Part 10

Answered Jesus, said he to his disciples, It happened while the Pistis Sophia (was) in the thirteenth of the Aeons in the Place of all her brothers the Invisibles, namely twenty-four emanations of the great Invisible, it happened [42^a] therefore by the precept of the First Mystery, looked unto the Height the Pistis Sophia, she saw the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light, and she desired to go unto that Place: and she could not prevail to go unto that Place. But she ceased doing the mystery of the thirteenth Aeon. But she was hymning unto the Light of the Height, that which she saw in the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light. It happened therefore while she is hymning unto the Place of the Height, all the Rulers who become in the twelve Aeons hated her, these who (are) below, because that she ceased from their mysteries, and because that she wished to go unto the Height and be above them all. Because of this, therefore, they were angry against her and they hated her. [42^b] And the great Triple power Self-willed who is the third Triple powered, this who becometh in the thirteenth Aeon, this who was disobedient, having not emanated all the purgation of his power which (is) in him, nor did he give the purgation of his light at the time when the Rulers gave their purgations in him: wishing to be lord over all the thirteenth Aeon with those who become below it. It happened therefore, the Rulers of the twelve Aeons having been angry against the Pistis Sophia, she who is above them, they hated her greatly and the great Triple power Self-willed, this concerning whom I finished saying to you now, he [43^a] himself followed the Rulers of the twelve Aeons, and he was angry himself against the Pistis Sophia, and he hated her greatly, because she thought to go unto the Light, this which is higher than her. And he emanated out of him a great power of face of lion; and out of his matter which (is) in him, he emanated many other material emanations cruel exceedingly, and he sent them unto the Places below, unto the parts of the Chaos, that they should waylay the Pistis Sophia there, and take away her power from her; because that she thought to go unto the Height, this which (is) over all of them; and (because) that she ceased also doing their mystery. But she continued making lament, seeking for the light which she saw: and hated her the Rulers [43^b] who are living, or who continue unto the mystery, doing it; and also hated her all the Guards who (are) at the gates of the Aeons. It happened therefore after these (things) through the precept of the First precept the great Triple power Self-willed, being one of the three Triple powers, he pursued the Sophia in thirteenth Aeon, for her to look at the parts below, that she should see his power of light at that Place, this (power) which is of face of lion, and lusteth for her, and would come unto that Place, and take away her light from her. It happened therefore after these (things), she looked down, she saw his power of light in the parts below, and she was not knowing that it is that of the Triple power Self-willed: but she was [44^a] thinking of her (self) that it is out of the light, that which she saw from at first in the Height, this which is out (side) of the veil of the Treasury of the Light: and she thought in her (self), I am about to go unto that Place apart from my partner, and take away the light which fashioned for me some Aeons of Light, that I should be able to prevail to go unto the Light of the Lights, this which (is) in the Height of the Heights. These (things) therefore thinking, she came out of her Place of the thirteenth Aeon, and she came down into the twelve Aeons. Pursued her the Rulers of the Aeons, and they were angry with her, because she thought of greatness. But she came also out of the twelve Aeons, she came unto the Place of the Chaos, and she came up [44^b] unto the power of light of face of lion, that she should swallow it (down): but surrounded her all the material emanations of the Self-willed, and the great power of light of face of lion swallowed (down) the powers of light in the Sophia, and it purged her light she having swallowed it, and her matter was cast out unto the Chaos. It became a Ruler of face of lion in the Chaos, whose (one) half became fire and whose other half became darkness, namely, Ialdabaoth this which I said unto you many times. These therefore having happened, was weakened the Sophia greatly greatly; and also began that power of light of face of lion to cause itself to take away all the powers of light in the Sophia; and all [45^a] the material powers of the Self-willed surrounded the Sophia together, they afflicted her. She cried out greatly greatly the Pistis Sophia, she cried up unto the Light of the Lights, this which she saw from at first, having believed it, and she said this Repentance, saying thus, O Light of the Lights, this whom I believed from at first, Hear therefore now, O Light, my repentance. Deliver me, O Light, because evil thoughts came in unto me. I looked, O Light, unto the parts which (are) below, I saw a light at that place, I am thinking that I am about to go unto that Place and (to) take away that light: and I went, I became in the darkness which (is) in the Chaos below, and I was not able to prevail to fly out to go unto my Place: [45^b] because that I was afflicted in all the emanations of the Self-willed, and the power of face of lion took away my light which (was) in me: and I cried out for a help, and came not my shout up in the darkness, and I looked unto the Height that should help me, the Light which I trusted. And having looked unto the Height, I saw all the Rulers of the Aeons which are many. And they are looking upon me, rejoicing at me who did not anything to them for evil; but they were hating me without cause. And they having seen the Rulers of the Aeons rejoicing at me, (they) the emanations of the Self-willed, knew that would not help me the Rulers of the Aeons; and were glad of heart those emanations, these which were afflicting me in violence; and the light which I took not away from them indeed, they took it away from me [46^a]. Now therefore, O Light of the Truth, thou knowest that I did these (things) in my innocence, in thinking that (thy light) is belonging unto the light of the face of lion, and the sin which I did is manifest in thy presence. Let me not therefore be cut off, O Lord, because I trusted unto thy light from at first, O Lord, O light of the powers, let me not be cut off therefore from my light: for by reason of thy cause and thy light I became in my affliction and shame covered over me: and because of the pretext of thy light I became alien unto my brothers the Invisibles; and with the great emanations of the Barbelo: these (things) happened to me, O Light, because I was jealous of thine abode, and came up upon me the anger of the Self-willed, this who hearkened not unto thy command for him to emanate out of the [46^b] emanation of his power; because that I became in his Aeon, not doing his mystery: and were deriding me all the Rulers of the Aeons: and I became in that Place, making lamentations seeking after the light which I saw in the Height: and were seeking after me the Guards of the gates of the Aeons, and all were mocking me even those who are living in their mystery. But I, I was looking up unto the Height, up unto thee O Light. And I trusted unto thee: now therefore, O Light of the Lights, I am afflicted in the darkness of the Chaos: if thou wishest therefore to come to deliver me, great is thy mercy; hear me in truth and deliver me: deliver me out of the matter of this darkness, that I should not be drowned in it, that I should be delivered unto the emanations of the Self-willed God, [47^a] these which afflict me, and out of their evil: let not this darkness drown me, and this power with face of lion, let not it swallow (down) all my power for ever, and let not this Chaos cover over my power. Hear me, O Light, because good is thy mercy, and look upon me according to the multitude of mercifulness of thy light. Turn not thy face away from me because I am tormented greatly. Hasten, hear me and deliver my power, deliver me because of the Rulers who hate me, because thou art he who knoweth my affliction with my torment, with the torment of my power which they took away from me. They are being in thy presence, those who planted me in all these evils: use them according to that which thou willest. My power looked out of the midst of the Chaos, and (out) of the midst of the darknesses. I looked out [47^b] for my partner, that he should come and fight for me, and he came not. And I was looking that he should come and give power to me, and I did not find him. And having sought after the light, they gave to me a darkness, and having sought after my power they gave to me matter. Now therefore, O Light of the Lights, the darkness with the matter, which brought upon me the emanations of the Self-willed: let them become to them for a snare, and let them be entangled among them, and pay back to them; and (let) them stumble and not come unto the Place of their Self-willed: let them continue in the darkness and not see out unto the light, let them look unto the Chaos for every hour; and let them not look unto the Height. Bring upon them their vengeance and let catch them [48^a] thy judgment. Let them not go unto their Place from this hour together with their Self-willed God; and let not his emanations go unto their Places from this hour, because impious and self-willed is their God; and he was thinking that he did these evils through himself, not knowing of course that unless they humbled me according to the precept he would not have been able to prevail against me: but thou having humbled me by thy precept they pursued me the more, and their emanations added trouble to my humbling, and they took away a power of light in me. And also they began again, they afflicted me greatly for to take away all the light which (is) in me. Because of those in which they planted me, let them not [48^b] go up unto the thirteenth Aeon the Place of the righteousness, and let them not be reckoned unto the lot of those who purify themselves and their light. And let them not be reckoned unto those who will repent quickly, for them to receive mystery quickly in the light. Because that they took away my own light from me, and my power began to fail in me, and I was lacking of my light. Now therefore, O Light which is in me, that which becometh with me, I hymn thy name, O Light, in glory. And my hymn, O Light, let it be pleasing to thee as of a mystery surpassing this which taketh into the gates of the Light, this which will say those who will repent and will purge [49^a] his light. Now therefore let all the gates rejoice. Seek ye all after the Light, that may live the power of your soul which is in you: because the Light heard the (things of) matter and it would not leave any matter which it did not purge. Let the souls with the (things of) matter bless the Lord of all Aeons, with the matter, with all those who are in them: because God will deliver their souls out of every matter, and they will prepare a city in the Light: and all the souls who will be delivered will dwell in that city, and inherit it: and the souls of [49^b] those who will receive mystery will be in that Place, and those who receive mystery in his name will become in it.

It happened therefore, while Jesus is saying these words unto his disciples, said he to them, This is the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia in her first repentance, repenting because of her sin, and saying everything which happened to her. Now therefore he who hath ear to hear let him hear.

Came forward again Maria, said she, My Lord, my companion of light hath ear, and I hear in my power of light, and was wakeful in me thy spirit which (is) with me, hear, therefore, that I may speak concerning the repentance which said the Pistis Sophia, saying her sin with all the (things) which happened to her. Thy power [50^a] of Light prophesied about her once through David the prophet in the sixty-eighth psalm. O God, save me because waters came in unto my soul. I sank, or I was drowned, in the mire of the abyss and there was not strength (left): I came unto the depths of the sea. A whirlwind it is which drowned me. I toiled, crying out, my throat is that which flew away, mine eyes fail while I trust unto God: were multiplied more than the hairs of my head those who hate me without cause: prevailed my enemies, those who pursued me in violence: the (things) which I did not rob, they required them of me: O God thou knewest my foolishness and [50^b] my sins they hid them not from thee: let them not be ashamed because of me, those who wait for thee, O Lord. O Lord of the powers cause them not to be disgraced because of me, those who seek for thee, O Lord the god of Israel, O God of the powers! For because of thee I took up unto me reproach, the shame covered over my face, I was alien unto my brothers, strange unto the sons of my mother: because the zeal of thy house is that which ate me; the reproaches of those who reproached thee they fell upon me; I bowed my soul in fasting, it became for me unto reproach; I put a sackcloth upon me, I became to them for proverb. They lifted up their voice upon me, those who sit [51^a] in the gates; and were singing at me, those who drink the wine. But I was praying in my soul up unto thee, O Lord; the time of thy will it is, O God. In the multitude of thy mercy listen unto my salvation in truth. Save me from this mire, that I should not sink in it, (that) I should be saved from those who hate me, and out of the depth of the waters. Let not a flood of water drown me, let not the pit swallow me (down), let not a well take hold with mouth upon me. Hear me, O Lord, because kind is thy mercy. According to the multitude of thy compassion look upon me. Turn not thy face away from thy servant because I am afflicted. Hear me quickly, [51^b] take heed unto my soul and redeem it. Deliver me because of my enemies; for thou art (he) who knoweth my reproach with my shame and my disgrace: all those who afflict me (are) in thy presence. My heart looked out for a reproach with wretchedness; I looked out for him who will grieve with me, I found him not, and he who will comfort me I discovered him not. They gave gall for my food; they gave me to drink vinegar in my thirst. Let their table become in their presence unto a snare with a trap and a recompense with a scandal; and bow (down) their back every time. Pour upon them thy wrath and the anger of [52^a] thy wrath let it catch them. Let their abode be made desert; and let there be not him who dwelleth in their abodes. Because he whom thou smotest they pursued him; they added upon the pain of his wounds, they added unlawfulness upon their unlawfulnesses; and let them not come in unto thy righteousness; let them wipe them out of the book of those who live, and let them not write them with the righteous. I am a poor (one) suffering also pains; the salvation of thy face, O God, is that which accepted me. T shall bless the name of God in a song, and I shall exalt him in a blessing. It will please God more than a new calf which putteth forth horn and hoof. Let the poor [52^b] see and be glad. Seek after God that your souls may live. Because the Lord heard the poor (ones) and he despised not those who are in fetters of brass. Let the heavens with the earth bless the Lord, the sea with all the (things) which (are) in it, because the Lord will deliver Sion; and they will build the cities of the Ioudaia and dwell there and inherit it. The seed of his servants will possess it, and those who love his name will dwell in it.

It happened therefore, Mariham having finished these words unto Jesus in the midst of the disciples, said she to him, My Lord, this is the explanation (of the) mystery (in margin) of the repentance of the Pistis Sophia.

It happened therefore, Jesus having heard Mariham saying [53^a] these words, said he to her, Well (done) Mariham the happy, the Pleroma, or the all-blessed of Pleroma, this (woman) whom they will call happy in every generation.

Added also Jesus in the word, said he, Added also the Pistis Sophia she hymned in a second Repentance saying thus, O Light of the Lights I believed thee, leave me not in the darkness even unto the completion of my time, help me and deliver me through thy mysteries. Incline thine ear unto me and deliver me. Let the power of thy light deliver me and take me away unto the Aeons which are on high; because thou art he who will deliver me and take me unto the Height [53^b] of thy Aeons. Deliver me, O Light from this power of face of lion, and from the emanations of the Self-willed of the Gods. Because thou, O Light, art he whose light I believed, and whose light I trusted indeed from at first. And I believed him from the hour (in) which he emanated me, and thou indeed art he who caused them to emanate me, and I myself, I believed thy light from at first. And having believed thee, were not mocking me the Rulers of the Ages saying, She ceased from her mystery? Thou (art) he who will deliver me, and thou art my Saviour, and thou art my mystery, O Light. My mouth was full of glory, that I should say the mystery of thy [54^a] greatness at every time. Now therefore, O Light, leave me not in the Chaos for the completion of all my time. Leave me not behind thee O Light, because they took away all my power of light in me, and surrounded me all the emanations of the Self-willed. They wished to take away all my light in me for ever, and they watched my power, saying to one another at once, that the light forsook me, Lay hold on her and, let us take away all the light which is in her. Because of this therefore, O Light, cease not from me: turn thee, O Light, and deliver me from the unmerciful (ones). Let them fall and be powerless, these who wish to take away my power. Let them wrap them up in the darkness, and become in [54^b] powerlessness, these who wish to take away my power of light in me. This therefore is the second Repentance which said the Pistis Sophia hymning up unto the Light.

It happened therefore, Jesus having finished saying these words unto his disciples, said he, Understand ye in what manner I am speaking with you. Sprang up Petros, said he to Jesus, My Lord, we are not able to bear with this woman, saying instead of us; and she let not any of us speak, but she is speaking many times.

Answered Jesus, said he to his disciples, He in whom the power of his spirit will bubble up in him to cause him to understand that which I say, let him come forward and speak. [55^a] Nevertheless therefore, thou Petros I see thy power in thee understanding the explanation of the mystery of the repentance, which said the Pistis Sophia. Now therefore thou Petros, say the meaning of her repentance in the midst of thy brothers.

But answered Petros, said he to Jesus, O Lord hear, that I may say the meaning of her repentance about which prophesied thy power once by David the prophet, saying her repentance in the seventieth psalm, O Lord my God I trusted unto thee. Let me not be ashamed for ever. Save me in thy righteousness and deliver me. Incline thy ear unto me and save [55^b] me. Become to me unto a God of trust, and unto a Place firm unto the salvation, because thou art my firmness and my place of refuge: my God save me from the hand of the sinner, and out of the hand of the law-breaker with the impious. Because thou art the lord of my patience, O Lord thou art my hope from my youth; I leaned upon thee from the belly; thou, thou broughtest me out of the belly of my mother. My remembrance in thee will be at every time. I became as the fools to many. Thou art my helper and my firmness. Thou art my Saviour, O Lord. My mouth was filled with blessing, that I should bless the glory of thy greatness all the day long. Cast me not away unto a time of old age, in the failing of my soul; [56^a] forsake me not. Because mine enemies say evil against me, and those who watch for my soul, they took counsel against my soul, saying together, The God forsook him, run and catch him, because there is not he who will deliver him. O God take heed unto my help. Let them be ashamed and fail, those who slander my soul. Let them wrap them in shame with ignominy, those who seek after evil (things) against me. This therefore is the explanation of the second repentance which said the Pistis Sophia.