Part 15

It happened therefore, the First [137^a] Mystery having heard these words said he: Well (done) Iakkobos, the beloved, But added also in the word the First Mystery, said he to the disciples, It happened, I having brought the Pistis Sophia up from the Chaos, she cried out also saying, I was delivered from the Chaos and I was loosed from the bonds of the darkness. I came (close) to thee, O Light, because thou becamest light on every side of me, thou art delivering me and thou art helping me: and the emanations of the Self-willed, these which are fighting against me, thou preventedst them by thy light, and they were not able to approach in unto me, because thy light was becoming with me, and it is delivering me by thy effluence of Light: because that [137^b] emanations of the Self-willed oppressed me, they took away my power from me: they cast me out in the Chaos there being not light in me. I became as a matter which is heavy in comparison with them. And after these (things) a power of effluence came to me from thee delivering me: it made light on left of me and on right of me, and it was surrounding me on every side of me, that should not any part of mine become being lightless. And thou coveredst over me with the light of thy effluence. And thou purged out of me all my matters evil. And I became above all my matters because of thy light, and thine effluence of Light: that is (that) which exalted me, and it took away from me the emanations of the Self-willed, these which are wont [138^a] to afflict me. And I became being confident of heart in thy light, and in the light which is purified by thy effluence. And were distant away from me the emanations of the Self-willed, these which were oppressing me, and I became light by thy great power, because thou, thou art wont to deliver at every time. This is the Repentance which said the Pistis Sophia, she having come up from the Chaos, and having been loosened the bonds of the Chaos. Now therefore he who hath ear to hear let him hear. It happened therefore, the First Mystery having finished saying these words unto the disciples, came forward Thomas, said he, My Lord, there is ear to my light-dweller and my understanding understandeth the words [138^b] which thou saidst. Now therefore command to me that I may utter the explanation of the words clearly. But answered the First Mystery, said he to Thomas, I command to thee for to utter the explanation of the hymn, that which hymned up toward me the Pistis Sophia. But answered Thomas, said he, My Lord, concerning the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia, because she was delivered out of the Chaos, thy power of light prophesied about it once by Solomon the son of David in his Odes, I was delivered out of the bonds, I ran (close) up to thee, O Lord, because thou becamest to me on right (hand), [139^a] thou art delivering me, and thou art helping me. Thou preventedst those who fight against me, and they were not manifested; because thy face was becoming with me, delivering me in thy grace. I received insult in presence of a multitude, and they cast me out, I became as lead before them. Happened to me a power from thee helping me, because thou puttest torches on right of me and left of me, that not any part of me should be being lightless. Thou shelteredst me under the shadow of thy mercy, and I became above the coats of the skin. Thy right (hand) is that which exalted me, and thou tookest the weakness [139^b] away from me, I became prevailing in thy truthfulness, being cleansed in thy righteousness. Were distant away from me those who fight against me. And I was justified in thy kindness, because thy rest becometh ever unto age of the age. This therefore, O my Lord, is the explanation of the repentance which said the Pistis Sophia, having been delivered from the Chaos. Hear therefore, that I may say in boldness. The word therefore which thy power of light said by Solomon, I was delivered out of the bonds I ran (close) to thee, O Lord. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, I was loosened from the bonds of the darkness, I came (close) to thee, O Light. [140^a] And the word which said thy power, Thou becamest to me on (the) right, thou art delivering me and thou art helping me. That also is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou becamest light on every part of me, and thou art helping me. And the word which thy power of light said, Thou preventedst those who fight against me, and they were not manifested. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia. And the emanations of the Self-willed, these which fight against me, thou preventedst them by thy light, and they were not able to approach in unto me. And the word which thy power said, Thy face was becoming with me in thy grace. That is the word which said [140^b] the Pistis Sophia. Thy light was becoming with me delivering me by thy effluence of Light. And the word which thy power said, I was insulted before a multitude and they cast me out. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia. Oppressed me the emanations of the Self-willed. And they took away my power from me, and I was despised with them. And they cast me out in the Chaos there being not light in me. And the word which thy power of light said, I became as lead before them. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, they having taken away my light from me I became as matter being heavy with them [141^a]. And the word also which thy power said, And became to me a power from thee, helping me. That also is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And after these (things) a power of light came to me from thee, delivering me. And the word which thy power said, Thou puttest torches on the right of me and on the left of me, that not anything about me should become being lightless. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thy power made light on right of me and left of me and (was) surrounding me on every part, that not anything about me should become lightless. And the word which thy power said, Thou shelteredst me [141^b] in the shadow of thy mercy. That also is the word which said the Pistis Sophia. And thou coveredst over me with the light of thy effluence. And the word which thy power said, I became above the coats of skin. That also is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And they purged away from me all my matters evil. And I was exalted above them through thy light. And the word which thy power said by Solomon, Thy right (hand) is that which exalted me, and it took the weakness away from me. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thine effluence of Light, that is that which exalted me by thy light, and it took away from me the emanations of Self-willed [142^a], these which were afflicting me. And the word which thy power said, I became prevailing in thy truth, and cleansed in thy righteousness. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, I became prevailing by thy light. And I am becoming light which is purified by thy effluence. And the word which thy power said, Were distant from me those who fight against me. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Were distant from me the emanations of the Self-willed, these which were oppressing me. And the word which thy power of light said by Solomon, And I was justified in thy kindness, because thy rest becometh [142^b] even unto age of age. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, I was delivered in thy kindness, because thou, thou art wont to deliver every one. This therefore, my Lord is all the explanation of the repentance which said the Pistis Sophia, she having been delivered from the Chaos, and she was loosened out of the bonds.

It happened therefore, the First Mystery having heard Thomas saying these words, said he to him, Well (done and) fairly, Thomas, the happy: this (is) the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. But he added also the First Mystery, said he to the disciples, But [143^a] added also the Pistis Sophia, she hymned up unto me saying, I hymn up unto thee this, through thy precept; thou broughtest me from the Aeon which is high, which (is) the upper part, and thou broughtest me down unto the Places which (are) below. And also by thy precept thou deliveredst me out of the Places which (are) below. And through thyself thou tookest away the matter there which becometh in my powers of light, and I saw it. And thou art he who scatterest away from me the emanations of the Self-willed these which were oppressing me, and being enemies unto me. And thou gavest to me the authority for to loosen [143^b] the bonds of the emanations of the Adamas, and thou struckest the serpent of basilisk, that of the seven heads: thou castest him out of my hands, and thou madest me stand upon his matter, thou destroyedst it, that this seed should not rise (up) from this hour. And thou art he who was being with me, giving power to me in all these (things). And thy light surrounded me in every Place. And through thyself thou madest all the emanations of the Self-willed powerless: because thou tookest away the power of their light from them. And thou directedst my way to bring me out of the Chaos. And thou removedst me out of the material darkness, and thou tookest away all my powers from them, [144^a] these (powers) whose light they took away. Thou castest in unto them a light being purified, and all my members, these in which there is not light, thou gavest to them a light being purified out of the light of the Height. And thou directedst the way for them. And the light of thy face, it became to me manifest incorruptible. Thou broughtest me up to that which is above the Chaos, the Place of the Chaos with the destruction, that should be dissolved all the matters which (are) in it, these which become in that Place and became new all my powers by thy light, and thy light became in them all: thou puttest the light of thy effluence in me, I became light being purified.

[144^b] This again is the second hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. He who understandeth therefore this repentance, let him come forward and say it. It happened therefore, the First Mystery having finished saying these words, came forward Mathaios, said he, I understood the explanation of the hymn, this which said the Pistis Sophia, now therefore command to me that I may say it boldly. But answered the First Mystery, said he, I command to thee Mathaios for to utter the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. But answered Mathaios, said he, Concerning the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia, thy power of light [145^a] prophesied about it once, the Ode of Solomon. It is he who brought me down from the Places which are high above, and he brought me up from the Places which are at the bottom below. He who there took away the (things) which are in the Middle, and he taught me them. He who scattered away mine enemies with my adversaries. He who gave to me authority over bonds to loosen them. He who struck the serpent which hath seven heads with my hands, He made me stand upon his root, that I should blot out his seed. And thou wast being with me, thou art helping me in every Place. Surrounded me thy name. Thy right hand destroyed the poison of the evil [145^b] speaker. Thy hand opened the road for thy faithful (ones). Thou redeemedst them out of the tombs, and thou removedst them out of the midst of the embalmed-corpses. Thou tookest bones being dead, thou clothedst them with a body; and those which move not, thou gavest to them an energy of life. Thy road became uncorruptness and with thy face. Thou broughtest thine Aeon upon the corruption, that they should all be dissolved and made new and thy light should be foundation to them all. Thou buildest thy richness on them, and they became a dwelling being holy. This therefore, my Lord, is the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. Hear therefore, that I may say manifestly. The word which thy power said by Solomon, [146^a] He who brought me down out of the Places which are high above, and also thou broughtest me up from the places which are in the bottom below. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, I hymn up unto thee, this through whose precept thou broughtest me out of this Aeon which is high above, and thou broughtest me unto the Places below. And also thou deliveredst me by thy precept, thou broughtest me up from the Places which are below. And the word which thy power said by Solomon, He who there took away those which are in the Middle and he taught me them. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia. And also through thyself thou causedst to be purified the matter which is in the midst of my power, and I saw [146^b] it. And also the word which thy power said by Solomon, He who scattered away mine enemies with mine adversaries. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou art he who scattered away from me all the emanations of the Self-willed, these which were oppressing me, and these which were becoming enemy unto me. And the word which thy power said, He who gave to me his wisdom over bonds to loosen them. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And he gave to me his wisdom, for me to be loosened from the bonds of those emanations. And the word which thy power said, He who struck the serpent which hath seven heads with my hands, [147^a] and he made me stand upon his root, that I should blot out his seed. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou struckest the serpent, he of the seven heads through my hands. And thou settest me up upon his matter, thou destroyedst him that his seed should not rise up from this hour. And the word which thy power said, And thou wast being with me, and thou wast helping me. That is the word which said the [147^b] Pistis Sophia, And thou wast being with me, thou art helping me in all these (things). And the word which thy power said, And thy name surrounded me in every Place. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thy light surrounded me in all their Places. And the word which said thy power, And thy right (hand) destroyed the poison of the evil speaker. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And through thee were made powerless the emanations of the Self-willed, because thou tookest away the light of their power from them. And the word which thy power said, Thy hand opened the road of thy faithful (ones). That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou directedst my road to bring me out of the Chaos, because I believed thee. And the word which thy power said, Thou redeemedst them out of the tombs, and thou removedst them out of the midst of the embalmed-corpses. That is the word which said [148^a] the Pistis Sophia, And thou redeemedst me out of the Chaos, and thou removedst me out of the material darkness, namely, the emanations of darkness which (are) in the Chaos, these whose light thou tookest away from them. And the word which thy power said, Thou tookest away bones being dead, thou clothedst them with a body, and those which move not, thou gavest to them an energy of life. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou tookest away all my powers, these in which there is not light, thou puttest in unto them a light being purified. And all my members in which there is not light moving, thou gavest to them a light of life from thy Height. And the word which thy power said, Thy road became uncorruptness, with thy face. [148^b] That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou directedst thy road for me and (with, MS) the light of thy face became to me a life indestructible. And the word which thy power said, Thou broughtest thy Aeon upon the destruction, that they should loosen all the bonds. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou broughtest me even me, thy power, upon the Chaos and upon the destruction, that should be loosened all the matter which becometh in that Place, and should be made new all my powers by the light. And the word which thy power said, And thy light maketh foundation for them all. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thy light became in them [149^a] all. And the word which thy power of light said by Solomon, Thou puttest thy richness upon him. And he made a dwelling being holy. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou strengthenest the light of thy effluence upon me, and I became light, being purified. This therefore, my Lord, is the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia.

It happened therefore, the First Mystery having heard these words, saying them Mathaios, said he, Well (done) Mathaios and fairly, the beloved. This is the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. But added also the First Mystery, said he, But added also the Pistis Sophia in this hymn, said she, I [149^b] shall say, Thou art the Light, that which is high, because thou deliveredst me; and thou broughtest me (close) to thee; and thou causedst them not to take away my light, even the emanations of the Self-willed, these which are enemy unto me: O Light of the Lights I hymned up at thee, thou deliveredst me, O Light, thou broughtest my power up from the Chaos. Thou deliveredst me from those who went down unto the darkness. These words also said the Pistis Sophia. Now therefore he whose mind became intelligent, having understood the words which said the Pistis Sophia, let him come forward and utter their explanation.

It happened therefore, the First Mystery having finished saying these words unto the disciples, came forward Maria, said she, My Lord, my mind intelligent is at every time, for me to come forward at every moment and utter the explanation of the words which she said. But [150^a] I am fearing Petros, because he is wont to threaten me, and he hateth our sex. But these she having said them, said he to her the First Mystery, Every one who will be filled with the spirit of light for to come forward, and utter the explanation of the things which I say, there is not anyone (who) will be able to prevent him. Now therefore, thou O Maria, utter the explanation of the words, these which said the Pistis Sophia. Answered therefore Maria, said she to the First Mystery in the midst of the disciples, My Lord, concerning the explanation of the words which said the Pistis Sophia, thy power of light prophesied them once by David, I shall exalt thee, O Lord, because thou acceptedst me, and thou didst not cause to rejoice my enemies over me. O Lord my God, I [150^b] cried up unto thee and thou healedst me. O Lord, thou broughtest my soul up from Amente, thou savedst me from those who went down unto the pit. These having said them Maria, said he to her, the First Mystery, Well (done and) fairly, Maria the happy. But he added also in the word, said he to the disciples, Added also the Pistis Sophia in this hymn, said she, The Light became to me for deliverer, and turned my darkness for me unto light, and it rent asunder the Chaos, which surroundeth me, he girded me with light. It happened therefore when the First Mystery finished saying these words, came in front Martha, said she, My Lord thy power prophesied once [151^a] by David concerning these words, The Lord became to me helper, he turned my mourning for me unto joy, he rent asunder my sackcloth he girded me with gladness. But it happened, the First Mystery having finished hearing these words, saying them Martha, said he, Well (done and) fairly, Martha.

But added also the First Mystery, said he to the disciples. Added also in the hymn the Pistis Sophia and said she, My power hymn unto the light, and forget not all the powers of the light, these which he gave to thee; and all the powers which (are) in thee hymn unto the name of his mystery which is holy. He who forgiveth all thy transgression. He who delivereth thee [151^b] out of all their oppressions, those with which afflicted thee the emanations of the Self-willed. He who delivered thy light out of the emanations of the Self-willed, these which belonged unto the destruction. He who gave a crown of light unto thy head in his compassion until he delivered thee. He who filled thee with light being purified; and thy beginning will become new as an Invisible of the Height. These words the Pistis having hymned (with) them, because she was delivered, and remembering all the things which I gave to her: it happened therefore, the First Mystery having finished uttering these words unto the disciples, said he to them, He who understandeth the explanation of these words, let him come forward, and say them in boldness.