Part 26

After these (things) Jesus saw a woman having come to repent, he baptised her three times, and she did not do that which is worthy of the baptism. And the Saviour wished to tempt Petros to see if he became merciful and forgiving according as he ordered unto them, said he toward Petros, Behold three times I baptised this soul, and in these (this, MS) three times she did not that which is worthy of the mysteries of the Light. Because of what therefore [281^b] doth she render useless also the body? Now therefore Petros, perform the mystery of the Light, this which is wont to cut away the souls from the inheritance of the Light. Perform that mystery, and cut away the soul of this woman from the inheritances of the Light. These therefore having said them the Saviour he tempted to see whether he became merciful and forgiving. These therefore having said them the Saviour, said he, Petros, My Lord, leave her this time also, that we may give to her the mysteries which are high, and whenever she should become profitable thou lettest her, she inherited the kingdom of the Light, but if she should not become profitable, thou cuttest her away from the kingdom of the Light. These therefore having said them Petros, knew the Saviour that Petros became merciful (like) his manner and forgiving. All these therefore having happened, said he the Saviour [282^a] to his disciples, Understand ye all these words with the type of this woman? Answered Maria, said she, My Lord, I understand the mysteries of the words which happened to this woman. Concerning the words therefore which happened to her, which thou saidst unto us once in a parable, saying, A man had a fig-tree in his vineyard, but he came seeking after his fruit, and he found not any on it. Said he to his gardener, Behold, three years I come, I seek after fruit in this fig-tree, and I find not any in it, cut it (down), therefore, because of what rendereth it useless also the ground. But he answered, said he to him, My Lord, bear with it this year also, until I shall dig around it, and put dung to it. But if it should send forth another year, thou lettest it (be), but if thou findest not any, thou cuttest it (down). Behold [282^b] this, my Lord, is the explanation of the word. Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Well (done) O spiritual (one) this is the word. Added also Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, then a man who received mystery, and did not that which is worthy of the mysteries, but turned (away), he did sin: after these (things) also he repented and he became in a great repentance, is it lawful also, my brothers, to repeat the mystery which he received, or otherwise indeed to give to him a mystery among the mysteries which are below him. Is it lawful therefore or otherwise. But answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen amen I say to you, Neither the mystery which he received nor that which is below him are wont to hear him to forgive his sins, but the mysteries which are high(er) than those which he received, they are those which are wont to hear him, and they forgive his sins. Now therefore Maria [283^a] let thy brothers give to him the mystery which is high(er) than that which he received, and they will receive his repentance from him, and they will forgive his sins. That (one) indeed because he received another time, and the others because he surpassed them above. This indeed is not wont to hear him to forgive his sins, but the mystery which is high(er) than that which he received, that is that which is wont to forgive his sins. But if he, having received three mysteries in the two Spaces or in the third (reckoning from) within, and this (one) turned (away) he transgressed, is (are, MS) wont not any mystery to hear him, for to help him in his repentance, neither those which are high, nor those which are below him, except the mystery of the First Mystery with the mystery of the Ineffable: they are those which are wont to hear him and receive from him his repentance. Answered Maria, said she, My Lord, then a man, having received mystery up to two or up to three in [283^b] the second Space or the third Space, and this (one) turned (away) and transgressed, but yet being in his faith in directness and without hypocrisy. (shall he continue to receive?) Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Every man who received mystery in the second Space and in the third, and also he did not transgress, but yet being in his faith without hypocrisy, it is lawful for these of this kind to receive mystery in the Space which he willeth from at first, even until to last, because that he (they, MS) did not transgress.

Added also Maria, said she, My Lord, then a man having known the Godhead, and he received from the mysteries of the Light, and he turned (away) he transgressed he lawless became, he did not turn unto repentance: and a man also who found not the Godhead nor knew it, and that man being a sinner, and also impious [284^a] is, and they came out of body both, which of them is he who will receive (tribulation, M) more the judgments?

Answered also the Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen amen I say unto thee, The man who knew the Godhead, this who received the mysteries of the Light, and he did sin, not having turned to repent, he will receive tribulation in the punishments of the judgments in great tribulations with judgments manifold, greatly greatly beyond the impious man and lawbreaker, this who knew not the Godhead. Now therefore he who hath ear to hear let him hear. These therefore having said them the Saviour, sprang up forward Maria, said she, My Lord, there is ear of my Light-dweller, and I understood all the word which thou saidst: concerning this word therefore which thou saidst unto us once in a parable [284^b], The servant who knew the wish of his lord and prepared not, nor did the wish of his lord, he will receive great stripes, but he who knew not and did not, he will be worthy of little (stripes): because every one to whom they entrusted more they will seek after more from him, and unto whom they committed many (things) they will require of him many, namely, my Lord, he who knoweth the Deity and he found the mystery of the Light, (and) he transgressed, they will punish him in a great judgment more than him who knew not the Godhead. This my Lord is the explanation of the word. Added also Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, if the faith with the mysteries come to manifestation, now therefore whenever souls, whenever they should come unto the world for many of cycles, and they neglect to [285^a] receive mystery, trusting that whenever they should come unto the world for another cycle they will receive them, then indeed do they not run risk of not attaining to receive the mysteries? Answered the Saviour, said he to his disciples, Preach to all the world, saying to the men, strive that ye receive the mysteries of the Light at this time which is troublous and go in unto the kingdom of the Light. Do not cast a day in unto a day or a cycle in unto a cycle, and trust that ye attain unto receiving the mysteries, whenever we should come unto the world for another cycle: and these know not when is about to become the number of the perfect souls, for whenever should become the number of the perfect souls I shall shut therefore the gate of the Light. And there is not any (who) will go in from this hour, nor is there any (who) cometh out afterwards. [285^b] Because that was completed the number of the perfect souls, and was completed the mystery of the First Mystery, this because of which the Universe became, which is I, that Mystery. And from this hour there is not any (who) will go in unto the Light, and there is not any who will be able to come out: because in the completion of the time of the number of the perfect souls, before that I put forth the fire unto the World for to purify the Aeons with the veils with the firmaments with all the earth all the other matter which (is) upon it, yet also are becoming the mankind. In that time therefore will be more manifested the faith with the mysteries in those days: and there are many souls coming by the cycle of the change of the body, and they are coming unto the World, some of them being in this present [286^a] time, having heard me teaching: in the completion of the number of the perfect souls they will find the mysteries of the Light and receive them: and they (will) come up to the gate of the Light and find it, having been completed the number of the perfect souls, namely, the completion of the First Mystery, and that is the knowing of the Universe. And they will find it, I having shut up the gate of the Light. And it is not possible for any to come in, or for any to come out from this hour. These souls therefore will knock in unto the gate of the Light, saying, Lord open to us. I shall answer that I may say to them, I know you not whence ye are. And they will say to me, We received out of thy mysteries, and we completed all thy teaching, and thou [286^b] taughtest to us in the highways. And I shall answer that I may say to them, I know not you who ye are, those who work the unlawfulness with the evil, even until now. Because of this go unto the Darkness which is outer. And in that hour they will go unto the Darkness which is outer, the Place in which is the weeping with the gnashing of the teeth. Because of this therefore preach to all the World, say unto them: Strive, renounce all the World with all the matter which is in it, and receive the mysteries of the Light, before that was completed the number of the perfect souls, that they should not put you at the door of the gate of the Light, and betake you unto the Darkness which is outer. Now therefore he who hath ear to hear, let him hear. These therefore having said them the Saviour, sprang up also forward [287^a] Maria, said she, My Lord not only (is it) that hath ear my Light-dweller, but heard my soul and understood every word which thou sayest. Now therefore, my Lord, concerning the words which thou saidst, Preach to the men of the World say unto them, Strive, receive the mysteries of the Light in this time which is troublous, that ye should inherit the kingdom of the Light.

Added also Maria, said she to Jesus, My Lord, then the Darkness which is outer of what type is it being, or otherwise rather, there are how many Places of punishment in it? But answered Jesus, said he to Maria, The Darkness which is outer is a great dragon, with his tail within his mouth, being outside all the World and going round all the WORLD with a multitude of places of judgment within it, being of twelve [287^b] chambers of the punishments cruel, with a Ruler in every chamber (the chamber the chamber, MS) with the faces of the Rulers different from one another. But the first Ruler who becometh in the first (hath) a face of crocodile, with his tail within his mouth: with all ice coming out of his mouth of the dragon, with at every time with all cold with all sicknesses which are various, this (one) they are wont to call his original name in his Place, Enkhthonin: and the Ruler who becometh in the second chamber, a face of cat is his original face. This they are wont to call him in their Place Kharakhar. And the Ruler who becometh in the third chamber, a face of a dog is his original face. This they are wont to call him in their Place, Arkharokh. [288^a] And the Ruler who becometh in the fourth chamber, a face of snake is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call him in their Place, Akhrokhar. And the Ruler who becometh in the fifth chamber, a face of black calf is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call him in their Place, Markhour. And the Ruler who becometh in the sixth chamber, a face of sow of mountain is his original face, this (one) they call him in their Place, Lamkhamor. And the Ruler of the seventh chamber, a face of bear is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call him in his original name in their Place, Lukhar. And the Ruler of the eighth chamber a face of a gryphus is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call his name in their Place, Laraokh. And the Ruler of the ninth [288^b] chamber a face of a basilisk is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call his name in their Place, Arkheokh. And the tenth chamber there are many Rulers in it seven heads of dragon to each of them in their original face, and he who is over them all they are wont to call his name in their Place, Xarmarokh. And eleventh chamber, there are many Rulers of that Place (coptic word, MS) with seven heads of cat to each of them in their original face, and the great (one) who is over them, they are wont to call him in his Place, Rokhar. And the twelfth chamber there are many Rulers in it, they being many exceedingly, with seven heads of face of a dog to each of them in their original face. And the great (one) who is over them they are wont to call him in [289^a] their Place, Khremaor. These Rulers therefore of these twelve chambers being within the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, and each of them having a name according to hour. And is wont each of them to change his face according to hour. And these twelve chambers have each of them a door open unto the Height, so that the dragon of the Darkness which is outer hath twelve chambers of Darkness, there being a door to every chamber (the chamber the chamber, MS) open unto the Height. And there is an Angel of the Height being vigilant unto each of the doors of the chambers. These who Ieou the first man, the overseer of the Light, the Legate of the First precept, he is he who put them being vigilant unto the dragon that he should not be disorderly with all the Rulers of his chambers which are in him.

[289^b] These therefore having said them the Saviour, answered Maria the Magdalene, said she, My Lord, then the souls indeed which they take unto that Place are they not indeed wont to take them through these twelve doors of the chambers, each according to the judgment of which it is worthy? Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, They are not wont to take any soul in unto the dragon through these doors, but the soul of the blasphemers, and those who become with teaching of error, with every one who giveth teaching in the error, and with the sleepers with male, and with the (soul) of the men who are polluted, and with the impious, with every man atheist, and the murderers, with the adulterers, and with the sorcerers. All the souls therefore of this kind whenever they should not repent, yet being alive, but remaining in their sin steadfast, with all the souls also, these [290^a] who were left outside of this, namely, who received their number of cycles which is reckoned unto them in the Sphere, they having not repented, but in their last cycle they will take those souls, those with all the souls which I finished saying them, they will take them through the mouth of the tail of the dragon in unto the chambers of the Darkness which is outer. And whenever they should finish taking the souls in unto the Darkness which is outer in the mouth of his tail, he is wont to bring round again his tail in unto his own mouth and shut them (in). This is the manner (in) which they will take the souls in unto the Darkness which is outer. And the dragon of the Darkness, which is outer, hath twelve original names, these which (are) in his mouths, a name according to each of the doors of the chambers. And these (this, MS) [290^b] twelve names are various with one another, but being with (in, MS) one another twelve, so that he who will say one of the names is saying all the names. This therefore I shall say unto you in the Distribution of (the) Universe. This therefore is the manner which becometh the Darkness which is outer, namely the dragon. These therefore having said them the Saviour, answered Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, then the punishment of that dragon (is) cruel greatly, beyond the punishment of all the judgment. Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Not only also that they are painful beyond all the punishments of the judgments; but every soul which they will take unto the Place they will numb it in the cold which is cruel, and with the hails and with the fire which is cruel greatly: these [291^a] which become in that Place. But in the dissolution of the World, namely, in the catching up of the Universe, those souls will be wasted away by the cold which is cruel, and with the fire which is cruel greatly, and they will be without existence unto age. Answered Maria, said she, Then woe to the souls of the sinners. Now therefore my Lord, the flame which (is) in the place of the mankind is being hot or the fire which (is) in Amente is hot? Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen I say to thee, Hot is being the fire which (is) in Amente more than the fire which is in mankind nine times. And the fire which is in the punishment of the great Chaos is cruel, more than that which (is) in Amente nine times: and the fire which (is) in the judgment of the Rulers, who are on the road [291^b] of the Middle, is cruel, more than the fire of the punishment which is in the great Chaos nine times: and the fire which is in the dragon of the Darkness which is outer with all the judgments which (are) in it, are cruel more than the fire which (is) in all the punishments which (are) in the judgments of the Rulers, these who (are) on the road of the Middle, is cruel more than them seventy times. But these having said them the Saviour unto Maria she smote on her breast, she cried out, she wept, she with all the disciples at once, said she, Woe to the sinners because many are their judgments greatly. Came in front Mariham, she prostrated upon the feet of Jesus, she worshipped them, said she, My Lord, bear with me, seeking from thee, and be not angry with me because I molest thee many [292^a] times, for from now I am about to begin to seek from thee concerning every thing in an exactness.

Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Seek after every thing which thou wishest to seek after, and I shall reveal them to thee in boldness, without parable. Answered Maria said she, My Lord, then a man, good, having completed all the mysteries, having a kinsman, in one word, having a man, and that man being impious, having done every sin which are worthy of the Darkness which is outer, and he did not repent, or otherwise, having completed his number of cycle in the changes of the body, and being not profitable at all, that man, having come out of the body, and we knew securely that he sinned, worthy of the Darkness which is outer, then what is that which we shall do, until we deliver [292^b] him from the punishments of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, and remove him unto a righteous body, being about to find the mysteries of the kingdom of the Light, and that he may become good and go unto the Height and inherit the kingdom of the Light.

Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, If a sinner, he is being worthy of the Darkness which is outer, or otherwise indeed he did sin according to the punishment, the rest also of the punishments; and this (one) did not repent, or otherwise indeed (he is) a man sinner who completed his number of cycle in the changes of the body and this (one) did not repent, whenever those men therefore, these whom I said, whenever they should come out of the body, and they should take them unto the Darkness which is outer. Now therefore if ye wish to remove them out of the punishments of the Darkness which is outer with all the judgments, and they remove [293^a] them unto a righteous body, this (one) being about to find the mysteries of the Light, that he may go unto the Height and inherit the kingdom of the Light, do the same mystery of the Ineffable, this which is wont to forgive sin at every time: and whenever ye should finish doing the mystery, say, The soul of such or such a man of whom I thought in my heart, if she is in the Place of the punishments of the chambers of the Darkness which is outer, even if it is in the rest also of the punishments of the chambers of the Darkness which is outer, with the rest also of the punishments of the dragon, they shall remove her out of the all: and if she should not complete the number of the cycles in the changes (of the body) they shall take her (close) to the Virgin of the Light, and the Virgin of the Light (will) seal her (him, MS) with the seal of the Ineffable [293^b] and cast it in the same month unto a righteous body, this in whom she will find the mysteries of the Light, and that she may become good and go unto the Height and inherit the kingdom of the Light. And also if she completed the cycles of the changes, they shall take that soul up to the seven Virgins of the Light, these who are over the baptism, and they (will) put it upon that soul, and seal her with the sign of the kingdom of the Ineffable and take her (him, MS) among the arrays of the Light, these I will say whenever ye should complete the mysteries. Amen I say to you, The soul (for) which ye will pray, if indeed she is in the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, he will liberate his tail out of his mouth and vomit out that soul. And also if she is in [294^a] any (every, MS) Place of the judgments of the Rulers, Amen I say unto you, Will carry her off in a haste the Receiver of Melkhisedek, if should have vomited her the dragon, or otherwise indeed she is in the judgments of the Rulers, in one word, will carry her off the Receivers of Melkhisedek from any (every, MS) Place in which she is in. And they will take her unto the Place of the Middle (close) to the Virgin of the Light. And is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to prove her, and see the sign of the kingdom of the Ineffable being in that soul, and if she hath not yet completed the number of cycles in the changing of the soul, or in (the changing) of the body, is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to seal her with a seal more excellent, and [294^b] hasten to make them cast her in the same month unto a righteous body, this which is about to find the mysteries of the Light, and about to be good, that he may go unto the Height unto the kingdom of the Light. And if that soul received her number of cycles, is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to prove her, she is not wont to let them punish her, because that she received the number of cycle: but she is wont to deliver her unto the seven Virgins of the Light. And are wont the seven Virgins of the Light, they are wont to prove that soul, and they are wont to baptise her with their baptisms, and give to her the spiritual chrism, and take her unto the Treasury of the Light, and put her in the last array of the Light, until the catching up of all the perfect souls. And whenever they should prepare for drawing away the veils [295^a] of the Place of those on the Right (hand), they are wont to purify that soul again and cleanse her and put her in the arrays of the first Saviour, he who (is) in the Treasury of the Light.