me.
*' ' 3. They have surrounded me, desiring to take away my power, and have hated me, because I have sung praises unto thee.
*' * 4. Instead of loving me they slandered me. But I sang praises.
*' * 5. They plotted a plot to take away my power, because I have sung to thee praises, 0 Light; and hated me, because I have loved thee.
" * 6. Let the darkness come over Self-willed, and let the ruler of the outermost darkness abide at his right hand.
'* ' 7. And when thou passest sentence, take from him his power; and the deed which he hath plotted, to take from me my light, — mayest thou take his from him.
*' ' 8. And may all his powers of his hght in him finish, and let | another of the three triple- i06. powers receive his sovereignty.
*' ' 9. May all the powers of his emanations be lightless and may his matter be without any light in it.
88 PISTIS SOPHIA ** ' 10. May his emanations remain in the chaos and not dare to go to their region. May their hght in them die away and let them not go to the thirteenth aeon, their region.
** * 11. May the Eeceiver, the Purifier of the Hghts, purify all the hghts which are in Self- willed, and take them from them.
'* ' 12. 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 hearken to the power of his emanations in the chaos.
'' * 13. 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.
** * 14. 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 hath brought him [sc. Self-willed] forth.
** * 15. 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; *' ' 16. Because they have not spared me and 107 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.
** * 17. 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 dwell- ing-place, and they shall not be taken thither from now on.
FIRST BOOK 89 " ' 18. He put on darkness as a garment, and it entered into him as water, and it entered in into all his powers as oil.
'* * 19. Let him wrap himself into the chaos as into a garment, and gird himself with the darkness as with a leathern girdle for ever.
'* * 20. 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.
** * 21. But do thou, 0 Light, have mercy upon me for the sake of the mystery of thy name, and save me in the goodness of thy grace.
" * 22. For they have taken away my light and my power; and my power hath inwardly tottered, and I could not stand upright in their midst.
** * 23. I am become as matter which is fallen; I am tossed hither and thither as a demon in the air.
** * 24. My power hath perished, because I possess no mystery; and my matter hath become dwindled because of my light, for they have taken it away.
" * 25. And they mocked me; they looked at me, nodding at me.
*' ' 26. Help me according to thy mercy.' | *' Now, therefore, let him whose spirit is ready, los. come forward and utter the solution of the twelfth repentance of Pistis Sophia."
And Andrew came forward and said: "My chap. 56. Lord and Saviour, thy light-power hath pro- phesied aforetime through David concerning this repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, and said in the one-hundred-and-eighth Psalm: 1. God, keep not silent at my praise-singing.
it i 90 PISTIS SOPHIA Andrew in- terpreteth the twelfth repentance from Psalm cviii.
109.
** ' 2. For the mouths of the sinner and crafty have opened their chops against me and with crafty deceitful tongue have talked behind me.
'' ' 3. And they have surrounded me with words of hate and have fought against me with- out a cause.
'' * 4. Instead of loving me they have slandered me. But I prayed.
*' * 5. They showed evil against me for good and hate for my love.
" * 6. Set a sinner over him, and let the slanderer stand at his right hand.
*' * 7. When sentence is passed upon him, may he go forth condemned and his prayer become sin.
*' ' 8. May his days be shortened and another receive his overseership.
" * 9. May his children become orphans and his wife a widow.
*' ' 10. May his children be carried away and be driven forth and beg; may they be thrown out of their houses.
*' * 11. May the money-lender sift out all that he hath, | and may strangers plunder all his best efforts.
*' ' 12. Let there be no man to back him, and no one to take pity on his orphans.
*' * 13. May his children be exterminated and his name blotted out in a single generation.
" * 14. Let the sin of his fathers be remembered before the Lord, and the sin of his mother be not blotted out.
*' * 15. Let them be ever present to the Lord and his memory be rooted out from the earth; '' ' 16. In that he hath not thought of using FIRST BOOK 91 mercy and hath persecuted a poor and wretched man and hath persecuted a sorry creature to slay him.
*' ' 17. He loved cursing, — and it shall come unto him. He desired not blessing, — it shall stay far from him.
** ' 18. 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.
" ' 19. 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.
" ' 20. This is the work of them who slander [me] before the Lord, and speak unlawfully against my soul.
'* ' 21. But do thou, 0 Lord God, be gracious unto me; for thy name's sake save me.
" ' 22. For I am poor and I am wretched; my heart is tumult within me. | " '23. I am carried away in the midst as a no. shadow which hath sunk down, and I am shaken out as grass-hoppers.
'' ' 24. My knees have become weak from fast- ing, and my flesh is altered from [lack of] oil.
*' ' 25. But I have become a mock unto them; they saw me and wagged their heads.
'' ' 26. Help, 0 Lord God, and save me accord- ing to thy grace.
*' ' 27. May they know that this is thy hand, and that thou, 0 Lord, hast fashioned them.'
'' This is then the solution of the twelfth repentance which Pistis Sophia uttered, when she was in the chaos."
And Jesus continued again in the discourse chap. 67. and said unto his disciples: ** It came to pass 92 PISTIS SOPHIA again thereafter that Pistis Sophia cried unto me, saying: ** * 0 Light of Hghts, 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, 0 Light of lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is exceedingly great, because I have aban- doned 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: Thethir- *' ' 1. Hearken unto me singing praises unto pentanceof thcc, 0 Light of Hghts. Hearken unto me Sophia. uttering the repentance for the thirteenth aeon, the region out of which I have come down, in order that the thirteenth repentance of the thir- teenth aeon may be accomplished, — those [aeons] | 111. which I have overstepped and out of which I have come down.
" * 2. Now, therefore, 0 Light of Hghts, hearken unto me singing praises unto thee in the thirteenth aeon, my region out of which I have come down.
" ' 3. Save me, 0 Light, in thy great mystery and forgive my transgression in thy forgive- ness.
** * 4. And give unto me the baptism and for- give my sins and purify me from my transgression.
'* * 5. And my transgression is the lion-faced power, which will never be hidden from thee; for because of it have I gone down.
** ' 6. And I alone among the invisibles, in whose regions I was, have transgressed, and have gone down into the chaos. Moreover I have FIRST BOOK 93 transgressed, that thy commandment may be accomplished.'
'' This then Pistis Sophia said. Now, there- fore, let him whom his spirit urgeth to understand her words, come forward and proclaim her thought."
Martha came forward and said: ** My Lord, my spirit urgeth me to proclaim the solution of that which Pistis Sophia hath spoken; thy power hath prophesied aforetime concerning it through David in the fiftieth Psalm, saying thus: *' ' 1. Be gracious unto me, 0 God, according Martha m- to thy I great grace; according to the fulness the^thir- of thy mercy blot out my sin. teenth re- '^ t/ J...pentance ** ' 2. Wash me throughly from my iniquity. fromPsaim *' * 3. And may my sin be ever present to thee, i^g.
** ' 4. That thou mayest be justified in thy words and prevail when thou judgest me.'
'' This is then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
Jesus said unto her: '' Well said, finely, Martha, blessed [one]."
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and chap. 58. said unto his disciples: ''It came to pass then, 'l^^^^^^ when Pistis Sophia had said these words, that the fprth a time was fulfilled that she should be led out of to help the chaos. And of myself, without the First ^^p^^^* 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 94 PISTIS SOPHIA 94 PISTIS SOPHIA of the chaos. It came to pass then, 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. It came to pass then, when the 113. emanations of Self-willed pursued Sophia, | when she had been led into the higher regions of the chaos, that she again sang praises and cried out unto me, saying: Sophia *' * 1. I will sing praises unto thee, 0 Light, song of for I desired to come unto thee. I will sing thee praise. praiscs, 0 Light, for thou art my deliverer.
'' ' 2. Leave me not in the chaos. Save me, 0 Light of the Height, for it is thou that I have praised.
'' ' 3. Thou has sent me thy light through thyself and hast saved me. Thou hast led me to the higher regions of the chaos.
" * 4. 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.
'' ' 5. And may great darkness cover them and darker gloom come over them. And let them not see me in the light of thy power, which thou hast sent unto me to save me, so that they may not again get dominion over me.
*' * 6. 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.
FIRST BOOK 95 *' ' 7. And they have proposed to take away my whole Hght and have not been able to take it, for thy light-power was with me.
'* * 8. Because they have taken counsel with- out thy commandment, 0 Light, therefore have they not been able to take away my hght.
** ' 9. Because I | have had faith in the Light, ii4. I shall not be afraid; and the Light is my de- liverer and I shall not fear.'
*' Now, therefore, let him whose power is exalted, speak the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
And it came to pass, when Jesus had finished speaking these words unto his disciples, that Salome came forward and said: " My Lord, my power constraineth me to speak the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered. Thy power hath prophesied aforetime through Solomon, saying: *' ' L I will give thanks unto thee, 0 Lord, Saiome intor tnou art my (jod. the song of ** ' 2. Abandon me not, 0 Lord, for thou art fro?^the my hope.?^®« ^^ ii i 1..,.. Solomon.
3. Thou hast given me thy vindication for naught, and I am saved through thee.
'' ' 4. Let them who pursue me, fall down and let them not see me.
" * 5. 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.
'' * 6. May their resolution be impotent, and may what they concoct come upon them.
" ' 7. They have devised a resolution, and it hath not taken effect for them.
8. And they are vanquished, although they (( ( 96 PISTIS SOPHIA 115.
CHAP. 59.
The power sent by Jesus form- eth a light- wreath on Sophia's head.
be mighty, and what they have wickedly pre- pared is fallen upon them.
*' ' 9. My hope is in the Lord, and I shall not be afraid, for thou art my God, my Saviour.' " ^. It 'came to pass then, when Salome had finished saying these words, that Jesus said unto her: ** Well said, | Salome; and finely. This is the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass then, 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.
*' It came to pass then 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 emana- tions 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: " ' 1. The Light hath become a wreath round FIRST BOOK 97 my head; and I shall not depart from it, so that the Sophia emanations of Self-willed may not rob it from me. other song " ' 2. And though all the matters be shaken, i f^f ^^'^- yet shall I not be shaken.
** * 3. And though all my matters perish and remain in the chaos, — those which the emanations of Self-willed see, — yet shall I not perish.
'' * 4. For the Light is with me, and I myself am with the Light.'
*' These words then Pistis Sophia uttered. Now, therefore, let him who understandeth the thought of these words, come forward and pro- claim their solution."
Then Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward Mary, his and said: *' My son according to the world, my ^keth^knci God and Saviour according to the height, bid r®<^eiTe*h ^ <^. permission me proclaim the solution of the words which to speak. Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
And Jesus answered and said: *' Thou also, Mary, hast received form which is in Barbelo, according to matter, and hast received likeness which is in the Virgin of Light, according to light, thou and the other Mary, the blessed one; and on thy account the darkness hath arisen, and moreover out of thee did come forth the material body in which I am, which I have purified and refined, — now, therefore, I bid thee proclaim the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
And Mary, the mother of Jesus, answered and said: " My Lord, thy light-power hath pro- phesied aforetime concerning these words through Solomon in the nineteenth Ode and said: " ' 1. The Lord is on my head as a wreath, and I shall not depart from him.
98 PISTIS SOPHIA 117.
Mary, his mother, in- terpreteth the song of Sophia from the xixth Ode of Solo- mon.
Jesus com- mendeth his mother.
CHAP. 60.
The com- mandment of the First Mystery is fulfilled for taking Sophia en- tirely out of the chaos.
118.
The First Mystery and Jesus sent forth two Ught-powers to help Sophia.
** ' 2. The wreath in truth | is woven for me; and it hath caused thy twigs to sprout in me.
" ' 3. For it is not like unto a wreath withered that sprouteth not. But thou art alive on my head and thou hast sprouted upon me.
" * 4. Thy fruits are full and perfect, filled with thy salvation.' " It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard his mother Mary say these words, that he said unto her: " Well said, finely. Amen, amen, 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."
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: *' It came to pass when Pistis Sophia had uttered the thirteenth repentance, — in that hour was fulfilled the com- mandment 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 came to pass, there- fore, when I had seen it, coming forth from the seons and hastening down to me, — I was above FIRST BOOK 99 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 through 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 Hght."
When then Jesus had said this unto his disciples, he said: " Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you? " Mary started forward again and said: '*My Mary Mag- Lord, I understand what thou sayest. Concerning preteth tiw' the solution of this word thy hght-power hath pg^i^'i^^S^ prophesied aforetime through David in the eighty- fourth Psalm, saying: ** * 10. Grace and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other.
" * 11. Truth sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven.'
'* * Grace ' then is the light-power which hath ^' come down through the First Mystery; for the First Mystery hath hearkened unto Pistis Sophia and hath had | mercy on her in all her tribulations. ii9. * Truth ' on the other hand is the power which ^ hath gone forth out of thee, for that thou hast fulfilled the truth, in order to save her out of the chaos. And * righteousness ' again is the power i/ which hath come forth through the First Mystery, which will guide Pistis Sophia. And ' peace ' again is the power which hath gone forth out of '^ thee, 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 thou mayest gather them together into Pistis Sophia and make them at peace with 100 PISTIS SOPHIA CHAP. 61.
120.
Mary, the mother, further in- terpreteth the scrip- turei her power. * Truth ' on the other hand is the power which went forth out of thee, when thou wast in the lower regions of the chaos. For this cause thy power hath said through David: ' Truth sprouted out of the earth,' because thou wert in the lower regions of the chaos. ' Righteousness ' on the other hand which hath ' looked down from heaven,' — it is the power which hath come down from the height through the First Mystery and hath entered into Pistis Sophia."
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words, that he said: '' Well said, Mary, blessed one, who shalt inherit the whole Light- kingdom."
Thereon Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came forward and said: '' My Lord and my Saviour, give commandment unto 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 hath moved him. I Now, therefore, Mary, my mother accord- ing to matter, thou in whom I have sojourned, I bid thee that thou also speak the thought of the discourse."
And Mary answered and said: " My Lord, concerning the word which thy power hath 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 hath thy power prophesied this word aforetime about thee.
" When thou wert little, before the spirit had FIRST BOOK 101 come upon thee, whilst thou wert in a vineyard The story with Joseph, the spirit came out of the height phantom and came to me in my house, Hke unto thee; ^^^^' and I had not known him, but I thought that thou wast he. And the spirit said unto me: ' Where is Jesus, my brother, that I meet with him? ' And when he had said this unto 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 thee and Joseph in the field, and I found you on the vineyard, Joseph propping up the vineyard. It came to pass, therefore, when thou didst hear me speak the word unto Joseph, that thou didst understand the word, wert joyful and saidest: ' Where is he, that I may see him; else I await him in this place.' And it came to pass, when Joseph had heard thee say these words, that he was startled. And we went down | together, entered the house and 121. found the spirit bound to the bed. And we looked on thee and him and found thee like unto him. And he who was bound to the bed was unloosed; he took thee in his arms and kissed thee, and thou also didst kiss him. Ye became one.
" This then is the word and its solution. * Grace ' is the spirit which hath come down out of the height through the First Mystery, for it hath 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 Light-kingdom. ' Truth ' on the other hand is the power which hath sojourned with me. When it had come forth out of Barbelo, 102 PISTIS SOPHIA Of the spir- itual and material bodies of Jesus.
122.
CHAP. 62.
it became material body for thee, and hath made proclamation concerning the region of Truth. * Righteousness ' is thy spirit, who hath brought the mysteries out of the height to give them to the race of men. ' Peace ' on the other hand is the power which hath sojourned in thy material body according to the world, which hath baptized the race of men, until it should make it stranger unto sin and make it at peace with thy spirit, so that they may be at peace with the emanations of the Light; that is, ' Grace and truth kissed each other.' As it saith: * Truth sprouted forth out of the earth,' — ' truth ' is thy material body | which sprouted forth out of me according to the world of men, and hath made proclamation con- cerning the region of Truth. And again as it saith: '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 Light- kingdom."
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words which his mother Mary spake, that he said: ** Well said, finely, Mary."
The other Mary came forward and said: ** My Lord, bear with me and be not wroth with me. Yea, from the moment when thy mother spake with thee 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 unto her: ** I bid thee speak their solution."
Mary said: " My Lord, * Grace and truth met together,' — * grace ' then is the spirit who hath FIRST BOOK 103 come upon thee, when thou didst receive the The other baptism from John. ' Grace ' then is the godly the7inter- spirit who hath come upon thee: he hath had Ef®*!*fii^® mercy on the race of men, hath come down and ture from hath met with the power oi babaoth, the Grood, of jesus. which is in thee and which hath made proclama- tion concerning the regions of Truth. It hath said again: * Kighteousness and peace kissed each other,' — * righteousness ' then is the spirit of the Light, which did come upon thee and hath brought the mysteries of the height, | to 123. give them unto the race of men. ' Peace ' on the other hand is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which is in thee, — he who hath baptized and hath forgiven the race of men, — and it hath made them at peace with the sons of the Light. And more- over as thy power hath said through David: ' Truth sprouted forth out of the earth,' — that is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which sprouted forth out of Mary, thy mother, the dweller on earth. * Eighteousness,' which * looked down from heaven,' on the other hand is the spirit in the height who hath 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 Light-kingdom."
And it came to pass, 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, 104 PISTIS SOPHIA Mary, the mother, again further in- terpreteth the same scripture from the meeting of herself with EUzabeth, mother of John the Baptizer.
124, Of the in- carnation of Jesus.