The teaching of the savior, and the revelation of the mysteries and
the things hidden in silence, even these things which he taught
John, his disciple.
And it happened one day, when John, the brother of James - who
are the sons of Zebedee - had come up to the temple, that a Pharisee
named Arimanius approached him and said to him, "Where is your
master whom you followed?" And he said to him, "He has gone to the
place from which he came." The Pharisee said to him, "With deception
did this Nazarene deceive you (pl.), and he filled your ears with
lies, and closed your hearts (and) turned you from the traditions of
your fathers."
When I, John, heard these things I turned away from the temple to
a desert place. And I grieved greatly in my heart, saying, "How then
was the savior appointed, and why was he sent into the world by his
Father, and who is his Father who sent him, and of what sort is that
aeon to which we shall go? For what did he mean when he said to us,
'This aeon to which you will go is of the type of the imperishable
aeon, but he did not teach us concerning the latter, of what sort it
is."
Straightway, while I was contemplating these things, behold, the
heavens opened and the whole creation which is below heaven shone,
and the world was shaken. I was afraid, and behold I saw in the
light a youth who stood by me. While I looked at him, he became like
an old man. And he changed his likeness (again), becoming like a
servant. There was not a plurality before me, but there was a
likeness with multiple forms in the light, and the likenesses
appeared through each other, and the likeness had three forms.
He said to me, "John, John, why do you doubt, or why are you
afraid? You are not unfamiliar with this image, are you? - that is,
do not be timid! - I am the one who is with you (pl.) always. I am
the Father, I am the Mother, I am the Son. I am the undefiled and
incorruptible one. Now I have come to teach you what is and what was
and what will come to pass, that you may know the things which are
not revealed and those which are revealed, and to teach you
concerning the unwavering race of the perfect Man. Now, therefore,
lift up your face, that you may receive the things that I shall
teach you today, and may tell them to your fellow spirits who are
from the unwavering race of the perfect Man."
And I asked to know it, and he said to me, "The Monad is a
monarchy with nothing above it. It is he who exists as God and
Father of everything, the invisible One who is above everything, who
exists as incorruption, which is in the pure light into which no eye
can look.
"He is the invisible Spirit, of whom it is not right to think of
him as a god, or something similar. For he is more than a god, since
there is nothing above him, for no one lords it over him. For he
does not exist in something inferior to him, since everything exists
in him. For it is he who establishes himself. He is eternal, since
he does not need anything. For he is total perfection. He did not
lack anything, that he might be completed by it; rather he is always
completely perfect in light. He is illimitable, since there is no
one prior to him to set limits to him. He is unsearchable, since
there exists no one prior to him to examine him. He is immeasurable,
since there was no one prior to him to measure him. He is invisible,
since no one saw him. He is eternal, since he exists eternally. He
is ineffable, since no one was able to comprehend him to speak about
him. He is unnameable, since there is no one prior to him to give
him a name.
"He is immeasurable light, which is pure, holy (and) immaculate.
He is ineffable, being perfect in incorruptibility. (He is) not in
perfection, nor in blessedness, nor in divinity, but he is far
superior. He is not corporeal nor is he incorporeal. He is neither
large nor is he small. There is no way to say, 'What is his
quantity?' or, 'What is his quality?', for no one can know him. He
is not someone among (other) beings, rather he is far superior. Not
that he is (simply) superior, but his essence does not partake in
the aeons nor in time. For he who partakes in an aeon was prepared
beforehand. Time was not apportioned to him, since he does not
receive anything from another, for it would be received on loan. For
he who precedes someone does not lack, that he may receive from him.
For rather, it is the latter that looks expectantly at him in his
light.
"For the perfection is majestic. He is pure, immeasurable mind.
He is an aeon-giving aeon. He is life-giving life. He is a
blessedness-giving blessed one. He is knowledge-giving knowledge. He
is goodness-giving goodness. He is mercy and redemption-giving
mercy. He is grace-giving grace, not because he possesses it, but
because he gives the immeasurable, incomprehensible light.
"How am I to speak with you about him? His aeon is
indestructible, at rest and existing in silence, reposing (and)
being prior to everything. For he is the head of all the aeons, and
it is he who gives them strength in his goodness. For we know not
the ineffable things, and we do not understand what is immeasurable,
except for him who came forth from him, namely (from) the Father.
For it is he who told it to us alone. For it is he who looks at
himself in his light which surrounds him, namely the spring of the
water of life. And it is he who gives to all the aeons and in every
way, (and) who gazes upon his image which he sees in the spring of
the Spirit. It is he who puts his desire in his water-light which is
in the spring of the pure light-water which surrounds him.
"And his thought performed a deed and she came forth, namely she
who had appeared before him in the shine of his light. This is the
first power which was before all of them (and) which came forth from
his mind, She is the forethought of the All - her light shines like
his light - the perfect power which is the image of the invisible,
virginal Spirit who is perfect. The first power, the glory of
Barbelo, the perfect glory in the aeons, the glory of the
revelation, she glorified the virginal Spirit and it was she who
praised him, because thanks to him she had come forth. This is the
first thought, his image; she became the womb of everything, for it
is she who is prior to them all, the Mother-Father, the first man,
the holy Spirit, the thrice-male, the thrice-powerful, the
thrice-named androgynous one, and the eternal aeon among the
invisible ones, and the first to come forth.
"<She> requested from the invisible, virginal Spirit - that is
Barbelo - to give her foreknowledge. And the Spirit consented. And
when he had consented, the foreknowledge came forth, and it stood by
the forethought; it originates from the thought of the invisible,
virginal Spirit. It glorified him and his perfect power, Barbelo,
for it was for her sake that it had come into being.
"And she requested again to grant her indestructibility, and he
consented. When he had consented, indestructibility came forth, and
it stood by the thought and the foreknowledge. It glorified the
invisible One and Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into
being.
"And Barbelo requested to grant her eternal life. And the
invisible Spirit consented. And when he had consented, eternal life
came forth, and they attended and glorified the invisible Spirit and
Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into being.
"And she requested again to grant her truth. And the invisible
Spirit consented. And when he had consented, truth came forth, and
they attended and glorified the invisible, excellent Spirit and his
Barbelo, the one for whose sake they had come into being.
"This is the pentad of the aeons of the Father, which is the
first man, the image of the invisible Spirit; it is the forethought,
which Barbelo, and the thought, and the foreknowledge, and the
indestructibility, and the eternal life, and the truth. This is the
androgynous pentad of the aeons, which is the decad of the aeons,
which is the Father.
"And he looked at Barbelo with the pure light which surrounds the
invisible Spirit, and (with) his spark, and she conceived from him.
He begot a spark of light with a light resembling blessedness. But
it does not equal his greatness. This was an only-begotten child of
the Mother-Father which had come forth; it is the only offspring,
the only-begotten one of the Father, the pure Light.
"And the invisible, virginal Spirit rejoiced over the light which
came forth, that which was brought forth first by the first power of
his forethought, which is Barbelo. And he anointed it with his
goodness until it became perfect, not lacking in any goodness,
because he had anointed it with the goodness of the invisible
Spirit. And it attended him as he poured upon it. And immediately
when it had received from the Spirit, it glorified the holy Spirit
and the perfect forethought, for whose sake it had come forth.
"And it requested to give it a fellow worker, which is the mind,
and he consented gladly. And when the invisible Spirit had
consented, the mind came forth, and it attended Christ, glorifying
him and Barbelo. And all these came into being in silence.
"And the mind wanted to perform a deed through the word of the
invisible Spirit. And his will became a deed and it appeared with
the mind; and the light glorified it. And the word followed the
will. For because of the word, Christ the divine Autogenes created
everything. And the eternal life <and> his will and the mind and the
foreknowledge attended and glorified the invisible Spirit and
Barbelo, for whose sake they had come into being.
"And the holy Spirit completed the divine Autogenes, his son,
together with Barbelo, that he may attend the mighty and invisible,
virginal Spirit as the divine Autogenes, the Christ whom he had
honored with a mighty voice. He came forth through the forethought.
And the invisible, virginal Spirit placed the divine Autogenes of
truth over everything. And he subjected to him every authority, and
the truth which is in him, that he may know the All which had been
called with a name exalted above every name. For that name will be
mentioned to those who are worthy of it.
"For from the light, which is the Christ, and the
indestructibility, through the gift of the Spirit the four lights
(appeared) from the divine Autogenes. He expected that they might
attend him. And the three (are) will, thought, and life. And the
four powers (are) understanding, grace, perception, and prudence.
And grace belongs to the light-aeon Armozel, which is the first
angel. And there are three other aeons with this aeon: grace, truth,
and form. And the second light (is) Oriel, who has been placed over
the second aeon. And there are three other aeons with him:
conception, perception, and memory. And the third light is
Daveithai, who has been placed over the third aeon. And there are
three other aeons with him: understanding, love, and idea. And the
fourth aeon was placed over the fourth light Eleleth. And there are
three other aeons with him: perfection, peace, and wisdom. These are
the four lights which attend the divine Autogenes, (and) these are
the twelve aeons which attend the son of the mighty one, the
Autogenes, the Christ, through the will and the gift of the
invisible Spirit. And the twelve aeons belong to the son of the
Autogenes. And all things were established by the will of the holy
Spirit through the Autogenes.
"And from the foreknowledge of the perfect mind, through the
revelation of the will of the invisible Spirit and the will of the
Autogenes, <the> perfect Man (appeared), the first revelation, and
the truth. It is he whom the virginal Spirit called Pigera-Adamas,
and he placed him over the first aeon with the mighty one, the
Autogenes, the Christ, by the first light Armozel; and with him are
his powers. And the invisible one gave him a spiritual, invincible
power. And he spoke and glorified and praised the invisible Spirit,
saying, 'It is for thy sake that everything has come into being and
everything will return to thee. I shall praise and glorify thee and
the Autogenes and the aeons, the three: the Father, the Mother, and
the Son, the perfect power.'
"And he placed his son Seth over the second aeon in the presence
of the second light Oriel. And in the third aeon the seed of Seth
was placed over the third light Daveithai. And the souls of the
saints were placed (there). And in the fourth aeon the souls were
placed of those who do not know the Pleroma and who did not repent
at once, but who persisted for a while and repented afterwards; they
are by the fourth light Eleleth. These are creatures which glorify
the invisible Spirit.
"And the Sophia of the Epinoia, being an aeon, conceived a
thought from herself and the conception of the invisible Spirit and
foreknowledge. She wanted to bring forth a likeness out of herself
without the consent of the Spirit, - he had not approved - and
without her consort, and without his consideration. And though the
person of her maleness had not approved, and she had not found her
agreement, and she had thought without the consent of the Spirit and
the knowledge of her agreement, (yet) she brought forth. And because
of the invincible power which is in her, her thought did not remain
idle, and something came out of her which was imperfect and
different from her appearance, because she had created it without
her consort. And it was dissimilar to the likeness of its mother,
for it has another form.
"And when she saw (the consequences of) her desire, it changed
into a form of a lion-faced serpent. And its eyes were like
lightning fires which flash. She cast it away from her, outside that
place, that no one of the immortal ones might see it, for she had
created it in ignorance. And she surrounded it with a luminous
cloud, and she placed a throne in the middle of the cloud that no
one might see it except the holy Spirit who is called the mother of
the living. And she called his name Yaltabaoth.
"This is the first archon who took a great power from his mother.
And he removed himself from her and moved away from the places in
which he was born. He became strong and created for himself other
aeons with a flame of luminous fire which (still) exists now. And he
joined with his arrogance which is in him and begot authorities for
himself. The name of the first one is Athoth, whom the generations
call the reaper. The second one is Harmas, who is the eye of envy.
The third one is Kalila-Oumbri. The fourth one is Yabel. The fifth
one is Adonaiou, who is called Sabaoth. The sixth one is Cain, whom
the generations of men call the sun. The seventh is Abel. The eighth
is Abrisene. The ninth is Yobel. The tenth is Armoupieel. The
eleventh is Melceir-Adonein. The twelfth is Belias, it is he who is
over the depth of Hades. And he placed seven kings - each
corresponding to the firmaments of heaven - over the seven heavens,
and five over the depth of the abyss, that they may reign. And he
shared his fire with them, but he did not send forth from the power
of the light which he had taken from his mother, for he is ignorant
darkness.
"And when the light had mixed with the darkness, it caused the
darkness to shine. And when the darkness had mixed with the light,
it darkened the light and it became neither light nor dark, but it
became dim.
"Now the archon who is weak has three names. The first name is
Yaltabaoth, the second is Saklas, and the third is Samael. And he is
impious in his arrogance which is in him. For he said, 'I am God and
there is no other God beside me,' for he is ignorant of his
strength, the place from which he had come.
"And the archons created seven powers for themselves, and the
powers created for themselves six angels for each one until they
became 365 angels. And these are the bodies belonging with the
names: the first is Athoth, a he has a sheep's face; the second is
Eloaiou, he has a donkey's face; the third is Astaphaios, he has a
hyena's face; the fourth is Yao, he has a serpent's face with seven
heads; the fifth is Sabaoth, he has a dragon's face; the sixth is
Adonin, he had a monkey's face; the seventh is Sabbede, he has a
shining fire-face. This is the sevenness of the week.
"But Yaltabaoth had a multitude of faces, more than all of them,
so that he could put a face before all of them, according to his
desire, when he is in the midst of seraphs. He shared his fire with
them; therefore he became lord over them. Because of the power of
the glory he possessed of his mother's light, he called himself God.
And he did not obey the place from which he came. And he united the
seven powers in his thought with the authorities which were with
him. And when he spoke it happened. And he named each power
beginning with the highest: the first is goodness with the first
(authority), Athoth; the second is foreknowledge with the second
one, Eloaio; and the third is divinity with the third one,
Astraphaio); the fourth is lordship with the fourth one, Yao; the
fifth is kingdom with the fifth one, Sabaoth; the sixth is envy with
the sixth one, Adonein; the seventh is understanding with the
seventh one, Sabbateon. And these have a firmament corresponding to
each aeon-heaven. They were given names according to the glory which
belongs to heaven for the destruction of the powers. And in the
names which were given to them by their Originator there was power.
But the names which were given them according to the glory which
belongs to heaven mean for them destruction and powerlessness. Thus
they have two names.
"And having created [...] everything, he organized according to
the model of the first aeons which had come into being, so that he
might create them like the indestructible ones. Not because he had
seen the indestructible ones, but the power in him, which he had
taken from his mother, produced in him the likeness of the cosmos.
And when he saw the creation which surrounds him, and the multitude
of the angels around him which had come forth from him, he said to
them, 'I am a jealous God, and there is no other God beside me.' But
by announcing this he indicated to the angels who attended him that
there exists another God. For if there were no other one, of whom
would he be jealous?
"Then the mother began to move to and fro. She became aware of
the deficiency when the brightness of her light diminished. And she
became dark because her consort had not agreed with her."
And I said, "Lord, what does it mean that she moved to and fro?"
But he smiled and said, "Do not think it is, as Moses said, 'above
the waters.' No, but when she had seen the wickedness which had
happened, and the theft which her son had committed, she repented.
And she was overcome by forgetfulness in the darkness of ignorance
and she began to be ashamed. And she did not dare to return, but she
was moving about. And the moving is the going to and fro.
"And the arrogant one took a power from his mother. For he was
ignorant, thinking that there existed no other except his mother
alone. And when he saw the multitude of the angels which he had
created, then he exalted himself above them.
"And when the mother recognized that the garment of darkness was
imperfect, then she knew that her consort had not agreed with her.
She repented with much weeping. And the whole pleroma heard the
prayer of her repentance, and they praised on her behalf the
invisible, virginal Spirit. And he consented; and when the invisible
Spirit had consented, the holy Spirit poured over her from their
whole pleroma. For it was not her consort who came to her, but he
came to her through the pleroma in order that he might correct her
deficiency. And she was taken up not to her own aeon but above her
son, that she might be in the ninth until she has corrected her
deficiency.
"And a voice came forth from the exalted aeon-heaven: 'The Man
exists and the son of Man.' And the chief archon, Yaltabaoth, heard
(it) and thought that the voice had come from his mother. And he did
not know from where it came. And he taught them, the holy and
perfect Mother-Father, the complete foreknowledge, the image of the
invisible one who is the Father of the all (and) through whom
everything came into being, the first Man. For he revealed his
likeness in a human form.
"And the whole aeon of the chief archon trembled, and the
foundations of the abyss shook. And of the waters which are above
matter, the underside was illuminated by the appearance of his image
which had been revealed. And when all the authorities and the chief
archon looked, they saw the whole region of the underside which was
illuminated. And through the light they saw the form of the image in
the water.
"And he said to the authorities which attend him, 'Come, let us
create a man according to the image of God and according to our
likeness, that his image may become a light for us.' And they
created by means of their respective powers in correspondence with
the characteristics which were given. And each authority supplied a
characteristic in the form of the image which he had seen in its
natural (form). He created a being according to the likeness of the
first, perfect Man. And they said, 'Let us call him Adam, that his
name may become a power of light for us.'
"And the powers began: the first one, goodness, created a
bone-soul; and the second, foreknowledge, created a sinew-soul; the
third, divinity, created a flesh-soul; and the fourth, the lordship,
created a marrow-soul; the fifth, kingdom created a blood-soul; the
sixth, envy, created a skin-soul; the seventh, understanding,
created a hair-soul. And the multitude of the angels attended him
and they received from the powers the seven substances of the
natural (form) in order to create the proportions of the limbs and
the proportion of the rump and the proper working together of each
of the parts.
"The first one began to create the head. Eteraphaope-Abron
created his head; Meniggesstroeth created the brain; Asterechme
(created) the right eye; Thaspomocha, the left eye; Yeronumos, the
right ear; Bissoum, the left ear; Akioreim, the nose; Banen-Ephroum,
the lips; Amen, the teeth; Ibikan, the molars; Basiliademe, the
tonsils; Achcha, the uvula; Adaban, the neck; Chaaman, the
vertebrae; Dearcho, the throat; Tebar, the right shoulder; [...],
the left shoulder; Mniarcon, the right elbow; [...], the left elbow;
Abitrion, the right underarm; Evanthen, the left underarm; Krys, the
right hand; Beluai, the left hand; Treneu, the fingers of the right
hand; Balbel, the fingers of the left hand; Kriman, the nails of the
hands; Astrops, the right breast; Barroph, the left breast; Baoum,
the right shoulder joint; Ararim, the left shoulder joint; Areche,
the belly; Phthave, the navel; Senaphim, the abdomen; Arachethopi,
the right ribs; Zabedo, the left ribs; Barias, the right hip;
Phnouth the left hip; Abenlenarchei, the marrow; Chnoumeninorin, the
bones; Gesole, the stomach; Agromauna, the heart; Bano, the lungs;
Sostrapal, the liver; Anesimalar, the spleen; Thopithro, the
intestines; Biblo, the kidneys; Roeror, the sinews; Taphreo, the
spine of the body; Ipouspoboba, the veins; Bineborin, the arteries;
Atoimenpsephei, theirs are the breaths which are in all the limbs;
Entholleia, all the flesh; Bedouk, the right buttock (?); Arabeei,
the left penis; Eilo, the testicles; Sorma, the genitals;
Gorma-Kaiochlabar, the right thigh; Nebrith, the left thigh; Pserem,
the kidneys of the right leg; Asaklas, the left kidney; Ormaoth, the
right leg; Emenun, the left leg; Knyx, the right shin-bone; Tupelon,
the left shin-bone; Achiel, the right knee; Phnene, the left knee;
Phiouthrom, the right foot; Boabel, its toes; Trachoun, the left
foot; Phikna, its toes; Miamai, the nails of the feet; Labernioum -
.
"And those who were appointed over all of these are: Zathoth,
Armas, Kalila, Jabel, (Sabaoth, Cain, Abel). And those who are
particularly active in the limbs (are) the head Diolimodraza, the
neck Yammeax, the right shoulder Yakouib, the left shoulder Verton,
the right hand Oudidi, the left one Arbao, the fingers of the right
hand Lampno, the fingers of the left hand Leekaphar, the right
breast Barbar, the left breast Imae, the chest Pisandriaptes, the
right shoulder joint Koade, the left shoulder joint Odeor, the right
ribs Asphixix, the left ribs Synogchouta, the belly Arouph, the womb
Sabalo, the right thigh Charcharb, the left thigh Chthaon, all the
genitals Bathinoth, the right leg Choux, the left leg Charcha, the
right shin-bone Aroer, the left shin-bone Toechtha, the right knee
Aol, the left knee Charaner, the right foot Bastan, its toes
Archentechtha, the left foot Marephnounth, its toes Abrana.
"Seven have power over all of these: Michael, Ouriel, Asmenedas,
Saphasatoel, Aarmouriam, Richram, Amiorps. And the ones who are in
charge over the senses (are) Archendekta; and he who is in charge
over the receptions (is) Deitharbathas; and he who is in charge over
the imagination (is) Oummaa; and he who is over the composition
Aachiaram, and he who is over the whole impulse Riaramnacho.
"And the origin of the demons which are in the whole body is
determined to be four: heat, cold, wetness, and dryness. And the
mother of all of them is matter. And he who reigns over the heat
(is) Phloxopha; and he who reigns over the cold is Oroorrothos; and
he who reigns over what is dry (is) Erimacho; and he who reigns over
the wetness (is) Athuro. And the mother of all of these,
Onorthochrasaei, stands in their midst, since she is illimitable,
and she mixes with all of them. And she is truly matter, for they
are nourished by her.
"The four chief demons are: Ephememphi, who belongs to pleasure,
Yoko, who belongs to desire, Nenentophni, who belongs to grief,
Blaomen, who belongs to fear. And the mother of them all is
Aesthesis-Ouch-Epi-Ptoe. And from the four demons passions came
forth. And from grief (came) envy, jealousy, distress, trouble,
pain, callousness, anxiety, mourning, etc. And from pleasure much
wickedness arises, and empty pride, and similar things. And from
desire (comes) anger, wrath, and bitterness, and bitter passion, and
unsatedness, and similar things. And from fear (comes) dread,
fawning, agony, and shame. All of these are like useful things as
well as evil things. But the insight into their true (character) is
Anaro, who is the head of the material soul, for it belongs with the
seven senses, Ouch-Epi-Ptoe.
"This is the number of the angels: together they are 365. They
all worked on it until, limb for limb, the natural and the material
body was completed by them. Now there are other ones in charge over
the remaining passions whom I did not mention to you. But if you
wish to know them, it is written in the book of Zoroaster. And all
the angels and demons worked until they had constructed the natural
body. And their product was completely inactive and motionless for a
long time.
"And when the mother wanted to retrieve the power which she had
given to the chief archon, she petitioned the Mother-Father of the
All, who is most merciful. He sent, by means of the holy decree, the
five lights down upon the place of the angels of the chief archon.
They advised him that they should bring forth the power of the
mother. And they said to Yaltabaoth, 'Blow into his face something
of your spirit and his body will arise.' And he blew into his face
the spirit which is the power of his mother; he did not know (this),
for he exists in ignorance. And the power of the mother went out of
Yaltabaoth into the natural body, which they had fashioned after the
image of the one who exists from the beginning. The body moved and
gained strength, and it was luminous.
"And in that moment the rest of the powers became jealous,
because he had come into being through all of them and they had
given their power to the man, and his intelligence was greater than
that of those who had made him, and greater than that of the chief
archon. And when they recognized that he was luminous, and that he
could think better than they, and that he was free from wickedness,
they took him and threw him into the lowest region of all matter.
"But the blessed One, the Mother-Father, the beneficent and
merciful One, had mercy on the power of the mother which had been
brought forth out of the chief archon, for they (the archons) might
gain power over the natural and perceptible body. And he sent,
through his beneficent Spirit and his great mercy, a helper to Adam,
luminous Epinoia which comes out of him, who is called Life. And she
assists the whole creature, by toiling with him and by restoring him
to his fullness and by teaching him about the descent of his seed
(and) by teaching him about the way of ascent, (which is) the way he
came down. And the luminous Epinoia was hidden in Adam, in order
that the archons might not know her, but that the Epinoia might be a
correction of the deficiency of the mother.
"And the man came forth because of the shadow of the light which
is in him. And his thinking was superior to all those who had made
him. When they looked up, they saw that his thinking was superior.
And they took counsel with the whole array of archons and angels.
They took fire and earth and water and mixed them together with the
four fiery winds. And they wrought them together and caused a great
disturbance. And they brought him (Adam) into the shadow of death,
in order that they might form (him) again from earth and water and
fire and the spirit which originates in matter, which is the
ignorance of darkness and desire, and their counterfeit spirit. This
is the tomb of the newly-formed body with which the robbers had
clothed the man, the bond of forgetfulness; and he became a mortal
man. This is the first one who came down, and the first separation.
But the Epinoia of the light which was in him, she is the one who
was to awaken his thinking.
"And the archons took him and placed him in paradise. And they
said to him, 'Eat, that is at leisure,' for their luxury is bitter
and their beauty is depraved. And their luxury is deception and
their trees are godlessness and their fruit is deadly poison and
their promise is death. And the tree of their life they had placed
in the midst of paradise.
"And I shall teach you (pl.) what is the mystery of their life,
which is the plan which they made together, which is the likeness of
their spirit. The root of this (tree) is bitter and its branches are
death, its shadow is hate and deception is in its leaves, and its
blossom is the ointment of evil, and its fruit is death and desire
is its seed, and it sprouts in darkness. The dwelling place of those
who taste from it is Hades, and the darkness is their place of rest.
"But what they call the tree of knowledge of good and evil, which
is the Epinoia of the light, they stayed in front of it in order
that he (Adam) might not look up to his fullness and recognize the
nakedness of his shamefulness. But it was I who brought about that
they ate."
And to I said to the savior, "Lord, was it not the serpent that
taught Adam to eat?" The savior smiled and said, "The serpent taught
them to eat from wickedness of begetting, lust, (and) destruction,
that he (Adam) might be useful to him. And he (Adam) knew that he
was disobedient to him (the chief archon) due to light of the
Epinoia which is in him, which made him more correct in his thinking
than the chief archon. And (the latter) wanted to bring about the
power which he himself had given him. And he brought a forgetfulness
over Adam."
And I said to the savior, "What is the forgetfulness?" And he
said "It is not the way Moses wrote (and) you heard. For he said in
his first book, 'He put him to sleep' (Gn 2:21), but (it was) in his
perception. For also he said through the prophet, 'I will make their
hearts heavy, that they may not pay attention and may not see' (Is
6:10).
"Then the Epinoia of the light hid herself in him (Adam). And the
chief archon wanted to bring her out of his rib. But the Epinoia of
the light cannot be grasped. Although darkness pursued her, it did
not catch her. And he brought a part of his power out of him. And he
made another creature, in the form of a woman, according to the
likeness of the Epinoia which had appeared to him. And he brought
the part which he had taken from the power of the man into the
female creature, and not as Moses said, 'his rib-bone.'
"And he (Adam) saw the woman beside him. And in that moment the
luminous Epinoia appeared, and she lifted the veil which lay over
his mind. And he became sober from the drunkenness of darkness. And
he recognized his counter-image, and he said, 'This is indeed bone
of my bones and flesh of my flesh.' Therefore the man will leave his
father and his mother, and he will cleave to his wife, and they will
both be one flesh. For they will send him his consort, and he will
leave his father and his mother ... (3 lines unreadable)
"And our sister Sophia (is) she who came down in innocence in
order to rectify her deficiency. Therefore she was called Life,
which is the mother of the living, by the foreknowledge of the
sovereignty of heaven. And through her they have tasted the perfect
Knowledge. I appeared in the form of an eagle on the tree of
knowledge, which is the Epinoia from the foreknowledge of the pure
light, that I might teach them and awaken them out of the depth of
sleep. For they were both in a fallen state, and they recognized
their nakedness. The Epinoia appeared to them as a light; she
awakened their thinking.
"And when Yaltabaoth noticed that they withdrew from him, he
cursed his earth. He found the woman as she was preparing herself
for her husband. He was lord over her, though he did not know the
mystery which had come to pass through the holy decree. And they
were afraid to blame him. And he showed his angels his ignorance
which is in him. And he cast them out of paradise and he clothed
them in gloomy darkness. And the chief archon saw the virgin who
stood by Adam, and that the luminous Epinoia of life had appeared in
her. And Yaltabaoth was full of ignorance. And when the
foreknowledge of the All noticed (it), she sent some and they
snatched life out of Eve.
"And the chief archon seduced her and he begot in her two sons;
the first and the second (are) Eloim and Yave. Eloim has a bear-face
and Yave has a cat-face. The one is righteous but the other is
unrighteous. (Yave is righteous but Eloim is unrighteous.) Yave he
set over the fire and the wind, and Eloim he set over the water and
the earth. And these he called with the names Cain and Abel with a
view to deceive.
"Now up to the present day, sexual intercourse continued due to
the chief archon. And he planted sexual desire in her who belongs to
Adam. And he produced through intercourse the copies of the bodies,
and he inspired them with his counterfeit spirit.
"And the two archons he set over principalities, so that they
might rule over the tomb. And when Adam recognized the likeness of
his own foreknowledge, he begot the likeness of the son of man. He
called him Seth, according to the way of the race in the aeons.
Likewise, the mother also sent down her spirit, which is in her
likeness and a copy of those who are in the pleroma, for she will
prepare a dwelling place for the aeons which will come down. And he
made them drink water of forgetfulness, from the chief archon, in
order that they might not know from where they came. Thus, the seed
remained for a while assisting (him), in order that, when the Spirit
comes forth from the holy aeons, he may raise up and heal him from
the deficiency, that the whole pleroma may (again) become holy and
faultless."
And I said to the savior, "Lord, will all the souls then be
brought safely into the pure light?" He answered and said to me,
"Great things have arisen in your mind, for it is difficult to
explain them to others except to those who are from the immovable
race. Those on whom the Spirit of life will descend and (with whom)
he will be with the power, they will be saved and become perfect and
be worthy of the greatness and be purified in that place from all
wickedness and the involvements in evil. Then they have no other
care than the incorruption alone, to which they direct their
attention from here on, without anger or envy or jealousy or desire
and greed of anything. They are not affected by anything except the
state of being in the flesh alone, which they bear while looking
expectantly for the time when they will be met by the receivers (of
the body). Such then are worthy of the imperishable, eternal life
and the calling. For they endure everything and bear up under
everything, that they may finish the good fight and inherit eternal
life."
I said to him, "Lord, the souls of those who did not do these
works (but) on whom the power and Spirit descended, (will they be
rejected?" He answered and said to me, "If) the Spirit (descended
upon them), they will in any case be saved, and they will change
(for the better). For the power will descend on every man, for
without it no one can stand. And after they are born, then, when the
Spirit of life increases and the power comes and strengthens that
soul, no one can lead it astray with works of evil. But those on
whom the counterfeit spirit descends are drawn by him and they go
astray."
And I said, "Lord, where will the souls of these go when they
have come out of their flesh?" And he smiled and said to me, "The
soul in which the power will become stronger than the counterfeit
spirit, is strong and it flees from evil and, through the
intervention of the incorruptible one, it is saved, and it is taken
up to the rest of the aeons."
And I said, "Lord, those, however, who have not known to whom
they belong, where will their souls be?" And he said to me, "In
those, the despicable spirit has gained strength when they went
astray. And he burdens the soul and draws it to the works of evil,
and he casts it down into forgetfulness. And after it comes out of
(the body), it is handed over to the authorities, who came into
being through the archon, and they bind it with chains and cast it
into prison, and consort with it until it is liberated from the
forgetfulness and acquires knowledge. And if thus it becomes
perfect, it is saved."
And I said, "Lord, how can the soul become smaller and return
into the nature of its mother or into man?" Then he rejoiced when I
asked him this, and he said to me, "Truly, you are blessed, for you
have understood! That soul is made to follow another one (fem.),
since the Spirit of life is in it. It is saved through him. It is
not again cast into another flesh."
And I said, "Lord, these also who did not know, but have turned
away, where will their souls go?" Then he said to me, "To that place
where the angels of poverty go they will be taken, the place where
there is no repentance. And they will be kept for the day on which
those who have blasphemed the spirit will be tortured, and they will
be punished with eternal punishment."
And I said, "Lord, from where did the counterfeit spirit come?"
Then he said to me, "The Mother-Father, who is rich in mercy, the
holy Spirit in every way, the One who is merciful and who
sympathizes with you (pl.), i.e., the Epinoia of the foreknowledge
of light, he raised up the offspring of the perfect race and its
thinking and the eternal light of man. When the chief archon
realized that they were exalted above him in the height - and they
surpass him in thinking - then he wanted to seize their thought, not
knowing that they surpassed him in thinking, and that he will not be
able to seize them.
"He made a plan with his authorities, which are his powers, and
they committed together adultery with Sophia, and bitter fate was
begotten through them, which is the last of the changeable bonds.
And it is of a sort that is interchangeable. And it is harder and
stronger than she with whom the gods united, and the angels and the
demons and all the generations until this day. For from that fate
came forth every sin and injustice and blasphemy, and the chain of
forgetfulness and ignorance and every severe command, and serious
sins and great fears. And thus the whole creation was made blind, in
order that they may not know God, who is above all of them. And
because of the chain of forgetfulness, their sins were hidden. For
they are bound with measures and times and moments, since it (fate)
is lord over everything.
"And he (the chief archon) repented for everything which had come
into being through him. This time he planned to bring a flood upon
the work of man. But the greatness of the light of the foreknowledge
informed Noah, and he proclaimed (it) to all the offspring which are
the sons of men. But those who were strangers to him did not listen
to him. It is not as Moses said, 'They hid themselves in an ark' (Gn
7: 7), but they hid themselves in a place, not only Noah, but also
many other people from the immovable race. They went into a place
and hid themselves in a luminous cloud. And he (Noah) recognized his
authority, and she who belongs to the light was with him, having
shone on them because he (the chief archon) had brought darkness
upon the whole earth.
"And he made a plan with his powers. He sent his angels to the
daughters of men, that they might take some of them for themselves
and raise offspring for their enjoyment. And at first they did not
succeed. When they had no success, they gathered together again and
they made a plan together. They created a counterfeit spirit, who
resembles the Spirit who had descended, so as to pollute the souls
through it. And the angels changed themselves in their likeness into
the likeness of their mates (the daughters of men), filling them
with the spirit of darkness, which they had mixed for them, and with
evil. They brought gold and silver and a gift and copper and iron
and metal and all kinds of things. And they steered the people who
had followed them into great troubles, by leading them astray with
many deceptions. They (the people) became old without having
enjoyment. They died, not having found truth and without knowing the
God of truth. And thus the whole creation became enslaved forever,
from the foundation of the world until now. And they took women and
begot children out of the darkness according to the likeness of
their spirit. And they closed their hearts, and they hardened
themselves through the hardness of the counterfeit spirit until now.
"I, therefore, the perfect Pronoia of the all, changed myself
into my seed, for I existed first, going on every road. For I am the
richness of the light; I am the remembrance of the pleroma.
"And I went into the realm of darkness and I endured till I
entered the middle of the prison. And the foundations of chaos
shook. And I hid myself from them because of their wickedness, and
they did not recognize me.
"Again I returned for the second time, and I went about. I came
forth from those who belong to the light, which is I, the
remembrance of the Pronoia. I entered into the midst of darkness and
the inside of Hades, since I was seeking (to accomplish) my task.
And the foundations of chaos shook, that they might fall down upon
those who are in chaos and might destroy them. And again I ran up to
my root of light, lest they be destroyed before the time.
"Still for a third time I went - I am the light which exists in
the light, I am the remembrance of the Pronoia - that I might enter
into the midst of darkness and the inside of Hades. And I filled my
face with the light of the completion of their aeon. And I entered
into the midst of their prison, which is the prison of the body. And
I said, 'He who hears, let him get up from the deep sleep.' And he
wept and shed tears. Bitter tears he wiped from himself and he said,
'Who is it that calls my name, and from where has this hope come to
me, while I am in the chains of the prison?' And I said, 'I am the
Pronoia of the pure light; I am the thinking of the virginal Spirit,
who raised you up to the honored place. Arise and remember that it
is you who hearkened, and follow your root, which is I, the merciful
one, and guard yourself against the angels of poverty and the demons
of chaos and all those who ensnare you, and beware of the deep sleep
and the enclosure of the inside of Hades.
"And I raised him up, and sealed him in the light of the water
with five seals, in order that death might not have power over him
from this time on.
"And behold, now I shall go up to the perfect aeon. I have
completed everything for you in your hearing. And I have said
everything to you that you might write them down and give them
secretly to your fellow spirits, for this is the mystery of the
immovable race."
And the savior presented these things to him that he might write
them down and keep them secure. And he said to him, "Cursed be
everyone who will exchange these things for a gift or for food or
for drink or for clothing or for any other such thing." And these
things were presented to him in a mystery, and immediately he
disappeared from him. And he went to his fellow disciples and
related to them what the savior had told him.
Jesus Christ, Amen.