It is the Lord who spoke with me: "See now the completion of my
redemption. I have given you a sign of these things, James, my
brother. For not without reason have I called you my brother,
although you are not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant
concerning you; so that when I give you a sign - know and hear."
"Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and
ineffable. I myself am also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I
have been given a number of names - two from Him-who-is. And I, I am
before you. Since you have asked concerning femaleness, femaleness
existed, but femaleness was not first. And it prepared for itself
powers and gods. But it did not exist when I came forth, since I am
an image of Him-who-is. But I have brought forth the image of him so
that the sons of Him-who-is might know what things are theirs and
what things are alien (to them). Behold, I shall reveal to you
everything of this mystery. For they will seize me the day after
tomorrow. But my redemption will be near."
James said, "Rabbi, you have said, 'they will seize me.' But I,
what can I do?" He said to me, "Fear not, James. You too will they
seize. But leave Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup
of bitterness to the sons of light. She is a dwelling place of a
great number of archons. But your redemption will be preserved from
them. So that you may understand who they are and what kinds they
are, you will [...]. And listen. They are not [...] but archons
[...]. These twelve [...] down [...] archons [...] upon his own
hebdomad."
James said, "Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven
as there are in the scriptures?" The Lord said, "James, he who spoke
concerning this scripture had a limited understanding. I, however,
shall reveal to you what has come forth from him who has no number.
I shall give a sign concerning their number. As for what has come
forth from him who has no measure, I shall give a sign concerning
their measure"
James said, "Rabbi, behold then, I have received their number.
There are seventy-two measures!" The Lord said, "These are the
seventy-two heavens, which are their subordinates. These are the
powers of all their might; and they were established by them; and
these are they who were distributed everywhere, existing under the
authority of the twelve archons. The inferior power among them
brought forth for itself angels and unnumbered hosts. Him-who-is,
however, has been given [...] on account of [...] Him-who-is [...]
they are unnumbered. If you want to give them a number now, you will
not be able to do so until you cast away from your blind thought,
this bond of flesh which encircles you. And then you will reach
Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James; rather you are the
One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all have been
named."
<James said,>, "Rabbi, in what way shall I reach Him-who-is,
since all these powers and these hosts are armed against me?" He
said to me, "These powers are not armed against you specifically,
but are armed against another. It is against me that they are armed.
And they are armed with other powers. But they are armed against me
in judgment. They did not give [...] to me in it [...] through them
[...]. In this place [...] suffering, I shall [...]. He will [...]
and I shall not rebuke them. But there shall be within me a silence
and a hidden mystery. But I am fainthearted before their anger."
James said, "Rabbi, if they arm themselves against you, then is
there no blame?"
- You have come with knowledge,
- that you might rebuke their forgetfulness.
- You have come with recollection,
- that you might rebuke their ignorance.
But I was concerned because of you.
- For you descended into a great ignorance,
- but you have not been defiled by anything in it.
- For you descended into a great mindlessness,
- and your recollection remained.
- You walked in mud,
- and your garments were not soiled,
- and you have not been buried in their filth,
- and you have not been caught.
And I was not like them, but I clothed myself with everything of
theirs.
- There is in me forgetfulness,
- yet I remember things that are not theirs.
- There is in me [....],
- and I am in their [...].
[...] knowledge [...] not in their sufferings [...]. But I have
become afraid before them, since they rule. For what will they do?
What will I be able to say? Or what word will I be able to say that
I may escape them?"
The Lord said, "James, I praise your understanding and your fear.
If you continue to be distressed, do not be concerned for anything
else except your redemption. For behold, I shall complete this
destiny upon this earth as I have said from the heavens. And I shall
reveal to you your redemption."
James said, "Rabbi, how, after these things, will you appear to
us again? After they seize you, and you complete this destiny, you
will go up to Him-who-is." The Lord said, "James, after these things
I shall reveal to you everything, not for your sake alone but for
the sake of the unbelief of men, so that faith may exist in them.
For a multitude will attain to faith and they will increase in
[...]. And after this I shall appear for a reproof to the archons.
And I shall reveal to them that he cannot be seized. If they seize
him, then he will overpower each of them. But now I shall go.
Remember the things I have spoken and let them go up before you."
James said,"Lord, I shall hasten as you have said." The Lord said
farewell to him and fulfilled what was fitting.
When James heard of his suffering and was much distressed, they
awaited the sign of his coming. And he came after several days. And
James was walking upon the mountain which is called "Gaugelan", with
his disciples, who listened to him because they had been distressed,
and he was [...] a comforter, saying, "This is [...] second [...]"
Then the crowd dispersed, but James remained [...] prayer [...], as
was his custom.
And the Lord appeared to him. Then he stopped (his) prayer and
embraced him. He kissed him, saying, "Rabbi, I have found you! I
have heard of your sufferings, which you endured. And I have been
much distressed. My compassion you know. Therefore, on reflection, I
was wishing that I would not see this people. They must be judged
for these things that they have done. For these things that they
have done are contrary to what is fitting."
The Lord said, "James, do not be concerned for me or for this
people. I am he who was within me. Never have I suffered in any way,
nor have I been distressed. And this people has done me no harm. But
this (people) existed as a type of the archons, and it deserved to
be destroyed through them. But [...] the archons, [...] who has
[...] but since it [...] angry with [...] The just [...] is his
servant. Therefore your name is "James the Just". You see how you
will become sober when you see me. And you stopped this prayer. Now
since you are a just man of God, you have embraced me and kissed me.
Truly I say to you that you have stirred up great anger and wrath
against yourself. But (this has happened) so that these others might
come to be."
But James was timid (and) wept. And he was very distressed. And
they both sat down upon a rock. The Lord said to him, "James, thus
you will undergo these sufferings. But do not be sad. For the flesh
is weak. It will receive what has been ordained for it. But as for
you, do not be timid or afraid". The Lord ceased.
Now when James heard these things, he wiped away the tears in his
eyes and very bitter [...] which is [...]. The Lord said to him,
"James, behold, I shall reveal to you your redemption. When you are
seized, and you undergo these sufferings, a multitude will arm
themselves against you that <they> may seize you. And in particular
three of them will seize you - they who sit (there) as toll
collectors. Not only do they demand toll, but they also take away
souls by theft. When you come into their power, one of them who is
their guard will say to you, 'Who are you or where are you from?'
You are to say to him, 'I am a son, and I am from the Father.' He
will say to you, 'What sort of son are you, and to what father do
you belong?' You are to say to him, 'I am from the Pre-existent
Father, and a son in the Pre-existent One.' When he says to you,
[...], you are to say to him [...] in the [...] that I might [...]."
'[...] of alien things?' You are to say to him, 'They are not
entirely alien, but they are from Achamoth, who is the female. And
these she produced as she brought down the race from the
Pre-existent One. So then they are not alien, but they are ours.
They are indeed ours because she who is mistress of them is from the
Pre-existent One. At the same time they are alien because the
Pre-existent One did not have intercourse with her, when she
produced them.' When he also says to you, 'Where will you go?', you
are to say to him, 'To the place from which I have come, there shall
I return.' And if you say these things, you will escape their
attacks.
"But when you come to these three detainers who take away souls
by theft in that place [...] these. You [...] a vessel [...] much
more than [...] of the one whom you [...] for [...] her root. You
too will be sober [...]. But I shall call upon the imperishable
knowledge, which is Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the
mother of Achamoth. Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she
is female from a female. She produced you without a male, since she
was alone (and) in ignorance as to what lives through her mother
because she thought that she alone existed. But I shall cry out to
her mother. And then they will fall into confusion (and) will blame
their root and the race of their mother. But you will go up to what
is yours [...] you will [...] the Pre-existent One."
"They are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs,
[...] Achamoth, which is translated 'Sophia'. And who I myself am,
(and) who the imperishable Sophia (is) through whom you will be
redeemed, and (who are) all the sons of Him-who-is - these things
they have known and have hidden within them. You are to hide <these
things> within you, and you are to keep silence. But you are to
reveal them to Addai. When you depart, immediately war will be made
with this land. Weep, then, for him who dwells in Jerusalem. But let
Addai take these things to heart. In the tenth year let Addai sit
and write them down. And when he writes them down [...] and they are
to give them [...] he has the [...] he is called Levi. Then he is to
bring [...] word [...] from what I said earlier [...] a woman [...]
Jerusalem in her [...] and he begets two sons through her. They are
to inherit these things and the understanding of him who [...]
exalts. And they are to receive [...] through him from his
intellect. Now, the younger of them is greater. And may these things
remain hidden in him until he comes to the age of seventeen years
[...] beginning [...] through them. They will pursue him
exceedingly, since they are from his [...] companions. He will be
proclaimed through them, and they will proclaim this word. Then he
will become a seed of [...]."
James said, "I am satisfied [...] and they are [...] my soul. Yet
another thing I ask of you: who are the seven women who have been
your disciples? And behold all women bless you. I also am amazed how
powerless vessels have become strong by a perception which is in
them." The Lord said, "You [...] well [...] a spirit of [...], a
spirit of thought, a spirit of counsel of a [...], a spirit [...] a
spirit of knowledge [...] of their fear. [...] when we had passed
through the breath of this archon who is named Adonaios [...] him
and [...] he was ignorant [...] when I came forth from him, he
remembered that I am a son of his. He was gracious to me at that
time as his son. And then, before <I> appeared here, <he> cast them
among this people. And from the place of heaven the prophets [...]."
James said, "Rabbi, [...] I [...] all together [...] in them
especially [...]." The Lord said, "James, I praise you [...] walk
upon the earth [...] the words while he [...] on the [...]. For cast
away from you the cup which is bitterness. For some from [...] set
themselves against you. For you have begun to understand their roots
from beginning to end. Cast away from yourself all lawlessness. And
beware lest they envy you. When you speak these words of this
perception, encourage these four: Salome and Mariam and Martha and
Arsinoe [...] since he takes some [...] to me he is [...] burnt
offerings and [...]. But I [...] not in this way; but [...]
first-fruits of the [...] upward [...] so that the power of God
might appear. The perishable has gone up to the imperishable and the
female element has attained to this male element."
James said, "Rabbi, into these three (things), then, has their
[...] been cast. For they have been reviled, and they have been
persecuted [...]. Behold [...] everything [...] from anyone [...].
For you have received [...] of knowledge. And [...] that what is the
[...] go [...] you will find [...]. But I shall go forth and shall
reveal that they believed in you, that they may be content with
their blessing and salvation, and this revelation may come to pass."
And he went at that time immediately and rebuked the twelve and
cast out of them contentment concerning the way of knowledge [...].
[...]. And the majority of them [...] when they saw, the
messenger took in [...]. The others [...] said, "[...] him from this
earth. For he is not worthy of life." These, then, were afraid. They
arose, saying, "We have no part in this blood, for a just man will
perish through injustice" James departed so that [...] look [...]
for we [...] him.