Part 11

Now therefore he who is sober let him be sober. These therefore Jesus having said them unto his disciples came forward Thomas, said he, My Lord, I am sober I become soberer and my spirit is ready in me, and I am glad greatly, because thou revealedst to us these words: nevertheless therefore I am bearing with my brothers up till now, that I should not be angry with them. But I bear with each of them, coming forward to thee, saying the explanation of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Now therefore, my Lord, concerning the explanation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia, [74^b] thy power of light prophesied about it by David the prophet, saying thus in the twenty-fourth psalm, O Lord, I lifted my soul up unto thee, my God, I confided in thee, let me not be ashamed, nor let mine enemies mock at me. For even every one who is patient with thee, they will not be ashamed. They shall be ashamed, those who are unlawful without a cause. O Lord, show to me thy ways and teach me thy paths guide me in the way of thy truth and teach me: because thou art my God my Saviour, I will have patience with thee all the day. Remember thy compassions, O Lord, and thy [75^a] mercies because they become from age. The sins of my youth with my ignorance remember not; remember me rather according to the multitude of thy mercy, because of thy kindness, O Lord: kind and being straight is the Lord, because of this he will teach the sinners on the road: he will guide the meek in judgment, he will teach the meek his roads. All the roads of the Lord mercies are and truth, to those who seek for his righteousness and his testimonies: because of thy name, O Lord, forgive my sin to me which is plentiful greatly. Who is the man who feareth the Lord? He will establish law for him on the road which he wished. His soul [75^b] will dwell in goods, and his seed will inherit the earth. The Lord is the firmness of those who fear him, and the name of the Lord is that of those who fear him, to show to them his covenant. Mine eyes are gazing at the Lord at every time; because he it is who will draw my feet out of the snare. Look upon me, and have mercy upon me, because I am orphan, I am poor, indeed. The afflictions of my heart widened. Bring me out of my necessities. See my humility with my tribulations and forgive all my sins. See mine enemies because they increased; and they hated me in a hatred of violence. Guard my soul [76^a] and save me. Let me not be ashamed because I hoped unto thee. The innocent (ones) with those who are straight clave unto me, because I have patience unto thee, Lord God, redeem the Israel out of all his afflictions.

But Jesus having heard the words of Thomas, said he to him, Well (done) Thomas and fairly. This is the explanation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen I say to you, Will call you happy upon the earth all the generations of the World, because I revealed these (things) to you, and ye received out of my spirit, and ye became understanding and spiritual (ones), understanding the (things) which I say. And after these (things) I shall [76^b] fill you with all the light and with all the power of the spirit that ye should understand from this hour all the (things) which they will say unto you, and with the (things) which they will see. Yet a little other time (and) I shall speak with you all the (things) of the Height from outward even unto inward, and from inward even unto outward.

Added also Jesus in the word, said he to the disciples. It happened therefore, having said her seventh repentance in the Chaos the Pistis Sophia, and not yet the command came to me through the First Mystery, for me to deliver her and bring her up from the Chaos. But I through my own self in mercifulness, without [77^a] command I brought her unto a Place widened a little in the Chaos. And having known the material emanations of the Self-willed, that they brought her unto a Place widened a little in the Chaos, they ceased oppressing her for a little, thinking that they are going to bring her up from the Chaos altogether. These (things) therefore having happened was not knowing the Pistis Sophia that I it (is) who helpeth her, nor was she knowing me at all; but she was wont to continue hymning unto the light of the Treasury, this which she saw at the time, and this which she believed: and she was thinking that he also it (is) who helpeth her, and he it (is) unto whom she was hymning, thinking that it is the Light [77^b] of the truth. But since she believed the Light, this which belongeth unto the truth of the Treasury, because of this they will bring her up from the Chaos, and receive her repentance from her: but not yet had been fulfilled the precept of the First Mystery for them to receive her repentance from her. Nevertheless therefore hear that I may say unto you all the words which happened to the Pistis Sophia. It happened I having brought her unto a Place widened a little in the Chaos, ceased oppressing her entirely the emanations of the Self-willed, thinking that they are going to bring her up from the Chaos altogether. It happened therefore, having known the emanations of the Self-willed, that they brought not the Pistis Sophia up from the Chaos, they turned also (back) oppressing her greatly. Because of [78^a] this therefore she said the eighth Repentance, because they had (before) ceased oppressing her, and also they turned (back) they oppressed her unto the end. She said this repentance, saying thus, I confided in unto thee, O Light, leave me not in the Chaos, redeem me and deliver me in thy knowledge. I confided in thee and thou deliverest me: become for me deliverer, O Light, and deliver me and bring me (close) to thy light: because thou art my Saviour, and thou wilt bring me (close) to thee. And because of the mystery of thy name guide me, and give to me thy mystery: and thou wilt deliver me from this power of face of lion which ensnared me; because thou art my Saviour, and I shall give the purgation of my light unto thy hands. Thou [78^b] deliveredst me, O Light, by thy knowledge. Thou wast angry with those who are watchful against me, these who will not be able to lay hold on me for ever. But I, I trusted unto the Light, I shall rejoice and hymn, because thou hadst compassion upon me, and thou gavest heed unto the straits in which I become, and thou deliveredst me: and also thou wilt save my power out of Chaos, and thou didst not leave me in hand of the power of face of lion, but thou broughtest me unto a Place which is not oppressing.

These therefore, Jesus having said unto his disciples, he answered also, said he to them, It happened therefore having known the power of face of lion that they brought not the Pistis Sophia up from the Chaos altogether (that power) came also with all the other material emanations of the Self-willed, [79^a] they oppressed also the Pistis Sophia. It happened therefore, they having oppressed her, she cried out in the same Repentance, saying, Have compassion upon me, O Light, because they oppressed me also. Was disturbed because of thy precept the light which is in me. And my power and my mind: my power began to fail, while I become in these oppressions; and the number of my time while I become in Chaos. My light was diminished because they took away my power from me, and shook all the powers which (are) in me. I became powerless beyond all the Rulers of the Aeons, these who hate me, and beyond the twenty-four emanations, these in whose Place I was becoming. And feared to help me my brother, my partner, because of [79^b] the (things) in which they planted me. And all the Rulers of the Height reckoned me unto them as matter in which is not light. I became as a material power, which fell out of the Rulers, and said all those who are in the Aeons, She became Chaos. And after these (things) surrounded me the merciless powers, and they said about taking away all my light which is in me. But I, I trusted unto thee, O Light, and I said, Thou art my Saviour. And my precept which thou orderedst unto me being in thy hands. Deliver me from the emanations of the Self-willed these which oppress me and which persecute me. Send thy light upon me, because I am nothing with thee. And deliver me in thy [80^a] compassion: let me not be despised, because thou art he whom I hymned, O Light: the Chaos will cover over the emanations of the Self-willed, and take them below unto the darkness. Let be shut the mouth of those who wish to swallow me (down) in guile, these who say, Let us take away all the light which is in her, to whom I did not anything evil. But these having said them Jesus, came forward Maththaios said he, My Lord, thy spirit moved me, and sober in me is thy light for me to utter the eighth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. For thy power prophesied about her once by David in the thirtieth psalm, saying, I confide in thee, O Lord, let me not be ashamed [80^b] for ever. Save me in thy righteousness. Incline thy ear unto me. Hasten and save me. Become to me a God of defence, and a house of refuge, to save me: because thou art my firmness and my refuge, because of thy name thou wilt guide me and nourish me and thou wilt bring me out of this snare, this which they hid from me: because thou art my defence. I shall deposit my spirit into thy hands. Thou redeemedst me, O Lord, the God of the truth. Thou hatedst those who keep that which is vain without cause; but I, I trusted, I shall be glad about the Lord, and I shall be delighted over thy mercy: because thou lookedst upon my humility and thou savedst my soul out of the necessities, and thou shutest not me up in the hands of the darkness, thou madest stand my feet in a [81^a] wide place: have mercy on me, O Lord, because I am afflicted. Mine eyes were disturbed in the anger, and my soul with my belly. Because my years failed in pain of heart, and my life failed in groanings. My power was weakened in poverty, and were disturbed my bones. I became for reproach to all my enemies, and those who are near unto me. I became for fear to those who know me. And those who see me they ran away from me. They forgot me as a corpse in their heart, and I was as a vessel which perished. Because I heard the contempt of multitudes surrounding me round about me, in their gathering upon me together. They counselled to take away my soul from me. But I trusted unto thee, O Lord. I said, Thou art my God [81^b] my lot is being in thy hands. Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and save me from those who persecute me. Manifest thy face upon thy servant, and save me in thy mercy, O Lord. Let me not be ashamed because I cried up unto thee, let them be ashamed, the impious (ones), and (let) them turn them unto Amente. Let be silenced the lips of guile, those who utter unlawfulness at the just in pride with contempt.

But Jesus having heard these words, said he, Fairly (said) Maththaios. Now therefore, Amen I say to you, Whenever should be completed the perfect number, and the Universe be caught up, I shall sit in the Treasury of the Light, and ye also ye will sit upon twelve powers of light until we shall [82^a] restore all the arrays of the twelve Saviours unto the Place of the inheritance of each of them.

But these having said them, said he, Understand ye what I am saying?

Came forward Maria, said she, O Lord, because of this indeed thou saidst unto us once in a parable, Ye, ye were patient with me in the temptations, I shall establish with you a kingdom according as my Father established with me, that ye should eat and drink upon my table in my kingdom, and ye, ye will sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of the Israel.

Said he to her, Well (done) Maria. Added also Jesus, said he to his disciples [82^b]. It happened therefore also after these (things), having oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos, the emanations of the Self-willed, she said the ninth Repentance, saying, O Light, Smite those who took away my power from me, and take away the power of those who took away mine from me, because I am thy power with thy light. Come and deliver me. Let a great darkness cover over those who oppress me. Say to my power, I am he who will deliver thee. Let them be diminished of their power, all these who wish to take away my light from me altogether. Let them turn them unto the Chaos, and let them be powerless, those who wish to take away my light from me altogether. Let their power become as dust, and let smite them Ieou thy [83^a] angel; and whenever they should set out to come unto the Height, let darkness catch them, and let them slide down, and let them turn them unto the Chaos. And let persecute them Ieou thy angel, and send them unto the darkness below. Because they ensnared me with a power of face of lion, I having not done evil to them, this (power) from which they will take away its light: they oppressed the power which (is) in me, this which they will not be able to take away. Now therefore, O Light, take away the purgations of the light of the power of face of lion, it having not known: and the thought which thought the Self-willed to take away my light, take away his own also; and let them take away the light of the power of face of lion, this which ensnareth me. My power itself will be cheerful in the light, and it will rejoice because thou wilt deliver it. And will say all parts of my power, There is not other deliverer except thee; because thou [83^b] art he who will deliver me from the power of face of lion, this which took away my power and my light from me, and thou art he who delivereth me from those who took away my power from me with my light. Because they stood against me, lying about me and saying, I know the mystery of the Light which (is) in the Height, this which I believed, and they compelled me, saying, Say unto us the mystery of the Light which is in the Height, this indeed which I know not. And they repaid to me all these evils, because that I believed the Light of the Height. And they made my power lightless. But I, they having compelled me, I sat down in the darkness, my soul being humbled in a lamentation. And, O Light, because of whom I hymn up unto thee, Deliver me. I know that thou wilt deliver me, because that I was doing thy wish since [84^a] becoming in my Aeon. I was doing thy wish as the Invisibles who become in my Place, and as my partner, and I was lamenting, gazing, seeking after thy Light. Now therefore surrounded me all the emanations of the Self-willed, and they rejoiced over me, and they oppressed me greatly, while I know not (the cause?). And they ran (away) they ceased from me, and they had not mercy upon me, they turned (back) also, they tempted me, and they oppressed me in the great oppression: they gnashed their teeth at me, wishing to take away my light from me altogether. How long therefore, O Light, art thou bearing with them oppressing me? Deliver my power out of their evil thoughts, and deliver me from the power of face of lion, because I alone among the Invisibles am that which becometh in this [84^b] Place. I shall hymn unto thee, O Light, being in the midst of all those who collected unto me, and I shall cry up at thee in the midst of all those who oppress me. Now therefore, O Light, let not rejoice at me those who hate me, and who wish to take away my power from me, these who hate me; who move their eyes at me, I having not done anything to them. Because they were flattering me indeed in words fair, seeking from me the mysteries of the Light, these which I know not; saying unto me, being crafty unto me, and being angry with me because I believed the Light which (is) in the Height. They opened their mouth against me, said they, Yea, we shall take away her light. Now therefore, O Light, thou knewest their guile. Bear not with them, and let not thy help be far away [85^a] from me. Hasten, O Light. Do my judgment with my avenging, and give judgment unto me in thy goodness. Now therefore, O Light of the Lights, let them not take away my light from me, and let them not say within them, Our power was satisfied with her light, and let them not say, (We) swallowed (down) her power, but let darkness rather come upon them, and let them be powerless, those who wish to take away my light from me: and let them clothe them with Chaos and darkness, those who say, We shall take away her light with her power. Now therefore deliver me that I may rejoice, because I wish for the thirteenth Aeon the Place of the righteousness. And I shall say at every time, Shall make more light the light of Ieou thy angel, because I long for the light, [85^b] and my tongue will hymn unto thee in thy knowledge in all my time in the thirteenth Aeon.

It happened, Jesus having finished saying these words unto his disciples, said he to them, He who is sober among you, let him utter their explanation. Came forward Iakobos. He kissed the breast of Jesus, said he, My Lord, was sober in me thy spirit, and I am ready to utter their explanation. Concerning this indeed thy power prophesied once by David in the thirty-fourth psalm, saying thus concerning the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Give judgment, O Lord, unto those who illtreat me, fight with those who fight with me: lay hold on a weapon with a shield and arise to help me. Draw out a sword [86^a] and shut off (the way) in the presence of those who afflict me. Say to my soul, I am thy salvation: let them be ashamed and be disgraced those who seek after my soul. Let them turn them back and be ashamed those who think unto me evil (things). Let them be as the dust before a wind and the angel of the Lord persecuting them. Let their road become darkness and slippery and the angel of the Lord afflicting them. Because they hid unto me a snare without cause unto their own destruction. And they reproached my soul with that which is vain. Let come to them the snare which they know not, and let seize them the trap which they hid for me, and they will fall into this snare. But my soul will be glad over the Lord, and [86^b] it will be cheerful over its salvation. All my bones will say, O Lord, who is he who will be able to be like thee? Thou savest the poor (one) from the hand of him who is stronger than he, and thou deliverest a poor (one) with a miserable (one) from those who spoil him. Arose witnesses of violence; they questioned me about the things which I know not: they repaid to me evil (things) instead of good, (things) and childlessness to my soul. But I, they having annoyed me, I clothed me with a sackcloth and I humbled my soul in a fasting, my prayer will turn (back) into my bosom. I was pleasing to thee, as he who is my neighbour, and as my brother; and I humbled my(self) as he who lamenteth, and as he who mourneth. They delighted [87^a] over me, and they were ashamed. Scourges collected upon me, and I knew not. They were separated, and they were not pained at heart. They tempted me and they derided me in derision, they gnashed their teeth upon me. O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Set up my soul out of their evil works, and deliver mine only sonship from the lions. I shall manifest to thee, O Lord, in a congregation which is many, and I shall bless thee in a people which hath not number. Let them not rejoice at me, those who are enemies unto me in violence, those who hate me without a cause, and they are winking with their eyes. Because I indeed, they are wont to speak with me in words of peace, and they are [87^b] wont to think in anger in guiles. They widened their mouth upon me, and they said, Well (done) our eyes were full of sight of him. Thou sawest, O Lord. Be not silent, O Lord, withdraw not thee from me. Arise, O Lord, and give heed unto my judgment. Give heed unto my avenging, my God and my Lord. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness: let them not rejoice at me, my God, nor let them say, Well (done), our soul! Let them not say, We swallowed him (up). Let them be ashamed and be disgraced together, those who rejoice over my evil. Let them clothe them with shame with disgrace, those who say great words against me. Let them be glad and be joyful, those who wish my righteousness [88^a] and let them say, Let the Lord be great and be exalted. Let them be exalted, those who wish the peace of his servant. My tongue will be glad for thy righteousness with thy honour in all the day.

These therefore having said them Iakobos, said he Jesus, Well (and) fairly (done), Iakobos: this is the explanation of the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Amen, amen I say to you, Ye will be first in unto the kingdom of the heavens before all the Invisibles with all the Gods with all the Rulers, these which become in the thirteenth Aeon and in the twelve Aeons. But ye, not ye alone, [88^b] but every one also who will do my mysteries. But these having said them, said he to them, Understand ye in what manner I am speaking with you? Sprang up again Mariham, said she, Yea, O Lord, This is that which thou saidst to us once, The last (ones) will be first, and the first (will) be last. The first (ones) therefore (are those) whom they fashioned before us, the Invisibles. Since they it is, who became before the mankind, they with the Rulers, and the men who will receive mysteries, will be first (before) them in unto the kingdom of the heavens. Said he to her Jesus, Well (done), Mariham. Added also Jesus, said he to his disciples, It happened therefore, she having uttered [89^a] the ninth repentance the Pistis Sophia, oppressed her again the power of face of lion, wishing to take away every power from her. She cried also up unto the Light, saying, O Light, whom I believed from at first, because of whom I suffered these great tribulations, help me. And they accepted from her her repentance at that hour: heard her the First Mystery and they dispatched me by his command, I came to help her, I brought her up from the Chaos, because she repented, and also because that she believed the Light, she suffered these great tribulations with these great dangers, (she was deceived) by the Self-willed God, and she was not deceived by any work except [89^b] by a power of light, because of the likeness to the light which she believed. Because of this therefore they dispatched me by the command of the First Mystery for me to help her in concealment: but that I should not yet come unto the Place of the Aeons altogether. But I came out of all their midst, not any power knew (it), neither those of the inward part of the inward parts, nor those of the outward part of the outward, except the First Mystery only.