pistis.sophia_book_1_part1 Chapter 1

IT came to pass, when Jesus had risen from the dead,

that he passed eleven years discoursing with his disciples,

and instructing them only up to the regions of the First Commandment

and up to the regions of the First Mystery,

that within the Veil, within the First Commandment,

which is the four-and-twentieth mystery without and below

–those [four-and-twenty] which are in the second space of the First Mystery which is before all mysteries,

–the Father in the form of a dove.

And Jesus said to his disciples:

“I am come forth out of that First Mystery,”

“which is the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery.”

And his disciples have not known nor understood that anything existeth within that mystery;

but they thought of that mystery, that it is the head of the universe

and the head of all existence;

and they thought it is the completion of all completions,

because Jesus had said to them concerning that mystery, that it surroundeth the First Commandment and the five Impressions and the great Light |

and the five Helpers and the whole Treasury of the Light.

And moreover Jesus had not told his disciples the total expansion of all the regions of the great Invisible

and of the three triple-powers and of the four-and-twenty invisibles,

and all their regions and their æons and their orders, how they are extended

–those which are the emanations of the great Invisible

–and their ungenerated and their self-generated

and their generated and their light-givers and their unpaired

and their rulers and their authorities

and their lords and their archangels

and their angels and their decans and their servitors and all the houses of their spheres

and all the orders of every one of them.

And Jesus had not told his disciples

the total expansion of the emanations of the Treasury, nor their orders, how they are extended;

nor had he told them their saviours, according to the order of every one, how they are;

nor had he told them what guard is at every [gate] of the Treasury of the Light;

nor had he told them the region of the Twin-saviour, |

who is the Child of the Child;

nor had he told them the regions of the three Amēns, in what regions they are expanded;

nor had he told them into what region the five Trees are expanded;

nor as to the seven Amēns, that is the seven Voices, what is their region, how they are expanded.

And Jesus had not told his disciples of what type are the five Helpers, nor into what region they are brought;

nor had he told them how the great Light hath expanded itself, nor into what region it hath been brought;

nor had he told them of the five Impressions,

nor as to the First Commandment, into what region they have been brought.

But he had discoursed with them generally, teaching that they exist,

but he had not told them their expansion and the order of their regions, how they are.

For this cause they have not known that there were also other regions within that mystery.

“And he had not told his disciples: I have gone forth out of such and such regions until I entered into that mystery, and until I went forth out of it'';”

“but, in teaching them, he said to them: I am come forth from that mystery.”

For this cause then they thought of that mystery, that it is the completion | of completions,

and that it is the head of the universe

and that it is the total Fulness.

“For Jesus had said to his disciples: That mystery surroundeth that universe”

“of which I have spoken unto you from the day when I met with you even unto this day.”

For this cause then the disciples thought there is nothing within that mystery.

It came to pass then, when the disciples were sitting together on the Mount of Olives, speaking of these words and rejoicing in great joy, and exulting exceedingly

“and saying one to another: Blessed are we before all men who are on the earth,”

because the Saviour hath revealed this unto us,

“and we have received the Fulness and the total completion,”

–they said this to one another, while Jesus sat a little removed from them.

And it came to pass then, on the fifteenth day of the moon in the month Tybi,

which is the day on which the moon is full,

on that day then, when the sun had come forth in his going,

that there came forth behind him a great light-power shining most exceedingly,

and there was no measure to the light conjoined with it.

For it came out of the Light of lights,

and it came out of the last mystery,

which is the four-and-twentieth | mystery, from within without,

–those which are in the orders of the second space of the First Mystery.

And that light-power came down over Jesus and surrounded him entirely,

while he was seated removed from his disciples,

and he had shone most exceedingly,

and there was no measure for the light which was on him.

And the disciples had not seen Jesus because of the great light in which he was, or which was about him;

for their eyes were darkened because of the great light in which he was.

But they saw only the light, which shot forth many light-rays.

And the light-rays were not like one another,

but the light was of divers kind,

and it was of divers type, from below upwards,

one [ray] more excellent than the other, . . ., in one great immeasurable glory of light;

it stretched from under the earth right up to heaven.

–And when the disciples saw that light, they fell into great fear and great agitation. |

It came to pass then, when that light-power had come down over Jesus, that it gradually surrounded him entirely.

Then Jesus ascended or soared into the height, shining most exceedingly in an immeasurable light.

And the disciples gazed after him and none of them spake,

until he had reached unto heaven;

but they all kept in deep silence.

This then came to pass on the fifteenth day of the moon,

on the day on which it is full in the month Tybi.

It came to pass then, when Jesus had reached the heaven, after three hours, that all the powers of the heaven fell into agitation, and all were set in motion one against the other,

they and all their æons and all their regions and all their orders, and the whole earth was agitated and all they who dwell thereon.

And all men who are in the world fell into agitation, and also the disciples, and all thought: Peradventure the world will be rolled up.

And all the powers in the heavens ceased not from their agitation, they and the whole world, and all were moved one against the other, from the third hour of the fifteenth day of the moon of Tybi until the ninth hour of the morrow.

And all the angels and their archangels and all the powers of the height, all sang praises to the interiors of the | interiors,

so that the whole world heard their voices, without their ceasing till the ninth hour of the morrow.

But the disciples sat together in fear

and were in exceedingly great agitation

“and were afraid because of the great earthquake which took place, and they wept together, saying: What will then be?”

“Peradventure the Saviour will destroy all regions?”

Thus saying, they wept together.

While they then said this and wept together, then, on the ninth hour of the morrow, the heavens opened, and they saw Jesus descend, shining most exceedingly,

and there was no measure for his light in which he was.

For he shone more [radiantly] than at the hour when he had ascended to the heavens,

so that men in the world cannot describe the light which was on him;

and it shot forth light-rays in great abundance, and there was no measure for its rays,

and its light was not alike together,

but it was of divers kind and of divers type, some [rays] being more excellent than others . . .;

and the whole light consisted together.

It was of threefold kind, and the one [kind] was more excellent than the other. . . .

The second, that in the midst, was more excellent than the first which was below, and the third, which was above them all, was more excellent than the two which were below.

And the first glory, which was placed below them all,

was like to the light which had come over Jesus before he had ascended | into the heavens, and was like only itself in its light.

And the three light-modes were of divers light-kinds, and they were of divers type, one being more excellent than the other. . . .

And it came to pass then, when the disciples saw this, that they feared exceedingly, and were in agitation.

“Then Jesus, the compassionate and tender-hearted, when he saw his disciples, that they were in great agitation, spake with them, saying: Take courage. It is I, be not afraid.”

“It came to pass then, when the disciples had heard this word, that they said: Lord, if it be thou, withdraw thy light-glory into thyself that we may be able to stand;”

“otherwise our eyes are darkened, and we are agitated, and the whole world also is in agitation because of the great light which is about thee.”

Then Jesus drew to himself the glory of his light;

and when this was done, all the disciples took courage, stepped forward to Jesus, fell down all together, adored him, rejoicing in great joy,

“and said unto him: Rabbi, whither hast thou gone, or what was thy ministry on which thou hast gone, or wherefor rather were all these confusions and all the earth-quakings which have taken place?”

“Then Jesus, the compassionate, said unto them: Rejoice and exult from this hour on, for I have gone to the regions out of which I had come forth.”

From this day on then will I discourse with you in openness, | from the beginning of the Truth unto its completion;

and I will discourse with you face to face without similitude.

From this hour on will I not hide anything from you of the [mystery] of the height and of that of the region of Truth.

For authority hath been given me through the Ineffable and through the First Mystery of all mysteries to speak with you, from the Beginning right up to the Fulness,. both from within without and from without within. Hearken, therefore, that I may tell you all things.

“It came to pass, when I sat a little removed from you on the Mount of Olives, that I thought on the order of the ministry for the sake of which I was sent, that it was completed, and that the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery from within without,”

–those which are in the second space of the First Mystery, in the orders of that space,–had not yet sent me my Vesture. It came to pass then, when I had known that the order of the ministry for the sake of which I had come, was completed, and that that mystery had not yet sent me my Vesture, which I had left behind in it, until its time was completed,

thinking then this, I sat on the Mount of Olives a little removed from you.

“It came to pass, when the sun rose in the east, thereafter then through the First Mystery, which existed from the beginning, on account of which the universe hath arisen, | out of which also I am myself now come, not in the time before my crucifixion, but now,”

–it came to pass, through the command of that mystery, that there should be sent me my Light-vesture, which it had given me from the beginning, and which I had left behind in the last mystery, that is the four-and-twentieth mystery from within without,–those which are in the orders of the second space of the First Mystery.

That Vesture then I left behind in the last mystery, until the time should be completed to put it on, and I should begin to discourse with the race of men and reveal unto them all from the beginning of the Truth to its completion, and discourse with them from the interiors of the interiors to the exteriors of the exteriors and from the exteriors of the exteriors to the interiors of the interiors.

Rejoice then and exult and rejoice more and more greatly, for to you it is given that I speak first with you from the beginning of the Truth to its completion.

“For this cause have I chosen you verily from the beginning through the First Mystery. Rejoice then and exult, for when I set out for the world, ​| I brought from the beginning with me twelve powers, as I have told you from the beginning,”

which I have taken from the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, according to the command of the First Mystery.

These then I cast into the womb of your mothers, when I came into the world, that is those which are in your bodies to-day.

For these powers have been given unto you before the whole world, because ye are they who will save the whole world, and that ye may be able to endure the threat of the rulers of the world and the pains of the world and its dangers and all its persecutions, which the rulers of the height will bring upon you.

For many times have I said unto you that I have brought the power in you out of the twelve saviours who are in the Treasury of the Light.

For which cause I have said unto you indeed from the beginning that ye are not of the world. I also am not of it.

For all men who are in the world have gotten their souls out of [the power of] the rulers of the æons.

But the power which is in you is from me;

your souls belong to the height.

I have brought twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light, taking them out of the portion of my power which | I did first receive.

And when I had set forth for the world, I came into the midst of the rulers of the sphere

and had the form of Gabriēl the angel of the æons; and the rulers of the æons did not know me,

but they thought that I was the angel Gabriēl.

“It came to pass then, when I had come into the midst of the rulers of the æons, that I looked down on the world of mankind, by command of the First Mystery.”

I found Elizabeth, the mother of John the Baptizer, before she had conceived him, and I sowed into her a power which I had received from the little Iaō, the Good, who is in the Midst, that he might be able to make proclamation before me

and make ready my way, and baptize with the water of the forgiveness of sins. That power then is in the body of John.

“Moreover in place of the soul of the ruler which he was appointed to receive,”

I found the soul of the prophet Elias in the æons of the sphere; and I took him thence, and took hi soul and brought it to the Virgin of Light, and she gave it over to her receivers; they brought it to the sphere of the rulers and cast it into the womb of Elizabeth.

So the power of the little Iaō, who is in the Midst, and the soul of the prophet Elias, they were bound into the body of John the Baptizer.

For this cause then were ye in doubt aforetime, I when I said unto you: 'John said: I am not the Christ,' and ye said unto me: 'It standeth written in the scripture: When the Christ shall come, Elias cometh before him and maketh ready his way.'

But when ye said this unto me, I said unto you: 'Elias verily is come and hath made ready all things, as it standeth written, and they have done unto him as they would.'

And when I knew that ye had not understood that I had discoursed with you concerning the soul of Elias which is bound into John the Baptizer,

“I answered you in the discourse in openness face to face: 'If ye like to accept John the Baptizer: he is Elias, of whom I have said that he will come.”

“And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said: It came to pass then thereafter, that at the command of the First Mystery”

I looked down on the world of mankind and found Mary, who is called 'my mother' according to the body of matter. I spake with her in the type of Gabriēl, and when she had turned herself to the height towards me, I cast thence into her the first power which I had received from Barbēlō–that is the body which I have borne in the height. And instead of the soul

“I cast into her the power which I | have received from the great Sabaōth, the Good, who is in the region of the Right. And the twelve powers of the twelve saviours of the Treasury of the Light which I had received from the twelve ministers of the Midst, I cast into the sphere of the rulers. And the decans of the rulers and their servitors”

thought that they were souls of the rulers; and the servitors brought them, they bound them into the body of your mothers. And when your time was completed, ye were born in the world without souls of the rulers in you. And ye have received your portion out of the power which the last Helper hath breathed into the Mixture, that [power] which is blended with all the invisibles and all rulers and all æons,

“–in a word, which is blended with the world of destruction which is the Mixture. This [power], which from the beginning I brought out of myself, I have cast into the First Commandment, and the First Commandment cast a portion thereof into the great Light, and the great Light cast a portion of that which it had received, into the five Helpers, and the last Helper took a portion of that which it received, and cast it into the Mixture. And [this portion] is in all who are in the Mixture, | as I have just said unto you.”

“This then Jesus said to his disciples on the Mount of Olives. Jesus continued again in the discourse with his disciples [and said]: Rejoice and exult and add joy to your joy, for the times are completed for me to put on my Vesture, which hath been prepared for me from the beginning,”

which I left behind in the last mystery until the time of its completion.

“Now the time of its completion is the time when I shall be commanded through the First Mystery to discourse with you from the beginning of the Truth to the completion thereof, and from the interiors of the interiors [to the exteriors of the exteriors], for the world will be saved through you. Rejoice then and exult, for ye are blessed before all men who are on the earth. It is ye who will save the whole world.”

“It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished saying these words to his disciples, that he continued again in the discourse, and said unto them: Lo, I have then put on my Vesture, and all authority hath been given me through the First Mystery. Yet a little while and I will tell you the mystery of the universe and the fulness of the universe; and I will hide nothing from you from this hour on, but in fulness will I perfect you in all fulness and | in all perfection and in all mysteries, which are the perfection of all perfections and the fulness of all fulnesses and the gnosis of all gnoses,–those which are in my Vesture. I will tell you all mysteries from the exteriors of the exteriors to the interiors of the interiors.”

But hearken that I may tell you all things which have befallen me.

“It came to pass then, when the sun had risen in the east, that a great light-power came down, in which was my Vesture, which I had left behind in the four-and-twentieth mystery, as I have said unto you.”

“And I found a mystery in my Vesture, written in five words of those from the height: zama zama ōzza rachama ōzai,–whose solution is this: O Mystery, which is without in the world, for whose sake the universe hath arisen,”

–this is the total outgoing and the total ascent, which hath emanated all emanations and all that is therein and for whose sake all mysteries and all their regions have arisen,–come hither unto us, for we are thy fellow-members. We are all with thyself; we are one and the same.