pistis.sophia_book_3_part4 Chapter 1

“When then | the Saviour had said this, he said unto his disciples: Understand ye in what manner I discourse with you?”

“Then Mary started forward and said: Yea, my Lord, in truth I enquire closely into all the words which thou sayest.”

Concerning the word then of the forgiveness of sins thou hast spoken unto us in similitude aforetime, saying: 'I am come to cast fire on the earth,' and again: 'What will I that it burn?'

And again thou hast distinguished it clearly, saying: 'I have a baptism, to baptize in it; and how shall I endure until it is accomplished? Think ye I am come to cast peace on the earth? Nay, but I am come to cast division. For from now on five will be in one house; three will be divided against two, and two against three.'

This, my Lord, is the word which thou hast spoken clearly.

“The word indeed which thou hast spoken: 'I am come to cast fire on the earth, and what will I that it burn?'–that is, my Lord: Thou hast brought the mysteries of the baptisms into the world, and thy pleasure is that they should consume all the sins of the soul and purify them. And thereafter again thou hast distinguished it clearly, saying: 'I have a baptism, to baptize in it; and | how shall I endure until it is accomplished?'–that is: Thou wilt not remain in the world until the baptisms are accomplished and purify the perfect souls.”

“And moreover the word which thou hast spoken unto us aforetime: 'Think ye I am come to cast peace on the earth? Nay, but I am come to cast division. For from now on five will be in one house; three will be divided against two, and two against three,'–that is: Thou hast brought the mystery of the baptisms into the world, and it hath effected a division in the bodies of the world, because it hath separated the counterfeiting spirit and the body and the destiny”

“into one portion; the soul and the power on the other hand it hath separated into another portion;–that is: Three will be against two, and two against three.”

“And when Mary had said this, the Saviour said: Well said, thou spiritual and light-pure Mary. This is the solution of the word.”

“Mary answered again and said: My Lord, I will still continue to question thee. Now, therefore, my Lord, bear with me questioning thee.”

Lo, in openness have we known the type in which the baptisms forgive sins.

“Now on the other hand the mystery of these three spaces and the mysteries of this First Mystery and the mysteries of the Ineffable, in what type do they forgive sins? Do they forgive in the type | of the baptisms, or not?” Of the forgiveness of sins according to the higher mysteries.The Saviour answered again and said: “Nay, but all the mysteries of the three spaces forgive the soul in all the regions of the rulers all the sine which the soul hath committed from the beginning onwards. They forgive it,”

and moreover they forgive the sins which it thereafter will commit, until the time up to which every one of the mysteries shall be effective,

“–the time up to which every one of the mysteries shall be effective I will tell you at the expansion of the universe. And moreover the mystery of the First Mystery and the mysteries of the Ineffable forgive the soul in all the regions of the rulers all the sins and all the iniquities which the soul hath committed; and [not only] do they forgive it all, but they impute unto it no sin from this hour unto all eternity, because of the gift of that great mystery and its prodigiously great glory.”

“When then the Saviour had said this, he said unto his disciples: Understand ye in what manner I speak with you?” And Mary answered again and said: “Yea, my Lord, already have I seized on all the words which thou sayest.”

Now, therefore, my Lord, concerning the word which thou sayest: | 'All the mysteries of the three spaces forgive sins and cover their [sc. the souls'] iniquities,'

–David, the prophet, then hath prophesied aforetime concerning this word, saying: 'Blessed are they whose sins are forgiven and whose iniquities are covered.'

“And the word which thou hast spoken: 'The mystery of the First Mystery and the mystery of the Ineffable forgive all men who shall receive those mysteries, not only the sins which they have committed from the beginning onwards, but also they impute them not to them from this hour unto all eternity,”

“–concerning this word David hath prophesied aforetime, saying: 'Blessed are those to whom the Lord God will not impute sins,'–that is: Sins will not be imputed from this hour to those who have received the mysteries of the First Mystery and who have received the mystery of the Ineffable.”

“He said: Well said, Mary, thou spiritual and light-pure Mary. This is the solution of the word.” And Mary continued again and said: “My Lord,”

if the man receiveth mysteries from the mysteries | of the First Mystery and again turneth and sinneth and transgresseth,

“and if he thereafter again turneth and repenteth and prayeth in any [mystery] of his mystery, will it be forgiven him, or not?”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Every one who shall receive the mysteries of the First Mystery, if he again turneth and transgresseth twelve times and again twelve times repenteth, praying in the mystery of the First Mystery, it will be forgiven.”

“But if after the twelve times he again transgresseth and turneth and transgresseth, it will not be forgiven him for ever, so that he should turn himself to any [mystery] of his mystery; and this [man] hath not repentance unless he receiveth the mysteries of the Ineffable, which have compassion at every time and forgive at every time.”

“Mary continued again and said: My Lord, but if on the other hand they who have received the mysteries of the First Mystery, turn and transgress, and if they come out of the body before they have repented, will they inherit the kingdom or not, because indeed they have received the gift of the First Mystery?”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Every man who hath received mysteries in the First Mystery, | having transgressed for the first and the second and the third time, and if he cometh out of the body before he hath repented, his judgment is far sorer than all the judgments;”

for his dwelling is in the midst of the jaws of the dragon of the outer darkness, and at the end of all this he will be frozen up [?] in the chastisements and perish for ever, because he hath received the gift of the First Mystery and hath not abided in it [sc. the gift].

“Mary answered and said: My Lord, all men who shall receive the mysteries of the mystery of the Ineffable, and have turned again, have transgressed and have ceased in their faith, and again thereafter, when they are still in life, have turned and have repented, how many times will it be forgiven them?”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: To every man who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable,”

not only if he transgresseth once, turneth again and repenteth, will it be forgiven, but if at any time he transgresseth, and if, when still in life, he turneth again and repenteth, without play- acting, and again if he turneth and repenteth and prayeth in any of his mysteries, then will it be forgiven him, because he hath received of the gift of the mysteries of | the Ineffable,

“and moreover because those mysteries are compassionate and forgive at every time.”

“And Mary answered again and said unto Jesus: My Lord, those who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable, and have again turned, have transgressed and have ceased in their faith and are moreover come out of the body before they have repented, what will befall such?”

“And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: All men who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable, blessed indeed are the souls which shall receive of those mysteries; but if they turn and transgress and come out of the body before they have repented,”

the judgment of those men is sorer than all the judgments, and it is exceedingly violent, even if those souls are new and it is their first time for coming into the world.

“They will not return to the changes of the bodies from that hour onwards and will not be able to do anything, but they will be cast out into the outer darkness and perish and be non-existent for ever.”

“And when the Saviour had said this, he said unto his disciples: Understand ye in what manner I speak with you?” Mary answered | and said: “I have seized on the words which thou hast said.”

Now, therefore, my Lord, this is the word which thou hast said: 'They who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable,–blessed indeed are those souls;

but if they turn, transgress, and cease in their faith, and if they go forth out of the body without having repented, they are no more fit from this hour onwards to return to the changes of the body, nor for anything at all, but they are cast out into the outer darkness, they will perish in that region and be non-existent for ever,'–concerning [this] word thou hast spoken unto us aforetime, saying: 'Salt is good;

“but if the salt becometh sterile, with what are they to salt it? It is fit neither for the dunghill nor for the earth; but they throw it away,'–that is: Blessed are all the souls which shall receive of the mysteries of the Ineffable; but if they once transgress, they are not fit to return to the body henceforth from this hour onwards nor for anything at all, but they are cast into the outer darkness and perish in that region.”

“And when she had said this, the Saviour said: Well said, thou spiritual light-pure Mary. This is the solution of the word.”

“And Mary continued again | and said: My Lord, all men who have received the mysteries of the First Mystery and the mysteries of the Ineffable, those who have not transgressed, but whose faith in the mysteries was in sincerity, without play-acting,”

“–they then have again sinned through the compulsion of the Fate and have again turned and repented and again prayed in any of the mysteries, how often will it be forgiven them?”

“And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary in the midst of his disciples: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: All men who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable and moreover the mysteries of the First Mystery, sin every time through the compulsion of the Fate, and if they, when they are still in life, turn and repent”

and abide in any of their mysteries, it will be forgiven them at every time, because those mysteries are compassionate and forgiving for all time. For this cause then have I said unto you before: Those mysteries will not only forgive them their sins which they have committed from the beginning onwards, but they do not impute them to them from this hour onwards,

“–of which I have said unto you that they receive repentance at any time, and that they also will forgive the sins which they commit anew. If on the other hand those who shall receive mysteries of | the mystery of the Ineffable and of the mysteries of the First Mystery, turn and sin and come out of the body without having repented, then they will be even as those will be who have transgressed and not repented.”

Their dwelling also is in the midst of the jaws of the dragon of the outer darkness and they will perish and be non-existent for ever.

“For this cause have I said unto you: All men who shall receive the mysteries, if they knew the time when they come out of the body, would watch themselves and not sin, in order that they may inherit the Light-kingdom for ever.”

“When then the Saviour had said this unto his disciples, he said unto them: Understand ye in what manner I speak with you?” Mary answered and said: “Yea, my Lord, with precision have I precisely followed all the words which thou hast said.”

“Concerning this word then thou hast spoken unto us aforetime: 'If the house-holder knew at what hour in the night the thief cometh to break into the house, he would keep awake and not suffer the man to break into his house.”

“When then Mary had said this, the Saviour said: Well said, thou spiritual Mary. This is the word.” The Saviour continued again and said unto his disciples: “Now, therefore, herald ye unto all men who shall receive mysteries in the Light,”

and speak | unto them, saying: Keep watch over yourselves and sin not, lest ye heap evil on evil and go out of the body without having repented

“and become strangers to the Light-kingdom for ever.”

“When the Saviour had said this, Mary answered and said: My Lord,”

“great is the compassion of those mysteries which forgive sins at every time.”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary in the midst of the disciples: If to-day a king who is a man of the world, giveth a gift to men of his like, and also forgiveth murderers and those who have intercourse with males, and the rest of the very grievous sins which are deserving of death,”

“–if it becometh him who is a man of the world, to have done this, much more then have the Ineffable and the First Mystery, who are the lords of the universe, the authority to act in all things as it pleaseth them, that they forgive every one who shall receive mysteries. Or if on the other hand a king to-day investeth a soldier with a royal vesture and sendeth him into foreign regions, and he committeth murders and other grievous sins which are deserving of death, then they will not impute them to him,”

“and are not able to do him any evil because he is invested with the royal vesture,–how much more then those who wear the mysteries of the vestures of the Ineffable and those of the First Mystery, who are lords over all those of the height and all those of the depth!”

Thereafter Jesus saw a woman who came to make repentance. | He had baptized her three times, and yet she had not done what was worthy of the baptisms. And the Saviour desired to try Peter, to see if he was compassionate and forgiving, as he had commanded them.

“He said unto Peter: Lo, three times have I baptized this soul, and yet at this third time”

she hath not done what is worthy of the mysteries of the Light. Wherefor then cloth she make her body good for nothing? Now, therefore, Peter, perform the mystery which cutteth off the souls from the inheritances of the Light;

“perform that mystery in order that it may cut off the soul of this woman from the Inheritance of the Light.”

When then the Saviour had said this, he tried [Peter] to see whether he was compassionate and forgiving.

“When then the Saviour had said this, Peter said: My Lord, let her yet this time, that we may give her the higher mysteries; and if she is fit, then hast thou let her inherit the Light-kingdom,”

“but if she is not fit, then hast thou [to] cut her off from the Light-kingdom.”

“When then Peter had said this, the Saviour knew that Peter was compassionate as he and forgiving. When then all this was said, the Saviour said unto his disciples: Have ye understood all these words and the type | of this woman?”

“Mary answered and said: My Lord, I have understood the mysteries of the things which have fallen to this woman's lot. Concerning the things then which have fallen to her lot, thou hast spoken unto us aforetime in similitude, saying: 'A man owned a fig-tree in his vineyard; and he came to look for its fruit, and he found not a single one on it.”

He said to the vine-dresser: Lo, three years do I come to look for fruit on this fig-tree, and I have not any produce at all from it. Cut it down then; why doth it make the ground also good for nothing?

But he answered and said unto him: My lord, have patience with it still this year, until I dig round it and give it dung;

and if it beareth in another year, thou hast let it, but if thou dost not find any [fruit] at all, then hast thou [to] cut it down.'

“Lo, my Lord, this is the solution of the word.”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Well said, spiritual [one]. This is [the solution of] the word.”

“Mary continued again and said unto the Saviour: My Lord, a man who hath received mysteries and hath not done what is worthy of them, but he hath turned and hath sinned,”

“thereafter he hath again repented and hath been in great repentance,–is it then lawful for my brethren to renew for him the mystery which he hath received, or | rather give him a mystery out of the lower mysteries,–is it lawful, or not?”

“The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: Neither the mystery which he hath received, nor the lower hearken unto him, to forgive his sins; but it is the mysteries which are higher than those which he hath received,”

which hearken unto him and forgive his sins. Now, therefore, Mary, let thy brethren give him the mystery which is higher than that which he hath received, and they are to accept his repentance from him and forgive his sins,

–the latter indeed, because he hath received it once more, and the former, because he hath towered over them [the lower mysteries] upward,

–the latter indeed hearkeneth not unto him to forgive his sin; but it is the mystery which is higher than that which he hath received, that forgiveth his sins. But if on the other hand he hath received the three mysteries in the two spaces or in the third from within, and he hath turned and transgressed, no mystery hearkeneth unto him to help him in his repentance, neither the higher nor the lower, save the mystery of the First Mystery and the mysteries of the Ineffable,

“–it is they which hearken unto him and accept his repentance from him.”

“Mary answered and said: My Lord, a man who hath received mysteries up to two or three | in the second or third space, and he hath not transgressed, but is still in his faith in uprightness and without play-acting, [what will befall him]?”

“And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary: Every man who hath received mysteries in the second and in the third space, and hath not transgressed, but is still in his faith without play-acting, it is lawful for such an one to receive mysteries in the space which pleaseth him, from the first to the last, because they have not transgressed.”

“Mary continued again and said: My Lord, a man who hath known the godhead and hath received of the mysteries of the Light, and hath turned and transgressed and done lawlessly and hath not turned to repent, and a man on the other hand who hath not found the godhead nor known it, and that man is a sinner and moreover impious, and they both have come out of the body,”

“–which of them will get more suffering in the judgments?”

“The Saviour answered again and said unto Mary: Amēn, amēn, I say unto thee: The man who hath known the godhead and hath received the mysteries of the Light, and sinned and hath not turned to repent, he will get suffering in the chastisements of the judgments in great sufferings and ​| judgments exceedingly far more in comparison with the impious and law-breaking man who hath not known the godhead.”

“Now, therefore, who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” When then the Saviour had said this, Mary started forward and said: “My Lord, my light-man hath ears, and I have understood the whole word which thou hast spoken.”

Concerning this word then thou hast spoken unto us in a similitude: 'The slave who knew the will of his lord and made not ready nor did the will of his lord, will receive great blows; but he who knew not and did not, will be deserving of less. For from every one to whom more is entrusted, of him will more be demanded, and to whom much is handed over,

of him much is required,'–that is, my Lord: He who knew the godhead and hath found the mysteries of the Light and hath transgressed,

“will be chastized in a far greater chastisement than he who hath not known the godhead. This, my Lord, is the solution of the word.”