Pistis Sophia: The First Book

Pistis Sophia: The First Book

continued

Section 21: Philip, the scribe, complaineth

1 And when Jesus had finished speaking, Philip started forward, and rose up, and left on the ground the book which had been in his hands; for it was he who recorded all the discourse which Jesus uttered, and all that he did. Philip, therefore, came forward and said unto him: "Master, surely it is not on me alone that thou hast imposed the task of taking care of this world, to write all that we shall say and do, and hast not suffered me to come forward and interpret the mysteries of the repentance of Pistis Sophia. My spirit hath seethed in me many a time and oft; it hath revealed the interpretation, it hath constrained me mightily to come forward to expound the interpretation of the repentance of Pistis Sophia; but I have not been able to do so, for it is I who write down all the words."

2 It came to pass, when Jesus had heard Philip, that he said unto him: "Hearken, Philip, thou blessed one, while I speak unto thee, for 'tis thou, and Thomas, and Matthew, who have been charged, by the first mystery, to write down every word which I shall speak, and everything which I shall do, and everything which ye shall see. But as for thee, the tale of the words which thou hast to write, is not completed. But when it shall be completed, thou shalt come forward, thou shalt utter that which thou shalt desire. Now, therefore, it is ye three who shall write every word which I shall speak, and everything which I shall do and see, and I will bear witness to you of all things which are in the kingdom of the heavens." And when Jesus had spoken these words, he said unto his disciples: "He that hath ears to hear, let him hear."

3 And Mary started forward again, she came into the midst, she stood by Philip, and said unto Jesus: "Master, my in-dweller of light hath ears, and I am ready to hear in my power, and I have understood the discourse which thou hast uttered. Now, therefore, my Master, hearken that I may speak in freedom. Thou hast said unto us, 'He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.' Concerning the discourse which thou hast uttered unto Philip, 'It is to thee, and Thomas, and Matthew, to whom it hath been entrusted—to you three by the first mystery, to write down every word of the kingdom of light, in order that ye may bear witness thereof'; hearken, therefore, while I expound the interpretation of this word, which thy light-power prophesied of old through Moses, saying, 'By two or three witnesses everything shall abound.' The three witnesses are Philip, Thomas, and Matthew."

4 It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus had heard these words, that he said: "Well said, Mary, this is the interpretation of the word. Now, therefore, do thou, Philip, come forward, expound the interpretation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia, and afterward, take thy seat, and write down every word which I shall utter until thou hast accomplished the number which hath fallen to thy lot, and which thou hast to write in the words of the kingdom of light. Afterwards, thou shalt come forward, and expound what thy spirit shall have understood. Now, therefore, expound the interpretation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia."

Section 22: Philip interpreteth the fifth repentance from Psalm xlvii

1 And Philip answered and said unto Jesus: "Master, give ear, while I expound the interpretation of her repentance, for thy power hath prophesied of old concerning this through David, in the forty-seventh Psalm, saying: "O lord, God of my salvation, I have cried unto thee day and night. Let my prayer enter into thy presence. Incline thine ear, O lord, unto my supplication, for my soul is full of evil, and my life draweth nigh unto hell. I am counted among them that go down into the pit. I have become as a man who hath no help. Free among the dead, like unto the wounded, stretched out and sleeping in the tombs, of whom thou, in truth, thinkest not, and who have been laid low by thy hands. They have left me in a pit below, in darkness and in the shadow of death. Thy wrath is hard upon me, and all thy disquietude hath come upon me. (Diapsalma.) Thou hast put away mine acquaintance far from me; they have looked on me as an abomination. They have abandoned me, and I cannot get forth. My eye hath become feeble in my poverty, and I have cried unto thee, O lord, the whole day long; I have stretched forth my hands unto thee. Wilt thou not show thy wonders among the dead? Shall not the physicians arise to confess thee? Shall they not utter thy name in the tombs; and thy righteousness in a land which thou hast forgotten?

2 "But as for me, I have cried unto thee, O lord, and my prayer shall reach thee early in the morning; turn not thy face far from me. For, as for me, I am poor, I am in misery from my childhood. When I exalted myself, I was abased; but I have risen up again. Thy wrath is come upon me, and thy fears have troubled me. They have surrounded me like water, they have seized upon me the whole day long. My comrades hast thou put away from me, and also my acquaintances, in my misery.' "This is the interpretation of the mystery of the fifth repentance, recited by Pistis Sophia, when she was constrained in chaos." It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus had heard the words which Philip had spoken, that he said: "Well said, Philip, thou well-beloved. Now, therefore, go and take thy seat, and write thy portion of all the words which I shall speak, and of all things which I shall do, and of all that thou shalt see." And immediately Philip sat down and wrote.

3 It came to pass again, after that, that Jesus continued to speak. He said unto his disciples: "Then did Pistis Sophia cry to the light, in order that her sin might be forgiven her, in leaving her region and going into the darkness. She recited her sixth repentance, saying: "'I sing a song unto thee, O light, in the darkness of the lower regions; give ear to my repentance, and may thy light give heed to the voice of my prayer. O light, if thou bearest in mind my sin, I shall not be able to come nigh thee, and thou wilt abandon me; for thou, O light, thou art my saviour, because of the light of thy name. I have trusted in thee, O light, and my power hath trusted in thy mystery, and also my power hath trusted in the light which is in the height; it hath trusted also in the chaos below. Let all the powers which are in me, trust in the light, while I am in the lower darkness; may they also trust in the light, if they go into the region of the height, for it is [the light] which shall see and save us, and there is a great mystery of salvation in it. It is the light that shall save all the powers of chaos because of my transgression, for I have left my region. I am come into chaos.'

4 "Now, therefore, he whose mind is exalted, let him understand." It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus had finished speaking these words unto his disciples, that he said: "Understand ye how I speak?"

Section 23: Andrew interpreteth the sixth repentance from Psalm cxxix

1 And Andrew came forward and said: "Master, concerning the sixth repentance of Pistis Sophia, thy power hath prophesied of old through David, in the one hundred and twenty-ninth Psalm, saying: "I have cried unto thee, O lord, from the depth of the abyss. Hear my voice. Let thine ears give heed to the voice of my prayer. O lord, if thou remarkest my sins, who will be able to stand? For pardon is in thy hands. Because of thy name, I have waited, O lord. My soul hath waited for thy words; my soul hath trusted in the lord, from morning until evening. Let Israel trust in the lord from the morning until the evening, for mercy is in the hand of the lord, and there is great salvation in him; and he shall redeem Israel from all his sins." 2 Jesus said unto him: "Well said, thou blessed one. That is the interpretation of her repentance. Amen, amen, I say unto you, I will perfect you in all the mysteries of light, and all the gnoses, from the interior of the interiors to the exterior of the exteriors, from the ineffable to the Andrew, darkness of darknesses, and from the light of lights to the depths of matter, from all the gods to all the dæmons, from all the lords to all the decans, from all the powers to all the workmen, from the creation of men to beasts, cattle and reptiles, in order that you may be called perfect, perfected in every perfection. Amen, amen, I say unto you, in the region where I shall be in the kingdom of my father, there shall ye be also with me. And when the number of the perfect shall be completed, so that the mixture may be resolved, I shall give order for them to bring all the tyrant gods, who refused to give the glory of their light, and shall give commandment to the fire of wisdom, through which the perfect pass, to consume to the interior those tyrants until they shall have yielded up the last glory of their light."

3 It came to pass, when Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: "Understand ye how I speak unto you?" And Mary said unto him: "Yea, Master, I have understood the word which thou hast spoken. Concerning, then, that which thou hast said, namely, that in the dissolution of the whole mixture, thou shouldst take thy seat on a light-power, and thy disciples, that is to say, ourselves, should sit at thy right, that thou shouldst judge the tyrant gods, those who have not given the glory of their light, and that the fire of wisdom should devour them, until they should have yielded the last light which is in them—concerning this word, thy light-power prophesied of old through David, in the eighty-first Psalm, saying, 'God shall sit in the congregation of the gods, to judge the gods.' Jesus said unto her: "Well said, Mary." And Jesus continued to speak unto his disciples, saying: "It came to pass, when Pistis Sophia had finished reciting the sixth repentance for the remission of her sin, that she turned [again] toward the height, to see if they had pardoned her sin, and to see whether they would lead her upwards from chaos. (But, by commandment of the first mystery, not yet had they heard her, so that her sin should be pardoned, and she should be raised from chaos) And when she turned to see whether her repentance were accepted, she saw all the rulers of the twelve æons, mocking at her, and rejoicing that her repentance had not been accepted. When, therefore, she saw them mocking at her, she was in great tribulation, and raised her face to the height, saying, in her seventh repentance:

Section 24: The seventh repentance of Sophia

1 " 'O light, I have lifted up my face unto thee. O light, I have trusted in thee. Suffer me not to be put to confusion; let not the rulers of the twelve æons, who hate me, rejoice over me; for whosoever trusteth in thee shall not be ashamed. Let them that have taken away my power, dwell in darkness. They shall get from it no profit, but it shall be taken from their hands. O light, teach me thy paths, and I shall be preserved in them. Teach me thy ways, that I may be preserved from the chaos, and guide me in thy light. Let me know, O light, that it is thou who wilt be my saviour. I will trust in thee for all my time. Apply thyself to my salvation, O light, for thy mercy is eternal. As to the transgression which I have committed, from the beginning, through my ignorance, impute it not to me, O light, but save me in thy great mystery that remitteth sins, because of thy goodness, O light, for thou art good and righteous, O light. For this cause, will [the light] show me my path, that I may be saved from my transgression; and my powers which were weakened through fear of the material emanations of Arrogant, shall be collected from them, by its commandment. My powers, which were weakened because of these merciless ones, shall be instructed in its gnosis;

2 for all the gnoses of the light are means of salvation and mysteries for those who seek the region of its inheritance and its mysteries, because of the mystery of thy name, O light. Remit my transgression, for it is great. Whoever trusteth in the light, to him will it give the mystery that it will; and his soul shall be in the region of the light, and his power shall have its portion in the treasure of light. It is the light which giveth power to them that believe in it; and the name of its mystery is with them that trust in it. It shall instruct them concerning the region of the inheritance which is in the treasure of light. 3 "As for me, I have for ever trusted in thy light, for it is [the light] which shall preserve my feet from the bonds of the darkness. Give heed unto me, O light, and save me, for they have taken my name from me in chaos. Because of all the emanations, my tribulations and my affliction are multiplied exceedingly. Save me from my transgression and from this darkness, and look upon the grief of my affliction. Remit my transgression. Give heed to the rulers of the twelve æons who have hated me through jealousy; watch over my power and save me. Leave me not to dwell in this darkness, for I have trusted in thee, O light. Now, therefore, O light, save my powers from the emanations of Arrogant, whereby I am constrained.' Now, therefore, he that is sober, let him be sober."

Section 25: Thomas interpreteth the seventh repentance from Psalm xxiv

1 And when Jesus had spoken these things to his disciples, Thomas came forward and said: "Master, I am sober, I am more than sober, and my mind is quick in me, and I rejoice greatly that thou hast revealed these things unto us. Now, therefore, I have endured my brethren unto this moment, for I have felt no wrath against them, but I have endured that each of them should come to thee and expound the interpretation of the repentance of Pistis Sophia.... Now, therefore, my Master, concerning the interpretation of the seventh repentance of Pistis Sophia, thy light-power hath prophesied through David, the prophet, in the twenty-fourth Psalm, saying: 2 "Unto thee, O lord, have I lifted up my soul. My God, I have placed my heart in thee. O let me not be ashamed, and let not mine enemies mock at me; for whosoever hopeth in thee shall not be ashamed. Let them who do iniquity without a cause, be ashamed. Show me thy path, O lord, and teach me thy ways. Lead me in the way of truth, and teach me, for thou art my God, and my saviour. I will hope in thee all the day long. Call to remembrance, O lord, thy mercies, and thy loving-kindnesses which have been ever of old. O remember not the sins of my childhood and my ignorance. But think upon me according to the abundance of thy mercy, because of thy goodness, O lord. The lord is gracious and righteous; therefore shall he teach sinners in the way. He will guide the gentle with judgment, he will teach the gentle his ways. All the ways of the lord are good, in sooth, for them that seek his righteousness and his testimonies. For thy name's sake, O lord, pardon my sin, for it is very great. What man is he who feareth the lord, with him shall he establish a law in the way he shall choose. His soul shall dwell at ease, and his seed shall inherit the land. The lord is the support of them that fear him; and the name of the lord is with them that fear him, to teach them his covenant.

3 Mine eyes gaze upon the lord for ever, for it is he who shall pluck my feet out of the snare. Look upon me, have mercy upon me, for I am an only son, I am a beggar, I. The sorrows of my heart are enlarged; O bring me out of my constraints. Look upon my abasement, my misery, and forgive me all my sin. Consider mine enemies, how many they are, and they hate me with cruel hatred. O guard my soul, and save me; let me not be ashamed, for I have hoped in thee. The simple and the righteous clung to me, for I hoped in thee. O lord God, preserve Israel from all her troubles.'" 4 And when Jesus had heard the words of he said unto him: "Well said, Thomas; it is well. This is the interpretation of the seventh repentance of Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen, I say unto you, all the families of the world shall proclaim you blessed on the earth, because I have revealed unto you these things, and that ye have received of my spirit, and have become understanding and spiritual, comprehending that which I have said unto you. Beyond this, I will fill you with all the light and all the power of the spirit, in order that ye may understand from this hour all that shall be said unto you, and which ye shall see. Yet a little while and I will tell you all that pertains to the height from the exterior to the interior, and from the interior to the exterior."

5 And Jesus continued in his conversation, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, therefore, when Pistis Sophia had uttered her seventh repentance in the chaos, that although the commandment had not come to me from the first mystery to save her, and lead her upwards in the chaos, nevertheless, I, of myself, in pity, without commandment, I conducted her into a region slightly less confined in chaos. And when the material emanations of Arrogant saw that I had conducted her into a region slightly less confined in chaos, they ceased for a time to constrain her, thinking that she would be taken out of chaos entirely. Now, when this was done, Pistis Sophia knew not that it was I who was bringing her help, and she did not recognise me at all, but she continued singing a song to the light of the treasure, which she had seen of old, and in which she had trusted, thinking that it was the light of truth, and that it was because she had trusted in the light which belongeth to the truth of the treasure, that therefore she had been taken up in the chaos, and her repentance would be accepted. But the commandment of the first mystery was not yet fulfilled for her repentance to be accepted.

6 "But hearken while I tell you all things that happened unto Pistis Sophia. It came to pass, when I had led her to a region slightly less confined in chaos, that the emanations of Arrogant ceased to constrain her exceedingly, thinking that she would be taken out of chaos entirely. It came to pass, therefore, when the emanations of Arrogant discovered that Pistis Sophia had not been taken out of chaos, they returned all together constraining her exceedingly. And, therefore, she uttered her eighth repentance, in that they had ceased to constrain her, and that they had returned, and again constrained her mightily. And she spake this repentance, saying:

Section 26: The eighth repentance of Sophia

1 " 'I have placed my heart on thee, O light, leave me not in the chaos. Save me and deliver me by thy gnosis. Give heed unto me and save me. Be unto me a saviour, O light, and preserve me; lead me unto thy light, for thou art my saviour, and thou shalt lead me unto thee. Because of the mystery of thy name, lead me; give unto me thy mystery. Thou shalt save me from this lion-faced power, with which they have lain in wait for me, for thou art my saviour; and I will give the glory of my light into thy hands. Thou shalt have set me free, O light, by thy gnosis. Thou art wroth with them that watch over me, who could not possess themselves of me entirely. But as for me, I have trusted in the light, I will rejoice; I will sing a song, for thou hast been compassionate unto me, and thou hast considered the affliction in which I am, and shalt save me. Moreover, thou shalt deliver my power from chaos, and thou hast not left me in the hands of the lion-faced power, but thou hast led me into a region where I am not constrained.'"

2 And when Jesus had said these things unto his disciples, he continued in his conversation, and said: "It came to pass, therefore, when that lion-faced power discovered that Pistis Sophia had not been taken entirely out of chaos, that it came again with all the other material emanations of Arrogant. They constrained Pistis Sophia anew. It came to pass, therefore, when they had constrained her, that she cried out in the same repentance, saying: 3 "Have mercy upon me, O light, for they have constrained me anew. By thy commandment, the light which is in me, hath been troubled, and so also my power and mind. My power hath begun to cease, while I am in these afflictions, and the number of my time is in chaos. My light is enfeebled, for they have taken away my power, and all the powers which were in me have been tossed about. I am become without power before all the rulers of the æons, who hate me, and before the four and twenty emanations in whose region I dwell. And my brother, my consort, feared to help me, because of those among whom I have been set; and all the rulers of the height have regarded me as matter in which there is no light. I am become like a material power which hath fallen from the rulers, and of whom all they who dwell in the æons have said, She hath become chaos." And then all the pitiless powers surrounded me together, and plotted to take away all the light which was in me. But as for me, I have trusted in thee, O light, and I have said, "Thou art my saviour, and the commandment which thou hast decreed for me is in thy hands." Save me from the hands of the emanations of Arrogant, who constrain me, and persecute me. Send thy light upon me, for I am as nothing before thee, and save me by thy mercies. Let me not be ashamed; for it is to thee that I sing my song, O light. Let chaos cover the emanations of Arrogant, let them be led down into the darkness. Let the mouth of them that wish to devour me with guile, who say, "Let us take all the light that is in her," although I have done them no ill, [let their mouth] be stopped.'"

Section 27: Matthew interpreteth the repentance from Psalm xxx

1 And when Jesus had spoken these things, Matthew came forward, and said: "Master, thy spirit hath roused me, and thy light moveth me to reveal this eighth repentance of Pistis Sophia, for thy power hath prophesied thereof of old through David, in the thirtieth Psalm, saying: 2 "On thee, O Lord, have I set my heart, let me never be ashamed; save me in thy righteousness. Incline thine ear unto me, haste thee, save me. Be thou unto me a strong God, and a house of refuge to save me, for my support and my refuge. For thy name's sake thou shalt guide me, and thou shalt feed me, and thou shalt draw me out of this snare, which they have laid privily for me; for thou art my strength. I will place my spirit in thy hands; thou hast preserved me, O lord, God of truth. Thou hatest them that hold to vanity without a cause. But as for me, I have trusted, and I shall rejoice in my saviour. I shall be glad in thy spirit, for thou hast regarded my humbleness, and thou hast saved my soul from my constraints. Thou hast not closed my mouth, in the hands of the wicked, thou hast planted my feet steadily in a spacious region. Have mercy upon me, O lord, for I am in tribulation. My eye is confused because of their anger, and also my heart; for my years have been spent in sadness of heart, and my life is spent in groaning. My strength is enfeebled in poverty, and my bones are troubled. I am become an object of derision for all my enemies and them that draw nigh unto me. I am become an object of fear for them who knew me, and they who have seen me, have fled far from me.

3 They have forgotten me in their heart as a corpse, and I have been as a vessel that is lost. For I have heard the cursing of the hosts that surrounded thou art me, when they all massed themselves together against me; they laid plots to take away my soul. But as for me, I have trusted in thee, O lord, I have said, Thou art my God, my lot is in thy hands. Save me from the hand of mine enemies, and deliver me from them that persecute me. Show thy face unto thy servant, and save me in thy mercy, O lord. Let me not be ashamed, for I have cried unto thee. Let the unrighteous be ashamed, and let them descend into hell. Let the crafty lips be put to silence, which speak iniquity against the righteous with pride and cursing.'" 4 And when Jesus had heard these words, he said: "Well said, Matthew. Now, therefore, amen, I say unto you, when the number of the perfect shall be fulfilled, and when the pleroma shall rise upwards, I shall take my seat in the treasure of light, and ye also, ye shall take your seats on twelve light-powers, until ye shall have restored all the orders of the twelve saviours in the region of the inheritance pertaining to each of them." And when he had spoken these things, he said: "Understand ye what I say?" And Mary came forward again, and said: "Master, on this matter thou hast spoken to us aforetime in parable, 'Ye have endured trials with me, and I will establish for you a kingdom, as my father established one for me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and ye shall sit on twelve thrones, to judge the twelve tribes of Israel.'" He said unto her: "Well said, Mary."

Section 28: The ninth repentance of Sophia

1 And Jesus continued again and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, therefore, after this, when the emanations of Arrogant had constrained Pistis Sophia in chaos, that she uttered her ninth repentance, saying: 2 "'O light, smite them that have taken away my power, and take the power of them that have taken mine; for I am thy power and thy light. Come [unto me], and save me. Let the great darkness cover them that constrain me. Say unto my power, I will set thee free. Let all them be deprived of their power, who wish to take away my light entirely. Let their power be as dust; let Ieou, thy angel, smite them. And if they shall endeavour to go into the height, let the darkness seize them; let them fall, let them return into the chaos. Let thy angel Ieou pursue them; let him cast them down into the lower darkness. For they have set snares for me with a lion-faced power, although I have done them no ill, [a power] from which shall be taken the light that is in it. They have constrained the power that is in me, and which they could not take. Now, therefore, O light, take away the glory of the lion-faced power, without its knowing, and for the thought which Arrogant hath had to take my light, take from him also his [light]. Let the light be taken from the lion-faced power, which hath laid snares for me. My own power shall rejoice in the light, it shall be glad; for [the light] shall preserve it, and all the rays of my power shall say, "There is no saviour but thee";

3 for thou shalt save me from the hands of this lion-faced power which hath taken my power from me. Thou preservest me from them that have taken away my power and my light; for they have risen against me, they have lied against me, saying that I know the mystery of the light which is in the height, [the light] in which I trusted; and they have constrained me, saying, "Tell unto us the mysteries of the light which is in the height"—[a thing] which I knew not. They have recompensed me with all these evils, because I trusted in the light of the height; and they have deprived my power of its light. As for me, when they constrained me, I was seated in the darkness, my soul humbled in mourning. 4 "But do thou, O light, to whom I sing my song, deliver me; I know that thou wilt deliver me, for I acted according to thy will, when I was in my æon. I did according to thy will, like those invisibles who are in my region, and as my consort. And I was in grief, looking, searching for the light. Now, therefore, all the emanations of Arrogant have surrounded me, they have rejoiced over me, and have mightily constrained me in my ignorance. They fled away, they left me, but they had no pity upon me; they returned, they tried me, they constrained me in great affliction; they gnashed their teeth against me, seeking to take away my light completely. How long, therefore, O light, wilt thou suffer them to constrain me? Save my power from their evil imaginations, and save me from the hands of this lion-faced power; for I alone of the invisibles, am in this region.

5 I will sing a song unto thee, O light, though I am in the midst of all them that are massed together against me; I will cry unto thee in the midst of them that constrain me. Now, therefore, O light, let not them that hate me, and desire to take away my power, rejoice over me—them that hate me and flash their eyes against me, though I have done nothing unto them; for they have spoken flattering words unto me, asking for the mysteries of the light which I knew not; speaking unto me with guile, and being enraged against me, because I trusted in the light which is in the height. They have opened their mouth against me, saying, "Yea, we will take from her her light." Now, therefore, O light, thou knowest their guile; suffer them not, and let not thy help be far from me. Haste thee, O light, bring about my retribution and my vindication, and judge me in thy goodness. Now, therefore, O light of lights, let them not take away my light, and let them not say among themselves, "Our power is glutted with her light." Let them not say, "We have devoured her power." But let darkness fall upon them, let them that desire to take away my light, become without power; let them be clothed with chaos and darkness, who say, "We will take away her light and her power." Now, therefore, save me that I may rejoice, for I long for the thirteenth æon, the place of righteousness, and I shall say for ever, "May the light of thy messenger Ieou shine more and more," and my tongue shall sing a song in thy gnosis all my time in the thirteenth æon.'"

6 And when Jesus had said these words unto his disciples, he said unto them: "Let him who is sober among you, utter their interpretation."

Section 29: James interpreteth the repentance from Psalm xxxiv

1 And James came forward, and kissed the breast of Jesus, and said: "Master, my spirit hath moved me, and I am eager to pronounce their interpretation. For this cause also thy power hath prophesied of old, through David, in the thirty-fourth Psalm, saying concerning the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia: 2 "'Pronounce judgment, O lord, against them that do me violence; and fight thou against them that fight against me. Lay hand on arm and buckler, and stand up to help me. Draw forth a sword, and sheathe it in them that constrain me. Say unto my soul, I am thy salvation. Let them be ashamed and confounded who seek after my soul; let them be turned backward and put to shame who imagine evils against me; let them become as dust before the wind, and let the angel of the lord pursue after them. Let their way be dark and slippery, and let the angel of the lord constrain them; for without cause have they privily set a snare for me for their own hurt, and they have mocked at my soul in vain. Let a snare come upon them unawares, and let the nets that they have privily laid for me, seize hold upon them; and they shall fall into this snare. But my soul shall rejoice in the lord, and shall be joyful in his salvation. All my bones shall say, "Lord, who is like unto thee? Thou pre-servest the poor from the hand of him who is too strong for him, and thou deliverest the poor and him that is in misery from the hands of them that spoil him. False witnesses did rise up; they asked me things that I never knew. They rewarded me evil for good, to the making sterile of my soul.

3 But as for me, when they were violent against me, I put on sackcloth, and I humbled my soul in fasting, and my prayer shall return unto my bosom. I did that which pleased thee, as though to one of my kinsmen and my brother; and I humbled myself as one in mourning and one who is sad. But they rejoiced over me, and they were not ashamed. Evils have poured themselves upon me unawares; they held apart from me and were not sad. They have tried me and railed at me with mocking; they have gnashed their teeth against me. 4 "Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Cause my soul to stand out of their evil deeds, and save my sweet offspring from the lions. I will confess thee, O lord, in the great assembly, and I will praise thee in the midst of a countless people. O let not them that are my violent enemies, rejoice over me, them that hate me without a cause and wink with their eyes; for assuredly they have spoken unto me with words of peace, and imagined wrath with guile. They opened their mouths wide against me, saying, Ha, ha! our eyes are filled with the sight of him." Thou hast seen, O lord. O lord, keep no longer silence; go not far from me, O lord. Arise, O lord; give heed to my retribution; give heed to my vindication, my God and my lord. Let them not rejoice over me, O my God, and let them not say, "Well done, our soul." Let them not say, "We have devoured him." Let them be ashamed, and let them be also confounded, who rejoice at my evils. Let them be covered with shame and confusion who speak great words against me. Let them that favour my righteousness, rejoice and be glad; let them say, "May the lord be great"; let them be exalted who desire the peace of his servants. My tongue shall be joyful in thy righteousness and praise all the day long."

Section 30: Jesus commendeth James, and promiseth the first place unto the disciples

1 And when James had spoken these words, Jesus said unto him: "Well said; it is well, James. This is the interpretation of the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen, I say unto you, ye shall be the first in the kingdom of the heavens before all the invisibles and all the gods, save only the rulers who are in the thirteenth æon, and they who are in the twelfth æon; and not only ye, but also every one who shall do my mysteries." And when he had thus spoken, he said unto them: "Understand ye how I speak unto you?" And Mary came forward again and said: "Yea, Master, this is what thou didst say to us aforetime, to wit, 'The last shall be first, and the first shall be last.' The first, they who were created before us, therefore, are the invisibles, for they were created before men, they and the gods, and the rulers; and the men who shall receive the mystery shall be with them in the region of the heavens."

2 Jesus said unto her: "Well said, Mary." And Jesus continued and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, therefore, when Pistis Sophia had recited her ninth repentance, that this lion-faced power compressed her again, wishing to take from her the whole power which was in her. She cried out again to the light, saying: 'O light, in whom I have trusted from the beginning, for thy sake have I endured this great affliction; aid me.' And in this hour her repentance was accepted, the first mystery heard her, and I was sent by his commandment; I came and helped her; I led her out of chaos, in that she had repented and that she had also trusted in the light; that she had endured these great tribulations and these great perils; that they had tried to deceive her by the orders of this god Arrogant, and had not been able to deceive her in anything, save by a stream of light, because of its resemblance to the light in which she had trusted. For this cause was I sent by order of the first mystery, to succour her in secret, for I had not yet [openly] entered the region of the æons; but I had passed through the midst of them, without any power knowing it, either those of the interior of the interior, or those of the exterior of the exterior, save only the first mystery.

3 "It came to pass, therefore, on my entering into chaos to succour her, that she saw me, inasmuch as I was of an intellectual (noëric) nature, and shone exceedingly; and I was full of compassion for her, for I was not arrogant like that lion-faced power which had taken from Sophia the power of her light, and which still constrained her to take from her the whole light which was in her. Sophia, therefore, saw me shining more brightly than that power, tens of thousands of times; [she saw that I was] full of compassion for her, and she knew that I had come forth from the height of the heights, from him in whose light she had trusted from the beginning. Pistis Sophia, therefore, took confidence, and uttered her tenth repentance, saying:

Section 31: The tenth repentance of Sophia

1 "'I have cried unto thee, O light of lights; save my power from the lips of the unrighteous and impious, and from the snares of guile. O light, that which they would have taken from me by perfidious snares, they would not have brought unto thee; for the snares of Arrogant are scattered about, and so are the traps of these merciless ones. Woe is me, for my dwelling is far off, and I am in the habitations of chaos. My power is in regions which are not mine, and I have entreated them that are without pity; and when I entreated them, they fought against me without a cause.'" And when Jesus had spoken these things unto his disciples, he said unto them: "Now, therefore, let him whose spirit urgeth him, come forward, and utter the interpretation of this tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia." And Peter answered and said: "Master, concerning this, thy light-power prophesied of old through David, in the one hundred and nineteenth Psalm, saying:

2 "'When I was in peril, I cried unto thee, O lord; and thou hast heard me. O lord, save my soul from violent lips and from a deceitful tongue. What will they give unto thee, or what will they add unto thee, like unto a deceitful tongue? The arrows of the powerful have been whetted with coals of the desert. Woe is me, for my dwelling is far off. I have dwelt in the habitations of Kedar; my soul hath been a stranger in many regions. I was peaceful with them that hate peace; if I spake unto them, they fought against me without a cause.' "This, O Saviour, is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia, which she uttered when the material emanations of Arrogant constrained her, they and his lion-faced power, and when they mightily constrained her." And Jesus said unto him: "Well said, Peter; it is well. This is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia."

3 And Jesus continued in his conversation, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, therefore, when this lion-faced power saw me draw nigh unto Pistis Sophia, shining exceedingly, that it became the more and more enraged, and cast forth from itself other hosts of exceedingly evil emanations. And when these were produced, Pistis Sophia uttered her eleventh repentance, saying: "'Why doth this mighty power boast itself in evils? It thought to take away my light for all time, like the iron that is smitten; they have taken away my power from me. I chose rather to descend into chaos than to dwell in the thirteenth æon, the region of righteousness; and they desired to take me with guile, in order to devour the whole of my light. For this cause, therefore, the light shall take away the whole of their light; all their matter hath been in confusion also; and it will take away their light, and not suffer it to dwell in the thirteenth æon, their dwelling place. It shall not set their name in the region of the living; and the four and twenty emanations shall see what hath befallen thee, O lion-faced power, that they may fear and no longer be disobedient, but yield the glory of their light. And they shall see thee; they shall rejoice over thee, they shall say, Lo, an emanation which hath not given the glory of its light, that it may be saved; but boasteth itself in the abundance of the light of its power, for it did not project in the power which was in it, and hath said, I will take away the light of Pistis Sophia,' which [light] they will now take from it."

4 "Now, therefore, let him in whom his power is aroused, come forward, and utter the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia."

Section 32: Salome interpreteth the eleventh repentance from Psalm li

1 Then Salome came forward, and said: "Master, concerning this thy light-power prophesied of old, through David, in the fifty-first Psalm, saying: "'Why doth the mighty boast himself in his iniquity? Thy tongue hath imagined violence all the day long, like the sharp razor of a barber. Thou hast acted guilefully; thou lovedst evil more than good; thou lovedst violence more than to speak righteousness; thou hast loved all words that bring about destruction, and a deceitful tongue. Wherefore shall God destroy thee utterly, he shall pluck thee forth and uproot thee from thy dwelling, and he shall pluck up thy root to cast it from among the living. (Diapsalma.) The just shall see, and shall fear, and laugh at him; they shall say, Lo, a man that took not God for his help, but trusted unto the multitude of his riches, and grew strong in his vanity." But as for me, I am like a green olive tree in the house of the lord; and I have trusted in the mercy of the lord from eternity to eternity. I will confess thee, for thou hast dealt with me, and I will hope in thy name, for it is sweet in the presence of thy holy ones.'

2 "This, then, O Master, is the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia, which thy light-power hath prompted me [to utter], and I have uttered it according to thy will." It came to pass, when Jesus had heard the speech which Salome had uttered, that he said: "Well said, Salome. Amen, amen, I say unto you, I will perfect you in all the mysteries of the kingdom of light." And Jesus continued his conversation, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass after this that I approached nearer to chaos than formerly, shining exceedingly, to take away the power from that lion-faced power. And as I shone exceedingly it feared and cried out to its god Arrogant, that he should come and aid it. And immediately, god Arrogant looked down from the thirteenth æon, he gazed downward into chaos, in exceeding wrath, desiring to aid his lion-faced power. And in this hour, his lion-faced power and all his emanations turned on Pistis Sophia, desiring to take away the whole of the light which was in Sophia. It came to pass, therefore, when Sophia was constrained, that she cried on high, crying to me that I should aid her. It came to pass, therefore, when she gazed on high, that she saw Arrogant mightily enraged, and she feared, she uttered her twelfth repentance because of Arrogant and his emanations. She cried unto me, saying:

3 "'Forget not my song, O light, for Arrogant and his lion-faced power have opened their mouths against me; they have acted with deceit towards me; they have surrounded me, seeking to take away my power, and they have hated me, because I sang a song unto thee; instead of loving me, they have accused me; as for me, I sang a song. They have plotted together to take my power, because I sang to thee a song, O light; and they hated me, because I loved thee. Let darkness fall on Arrogant, and may the ruler of the outer darkness remain at his right hand. When thou passest sentence upon him, take from him his power, and that which he thought to do unto me, in taking away my light, [do thou unto him,] and take away his. May all the light-powers which are in him, cease; and may another take his greatness among the three triple powers; may all the powers of his emanations be without light, and may his matter have no light in it; suffer them not to enter into their region. May their light cease in them; may they not be allowed to enter into the thirteenth æon, their region. Let the receiver, the purifier of lights, purify all the light-powers that are in Arrogant, and take them from them. May the rulers of lower darkness have power over his emanations. Let no one receive them into his region; let no one give ear to the power of his emanations which are in chaos. Let them take away the light which is in his emanations, and let them hide their name in the thirteenth æon; aye, let them blot out his name for ever in that region.

4 "As for the lion-faced power, may the sin of him who sent it forth before the light, fall back upon him; may the iniquity of the matter which it hath produced, be never wiped away; nay, may their sin be ever before the light; may they never see beyond [chaos]; may their name be removed from every region, for they have not spared me; they have constrained him from whom they have taken his light and his power. Moreover, they among whom I have been sent, desired to take away my light; they loved to descend into the darkness; let them remain there, and let them not be brought forth therefrom from this hour. They sought for a habitation in the region of righteousness, and they shall no more be brought thither from this hour. He is robed in darkness as with a vesture, he hath entered into it as into water, and he is entered into all his powers like oil. Let him robe himself with chaos as a garment, and gird himself with darkness as with a girdle of skin for ever. Let this come upon them that have brought these things upon me because of the light, and on them that have said, Let us take from her all her light." But as for thee, O light, be merciful unto me, because of the mystery of thy name, and save me in the goodness of thy mercy; for they have taken from me my light and my power, and my power hath been shaken in me; I could not stand in their midst. I have been like matter that is fallen, I have been driven this way and that like a daemon of the air. My power perished, because I had no mystery in that region; and my matter hath been bound, because of my light which they have taken away. They have mocked at me, they have winked upon me. Aid me according to thy mercy.'

5 "Now, therefore, let him whose spirit is active, come forward and utter the interpretation of the twelfth repentance of Pistis Sophia."

Section 33: Andrew interpreteth the repentance from Psalm cviii

1 And Andrew came forward and said: "My Master and saviour, thy light-power hath prophesied of old through David, concerning this repentance which Pistis Sophia uttered; it spake thereof in the one hundred and eighth Psalm, saying: 2 "O God, hold not my mouth from my praise, for the mouth of the ungodly and deceitful is opened against me. They have spoken against me with a deceitful tongue, and have surrounded me with words of hate. They have fought against me without a cause; instead of loving me they have accused me. But as for me, I continued in prayer. They have raised up evil against me in return for good, and hate for love. Set thou an ungodly one over him, and may the accuser stand at his right hand. When sentence is given upon him, let him be condemned, and let his prayer be regarded as sin; may his days be shortened, and may another receive his over-seership; may his children be fatherless, and his wife a widow. May the head of his children be bowed, may they be transported, may they beg, may they be cast out of their dwelling. May the money-lender sweep away all that he hath, and may strangers carry away all his labour. Let there be no man to give him a hand, and let there be no one to take mercy on his fatherless children. Let his children be blotted out, and let them blot out his name in a single generation. Let the sin of his fathers be remembered before the lord, and let not the sin of his mother be blotted out. Let them be ever before the lord. Let his memory be destroyed on the earth, in that he hath not thought of mercy;

3 for he hath persecuted the poor and helpless, he hath persecuted a wretched creature to put him to death. He hath loved cursing; let him fall into the midst thereof. He hath refused blessing, let it be far from him. He hath clothed himself with cursing as with a garment, and it hath entered into his bowels like water, and like oil into his bones. Let it be for him as a vesture with which he shall be clothed, and like a girdle with which he shall be girded for all time. This is the work of them that accuse before the lord, and who speak injustice against my soul. 4 "But as for thee, O lord God, have pity on me for thy name's sake. Save me, for I am poor and in misery. My heart is troubled within me; they have carried me away like a shadow that declineth, and they have frightened me away like [a swarm of] locusts. My feet have become feeble with fasting, and my flesh is dried from [want of] oil. I have become an object of derision unto them; they have gazed upon me, and wagged their heads. Help, O lord God, and save me according to thy mercy. Let them know that it is thy hand, and that thou hast created it, O lord.' "This is the interpretation of the twelfth repentance uttered by Pistis Sophia, when she was in chaos."

Section 34: The thirteenth repentance of Sophia

1 And Jesus continued, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass after this that Pistis Sophia cried unto me, saying: 'O light of lights, I have transgressed in the twelve æons, I have descended from them. Therefore, have I uttered these twelve repentances, [one] for each æon. Now, therefore, O light of lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is exceeding great, for I have left behind me the regions of the height, I have come to dwell in the regions of chaos.' When Pistis Sophia had said this, she continued to recite her thirteenth repentance, saying: "'Hear me when I sing a song unto thee, O light of lights; hear me when I make repentance for the thirteenth æon, the region whence I came forth, in order that the thirteenth repentance of the thirteenth æon may be accomplished. I have transgressed, I have descended from among them; now, therefore, O light of lights, hear me when I sing a song in the thirteenth æon, the region from which I came forth. Save me, O light, by thy great mystery; pardon me my transgression in thy remission; give unto me the baptism; remit my sins, and purify me from my transgression. And my transgression is this lion-faced power, which hath never been hidden from thee; for because of it am I descended. Tis I alone who have transgressed among the invisibles, in whose regions I was; I have descended into chaos, I have transgressed before thee, that thy statute might be accomplished.' This, then, Pistis Sophia said. Now, therefore, let him whose spirit urgeth him to understand her words, come forward, and expound their meaning."

2 And Martha came forward, and said: "Master, my spirit urgeth me to expose the interpretation of the things which Pistis Sophia hath spoken; thy power hath prophesied of old concerning them, through David, in the fiftieth Psalm, saying: "Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great mercy; and according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my sin. Save me throughly from my wickedness; my sin is before thee every day, that thou mayest be justified in thy words, and mayest prevail when thou shalt judge me.' "This is the interpretation of the words which Pistis Sophia spake." Jesus said unto her: "Well said; it is well, Martha, thou blessed one." And Jesus continued in his conversation, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, when Pistis Sophia had said these words, that the time was fulfilled to draw her out of chaos; and of myself, without the first mystery, I produced from myself a light-power; I sent it forth into chaos to bring Pistis Sophia forth from the depths of chaos, until the command should come from the first mystery to take her entirely out of chaos. And my light-power led Pistis Sophia into the region which is above in the chaos. It came to pass, when the emanations of Arrogant discovered that Pistis Sophia had been conducted into the higher region of chaos, that they also sped after her into the height, seeking to bring her again into the lower regions of chaos; and my light-power, which I had sent unto Sophia in chaos, was shining exceedingly. It came to pass, therefore, when the emanations of Arrogant pursued Sophia, when she had been conducted into the higher region of chaos, that she again sang a song, and cried out unto me, saying:

Section 35: Sophia uttereth a song of praise

1 "I will sing a song unto thee, O light, for I have desired to come unto thee; I will sing thee a song, O light, for thou art my saviour; leave me not. Save me, light of the height, for unto thee have I sung a song. Thou hast sent me thy light from thyself, and thou hast saved me. Thou hast brought me to the higher regions of chaos. Let the emanations of Arrogant, which pursue me, therefore, fall below into the lower regions of chaos, and let them not come into the higher regions of chaos to see me. Let great darkness cover them, and let the mighty gloom of darkness come upon them, and let them not see me in the light of thy power, which thou hast sent unto me to save me, that they may no longer have any power over me. And let the counsel which they have imagined against me, to take away my power, no longer be accomplished for them; and as they have spoken about me to take away my light, take from them theirs in place of mine. They have designed to take away my light, and have not been able to take it; for thy light-power is with me, and they have taken counsel together without thy commandment, O light. For this cause have they not been able to take away my light, because I have trusted in the light. I shall not be afraid; the light is my saviour, and I will not fear.'

2 "Now, therefore, let him whose power is exalted, utter the interpretation of the words which Pistis Sophia spake." It came to pass, when Jesus had finished speaking those words unto his disciples, that Salome came forward, and said: "Master, my power constraineth me to utter the interpretation of the words which Pistis Sophia spake. Thy power hath prophesied of old through Solomon, saying: "I will confess myself unto thee, O lord, for thou art my God. Leave me not, O lord, for thou art my hope. Thou hast given me justice for naught; and I have been saved by thy hand. Let them that persecute me fall, and let them not see me. Let a cloud of darkness cover their eyes, and a tempest of wind blind them. Let them not see the day lest they should seize upon me. Let their counsel be impotent, and let their own conspiracy fall upon themselves. They have designed a plot, and it hath failed for them. The mighty have vanquished them, and the evils which they have prepared are fallen upon them. My hope is in the lord, and I will not fear, for thou art my God and my saviour.'"

3 It came to pass when Salome had finished speaking these words, that Jesus said unto her: "Well said, Salome; it is well. This is the interpretation of the words which Pistis Sophia spake." And Jesus continued in his conversation, and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, when Pistis Sophia had finished saying these words in the chaos, that I caused the light-power, which I had sent to help her, to form a crown of light on her head, in order that henceforth from that hour the emanations of Arrogant should not prevail against her. And when it had made a crown of light on her head, all the matters which were in her were shaken, and were all purified in her. They perished and remained in chaos, while the emanations of Arrogant gazed upon them and rejoiced. And the glories of pure light which were in Sophia, added their power of light to my light-power, which had become a crown upon her head. It came to pass, therefore, again, when [my light-power] surrounded the pure light, which was in Sophia, and her pure light did not depart from the crown of power, the brilliant flame, so that the emanations of Arrogant should rob her of it—when this was done unto her, the power of unmixed light which was in Sophia began to sing a song. And she sang a song unto my light-power which was a crown unto her head, and she sang a song, saying:

4 "'O light, be thou a crown unto my head; nor shall I ever cause it to depart, so that the emanations of Arrogant may assail me; and though all the matters be shaken, yet shall I not be shaken. And though all my matters be lost, and remain in chaos, and the emanations of Arrogant gaze upon them, yet shall I not perish, for the light is with me, and I am with the light.'" "These words, then, were spoken by Pistis Sophia. Now, therefore, let him who knoweth the meaning of these words come forward, and utter their interpretation."

Section 36: Mary, the mother, asketh and receiveth permission to speak

1 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 utter the interpretation of the words which Pistis Sophia spake." And Jesus answered, and said unto her: "Thou also, O Mary, thou who didst receive the form which is in Barbêlô, according to matter, and didst receive the similitude of the regions of light, according to the light, thou and the other Mary, the blessed one; the darkness hath existed because of thee, and moreover from thee did come forth the material body in which I dwell, and which I have purified—now, therefore, I bid thee utter the interpretation of the words spoken by Pistis Sophia." And Mary, the mother of Jesus, answered, and said: "My Master, thy light-power hath prophesied of old concerning these words, through Solomon, in his nineteenth Ode, saying: "The lord is above my head as it were a garland, and I shall never be without it. The garland of truth hath been woven for me;

2 and he hath caused its branches to flourish in me, for it is not like unto a garland that withereth and flourish-eth not. Thy branches are full [of sap]; they are perfect, filled with thy salvation.'" It came to pass, when Jesus had heard these words which Mary, his mother, had spoken, that he said unto her: "Well said; it is well. Amen, amen, I say unto thee, they shall proclaim thee blessed from one end of the earth to the other, for the covenant of the first mystery hath dwelt in thee, and by this covenant shall be saved all worlds and all heights, and this covenant is the beginning and the end." 3 And Jesus continued in his conversation, and said unto his disciples; "It came to pass, when Pistis Sophia had uttered her thirteenth repentance, that in that hour was fulfilled the statute of all the tribulations with which Pistis Sophia had been disgracefully inflicted, for the consummation of the first mystery, which is from the beginning; and the time had come to rescue her from chaos, and lead her out of all the darkness, for her repentance had been accepted by the first mystery; and moreover that mystery sent me a mighty light-power from the height, that I might rescue Pistis Sophia and lead her out The first of chaos. And I gazed towards the mystery heights of the æons, I saw that lightand Jesus power which the first mystery had sent sent forth me, that I might rescue Pistis Sophia two streams from chaos. It came to pass, therefore, of lightpowers to when I had seen it, issuing forth from the æons help and coming towards me, I being in chaos, Sophia. that another power of light-powers also went forth from me, to aid Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which had issued from the heights, sent by the first mystery, descended upon the light-power which had issued from me, and they met together, and became a mighty stream of light."

4 And when Jesus had spoken these things unto his disciples, he said unto them: "Understand ye how I speak unto you?" And Mary started forward again, and said: Mary in- "Master, I understand that of which terpreteth thou speakest. Concerning the interthe myspretation of this word, thy light-power tery. hath prophesied of old through David, in the forty-fourth Psalm, saying: 'Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other. Truth hath flourished on the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven.' Mercy, therefore, is this light-power which was sent by the first mystery; for the first mystery had heard Pistis Sophia, he had had mercy on her in all her tribulations. Truth, also, is that power which issued from thee, for that thou hast fulfilled the truth in order to save me from chaos. Righteousness, again, is that power which was sent by the first mystery, which will guide Pistis Sophia. Peace, also, is that power which issued from thee to enter into the emanations of Arrogant to take from them the light, which they had taken from Pistis Sophia; that is to say, in order that thou mightest gather them together into Sophia, and make them at peace with her power. Truth, also, is the power which issued from thee, when thou wast in the lower regions of chaos. For this cause thy power hath said through David, 'Truth hath flourished on the earth,' for thou wert in the lower regions of chaos. 'Righteousness also hath looked down from heaven'; this is the power which issued from the height, [sent] by the first mystery, [the power] which entered into Sophia."

5 And when Jesus had heard these words, he said: "Well said, Mary, thou blessed one, who shalt inhabit every kingdom of light." Then also Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward, and said: "My Master and my God, bid me also utter this word of interpretation." Jesus said unto her: "He whose spirit is intelligent, I will in no way prevent, but I the more and more urge him to utter the meaning which prompteth him. Now, therefore, O Mary, my mother according to matter, thou in whom I dwelt, I bid thee also utter the meaning of the word."

Section 37: The story of the phantom spirit

1 And Mary answered and said: "My Master, concerning the word which thy power prophesied through David, to wit, 'Mercy and truth are met together, righteousness and peace have kissed each other; truth hath flourished on the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven,' —thy power prophesied this word of old concerning thee. "When thou wert a child, before the spirit had descended upon thee, when thou wert in the vineyard with Joseph, the spirit came down from the height, and came unto me in the house, like unto thee, and I knew him not, but thought that he was thou. And he said unto me, 'Where is Jesus, my brother, that I may go to meet him?' And when he had said this unto me, I was in doubt, and thought it was a phantom tempting me. I seized him and bound him to the foot of the bed which was in my house, until I had gone to find you in the field, thee and Joseph; and I found you in the vineyard; Joseph was putting up the vine poles. It came to pass, therefore, when thou didst hear me saying this thing unto Joseph, that thou didst understand, and thou wert joyful, and saidest, 'Where is he, that I may see him? Nay [rather], I am expecting him in this place.' And it came to pass, when Joseph heard thee say these words, that he was disturbed. We went together, we entered into the house, we found the spirit bound to the bed, and we gazed upon thee and him, and found that thou wert like unto him. And he that was bound to the bed, was unloosed, he embraced thee and kissed thee, and thou also didst kiss him; ye became one and the same being.

2 "This, then, is the word and its interpretation. Mercy is the spirit which came from the height, [sent] by the first mystery, to take pity on the human race; he sent his spirit to pardon the sins of the whole world, that they might receive the mystery, that they might inherit the kingdom of light. Truth, also, is the power which dwelt in thee, issued from Barbêlô. It became thy material body, and the herald below the region of truth. Righteousness is thy spirit which hath brought all the mysteries from on high, to give them to the race of men. Peace, also, is the power which dwelt in thy material body, according to the world, [the body] which hath baptised the human race, to make it a stranger to sin, and at peace with thy spirit, that they may be at peace with the emanations of light, that is to say, that mercy and truth may kiss each other. As to that which hath been said, 'Truth hath flourished on the earth,' truth is thy material body which germinated in me in the earth among men, and is the herald below the place of truth. Again, as to that which hath been said, 'Righteousness hath flourished out of heaven,' righteousness is the power which hath looked down from heaven, [the power] which will give the mysteries of light to the human race, and men shall become righteous, they shall be good, they shall inhabit the kingdom of life."

3 It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus had heard these words which Mary, his mother, had spoken, that he said: "Well said; it is well, Mary."

Section 38: The other Mary further interpreteth the same scripture from the baptism of Jesus

1 And the other Mary came forward, and said: "Master, suffer me, and be not wroth with me, nay, from the moment when thy mother uttered the interpretation of these words, my power hath urged me to come forward, and also expound their interpretation." And Mary said: "Master, 'Mercy and truth are met together.' Mercy, then, is the spirit which descended upon thee, when thou didst receive the baptism of John. Mercy is the spirit of divinity which descended upon thee, which had pity on the human race; it descended, it met with the power of Sabaôth which is in thee, which is the herald below the regions of truth. It hath been said again, 'Righteousness and peace have kissed each other.' Righteousness, then, is the spirit of light which came upon thee, which hath brought the mysteries of the height, to give them unto the human race. Peace, also, is the power of Sabaôth the good, who is in thee, who hath baptised and hath pardoned the human race; it [the power] hath made it at peace with the children of light. And again, as thy power hath said, through David, 'Truth hath flourished on the earth,' this is the power of Sabaôth the good.

2 "He hath said, 'Truth hath flourished on the earth,' [for] it hath flourished in Mary, thy mother, who dwelleth on earth. Righteousness, also, which 'hath looked down from heaven,' is the spirit which is in the height, which hath brought all the mysteries of the height, and hath given them to the human race; men have become righteous, they have become good, they have inherited the kingdom of light." And it came to pass, when Jesus had heard the discourse which Mary uttered, that he said: "Well said, Mary, inheritor of light." And again Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward, she bowed herself at his feet, and kissed them, saying: "My Master, my son, and my saviour, be not wroth against me but pardon me, that I may tell thee once more the interpretation of these words. 'Mercy and truth are met together,' 'tis I, Mary, thy mother, with Elizabeth, mother of John, when I met her. Mercy, then, is the power of Sabaôth which is in me, [the power] which went forth from my mouth, that is to say, thyself. Thou hast had mercy on the whole human race. Truth, also, is the power which was in Elizabeth, that is to say, John, who came, and was the herald before the truth, that is to say, who was the herald before thee. And again, Mercy and truth are met together,' 'tis thou, my saviour, when thou didst meet John, on the day when thou wast to receive the baptism. Again tis thou and John who are righteousness and peace that kissed each other.

3 "'Truth hath flourished on the earth, and righteousness hath looked down from heaven,' this is the time when thou didst minister to thyself. Thou didst take the form of Gabriel, thou didst look down upon me from heaven, thou didst speak unto me, and when thou hadst spoken unto me, thou didst germinate in me. This is the truth, that is to say, the power of Sabaôth the good, which is in thy material body, it is this truth which hath flourished on the earth." It came to pass, therefore, when Jesus had heard these words which Mary, his mother, spake, that he said: "Well said; it is well. This is the interpretation of all the words concerning which my light-power prophesied of old, through David, the prophet."