Part 16

[152^a] Came again forward Maria, said she, My Lord, concerning these words with which hymned the Pistis Sophia, thy power of light prophesied them by David, My soul, bless the Lord, all those which (are) in my inward part bless his name which is holy. My soul, bless the Lord and forget not all his recompenses: he who forgiveth all thy unlawfulness; he who healeth all thy sicknesses. He who redeemeth thy life out of the destruction. He who giveth a crown of mercy upon thy head and (of) compassion. He who satiateth thy wish with good; thy youth (he) will make new as that of an eagle, namely, that the Sophia will become as the Invisibles which are at the Height: [152^b] having said therefore, As an eagle, because that the dwelling of the eagles is being in the height, and the Invisibles (are) also in the Height, namely, that the Sophia will become light as the Invisibles, as she was from her beginning. It happened therefore, the First Mystery having heard these words, saying them Maria, said he, Well (done), O Maria the happy. It happened therefore after these things added also in the word the First Mystery, said he to the disciples, I took away the Pistis Sophia, I brought her up unto a Place being below the thirteenth Aeon, and I gave to her a new mystery of the light which is not that of her Aeon, the Place of the Invisibles. And also I gave [153^a] to her a hymn of the light, that should not be able to prevail against her from this hour the Rulers of the Aeons. And I put her in that Place, until I come for her and take her unto her Place which is at the Height. It happened therefore, I having put her in that Place, she said also this hymn saying thus, In faith I believed the Light, and he remembered me, he heard my hymn: he brought my power up from the Chaos with the darkness below of all the matter. And he brought me up, he put me in an Aeon being exalted, and being firm. He put me on the road which goeth unto my Place, and he gave to me a new mystery which not my Aeon is, and he gave to me [153^b] a hymn of the light. Now therefore, O Light, all the Rulers will see the (things) which thou diddest with me, and they (will) fear, and they (will) believe the Light. This hymn therefore said the Pistis Sophia, rejoicing because they brought her up from the Chaos. And they brought her unto the Place which (is) below the thirteenth Aeon. Now therefore he whose mind moveth him, understanding the explanation of the meaning of the hymn, that which said the Pistis Sophia, let him come forward and say it. Came forward Andreas, said he, My Lord, this is that which thy power of light prophesied about it once by David: In patience I had patience with the Lord, [154^a] he gave heed unto me, and he heard my supplication. He brought my soul up from the pit of the misery with the mire of the filth, he set my feet upon a rock, and he directed my footsteps. He cast unto my mouth a new song, a blessing for our God. There are many (who) will see and they (will) fear, and they (will) hope in the Lord. It happened therefore, Andreas having uttered the meaning of the Pistis Sophia, said he to him the First Mystery, Well (done) Andrea the happy. But added also in the word, said he to the disciples, These are all the words which happened to the Pistis Sophia. It happened therefore, I having brought her unto the Place which is below of the [154^b] thirteenth Aeon. I came being about to go unto the Light, and cease (being) with her, said she to me, O Light of the Lights, being thou about to go unto the Light and cease from being with me: and (is about to) know the Adamas the tyrant, that thou ceasedst being with me, and to know that becometh not he who will deliver me: he cometh also unto me unto this Place, he with all his Rulers who hate me. And also the Self-willed will give power to his emanation of face of lion, and all (will) come and all oppress me at once, and (will) take away all my light from me, and I (shall) become powerless. And also I (shall) become lightless. Now therefore, O Light [155^a] and my Light, take away the power of their light from them, that they may not be able to prevail to oppress me from this hour. It happened therefore, I having heard these words saying them the Pistis Sophia, I answered to her, saying, Not yet did my Father command to me, he who emanated me out, for to take away their light from them. But I shall seal (up) their Places of the Self-willed with all his Rulers, these which hate thee, because thou believedst the Light. And also I shall seal (up) the Places of the Adamas with his Rulers, that they should not be able to war with thee, until their time is fulfilled, and until [155^b] cometh the season, and commandeth to me my Father, that I should take away their light from them. But afterwards also said I to her. Hear and I (will) speak with thee of their time in which these (things) will happen, namely, these which I said to thee, They are about to happen whenever (the) three times should be fulfilled. Answered the Pistis Sophia, said she to me, O Light, whereby shall I know when (will) happen the three times, that I might be glad and rejoice because approached the time for thee to lead me unto my Place, and also I shall rejoice because came the time (when) thou wilt take away the powers of light from all those who hate me, because I [156^a] believed thy light? But I, I answered, said I to her, Whenever thou wilt see the gate of the Treasury of the great Light, this which is open unto the thirteenth Aeon, namely the Left, whenever they should open that gate, then were fulfilled the three times. Answered also the Sophia, said she, O Light, whereby shall I know, being in this Place, that they opened that gate? But I, I answered, said I to her, Whenever they open that gate, will know those who become in all the Aeons, because of the great light which will become in all their Places: nevertheless therefore, behold, I appointed that they should not dare (to do) unto thee anything of evil, until were fulfilled [156^b] the three times. But thou, thou shalt become having the authority to go up unto their twelve Aeons at the time which thou wishest, and also thou (wilt) return and come unto thy Place, this which is below the thirteenth Aeon, this in which thou art becoming now. But thou wilt not have authority to go in unto the gate of the Height, this which becometh in the thirteenth Aeon, for thee to go in unto thy Place, this out of which thou camest. Nevertheless therefore whenever should be fulfilled the three times, will oppress thee the Self-willed with all his Rulers, for them to take away thy light from thee, [157^a] he being angry with thee, thinking that thou, thou restrained his power in the Chaos, and he is thinking that thou, thou tookest away its light from it: he will be exasperated against thee, for him to take away thy light from thee, that he should send it unto the Chaos, and give it in unto his emanation which is there, that it should be able to come up from the Chaos and come unto his Place. But these will begin the Adamas. But I, I shall take away all thy powers from him and give them to thee. And I shall come and take them away. Now therefore whenever they should oppress thee at that time, hymn up unto the Light, and I, I shall not fail thee for to help thee. And I am coming (close) to thee quickly out of the Places which are below. [157^b] And I am coming down unto their Places and take away their light from them. I am coming unto this Place in which I put thee, this which is below the thirteenth Aeon, until I lead thee unto thy Place, this out of which thou camest.

It happened therefore, the Pistis Sophia having heard these words, I saying them to her, she rejoiced in great joy. But I, I left her in the Place which is below the thirteenth Aeon. I went unto the light, I ceased from being with her. But all these words was the First Mystery saying to the disciples, that they happened to the Pistis Sophia. And he was sitting upon the hill of the Olives, saying all these words in the midst of the disciples.

But he added also, said he to them, But it happened also [158^a] after all these (things) while I am being in the World of the mankind, sitting by the road which is this Place, which is the mountain of the Olives, before that they dispatched my vesture, this which I left in the twenty-fourth Mystery (reckoning) from within, but the First itself it is (reckoning) from without, this which is that, the great Uncontainable, this in which I shone, and before that I went unto the Height to receive my other two vestures: sitting by you in this Place, namely, the mountain of the Olives, was fulfilled the time which I said to the Pistis Sophia, Will oppress thee the Adamas with all his Rulers. It happened therefore, having happened that [158^b] time, but I, I was becoming in the World of the mankind, sitting by you in this place which is the mountain of the Olives, looked the Adamas out of the twelve Aeons, he looked down unto the Place of the Chaos, he saw his power demonic which (is) in the Chaos, in which there is not light at all, because I had taken away its light from it: and he saw it being darkness, and it was not possible to come unto his Place which is the twelve Aeons. Remembered also the Adamas (about) the Pistis Sophia, and he was angry with her greatly greatly, thinking that it (is) she who restrained his power in the Chaos. [159^a] And thinking that it (is) she who took away its light from it, and he was exasperated greatly, and he added anger upon anger: he emanated out of him an emanation of darkness, and with another cruel (power) of evil Chaos, that he might disturb the Pistis Sophia with them.

And he fashioned a Place of darkness in his Place, that he should oppress the Sophia with it. And he took multitudes of Rulers of his own, they persecuted the Sophia, for to bring her unto the Chaos of darkness which he fashioned. And for to oppress her in that Place. And for to disturb her the two emanations of the darkness, these which emanated out the Adamas, [159^b] until they took away all her light from her, and until the Adamas took away the light of the Pistis Sophia, and gave it to the two emanations which are cruel, and they took it unto the great Chaos, which is below this which is dark, and they cast it in unto his power of darkness which is chaotic, that perhaps it should be able to come unto this Place: because that it had become dark greatly, because I took away its power of light from it. It happened therefore, they having persecuted the Pistis Sophia, she cried out also, she hymned up unto the Light, since I said to her, Whenever they oppress thee and thou hymnest up unto me I am coming quickly and I (will) help thee. It happened therefore, they having oppressed her, but I, I was [160^a] sitting by you in this place, which is the mountain of the Olives. She praised up unto the Light, saying, O Light of the Lights, I believed thee. Deliver me from these Rulers which are persecuting me, and help me lest-at-anytime they may take away my light from me, as (did) the power of face of lion. Because thy light becometh not with me, with thy effluence of Light, for them to deliver me. Otherwise was angry with me the Adamas, saying to me, Thou, thou restrainedst my power in the Chaos. Now therefore, O Light of the Lights, if I did this (and) I restrained it. If I did nothing of violence to that power. Or if I oppressed it as it oppressed me, then (and, MS) shall take away my light from me, all these [160^b] Rulers who persecute me, and they shall put me out, being empty: and the enemy the Adamas shall persecute my power and seize it, and he shall take away my light from me, and cast it in unto his power of darkness, this which is in the Chaos: and he shall put my power in the Chaos. Now therefore, O Light, seize me in thy anger, and exalt thy power over my enemies, these who rose up against me at last. Speed, vivify me according as thou saidst, I shall help thee.

It happened therefore, the First Mystery having finished saying these words unto the disciples, said he, He who understood these words which I said, let him come forward and utter their explanation. Came forward Iakkobos said he, My Lord, [161^a] concerning this hymn, in which hymned the Pistis Sophia, thy power of light prophesied them once by David in the seventh psalm, O Lord, my God I trusted unto thee; save me from those who persecute me and deliver me, lest-at-anytime he might carry off my soul as a lion, there being not he who redeemeth and he who delivereth. O Lord, my God, if I did this (thing) if there is violence in my hands, if I repaid to those who repaid to me evil (things), may I perish by my enemy, being empty: and may my enemies persecute my soul and seize it: and trample my life down unto the earth and cause my glory to become in the Chaos. Diapsalma. Rise (up), [161^b] O Lord, in thy wrath: be exalted at the last to my enemies: rise up in the commandment which thou orderedst.

It happened therefore, the First Mystery having heard these words, saying them Iakkobos, said he, Well (done), Iakkobos the beloved. But added also the First Mystery, said he to the disciples, It happened therefore, the Pistis Sophia having finished saying the words of this hymn she turned round to see, whether the Adamas turned backward with his Rulers for to go unto their Aeon, and she saw (they saw, MS) them running after her: she turned unto them, said she to them, Why do ye persecute me saying, I have not help for him to deliver me from you. Now therefore a judge of truth is [162^a] the Light and strong (he) is. But he is compassionate until the time which he said to me, I am coming and I (will) help thee, and he (will) not bring his wrath upon you at every hour. And this is the time which he said to me. Now therefore if ye turn not yourselves backward, and cease from persecuting me, the Light will make ready his power, and he will make ready with all his powers, and he made ready in his power for to take away your light which is in you, and ye will become darkness: and his powers he fashioned them, for him to take away your powers from you, and ye (will) perish. But these having said them the Pistis Sophia, she looked unto the Place of the Adamas, she saw the Place of dark [162^b] and of Chaos, this which he fashioned. And also she saw the two emanations of darkness which (are) cruel greatly, these which emanated them out the Adamas, that they should lay hold on the Pistis Sophia, and should cast her down unto the Chaos, which he fashioned, and should oppress her in that place, and should disturb her, until they took away her light from her. It happened therefore, the Pistis Sophia having seen those two emanations of darkness and of the Place of darkness, these which fashioned the Adamas, she feared and she cried up unto the Light saying, O Light, behold, was angry the Adamas, the violent being, he fashioned an emanation of darkness and [163^a] also he emanated out another (from) Chaos, and he fashioned another dark and chaotic and he prepared it. Now therefore, O Light, the Chaos which he fashioned for to cast me unto it, and (to) take away my power of light from me, take away his from him; and the thought which he thought for to take away my light, they will (take) his from him; and the violence which he said for to take away my light from me, take away all his (lights). These are the words which said the Pistis Sophia in her hymn. Now therefore he who is sober in his spirit, let him come forward and utter the explanation of the words (which said) the Pistis Sophia in her hymn.

Came also forward Martha, said she, My Lord, I am sober [163^b] in my spirit, and I understand the words which thou sayest: now therefore command to me that I may utter their explanation in boldness. But answered the First Mystery, said he to Martha, I command to thee Martha for to utter the explanation of the words, these which said the Sophia in her hymn. But answered Martha said she, My Lord, these are the words which thy power of light prophesied once by David in the seventh psalm, God is a judge of truth, strong, compassionate, being not wont to bring his anger day by day: if ye turn not yourselves he will whet his sword, he stretched his bow, he made (it) ready: he made ready in it [164^a] weapons of death, his arrows he fashioned for those whom they will burn. Behold, the violence travailed, he conceived trouble he brought forth unlawfulness, he dug a pit, he excavated it, he will fall down unto the hole which he fashioned, his trouble will turn upon his head and his violence (is) coming upon the middle of his head. But these having said them Martha, said he to her the First Mystery who looketh outwards, Well (done and) fairly, Martha, the happy.

It happened therefore, Jesus having finished saying unto his disciples all the things which happened to the Pistis Sophia, being in the Chaos, and with the manner (in) which she hymned up unto the Light, until he delivered her and brought her up from the Chaos, [164^b] and brought her in unto the twelve Aeon, and with the manner (in) which he delivered her out of all her oppressions, with which oppressed her the Rulers of the Chaoses, because that she lusted to go (close) to the Light.