Pistis Sophia: Book One, Chapters 34 to end

CHAPTER 34.

Now it happened when Mariam finished saying these words to Jesus in the midst of the disciples, she said to him ; "My Lord, this is the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia".

It happened now when Jesus heard Mariam saying these words, he said to her : "Excellent, Mariam, thou blessed one, thou Pleroma or thou all-blessed Pleroma, who will be blessed among all generations" .

CHAPTER 35.

Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said : "The Pistis Sophia continued again, she also sang a second repentance, in which she spoke thus :

1. 'O Light of Lights, I have believed in thee. Do not leave me in the darkness until the completion of my time.

2. Help me and save me in thy mysteries. Incline thy ear to me and save me.

3. Let the power of thy light save me and carry me to the aeons on high, for it is thou who savest me and takest me to the height of thy aeons. 4. Save me, O Light, from the hand of this lion-faced power, and from the hands of the emanations of the deity, Authades.

5. For thou, O Light, art the one in whose light I have believed and in whose light I have trusted from the beginning.

6. And I have believed in it from the hour that it emanated me forth. And thou indeed art he who caused me to be emanated forth. And I have indeed believed in thy light from the beginning.

7. And when I believed in thee, the archons of the aeons mocked me, saying : she has ceased in her mystery. It is thou who wilt save me. And thou art my Saviour. And thou art my mystery, O Light.

8. My mouth has been filled with glory, so that I might tell the mystery of thy greatness at all times.

9. Now, O Light, do not leave me in the Chaos during the completion of my whole time. Do not abandon me, O Light.

10. For my whole light-power has been taken away from me. And all the emanations of the Authades have surrounded me. They wanted to take all my light from me completely, and they watched for my power.

11. They were saying at the same time to one another : the light has left her ; let us seize her and take away all the light within her. 12. <illegible>.

13. May those who want to take away my power fall and become powerless. May those who want to take away my light-power from me be wrapped in darkness and exist in powerlessness.

This is the second repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, singing praises to the light." .

CHAPTER 36.

It happened now, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said : "Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you?" Peter leapt forward, he said to Jesus : "My Lord, we are not able to suffer this woman who takes the opportunity from us, and does not allow anyone of us to speak, but she speaks many times." Jesus answered, he said to his disciples : "Let him in whom the power of his Spirit has welled up so that he understands what I say, come forward and speak. Nevertheless, thou Peter, I see thy power within thee understands the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke. Now at this time do thou, Peter, speak the thought of her repentance in the midst of thy brethren." Peter answered, however, he said to Jesus : "Lord, hear, so that I say the thought of her repentance, about which thy power once prophesied through David the prophet, saying her repentance in the 70th Psalm :

1. 'O God, my God, I have trusted in thee; let me never be put to shame.

2. Save me in thy righteousness and deliver me. Incline thy ear to me and save me.

3. Be to me a strong God and a fortified place to save me ; for thou art my strength and my place of refuge.

4. My God, save me from the hand of the sinner, and from the hand of the lawless and the impious.

5. For thou, O Lord, art my endurance; O Lord, thou art my hope from my youth.

6. I have relied upon thee from the womb; thou hast brought me forth from my mother's womb; my memory is of thee at all times.

7. I have become for many like the crazy; thou art my help and my strength, thou art my Saviour, O Lord.

8. My mouth has been filled with blessings, so that I might bless the glory of thy greatness all the day.

9. Cast me not out in the time of my old age; when my soul diminishes, do not forsake me.

10. For my enemies have spoken evil against me; and they who lie in wait for my soul have taken counsel against my soul.

11. Saying at the same time : God has forsaken him ; run and seize him, for there is none to save him.

12. O God, give heed to my help.

13. Let those that slander my soul be brought to shame and diminished; let those who seek evil against me be clothed with shame and disgrace.' This now is the interpretation of the second repentance which the Pistis Sophia said.".

CHAPTER 37.

The Saviour answered and said to Peter : " Well done, Peter, this is the interpretation of her repentance. You are blessed beyond all men upon earth, for I have revealed to you these mysteries. Truly, truly, I say to you : I will fulfill you in every pleroma, from the mysteries of the inner to the mysteries of the outer. And I will fill you with Spirit so that you are called Pneumatics, fulfilled in every pleroma. And truly, truly, I say to you that I will give you all the mysteries of all the places of my Father, and all the places of the First Mystery, so that he whom you receive on earth will be received into the light of the height. And he whom you cast out upon earth will be cast out of the Kingdom of my Father which is in heaven . Nevertheless now hear and give ear to all the repentances which the Pistis Sophia said. She continued again and spoke the third repentance, saying :

1. 'O Light of the powers, give heed and save me.

2. May those that want to take away my light from me fail and he in darkness. Let them return to the Chaos, and may those who want to take away my power be put to shame.

3. May those that persecute me and say : we have become lords over her, return quickly to the darkness.

4. May all those who seek after the light rejoice and flourish and may they who want thy mystery say at all times : let the mystery be raised up.

5. Do thou now at this time save me, O Light, for I am lacking in my light, which has been taken away. And I need my power which has been taken from me. Thou, O Light, thou art my Saviour, and thou art my rescuer, O Light.

Save me quickly out of this Chaos'." .

CHAPTER 38.

It happened, however, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, saying: "This is the third repentance which the Pistis Sophia said", he said to them : "Let him in whom the Spirit of perception has arisen, come forward and speak with understanding of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said".

It happened now, before Jesus had finished speaking, Martha came forward, she prostrated herself at his feet, she kissed them. She cried out, she wept aloud in humility, saying: "My Lord, have mercy on me, and be compassionate towards me, and allow me to say the interpretation of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said". And Jesus gave Martha his hand , he said to her : "Blessed is every man who humbles himself, for to him will mercy be given . Now at this time, Martha, thou art blessed. Never- ' give now the interpretation of the thought of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia".

Martha, however, answered and said to Jesus in the midst of the disciples : "Concerning the repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, O my Lord Jesus, thy light-power which was in David once prophesied in the 69th psalm, saying :

1. O Lord God, give heed to my help.

2. Let those that seek after my soul be put to shame and disgraced.

3. May those that say to me : excellent, excellent, be turned back immediately and put to shame.

4. May all those that seek after thee be glad and rejoice over thee; and may those that love thy salvation say at all times : let God be exalted.

5. But I am poor and I am needy. O Lord, help me ; thou art my help and my defense. O Lord, do not delay.' This now is the interpretation of the third repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, singing praises to the height.".

CHAPTER 39.

It happened now when Jesus heard Martha saying these words, he said : "Excellent, Martha, and well done." Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said to his disciples : "The Pistis Sophia continued again with the fourth repentance, saying it when the lion-faced power and all the material emanations with it, which the Authades had sent to the Chaos, had not yet afflicted her for the second time, to take away all the remaining light which was in her. She now said this repentance thus :

1. 'O Light whom I have trusted, hear my repentance; and let my voice come into thy dwelling-place.

2. Do not turn thy image of light away from me, but give heed to me. If they oppress me, save me quickly at the time when I cry to thee.

3. For my time has vanished like a breath, and I have become matter.

4. My light has been taken from me, and my power has dried up. I have forgotten my mystery which I performed at first.

5. Through the voice of fear and the power of the Authades, my power has diminished within me.

6. I have become like a peculiar demon, which dwells in matter, in whom is no light. And I have become like a spirit counterpart which is in a material body, in which there is no light-power.

7. And I have become like a decan, which is upon the air alone.

8. The emanations of the Authades have afflicted me greatly; and my partner has spoken of it thus : in place of the light within her, they have filled her with Chaos .

9. I have swallowed the sweat of my matter myself and the anguish of the tears of the matter of my eyes, lest those that oppress me take away these things also.

10. All these things have happened to me, O Light, through thy ordinance and with thy command. And it is thy ordinance that I should be among these things.

11. Thy ordinance has brought me down, and I have come down like a power of the Chaos.; and my power has congealed within me.

12. But thou, O Lord, art eternal light; and at all times thou dost seek those who are oppressed.

13. Now at this time, O Light, arise and seek after my power and my soul within me. Thy ordinance is completed, which thou hast ordained for me in my affliction. My time has come, that thou shouldst seek after my power and my soul, and this is the time which thou hast ordained to seek me ; 14. For thy saviours have sought after the power which is in my soul, because the number is completed, and that they should save its matter also.

15. And then in that time all the archon. of the material aeons will fear before thy light: and all the emanations of the thirteenth material aeon will fear before the mystery of thy light, that the others may put on themselves what is purified of their light.

16. For the Lord will seek after the power of your souls; he has revealed his mystery.

17. For he will look at the repentance of those who are in the places below; and he has not overlooked their repentance.

18. This is that mystery which has become a type for the race which will be born ; and the race which will be born will sing praises to the height.

19. For the light has looked forth from the height of his light. He will look down upon all matter ; 20. To hear the groaning of those that are bound; to release the power of the souls whose power is bound.

21. To place his name in the soul, and his mystery in the Power .

CHAPTER 40

It happened, however, while Jesus was speaking these words to his disciples, saying to them : "This is the fourth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said; now at this time let him who understands understand" - now it happened when Jesus said these words, John came forward. He kissed (lit. worshipped) the breast of Jesus, he said : "My Lord, command me also and allow, me that I speak the interpretation of the fourth repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke". Jesus said to John: "I command thee and I allow thee to give (lit, say) the interpretation of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke." John answered, he said : "My Lord Saviour, concerning this repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke, thy light-power, which was in David, once prophesied about it in the 101st Psalm:

1. 'Lord, hear my prayer and let my voice come to thee

2. Turn not thy face away from me ; incline thy ear to me in the day of my affliction ; hear me quickly in the day when I shall cry to thee

3. For my days have vanished like smoke, and my bones are parched like a stone

4. I am scorched like grass and my heart is dried up ; for I have forgotten to eat my bread

5. From the voice of my groaning my bone has cleaved to my flesh

6. I have become like a pelican in the wilderness. I have become like an owl in a house

7. I have spent nights of vigil; I have become like a sparrow alone upon a roof

8. My enemies have reproached me all day long ; and those that honour me have sworn against me. 9. For I have eaten ashes in place of my bread; I have mixed my drink with tears; 10. In the presence of thy wrath and thy anger; for thou hast lifted me up, thou hast cast me down

11. My days have declined like a shadow, and I am dried up like grass- l2. But thou, O Lord, dost exist for ever ; and thy memory from generation to generation.

13. Do thou arise and be compassionate to Zion; for it is (lit. has happened) time for compassion to her; for the appointed time has come

14. Thy servants have desired her stones; and they will show pity on her land

15. The peoples will fear the name of the Lord and the kings of the earth will fear thy glory

16. For the Lord will build Zion and be manifest in his glory' 17. He has looked upon the prayer of the humble, and he has not despised their petition

18. Let this be written for another generation; and the people which will be created will bless the Lord

19. Because he has looked forth upon his holy height; the Lord has looked forth from heaven upon the earth; 20. To hear the groaning of those that are bound, to release the sons of those who have been killed; 21. To speak the name of the Lord in Zion, and his blessing in Jerusalem

This, my Lord, is the interpretation of the mystery of the repentance which the Pistis Sophia spoke." .

CHAPTER 41.

Now it happened when John finished saying these words to Jesus in the midst of his disciples, he said to him : "Excellent, John, thou virgin who wilt rule in the Kingdom of the Light," Jesus, however, continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples : "it happened again thus : the emanations of the Authades oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos (es).

They wanted to take away all her light, and the ordinance was not yet completed to bring her forth from the Chaos, and the command had not yet come to me through the First Mystery to save her from the Chaos. Now it happened, when all the material emanations of the Authades oppressed her, she cried out and spoke the fifth repentance, saying :

1. 'O Light of my salvation, I sing praise to thee in the place of the height, and again in the Chaos.

2. I will sing praise to thee in my song, with which I have praised thee in the height, and with which I have praised thee when I was in the Chaos; may it reach thee. And give heed, O Light, to my repentance.

3. My power has been filled with darkness; and my light has come down to the Chaos. 4. I have become like the archons of the Chaos which have gone to the darkness below; I have become like a material body, which has no one in the height who will save it.

5. I have become like material things whose power has been taken from them as they were cast into the Chaos, which thou hast not saved; and they have been destroyed by thy ordinance.

6. Now at this time I have been placed in the darkness below, in dark things and in material things which are dead ; and there is no power within them.

7. Thou hast brought thy ordinance upon me ; with all things which thou hast ordained.

8. And the Spirit has departed and left me; and again, through thy ordinance, the emanations of my aeon have not helped me ; and they have hated me and they have ceased towards me, and yet I am not completely destroyed.

9. And my light has diminished within me, and I have cried out to the light with all the light that is in me ; and I have stretched out my hands to thee.

10. Now at this time, O Light, wilt thou perhaps fulfill thy ordinance in the Chaos? And will the saviours, perhaps, who came according to thy ordinance, arise in the darkness and come and be disciples to thee? 11. Will they, perhaps, say the mystery of thy name in the Chaos? 12. Or will they not rather say thy name in matter of the Chaos, this in which thou wilt not purify? 13. But I have sung praises to thee, O Light, and my repentance will reach thee in the height.

14. May thy light come down upon me.

15. My light has been taken from me and I am in distress on account of the light, from the time when I was emanated forth. And when I looked to the height to the light, I looked down to the light-power which is in the Chaos ; I rose, I came down.

16. Thy ordinance came down upon me, and the fears which thou didst ordain for me, agitated me.

17. And they surrounded me roaring like water, they seized me at once for all my time.

18. And through thy ordinance, thou didst not allow my fellow-emanations to help me ; and thou didst not allow my partner to save me from my afflictions.' This now is the fifth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said in the Chaos, when all the material emanations of the Authades continued to afflict her.".

CHAPTER 42.

Now when Jesus said these things to his disciples, he said to them: "He who has ears to hear, let him the things which I will do, and the things which you will see.

And you will bear witness to all things of the Kingdom of Heaven.".

CHAPTER 43.

Now when Jesus said these things he said to his disciples : "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." Mariam sprang up again, she came to the midst, she stood beside Philip, she said to Jesus : "My Lord, my man of light has ears, and I am prepared to hear by means of my power. And I have understood the word which thou hast spoken. Now at this time, my Lord, hear, so that I speak openly, for thou hast said to us : 'He who has ears to hear, let him hear.' Concerning the word which thou didst say to Philip: 'Thou and Thomas and Matthew are the three to whom it has been given, through the First Mystery, to write every word of the Kingdom of the Light, and to bear witness to them'; hear now that I give the interpretation of these words. It is this which thy light-power once prophesied through Moses: 'Through two and three witnesses everything will be established. The three witnesses are Philip and Thomas and Matthew".

Now it happened when Jesus heard these words, he said : Excellent, Maria, this is the interpretation of the word.

Now at this time, do thou, Philip, come forward and give the interpretation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. And afterwards sit and write every word which I shall speak until the completion of the number of thy part in the words of the Kingdom of the Light, which thou wilt write. After this thou shalt come forward and speak whatever thy Spirit shall understand. Nevertheless now, at this time give the explanation of the mystery of the fifth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.

But Philip answered and said to Jesus : "My Lord, hear that I say the interpretation of her repentance. For thy power once prophesied about it through David in the 87th Psalm, saying :

1. 'O Lord God of my salvation, I have cried to thee by day and night.

2. Let my prayer come before thy presence. Incline thy ear, O Lord, to my petition.

3. For my soul is filled with evil ; my life has approached Amente .

4. I am numbered with those who have gone down to the pit, I have become like a man without a helper.

5. The free among the dead are like the slain who are cast out and sleep in graves, whom now thou dost not remember; and they are destroyed through thy hands.

6. I have been laid in a pit below in darknesses and the shadow of death. 7. Thy anger has pressed down upon me ; and all thy cares have come down upon me. Pause.

8. Thou hast caused those that know me to be distant from me ; they have set me as an abomination to themselves ; they have set me and I did not go.

9. My eye(s) became weak through my poverty; I cried to thee, O Lord, all the day; I spread out my hands to thee.

10. Wilt thou perhaps do thy wonders among the dead? Will shades 1 rise that they confess thee? 11. Will thy name perhaps be spoken in the graves? 12. And thy righteousness in a land which thou hast forgotten? 13. But I have cried to thee, O Lord, and my prayer will reach thee at the hour of daybreak.

14. Turn not thy face away from me.

15. For I am poor; I have been in distress since my youth ; but when I was exalted I humbled myself, and I arose.

16. Thy rages have come down upon me, and thy fears have agitated me.

17. They have surrounded me like water; they have seized me all day.

18. Thou hast caused my companions to be distant from me; and those that know me on account of my wretchedness'*.

This now is the interpretation of the fifth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said when she was afflicted in the Chaos. .

CHAPTER 44.

It happened now when Jesus heard these words which Philip said , he said to him : " Excellent, Philip, thou beloved one. Come now at this time, sit and write thy part of every word which I shall say, and what I shall do, and everything which thou shalt see". And immediately Philip sat down and wrote.

It happened furthermore after this Jesus continued again with the discourse. He said to his disciples : " Then the Pistis Sophia cried out to the Light. He forgave her sin, that she had forsaken her place, she had come down to the darkness.

She spoke the sixth repentance in this way, saying : 1. I have sung praises to thee, O Light, in the darkness below.

2.Hear my repentance, and may thy light give heed to the voice of my entreaty.

3. O Light, if thou dost remember my sins I shall not be able to come before thee, and thou wilt forsake me.

4. For thou, O Light, art my Saviour on account of the light of thy name. I have believed in thee, O Light.

5. And my power believed in thy mystery. And furthermore, my power trusted in the light, when it was in those of the height, and it (my power) trusted it (the light) when it (my power) was in the Chaos below.

6. May all the powers within me trust the light, when I am in the darkness below, and may they trust it when they come to the place of the height. 7. For it (the light) is merciful to us and saves us, and there is a great mystery of salvation within it.

8. And it will save all the powers from the Chaos on account of my transgression, because I have forsaken my place, I have come down to the Chaos.' At this time now, he whose understanding (mind) is uplifted , let him understand.".

CHAPTER 45.

Now it happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : "Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you?" Andrew came forward, he said : "My Lord, concerning the interpretation of the sixth repentance of the Pistis Sophia, thy light-power prophesied once, through David, in the 129th Psalm, saying :

1. 'Out of the depths I have cried to thee, O Lord.

2. Hear my voice; let thine ears be inclined to the voice of my supplication.

3. O Lord, if thou givest heed to my iniquities who will be able to stand? 4. For forgiveness is with thee; I have waited for thee, O Lord, for thy name's sake.

5. My soul has waited on thy word.

6. My soul has hoped in the Lord from morni ng until evening; may Israel hope in the Lord from morning until evening. 7. For mercy is in the hand of the Lord, and with him is a great salvation.

8. And he will save Israel out of all his iniquities ".

Jesus said to him : "Excellent, Andrew, thou blessed one.

This is the interpretation of her repentance. Truly, truly, I say to you, I will fulfill you in all the mysteries of the light, and every gnosis, from the innermost of the inner to the outermost of the outer; from the Ineffable to the darkness of darknesses ; and from the Light of Lights to the (? matter) of matter ; from all the gods to the demons ; from all the lords to the decans; from all the powers (exousiai) to the ministers ; from the creation of men to (that off beasts and cattle and reptiles, in order that you be called perfect, fulfilled in every pleroma. Truly, truly, I say to you that, in the place in which I shall be in the Kingdom of my Father, you will also be there with me . And when the perfect number is completed so that the mixture is dissolved, I will command that all the tyrant gods who did not give (up) what is purified of their light be brought. I will command the fire of wisdom, which the perfect ones transmit, to consume those tyrants until they give (up) the last of what is purified of their light." It happened, when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : "Do you understand in what manner I have spoken to you?" Maria said : "Yes, O Lord, I have understood the discourse which thou hast spoken. Concerning the word now which thou didst say : 'At the dissolving of the whole mixture thou wilt sit upon a light-power, and thy disciples, that is we, we will sit to the right of thee . And thou wilt judge the tyrant gods which did not give (up) what is purified of their light. And the fire of wisdom will consume them until they give (up) the last of the light which is in them.' Now concerning this word, thy light-power once prophesied, through David, in the 81st Psalm, saying : 'God will sit in the assembly of gods and will judge the gods ".

Jesus said to her : "Excellent, Maria.".

CHAPTER 46.

Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples : "It happened when the Pistis Sophia finished saying the sixth repentance concerning the forgiveness of her transgression, she turned again to the height to see whether her sins were forgiven her, and to see whether she would be brought up from the Chaos. And she was not yet heard, through the command of the First Mystery, that her sin would be forgiven, and that she would be brought out of the Chaos. ( When she turned to the height to see whether her repentance was accepted, she saw all the archons of the twelve aeons mocking her and rejoicing over her, because her repentance was not yet accepted. When she now saw them mocking her, she was very sorrowful, she lifted up her voice to the height, saying in the seventh repentance :

1. 'O Light, I have raised up my power to thee, my Light.

2. I have believed in thee ; do not make me to be despised.

Do not make the archons of the twelve aeons, which hate me, rejoice over me.

3. For all those that believe in thee will not be brought to shame. May those who have taken away my power remain in darkness, and have no profit from it, but have it taken away from them.

4. O Light, show me thy ways, and I will be saved by them ; and show me thy paths, so that I be saved in the Chaos.

5. And lead me in thy light, and may I know, O Light, that thou art my Saviour; I will trust thee in my whole time.

6. Give heed, so that thou savest me, O Light, because thy compassion exists for ever.

7. Concerning my transgression which I have committed from the beginning in my ignorance, do not count it against me, O Light, but rather save me through thy great mystery of forgiveness of sins, for the sake of thy goodness, O Light. 8. For the Light is good and upright. Because of this he (the Light) will allow me (lit. give me my way) to be saved from my transgression.

9. And my powers, which are diminished through fear of the material emanations of the Authades, he will draw out thence by his ordinance. And to my powers, which are diminished through lack of mercy, he will teach his knowledge.

10. For all knowledges of the light are salvations and are mysteries to everyone who seeks the places of his inheritance and his mysteries.

11. For the sake of the mystery of thy name, O Light, forgive my transgression, for it is great.

12. To everyone who trusts the light, he will give the mystery which pleases him.

13. And his soul will exist in the places of the light; and his power will inherit the Treasury of the Light.

14. It is the light which gives power to those that believe in it. And the name of its mystery is for those that trust it.

And it will show them the place of the inheritance which is in the Treasury of the Light.

15. Moreover I have believed in the light at all times, that it is this which will save my feet from the bonds of the darkness. 16.Give heed to me, o Light, and save me, for my name has been taken from me in the Chaos.

17. Beyond all the emanations, my questions and my oppressions are very numerous; save me from my transgression and this darkness.

18. And look upon the distress of my oppression and forgive my transgression.

19. Give heed to the archons of the twelve aeons which hate me with envy.

20. Watch over my power and save me ; and let me not remain in this darkness, for I have believed in thee.

21. And they have committed a great folly for I have believed in thee, O Light.

22. Now at this time, O Light, save my powers from the emanations of the Authades, by which I am oppressed.' Now at this time, he who is sober, let him be sober." Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples, Thomas came forward, he said: "My Lord, I am sober, I have become more sober, and my Spirit is ready within me. And I rejoice greatly because thou hast revealed to us these words. Nevertheless I have suffered my brothers up till now lest I cause anger in them. But I suffer each one of them to come before thee to say the interpretation of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Now at this time, O Lord, concerning the interpretation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia, thy light-power prophesied about it, through David the prophet, saying it thus in the 24th Psalm : 1. O Lord, I have lifted up my soul to thee, my God.

2. I have relied on thee; let me not be put to shame, nor let my enemies mock at me.

3. Because everyone that waits upon thee will not be put to shame. Let those that commit iniquity without cause be ashamed.

4. O Lord, show me thy ways, and teach me thy paths.

5. Lead me in the way of thy truth, and teach me for thou art my God, my Saviour. I will wait on thee the whole day.

6. Remember thy compassion, O Lord, and thy mercies, for they are from eternity.

7. Remember not the sins of my youth and those of my ignorance. Remember me rather according to the greatness of thy mercy, for the sake of thy beneficence, O Lord.

8. Beneficent and upright is the Lord; because of this, he will teach the sinners on the way.

9. He will guide the compassionate in judgment; he will teach the compassionate his ways.

10. All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth for those that seek his righteousness and his witness.

11. For thy name's sake, O Lord, forgive me my sin, (for) it is very great.

12. Who is the man who fears the Lord? He will appoint (the) law for him in the way which he has chosen.

13. His soul will be in good things; and his seed will inherit the earth. 14. The Lord is the strength of those that fear him ; and the name of the Lord, to those that fear him, is that which tells them of his covenant.

15. My eyes are directed to the Lord at all times; for it is he who will draw my feet out of the snare.

16. Look down upon me and have mercy on me ; for I am an only son , l am poor.

17. The afflictions of my heart have multiplied; lead me forth from my necessities.

18. Look upon my humbleness and my distress, and forgive all my sins.

19. Look upon my enemies, for they have multiplied and they have hated me with an unjust hatred.

20. Guard my soul and save me ; let me not be put to shame for I have hoped in thee.

21. The harmless and the upright have joined themselves to me ; for I have waited upon thee, O Lord.

22. O God, save Israel from all his afflictions' ".

When however Jesus heard the words of Thomas, he said to him : "Excellent, Thomas, and well done. This is the interpretation of the seventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia.

Truly, truly, I say to you that all the generations of the world will bless you upon the earth, because I have revealed this to you, and you have received of my Spirit, and you have become understanding and Pneumatic, since you have understood what I have said. And after this I will fill you with all the light and all the power of the Spirit, so that from this time you will understand all those things which will be said to you, and those things which you will see. Yet a little time and I will speak with you of all the things of the height, from the outer to the inner, and from the inner to the outer.".

CHAPTER 47 Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to the disciples : "Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia said her seventh repentance in the Chaos, the command, through the First Mystery, that I should save her and bring her up from the Chaos, had not yet come forth to me.

But I of myself, out of compassion, without command, I brought her to a place in the Chaos which was a little wider.

And when the material emanations of the Authades knew she had been brought to a place in the Chaos which was a little wider, they ceased a little from oppressing her, thinking she would be brought up from the Chaos completely. Now when these things happened, the Pistis Sophia did not know that it was I who helped her, nor did she know me at all.

But she continued singing praises to the light of the Treasury which she had once seen, and in which she believed. And she thought, furthermore, that it was he who helped her. And it was he to whom she sang praises, thinking that he was the true light. But since she believed in the light which belongs to the true Treasury, for this reason she will be brought up from the Chaos and her repentance will be received. But the ordinance of the First Mystery that her repentance should be received was not yet completed. Therefore hear now, and I will tell you all the things (lit. words) which happened to the Pistis Sophia.

It happened when I brought her to a place in the Chaos, which was a little wider, the emanations of the Authades ceased from oppressing her greatly , thinking she would be brought up from the Chaos completely. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades knew that the Pistis Sophia was not brought up from the Chaos, they turned again at the same time to oppress her greatly. Because of this she now said the eighth repentance, because they had ceased from oppressing her, and they had turned again to oppress her to the last. She spoke this repentance, saying it thus :

1. 'I have hoped in thee, O Light. Leave me not in the Chaos; save me and deliver me with thy knowledge.

2. Give heed to me and save me. Be to me a Saviour, O Light, and save me and bring me into the presence of thy light.

3. For thou art my Saviour and thou wilt bring me to thy presence. And for the sake of the mystery of thy name, lead me and give me thy mystery. 4. And thou wilt save me as I am ensnared by this lion-faced power; for thou art my Saviour.

5. And I will give what is purified of my light into thy hands; thou hast saved me, O Light, with thy knowledge.

6. Thou hast been angry with those who watch for me, who will not be able to seize me at all. But I have believed in the light.

7. I will rejoice and sing praises, for thou hast had compassion on me ; and thou hast given heed to the oppression in which I am. And thou hast saved me. And also thou wilt deliver my power from the Chaos.

8. And thou didst not leave me to be in the hands of the lion-faced power, but thou hast brought me to a place which is not oppressed'.".

CHAPTER 48.

When Jesus had said these things to his disciples, he answered again and said to them : "It happened now when the lion-faced power knew that the Pistis Sophia was not brought up from the Chaos at all, it came again with all the rest of the material/ emanations of the Authades. They oppressed the Pistis Sophia again. Now it happened when they oppressed her, she cried out in this same repentance, in which she spoke thus: 9. Have compassion on me, O Light, for they have oppressed me again. The light within me has been agitated on account of thy ordinance; and my power and my understanding (mind).

10. My power has begun to decrease while I am in these oppressions; and the reckoning of my time while I am in the Chaos. My light has diminished, for they have taken away my power from me, and all the powers within me have been shaken.

11. I have become powerless before 1 all the archons of the aeons which hate me, and before the 24 emanations in whose places I was. And my brother, my partner, feared to help me, on account of those among whom I was held.

12. And all the archons of the height have reckoned me to be matter without light in it. I have become like a material power which has fallen out of the archons.

13. And all those who were in the aeons said : she has become Chaos. And after this the merciless powers surrounded me at the same time, and spoke to take away all my light that was in me.

14. But I trusted thee, O Light, and I said : thou art my Saviour.

15. And my ordinance which thou hast ordained for me is in thy hands; save me from the hands of the emanations of the Authades which oppress me and pursue after me.

16. Send down thy light upon me, for I am nothing before thee; and save me in thy compassion.

17. Let me not be despised, for thou art he to whom I have sung praises, O Light. May the Chaos cover over the emanations of the Authades, and may they be cast down to the darkness. 18. May the mouth be shut of those who, with cunning, want to swallow me ; who say : let us take away all the light within her, although I have done nothing wicked to them'." .

CHAPTER 49.

When, however, Jesus had said these things, Matthew came forward and said : "My Lord, thy Spirit has moved me, and thy light has made me sober, so that I should tell the eighth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. For thy power once prophesied about it through David, in the 30th Psalm, saying :

1. 'I have hoped in thee, O Lord. Let me not be put to shame for ever; save me in thy righteousness.

2. Incline thine ear to me; save me quickly, be to me a protecting God and a house of refuge to save me.

3. For thou art my support and my refuge; for the sake of thy name thou wilt guide me and nourish me.

4. And thou wilt bring me forth from this snare which they have hidden for me, for thou art my protector.

5. I will give up my spirit into thy hands. Thou hast saved me, O Lord, God of truth.

6. Thou hast hated those who idly keep to what is vain.

But I have trusted; 7. And I will rejoice over the Lord , and I will be glad over thy mercy; for thou hast looked upon my humbleness, and thou hast saved my soul out of my necessities.

8. Thou hast not shut me in the hands of the enemy ; thou hast set my feet in a wide place.

9. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am afflicted; my eye is I troubled with anger; and my soul and my belly.

10. For my years have been spent in distress and my life has been spent in groanings; my power has become weak in poverty, and my bones are troubled.

11. I have become a reproach to all my enemies and my neighbors. I have become a fear to those that know me, and those that saw me ran away from me.

12. I have been forgotten like a corpse in their hearts; and I have become like a broken vessel.

13. I have heard contempt from many at my side who surrounded me ; when they gathered together against me, they took counsel to take away my soul from me.

14. But I have trusted thee, O Lord, I have said : thou art my God.

15. My lots are in thy hands; save me from the hand of my enemies, and deliver me from those that persecute me.

16. Reveal thy face over thy servant, and save me in thy mercy, O Lord.

17. Let me not be put to shame, for I have cried to thee; let the impious be put to shame and turned to Amente.

18. Let the cunning lips be dumb, who speak iniquity against the righteous with pride and contempt'.".

CHAPTER 50.

When however Jesus heard these words, he said: "Well done, Matthew. Now at this time truly I say to you, when the perfect number is completed and the All is raised up, I will sit in the Treasury of the Light, and you yourselves will sit on twelve light-powers, until we have set up again all the ranks of the twelve saviors at the place of the inheritance of each one of them." But when he had said these things, he said : "Do you understand what I say?" Maria came forward and said : "O Lord, concerning this, thou didst once say to us in a parable: 'You have endured with me in temptations. I will establish a kingdom for you in the way in which my Father established it for me , so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom. And you will sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of Israel'." He said to her : "Excellent, Maria." Jesus continued again and said to his disciples : "Now it happened after these things, when the emanations of the Authades oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos, she spoke the ninth repentance, saying :

1. 'O Light, smite down those who have taken my power away from me ; and take the power from those who have taken mine from me.

2. For I am thy power and thy light ; come and save me. 3. May a great darkness cover over those that oppress me ; say to my power : it is I who will save thee.

4. All those who want to take my light from me completely : may their power fail; those who want to take my light from me completely : may they turn to the Chaos and become powerless.

5. May their power become like dust; and may Jeu, thine angel, smite them down.

6. And if they come to go to the height, may a darkness seize them, so that they stumble and turn to the Chaos; and may thine angel, Jeu, pursue them and send them to the darkness below.

7. For without my having done evil to them, they have ensnared me with a lion-faced power from which their light will be taken; they have oppressed the power within me, which they will not able to take away.

8. Now at this time, O Light, take away what is purified from the lion-faced power, without his knowing; and the thought which the Authades had (lit. thought), to take away my light : take his own away; and let the light of the lion-faced power, which ensnared me, be taken away.

9. My power will flourish in the light and will rejoice because it will save it.

10. And all the parts of my power will say : there is now no Saviour except thee; for it is thou who wilt save me from the hands of the lion-faced power which has taken my power from me. And it is thou who savest me from the hands of those who have taken my power and my light from me.

11. For they stood up against me and told lies about me.

And they say : I know the mystery of the light which is in the height, in which I have believed. And they have compelled me, saying : Tell us the mystery of the light which is in the height, this one which I do not know.

12. And they have repaid me with all these wicked things, because I have believed in the light of the height; and they have made my power to be without light.

13. But when I was compelled, I sat in the darkness, while my soul was humble in sorrow.

14. And, O Light, concerning whom I sing praises to thee, save me ; I know that thou wilt save me, because I have done thy will since I was in my aeon. I have done thy will like the invisible ones who are in my place, and like my partner; and I became sorrowful as I looked, seeking for thy light.

15. Now at this time all the emanations of the Authades have surrounded me ; and have rejoiced over me, and they have oppressed me greatly, without my knowing; and they have run away, they have left me, and they have not been merciful to me.

16. They turned again and tempted me, and they oppressed me with great oppression; they gnashed their teeth at me, wanting to take away my light from me completely.

17. How long now, O Light, dost thou suffer them, that they oppress me ? Save my power from their wicked thoughts, and save me from the lion-faced power, for I alone among the invisible ones am in this place.

18. I will sing praise to thee, O Light, while I am in the midst of all those gathered against me. And I will cry out to thee in the midst of all those that oppress me.

19. Now at this time, O Light, let not those that hate me and want to take away my power from me, rejoice over me; these who hate me, as they move their eyes against me, without my having done anything to them.

20. For indeed they flatter me with sweet words while they seek from me the mysteries of the light which I do not know; speaking to me with cunning against me, and raging against me, because I have believed in the light which is in the height.

21. They have opened their mouths against me ; they have said : Yes. We will take away her light.

22. Now at this time, O Light, thou hast known their cunning ; suffer them not, and let not thy help be far from me.

23. Make haste, O Light, judge me and avenge me. 24. And give judgment to me in thy goodness; now at this time, O Light of Lights, let them not take my light from me.

25. And do not let them say in their hearts : Our power has satisfied itself with her light; and let them not say : We have swallowed her power.

26. But rather let darkness come down upon them; and let those that want to take away my light from me become powerless; and those that say : We will take away her light and her power, let them be covered with Chaos and darkness, 27. Now at this time, save me, that I may rejoice, because I want the thirteenth aeon, the place of righteousness. And I will say at all times : May the light of Jeu, thy angel, give more light.

28. And my tongue will sing praises to thee in thy knowledge, all my time in the thirteenth aeon'.".

CHAPTER 51.

It happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, he said to them : "He who is sober among you, let him give their interpretation." James came forward, he kissed the breast of Jesus and said : "My Lord, thy Spirit has made me sober , and I am willing to give their interpretation. Concerning this, indeed, thy power prophesied once, through David, in the 34th Psalm, speaking thus about the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia :

1. 'Judge, O Lord, those who do injustice to me; fight with those who fight with me. 2. Take hold of a weapon and shield, and rise to help me.

3. Draw forth a sword and unsheathe it in the presence of those that afflict me ; say to my soul : I am thy salvation.

4. May they be put to shame and disgrace that seek my soul; may those that think wicked things about me be turned back and be put to shame.

5. May they become like dust before the wind; and may the angel of the Lord pursue them.

6. May their paths become dark and slippery; and may the angel of the Lord afflict them.

7. For, without cause, they have hidden for me a snare to their own destruction; and in vain they have slandered my soul.

8. May the snare which they do not know come to them; and may the net, which they have hidden for me, catch them, and may they fall into this snare.

9. But my soul will rejoice over the Lord, and be glad over its salvation.

10. All my bones will say : O Lord, who can resemble thee? Thou dost save the poor out of the hand of those that are stronger than he ; and thou dost save a poor man and a needy from the hands of those that rob him.

11. Unjust witnesses have arisen; they have questioned me about things which I do not know. 12. They repaid me evil things for good, and childlessness to my soul.

13. But I, when they troubled me, I put on sackcloth, and I humbled my soul with fasting; and my prayer will return again to my bosom.

14. I was agreeable as if to my neighbor, and as if to my brother ; and I humbled myself like a mourner and a sorrowful one.

15. They have rejoiced over me and have been put to shame. Scourges were gathered against me and I did not know; they were separated and they were not distressed.

16. They tempted me, and they sneered at me contemptuously; they gnashed their teeth against me.

17. O Lord, when wilt thou look down upon me ? Establish my soul away from their wicked deeds; and save my only-begotten one from the lions.

18. I will confess thee, O Lord, in a great congregation, and I will bless thee among countless people.

19. Let not those who are enemies to me unjustly, who hate me without cause and wink with their eyes, rejoice over me.

20. For indeed they speak to me with peaceful words ; and they imagine wrath with cunning. 21. They opened wide their mouths against me and they said : Excellent, our eyes have had a full view of him.

22. Thou hast seen, O Lord, be not silent, O Lord; draw not back from me.

23. Arise, O Lord, give heed to my judgment; give heed to my revenge, my God and my Lord.

24. Judge me, O Lord, according to my righteousness; let them not rejoice over me, my God.

25. Neither let them say : Excellent, our soul; let them not say : We have swallowed him.

26. Let those that rejoice over my misfortunes be put to shame, and disgraced at the same time; let those that speak great words against me be covered with shame and disgrace.

27. Let those that wish my righteousness be glad and rejoice; and may those that wish the peace of his servant say : let the Lord be magnified and lifted up.

28. My tongue will rejoice at thy righteousness and thy glory all the day'.".

CHAPTER 52.

When James had said these things, Jesus said : Excellent, well done, James. This is the interpretation of the ninth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Truly, truly, I say to you that you will become first in the Kingdom of Heaven, before all the invisible ones, and all the gods, and all the archons, which are in the thirteenth aeon, and in the twelfth aeon. But not only you, but also everyone who will perform my mysteries." When he had said these things, he said to them : "Do you understand in what manner I am speaking with you ?" Mariam sprang up again, she said : "Yes, O Lord. This is what thou didst say to us once : 'The last will become first and the first will become last.' Now the first, which were created before us, are the invisible ones, since they existed before mankind, they and the gods and the archons; and the men who will receive mysteries will precede them in the Kingdom of Heaven." Jesus said to her : "Excellent, Mariam." Jesus continued again, he said to his disciples: "Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia had said the ninth repentance, the lion-faced power oppressed her again, wanting to take away all the power within her. She cried again to the Light, saying : 'O Light, in whom I have believed from the beginning, for whose sake I have suffered great afflictions, help me.' And in that hour her repentance was accepted. The First Mystery heard her. And I was sent at his command, I came to help her, I brought her up from the Chaos because she had repented, and also because she had believed in the light, and she had suffered these great afflictions and these great dangers. She was deceived by the deity Authades. And she was deceived by nothing except a light-power, because of the likeness of the light in which she believed. Now because of this I was sent, through the command of the First Mystery to help her secretly. But I had not yet come to the place of the aeons at all. But I came forth from the midst of them all without any power knowing; neither the innermost ones of the inner, nor the outermost ones of the outer, except for the First Mystery alone.

Now it happened when I came to the Chaos, to help her, she saw that I was understanding, and that I was shining exceedingly and with compassion towards her. For I was not insolent like the lion-faced power, which had taken away the power of light from the Sophia, and which had also afflicted her, to take away all the light within her. Now the Sophia saw me, that I was shining ten thousand times more than the lion-faced power, and that I had great compassion towards her. And she knew that I was from out of the height of heights, in the light of which she had believed from the beginning. The Pistis Sophia took courage and she spoke the tenth repentance, saying :

1. 'I have cried out to thee, O Light of Lights, in my affliction, and thou hast heard me.

2. O Light, save my power from unjust and iniquitous lips, and from cunning snares. 3. The light which was taken away from me with a cunning snare will not be brought to thee.

4. For the snares of the Authades are widespread, with the traps of the merciless.

5. Woe to me, for my dwelling was far off and I was in the dwellings of the Chaos.

6. My power was in places which were not mine.

7. And I flattered those merciless ones, and when I flattered them, they attacked me without cause'." .

CHAPTER 53.

Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples, he said to them : "Now at this time let him whose spirit moves him, come forth and say the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia." Peter answered and said : "O Lord, concerning this also, thy power prophesied once, through David, in the l19th Psalm, saying :

1. 'I cried to thee, O Lord, in my affliction and thou didst hear me.

2. O Lord, save my soul from unjust lips and from a cunning tongue.

3. What will be given to thee and what will be taken from thee with a cunning tongue? 4. The arrows of the strong are sharpened, together with the coals of the desert.

5. Woe on me, for my dwelling was far off. I dwelt in the dwellings of Kedar. 6. My soul has been a sojourner in many places.

7. I was peaceful with those who hate peace. When I spoke with them they fought me without cause.' Now at this time, O Lord, this is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia, which she said when the material emanations of the Authades oppressed her, they and his lion-faced power, and when they afflicted her greatly." Jesus said to him : "Excellent, Peter, and well done. This is the interpretation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.".

CHAPTER 54.

Jesus continued again with the discourse, he said to his disciples: "Now it happened when the lion-faced power saw me approaching the Pistis Sophia, that I was shining exceedingly, it was more angry, and it emanated from itself another multitude of very powerful emanations. Now when these things happened, the Pistis Sophia spoke the eleventh repentance, saying :

1. 'Why has the strong power risen among the wicked? 2. Its thought took the light away from me at all times.

And like sharp iron they took power from me.

3. I preferred to come down to the Chaos more than to remain in the place of the thirteenth aeon, the place of righteousness.

4. And they wanted to take me by cunning, that they might swallow all my light.

5. Because of this now, the light will take all their light, and also their whole matter will be destroyed. And he will take their light, and he will not let them exist in the thirteenth aeon, their dwelling place, and he will not let their names be in the place of those that will live.

6. And the 24 emanations will see what has happened to thee, O lion-faced power, and they will fear and they will not be disobedient, but they will give what is purified of their light.

7. And they will see thee, and they will rejoice over thee and they will say : Behold an emanation which has not given what is purified of its light, that it might be saved, but it boasts of the magnitude of the light of its power, because it did not emanate the power within it ; and it said : I will take away the light of the Pistis Sophia, this which will be taken from her.' Now at this time, let him in whom his power has arisen come forward and give the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia." Then Salome came forward and said : "My Lord, concerning this, thy light-power once prophesied, through David, in the 51st Psalm, saying : I. "why does the mighty, boast of his evil? 2. Thy tongue has devised injustice all the day; like a sharp cutting knife thou hast practiced deceit.

3. Thou hast loved evil more than goodness; thou host loved injustice more than to speak righteousness. 4. Thou hast loved all words of subterfuge and a cunning tongue, 5. For this reason God will destroy thee completely, He will uproot thee; and he will draw thee from thy dwelling, and he will pluck out thy root and cast it outside of those that are living, Pause.

6. The righteous will see and will fear; and they will mock at him and say : 7. Behold a man who did not make God his helper, but he trusted in his great wealth and he had power upon his vanity.

8. But I am like a fruit-bearing olive tree in the House of God ; I have trusted in the mercy of God for ever and ever.

9. And I will give thanks to thee, for thou hast dealt with me ; and I will wait upon thy name, for it is beneficent in the presence of thy holy ones.' Now at this time, my Lord, this is the interpretation of the eleventh repentance of the Pistis Sophia. As thy light-power moved me, I said it according to thy will." Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Salome said, he said : "Excellent, Salome. Truly, truly , I say to you that I will complete you in all mysteries of the Kingdom of the Light.".

CHAPTER 55.

Jesus, however, continued again with the discourse.

He said to his disciples : "It happened now after these things I entered into the Chaos, shining exceedingly, in order that I might take away the light of that lion-faced power.

As I was of exceeding light, it was afraid, it cried out to its deity, Authades, to help it. And at that hour the deity Authades looked forth from the thirteenth aeon, he looked down upon the Chaos. He was exceedingly angry, wishing to help his lion-faced power. And at that hour the lion-faced power and all its emanations turned to the Pistis Sophia, wishing to take away all the light which was in the Sophia.

It happened now when they oppressed the Sophia, she cried out to the height, she cried out to me, that I should help her. Now it happened when she looked to the height, she saw the Authades who was very angry, and she was afraid.

She said the twelfth repentance because of the Authades and his emanations. But she cried out to me, saying thus :

1. 'O Light, forget not my song of praise.

2. For the Authades and his lion-faced power opened their mouths against me, they dealt cunningly with me. 3. And they surrounded me, wishing to take away my power; and they hated me because I sang praises to thee.

4. Instead of loving me, they slandered me, but I sang praises.

5. They planned to take away my power because I sang praises to thee, O Light. And they hated me because I loved thee.

6. Let the darkness come over the Authades, and may the archon of the outer darkness remain at his right hand.

7. And when thou dost judge him, take his power away from him ; and that which he thought - to take away my light from me - do thou take his from him.

8. And may all his powers of his light within him diminish; and may another one take his greatness in the three triple-powered ones.

9. May all the powers of his emanations become without light; and may his matter be without light in it.

10. May his emanations remain in the Chaos, and may they not be allowed to go to their place; may their light which is in them diminish, and let them not be allowed to go up to the thirteenth aeon, their place.

11. May the paralemptes, the purifier of the lights, purify all the lights which are in the Authades; and may he take them from them.

12. May the archons of the darkness below rule over his emanations, and let not anyone receive him to himself in his place ; and let not anyone hear the power of his emanations in the Chaos.

13. May the light which is in his emanations be taken away, and may their name be removed from the thirteenth aeon; indeed rather may his name be taken away from that place for ever.

14. And upon the lion-faced power, may there be brought the sin of him who emanated it in the presence of the light; and may the iniquity, of the matter which brought him (the Authades) forth not be erased.

15. And may their sin immediately be in the presence of the eternal light ; and may they not be allowed to see, and may their name be removed from every place; 16. Because they did not spare me, and they oppressed the one whose light and power they took away. And afterwards they put me among them, wishing to take away all my light from me.

17. They loved to come down to the Chaos; may they be within it, and not be brought forth from this time hence.

They did not want the place of righteousness as dwelling place, and they will not be taken to it from this time forth.

18. He put on the darkness like a garment; and it (the darkness) went into him like water, and it went into all his powers like oil.

19. May he wrap himself in the Chaos like a garment, and gird himself with the darkness like a leather girdle at all times. 20. While these things happen to those who brought these things upon me on account of the light; and they said: let us take away all her power.

21. But thou, O Light, have compassion on me, on account of the mystery of thy name; and save me in the beneficence of thy mercy.

22. Because they have taken away my light and my power, and my power is shaken within me, and I have not been able to stand upright in their midst, 23. I have become like matter which has fallen; I have been cast on this side and that, like a demon which is in the air.

24. My power has been destroyed, for I possess no mystery ; and my matter has faded because of my light, for they took it away.

25. And as for me, they mocked me ; they looked at me as they winked about me.

26. Help me according to thy compassion.' Now at this time, he whose spirit is eager, let him come forward and say the interpretation of the twelfth repentance of the Pistis Sophia.".

CHAPTER 56.

Andrew however came forward, he said : "My Lord and Saviour, thy light-power prophesied once, through David, concerning this repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, and spoke in the 108th Psalm, saying :

1. 'O God, do not be silent to my praise.

2. For the mouths of the sinner and the cunning, they have opened against me ; they have spoken about me with a cunning tongue.

3. And they surround me with words of hatred; and they have fought against me without a cause.

4. Instead of loving me, they slandered me, but I prayed.

5. They established for me evil in the place of good, and hatred in the place of my love.

6. Set a sinner over him, and let the devil stand at his right hand.

7. When he is judged, may he come forth condemned, and may his prayer become sin.

8. May his days be diminished, and may another take his office.

9. May his sons become orphans, and may his wife become a widow.

10. May his sons be moved, and may they be turned out and beg ; may they be cast forth from their house.

11. May the creditor search all his belongings; and may strangers rob all his efforts.

12. May there not exist for him anyone who gives him a hand, or who is compassionate to his orphans.

13. May his sons be blotted out; and may his name be blotted out in one generation. 14. May the sin of his fathers be remembered in the presence of the Lord ; and let not the iniquity of his mother be blotted out.

15. May they be in the presence of the Lord at all times ; and may his memory be wiped out from the earth.

16. Because he did not remember to show mercy; and he pursued a poor man and a wretched one, and he persecuted one who was afflicted, to kill him.

17. He loved cursing and may it come to him; he did not wish to bless and may it be removed from him.

18. He put on cursing like a garment, and it went to his interior like water; it became like oil in his bones.

19. May it be to him like the garment with which he will wrap himself; and like a girdle with which he will gird himself at all times.

20. This is the dealing for those that slander me before the Lord, and those that speak lawless things into my soul.

21. But thou, O Lord, Lord show mercy on me, on account of thy name; save me.

22. For I am a poor man and I am a wretched one ; my heart is agitated within me.

23. I have been taken into the midst like a shadow which goes down; I am blown forth like locusts. 24. My knees are weak with lasting; and my flesh is changed on account of the (lack of) oil.

25. But I have become a mockery to them; they saw me and they shook their heads.

26. Help me, O Lord God, and save me, according to thy mercy.

27. May they know that this is thy hand, and thou hast created it, O Lord.' This is the interpretation of the twelfth repentance which the Pistis Sophia said, as she was in the Chaos.".

CHAPTER 57.

Jesus continued again, however, with the discourse.

He said to his disciples : "It happened again after these things, the Pistis Sophia cried out to me, saying : 'O Light of Lights, I have transgressed against the twelve aeons. I came down from them. For this reason I have said the twelve repentances, one according to each aeon. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is very great.

Because I left the places of the height. I came to dwell in the places of the Chaos.' Now when the Pistis Sophia finished saying these things, she continued again with the thirteenth repentance, saying :

1. 'Hear me as I sing praises to thee, O Light of Lights.

Hear me as I say the repentance of the thirteenth aeon, the place from which I came down, so that the thirteenth repentance of the thirteenth aeon be completed. These (aeons) ( against which I have transgressed, from them I came down.

2. Now at this time, O Light of Lights, hear me as I sing praises to thee in the thirteenth aeon, my place from which I came forth.

3. Save me, O Light, in thy great mystery and forgive my transgression in thy forgiveness.

4. And give me the baptism and forgive my sins and purify me from my transgression.

5. And this my transgression is the lion-faced power, which was not hidden from thee at any time, for on account of it I came down.

6. And I alone among the invisible ones, in whose place I existed, transgressed, and I came down to the Chaos.

I transgressed before thee so that thy ordinance should be fulfilled.' The Pistis Sophia now said these things. Now at this time let him whose spirit moves him to understand her words, come forth and give their thought." Martha came forward and said: "My Lord, my spirit moves me to give the interpretation of those things which the Pistis Sophia said. Concerning them, thy power once prophesied through David in the 50th Psalm, speaking thus :

1. 'Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy great pity; according to the multitude of thy mercies blot out my sin .

2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. 3. And my sin is present to me at all times.

4. That thou shouldst be justified in thy words and victorious when thou judgest me.' This is the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said." Jesus said to her : ""Excellent, well done Martha, thou blessed one".

CHAPTER 58.

Jesus however continued again with the discourse.

He said to his disciples : "Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia said these words, the time was fulfilled that she should be brought forth from the Chaos. And by myself alone, without the First Mystery', I brought forth from myself a light-power, I sent it down to the Chaos that it should bring the Pistis Sophia up from the deep places of the Chaos and bring her to the upper place of the Chaos, until the command came forth from the First Mystery that she should be brought up from the Chaos completely. And my light-power brought the Pistis Sophia up to the upper places of the Chaos. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades knew that the Pistis Sophia was brought up to the upper places of the Chaos, they followed her upwards, wanting to take her again to the lower places of the Chaos. And my light-power, which I had sent to bring the Sophia up from the Chaos, gave light exceedingly. Now it happened when the emanations of the Authades followed the Sophia when she was brought to the upper places of the Chaos, she sang praises again and she cried out to me, saying : I. 'I will sing praises to thee, O Light, for I wanted to come to thee. I will sing praises to thee, O Light, for thou art my Saviour.

2. Leave me not in the Chaos. Save me, O Light of the height, for thou art he to whom I have sung praises.

3. By thyself thou hast sent to me thy light and thou hast saved me. Thou hast brought me to the upper places of the Chaos.

4. May the emanations of the Authades which follow me fall down to the lower places of the Chaos. And let them not come to the upper places so that they see me.

5. And may a great darkness cover them over and may a cloud of darkness come to them. And let them not see me in the light of thy power which thou hast sent to me to save me, lest they gain power over me again.

6. And their plan which they thought of, to take away my power, let it not happen for them. And according to how they spoke against me to take away my light from me, take theirs rather instead of mine.

7. And they have spoken to take away all my light. And they were not able to take it, for thy light-power was with me ; 8. Because they deliberated without thy ordinance, O Light.

On account of this they were not able to take away my light.

9. Because I have believed in the light, I will not fear; and the light is my Saviour, and I will not fear.' Now at this time let him whose power is elevated say the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said." But it happened when Jesus finished saying these words to his disciples, Salome came forward. She said : "My Lord, my power compels me to say the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said. Thy power prophesied once through Solomon, saying thus :

1. I will give thanks to thee, O Lord, for thou art my God.

2. Leave me not, O Lord, for thou art my hope.

3. Thou hast given me thy judgment freely, and I have been saved through thee.

4. May those that persecute me fall and let them not see me.

5. May a cloud of smoke cover their eyes, and may a misty air darken them; and let them not see the day, lest they seize me.

6. May their counsels become powerless; and may those things which they have devised come upon them, 7. They have devised a counsel, and it has not happened for them.

8. And they, the powerful, are vanquished; and those things which they prepared with evil intent are cast down .

9. My hope is in the Lord and I will not fear ; for thou art my God, my Saviour'. " Now it happened when Salome finished saying these words, Jesus said to her : "Excellent, Salome, and well done.

This is the interpretation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said.".

CHAPTER 59.

Jesus continued again, however, with the discourse.

He said to his disciples : "Now it happened when the Pistis Sophia finished saying these words in the Chaos, I caused the light-power which I had sent to save her, I caused it to become a crown of light on her head, so that from this hour the emanations of the Authades would have no power over her. And when it became a crown of light on her head, all the evil materials which were in her were moved, and they were all purified within her; they were destroyed and came to be in the Chaos, while the emanations of the Authades saw them and they rejoiced. And what was purified of the pure light within the Sophia gave power to the light of my light-power which had become a crown on her head. Now it happened further, as it surrounded the pure light within the Sophia, her pure light was not (left) without 1 the crown of the flame of the light-power, so that the emanations of the Authades did not steal it.

Now when these things had happened, the pure light-power within the Sophia began to sing praises; but she sang praises to my light-power which had become a crown on her head.

She sang praises, saying thus :

1. 'The light has become a crown on my head and I will not be (left) without it, so that the emanations of the Authades do not steal it from me.

2. And even if all the materials move, I however will not move.

3. And even if all my materials are destroyed and remain in the Chaos - these which the emanations of the Authades see - I however will not be destroyed.

4. For the light is with me, and I myself am with the light.' But the Pistis Sophia said these words. Now at this time let him who understands the thought of these words come forward and give their interpretation." Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward. She said : "My son according to the world, my God and my Saviour according to the height, command me that I give the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said." But Jesus answered and said : "Thou also, Mary, thou hast received form which is in the Barbelo according to the matter, and thou hast received likeness which is in the on her head. Now it happened further, as it surrounded the pure light within the Sophia, her pure light was not (left) without the crown of the flame of the light-power, so that the emanations of the Authades did not steal it.

Now when these things had happened, the pure light-power within the Sophia began to sing praises; but she sang praises to my light-power which had become a crown on her head.

She sang praises, saying thus :

1. 'The light has become a crown on my head and I will not be (left) without it, so that the emanations of the Authades do not steal it from me.

2. And even if all the materials move, I however will not move.

3. And even if all my materials are destroyed and remain in the Chaos - these which the emanations of the Authades see - I however will not be destroyed.

4. For the light is with me, and I myself am with the light.' But the Pistis Sophia said these words. Now at this time let him who understands the thought of these words come forward and give their interpretation." Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward. She said : "My son according to the world, my God and my Saviour according to the height, command me that I give the explanation of the words which the Pistis Sophia said." But Jesus answered and said : "Thou also, Mary, thou hast received form which is in the Barbelo according to the matter, and thou hast received likeness which is in the Virgin of the Light according to the light, thou and the other Mary, the blessed one. And for thy sake the darkness exists and furthermore, from thee has come forth the material body in which I exist, which I have cleaned and purified. Now at this time I command thee to give the interpretation of the words which the Sophia said.

However Mary, the mother of Jesus, answered, she said : "My Lord, thy light-power once prophesied about these words through Solomon in the 19th Ode and said :

1. 'The Lord is upon my head like a crown and I shall not be without him.

2. They plaited for me the true crown , and it caused thy branches to sprout in me.

3. For it is not like a withered crown which does not sprout; but thou livest upon my head and thou dost sprout upon me.

4. Thy fruits are full and ripe, filled with thy salvation'. " Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary his mother spoke , he said to her : "Excellent, well done.

Truly, truly, I say that they will bless thee from end to end of the earth , for the pledge of the First Mystery was entrusted to thee. And by means of that pledge all those of the earth and all those of the height will be saved. And that pledge is the beginning and the end." .

CHAPTER 60 Jesus however continued with the discourse. He said to his disciples : '"lt happened when the Pistis Sophia said the thirteenth repentance, moreover at that hour the ordinance was completed of all the afflictions which had been ordained for the Pistis Sophia, because of the completion of the First Mystery , which had been since the beginning. And the time came that she should be saved from the Chaos and brought forth from all the darknesses. For her repentance was received by the First Mystery'. And that Mystery sent me a great light-power from the height, so that I should help the Pistis Sophia and bring her up from the Chaos. But I looked to the aeons of the height , I saw the light-power which the First Mystery had sent to me so that I should save the Sophia from the Chaos. Now it happened, when I saw it coming forth from the aeons and it hastened towards me -- but I was above the Chaos - another light-power also came forth from me, in order to help the Pistis Sophia. And the light-power which came forth from the height through the First Mystery came down upon the light-power which came forth from me. And they met one another and became a great outpouring of light." Now when Jesus had said these things to his disciples he said: "Do you understand the manner in which I am speaking with you?" Mariam sprang up, she said : "My Lord, I understand what thou dost say. Concerning the interpretation of these words, thy light-power once prophesied through David in the 84th Psalm, saying : 10. 'Mercy and truth have met one another, and righteousness and peace have kissed one another.

11. Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven.' Now mercy is the light-power which came forth through the First Mystery, for the First Mystery, heard the Pistis Sophia, and had mercy on her in all her afflictions. Truth, on the other hand, is the power which came forth from thee, because thou didst fulfill the truth that thou shouldst save her (the Pistis Sophia) from the Chaos. And furthermore, righteousness is the power which came forth through the First Mystery, which will guide the Pistis Sophia. And again peace is the power which came forth from thee, because it will go into the emanations of the Authades and take away from them the lights which they took from the Pistis Sophia; that is, thou dost gather them within the Sophia and dost make them to be at peace with her power.

Truth, on the other hand, is the power which came forth from thee when thou wast in the lower places of the Chaos.

Concerning this, thy power spoke through David thus: 'Truth has sprouted from the earth', because thou wast in the lower places of the Chaos. Righteousness, on the other hand, which looked forth from heaven, is the power which came forth from the height, through the First Mystery, and which entered into the Sophia.".

CHAPTER 61.

Now it happened when Jesus heard these words, he said: "Excellent, Mariam, thou blessed one who wilt inherit the whole Kingdom of the Light." After these things Mary, the mother of Jesus, also came forward and said: "My Lord and my Saviour, command me also that I answer this discourse." Jesus said: "I will not prevent him whose spirit has become understanding, but I urge him the more to speak the thought which has moved him. Now at this time, Mary, my mother according to the matter, to whom I was entrusted, I command thee that thou also sayest the thought of the discourse." Mary answered, however, and said : "My Lord, concerning the word which thy power prophesied through David : 10. 'Mercy and truth have met one another; righteousness and peace have kissed one another.

11. Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven.' Thy power once prophesied in these words about thee.

When thou wast small, before the Spirit came upon thee, while thou wast in a vineyard with Joseph, the Spirit came forth from the height ø, he came to me into my house, he resembled thee. And I did not recognize him and I thought that he was thou. And the Spirit said to me : 'Where is Jesus, my brother, that I meet him ?' And when he said these things to me, I was confused and I thought that he was a phantom to tempt me. But I took him, I bound him to the leg of the bed in my house, until I came out to you in the field, thou and Joseph, and I found you in the vineyard, as Joseph was hedging the vineyard with reeds. Now it happened, when thou didst hear me speaking the word to Joseph, thou didst understand the word and thou didst rejoice. And thou didst say : 'Where is he that I may see him? Or else I await him in this place'. But it happened when Joseph heard thee saying these words, he was agitated and we came up at the same time, we went into the house. We found the Spirit bound to the bed. And we looked at thee with him, we found thee like him. And he that was bound to the bed was released, he embraced thee, he kissed thee. And thou also, thou didst kiss him and you became one.

This now is the discourse and its interpretation. Mercy is the Spirit which came forth from the height, through the First Mystery, because he (the First Mystery) had mercy on the race of men. He sent his Spirit that it should forgive the sins of the whole world so that they (men) should receive mysteries and inherit the Kingdom of the Light. Truth, on the other hand, is the power which was entrusted to me; when it came forth from the Barbelo, it became for thee a material body. And it preached about the place of the truth . Righteousness is thy Spirit which has brought the mysteries forth from the height, to give them to the race of mankind. Peace, on the other hand, is the power which was entrusted to thy material body ,, according to the world, which baptised the race of mankind until they became strangers to sin. And it made them to be at peace with thy Spirit, and they came to be at peace with the emanations of the light. That is, righteousness and peace have kissed one another. And as it was said : 'Truth has sprouted from the earth': truth however is thy material body , which sprouted from me, according to the earth of mankind, and which has preached about the place of the truth. And also as it was said: 'Righteousness (looked forth) from heaven': righteousness is the power which looked forth from the height, which will give the mysteries of the light to the race of mankind. And they will become righteous and good and inherit the Kingdom of the Light." Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary his mother said, he said : "Excellent, well done, Mary. ".

CHAPTER 62.

The other Mary came forward and said : "My Lord, suffer me and be not angry with me, for since the time that thy mother spoke with thee concerning the interpretation of these words, my power has agitated me that I should come forward and also say the interpretation of these words. " Jesus said to her : "I command thee to say their interpretation." Maria said : "My Lord : 'Mercy and truth have met one another'. Now mercy is the Spirit which came down upon thee when thou didst receive baptism from John . Now mercy is the Spirit of Godhood which came forth upon thee, which had mercy upon the race of mankind. It came down, it met the power of Sabaoth the Good which is within thee and which has preached on the places of the truth. But it is said furthermore : 'Righteousness and peace have kissed one another. Now righteousness is the Spirit of the light, which came down upon thee, bringing the mysteries of the height in order to give them to the race of mankind. Peace, on the other hand, is the power of Sabaoth the Good which is within thee. It is this which baptised and forgave the race of mankind and made them to be at peace with the Sons of the Light . And furthermore, as thy power has said through David : 'Truth has sprouted from the earth' : that is, the power of Sabaoth the Good, [as it said : 'It sprouted from the earth'] it is this which sprouted from Mary thy mother, the earth-dweller . On the other hand, righteousness which looked forth from heaven ~ is the Spirit which is in the height, which has brought forth all the mysteries from the height. It gave them to the race of mankind, and they became righteous and good and they inherited the Kingdom of the Light." It happened however when Jesus finished hearing these words which Mariam spoke, he said; "Excellent, Mariam, thou inheritor of the light." Mary, the mother of Jesus, came forward again. She prostrated herself at his feet, she kissed them, and she said : "My Lord and my Son and my Saviour, be not angry with me, but forgive me that I say the interpretation of these words a second time: 'Mercy and truth have met one another'. I am Mary thy mother, and Elisabeth, the mother of John whom I met . Now mercy is the power in me of the Sabaoth which came forth from me , which is thou.

Thou hast had mercy on the whole race of mankind. On the other hand, truth is the power which was in Elisabeth, which is John who came and preached on the true way, which is thou, before whom he preached. And furthermore: 'Mercy and truth have met one another' : that is thou, my Lord, who didst meet John on the day when thou didst receive baptism . But furthermore, thou and John are righteousness and peace, which kissed one another.

'Truth has sprouted from the earth and righteousness has looked forth from heaven': that is the time when thou didst do service to thyself. Thou didst take the type of Gabriel, thou didst look down upon me from heaven , thou didst speak with me; and when thou didst speak with me thou didst sprout from me . That is, the truth which is the power of Sabaoth the Good which is in thy material body - that is the truth which sprouted from the earth. " Now it happened when Jesus heard these words which Mary, his mother, spoke, he said : "Excellent and well done.

This is the interpretation of all the words about which my light-power once prophesied through David the prophet.

These, however, are the names which I will give from the endless one. Write them with a sign so that the sons of God will be manifest from here. This is the name of the immortal one : []; and this is the name of the voice by which the perfect man is moved : [] But these are the interpretations of the names of these mysteries : the first name which is uuu, its interpretation is []; the second which is ppp, its interpretation is []; the third which is [], its interpretation is ooo, the fourth which is [], its interpretation is vvv, the fifth which is ôôô, its interpretation is aaa. That which is on the throne is uuu; this is the interpretation of the second : aaaa,aaaa,aaaa ; this is the interpretation of the whole name .

Pistis Sophia: Book One

End of the First Book of Pistis Sophia