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 thirty-fourth Psalm, saying thus concerning the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia:
James interpreteth the ninth repentance from Psalm xxxiv.
“‘1. Give sentence, O 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.
[ p. 79 ]
“‘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 (94) before the wind, 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: O Lord, who can be like unto thee?—thou who settest free the wretched from the hand (95) of him who is stronger than him; and thou savest a wretched and poor [one] from the hands of them who spoil him.
“11. 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 [ p. 80 ] 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. O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Restore again my soul from their evil works and save my only one from the hands of the lions.
“‘18. I will confess to thee, O 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, O Lord. Keep not silence, O Lord, withdraw not thyself from me.
“‘23. Arise, O Lord, (97) and give heed to my vindication, give heed to my vengeance, my God and my Lord.
“‘24. Judge me, O 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 [ p. 81 ] 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.’” (98)
Jesus commendeth James and promiseth the first place unto the disciples.
When James then had said this, Jesus said unto him: “Well said, finely, James. This is the solution of the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia. Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Ye shall be the first in the kingdom of heaven before all invisibles and all gods and rulers who are in the thirteenth æon and in the twelfth æon; 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 interpreteth the words of Jesus.
Mary started forward again and said: “Yea, O Lord, this is what thou didst say unto us aforetime: ‘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.”
The repentance of Sophia is accepted. Jesus is sent to help her.
Jesus continued again and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had proclaimed the ninth repentance, that the lion-faced power oppressed her again, desiring to take away all powers from her. She cried out again to the Light, saying: (99)
[ p. 82 ]
“‘O 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 Self-willed, 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 æons 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 self-willed 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-faced power, (100) 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 [ p. 83 ] took courage and uttered the tenth repentance, saying:
The tenth repentance of Sophia.
“‘1. I have cried unto thee, O Light of lights, in my oppression and thou hast hearkened unto me.
“‘2. O 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 disciples, 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: "O Lord, concerning this thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the one-hundred-and-nineteenth Psalm; saying:
Peter interpreteth the tenth repentance from Psalm cxix.
“‘1. I cried unto thee, O Lord, in my oppression, and thou hearkenest unto me.
“‘2. O Lord, save (101) my soul from unjust lips and from crafty tongues.
“‘3. 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.
[ p. 84 ]
“‘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, O 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 lion-faced power, and when they oppressed her exceedingly.”
Jesus commendeth Peter.
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?
The eleventh repentance of Sophia.
“‘2. Its plotting taketh away the light from me all the time, and as sharp iron have they taken away power (102) from me.
“‘3. I chose to descend into the chaos rather than to abide in the thirteenth æon, the region of Righteousness.
“‘4. And they desired to lead me craftily, in order to consume my whole light.
“‘5. For this cause then will the Light take [ p. 85 ] 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 æon, 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, O 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:
Salome interpreteth the repentance from Psalm li.
“‘1. Why doth the mighty [one] boast himself in (103) his wickedness?
“‘2. Thy tongue hath studied unrighteousness all the day long; as a sharp razor hast thou practised craft.
“‘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 [ p. 86 ] 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.”
Jesus commendeth Salome.
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words which Salome spake, that he said: “Well said, Salome. Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: I will perfect you in all mysteries of the kingdom of the Light.”
Self-willed aideth his emanations and they again oppress Sophia.
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 self-willed god, that he should help it. And forthwith the self-willed god looked out of the thirteenth æon, and looked down into the chaos, exceedingly wrathful (105) and desiring to help his lion-faced power. And forthwith the lion-faced power, it [ p. 87 ] and all its emanations, surrounded. Pistis Sophia, desiring to 'take away the whole light in Sophia. It came to pass then, when they oppressed Sophia, that she cried to the height, crying unto me that I should help her. It came to pass then, when she looked to the height, that she saw Self-willed exceedingly wrathful, and she was in fear, and uttered the twelfth repentance because of Self-willed and his emanations. She cried on high unto me, saying:
The twelfth repentance of Sophia.
“‘1. O Light, forget not my praise-singing.
“‘2. For Self-willed and his lion-faced power 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, O 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 light in him finish, and let (106) another of the three triple-powers receive his sovereignty.
“‘9. May all the powers of his emanation be lightless and may his matter be without any light in it.
[ p. 88 ]
“‘10. May his emanations remain in the chaos and not dare to go to their region. May their light in them die away and let them not go to the thirteenth æon, their region.
“‘11. May the Receiver, the Purifier of the lights, purify all the lights which are in Self-willed, and take them from them.
“‘12. May the rulers of the lower darkness rule over his emanations, and let no one give them shelter in his region; and let no one hearken to the power of his emanations in the chaos.
“‘13. Let them take away the light in his emanations and blot out their name from the thirteenth æon, 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 have oppressed him whose light and **(107)**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.
[ p. 89 ]
‘"18. He put on darkness as a garment, and it entered into him as water, and it entered in into all his powers as oil.
“‘19. Let him wrap himself into the chaos as into a garment, and gird himself with the darkness as with a leathern girdle for ever.
“‘20. Let this befall them who have brought this upon me for the Light’s sake and have said: Let us take away her whole power.
“‘21. But do thou, O 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.’ (108)
“Now, therefore, let him whose spirit is ready, come forward and utter the solution of the twelfth repentance of Pistis Sophia.”
And Andrew came forward and said: "My 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.
[ p. 90 ]
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, (109) 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 [ p. 91 ] mercy and hath persecuted a poor and wretched man and hath persecuted a sorry creature to slay him.
“‘17. He loved cursing,—and it shall come unto him. He desired not blessing,—it shall stay far from him.
“‘18. He clothed himself with cursing as with a vesture, and it entered into his bowels as water, and it was as oil in his bones.
“‘19. May it be for him as a garment in which he shall be wrapped, and as a girdle with which he shall ever be girded.
“‘20. This is the work of them who slander [me] before the Lord, and speak unlawfully against my soul.
“‘21. But do thou, O 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. (110)
“‘23. I am carried away in the midst as a 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, O Lord God, and save me according to thy grace.
“‘27. May they know that this is thy hand, and that thou, O 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 and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass [ p. 92 ] again thereafter that Pistis Sophia cried unto me, saying:
“O Light of lights, I have transgressed in the twelve æons, and have descended from them; wherefor have I uttered the twelve repentances, [one] for each æon. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, forgive me my transgression, 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:
The thirteenth repentance of Sophia.
“‘1. Hearken unto me singing praises unto thee, O Light of lights. Hearken unto me uttering the repentance for the thirteenth æon, the region out of which I have come down, in order that the thirteenth repentance of the thirteenth æon may be accomplished,—those [æons] (111) which I have overstepped and out of which I have come down.
“‘2. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, hearken unto me singing praises unto thee in the thirteenth æon, my region out of which I have come down.
“‘3. Save me, O 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 [ p. 93 ] 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:
Martha interpreteth the thirteenth repentance from Psalm l.
“‘1. Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy (112) great grace; according to the fulness of thy mercy blot out my sin.
“‘2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
“‘3. And may my sin be ever present to thee,
“‘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].”
Jesus sendeth forth a light-power to help Sophia.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had said these words, that the time was fulfilled that she should be led out of the chaos. And of myself, without the First Mystery, I despatched out of myself a light-power, and I sent it down to the chaos, so that it might lead Pistis Sophia forth from the deep regions of the chaos, and lead [her] to the higher regions of the chaos, until the command should come from the First Mystery that she should be led entirely forth out of the chaos. And my light-power led Pistis Sophia up to the higher regions [ p. 94 ] 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 emanations of Self-willed pursued Sophia, (113) when she had been led into the higher regions of the chaos, that she again sang praises and cried out unto me, saying:
Sophia uttereth a song of praise.
“‘1. I will sing praises unto thee, O Light, for I desired to come unto thee. I will sing thee praises, O Light, for thou art my deliverer.
“‘2. Leave me not in the chaos. Save me, O Light of the Height, for it is thou that I have praised.
“‘3. Thou has sent me thy light through thyself and hast saved me. Thou hast led me to the higher regions of the chaos.
“‘4. May the emanations of Self-willed which pursue me, sink down into the lower regions of the chaos, and let them not come to the higher regions to see me.
“‘5. And may great darkness cover them and darker gloom come over them. And let them not see me in the light of thy power, which thou hast sent unto me to save me, so that they may not again get dominion over me.
“‘6. And let not their resolution which they have formed, to take away my power, take effect for them. And as they have spoken against me, to take from me my light, take rather from them theirs instead of mine.
[ p. 95 ]
“‘7. And they have proposed to take away my whole light and have not been able to take it, for thy light-power was with me.
“‘8. Because they have taken counsel without thy commandment, O Light, therefore have they not been able to take away my light.
“‘9. Because I (114) have had faith in the Light, 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:
Salome interpreteth the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon.
“‘1. I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, for thou art my God.
“‘2. Abandon me not, O Lord, for thou art! my hope.
“‘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 [ p. 96 ] be mighty, and what they have wickedly pre-pared is fallen upon them.
“‘9. My hope is in the Lord, and I shall not be afraid, for thou art my God, my Saviour.’”
It came to pass then, when Salome had finished saying these words, that Jesus said unto her: “Well said, (115) Salome; and finely. This is the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.”
The power sent by Jesus formeth a light-wreath on Sophia’s head.
And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass then, when Pistis Sophia had finished saying these words in the chaos, that I made the light-power, which I had sent to save her, become a light-wreath on her head, so that from now on the emanations of Self-willed could not have dominion over her. And when it had become a light-wreath round her head, all the evil matters in her were shaken and all were purified in her. They perished and remained in the chaos, while the emanations of Self-willed gazed upon them and rejoiced. And the purification of the pure light which was in Pistis Sophia, gave power to the light of my light-power, which had become a wreath round her head.
“It came to pass then moreover, when it surrounded the pure light in Sophia, and her pure light did not depart from the wreath of the power of the light-flame, so that the 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:
Sophia uttereth another song of praise.
“‘1. The Light hath become a wreath round [ p. 97 ] my head; and I shall not depart from it, so that the emanations of Self-willed may not rob it from me.
“‘2. And though all the matters be shaken, (116) 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.”
Mary, his mother, asketh and receiveth permission to speak.
Then Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward and said: “My son according to the world, my God and Saviour according to the height, bid me proclaim the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered.”
And Jesus answered and said: “Thou also, Mary, hast received form which is in Barbēlō, 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.
[ p. 98 ]
Mary, his mother, interpreteth the song of Sophia from the xixth ode of Solomon.
“‘2. The wreath in truth (117) 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.’”
Jesus commendeth his mother.
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard his. mother Mary say these words, that he said unto her: “Well said, finely. Amēn, amēn, 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.”
The commandment of the First Mystery is fulfilled for taking Sophia entirely out of the chaos.
The First Mystery and Jesus sent forth two light-powers to help Sophia.
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 de-creed for Pistis Sophia for the fulfilment of the First Mystery, which was from the beginning, and the time had come to save her out of the chaos and lead her out from all the darknesses. For her repentance was accepted from her through the First Mystery; and that mystery sent me a great light-power out of the height, that I might help Pistis Sophia (118) and lead her up out of the chaos. So I looked towards the æons 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 æons and hastening down to me,—I was above [ p. 99 ] the chaos,—that another light-power went forth out of me, that it too might help Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which had come from the height through the First Mystery, came down upon the light-power which had gone out of me; and they met together and became a great stream of light.”
When then Jesus had said this unto his disciples, he said: “Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you?”
Mary Magdalene interpreteth the mystery from Psalm lxxxiv.
Mary started forward again and said: "My Lord, I understand what thou sayest. Concerning the solution of this word thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David in the eighty-fourth Psalm, saying:
“‘10. Grace and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other.
“‘11. Truth sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven.’
“‘Grace’ then is the light-power which hath come down through the First Mystery; for the First Mystery hath hearkened unto Pistis Sophia and hath had (119) mercy on her in all her tribulations. ‘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 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 [ p. 100 ] her power. ‘Truth’ on the other hand is the power which went forth out of thee, when thou wast in the lower regions of the chaos. For this cause thy power hath said through David
‘Truth sprouted out of the earth,’ because thou wert in the lower regions of the chaos. ‘Righteousness’ on the other hand which hath ‘looked down from heaven,’—it is the power which hath come down from the height through the First Mystery and hath entered into Pistis Sophia.”
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words, that he said: “Well said, Mary, blessed one, who shalt inherit the whole Light-kingdom.”
Thereon Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came forward and said: “My Lord and my Saviour, give commandment unto me also that I repeat this word.”
Jesus said: “Whose spirit is understanding, him I do not prevent, but I urge him on still more to speak the thought which hath moved him. (120) 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.”
Mary, the mother, further interpreteth the scripture.
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.
The story of the phantom spirit.
“When thou wert little, before the spirit had [ p. 101 ] come upon thee, whilst thou wert in a vineyard with Joseph, the spirit came out of the height and came to me in my house, like 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 (121) together, entered the house and 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.
Of the spiritual and material bodies of Jesus.
“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 Barbēlō, [ p. 102 ] 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 (122) 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 Light-kingdom.”
It came to pass then, when Jesus had heard these words which his mother Mary spake, that he said: “Well said, finely, Mary.”
The other Mary came forward and said: “My Lord, bear with me and be not wroth with me. Yea, from the moment when thy mother spake with thee concerning the solution of these words, my power disquieted me to come forward and like-wise to speak the solution of these words.”
Jesus said unto her: “I bid thee speak their solution.”
Of the spiritual and material bodies of Jesus.
The other Mary further interpreteth the same scripture from the baptism, of Jesus.
Mary said: "My Lord, ‘Grace and truth met together,’—‘grace’ then is the spirit who hath [ p. 103 ] come upon thee, when thou didst receive the baptism from John. ‘Grace’ then is the godly spirit who hath come upon thee; he hath had mercy on the race of men, hath come down and hath met with the power of Sabaōth, the Good which is in thee and which hath made proclamation concerning the regions of Truth. It hath said again: ‘Righteousness 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, (123) to give them unto the race of men. ‘Peace’ on the other hand is the power of Sabaōth, 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 Sabaōth, the Good, which sprouted forth out of Mary, thy mother, the dweller on earth. ‘Righteousness,’ 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.”
Mary, the mother, again further interpreteth the same scripture from the meeting of herself with Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptizer.
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, [ p. 104 ] thy mother, and Elizabeth, mother of John, whom I have met. (124) ‘Grace’ then is the power of Sabaōth 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 Of the incarnation of Jesus. 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 Gabriēl, 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 Sabaōth, 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.”