Pistis Sophia

Part 28

Chapter 284,302 wordsPublic domain

But these having said them the Saviour, sprang up forward Salome, said she, My Lord, if our parents are the Rulers, then how (is it) written in the Law of [306^a] Moyses, He who will forsake his father with his mother, in a death let him die? Then did not the law speak of it? But these having said them Salome, the power of light which (is) in Maria the Magdalene boiled up within her, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, command to me that I may speak with my sister Salome, that I may say unto her the explanation of the word which she said. It happened therefore, the Saviour having heard these words, saying them Maria, he called her happy greatly greatly. Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria: I command to thee Maria for to say the explanation of the word which said Salome. But these having said them the Saviour, Maria sprang up toward Salome she saluted her, said she, My sister Salome because of the word [306^b] which thou saidst, It is written in the Law of Moyses, He who will forsake his father with his mother in a death let him die. Now therefore my sister Salome, the Law did not say this concerning the soul, nor concerning the body, nor concerning the counterfeit spirit, for these all the sons are of the Rulers, and ones out of them are, but the Law did say this concerning the power which came out of the Saviour, this which is Light-dweller within us to-day. The Law also said, Every one who will remain outside of the Saviour with his mysteries, his parents, not only that in a death he will die, but in a perishing he will perish. These therefore having said them Maria, Salome sprang up toward Maria, she saluted her again, said she, Salome, There is a power [307^a] of the Saviour making me understanding as thee also. It happened the Saviour having heard the words of Maria he called her happy greatly greatly. Answered also the Saviour, said he to Maria in the midst of the disciples. Hear therefore Maria, Who it is who compelleth the man, even until he should do sin. Now therefore are wont the Rulers, they are wont to seal the counterfeit spirit in unto the soul, that it should not shake her at every hour, for her to do every sin with every unlawfulness: and also they are wont to order unto the counterfeit spirit, saying to it, Whenever the soul (psykikon, MS) should come out of the body, shake her not, being imparted unto her, convicting her in all the Places of the judgments, according to Places, because of all the sins which thou causedst her to do, that they should punish her in all the Places [307^b] of the judgments, that she should not be able to go unto the Light, that she should cause them to turn her in unto the change of the body, in one word, they are wont to order the counterfeit spirit, Do not shake her at all in any hour except she should say mystery and loosen all the seals with all the bonds, in which we bound thee in unto her. And whenever she should say the mysteries and loosen all her seals with all the bonds with the defence of the Place, and whenever she should go, allow her to come, she having been reckoned unto those of the Light of the Height, and she was alien unto us and unto thee, and thou wilt be able to lay hold on her from that hour. If indeed she should not say the mysteries of the loosening of thy bonds with thy seals with the defence of the Place, lay hold on her, dismiss her not, thou shalt convict [308^a] her in the punishments with all the Places of the judgments concerning every sin which thou caused her to do: and after these take them (close) to the Virgins of the Light, this who is wont to dispatch them unto the cycle another time. These (commands) are those which are wont the Rulers of the great Destiny of the Aeons they are wont to deliver them (him, MS) to the counterfeit spirit: and are wont the Rulers, they are wont to call the Ministers of the Aeons amounting to (filling, MS) 365, who are wont to give to them the soul and (of, or to, MS) the counterfeit spirit, being bound in unto one another, the counterfeit spirit being outside of the soul, the mixture of the power being the inward of the soul, being within them both, that they should be able to stand up both: and are wont the Rulers, they are wont to order unto the Ministers, saying to them, This is the type [308^b] which ye will put in the body of the matter of the World. They are wont to say indeed to them: Put the mixture of the power the innermost of them all, that they should be able to stand up, because it is their setting up; and after the soul place the counterfeit spirit: this is the manner which they are wont to order unto their Ministers, that they should put them down in the bodies of the anti-type: and after this form are wont the Ministers of the Rulers, they are wont to bring the power with the soul with the counterfeit spirit, they are wont to bring them (all) three down unto the World, and they are wont to pour (them) out unto the World of the Rulers of the Middle. Are wont also the Rulers of the Middle, they are wont to consider the counterfeit spirit with the Fate also, whose name is “the Moira” he is wont to conduct the man, until he cause them to kill him in the death which is reckoned unto him: [309^a] this (fate) which bound in unto the soul the Rulers of the great Destiny; and are wont the Ministers of the Sphere, they are wont to bind (together) the soul with the power with the counterfeit spirit and with the Fate, they are wont to divide them all, and put them in two parts, and go round after the man with the woman in the World, these to whom they gave sign that they (we, MS) will send them in unto them. And they are wont to give (one) part to the male and (one) part to the woman in meat of the World or in a breath of the air, or in water or in some thing (form, MS) which they are wont to drink. All these I shall say unto you the kind of each soul with the types which are wont to go in unto the bodies, either man or bird or beast, or wild-beast or creeping thing or every form which is on the World, I shall say unto you [309^b] their types in what type they are wont to go in unto the men, I shall say them unto you in the Distribution of the Universe. Now therefore whenever the Ministers of the Rulers, whenever they should cast the part in unto the woman and the part also in unto the male, in the way which I said unto you, even if they are at (a) distance from one another, in a distance which is much, are wont the Ministers to compel them in concealment that they should harmonise with one another in the harmony of the World: and is wont the counterfeit spirit which is in the male, it is wont to come unto the part which is deposited unto the World in the matter of his body, he is wont to take it away and cast it unto the womb of the woman being deposited unto the seed of the wickedness: and immediately are wont the three hundred (and) sixty five Ministers of the Rulers, they are wont to go into her belly and [310^a] lodge in it. Are wont the Ministers to bring the two parts to one another, and also are wont the Ministers to hold back the blood of every meat of the woman which she will eat, with the (things) which she drinketh, they are wont to hold them back in the belly of the woman, even until forty days: they are wont to knead the blood of the power of the meats, they are wont to knead it well in the womb of the woman: after the forty days they are wont to spend thirty other days building (up) his members in the image of the body of the man, is wont each to build (up) a member, these (of) which I shall say unto you which Dekans will build it, I shall say them unto you in the Distribution of the Universe. If therefore it should happen after these, the Ministers should complete all the body with all its members in [310^b] seventy days. And after these, are wont the Ministers they are wont to call in unto the body which they built (up): first indeed they are wont to call the counterfeit spirit, afterwards they are wont to call the soul within them, and afterwards they are wont to call the mixture of the power in unto the soul: and the Fate they are wont to put it outside of all (but) not mixing in with them, following them at a distance after them: and after these are wont the Ministers, they are wont to seal them in unto one another with all the seals which gave to them the Rulers, and they are wont to seal (added in lower margin) on the day (in) which they settled in the belly of the woman, they are wont to seal him in unto the left hand of the (human) form; and they are wont to seal on the day in which they completed the body on the right hand: and they are wont to seal on the day in which the Rulers delivered them unto them in the middle of the skull of the body of the (human) form: and they are wont to seal on the [311^a] day (in) which the soul cometh out of the Rulers, they are wont to seal him on the skull of the (human) form. And they are wont to seal on the day (in) which they kneaded the members, and separated unto (one) soul, they are wont to seal him in the skull on right (hand) of the form. And the day (in) which they bound the counterfeit spirit unto her (the soul) they are wont to seal him behind the head of the form: and the day in which breathed the power in unto the body the Rulers, they sealed him on the cerebellum which is in the middle of the head of the form, and also on the heart of the form: and also the number of years which will spend the soul in the body, they are wont to seal him on the forehead, this which is in the form: so that all these seals they are wont to seal on [311^b] the form: all these seals I shall say their name unto you at the Distribution of the Universe. And after the Distribution of the Universe I shall say unto you because of what thing all these became. And if ye wish to understand, I am that Mystery. Now therefore are wont the Ministers, they are wont to complete the whole man, and all these seals in which they sealed the body; are wont the Ministers, they are wont to bring the whole speciality, and take them to all the Contentious Rulers, these which are over all the punishments of the judgments, and they are wont to give them to their Receivers who (and, MS) being their souls out of the body: these are wont to give to them the speciality of the seals, that they should know the time (in) which they will bring the souls out of (the) bodies; [312^a] And that they should know the time in which they will bring forth the body, that they should dispatch them to their Ministers and stand (up) and follow after the soul and become witness of every sin which she will do, they with the counterfeit spirit concerning the manner (in) which they will punish her in the judgments. And whenever the Ministers, whenever they should give the speciality of the seals to the Contentious Rulers, they are wont to withdraw unto the arrangement of their works which are prescribed for them by the Rulers of the great Destiny. And whenever should be completed the number of month of begetting children, they are wont to bring forth the child, being small in him the mixture of the power, and being small in him the soul, and being made small in him the counterfeit spirit. (But) the Fate indeed [312^b] being great, being not mixed in unto the body of the arrangement, but following after the soul with the body with the counterfeit spirit, even until the time in which the soul is coming out of the body, because of the type of the death by which she will kill him, according to that which is reckoned unto him by the Rulers of the great Destiny: or being about to die by a wild-beast, is wont the Fate to bring the wild-beast toward him until he killeth him: or being about to die by a creeping thing: or being about to fall unto a pit by a chance: or being about to strangle himself: or indeed being about to die by water, or by these of this kind, or indeed by other death worse than these or better, (good, MS) in one word the Fate is (that) which compelleth his death toward him. This is the work of the Fate, and she hath not other work except this, and is wont the Fate to follow after that man [313^a] until the day of his death.

Answered Maria, said she, Then every man who (is) on the World, then every work which is reckoned unto them by the Destiny either good or evil, or sin or death or life, in one word, every thing which is reckoned unto them by the Ruler of the Destiny will happen to them. Answered the Saviour, said he to Marihamme, Amen, I say unto you, Every thing which is reckoned to each by the Destiny, either every good (deed) or every sin, in one word every thing which is reckoned unto them, they are wont to go on them. Because of this therefore I brought the key of the mysteries of the kingdom of the heavens; or otherwise there was no flesh (which) will be saved upon the World, for without mysteries there is not any (who) will go unto the kingdom of the Light either righteous (or) when he had done sin. Because of this therefore of this kind, I brought the keys of the mysteries [313^b] unto the World, that I should unloose the sinners, these who will believe me, and who will hearken to me, that I should unloose them from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers and bind them in unto the seals (added in upper margin) with the vestures with the arrays of the Light, that he whom I shall loosen upon the World from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers, they shall loosen him in the Height from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers, and he whom I shall bind upon the World in unto the seals with the vestures with the arrays of the Light, they (will) bind him in the land of the Light in unto the arrays of the inheritances of the Light. Because of the sinners I despoiled myself at this time, I brought the mysteries to them, that I should unloose them from the Aeons of the Rulers, and bind them in unto the inheritances of the Light: not only (for) the sinners but also the righteous, that I should give to them the mysteries, [314^a] and they (will) take them unto the Light: for without mystery it is not possible to take them unto the Light: Because of this therefore I hid not it, but I cried out plainly, and I separated not the sinners: but I cried out, and I said unto all men the sinners with the righteous (ones), saying, Seek that ye may find, knock that they may open to you: for every one who seeketh in truth will find, and he who knocketh they will open to him. For I said unto every man that they should seek after the mysteries of the kingdom of the Light, these which will purify them and make them pure (Light), and they (will) take them unto the Light. Because of this therefore Iohannes the baptist prophesied about me, saying, I indeed baptised you in water unto repentance unto the forgiveness of your sins: he who is coming after me [314^b] is more excellent than I, this whose fan (is) in his hand, he is about to purify his threshing-floor, the chaff indeed he is burning it in a fire which is not wont to be quenched, but the wheat he is gathering it in unto his barn. My power which (is) in Iohannes prophesied about me, knowing that I shall bring the mysteries unto the World, and I (shall) purify the sins of the sinners, these who will believe me, and hearken unto me, and I (shall) make them pure light, and take them unto the Light. These therefore having said them Jesus, answered Maria, said she, My Lord, then whenever the men go that they should seek, and come upon teachings of error, by what are they about to know that they are reckoned unto thee or otherwise? Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, I said unto you once, Be as the wise money-changers, because that which is [315^a] good he taketh it, that which is bad he casteth it out. Now therefore, say to every man who will seek the Godhead, Whenever a wind of north, ye are wont to know that a coolness is that will happen, whenever a south wind cometh out, ye are wont to know that (added in upper margin) burning-heat with a warmth is that which will happen. Now therefore say unto them, If ye knew the face of the heaven with the earth out of the winds, Whenever some therefore now should come up (close) to you and preach to you a Godhead, and ye know in an exactness that their words agreed and suited (to) all your words, these which I said unto you by witnessings two up to three, and they have agreed in the constitution of the air with the heavens with the cycles with the stars (aster) with the planet (phoster) with all the earth with all which are in it with all the waters also with all which are in them, say unto them, Those who come [315^b] unto you and their words suit and agree in all the knowledge which I said unto you, then receive them (as) belonging unto us. These are the (things) which ye will say unto the men to whom ye preach, that they should keep them(selves) from the teachings of error. Now therefore because of the sinners I despoiled my(self) I came unto the World, that I should deliver them, because that the righteous (ones) indeed, these who did not do any of evil ever, and these who did not do sin at all, it is necessary for them to find the mysteries, these which (are) in the Book of Ieou, these which I caused Enokh to write in the paradisos, while speaking with him out of the Tree of the Knowledge and out of the Tree of the life. And I caused him to put them in the rock of Ararad. And I put Kalapatauroth, the Ruler who (is) over Ghemmout, this (one) upon whom are the feet [316^a] of Ieou, and he it is who goeth round all the Aeons with the Destinies. That Ruler I put him being vigilant unto the Books of Ieou because of the Flood, and that no Ruler should envy them and should destroy them. These which I shall give to you whenever I finish saying unto you the Distribution of the Universe. These therefore having said them the Saviour, answered Maria, said she, My Lord, then who therefore also is the man who is upon the World, who sinned not at all, this (one) being sound from unlawfulness? For whenever he should be sound from one he will not be able to be sound from another, that he should find the mysteries which are in the Books of Ieou. For I say that there is not man upon the World who will be able to be sound from sin. For whenever he should be able to be sound from one he would not be able to be sound from another. Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, I [316^b] say to you that they will find one in thousand, two in ten thousand because of the completion of the mystery of the First Mystery, these which I shall say whenever I should finish Distributing to you the Universe. Because of this therefore I despoiled my(self) I brought the mysteries unto the World, because they become all under the sin, and they all come short of the free-gift of the mysteries. Answered Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, before that thou camest unto the Place of the Rulers, and before that thou camest into the World did no soul go unto the Light? Answered the Saviour said he to Maria, Amen amen I say unto you, Before that I came unto the world not any soul went in unto the Light. And now therefore I having come, I opened the gates of the Light, and I opened the roads which take in unto the Light. And now therefore [317^a] he who will do that which is worthy of the mysteries, let him receive the mysteries and go unto the Light. Added also Maria, said she, My Lord, but I heard that the prophets went unto the Light. Added also the Saviour said he to Maria, Amen amen I say to thee, Not any prophet went unto the Light. But the Rulers of the Aeons who spake with them out of the Aeons, they gave to them the mystery of the Aeons; and I having come unto the Place of the Aeons, Helias—I turned him, I dispatched him unto the body of Iohannes the baptist. But the rest also I turned them unto righteous bodies, these who will find the mysteries of the Light, and go unto the Height and inherit the kingdom of the Light, Abraham indeed with Isaak with Iakob, I forgave to them all their sins with all their unlawfulnesses, and I gave to them the mysteries of the Light in the Aeons, and I put [317^b] them in the Place of Iabraoth with all the Rulers who repented: and while I go unto the Height, and come, being about to go unto the Light, I shall take away their souls with me unto the Light. But Amen I say to thee Maria: He (they, MS) will not go unto the Light, I not having taken away thy soul, thine with that of all thy brothers unto the Light. But the rest also of the patriarchs with the righteous since the time of Adam even until now, those who are in the Aeons with all the arrays of the Rulers: I having come unto the Place of Aeons, I caused these, the Virgin of the Light to turn them unto all bodies being about to become righteous (ones), these (are those) who will find all the mysteries of the Light and go in and inherit the kingdom of the Light. Answered Maria, said she, We are happy beyond every man for these greatnesses which thou revealedst to us. Answered the Saviour, said he to [318^a] Maria with all the disciples. Yet I shall reveal to you all the greatnesses of the Height from inward part of the inward parts even until the outward part of the outward parts, that ye may become being complete in every knowledge and with every pleroma with the height of the heights with the depth of the depths. Continued also Maria, said she to the Saviour, My Lord, behold, we knew in boldness in an exactness plainly that thou broughtest the keys of the Mysteries of the kingdom of the Light, these which are wont to forgive the sins of the souls and purify them, and make them pure light and take them unto the Light.

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[Half this line is ornament, two lines of ornament follow, and the title of the Fourth Document follows with ornament below.]

THE FOURTH DOCUMENT A PART OF THE BOOKS OF THE SAVIOUR

[318^b] It happened therefore, they having crucified our Lord Jesus, He rose out of those who are dead on his third day, gathered unto him his disciples, they prayed him, saying, Our Lord be compassionate to us, because we forsook father and mother with all the World, we followed thee.