# Second Book of Jeu

- Author: Anonymous
- Latin title: *Secundus liber Jeu*
- Date: ca. 200–300 (disputed)
- Source: Carl Schmidt, ed., Koptisch-gnostische Schriften 1: Die Pistis Sophia, die beiden Bücher des Jeû, unbekanntes altgnostisches Werk, GCS 13 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1905) (Claude's translation is made from Schmidt's German translation of the Coptic (route 3: a public-domain translation into another language); the German is not shown on this site. The Coptic original is not given.)
- Note: Route 3: the Coptic text (Bruce Codex) is the witness; no Coptic is a site language, so the source in hand is Carl Schmidt's German translation (GCS 13, 1905), translated by Claude with a note; the German is never shown.
- Translation: Claude, from the original text, unless a passage says otherwise; each passage below gives the translator
- Editions and translations: Carl Schmidt, Gnostische Schriften in koptischer Sprache aus dem Codex Brucianus, TU 8.1–2 (Leipzig: Hinrichs, 1892); Carl Schmidt and Violet MacDermot, The Books of Jeu and the Untitled Text in the Bruce Codex, NHS 13 (Leiden: Brill, 1978) (cited only)
- Work page: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/
- Passages: 10

## Book of Jeu 2 42

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-42
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus gathers the Twelve and the women disciples to reveal the mysteries of the Treasury of the Light, by which the receivers lead the soul after death through all the aeons, its sins blotted out, into the Treasury.

### English translation (Claude)

Jesus said to his disciples who were gathered round him, to the Twelve and to the women disciples: “Surround me, my twelve disciples and women disciples, so that I may proclaim to you the great mysteries of the Treasury of the Light, which no one in the invisible God knows. Neither can the aeons of the invisible God bear them when you perform them, because they are the great mysteries of the treasury of the Inner of the Inner. Nor can the aeons of the archons bear them when you perform them, nor can they grasp them; but the receivers of the Treasury of the Light come and lead the soul out of the body, until they pass through all the aeons and the places of the invisible God, and they lead it into the Treasury of the Light. And all the sins which they have committed knowingly and which they have committed unknowingly they blot out entirely, and they make them into pure light. And the soul leaps continually from place to place until it reaches the Treasury of the Light. And it passes into the interior of the guardians of the Treasury of the Light, and they pass into the interior of the three Amens, and they pass into the interior of the Twins, and they pass into the interior of the triple-powers, and they pass into the interior of the orders of the five trees, and they pass into the interior of the seven voices, and they are in the place which is within them, that is, in the place of the Uncontainables of the Treasury of the Light. And all these orders also give them their seals and (their) mysteries, because, before they came out of the body, they had received mysteries.”

### Translation notes

- The second book of Jeu, translated from Carl Schmidt's German (GCS 13, 1905) of the lost Coptic; the German is not shown. Words in round brackets are Schmidt's supplements and explanations. Schmidt's German notes that the singular “soul” is followed by plural verbs in the manuscript; the translation keeps the shift.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 42 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/42).

## Book of Jeu 2 43

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-43
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus forbids giving the mysteries to the unworthy, especially to a sect whose rites he describes as obscene and whose god he names Taricheas, and promises the disciples the mysteries, the three baptisms and the spiritual anointing, with moral commandments for those who receive them.

### English translation (Claude)

When he had said this, he spoke to them again: “These mysteries which I will give you, keep them and give them to no one unless they are worthy of them. Do not give them to father or mother, or brother or sister, or relative; not for food or drink, not for a woman, not for gold or silver, nor for anything at all of this world. Keep them, and give them to no one at all for the sake of the goods of this whole world. Do not give them to any woman, or to any person who stands in any faith in these seventy-two archons, or to those who serve them; nor give them to those who serve the eighth power of the great archon, that is, those who eat the menstrual blood of their uncleanness and the seed of men, saying: ‘We have known the true knowledge and pray to the true God.’ But their god is evil. Hear now, so that I may proclaim to you his position (nature). He is the third power of the great archon, and this is his name: Taricheas, son of Sabaoth, of Adamas; he is the enemy of the kingdom of heaven, and his face is that of a wild boar, his teeth stand outside his mouth, and another face, that of a lion, is at the back. Restrain yourselves, then; do not give (them) to anyone who stands in that faith, nor tell them the place of the light and what is in it, for it is the Treasury of the Light and what is in it, and it is that which the unapproachable God has emanated. Do not tell them these mysteries of the Treasury of the Light, except to those who will be worthy of them, who have left behind the whole world and all its things and its gods and its deities, and have no other faith except faith in the light, after the manner of the children of light, listening to one another and submitting to one another as children of light. Now, then, see, I have spoken with you concerning the mysteries: ‘Keep them and give them to no one except those who are worthy of them.’ Now, then, since you have left your fathers and your mothers and your brothers and the whole world and have followed me and have carried out all the commandments which I have laid on you, now, then, hear me, so that I may tell you the mysteries. Truly, truly, I say to you: I will give you the mystery of the twelve divine aeons and of their receivers, and the manner of calling on them, in order to reach their places; and I will give you the mystery of the invisible God and of the receivers of that place, and the manner (of calling on them), in order to reach their places. And after that I will teach you the mystery of those of the Midst and of the receivers, and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places); and I will give you the mystery of those of the Right and of their receivers, and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places). But before all this I will give you the three baptisms: the baptism of water and the baptism of fire and the baptism of the Holy Spirit. And I will give you the mystery of removing the wickedness of the archons from you, and after that I will give you the mystery of the spiritual anointing. And above all, command the one to whom you give these mysteries not to swear falsely, nor to swear at all; not to commit sexual immorality, not to commit adultery, not to steal, not to covet anything, not to love silver or gold, not to call on the name of the archons or the name of their angels for any matter, not to rob, not to curse, not to slander falsely or accuse; but let their yes be yes and their no no; in a word, let them carry out the good commandments.”

### Scripture references

- Eph 5:8: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 19:27–29: allusion, medium confidence
- Matt 3:11: echo, low confidence
- Matt 5:37: allusion, high confidence
- Jas 5:12: allusion, medium confidence
- Exod 20:13–17: echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The passage describes the rites of a rival group in polemical terms; it is translated as written. Schmidt compares Pistis Sophia (p. 251 of his translation) and Eph 5:8 (“children of light”). “Commit sexual immorality” renders Schmidt's huren (Greek πορνεύειν), “commit adultery” his ehebrechen. The staged section runs on into what Schmidt numbers chapter 44, without a break in the text.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 43 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/43).

## Book of Jeu 2 44

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-44
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus promises the grieving disciples the higher mysteries and the once-only mystery of the forgiveness of sins, which carries the soul after death through every order to rest; then he performs the baptism of water with an offering of wine, bread and herbs, and the wine is changed into the water of life.

### English translation (Claude)

Now it came to pass, when Jesus had said these words to his disciples, that they became very sad, and crying out and weeping they fell at Jesus' feet and said: “O Lord, why have you not said to us: ‘I will give you the mysteries of the Treasury of the Light’?” But the heart of Jesus was grieved over his disciples, because they had left their parents and their brothers and their wives and their children and all the goods of this world and had followed him for twelve years and had kept all the commandments which he had given them. He answered and said to his disciples: “Truly I say to you: I will give you the mysteries of the nine guardians of the three gates of the Treasury of the Light and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places); and I will further give you the mysteries of the ‘Child of the Child’ and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places). And after that I will further give you the mystery of the three Amens and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places); and I will further give you the mystery of the five (trees) of the Treasury of the Light and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places); and after that I will further give you the mystery of the seven voices and the will of the forty-nine powers; and further I will give you the mystery of the great name of all names, that is, of the great light which surrounds the Treasury of the Light, and the manner (of calling on them), in order to reach the interior of the seven voices. And truly I say to you and command you that you perform the mystery of the five trees and the mystery of the seven voices and the mystery of the great name, that is, of the great light which surrounds the Treasury of the Light. For whoever performs these needs no further mysteries of the kingdom of the light, except the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. For every person who believes in the kingdom of the light must perform the mystery of the forgiveness of sins only once. For every person who performs the mystery of the forgiveness of sins will have blotted out all the sins which he has committed knowingly and unknowingly from his childhood until this day, and which he has committed from the foundation of the world until this day, and he will be made a pure light and received into the Light of lights. And I say to you that, while they are on earth, they have already inherited the kingdom of God; they have a share in the Treasury of the Light and are immortal gods. And when those who have received these mysteries and the mystery of the forgiveness of sins come out of the body, all the aeons withdraw one after another and flee to the west, to the left, because of the soul which has received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, until they (the souls) reach the gates of the Treasury of the Light, and the guardians of the gates open to them. When they reach the orders of the treasury, the orders too seal them with their seal and give them the great name of their mystery, and they pass into their interior. When they reach the order of the five trees of the Treasury of the Light, they give them the great name and seal them with their seal and give them their mystery, until they pass into the interior of the seven voices. When they reach that order, they give them the great name and seal them with their seal and give them their mystery, until they pass into the interior of the orders of the Fatherless, as far as the order of the places of their inheritance. Those orders give them the great name and seal them with their seal and give them their mystery, and they pass into the interior as far as the order of the thrice-spirited. And they give them the great name and their mystery and seal them with their seal, until they reach the place of Jeu, who belongs to the treasury of the Outer Ones and is exalted above the whole treasury. But when they reach that place, he gives them the great name and his mystery and seals them with his seal, until they reach his interior, the treasury of the Inner Ones, the places of the Inner of the Inner, that is, the silences and the rest, and they go to their rest in those places, because they have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. And I will give you all the mysteries, so that I may perfect you in all the mysteries of the kingdom of the light, and you may be called ‘children of the fullness, perfected in all the mysteries’.” [45] Further, it came to pass after these words that Jesus called his disciples to him and said to them: “Come, all of you, and receive the three baptisms, before I tell you the mystery of the archons.” Then all the disciples and women disciples came and surrounded Jesus all together. Jesus said to them: “Go up to Galilee and find a man or a woman in whom the greater part of wickedness has died — if it is a man, one who does not have intercourse, or if it is a woman, one who has ceased from the way of women and does not have intercourse — and receive two jars of wine from the hands of such a one, and bring them to me to this place, and fetch me vine branches.” The disciples brought the two jars of wine and the vine branches. Jesus laid out an offering; he set one jar of wine on the left of the offering and the other jar of wine on the right of the offering, and laid on juniper berries and kasdalanthos and spikenard; he had all the disciples wrap themselves in linen garments, put fleawort in their mouths, put the number of the seven voices, namely 9879, in both their hands, put the sun-plant in both their hands, and set his disciples before the offering. Jesus stood by the offering, spread out linen garments in one place, and set on them a cup of wine and loaves according to the number of the disciples; he laid olive branches on the place of the offering and crowned them all with olive branches. And Jesus sealed his disciples with this seal: [seal]. Its interpretation is this: [name]; its name is: [name]. Jesus turned with his disciples to the four corners of the world, commanded each of them to set his feet close together, and spoke this prayer: [names]. Amen, Amen, Amen. [names]. Amen, (Amen, Amen). [names]. Amen, (Amen, Amen). [names]. Amen, (Amen, Amen). “Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light which is in the Treasury of the Light. May the fifteen helpers come who serve the seven virgins of the light who are set over the baptism of life, whose unutterable names are these: Astrapa, Tesphoiode, Ontonios, Sinetos, Lachon, Poditanios, Opakis, Phaidros, Odontuchos, Diaktios, Knesion, Dromos, Euidetos(?), Polypaidos, Entropon. May they come and baptize my disciples with the water of life of the seven virgins of the light, forgive their sins and cleanse their iniquities, so that they may be counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. If, then, you have heard me and have had pity on my disciples, and if they have been counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light, and if you have forgiven their sins and blotted out their iniquities, let a wonder happen, and let Zorokothora come and bring forth the water of the baptism of life into one of these jars of wine.” And at that very moment the wonder happened that Jesus had spoken of, and the wine on the right of the offering became water; and the disciples came to Jesus, and he baptized them, gave them of the offering, and sealed them with this seal: [seal]. And the disciples were in very great joy that their sins were forgiven, their iniquities covered, and they were counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light, and that they had been baptized with the water of life of the seven virgins of the light and had received the holy seal.

### Scripture references

- Matt 19:27–29: allusion, medium confidence
- Mark 10:28–30: allusion, medium confidence
- Luke 18:28–30: allusion, medium confidence
- Ps 32:1 (31:1 LXX): echo, low confidence

### Translation notes

- The staged section holds two chapters; the start of Schmidt's chapter 45 is marked [45]. Schmidt compares Matt 19:27, 29; Mark 10:28–30; Luke 18:28–30. The prayer's mystical words and the seals are unreadable in the scan and are not reproduced; the names of the fifteen helpers are given as Schmidt prints them, with his question mark. Schmidt's German notes abbreviation signs in the manuscript, which he expands in round brackets. The plant names follow Schmidt's German (Wachholderbeeren, Narden, Flohkraut, Sonnenkraut); kasdalanthos is left as he gives it.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 44 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/44).

## Book of Jeu 2 46

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-46
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus performs the baptism of fire with incense, herbs, wine and bread, praying the Father and the virgin of the light to forgive the disciples' sins; a sign appears in the fire, and he baptizes and seals them.

### English translation (Claude)

Further, it came to pass that Jesus continued speaking and said to his disciples: “Bring me vine branches, so that you may receive the baptism of fire.” And the disciples brought him the vine branches; he laid out incense and put on it juniper berries, myrrh, frankincense, mastic resin, spikenard, kasdalanthos, turpentine and oil of cinnamon; and he further spread linen garments at the place of the offering and set a cup of wine on them and laid loaves on them according to the number of the disciples. And he had all his disciples wrap themselves in linen garments, crowned them with upright vervain, put fleawort in their mouths, and had them place the number of the seven voices, that is, 9879, in both their hands; and he laid the golden flower in both their hands and put knotgrass under their feet, set them before the incense which he had laid out, and had them set their feet close together. And Jesus stepped behind the incense which he had laid out and sealed them with this seal: [seal]. This is its name: [name]; this is its interpretation: [name]. Jesus turned with his disciples to the four corners of the world and called out this prayer: “Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light: make my disciples worthy to receive the baptism of fire, and forgive their sins and have their iniquities cleansed, which they have committed knowingly and unknowingly, which they have committed from (their) childhood until this day, and their slanders, their curses, their false oaths, their thefts, their lies, their false accusations, their acts of sexual immorality, their adulteries, their desires, their greed, and what they have committed from their childhood until this day. Blot it all out and cleanse them all, and let Zorokothora Melchizedek come in secret, so that he may bring forth the water of the baptism of fire of the virgin of the light, the judge. Come, hear me, my Father, as I call upon your incorruptible names which are in the Treasury of the Light: [names]. Amen, Amen. [names]. Amen, Amen, Amen. [names]. Amen, Amen, Amen. [names]. Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light, whose incorruptible names, which are in the Treasury of the Light, I have called upon: let Zorokothora come, so that he may bring the water of the baptism of fire of the virgin of the light, so that I may baptize my disciples with it. Come, hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light: let the virgin of the light come and baptize my disciples with the baptism of fire, forgive their sins and cleanse their iniquities, for I call upon her (the virgin of the light's) incorruptible names, namely [names]. Amen, Amen, Amen. Come, hear me, O virgin of the light, O judge: forgive the sins of my disciples and cleanse their iniquities, which they have committed knowingly and unknowingly, which they have committed from their childhood until this day, so that they may be counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. If, then, my Father, you have forgiven their sins, blotted out their iniquities, and had them counted in the kingdom of the light, give me a sign in the fire of this fragrant incense.” And at that very moment the sign that Jesus had spoken of happened in the fire; and Jesus baptized his disciples, gave them of the offering, and sealed them on their foreheads with the seal of the virgin of the light, which has them counted in the kingdom of the light. And the disciples rejoiced that they had received the baptism of fire and the seal which forgives sins, and that they were counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. This is the seal: [seal].

### Translation notes

- Translated from Schmidt's German; the mystical names and seals are unreadable in the scan and are not reproduced. Plant names follow Schmidt's German: Taubenkraut (vervain, Greek περιστερεών), Goldblume (Greek χρυσάνθεμον), Knöterich (knotgrass, Greek πολύγονον). “Sexual immorality” and “adulteries” render Unzucht (πορνεῖαι) and Ehebrüche.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 46 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/46).

## Book of Jeu 2 47

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-47
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus performs the baptism of the Holy Spirit with incense, wine and bread, prays for the forgiveness of the disciples' sins, and after a sign baptizes them and seals their foreheads.

### English translation (Claude)

Now it came to pass after this that Jesus said to his disciples: “See, you have received the baptism of water and the baptism of fire; come also, so that I may give you the baptism of the Holy Spirit.” He laid out the incense of the baptism of the Holy Spirit and put on it vine branches, juniper berries, kasdalanthos, remnants of saffron, mastic resin, cinnamon, myrrh, balsam and honey, and set out two jars of wine, one on the right of the incense which he had laid out and the other on the left, and laid loaves on it according to the number of the disciples. And Jesus sealed the disciples with this seal: [seal]. This is its name: [name]; this is its interpretation: [name]. Now it came to pass, when Jesus had sealed them with this seal, that he stood by the incense which he had laid out, set his disciples before the incense, and wrapped them all in linen garments, the number of the seven voices being in both their hands, namely 9879. Jesus cried out, saying thus: “Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light, for I call upon your incorruptible names of the Treasury of the Light: [names]. Hear me, my Father, you Father of all (fatherhood), you infinite light, for I have called upon your incorruptible names of the Treasury of the Light. Forgive the sins of my disciples, blot out their iniquities, which they have committed knowingly and unknowingly, which they have committed from their childhood until this day, and let them be counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. If, then, my Father, you have forgiven the sins of my disciples and cleansed their iniquities and had them counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light, give me a sign in the offering.” And at that very moment the wonder happened that Jesus had spoken of, and he baptized all his disciples with the baptism of the Holy Spirit, gave them of the offering, and sealed their foreheads with the seal of the seven virgins of the light, which has them counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. And the disciples rejoiced with very great joy that they had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the seal which forgives sins and cleanses their iniquities and has them counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light. This is the seal: [seal]. Now Jesus performed this mystery while all his disciples were wrapped in linen garments and crowned with myrtle; and there was fleawort … in their mouths and a single sprig of mugwort in both their hands, and their feet were set close together as they turned to the four corners of the world.

### Translation notes

- Translated from Schmidt's German; names and seals are not reproduced. Schmidt's German notes that the manuscript has “his incorruptible names” at one point and that the passage is badly preserved; a word qualifying the fleawort is uncertain in his text and is marked “…”.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 47 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/47).

## Book of Jeu 2 48

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/42/#p-48
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: In a further rite with incense and seals, Jesus prays the Father to compel Sabaoth Adamas and his chiefs to take away their wickedness from the disciples, and the disciples, freed from it, become immortal.

### English translation (Claude)

Further, it came to pass after this that Jesus laid out the incense for the mystery which removes the wickedness of the archons from the disciples. He had them build an altar of incense on … (?), laid on it vine branches, juniper berries, betel(?), …(?), asbestos, agate stone and frankincense, and had all his disciples wrap themselves in linen garments. He had them crown themselves with mugwort, and put frankincense in their mouths and the number of the first Amen, 530, in their hands; they set their feet close together and remained before the incense which he had laid out. Jesus sealed his disciples with this seal, that is: [seal]. This is its true name: [name]; this is its interpretation: [name]. When Jesus had sealed his disciples with this seal, he stood again by the incense which he had laid out and spoke this prayer: “Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light, for I call upon your incorruptible names of the Treasury of the Light: [names]. Amen, Amen, Amen. Hear me, my Father, you Father of all fatherhood, you infinite light. Hear me and compel Sabaoth, Adamas, and all his chiefs to come and take away their wickedness in my disciples.” When he had spoken this prayer towards the four corners of the whole world, he and his disciples, he sealed them all with this seal of the second Amen, that is: this is its true name: [name]; this is its interpretation: [name]. And when Jesus had sealed them with this seal, at that very moment the archons took away all their wickedness in the disciples. And they rejoiced with very great joy that all the wickedness of the archons had left them. And when the wickedness of the archons had left them, the disciples became immortal, following Jesus into all the places to which they wished to go.

### Translation notes

- Translated from Schmidt's German; names and seals are not reproduced. Schmidt's German notes that two plant names are badly preserved or unknown to him (the first perhaps “by the sea”, as another scholar suggests); they are marked with “…(?)”.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 48 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/48).

## Book of Jeu 2 49

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/49/#p-49
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus explains that the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, received once, blots out all sins and carries the soul after death past the fleeing aeons and through the gates of the Treasury of the Light.

### English translation (Claude)

But Jesus said to his disciples: “I will give you the defence of all these places, I who have given you their mystery, their baptisms, their offerings, their seals, all their receivers, their numbers, their true names and their defences concerning the manner of calling on them, in order to reach their places, so that you may pass into the interior of all of them; I will tell you the names of their defences and their numbers. Now, then, hear, so that I may speak to you concerning the going forth of your soul, since I have told you all these mysteries and their seals and their names. When you come out of the body and perform these mysteries, all the aeons and all their inhabitants will withdraw, until you reach these six great aeons. But these will flee to the west, to the left, with all their archons and all their inhabitants. But when you reach the six aeons, they will hold you back until you receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins; for it is the great mystery which is in the treasuries of the Inner of the Inner, and it is the whole salvation of the soul. And everyone who receives that mystery is more excellent than all the gods and all the dominions of all these aeons, that is, of the twelve aeons of the invisible God, for it is the great mystery of the Unapproachable, who is in the treasuries of the Inner of the Inner. Therefore every person who believes in the Son of the light must receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, so that he may be wholly perfect and complete in all the mysteries, for it is the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Whoever, then, receives any of these mysteries must receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Therefore I say to you: when you receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, all the sins which you have committed knowingly and unknowingly, which you have committed from your childhood until this day and until the loosing of the bond of the flesh of Fate, will all be blotted out, because you have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. And when you are about to come out of the body and have performed its mystery and also its defence, all the aeons and all their inhabitants withdraw. Again they flee to the west, to the left, because you have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. And when all the aeons have withdrawn, then the light of the treasury cleanses the twelfth aeon, so that all the ways by which you go up may be cleansed. And the Treasury of the Light will become visible, and you will look on heaven from below and see that the ways of the places of all the aeons are all cleansed, because all the aeons with all their inhabitants have fled to the west, to the left. Again, when the ways are cleansed, I will give you the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, its defences, its seals, its numbers and their interpretations. But you, my disciples, when you receive these and go out of the body, will become pure light and hasten upward one after another and go up into the places in which all the aeons are spread out, until there is no one on the ways, until you reach the treasuries of the light. Then the guardians of the gates of the Treasury of the Light see the mystery of the forgiveness of sins which you have performed, and its defences and all its commandments, and they behold the seal on your foreheads and see the number in your hands. Then the nine guardians open to you the gates of the Treasury of the Light, and you go into the Treasury of the Light. The guardians do not speak with you, but they will give you (their) seals and their mystery.

### Translation notes

- “Defence” renders Schmidt's Apologie (Greek ἀπολογία), the formula by which the soul answers the powers. “Fate” renders Heimarmene.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 49 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/49).

## Book of Jeu 2 50

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/49/#p-50
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus describes how the soul that has the mystery of the forgiveness of sins passes through every order of the Treasury of the Light, receiving at each its mystery, seal and the great name, to Jeu, the great light, the second treasury, and finally the treasury of the true God.

### English translation (Claude)

Again, when you reach the order of the three Amens, the three Amens give you their seal and their mystery. And they will also give you the great name, and you will pass through their interior. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the ‘Child of the Child’. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the twin saviours. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the great Sabaoth, who belongs to the Treasury of the Light. When you reach it, he will seal you with his seal and give you his mystery and the great name. Again you will go into his interior as far as the order of the great Iao, the Good, who belongs to the Treasury of the Light. When you reach it, he will give you his mystery, his seal and the great name. Again you will go into his interior as far as the order of the seven Amens. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the five trees of the Treasury of the Light, that is, the unshakable trees. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, that is, the great mystery, and their great seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light, which is king over the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the seven voices. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Uncontainables. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Infinites. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Pre-uncontainables. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Pre-infinites. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Undefiled. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Pre-undefiled. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Unshakables. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Super-unshakables. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Fatherless. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the Pre-fatherless. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the five marks of the light. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the three spaces. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the five helpers of the Treasury of the Light. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the thrice-spirited of the Treasury of the Light. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the triple-powers of the great king of the Treasury of the Light. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the first commandment. When you reach it, it will give you its mystery, its seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the place of the order of the inheritance. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the place of the silence and of the rest. When you reach it, they will give you their mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will pass into their interior as far as the order of the veils which are drawn before the great king of the Treasury of the Light. They will give you their great mystery, their seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light, and they will withdraw, until you cross over and pass through them, and until you reach the great Man, that is, the king of this whole Treasury of the Light, whose name is ‘Jeu’. When you reach that place, he will see that you have the mystery of the whole Treasury of the Light and the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, its defences, its incenses which you have laid out, and that you have done all its works, and that you have carried out all the commandments of the mystery and all its works. Then Jeu, the Father of the Treasury of the Light, will rejoice over you; and he in turn will give you his mystery, his seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into the place of the great light which surrounds the whole Treasury of the Light and all its inhabitants. But when you reach that place, Jeu is again in that place. And he, the great light, will give you his mystery, his seal and the great name of the Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into its interior through the gates of the Treasury of the Light, that is, of the second Treasury of the Light. But when you reach the guardians of the gates of that second treasury, say the mystery (of the forgiveness of sins) and its defence. And when the guardians open to you the gates of the second Treasury of the Light, you will go into their interior as far as the order of the triple-powers of the light, whose names are these: [names]. These, then, are the names of the triple-powers of the light of the second Treasury of the Light. Again, when you reach the order of those triple-powers of the light, they too will give you their great mystery of the second Treasury of the Light, their seal and the great name of the second Treasury of the Light. Again you will go into their interior as far as the order of the twelfth order of the twelfth great power of the emanations of the true God, which he has emanated. When you reach that order, say the mystery of the forgiveness of sins and its defence. And those who belong to that order will also give you their great mystery, their great defence and their seal. They also belong to that order, that is, to the twelve powers of the true God. These are their true names. There are twelve heads in that order. These, then, are the names of that order: [names]. These, then, (are) their true names. These will then stand alone in their place and call on the true God with these names, saying: ‘Hear us, our Father, you Father of all fatherhood: [names and vowels], that is, Father of all fatherhood, for the All has come forth from the Alpha and will return to the Omega, when the completion of all completion takes place. We will now call on these incorruptible names, so that you may send forth this great power of light, and it may follow these twelve Uncontainables, that is, the twelve disciples, since they have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. For that very reason they cannot be held back from drawing near to the Treasury of the Light.’ Immediately, then, when they had called on these names, crying to the true God, he, the true God, sent forth from himself a great power, whose name is [name]. At that same moment this great power of light came forth behind the disciples, and at that same moment it will make the treasuries of the light, it will make their orders withdraw, until you pass into the interior and reach the treasury of the true God. And he, the true God, will give you his great mystery, his great seal and his great name, which is king over his treasury. Again he will praise and call on the unapproachable God, that is, this sole existence. And he, the unapproachable God, will separate a power of light from himself, so that it may come to you at the place of the true God and give you the character of the treasury of the true God and perfect you in all fullness and make you an order in that treasury. And you will praise the unapproachable God, because, while you are in the body, you have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins; and you will be in the place of the true God, because you have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins and its defence and its seal and its number and all its commandments which I have commanded you. Now, then, my disciples, be patient, and I will also give you the mystery of the forgiveness of sins and its defences and its seal.”

### Scripture references

- Rev 1:8: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- The many orders are named with Greek terms in Schmidt's German (e.g. προαχώρητοι, ὑπερασάλευτοι, ἀπάτορες, χαραγμαί, τριπνεύματοι); they are rendered literally (Pre-uncontainables, Super-unshakables, Fatherless, marks, thrice-spirited), and some of these Greek forms are uncertain in the scan. The repeated formula is translated uniformly. Schmidt's German notes that the manuscript has “his interior” and a singular at two points and that a phrase is lost; he compares a similar explanation of Alpha and Omega in Pistis Sophia. Names and vowel sequences are not reproduced.

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 50 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/50).

## Book of Jeu 2 51

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/49/#p-51
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: The disciples ask for the mystery of the forgiveness of sins; Jesus tells them to be patient and begins to give the defences by which they will answer the archons of the twelve aeons.

### English translation (Claude)

When Jesus had said all this to his disciples and had given them all these mysteries which he had just performed, Jesus said to his disciples: “It is necessary that you also receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, so that you may become ‘children of the light’, perfected in all the mysteries.” When Jesus had said all this to his disciples and had taught them the mysteries, the disciples of Jesus said to him: “Our Lord and Master, we ask you to lay down in us the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, its defences, its seal and its number, so that we may become ‘children of the light’, and the archons of the aeons which are outside the treasuries of the light may not hold us back, and so that we may be counted in the inheritance of the kingdom of the light and be perfected in all the mysteries.” Jesus said to his disciples: “Be patient, and I will tell it to you. Since I said to you before, before I gave you mysteries, that I would give you the mystery of the twelve aeons, their seals and the manner of calling on them, in order to reach their places, hear now, since you have received the mystery of the twelve aeons and the mystery of the baptism of the water of life and the mystery of the baptism of fire and the mystery of (the baptism of) the Holy Spirit and the mystery of the removal of the wickedness (of the archons) in you — since I have told you that I would give you their defences and the manner (of calling on them, in order to reach their places), and also these seals — hear, then, so that I may proclaim to you their defences, with which you will give account before them.”

### Scripture references

- Eph 5:8: allusion, medium confidence

### Translation notes

- Schmidt compares Eph 5:8 (“children of light”).

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 51 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/51).

## Book of Jeu 2 52

- URL: https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/jeu-2/52/#p-52
- Source: Schmidt, GCS 13
- Translation: Translated by Claude from C. Schmidt's German translation (1905) of the Coptic; neither is shown

Summary: Jesus gives the seals, numbers and defences by which the soul passes the archons of the twelve aeons, the twenty-four emanations of the thirteenth aeon and the powers of the fourteenth, and explains that the three archons of the light hold back those who lack the mystery of the forgiveness of sins; the end of the book is lost, and two fragments of Gnostic prayers follow.

### English translation (Claude)

“When you come out of the body and reach the first aeon, and the archons of that aeon step before you, seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 1119, with both your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], you archons of the first aeon, for I call on [names].’ But when the archons of the first aeon hear these names, they will be very much afraid and will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the second aeon, [name] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 2219, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [name], O archon of the second aeon, for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the second aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the third aeon, Ialdabaoth and [name] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 3349, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, Ialdabaoth and [name], you archons of the third aeon, for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the third aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the fourth aeon, [two archons] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 4555, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], you archons of the fourth aeon, for we call on [names].’ When you have said these defences, the archons of the fourth aeon will withdraw to the west, to the left. But you go upward. When you reach the fifth aeon, [three archons] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 5369, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ When you have said these defences, the archons of the fifth aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left. But you go upward. When you reach the sixth aeon, which is called ‘the little Midst’ — for it belongs to the six aeons which have believed; but the archons of those places have a small good, because the archons of those places have believed — then [names], the archons of the little Midst, step before you, thinking that perhaps you have not received mysteries. Say the mystery and seal yourselves with this seal, that is: [seal]. This is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 6915, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], you archons of the little Midst; for we have received the mystery of the twelve aeons and their defences, for we call on [names].’ At the moment when you say these names too, those archons will withdraw and allow you the way and will not seize you. For they stepped before you thinking that perhaps you had not received mysteries. But they will rejoice with you in great joy, because you have received the mystery while you are in the body. Again, they will envy you, because you have passed through them. Again you will go upward. When you reach the seventh aeon, [names] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 7889, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the seventh aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the eighth aeon, those archons, that is, [names] will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 8054, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the eighth aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the ninth aeon, [names], the archons of the ninth aeon, will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 2889, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the ninth aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the tenth aeon, [names], the archons of that aeon, will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 4559, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once and sealed yourselves only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the tenth aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. When you reach the eleventh aeon, [names], the archons of that aeon, will step before you. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 5558, with your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the eleventh aeon will withdraw and flee to the west, to the left, and you will go upward. But when you reach the twelfth aeon, there in that place are the invisible God and Barbelos and the unbegotten God; and the invisible God is in a place alone in the twelfth aeon, and veils are drawn before him. For in that aeon there are many other gods, who in the Treasury of the Light are called ‘archons’, that is, the great archons who rule over all the aeons, they who serve the invisible God, Barbelos, and the Unbegotten. Again the archons of that aeon step before you, whose names are these: [names]. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once; grasp this number, 9885, with your hands. But when you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘Withdraw, [names], for we call on [names].’ Again the archons of the twelfth aeon of the invisible God will withdraw, because you have received the twelve defences of the twelve aeons. Again you will go upward. When you reach the thirteenth aeon, there are the great invisible God and the great virginal Spirit and the twenty-four emanations of the invisible God, which are in that place. But the twenty-four emanations of the invisible God step before you to seize you because of the mysteries which you have received. These are the incorruptible names of the twenty-four emanations which step before you: the first is [name], the second [name], and so on to the twenty-fourth [names]. These are the names of the twenty-four emanations of the invisible God, that is, those which I have just said. They step before you to seize you, since they envy you because of these mysteries which you have received. Say these defences: ‘Withdraw, you twenty-four emanations of the invisible God’, and speak the name of the twenty-four (emanations). Seal yourselves with this seal: [seal]. This is its name: [name]; say it only once, and put this number, 8855, in your hands. When you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘We call on [names and vowels].’ But when you have called on these names of the Treasury of the Light, say: ‘Withdraw, you twenty-four emanations of the invisible God, whose names we have just spoken from the beginning.’ At the moment when one has spoken the names of the Treasury of the Light and its defence, they will withdraw, and you will go upward. But when you reach the fourteenth aeon, there is the second great invisible God, and the great God who in the fourteenth aeon is called ‘the great righteous God’, being a power of these three archons of the light who are within all the aeons, that is, of the three gods who are outside the treasuries of the light. For there are a multitude of powers in that aeon, but they are not so numerous as those which are in the aeons outside them. But those powers step before you, wishing to seize you, since they envy you because of the mysteries which you have received, so that they may hold you back and you may perform my mysteries in their places, so that they too may receive powers from the powers of the Treasury of the Light. But I say to you: seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once, and put this number, 8869, in your hands. Again say: ‘Withdraw, all you powers of the second invisible God, for we call on [names].’ And the powers of that aeon will withdraw, and you will go upward. But when you reach this place of these three archons who are within all these Invisibles, that is, the triple-powered gods who are outside the Treasury of the Light, that is, the archons of the light — for those three archons are within all these aeons, and they, who are outside all the treasuries, are more excellent than all the gods in all the aeons — when you reach that place, they will see on you that you have received these mysteries. They too have received the mysteries of the Treasury of the Light, because, when the first power came forth, they were the first who remained in it, and when they had come down, the kingdom of the light was proclaimed to them. It (the first power) also gave them these mysteries which I have given you, but I have not seen the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Therefore they are not yet received into the Treasury of the Light, since they have not yet received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Therefore I say to you: when I am about to gather in all the aeons, I will give the mystery of the forgiveness of sins to these three archons of the light, who are the last of all the aeons, because they have believed in the mystery of the kingdom of the light. But when you reach that place, they will see on you that you have received all these mysteries except the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. They will seize you in that place, because they have not yet received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, so that you may perform with them these mysteries which you have received. Therefore I say to you: you cannot go into their interior until you have first received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Do not be afraid, then, because I have said to you: you cannot go into the Treasury of the Light until you have received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins, but they will hold you back in the place of the three archons of the light. Therefore I say to you that in those places there is no place of punishment, because those who belong to that place have received mysteries; nor can they punish you in those places, but they will seize you in those places until you receive the mystery of the forgiveness of sins. Seal yourselves with this seal: this is its name: [name]; say it only once, and grasp this number, 4554, with your hands. But when you have sealed yourselves with this seal and have spoken its name only once, say these defences: ‘We call on you, [names].’ When you have called on these names, the receivers of those places recognize you and take you to themselves, because you have (received the mystery of the forgiveness of sins) …” [The end of the book is lost.] [Appendix A: Fragment of a Gnostic prayer] (Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the fifth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi) in the fifth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the fifth aeon, and gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the sixth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the sixth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the sixth aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the seventh aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the seventh aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the seventh aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the eighth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the eighth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the eighth aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the ninth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the ninth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the ninth aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the tenth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the tenth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the tenth aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the eleventh aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the eleventh aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the eleventh aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the twelfth aeon and appointed archons, decans and liturgi in the twelfth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi of the twelfth aeon; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it caused Jeu to set up the place of the twenty-four invisible emanations with their archons, their gods, their lords, their archangels, their angels, their decans and their liturgi in an order of the thirteenth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in the twenty-four invisible emanations and in their archons, their gods, their lords, their archangels, their angels, their decans and their liturgi; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; it set up the thirteenth aeon and appointed the three gods and the Invisible in the thirteenth aeon, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which are scattered in the three gods and the Invisible; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Hear me as I praise you, O first mystery, who shone forth in his mystery; and it set up all the archons and Jabraoth, who have believed in the kingdom of the light, in a pure place of air, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Save all my members which since the foundation of the world are scattered in all the archons and decans and liturgi; gather them all in and receive them into the light. Amen, Amen, Amen. [Appendix B: Fragment of a second Gnostic prayer] Hear me as I praise you, O mystery existing before every Uncontainable and every Infinite. Hear me as I praise you, O mystery who shone forth in his mystery, so that the mystery existing from the beginning might be completed. And when it had shone forth, it became the water of the Ocean, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Hear me as I praise you, O mystery existing before every Uncontainable and every Infinite, who shone forth in his mystery. The earth in the midst of the Ocean was cleansed, whose incorruptible name is this: [name]. Hear me as I praise you, O mystery existing before every Uncontainable and every Boundless, who shone forth in his mystery. The whole mighty matter of the Ocean was cleansed, that is, the sea and all the kinds that are in it, whose incorruptible name is this: … Hear me as I praise you, O mystery existing before every Uncontainable and every Infinite, who shone forth in (his) mystery. And when it shone forth, it sealed the sea and all that is in it, for the power which is in them had rebelled, whose incorruptible name (is this): …

### Translation notes

- Translated from Schmidt's German; names, seals and vowel sequences are unreadable in the scan and are not reproduced, except Ialdabaoth, Barbelos and Jabraoth, which can be read. The numbers are given as the scan reads them. The repeated formula is translated uniformly. Where the German has “but I have not seen the mystery of the forgiveness of sins” (in the passage on the three archons of the light), the sense is unclear; it is translated literally. After the end of Book 2, which is lost, Schmidt prints as an appendix two fragments of Gnostic prayers from the same codex; the staged section includes them, and they are translated here, marked [Appendix A] and [Appendix B]. “Decans” and “liturgi” render Schmidt's Dekane and Liturgen (Greek δεκανοί, λειτουργοί).

### Citation (SBL)

2 Jeu, 2 Jeu 52 (Schmidt, GCS 13; trans. Sophia Scriptura from the German of C. Schmidt, 1905, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/jeu-2/52).