Pistis Sophia 39–45

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard Martha speak these words, that he said unto her: “Well said, Martha, and finely.” And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: “Pistis Sophia again continued in the fourth repentance, reciting it before she was oppressed a second time, in order that the lion-faced power and all the material emanations with it, which Self-willed had sent into the chaos, might not take away her total Light in her. She uttered then this repentance as follows: “’ 1. O Light, in whom I have trusted, give ear to my repentance, and let my voice reach unto thy dwelling-place. “‘ 2. Turn not away thy light-image from me, but have heed unto me, if they oppress me; and save me quickly at the time when I shall cry unto thee. “‘ 3. For my time is vanished like a breath and I am become matter. “‘ 4. They have taken my light from me, and my power is dried up. I have forgotten my mystery which heretofore I was wont to accomplish. “‘ 5. Because of the voice of the fear and the power of Self-willed my power is vanished. “’ 6. I am become as a demon apart, who dwelleth in matter and light is not in him, and I am become as a counterfeiting spirit, which is in a material body and light-power is not in it. “‘ 7. And I am become as a decan who is alone in the air. “’ 8. The emanations of Self-willed have sore oppressed me, and my pair hath said unto himself: “‘ 9. Instead of with light which was in her, they have filled her with chaos. I have devoured the sweat of my own matter and the anguish of the tears from the matter of my eyes, so that they who oppress me may not take the rest. “’ 10. All this hath befallen me, O Light, by thy commandment and thy command, and it is thy commandment that I am here. “’ 11. Thy commandment hath brought me down, and I am descended as a power of the chaos, and my power is numbed in me. 12. But thou, O Lord, art Light eternal, and dost visit them who are for ever oppressed. 13. Now, therefore, O Light, arise and seek my power and the soul in me. Thy commandment is accomplished, which thou didst decree for me in my afflictions. My time is come, that thou shouldst seek my power and my soul, and this is the time which thou didst decree to seek me. “‘ 14. For thy saviours have sought the power which is in my soul, because the number is completed, and in order that also its matter may be saved. “’ 15. And then at that time shall all the rulers of the material æons be in fear of thy light, and all the emanations of the thirteenth material æon shall be in fear of the mystery of thy light, so that the others may put on the purification of their light. “‘ 16. For the Lord will seek the power of your soul. He hath revealed his mystery, “’ 17. So that he may regard the repentance of them who are in the regions below; and he hath not disregarded their repentance. “‘ 18. This is then that mystery which is become the type in respect of the race which shall be born; and the race which shall be born will sing praises to the height. “’ 19. For the Light hath looked down from the height of its light. It will look down on the total matter, “‘ 20. To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the power of the souls whose power is bound, — “’ 21. So that it may lay its name in the soul and its mystery in the power.’”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

It came to pass while Jesus spake these words unto his disciples, saying unto them: “This is the fourth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered; now, therefore, let him who understandeth, understand,” — it came to pass then, when Jesus had spoken these words, that John came forward, adored the breast of Jesus and said unto him: “My Lord, give commandment to me also, and grant me to speak the solution of the fourth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.” Jesus said unto John: “I give thee commandment, and I grant thee to speak the solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.” John answered and said: “My Lord and Saviour, concerning this repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, thy light-power which was in David, hath prophesied aforetime in the one-hundred-and-first Psalm: “’1. Lord, give ear unto my supplication, and let my voice reach unto thee. “’ 2. Turn not away thy face from me; incline thine ear unto me in the day when I am oppressed; quickly give ear to me on the day when I shall cry unto thee. “‘ 3. For I my days are vanished as smoke, and my bones are parched as stone. “‘ 4. I am scorched as the grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread. “’ 5. From the voice of my groaning my bones cleaved to my flesh. “’ 6. I am become as a pelican in the desert; I am become as a screech-owl in the house. “‘ 7. I have passed the night watching; I am become as a sparrow alone on the roof. “‘ 8. My enemies have reviled me all the day long and they who honour me, have injured me. “’ 9. For I have eaten ashes instead of my bread and mixed my drink with tears, “’ 10. Because of thy wrath and thy rage; for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down. “’ 11. My days have declined as a shadow, and I am dried up as the grass, “‘ 12. But thou, O Lord, thou endurest for ever and thy remembrance unto the generation of generation[s]. “’ 13. Arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time is come to have mercy upon her; the proper time is come. “‘ 14. Thy servants have longed for her stones, and will take pity on her land. “’ 15. And the nations will have fear of the fires of the Lord, and the kings of the earth have fear of thy sovereignty. “‘ 16. For the Lord will build up Zion and reveal himself in his sovereignty. “‘ 17. He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their supplication. “’ 18. This shall be recorded for another generation and the people who shall be created will praise the Lord. “’ 19. Because he hath looked down on his holy height; the Lord hath looked down from the heaven on the earth, “‘ 20. To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the sons of those who are slain, ’ “’ 21. To proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem.’ “This, my Lord, is the solution of the mystery of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

It came to pass then, when John had finished speaking these words to Jesus in the midst of his disciples, that he said unto him: “Well said, John. John, the Virgin, who shalt rule in the kingdom of the Light.” And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: “It came to pass again thus: The emanations of Self-willed again oppressed Pistis Sophia in the chaos and desired to take from her her whole light; and not yet was her commandment accomplished, to lead her out of the chaos, and not yet had the command reached me through the First Mystery, to save her out of the chaos. It came to pass then, when all the material emanations of Self-willed oppressed her, that she cried out and uttered the fifth repentance, saying: “‘1. Light of my salvation, I sing praise unto thee in the region of the height and again in the chaos. “‘ 2. I sing praise unto thee in my hymn with which I sang praise in the height and with which I sang praise unto thee when I was in the chaos. Let it come into thy presence, and give heed, O Light, to my repentance. “’ 3. For my power is filled up with darkness, and my light hath gone down into the chaos. “’ 4. I am myself become as the rulers of the chaos, who are gone into the darknesses below; I am become as a material body, which hath no one in the height who will save it. “‘ 5. I am become also as matters from which their power hath been taken, when they are cast down into the chaos, — [matters] which thou hast not saved, and they are condemned utterly by thy commandment. “’ 6. Now, therefore, have they put me into the darkness below, — in darknesses and matters which are dead and in them [is] no power. “’ 7. Thou hast brought thy commandment upon me and all things which thou hast decreed. “‘ 8. And thy spirit hath withdrawn and abandoned me. And moreover by thy commandment the emanations of my æon have not helped me and have hated me and separated themselves from me, and yet am I not utterly destroyed. “‘ 9. And my light is diminished in me, and I have cried up to the light with all the light in me, and I have stretched forth my hands unto thee. “’ 10. Now, therefore, O Light, wilt thou not accomplish thy commandment in the chaos, and will not the deliverers, who come according to thy commandment, arise in the darkness and come and be disciples for thee? “’ 11. Will they not utter the mystery of thy name in the chaos? “‘ 12. Or will they not rather utter thy name in a matter of the chaos, in which thou wilt not [thyself] purify? “‘ 13. But I have sung praises unto thee, O Light, and my repentance will reach unto thee in the height. “‘ 14. Let thy light come upon me, “’ 15. For they have taken my Light, and I am in pain on account of the Light from the time when I was emanated. And when I had looked into the height to the Light, then I looked down below at the light-power in the chaos; I rose up and went down. “’ 16. Thy commandment came upon me, and the terrors, which thou didst decree for me, have brought me into delusion. “‘ 17. And they have surrounded me, in numbers as water, they have laid hold on me together all my time. “’ 18. And by thy commandment thou hast not suffered my fellow-emanations to help me, nor hast thou suffered my pair to save me out of my afflictions.’ “This then is the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered in the chaos, when all the material emanations of Self-willed had continued and oppressed her.”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

When then Jesus had spoken these words unto his disciples, he said unto them: “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear; and let him whose spirit seetheth up in him, come forward and speak the solution of the thought of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia.” And when Jesus had finished saying these words, Philip started forward, held up and laid down the book in his hand, — for he is the scribe of all the discourses which Jesus spake, and of all of that which he did, — Philip then came forward and said unto him: “My Lord, surely then it is not on me alone that thou hast enjoined to take care for the world and write down all the discourses which we shall speak and [all we shall] do? And thou hast not suffered me to come forward to speak the solution of the mysteries of the repentance of Pistis Sophia. For my spirit hath ofttimes seethed in me and been unloosed and constrained me to come forward and speak the solution of the repentance of Pistis Sophia; and I could not come forward because I am the scribe of all the discourses.” It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard Philip, that he said unto him: “Hearken, Philip, blessed one, that I may discourse with thee; for it is thou and Thomas and Matthew on whom it is enjoined by the First Mystery to write all the discourses which I shall speak and [all which I shall] do, and all things which ye shall see. But as for thee, the number of the discourses which thou hast to write, is so far not yet completed. When it is then completed, thou art to come forward and proclaim what pleaseth thee. Now, therefore, ye three have to write down all the discourses which I shall speak and [all things which I shall] do and which ye shall see, in order that ye may bear witness to all things of the kingdom of heaven.”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

When then Jesus had said this, he said unto his disciples: “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Mary started forward again, stepped into the midst, placed herself by Philip and said unto Jesus: “My Lord, my in-dweller of light hath ears, and I am ready to hear with my power, and I have understood the word which thou hast spoken. Now, therefore, my Lord, hearken that I may discourse in openness, thou who hast said unto us: ‘Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.’ “Concerning the word which thou hast spoken unto Philip: ‘It is thou and Thomas and Matthew on whom it hath been enjoined — to you three by the First Mystery, to write all the discourses of the kingdom of the Light and thereto to bear witness ’; hearken, therefore, that I may proclaim the solution of this word. This is what thy light-power prophesied aforetime through Moses: ’ By two or three witnesses shall every matter be established.’ The three witnesses are Philip and Thomas and Matthew.” It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard this word, that he said: “Well said, Mary, this is the solution of the word. Now, therefore, do thou, Philip, come forward and proclaim the solution of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia, and thereafter take thy seat and write all the discourses which I shall speak, until the number of thy portion which thou hast to write of the words of the kingdom of the Light is completed. Then shalt thou come forward and speak what thy spirit shall understand. But do thou then now proclaim the solution of the fifth repentance of Pistis Sophia.” And Philip answered and said unto Jesus: “My Lord, hearken that I may speak the solution of her repentance. For thy power hath prophesied aforetime concerning it through David in the eighty-seventh Psalm, saying: “’ 1. Lord, God of my salvation, by day and by night have I cried unto thee. “’ 2. Let my weeping come before thee; incline thine ear to my supplication, O Lord. 3. For my soul is full of evil, my life hath drawn nigh to the world below. “’ 4. I am counted among them who have gone down into the pit; I am become as a man hath no helper. “’ 5. The free among the dead are as the slain who are thrown away and sleep in tombs, whom thou no more rememberest, and they are destroyed through thy hands. “’ 6. They have set me in a pit below, in darkness and shadow of death. “‘ 7. Thy wrath hath settled down upon me all thy cares have come upon me. (Selah.) “‘ 8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintances far from me; they have made me an abomination for them. They have abandoned me, and I cannot go forth. “’ 9. My eye hath become dim in my misery; I have cried unto thee, O Lord, the whole day and have stretched forth my hands unto thee. “’ 10. Wilt thou not surely work thy wonders on the dead? Will not surely the physicians arise and confess thee? “’ 11. Will they not surely proclaim thy name the tombs, “’ 12. And thy righteousness in a land which thou hast forgotten? “’ 13. But I have cried unto thee, O Lord, and my prayer shall reach thee early in the morning. “’ 14. Turn not thy face away from me. “‘ 15. For I am miserable, I am in sorrow from my youth up. And when I had exalted myself I humbled myself and arose. “’ 16. Thy angers are come upon me and thy terrors have brought me into delusion. “‘ 17. They have surrounded me as water; they have seized upon me the whole day long. “‘ 18. My fellows hast thou kept far from me and my acquaintances from my misery.’ “This is then the solution of the mystery of the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was oppressed in the chaos.’”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard Philip speak these words, that he said: ‘‘Well is said, Philip, well-beloved. Now, therefore, come, take thy seat and write thy portion of all the discourses which I shall speak, and [of all things which I shall] do, and of all that thou shalt see.” And forthwith Philip sat down and wrote. It came to pass thereafter that Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: “Then did Pistis Sophia cry to the Light. It forgave her sin, in that she had left her region and gone down into the darkness. She uttered the sixth repentance, saying thus: “‘ 1. I have sung praises unto thee, O Light, in the darkness below. 2. Hearken unto my repentance, and may thy light give heed to the voice of my supplication. “‘ 3. O Light, if thou thinkest on my sin, I shall not be able to stand before thee, and thou wilt abandon me, “‘ 4. For thou, O Light, art my saviour; because of the light of thy name I have had faith in thee, O Light. “‘ 5. And my power hath had faith in thy mystery; and moreover my power hath trusted in the Light when it was among those of the height; and it hath trusted in it when it was in the chaos below. “‘ 6. Let all the powers in me trust in the Light when I am in the darkness below, and may they again trust in the Light if they come into the region of the height. “’ 7. For it is [the Light] which hath compassion on us and delivereth us; and a great saving mystery is in it. “‘ 8. And it will save all powers out of the chaos because of my transgression. For I have left my region and am come down into the chaos.’ “Now, therefore, whose mind is exalted, let him understand.”

English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown

It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished speaking these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: “Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you? “Andrew came forward and said: “My Lord, concerning the solution of the sixth repentance of Pistis Sophia, thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the one-hundred-and-twenty-ninth Psalm, saying: “‘ 1. Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord. “‘ 2. Hearken unto my voice; let thine ears give heed to the voice of my supplication. “‘ 3. O Lord, if thou heedest my iniquities, who will be able to pass [the test]? “’ 4. For pardon is in thy hands; for the sake of thy name have I waited for thee, O Lord. “’ 5. My soul hath waited for thy word. “’ 6. My soul hath hoped in the Lord from the morning until the evening. Let Israel hope in the Lord from the morning until the evening. “‘ 7. For grace standeth by the Lord and with him is great redemption. “‘ 8. And he will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.’ “Jesus said unto him: “Well said, Andrew, blessed one. This is the solution of her repentance. Amen, amen, I say unto you: I will perfect you in all mysteries of the Light and all gnoses from the interiors of the interiors to the exteriors of the exteriors, from the Ineffable down to the darkness of darknesses, from the Light of lights down to the.... of matter, from all the gods down to the demons, from all the lords down to the decans, from all the authorities down to the servitors, from the creation of men down to [that] of the wild-beasts, of the cattle and of the reptiles, in order that ye may be called perfect, perfected in all fulness. Amen, amen, I say unto you: In the region where I shall be in the kingdom of my Father, ye will also be with me. And when the perfect number is completed, so that the Mixture shall be dissolved, I will give commandment that they bring all tyrant gods, who have not given up the purification of their light, and will give commandment to the wise fire, over which the perfect pass, to eat into those tyrants, until they give up the last purification of their light.” It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished speaking these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: “Understand ye in what manner I speak with you? “Mary said: “Yea, Lord, I have understood the word which thou hast spoken. Concerning then the word which thou hast said: At the dissolution of the whole Mixture thou shalt take thy seat on a light-power and thy disciples, that is ourselves, shall sit on the right of thee, and thou shalt judge the tyrant gods, who have not given up the purification of their light, and the wise fire will bite into them, until they give up the last light in them, — concerning this word then thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David, in the eighty-first Psalm, saying: “‘God shall sit in the assembly (synagogue) of the gods and try the gods.’ “Jesus said unto her: “Well said, Mary.”