Pistis Sophia

" * 16. Eeveal thy face over thy slave, and free me according to thy grace, 0 Lord. *' ' 17. Let me not be put to shame, for I have cried unto thee. Let the impious be put to shame and turn towards hell. *' * 18. Let the crafty lips be struck dumb, which allege iniquity against the righteous in pride and scorn.' " And when Jesus had heard these words, he said : *' Finely [said], Matthew. Now, therefore, amen, I say unto | you : When the perfect number is completed and the universe is raised hence, I will take my seat in the Treasury of the Light, and ye yourselves will sit on twelve light-powers, until we have restored all the orders of the twelve saviours to the region of the inheritances of every one of them." And when he had said this, he said : " Understand ye what I say ? " Mary came forward and said : "0 Lord, concerning this matter thou hast said to us aforetime in similitude : ' Ye have awaited with me in the trials, and I will bequeath unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath bequeathed it unto me, that ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom ; and ye shall sit on twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel.' "

He said unto her : " Well said, Mary." Jesus continued again and said unto his disciples : "It came to pass then thereafter, when the emanations of Self-willed oppressed Pistis Sophia in the chaos, that she uttered the ninth repentance, saying : '''1. 0 Light, smite down them who have The ninth ■ 1 p 1 i 1 repentance taken away my power irom me, and take away of Sophia. the power from them who have taken away mine from me. " * 2. For I am thy power and thy light. I Come and save me. ^^• *' * 3. Let great darkness cover my oppressors. Say unto my power : I am he who will save thee. " ' 4. Let all those who would take away my light from me utterly, lack their power. Let them face about unto the chaos and become powerless, who would take away my light from me utterly. " ' 5. Let their power be as dust, and let Yew, thy angel, smite them. " * 6. And if they would go into the height, let darkness seize upon them and let them slip down and turn to the chaos. And let thy angel Yew pursue them and cast them down into the darkness below.

** ' 7. For they have set a lion-faced power as a trap for me, although I have done them no ill, from which its light will be taken ; and they have oppressed the power in me, which they will not be able to take away. '* ' 8. Now, therefore, 0 Light, take away the purification from the lion-faced power without its knowing it, — the thought which Self-willed hath thought, to take away my hght ; take away his own and let the hght be taken away from the hon-faced power, which set the trap for me. ** * 9. But my power will exult in the Light and rejoice that he will save it. '' ' 10. And all the portions of my power shall say : There is no saviour but thee. For thou wilt save me out of the hand of the lion-faced power, which hath taken away my power from me, and thou savest me out of the hands of them who have taken away my power and my light from me. ** * 11. For they have risen up against me, 91. lying against me and saying | that I know the

mystery of the- Light which is in the height, [the Light] in which I have had faith. And they have constrained me, [saying :] Tell unto us the mystery of the Light in the height, — that which I know not. " ' 12. And they have requited me with all this ill because I have had faith in the Light of the height ; and they have made my power hghtless. *' ' 13. But when they constrained me, I sat in the darkness, my soul bowed down in mourning. '' ' 14. And do thou, 0 Light — for that reason sing I praise to thee — save me. I know that thou wilt save me because I fulfilled thy will ever since I was in my seon. I fulfilled thy will, as the invisibles who are in my region, and as my pair. And I mourned, looking unceasingly and searching for the Light. '' ' 15. Now, therefore, have all the emanations of Self-willed surrounded me and rejoiced over me and sore oppressed me without my knowing [them]. And they have fled away and ceased from me but have had no pity upon me. *' * 16. They have returned again and made trial of me and they have oppressed me in great oppression and ground their teeth against me, desiring to take away my hght from me utterly.

" ' 17. How long, therefore, 0 Light, dost thou suffer them, that they oppress me ? Save my power from their evil thoughts and save me from the hand of the lion-faced power ; for I alone of the invisibles am in this region. *' ' 18. I will sing praises unto thee, 0 Light, I in the midst of all who are gathered together 92. against me, and I will cry unto thee in the midst of all who oppress me. *' ' 19. Now, therefore, 0 Light, let not them who hate me and desire to take away my power from me, rejoice over me — who hate me and flash their eyes against me, though I have not done anything unto them. *' ' 20. For indeed they have fawned upon me with sweet words, asking me concerning the mysteries of the Light which I know not, and have craftily spoken against me and been enraged against me, because I have had faith in the Light in the height. '' ' 21. They have opened their chops against me and said : Well indeed, we will take from her her light. '' ' 22. Now, therefore, 0 Light, thou hast known their guile ; suffer them not and let not thy help be far from me.

" ' 23. Quickly, 0 Light, vindicate and avenge me, " ' 24. And give judgment on me according James interpreteth the ninth repentance from Psalm xxxiv. to thy goodness. Now, therefore, 0 Light of hghts, let them not take away my hght from me, 25. And let them not say in their heart : Our power is glutted with her light. And let them not say : We have consumed her power. '* ' 26. But rather let darkness come upon them, and let those who long to take away my light from me, become powerless, and let them be clothed with chaos and darkness, who say there : We will take away her light and her power. " ' 27. Now, therefore, save me that I may rejoice, for I long for the thirteenth aeon, the region of Eighteousness, and | I shall say evermore : May the light of thy angel Yew shine more and more. *' * 28. And my tongue will sing praises to thee in thy gnosis my whole time in the thirteenth 8eon.' " It came to pass, when Jesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them : '' Who is sober among you, let him proclaim their solution."

James came forward, kissed the breast of Jesus and said : '' My Lord, thy spirit hath sobered me, and I am ready to proclaim their solution. Concerning them indeed thy power hath prophesied aforetime through David in the thirtyfourth Psalm, saying thus concerning the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia : " ' 1. Give sentence, 0 Lord, on them who do me injustice, and fight against them who fight against me. " ' 2. Lay hand on weapon and shield and stand up to help me. *' * 3. Draw forth a sword and conceal it [sic] from my oppressors. Say unto my soul : I am thy salvation. " * 4. Let them be put to shame and abashed who strive after my soul ; let them fall back and be put to shame who imagine evil against me. " * 5. Let them be as chaff | before the wind, 94< and let the angel of the Lord pursue after them. *' ' 6. Let their way be darkness and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord oppress them. ** * 7. For without cause have they hid a snare for me for their own spoiling, and they have mocked at my soul in vain.

*' ' 8. Let a snare come upon them which they know not, and let the net which they have hid for me, catch them, and let them fall into this snare. *' ' 9. But my soul will exult in the Lord and rejoice in its salvation. *' ' 10. All my bones shall say : 0 Lord, who can be like unto thee? — thou who settest free the wretched from the hand | of him who is 95. stronger than him ; and thou savest a wretched and poor [one] from the hands of them who spoil him. '* * IL Unjust witnesses came forward and have asked me that which I knew not. ** * 12. They have requited me evil for good and childlessness for my soul. ** * 13. But when they molested me, I clothed me in a sack and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will return into my breast. *' ' 14. I was pleasing unto thee, as unto my neighbour and as unto my brother ; and I humbled myself as one in mourning and as one who is sad. *' ' 15. They have rejoiced over me, and they are put to shame. Scourges have gathered themselves together against me and I knew not ; they were cut off and were troubled.

'' ' 16. They have brought me to trial and mocked me with mocking ; they have ground | 96. their teeth against me. '' * 17. 0 Lord, when wilt thou look upon me ? Kestore again my soul from their evil works and save my only one from the hands of the lions. *' ' 18. I will confess to thee, 0 Lord, in the great assembly, and I will sing praises to thee in the midst of a countless people. " ' 19. Let not them who unjustly treat me as a foe, rejoice over me, who hate me without a cause and wink with their eyes. '* ' 20. For indeed they discourse with me with words of peace, though they plot wrath with craft, '* ' 21. They opened their chops wide against me and said : Well indeed, our eyes have filled our sight with him. '' * 22. Thou hast seen, 0 Lord. Keep not silence, 0 Lord, withdraw not thyself from me. 97. '' ' 23. Arise, 0 Lord, | and give heed to my vindication, give heed to my vengeance, my God and my Lord. *' ' 24. Judge me, 0 Lord, according to thy justice ; let them not rejoice over me, my God.

*' * 25. And let them not say : Well done, our soul. Let them not say : We have consumed him. " ' 26. Let them be put to shame and be scorned, who rejoice at my mischance. Let them be clothed with shame and disgrace who speak boastingly against me. *' * 27. Let them who desire my justification, exult and rejoice and let them who desire the peace of his slave, say : May the Lord be great and arise. ** * 28. My tongue will exult over thy justification and over thy honour all the day long,' " | When James then had said this, Jesus said unto 98. him: "Well said, finely, James. This is the chap. 52. solution of the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia, mendeth^' Amen, amen, I say unto you : Ye shall be the "^^^^f ^,?* ' ' i/ J ... promiseth first in the kingdom of heaven before all invisibles the first and all gods and rulers who are in the thirteenth the disciples. seon and in the twelfth aeon ; and not only ye, but also every one who shall accomplish my mysteries." And when he had said this, he said unto them : ** Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you ? "

Mary started forward again and said : ** Yea, Maryinter0 Lord, this is what thou didst say unto us afore- ^o^rds of ^ time : ' The last shall be first and the first shall '^^^^^• be last.' The first then, who were created before us, are the invisibles, for indeed they arose before mankind, they and the gods and the rulers ; and the men who shall receive mysteries, will be first into the kingdom of heaven.'* Jesus said unto her : *'Well said, Mary." Jesus continued again and said unto his dis- The repentciples : " It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia gophk is had proclaimed the ninth repentance, that the^^^^P*^^* ■•- r ^ Jesus IS lion-faced power oppressed her again, desiring sent to to take away all powers from her. She cried out again to the Light, saying : | 99. *' ' 0 Light, in whom I have had faith from the beginning, for whose sake I have endured these great pains, help me.' *' And in that hour her repentance was accepted from her. The First Mystery hearkened unto her, and I was sent off at his command. I came to help her, and led her up out of the chaos, because she had repented, and also because she had had faith in the Light and had endured these great pains and these great perils. She had been deluded through the god-like Selfwilled, and had not been deluded through anything else, save through a light-power, because of its resemblance to the Light in which she had had faith.

For this cause then was I sent forth at the command of the First Mystery to help her secretly. I did not however yet go to the region of the aeons at all ; but I passed down through the midst out of them, without any single power knowing it, either those of the interior of the interior or those of the exterior of the exterior, save only the First Mystery.

** It came to pass then, when I came into the chaos to help her, that she saw me, that I was understanding and shone exceedingly and was full of compassion for her. For I was not selfwilled as the lion-faced power, which had taken away the light-power from Sophia, and had also oppressed her in order to take away from her the whole light in her. Sophia then saw me, that I shone ten-thousand times more than the lion- 100. faced power, | and that I was full of compassion for her. And she knew that I came out of the Height of heights, in whose light she had had faith from the beginning. Pistis Sophia then took courage and uttered the tenth repentance, saying : '' * 1. I have cried unto thee, 0 Light of Hghts, The tenth 1,1 1 J 1 1 1 1 repentance m my oppression and thou hast hearkened unto me. of SopMa. '' ' 2. 0 Light, save my power from unjust and lawless lips and from crafty traps. ** ' 3. The light which was being taken from me in crafty snaring, will not be brought unto thee. *' * 4. For the traps of Self-willed and the nooses of the merciless [one] are spread out.

'' ' 5. Woe unto me, that my dwelling was far off, and I was in the dwellings of the chaos. " ' 6. My power was in regions which are not mine. '' ' 7. And I entreated those merciless [ones] ; and when I entreated them, they fought against me without a cause.' *' When then Jesus had said this unto his dis-CHAP. 53. ciples, he said unto them : " Now, therefore, let him whom his spirit stirreth, come forward and speak the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia.'' Peter answered and said : '* 0 Lord, concerning this thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the one-hundred-and-nineteenth Psalm, saying : '* ' 1. I cried unto thee, 0 Lord, in my oppres- Peter mtersion, and thou hearkenest unto me. tenth*re-^^ ** ' 2. 0 Lord, save I my soul from uniust p"**!l^®, ' ' "^ *^ from Irsalm lips and from crafty tongues. cxix. " ' 3i What will be given unto thee or what ^^^* will be added unto thee with a crafty tongue ? " * 4. The arrows of the strong [one] are made sharp with the coal of the desert.

eleventh repentance of Sophia. ** * 5. Woe unto me, that my dwelling is far off, and I dwelt in the tents of Kedar, *' ' 6. My soul hath dwelt in many regions as a guest. *' ' 7. I was peaceful with them who hate peace ; if I spake unto them, they fought against me without a cause.' *' This is now, therefore, 0 Lord, the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia, which she hath uttered when the material emanations of Self-willed oppressed her, they and his lionfaced power, and when they oppressed her exceedingly." Jesus said unto him : '' Well said, Peter, and finely. This is the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia." Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples : ''It came to pass then, when this lion-faced power saw me, how I drew nigh unto Pistis Sophia, shining very exceedingly, that it grew still more furious and emanated from itself a multitude of exceedingly violent emanations. When this then befell, Pistis Sophia uttered the eleventh repentance, saying : " ' 1. Why hath the mighty power raised itself in evil ? " * 2. Its plotting taketh away the light from me all the time, and as sharp iron have they taken away power | from me.

" * 3. I chose to descend into the chaos rather than to abide in the thirteenth aeon, the region of Kighteousness. *' * 4. And they desired to lead me craftily, in order to consume my whole light. ** ' 5. For this cause then will the Light take away their whole light, and also their whole matter will be made naught. And it will take away their light and not suffer them to abide in the thirteenth aeon, their dwelling-place, and will not have their name in the region of those who shall live. ** * 6. And the four-and-twenty emanations will see what hath befallen thee, 0 lion-faced power, and will be afraid and not be disobedient, but give the purification of their light. *' ' 7. And they will see thee and will rejoice over thee and say : Lo, an emanation which hath not given the purification of its light, so that it may be saved, but boasted itself in the abundance of the light of its power, because it did not emanate from the power in it, and hath said : I will take away the light from Pistis Sophia, which will now be taken from it.'

*' Now, therefore, let him in whom his power is raised, come forward and proclaim the solution of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia." Then Salome came forward and said : '^ My Lord, concerning this thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the fifty-first Psalm, saying : ** * 1. Why doth the mighty [one] boast himself in I his wickedness ? 103. ** * 2. Thy tongue hath studied unrighteous- Saiome inness all the day long ; as a sharp razor hast thou Ihe^repen^ •*■ , .rsalm li. * 3. Thou lovedst wickedness more than goodness ; thou lovedst to speak unrighteousness more than righteousness. ** * 4. Thou lovedst all words of submerging and a crafty tongue. '* * 5, Wherefor will God bring thee to naught Self-willed aideth his emanations and they again oppress Sophia. utterly, and will uproot thee and drag thee out from thy dwelling-place, and will root out thy root and cast it away from the living. (Selah.) '* * 6. The righteous will see and be afraid, and they will mock at him and say : " ' 7. Lo, a man who made not God for his helper, but trusted to his great riches and was mighty in his vanity.

'' ' 8. But I am as a | fruit-bearing olive-tree in the house of God. I have trusted in the grace of God from all eternity. '' ' 9. And I will confess unto thee, for thou hast dealt faithfully with me ; and I will wait on thy name, for it is auspicious in the presence of thy holy [ones].' " This then is now, therefore, my Lord, the solution of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia. While thy light-power hath roused me, I have spoken it according to thy desire." It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words which Salome spake, that he said : ** Well said, Salome. Amen, amen, I say unto you : I will perfect you in all mysteries of the kingdom of the Light." 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 exceedingly, it was in fear and cried out to its selfwilled god, that he should help it. And forthwith the self-willed god looked out of the thirteenth aeon, and looked down into the chaos, exceedingly wrathful | and desiring to help his lion-faced power. And forthwith the lion-faced power, it

and all its emanations, surrounded Pistis Sophia, desiring to take away the whole light in Sophia. 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 Selfwilled 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. ** ' 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 Selfwilled, 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 dwelling-place, and they shall not be taken thither from now on. " ' 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 prophesied 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.

Andrew interpreteth the twelfth repentance from Psalm cviii. ** ' 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 without 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 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 fasting, 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 according 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 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, for it is exceedingly great, because I have abandoned the regions of the height and have come to dwell in the regions of the chaos.'

'' When then Pistis Sophia had said this, she continued again in the thirteenth repentance, saying : 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 thirteenth aeon may be accomplished, — those [aeons] | 111. which I have overstepped and out of which I " * 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 forgiveness. ** * 4. And give unto me the baptism and forgive 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 transgressed, that thy commandment may be accomplished.'

'' This then Pistis Sophia said. Now, therefore, 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 mto thy I great grace ; according to the fulness the^thirof 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 lightpower, 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 lightpower led Pistis Sophia up to the higher regions

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, '' ' 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. *' ' 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 without 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 deliverer 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 in- 0,1 J i-1 1 terpreteth tor 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 The power sent by Jesus formeth a lightwreath on Sophia's head. be mighty, and what they have wickedly prepared 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 lightpower, 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 emanations of Self-willed should not rob it from it, — when then this befell her, the pure light-power in Sophia began to sing praises. And she praised my light-power, which was a wreath round her head, and she sang praises, saying :

" ' 1. The Light hath become a wreath round 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 proclaim 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 prophesied 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. Mary, his mother, interpreteth the song of Sophia from the xixth Ode of Solomon. Jesus commendeth his mother. The commandment of the First Mystery is fulfilled for taking Sophia entirely out of the chaos. 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 commandment of all the tribulations which were decreed 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, therefore, when I had seen it, coming forth from the seons and hastening down to me, — I was above the chaos, — that another light-power went forth out of me, that it too might help Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which had come from the height 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 MagLord, 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 eightyfourth 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

Mary, the mother, further interpreteth the scripturei 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 Lightkingdom." 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 according 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 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, Of the spiritual and material bodies of Jesus. 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 concerning 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 Lightkingdom."

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 likewise 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 come upon thee, when thou didst receive the The other baptism from John. ' Grace ' then is the godly the7interspirit who hath come upon thee : he hath had Ef®*!*fii^® mercy on the race of men, hath come down and ture from •11 p n ^ ii/-<i *^® baptism hath met with the power oi babaoth, the Grood, of jesus. which is in thee and which hath made proclamation 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 moreover 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, Mary, the mother, again further interpreteth the same scripture from the meeting of herself with EUzabeth, mother of John the Baptizer. Of the incarnation of Jesus. thy mother, and Elizabeth, mother of John, whom I have met. | ' Grace ' then is the power of Sabaoth in me, which went forth out of me, which thou art. Thou hast had mercy on the whole race of men. ' Truth ' on the other hand is the power in Elizabeth, which is John, who did come and hath made proclamation concerning the way of Truth, which thou art, — who hath made proclamation before thee. And again, * Grace and truth met together,' — that is thou, my Lord, thou who didst meet John on the day when thou hadst to receive the baptism. And again thou and John are ' Righteousness and peace kissed each other.' — * Truth hath sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven,' — this is, during the time when thou didst minister unto thyself, thou didst have the form of Gabriel, thou didst look down upon me from heaven and speak with me. And when thou hadst spoken with me, thou didst sprout up in me, — that is the * truth,' that is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which is in thy material body, that is the * truth ' which ' sprouted up out of the earth.' "

It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard his mother Mary speak these words, that he said : *' Well said, and finely. This is the solution of all the words concerning which my light-power hath prophesied aforetime through the prophet David," (Now these are the names which I will give 125. from the Boundless onward. Write them with a a note by sign, that the Sons of God may be revealed copied from irom here on. scripture. This is the name of the Immortal : aaa, odd ; and this is the name of the Voice, for the sake of which the Perfect Man hath set himself in motion : m. And these are the interpretations of the names of these mysteries : the first [name], which is aaa, its interpretation is fff ; the second, which is mmm or odd, its interpretation is aaa ; the third, which is pspsps, its interpretation is 000 ; the fourth, which is fff, its interpretation is nnn ; the fifth, which is ddd, its interpretation is aaa. He on the throne is aaa. This is the interpretation of the second : aaaa, aaaa, aaaa ; this is the interpretation of the whole name.)

CHAP. 63. John also came forward and said: ** 0 Lord, ^^^' bid me also speak the solution of the words which thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David." And Jesus answered and said unto John : ** To thee too, John, I give commandment to speak the solution of the words which my lightpower hath prophesied through David : ** * 10. Grace and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other. ** * 11. Truth hath sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven.' " John further And John answcrcd and said: ** This is the tht^samf *^ word which thou hast said unto us aforetime : scripture. * J j^ave come out of the Height and entered into Sabaoth, the Good, and embraced the lightpower in him.' Now, therefore, * Grace and truth ' which ' met together,' — thou art *grace,' thou who art sent out of the regions of the Height through thy Father, the First Mystery which 127. looketh within, in that he hath sent thee, | that thou mayest have mercy on the whole world. * Truth ' on the other hand is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which bound itself in thee

and which thou hast cast forth to the Left, — thou the First Mystery which looketh without. And the little Sabaoth, the Good, took it and cast it of Sabaoth, forth into the matter of Barbelo, and he made Yabraoth proclamation concerning the regions of Truth yg^t*^gg|.yj.g^ to all the regions of those of the Left. That matter of Barbelo then it is which is body for ** And * righteousness and peace ' which ' kissed each other,' — * righteousness ' then art thou who didst bring all the mysteries through thy Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, and hast baptized this power of Sabaoth, the Good ; and thou didst go to the region of the rulers and didst give unto them the mysteries of the Height ; they became righteous and good. *' * Peace ' on the other hand is the power of Sabaoth, that is thy soul, which did enter into the matter of Barbelo, and all the rulers of the six aeons of Yabraoth have made peace with the mystery of the Light. ** And ' truth ' which * sprouted forth out of the earth,' — it is the power of Sabaoth, the Good, which came out of the region of the Eight, which lieth outside the Treasury of the Light, and which hath come into the region of those of the Left ; | it hath entered into the matter of Barbelo, and 128. hath made proclamation concerning the mysteries of the region of Truth.

** * Righteousness ' on the other hand which * looked down from heaven,' is thou the First Mystery which looketh down without, as thou didst come out of the spaces of the Height with the mysteries of the Light-kingdom ; and thou didst come down upon the light-vesture which thou didst receive from the hand of Barbelo, which [vesture] is Jesus, our Saviour, in that thou didst come down upon him as a dove." It came to pass then, when John had brought forward these words, that the First Mystery which looketh without, said unto him : '* Well said, John, beloved brother." CHAP. 64. The First Mystery again continued and said : Gabriel and <' j^ camc to pass, therefore, that the power Michael are ^ r j ? r ^ summoned which had comc out of the Height, that is I, in Sophi^. ^^ ^^ that my Father sent me to save Pistis Sophia out of the chaos, [that] I, therefore, and also the power which did go from me, and the soul which I had received from Saba5th, the Good, — they drew towards one another and become a single lightstream, which shone very exceedingly. I called down Gabriel and Michael out of the aeons, at the command of my Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, and I gave unto them the light-stream and let them go down into the chaos | 129. to help Pistis Sophia and to take the light-powers,

which the emanations of Self-willed had taken from her, from them and give them to Pistis Sophia. '* And straightway, when they had brought down the light-stream into the chaos, it shone most exceedingly in the whole of the chaos, and spread itself over all their regions. And when the emanations of Self-willed had seen the great light of that stream, they were terror-stricken one with the other. And that stream drew forth out of them all the light-powers which they had taken from Pistis Sophia, and the emanations of Selfwilled could not dare to lay hold of that light- stream in the dark chaos ; nor could they lay hold of it with the art of Self-willed, who ruleth over the emanations. *' And Gabriel and Michael led the Hght-stream The Ughtover the body of the matter of Pistis Sophia and storeth the poured into her all the light-powers which they ^^g^^'P^^^""^ had taken from her. And the body of her matter became shining throughout, and all the powers also in her, whose light they had taken away, took light and ceased to lack their light, for they got their light which had been taken from them, because the light was given them through me. And Michael and Gabriel, who ministered and had brought the light-stream | into the chaos, i30, will give them the mysteries of the Light ; it is they to whom the light-stream was entrusted, which I have given unto them and brought into the chaos. And Michael and Gabriel have taken no light for themselves from the lights of Sophia, which they had taken from the emanations of Self-willed.

*' It came to pass then, when the light-stream had ingathered into Pistis Sophia all her lightpowers, which it had taken from the emanations of Self-willed, that she became shining throughout ; and the light-powers also in Pistis Sophia, which the emanations of Self-willed had not taken, became joyful again and filled themselves with light. And the lights which were poured into Pistis Sophia, quickened the body of her matter, in which no light was present, and which was on the point of perishing or perished. And they raised up all her powers which were on the point of being dissolved. And they took unto themselves a light-power and became again as they The lightstream, having accomplished its purpose, departeth from Sophia. Peter interpreteth the narrative from the Odes of Solomon. were before, and they increased again in their sense of the Light. And all the light-powers of Sophia knew themselves mutually through my light-stream and were saved through the light of that stream. And my light-stream, when it had taken away the lights from the emanations of Self-willed, which they had taken away from Pistis Sophia, poured them into | Pistis Sophia, and turned itself about and went up out of the chaos."

When then the First Mystery said this to the disciples, that it had befallen Pistis Sophia in the chaos, he answered and said unto them : ** Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you ? " Peter came forward and said : ** My Lord, concerning the solution of the words which thou hast spoken, thus hath thy light-power prophesied aforetime through Solomon in his Odes : *' ' 1. A stream came forth and became a great wide flood. *' ' 2. It tore away all to itself and turned itself against the temple. " * 3. Dams and buildings could not hold it, nor could the art of them who hold the waters. ** ' 4. It was led over the whole land and laid hold of all. *' ' 5. They who were on the dry sand, drank ; their thirst was quieted and quenched, when the draught from the hand of the Highest was given. *' ' 6. Blessed are the ministers of that draught, to whom the water of the Lord is entrusted. *' * 7. They have refreshed parched lips ; they whose power was taken away, have gotten joy of heart and they have laid hold of souls, having

poured in the breath, so that they should not die. ** * 8. They have raised up hmbs which were fallen ; they have given power to their openness and light unto their eyes. ** * 9. For they all have known themselves in the Lord and are saved through the water of Life eternal.' ** Hearken, therefore, my Lord, that I may set forth the word in openness. As thy | power i32. hath prophesied through Solomon : ' A stream came forth and became a great wide flood,' — this is : The light-stream hath spread itself out in the chaos over all the regions of the emanations of Self-willed. ** And again the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : * It tore away all to itself and led it over the temple,' — that is : It drew all the light-powers out of the emanations of Self-willed, which they had taken from Pistis Sophia, and poured them anew into Pistis Sophia. ** And again the word thy power hath spoken : ' The dams and buildings could not hold it,' — that is : The emanations of Self-willed could not hold the light-stream within the walls of the darkness of the chaos.

" And again the word which it hath spoken : * It was led over the whole land and filled all,' — that is : When Gabriel and Michael had led it over the body of Pistis Sophia, they poured into her all the lights which the emanations of Selfwilled had taken from her, and the body of her matter shone. " And the word which it hath spoken : * They who were in the dry sand, drank,' — that is : All in Pistis Sophia whose light had before been taken away, got light. *' And the word which it hath spoken : ' Their 133. thirst was quieted | and quenched,' — that is : Her powers ceased to lack the light, because their hght, which had been taken from them, was *' And again as thy power hath spoken : * The draught through the Highest was given them,' — that is : The light was given unto them through the light-stream, which came forth out of thee, the First Mystery." ** And as thy power hath spoken : ' Blessed are the ministers of that draught,' — this is the word which thou hast spoken : * Michael and Gabriel, who have ministered, have brought the light-stream into the chaos and also led it forth again. They will give them the mysteries of the Light of the Height, they to whom the lightstream is entrusted.'

'' And again as thy power hath spoken : * They have refreshed parched lips,' — that is : Gabriel and Michael have not taken for themselves from the lights of Pistis Sophia, which they had spoiled from the emanations of Self-willed, but they have poured them into Pistis Sophia. *' And again the word which it hath spoken : * They whose power was taken away, have gotten joy of heart,' — that is : All the other powers of Pistis Sophia, which the emanations of Self-willed have not taken, are become exceedingly merry and have filled themselves with light from their light-fellows, for these have poured it into them. | 134. ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * They have quickened souls, having poured in the breath, so that they should not die,' — that is : When they had poured the Hghts into Pistis Sophia, they quickened the body of her matter, from which they had before taken its Hghts, and which was on the point of perishing. ** And again the word which thy power hath spoken : ' They have raised up hmbs which were fallen, or that they should not fall,' — that is : When they poured into her her lights, they raised up all her powers which were on the point of being dissolved.

'* And again as thy light-power hath spoken : * They have received again their light and have become as they were before ' ; and again the word which it hath spoken : ' They have given light unto their eyes,' — that is : They have received sense in the Light and known the lightstream, that it belongeth to the Height. *' And again the word which it hath spoken : * They all have known themselves in the Lord,' — that is : All the powers of Pistis Sophia have known one another through the light-stream. *' And again the word which it hath spoken : * They are saved through water of Life eternal,' — that is : They are saved through the whole lightstream. " And again the word which it hath spoken : ' The light-stream tore all to itself and drew it over the temple,' — that is : When the light-stream had taken all the light-powers of Pistis Sophia | and 135. had spoiled them from the emanations of Selfwilled, it poured them into Pistis Sophia and turned itself about and went out of the chaos and came over thee, — thou who art the temple.

*' This is the solution of all the words which The emanations of Self-willed cry aloud to him for help. He sendeth forth another more violent power like unto a flying arrow. thy light-power hath spoken through the Ode of Solomon." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had heard Peter speak these words, that he said unto him : ** Well said, blessed Peter. This is the solution of the words which have been spoken." And the First Mystery continued again in the discourse and said : ''It came to pass then, before I had led forth Pistis Sophia out of the chaos, because it was not yet commanded me through my Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, — at that time then, after the emanations of Self-willed had perceived that my light-stream had taken from them the lightpowers which they had taken from Pistis Sophia, and had poured them into Pistis Sophia, and when they again had seen Pistis Sophia, that she shone as she had done from the beginning, that they were enraged against Pistis Sophia and cried out again to their Self-willed, that he should come and help them, so that they might take away the powers in Pistis Sophia anew.

" And Self-willed sent out of the height, out of the thirteenth aeon, and sent another great light-power. It came down into the chaos | as a flying arrow, that he might help his emanations, so that they might take away the lights from Pistis Sophia anew. And when that light-power had come down, the emanations of Self-willed which were in the chaos and oppressed Pistis Sophia, took great courage and again pursued Pistis Sophia with great terror and great alarm. And some of the emanations of Self-willed oppressed her. One of them changed itself into the form of a great serpent ; another again The fashionchanged itself also into the form of a seven-headed ^?pent.,^ basihsk ; another again changed itself into the ^rago^n- *^^ form of a dragon. And moreover the first power powers. of Self-willed, the lion-faced, and all his other very numerous emanations, they came together and oppressed Pistis Sophia and led her again into the lower regions of the chaos and alarmed her again exceedingly. ** It came to pass then that there looked down The demonout of the twelve aeons, Adamas, the Tyrant, idamas who also was wroth with Pistis Sophia, because ^p^*^^^^^ she desired to go to the | Light of lights, which 137. was above them all ; therefore was he wroth with her. It came to pass then, when Adamas, the Tyrant, had looked down out of the twelve seons, that he saw the emanations of Self-willed oppressing Pistis Sophia, until they should take from her all her lights.

It came to pass then, when the power of Adamas had come down into the chaos unto all the emanations of Self-willed, — it came to pass then, when that demon came down into the chaos, that it dashed down Pistis Sophia. And the lion-faced power and the serpent-form and the basilisk-form and the dragon-form and all the other very numerous emanations of Selfwilled surrounded Pistis Sophia all together, desiring to take from her anew her powers in her, and they oppressed Pistis Sophia exceedingly and threatened her. It came to pass then, when they oppressed her and alarmed her exceedingly, that she cried again to the Light and sang praises, saying :

** * 1. 0 Light, it is thou who hast helped me ; let thy light come over me. Sophia again crieth to the Light. Gabriel and Michael and the Ught-stream again go to her aid. " ' 2. For thou art my protector, and I come hence unto thee, 0 Light, having faith in thee, 0 Light. '' * 3. For thou art my saviour from the emanations of Self-willed and of Adamas, the Tyrant, and thou shalt save me from all his violent threats.' ** And when Pistis Sophia had said this, then at the commandment | of my Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, I sent again Gabriel and Michael and the great light-stream, that they should help Pistis Sophia. And I gave commandment unto Gabriel and Michael to bear Pistis Sophia in their hands, so that her feet should not touch the darkness below ; and I gave them commandment moreover to guide her in the regions of the chaos, out of which she was to be led. '' It came to pass then, when the angels had come down into the chaos, they and the lightstream, and moreover [when] all the emanations of Self-willed and the emanations of Adamas had seen the light-stream, how it shone very exceedingly and there was no measure for the light about it, that they became terror-stricken and quitted Pistis Sophia. And the great Ughtstream surrounded Pistis Sophia on all sides of her, on her left and on her right and on all her sides, and it became a light-wreath round her head.

*' It came to pass then, when the light-stream had surrounded Pistis Sophia, that she took great courage, and it ceased not to surround her on all her sides ; and she was no longer in fear of the emanations of Self-willed which are in the chaos, nor was she any more in fear of the other new power of Self-willed which he had cast down into the chaos | as a flying arrow, nor did she any 139. more tremble at the demon power of Adamas which had come out of the aeons. *' And moreover by commandment of myself , The transthe First Mystery which looketh without, the so^ta!^^ ° light-stream which surrounded Pistis Sophia on all her sides, shone most exceedingly, and Pistis Sophia abode in the midst of the light, a great light being on her left and on her right, and on all her sides, forming a wreath round her head. And all the emanations of Self-willed [could] not change their face again, nor could they bear the shock of the great light of the stream, which was a wreath round her head. And all the emanations of Self-willed, — many of them fell at her right, because she shone most exceedingly, and many others fell at her left, and were not able at all to draw nigh unto Pistis Sophia because of the great light ; but they fell all one on another, or they all came near one another, and they could not inflict any ill on Pistis Sophia, because she had trusted in the Light.

"And at the commandment of my Father, Jesus, the the First Mystery which looketh within, I myself te^ looking went down into the chaos, shining most exceed- ^^g^^^* ingly, I and approached the lion-faced power, Sophia to which shone exceedingly, and took its whole light ^^^ in it and held fast all the emanations of Selfwilled, so that from now on they went not into their region, that is the thirteenth aeon. And I took away the power of all the emanations of Self-willed, and they all fell down in the chaos powerless. And I led forth Pistis Sophia, she being on the right of Gabriel and Michael. And the great light-stream entered again into her. And Pistis Sophia beheld with her eyes her foes, that I had taken their light-power from them. And I led Pistis Sophia forth from the chaos, she treading under foot the serpent-faced emanation of Self-willed, and moreover treading under foot the seven-faced-basilisk emanation, and treading under foot the lion- and dragon-faced power. I made Pistis Sophia continue to stand upon the seven-headed-basilisk emanation of Self-willed ; and it was more mighty than them all in its evil doings. And I, the First Mystery, stood by it and took all the powers in it, and made to perish its whole matter, so that no seed should arise from it from now on." |

And when the First Mystery said this unto his disciples, he answered and said : *' Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you ? " James came forward and said : *' My Lord, concerning then the solution of the words which thou hast said, thus hath thy light-power prophesied thereon aforetime through David in the ninetieth Psalm : ** * 1. Whoso then dwelleth under the help of thXarrative ^h© Most High, will abide under the shadow of the God of heaven. '* * 2. He will say unto the Lord : Thou art my succour and my place of refuge, my God, in whom I trust. ** ' 3. For he will save me out of the snare of the hunters and from mighty word, " * 4. He will shade thee with his breast, and thou shalt have trust beneath his wings ; his truth shall surround thee as a shield. ** * 5. Thou wilt not be afraid of terror by night nor of an arrow which flieth by day, ** ' 6. Of a thing which sHnketh in the darkness, of a mischance and a demon at mid-day. ** * 7. A thousand will fall on | thy left, and ten 1^2 thousand at thy right hand ; but they shall not come nigh thee.

** * 8. Nay rather with thine eyes wilt thou behold, thou wilt see the requital of the sinners. *' * 9. For thou, 0 Lord, art my hope. Thou hast estabHshed the Most High for thyself as refuge. '* ' 10. Harm will not come nigh unto thee ; scourge will not come nigh thy dwelling. ** * 11. For he will give commandment to his angels on thy behalf that they guard thee on all thy ways, ** * 12. And bear thee on their hands, that thou mayest never strike with thy foot against a stone. ** * 13. Thou wilt stride over the serpent and basilisk and tread on lion and dragon. ** ' 14. Because he hath trusted in me, I will save him ; I will overshadow him, because he hath known my name. ** * 15. He will cry unto me and I shall hearken unto him ; I am at his side in his tribulation and will save him and honour him, ** * 16. And increase him with many day^ and show him my salvation.' ** This, my Lord, is the solution of the words which thou hast said. Hearken therefore, that I may say it in openness.

** The word then which thy power hath spoken through David : * Whoso then dwelleth under the help of the Most High, will abide under the shadow of the God of heaven/ — that is : When Sophia had trusted in the Light, she abode under the light of the light-stream, which through thee came out of the Height. " And the word which thy power hath spoken through David : ' I will say unto the Lord : Thou art my succour and my refuge, my God, in whom I trust,' — it is the word with which Pistis Sophia 143. hath sung praises : | * Thou art my succour, and I come unto thee.' " And again the word which thy power hath spoken : * My God, in whom I trust, thou wilt save me out of the snare of the hunters and from mighty word,' — it is what Pistis Sophia hath said : ' 0 Light, I have faith in thee, for thou wilt save me from the emanations of Self-willed and from those of Adamas, the Tyrant, and thou wilt save me also from all their mighty threats.' '* And again the word which thy power hath spoken through David : ' He will shade thee with his breast, and thou wilt have trust beneath his wings,' — that is : Pistis Sophia hath been in the light of the light-stream, which hath come from thee, and hath continued in firm trust in the light, that on her left and that on her right, which are the wings of the light-stream.

" And the word which thy light-power hath prophesied through David : * Truth will surround thee as a shield,' — it is the light of the light-stream which hath surrounded Pistis Sophia on all her sides as a shield. ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * He will not be afraid of terror by night,' — that is : Pistis Sophia hath not been afraid of the terrors and alarms into which she had been planted in the chaos, which is the ' night.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken : | * He will not be afraid of an arrow which flieth by 144. day/ — that is : Pistis Sophia hath not been afraid of the power which Self-willed hath sent last of all out of the height, and which hath come into the chaos as it were a flying arrow. Thy lightpower therefore hath said : ' Thou wilt not be afraid of an arrow which flieth by day,' — ^for that power hath come out of the thirteenth aeon, it being that which is lord over the twelve aeons, and which giveth light unto all the aeons ; wherefor hath he [David] said ' day.'

'* And again the word which thy power hath spoken : ' He will not be afraid of a thing which slinketh in the darkness,' — that is : Sophia hath not been afraid of the lion-faced emanation, which caused fear for Pistis Sophia in the chaos, which is the * darkness.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * He will not be afraid of a mischance and of a demon at mid-day,' — that is : Pistis Sophia hath not been afraid of the demon emanation of Tyrant Adamas, which hath cast Pistis Sophia to the ground in a great mischance, and which hath come forth out of Adamas out of the twelfth aeon ; wherefor then hath thy power said : * He will not be afraid of | the demon mischance at ua mid-day,' — ' mid-day,' because it hath come out of the twelve aeons, which is * mid-day ' ; and again [ * night,' because] it hath come out of the chaos, which is the ' night,' and because it hath come out of the twelfth aeon which is in the midst between both ; therefore hath thy light-power said * mid-

day,' because the twelve aeons lie in the midst between the thirteenth aeon and the chaos. '' And again the word which thy light-power hath spoken through David : * A thousand will fall on his left, and ten thousand at his right hand, but they shall not come nigh him,' — that is : When the emanations of Self-willed, which are exceedingly numerous, could not bear the great light of the Hght-stream, many of them fell on the left hand of Pistis Sophia and many at her right, and they could not come nigh her, to do her [harm]. ** And the word which thy light-power hath spoken through David : * Nay rather with thine eyes wilt thou behold, and wilt see the requital of the sinners, for thou, 0 Lord, art my hope,' — that is the word : Pistis Sophia hath with her eyes beheld her foes, that is the emanations 146. of Self-willed, who all | have fallen one on another ; not only hath she with her eyes beheld this, but thou also thyself, my Lord, the First Mystery, hast taken the light-power which is in the lionfaced power, and hast moreover taken the power of all the emanations of Self-willed and moreover thou hast imprisoned them in that chaos, [so that] from henceforth they have not gone forth to their own region. Therefore then hath Pistis Sophia with her eyes beheld her foes, that is the emanations of Self-willed, in all which David hath prophesied concerning Pistis Sophia, saying : * Nay rather with thine eyes wilt thou behold, and thou wilt see the requital of the sinners.' Not only hath she with her eyes beheld, how they fall one on another in the chaos, but she hath also seen the requital with which it was requited them. Just as the emanations of Self-willed have thought

to take away the light of Sophia from her, so hast thou requited them and repaid them in full, and hast taken the light-power in them instead of the Hghts of Sophia, who hath had faith in the Light of the Height. ** And as thy Hght-power hath spoken through David : ' Thou hast estabHshed the Most High for thyself as refuge ; harm will not come nigh unto thee, scourge will not come nigh thy dweUing,' — that is : When Pistis Sophia had had faith in the Light and was afflicted, she sang praises unto it, and the emanations of Self-willed could not inflict on her any harm, | nor could they [injure] u?. her, nor could they at all come nigh her. ** And the word which thy light-power hath spoken through David : ' He will give commandment to his angels on thy behalf, that they guard thee on all thy ways and bear thee on their hands, that thou mayest never strike with thy foot against a stone,' — it is again thy word : Thou hast given commandment to Gabriel and Michael, that they guide Pistis Sophia in all the regions of the chaos, until they lead her forth and that they uplift her on their hands, so that her feet do not touch the darkness beneath, and [that] on the other hand they of the lower darkness do not seize hold of her.

** And the word which thy light-power hath spoken through David : * Thou wilt tread on serpent and basilisk and tread on lion and dragon ; because he hath trusted in me, I will save him and I will overshadow him, because he hath known my name,' — that is the word : When Pistis Sophia was on the point of coming forth out of the chaos, she trod on the emanations of Self-willed, and she Sophia singeth a song of praise. trod on the serpent-faced ones and on the basiHskfaced ones, which have seven heads ; and she trod on the Hon-faced power and on the dragon-faced one. Because she had had faith in the Light, is she saved from all of them. ** This, my Lord, is the solution of the words which thou hast spoken." It came to pass then, when the First Mysteryhad heard these words, that he said : *' Well said, James, | beloved one." And the First Mystery continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples : ** It came to pass, when I had led Pistis Sophia out of the chaos, that she cried out again and said :

" ' 1. I am saved out of the chaos and loosed from the bonds of the darkness. I am come unto thee, 0 Light. '* ' 2. For thou wert light on all sides of me, saving me and helping me. " * 3. And the emanations of Self-willed, which fought against me, thou hast hindered through thy light, and they could not come nigh me ; for thy light was with me and saved me through thy light-stream. *' * 4. Because in sooth the emanations of Selfwilled constrained me, they took from me my power and cast me out into the chaos with no light in me. So I became as heavy-weighing matter in comparison with them. ** * 5. And thereafter came a light-stream unto me through thee which saved me ; it shone on my left and on my right and surrounded me on all sides of me, so that no part of me was without light. *' * 6. And thou hast covered me with the light of thy stream and purged from me all my evil matters ; and I shall be relieved of all my matters because of thy light. ** * 7. And it is thy light-stream which hath raised me up and taken from me the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me.

*' * 8. And I I have become sure-trusting in 149. thy light and purified light in thy stream. *' * 9. And the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me, have withdrawn themselves from me ; and I shone in thy great power, for thou savest for ever.' ** This is the repentance which Pistis Sophist hath uttered, when she came forth out of the chaos and was freed from the bonds of the chaos. Now, therefore, who hath ears to hear, let him hear." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery chap. 69. had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that Thomas came forward, and said : *' My Lord, my light-dweller hath ears and my mind hath understood the words which thou hast said. Now, therefore, give commandment unto me to set forth clearly the solution of the words." And the First Mystery answered and said unto Thomas : "I give thee commandment to set forth the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia sang unto me." Thomas answered and said : ** My Lord, con- Thomas incerning the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, th7song*of because she was saved out of the chaos, thy ^^p q^J^^^^ light-power prophesied aforetime thereon through Solomon. Solomon, the son of David, in his Odes :

*' ' 1. I am saved | from the bonds and am fled i50. unto thee, 0 Lord. 2. For thou hast been on my right hand, saving me and helping me. ** * 3. Thou hast hindered my adversaries and they have not been revealed, because thy face was with me, saving me in thy grace. ** * 4. I was despised in the sight of many and cast out ; I have become as lead in their sight. ** * 5. Through thee I have gotten a power which helped me ; for thou hast set lamps on my right and on my left, so that no side of me may be without light. ** * 6. Thou hast overshadowed me with the shadow of thy grace, and I was relieved of the coats of skin. '* * 7. It is thy right hand which hath raised me up, and thou hast taken the sickness from 8. I have become powerful in thy truth and purified in thy righteousness. ** * 9. My adversaries have withdrawn themselves from me, and I am justified by thy goodness, for thy rest endureth unto all eternity.' *' This then, my Lord, is the solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was saved out of the chaos. Hearken, therefore, that I may say it in openness.

" The word then which thy light-power hath spoken through Solomon : * I am saved from the bonds and am fled unto thee, 0 Lord,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * I am loosed from the bonds of the darkness and am come unto thee, 0 Light.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : 151. ' Thou wert on my right hand, saving | and helping me,' — it is again the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * Thou art become a hght on all sides of me, [saving me] and helping me.' *' And the word which thy light-power hath spoken : * Thou hast hindered my adversaries and they have not been revealed/ — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * And the emanations of Self-willed which fought against me, thou hast hindered through thy light, and they could not come nigh me.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Thy face was with me, saving me in thy grace,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * Thy light was with me, saving me in thy lightstream.'

*' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * I was despised in the sight of many and cast out,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * The emanations of Self-willed constrained me and took my power from me, and I have been despised before them and cast out into the chaos, with no light in me.' '' And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' I have become as lead in their sight,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' When they had taken my light from me, I became as heavy- weighing matter before them.' ** And moreover the word which thy power hath spoken : ' Through thee | I have gotten a 152. power for me which helped me,' — it is again the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thereafter came a light-power unto me through thee which saved me.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' Thou hast set lamps on my right and on my left, so that no side of me may be without light,' — it is the word whicji Pistis Sophia hath spoken :

* Thy power shone on my right and on my left and surrounded me on all sides of me, so that no part of me was without light.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Thou hast overshadowed me with the shadow of thy grace/ — it is again the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * And thou hast covered me with the light of the stream.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * I was relieved of the coats of skin,' — it is again the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * And they have purified me of all my evil matters, and I raised myself above them in thy light.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : * It is thy right hand which hath raised me up, and hath taken the sickness from me,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * And it is thy light-stream which hath raised me up in thy light and hath taken from me the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me.' I 153. " And the word which thy power hath spoken :

' I have become powerful in thy truth and purified in thy righteousness,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' I have become powerful in thy light and purified light in thy stream.' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * My adversaries have withdrawn themselves from me,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * The emanations of Self-willed which constrained me, have withdrawn themselves from me.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : * And I am justified in thy goodness, for thy rest endureth unto all eternity,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' I am saved in thy goodness ; for thou savest every one.' *' This then, 0 my Lord, is the whole solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was saved out of the chaos and loosed from the bonds of the darkness." It came to pass then when the First Mystery chap. 70. had heard Thomas say these words, that he said unto him : '' Well said, finely, Thomas, blessed one. This is the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."

And the First Mystery continued again and said unto the disciples : '' And Pistis Sophia continued and sang praises unto me, saying : '' ' 1. I sing a song unto thee; | through thy 154. commandment hast thou led me down out of the SopMa higher aeon which is above, and hast led me up to other song . 1 . 1 . 1 1 1 of praise. the regions which are below. '' ' 2. And again through thy commandment thou hast saved me out of the regions which are below, and through thee hast thou taken there the matter in my light-powers, and I have seen it. *' * 3. And thou hast scattered far from me the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me and were hostile to me, and hast bestowed power on me to loose myself from the bonds of the emanations of Adamas. ** * 4. And thou hast smitten the basilisk with the seven heads and cast it out with my hands and hast set me above its matter. Thou hast destroyed it, so that its seed may not raise itself up from now on. 5. And thou wert with me, giving me power

in all this, and thy light surrounded me in all regions, and through thee hast thou made all the emanations of Self-willed powerless. " ' 6. For thou hast taken the power of their light from them and made straight my way to lead me out of the chaos. *' ' 7. And thou hast removed me from the material darknesses and taken from them all my powers, from which the light had been taken. ** * 8. Thou hast put into them purified light 155. and unto all my limbs, | in which was no light, thou hast given purified light from the Light of the Height. ** ' 9. And thou hast made straight the way for them [sc, my limbs], and the light of thy face hath become for me life indestructible. '' * 10. Thou hast led me forth above the chaos, the region of chaos and extermination, in order that all the matters in it which are in that region, might be unloosed and all my powers be renewed in thy light, and thy light be in them all. ** * 11. Thou hast deposited the light of thy stream in me and Lam become purified light.'

'* This again is the second song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered. Who then hath understood this repentance, let him come forward and speak it." CHAP. 71. It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had finished saying these words, that Matthew came forward and said : ** I have understood the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered. Now, therefore, give commandment unto me, that I speak it in openness." And the First Mystery answered and said : ** I give commandment unto thee, Matthew, to set forth the interpretation of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered." And Matthew answered and said : '* Concerning the interpretation of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, thus thy Hght-power prophesied aforetime thereon through the Ode of Solomon : *' * 1. He who hath led me down out of the Matthew higher regions which are above, hath led me up iht^gong^ot^ out of I the regions which are in the bottom below. SopWa from 111 1 • 1 .1 *^® Odes of 2. Who hath there taken those in the midst, Solomon. he hath taught me concerning them. i^^- *' * 3. Who hath scattered my foes and my adversaries, he hath bestowed power on me over the bonds, to unloose them.

** ' 4. Who hath smitten the serpent with the seven heads with my hands, he hath set me up above its root, that I may extinguish its seed. *' ' 5. And thou wert with me, helping me ; in all regions thy name surrounded me. *' ' 6. Thy right hand hath destroyed the venom of the slanderer ; thy hand hath cleared the way for thy faithful. *' * 7. Thou hast freed them out of the tombs and hast removed them from the midst of the corpses. ** ' 8. Thou hast taken dead bones and hast clothed them with a body and to them who stirred not, hast thou given the activity of life. " ' 9. Thy way is become indestructibleness and thy face [also]. *' ' 10. Thou hast led thy aeon above decay, so that they all may be loosed and renewed and thy hght become a foundation for them all. '' * 11. Thou hast piled thy riches upon them and they have become a holy dwelling-place.' '' This then, my Lord, is the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered. Hearken, therefore, that I may say it in openness.

" The word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : ' Who hath led me down out of the higher regions which are above, he hath also led me up out of the regions which are in the 157. bottom below,' — it is the word | which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' I sing praises unto thee ; through thy commandment hast thou led me down out of this higher seon which is above, and hast led me to the regions below. And again through thy commandment thou hast saved me and led me up out of the regions which are below.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : ' Who hath there taken those in the midst and hath taught me concerning them,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophis hath spoken : ' And again through thy commandment hast thou caused the matter in the midst of my power to be purified, and I have seen it.' '' And moreover the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon : ' Who hath scattered my foes and my adversaries,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' Thou hast scattered far from me all the emanations of Self-willed which constrained me and were hostile to me.'

'' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Who hath bestowed on me wisdom over the bonds, to unloose them,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And he hath bestowed on me wisdom to loose myself from the bonds of those emanations.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken : 158. ' Who hath smitten | the serpent with the seven heads with my hands, he hath set me up above its root, that I may extinguish its seed,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thou hast smitten the serpent with the seven heads through my hands and set me up above its matter. Thou hast destroyed it, so that its seed may not raise itself up from now on.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' And thou wert with me, helping me,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thou wert with me, giving me power in all this.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' And thy name surrounded me in all regions,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken :

* And thy light surrounded me in all their regions.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' And thy right hand hath destroyed the venom of the slanderers,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And through thee the emanations of Self-willed became powerless, for thou hast taken from them the light of their power.' *' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Thy hand hath cleared the way for thy faithful,'— it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' Thou hast made straight my way to lead me out of the chaos, because I have had faith in thee.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Thou hast freed them out of the tombs and hast removed them from the midst of the corpses,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : * Thou hast freed me out of the chaos and removed me out of the material darknesses, that is | out i69. of the dark emanations which are in the chaos, from which thou hast taken their light.' " And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' Thou hast taken dead bones and hast clothed them with a body, and to them who stirred not, thou hast given activity of Hfe,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thou hast taken all my powers in which was no light, and hast bestowed on them within purified light, and unto all my limbs, in which no light stirred, thou hast given life-light out of thy Height.'

*' And the word which thy power hath spoken : * Thy way is become indestructibleness, and thy face [also],' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thou hast made straight thy way for me, and the light of thy face hath become for me life indestructible.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : ' Thou hast led thy seon above decay, so that all might be loosed and renewed,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' Thou hast led me, thy power, up above the chaos and above decay, that all the matters in that region may be loosed and all my powers renewed in the Light.' ** And the word which thy power hath spoken : * And thy light hath [become] foundation for them all,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' And thy light hath been in them all.' | 160. '* And the word which thy light-power hath spoken through Solomon : ' Thou hast put thy riches over him, and he hath become a holy dwelling-place,' — it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken : ' Thou hast stayed the Hght of thy stream over me, and I have become a purified light.'

*' This then, my Lord, is the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery chap. 72. had heard Matthew speak these words, that he said : '' Well said, Matthew, and finely, beloved. This is the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered." And the First Mystery continued again and said: Sophia con- *' ' 1. I will declare: Thou art the higher sing. Light, for that hast saved me and led me unto thee, and thou hast not let the emanations of Selfwilled, which are hostile unto me, take my light. ** * 2. 0 Light of lights, I sing praises unto thee ; thou hast saved me. *' ' 3. 0 Light, thou hast led up my power out of the chaos ; thou hast saved me from them which have gone down into the darkness.' " These words again hath Pistis Sophia uttered. Now, therefore, whose mind hath become understanding, comprehending the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, let him come forward and set forth their solution." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery Mary is had finished speaking these words unto thepeTer. ° disciples, that Mary came forward and said : *' My Lord, my | mind is ever understanding, at i6i. every time to come forward and set forth the solution of the words which she hath uttered ; but I am afraid of Peter, because he threatened me and hateth our sex."

And when she had said this, the First Mystery said unto her : " Every one who shall be filled with the spirit of light to come forward and set forth the solution of what I say, — no one shall be able to prevent him. Now, therefore, 0 Mary, set forth then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered," Mary interpreteth the song of Sophia from Psalm xxix. Sophia continueth her song. Martha interpreteth from Psalm Then Mary answered and said unto the First Mystery in the midst of the disciples : *' My Lord, concerning the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, thus hath thy lightpower prophesied aforetime through David : *' * 1. I will exalt thee, 0 Lord, for thou hast received me, and thou hast not made glad my foes over me. " * 2. 0 Lord, my God, I cried up unto thee, and thou hast healed me. '* ' 3. 0 Lord, thou hast led up my soul out of hell ; thou hast saved me from them which have gone down into the pit.' " And when Mary had said this, the First Mystery said unto her, '' Well said, finely, Mary, blessed one."

And he continued again | in the discourse and said unto the disciples : '* Sophia again continued in this song and said : *' ' 1. The Light hath become my saviour. '* ' 2. And it hath changed my darkness into light, and it has rent the chaos which surrounded me and girded me with light.' " It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had finished saying these words, that Martha came forward and said : " My Lord, thy power hath prophesied aforetime through David concerning these words : '* ' 10. The Lord hath become my helper. '* * n. He hath changed my lamentation into joy ; he hath rent my mourning-robe and girded me with joy.' " And it came to pass when the First Mystery had heard Martha speak these words, that he said : '' Well said^ and finely, Martha," And the First Mystery continued again and said unto the disciples : *' Pistis Sophia again continued in the song and said : *' ' 1. My power, sing praises to the Light and Sophia conforget not all the powers of the Light which it glJJig^ hath given unto thee.

*' * 2. And the powers which are in thee, sing praises to the name of his holy mystery ; *' ' 3. Who forgiveth all thy transgression, who saveth thee from all the afflictions with which the emanations of Self-willed have constrained thee ; " ' 4. Who hath saved thy light | from the i63. emanations of Self-willed which belong to destruction ; who hath wreathed thee with light in his compassion, until he saved thee ; *' * 5. Who hath filled thee with purified light ; and thy beginning will renew itself as an invisible of the Height.' " With these words Pistis Sophia sang praises, because she was so-ved and remembered all things which I had done unto her." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery chap. 74. had finished setting forth these words unto the disciples, that he said unto them : '* Who hath understood the solution of these words, let him come forward and say it in openness." Mary again came forward and said : *' My Lord, concerning these words with which Pistis Sophia hath sung praises, thus thy light-power prophesied them through David : ** ' 1. My soul, praise the Lord, let all that is Mary interin me praise his holy name. F^^Ir"^

** * 2. My soul, praise the Lord and forget not all his requitals. Sophia is led to a region below the thirteenth aeon and given a new mystery. She continueth to sing. *' ' 3. Who forgiveth all thy iniquities ; who healeth all thy sicknesses ; '* ' 4. Who redeemeth thy life from decay ; who wreatheth thee with grace and compassion ; *' * 5. Who satisfieth thy longing with good things ; thy youth will renew itself as an eagle's.' '' That is : Sophia will be as the invisibles who are in the Height ; he hath, therefore, said ' as an eagle,' because the dwelling-place of the eagle is in the height, and the | invisibles also are in the Height ; that is : Pistis Sophia will shine as the invisibles, as she was from her beginning." It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had heard Mary say these words, that he said : " Well said, Mary, blessed one." It came to pass then thereafter, that the First Mystery continued again in the discourse and said unto the disciples : " I took Pistis Sophia and led her up to a region which is below the thirteenth aeon, and gave unto her a new mystery of the Light which is not that of her aeon, the region of the invisibles. And moreover I gave her a song of the Light, so that from now on the rulers of the aeons could not [prevail] against her. And I removed her to that region until I should come after her and bring her to her higher region.

" It came to pass then, when I had removed her to that region, that she again uttered this song thus : *' * L In faith have I had faith in the Light ; and it remembered me and hearkened to my song. ** ' 2. It hath led my power up out of the chaos and the nether darkness of the whole matter and it hath led me up. It hath removed me to a higher and surer seon, lofty and firm ; it hath changed my place on the way which leadeth to my region. *' ' 3. And it hath given unto me a new mystery, which is not that of my aeon, and given unto me a song of the Light. Now, therefore, 0 Light, all the rulers will see what thou hast done unto me, and I be afraid and have faith in the Light.' 165. ** This song then Pistis Sophia uttered, rejoicing that she had been led up out of the chaos and brought to regions which are below the thirteenth seon. Now, therefore, let him whom his mind stirreth, so that he understandeth the solution of the thought of the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, come forward and say it."

Andrew came forward and said : '' My Lord, this is concerning what thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David : '' ' 1, In patience I tarried for the Lord; he Andrew inhath given heed unto me and ear unto my from Psaim weeping. ^^^^^• ** ' 2. He hath»led up my soul out of the pit of misery and out of the filthy mire ; he hath set my feet on a rock and made straight my steps. ** * 3. He hath put in my mouth a new song, a song of praise for our God. Many will see and be afraid and hope in the Lord.' " It came to pass then, when Andrew had set forth the thought of Pistis Sophia, that the First Mystery said unto him : " Well said, Andrew, blessed one." And he continued again in the discourse and chap. 76. said unto the disciples : " These are all adventures which have befallen Pistis Sophia. | It lee. came to pass then, when I had led her to the region which is below the thirteenth aeon, and was The conversation of Sophia and the Light. The Light promiseth to seal the regions of Self-willed.

about to go unto the Light and depart from her, that she said unto me : " ' 0 Light of hghts, thou wilt go to the Light and depart from me. And Tyrant Adamas will know that thou hast departed from me and will know that my saviour is not at hand. And he will come again to this region, he and all his rulers who hate me, and Self-willed also will bestow power unto his lion-faced emanation, so that they all will come and constrain me all together and take my whole light from me, in order that I may become powerless and again without light. Now, therefore, 0 Light and my Light, take from them the power of their light, so that they may not be able to constrain me from now on.' ** It came to pass then, when I heard these words which Pistis Sophia had spoken unto me, that I answered her, saying : ' My Father, who hath emanated me, hath not yet given me commandment to take their light from them ; but I will seal the regions of Self-willed and of all his rulers who hate thee because thou hast had faith in the Light. And I will also seal the regions of Adamas and of his rulers, so that none of them may be able to fight with thee, until their time is completed and the season cometh that my Father give me commandment to take their light from them.'

*' And thereafter I said again unto her : ' Hearken that I | may speak with thee about their time, when this which I have said unto thee, will come to pass. It will come to pass when [the] three times are completed.' *' Pistis Sophia answered and said unto me : * 0 Light, by what shall I know when the three times will take place, so that I may be glad and rejoice that the time is near for thee to bring me to my region, and moreover rejoice therein that the time is come when thou wilt take the lightpower from all them which hate me, because I have had faith in thy light ? ' *' And I answered and said unto her : ' If thou How Sophia seest the gate of the Treasury of the Great Light that the^ which is opened after the thirteenth aeon, and that ^^^j fj^^^ is the left ronel — when that gate is opened, then Hverance '- .-' 11) hath come. are the three times completed. '' Pistis Sophia again answered and said : ' 0 Light, by what shall I know, — for I am in this region, — that that gate is opened ? '

" And I answered and said unto her : ' When what wiu that gate is opened, they who are in all the aeons pass at that will know because of the Great Light which will ^^^^' obtain in all their regions. But see, I have now settled that they^shall venture no ill against thee, until the three times are completed. And thou wilt have the power of going down into their twelve seons, | when it pleaseth thee, and also of les. returning and going into thy region, which is below the thirteenth seon, and in which thou now art. But thou wilt not have the power of passing through the gate of the Height which is in the thirteenth seon, so as to enter into thy region whence thou didst come down. Moreover, if then the three times are completed. Self-willed and all his rulers will again constrain thee, to take thy light from thee, being enraged against thee and thinking that thou hast imprisoned his power in the chaos, and thinking that thou hast taken its light from it. He will then be embittered against thee, to take from thee thy light, in order that he may send it down into the chaos and it may get down to that emanation of his, so that it may be able to come up out of the chaos and go to his region. Adamas will attempt this. But I will take all thy powers from him and give them unto thee, and I will come to take them.

Now, therefore, if they constrain thee at that time, then sing praises to the Light, and I will not delay to help thee. And I will quickly come unto thee to the regions which are below thee. And I will come down to their regions to take their light from them. And I will come to this region whither I have removed thee, and which is below 169. the thirteenth | seon, until I bring thee to thy

region whence thou art come.' *' It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had heard me say these words unto her, that she rejoiced with great joy. But I removed her to the region which is below the thirteenth aeon. I went to the Light and departed from her." And all these adventures the First Mystery told to the disciples, that they should come to pass for Pistis Sophia. And he sat on the Mount of Olives, narrating all these adventures in the midst of the disciples. And he continued again and said unto them : " And it came to pass again after this, while I was in the world of men and sat in The time the way, that is in this region which is the Mount deuterance^ of OUvcs, bcforc my vcsture was sent unto me, of Sophia is -which I had deposited in the four-and-twentieth mystery from the interior, but the first from the exterior, which is the Great Uncontainable, in which I am enwrapped, and before I had gone to the Height to receive my second vesture, — while I sat with you in this region, which is the Mount of OHves, that the time was completed of which I had said to Pistis Sophia : ' Adamas and all his rulers will constrain thee.'

" It came to pass then, when that time came on, — chap. 77. and I was in the world of men, | sitting with you no. in this region, which is the Mount of Olives, — that Adamas looked down out of the twelve aeons and looked down at the regions of the chaos and saw his demon power which is in the chaos, that no light at all was in it, because I had taken its light from it ; and he saw it, that it was dark and Adamas could not go to his region, that is to the twelve forth two aeons. Thereon Adamas again remembered Pistis onarf^n^^s Sophia and became most exceedingly wroth ^^ p^g^e against her, thinking that it was she who had imprisoned his power in the chaos, and thinking that it was she who had taken its light from it. And he was exceedingly embittered ; he piled wrath on wrath and emanated out of himself a dark emanation and another, chaotic and evil, the violent [one], so as through them to harass Pistis Sophia. And he made a dark region in his region, so as to constrain Sophia therein. And he took many of his rulers ; they pursued after Sophia, in order that the two dark emanations which Adamas had emanated, might lead her into the dark chaos which he had made, and constrain her in that region and harass her, until they should take her whole light from her, and Adamas should take the hght from Pistis Sophia and give it to the two dark violent emanations, and they should carry it to the great chaos which is below and dark, | and cast it into his dark power which is ni. chaotic, if perchance it might be able to come to his

region, because it had become exceedingly dark, for I had taken its Hght-power from it. " It came to pass then, when they pursued after Pistis Sophia, that she cried out again and sang praises to the Light, since I had said unto her : * If thou shalt be constrained and singest praises unto me, I will come quickly and help thee.' It came to pass then, when she was constrained,— and I sat with you in this region, that is on the Mount of Olives, — that she sang praises to the Light, saying : Sophia again *' ' 1. 0 Light of Hghts, I havc had faith in sonl^tothe thce. Save me from all these rulers who pursue ■^^^^*' after me, and help me, '' ' 2. That in sooth they may never take from me my light, as the lion-faced power [did]. For thy light is not with me and thy light-stream to save me. Nay, Adamas is the more enraged against me, saying unto me : Thou hast imprisoned my power in the chaos. *' ' 3. Now, therefore, 0 Light of lights, if I have done this and have imprisoned it, if I have done any injustice at all to that power,

*' ' 4. Or if I have constrained it, as it hath constrained me, then let all these rulers who pursue after me, take my light from me and leave me empty ; *' ' 5. And let foe Adamas pursue after my power and seize upon it and take my light from me and cast it into his dark power which is in 172. the chaos, and keep my power | in the chaos. '' ' 6. Now, therefore, 0 Light, lay hold on me in thy wrath and lift up thy power above my foes who have lifted themselves up against me to the very end. ** * 7. Quicken me quickly, as thou hast said unto me : I will help thee.' " It came to pass then, when the First Mystery chap. 78. had finished saying these words unto the disciples, that he said : " Who hath understood the words which I have spoken, let him come forward and set forth their solution." James came forward and said : " My Lord, concerning this song which Pistis Sophia hath sung, thus thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David in the seventh Psalm : '' * 1. 0 Lord, my God, in thee have I hoped. James in-

TTi « 1 terpreteth Jb ree me from my pursuers and save me, the song *' ' 2. That in sooth he may never steal away ^^j?°^ ^^^^"^ my soul as a lion, without any one to deliver and save. '* * 3. 0 Lord, my God, if I have done this, if injustice is on my hands, '* '4. If I have requited those who requite me with evil, then let me fall down empty through my foes. *' * 5. And let the foe pursue after my soul and seize it, and trample my life to the ground and lay my honour in the dust. (Selah.) ** * 6. Arise, 0 Lord, in thy wrath, raise thyself up for the end of my foes. *' ' 7. Arise according to the commandment which thou hast commanded.' " | It came to pass then, when the First Mystery 173. had heard James speak these words, that he said : '* Well said, James, beloved." And the First Mystery continued again and chap. 79. said unto the disciples : ** It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had finished uttering the words of this song, that she turned herself back

to see whether Adamas and his rulers had turned back to go to their seon. And she saw them, how they pursued after her. Then she turned unto them and said unto them : Sophia ad- *' * 1. Why pursue ye after me and say: I Adamas and should not have help, that it [sc. the Light] his rulers. ghould save me from you ? '* * 2. Now, therefore, my vindicator is the Light and a strong [one] ; but it is long-suffering until the time of which it hath said unto me : I will come and help thee. And it will not bring its wrath upon you always. But this is the time of which he hath spoken unto me. " ' 3. Now, therefore, if ye turn not back and cease not to pursue after me, then will the Light make ready its power, and it will make itself ready in all its powers. " ' 4. And in its power hath it made itself ready, so that it may take your lights which are in you, and ye may become dark ; and its power ' hath brought it to pass, so that it may take your

power from you and ye go to ground.' ** And when Pistis Sophia had said this, she looked at the region of Adamas and saw the dark n4i and chaotic region | which he had made, and saw also the two dark exceedingly violent emanations which Adamas had emanated, in order that they might seize Pistis Sophia and cast her down into the chaos which he had made, and constrain and harass her in that region, until they should take her light from her. It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had seen those two dark emanations and the dark region which Adamas had made, that she feared and cried unto the Light, saying : ** ' 1. 0 Light, lo ! Adamas, the doer of Sophia again ., 'ipiiiji 1 11 singeth to Violence, is wrathiul ; he hath made a dark the Light. emanation, ** ' 2. And he hath also emanated another chaos and hath made another dark and chaotic [one] and made it ready. '' * 3. Now, therefore, 0 Light, the chaos which he hath made, in order to cast me down therein and take from me my light-power, take then from him his own.

*' * 4. And the plan which he hath devised, to take my light, — they are to take his own from him ; and the injustice which he hath spoken, to take my lights from me, — take then all of his.' *' These are the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered in her song. Now, therefore, who is sober in spirit, let him come forward and set forth the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia [hath uttered] in her song." Martha again came forward and said: ** My chap. 80. Lord, I I am sober in my spirit and understand ns. the words which thou sayest. Now, therefore, give me commandment to set forth their solution in openness." And the First Mystery answered and said unto Martha : '* I give thee commandment, Martha, to set forth the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered in her song." And Martha answered and said : *' My Lord, these are the words which thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David in the seventh Psalm, saying : '* ' 12. God is a righteous vindicator and strong and long-suffering, who bringeth not on his wrath every day.