Pistis Sophia

It happened therefore while the disciples are sitting with one another upon the mountain of the Olives saying these words and rejoicing in great joy and being very glad, and saying to one another, We happy are beyond all men who (are) upon the earth, because the [4^b] Saviour revealed these (things) to us, and we received the Pleroma with all the completion. While these they are saying unto one another Jesus is sitting, being distant from them a little (way). But it happened on the fifteenth day of the month of Tōbe, namely the day in which the moon is wont to be full, on that day therefore the sun having come out in his course, (there) came out after him a great power of light enlightening greatly greatly, (there) being no measure for the light which was made, for it came out of the Light of the lights, and it came out of the Last mystery, namely the twenty-fourth mystery (reckoning) from within [5^a] unto without, these (mysteries) which become in the array of the second Space of the First Mystery. But that power indeed of light came upon Jesus and surrounded him altogether, while sitting at a distance from his disciples, and he was enlightening greatly greatly, (there) being no measure for the light which was becoming. And the disciples had not seen Jesus from the great light in which he was being, or which was being (from) him; for their eyes had been darkened from the great light in which he was being.

But the disciples were sitting with one another being in fear, and they had been disturbed [7^a] greatly greatly, but they were fearing because of the great earthquake which becometh, and they were weeping with one another, saying, What then is it that will happen? Perhaps the Saviour is about to overturn all the Places.

These therefore they are saying, weeping toward one another. At the hour of nine of the morrow the heavens opened, and they saw Jesus coming down, enlightening greatly greatly, there being no measure for his light in which he is becoming, for he was enlightening more than the hour in which he went up unto the heavens, so that it was not possible for world-men to speak of the light which was being from him: and he was casting out beams of [7^b] light greatly greatly, there being no measure for his beams; and his light was not being equal with itself (one another), but it was being of different kinds, and it was being of different types, some more excellent than one another at a time; and all the light was in itself different; it was being of three manners and one more excellent than one at a time; the second which is in the middle was being more excellent than the first which is below, and the third which is above them all was more excellent than the two which (are) below. And the first ray placed below them all, being of the kind of light which [8^a] came upon Jesus before that he went up unto the heavens, and being equal to it only in his light. And the three lights were being of different kinds of light, and they were being of different types, some more excellent than some at a time.

But it happened, (that) the disciples having seen these they feared greatly and were disturbed.

It happened therefore, they having warred against the light, they all burned one with another and fell down in the Aeons, they became as the earth-beings who are dead, no breath being in them. And I took away a third part of all their powers, that they should not work in their evil doings, and that whenever the men who (are) in the World should invoke them in their mysteries, these who brought them down even the Angels who transgressed—these which were their magic, that therefore whenever they should invoke them in their evil doings, they should not be able to accomplish them: and the Destiny with the Sphere which is lord unto them I removed, [24^b] and I caused them to spend six months turned to the Left (hand) and they fulfilling their influences, and six months, looking to the Right (hand) fulfilling their influences: but (it was) through the command of the First precept, and through the command of the First Mystery, Ieou the overseer of the light, put them looking to the left every hour fulfilling their influences and with their doings. It happened therefore, I having come unto their place, they were refractory and they warred against the light: I took away the third part of their power, that they should not be able to prevail in fulfilling their evil doings; and the Destiny with the Sphere [25^a] which is lord unto them I removed, and I put them looking to the Left for six months, fulfilling their influences, and I put them for six other months turned to the Right, fulfilling their influences. These therefore having said unto his disciples, said he to them, He who hath ear to hear let him hear. It happened therefore, Mariham having heard these words, saying them the Saviour, she gazed in the air for the time of an hour.

It happened therefore after these (things) I came unto the Height even unto the veils of the thirteenth Aeon (MS. Aeons). It happened therefore having come upon their veils, they drew (away) of their own (accord), they opened to me, I came [40^b] in unto the thirteenth of the Aeon (MS. Aeons), I found the Pistis Sophia being below the thirteenth Aeon, she by herself, being none of them with her. But she was sitting at that place grieving and making lament, because they took her not unto the thirteenth Aeon, her Place which is at the Height. And also she was grieving concerning the tribulations which did to her the Self-willed (one), this who is one of the three Triple powers. But these whenever I should speak with you concerning their distribution, I shall say unto you the mystery, how these became. It happened therefore, she having seen me, the Pistis Sophia, as I am enlightening greatly greatly, there being not measure unto the light which is from me, she became in great disturbance [41^a], and she looked in the light of my vesture, she saw the mystery of her name in my vesture, and all the glory of its mystery: because she was becoming at first in the Place of the Height in the thirteenth Aeon. But she was wont to hymn the light which (is) at the Height, this which she saw in the veil of the Treasury of the Light.

Now therefore also, Andreas, yet art thou being in unbelief and with ignorance? But whenever ye should come out of the body and go unto the Height, and arrive at the Place of the Rulers, all the Rulers will take shame before you; because ye are the dregs of their matter, and ye became Light purified more than they all. And whenever ye should arrive at the Place of the great Invisibles with the Place of those of the Middle, with those of (the) Right (hand), with the Place of all the great emanations of the Light, ye will take glory together with them all, because ye are the dregs of their matter, and ye became [233^a] light excellent more than they all. And all the Places will hymn before you, even until ye go unto the Places of the kingdom.

These therefore saying them the Saviour, knew Andreas clearly not only he, but knew all the disciples in directness that they will inherit the kingdom of the Light. They prostrated all one after (upon, MS) another at the feet of Jesus, they cried out, they wept, they besought the Saviour, saying, O Lord, forgive the sin of the ignorance of our brother. Answered the Saviour, said he, I forgive and I shall forgive. Because of this therefore dispatched me the First Mystery for me to forgive the sins of everyone.