Pistis Sophia: Contents

Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead

	PAGE
PREFACE	xvii
INTRODUCTION
The Askew Codex	xxi
The Scripts	xxii
The Contents	xxiii
The Title	xxiv
The Date of the MS.	xxv
Translated from the Greek	xxvi
Originals composed in Egypt	xxviii
Date: The 2nd-century Theory	xxix
The 3rd-century Theory	xxix
The 'Ophitic' Background	xxxi
Three vague Pointers	xxxii
The libertinist Sects of Epiphanius	xxxiii
The Severians	xxxiv
The Bruce Codex	xxxv
The Berlin Codex	xxxvi
The so-called Barbēlō-Gnostics	xxxvii
The Sethians	xxxviii
The present Position of the Enquiry	xxxviii
The new and the old Perspective in Gnostic Studies	xxxix
The Ministry of the First Mystery	xl
The post-resurrectional Setting	xli
The higher Revelation within this Setting	xlii
The Æon-lore	xlii
The Sophia Episode	xliii
The ethical Interest	xliii
The Mysteries	xliv
The astral Lore	xlv
Transcorporation	xlv
The magical Element	xlvi
History and psychic Story	xlvii
The P.S. a reserved Document	xlviii
Its general Value	xlix
A Skeleton of the Scheme of the System	l
ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY	lii
p. vi
TRANSLATION
DIVISION I.
THE FIRST BOOK OF PISTIS SOPHIA
	PAGE
Jesus hitherto instructeth his disciples only up to the regions of the First Mystery	1
What the First Mystery surroundeth	1
The regions of the great Invisible	2
The Treasury of the Light	2
The Light-world	2
Jesus and his disciples are seated on the Mount of Olives	3
A great light-power descendeth on Jesus	3
It surroundeth him entirely	4
Jesus ascendeth into heaven	4
The confusion of the powers and the great earthquake	4
Jesus descendeth again	5
The nature of his glory	6
Jesus addresseth them	6
He draweth his light unto himself	6
He promiseth to tell them all things	7
How the Vesture of Light was sent unto him	8
Of the souls of the disciples and their incarnation	8
Of the incarnation of John the Baptizer	9
That John was Elias in a former birth	9
Of his own incarnation through Mary	10
More concerning the light-powers in the disciples	11
Why they should rejoice that the time of his investiture had come	11
The mystery of the five words on the vesture	12
The solution thereof	12
The three robes of light	13
The first vesture	13
The second vesture	13
The third vesture	14
The day of 'Come unto us'	15
Jesus putteth on his vesture	15
He entereth the firmament	15
The powers of the firmament are amazed and fall down and adore him	15
He entereth the first sphere	16
The powers of the first sphere are amazed and fall down and adore him	16
He entereth the second sphere	17
The powers of the second sphere are amazed and fall down and adore him	17
He entereth the æons	17
The powers of the æons are amazed and fall down and adore him	18
Adamas and the tyrants fight against the light	19
He taketh from them a third of their power	19
He changeth the motion of their spheres	19
p. vii
	PAGE
Mary Magdalene asketh and receiveth permission to speak	20
Mary interpreteth the discourse from the words of Isaiah	21
Jesus commendeth Mary. She further questioneth him on the changing of the spheres	22
Jesus explaineth further the conversion of the spheres	23
Philip questioneth Jesus	25
Why the path of the æons was changed	25
Mary questioneth him again	26
The coming of Melchisedec	27
Of the fashioning of the souls of men	27
The rulers devour their matter so that souls may not be fashioned	29
Adamas and the tyrants fight against the light-vesture	30
Jesus taketh from them a third of their power and changeth their course	30
They no more have the power of devouring their matter	31
The powers adore the light-vesture	32
The tyrants become as the dead	32
Jesus entereth the thirteenth æon and findeth Pistis Sophia	33
Sophia and her fellow-powers behold the light	33
Mary desireth to hear the story of Sophia	34
THE STORY OF PISTIS SOPHIA
Sophia desireth to enter the Light-world	34
The rulers hate her for ceasing in their mystery	35
Self-willed uniteth himself with the rulers of the twelve æons and emanateth a lion-faced power to plague Sophia	35
Sophia taketh the lion-faced power of Sell-willed for the true Light	36
She descendeth to the twelve æons and thence into the chaos	36
The emanations of Self-willed squeeze the light-powers out of Sophia	37
The first repentance of Sophia	37
Mary interpreteth the first repentance from Psalm lxviii.	42
The second repentance of Sophia	45
Peter complaineth of Mary	47
Peter interpreteth the second repentance from Psalm lxx.	47
Jesus promiseth to perfect the disciples in all things	48
The third repentance of Sophia	49
Martha asketh and receiveth permission to speak	49
Martha interpreteth the third repentance from Psalm lxix.	50
The fourth repentance of Sophia	51
John asketh and receiveth permission to speak	53
John interpreteth the repentance from Psalm ci.	53
Jesus commendeth John	55
The emanations of Self-willed again squeeze the light out of Sophia	55
The fifth repentance of Sophia	55
Philip the scribe complaineth	57
Jesus explaineth that the appointed scribes are Philip and Thomas and Matthew	58
Mary interpreteth the words of Jesus concerning the three witnesses	58
Philip is now given permission to speak	59
Philip interpreteth the fifth repentance from Psalm lxxxvii.	59
p. viii
	PAGE
Philip is commended and continueth writing	61
The sixth repentance of Sophia	61
Andrew interpreteth the sixth repentance from Psalm cxxix.	62
Jesus commendeth Andrew. He promiseth that the tyrants shall be judged and consumed by the wise fire	63
Mary interpreteth the words of Jesus	63
The repentance of Sophia is not yet accepted. She is mocked by the æons	64
The seventh repentance of Sophia	64
Thomas interpreteth the seventh repentance from Psalm xxiv	67
Jesus commendeth Thomas	68
Jesus leadeth Sophia to a less confined region, but without the commandment of the First Mystery	69
The emanations of Self-willed cease for a time to oppress Sophia	70
The eighth repentance of Sophia	70
The emanations of Self-willed oppress her again	71
She continueth her repentance	71
Matthew interpreteth the eighth repentance from Psalm xxx.	73
Jesus commendeth Matthew and promiseth his disciples that they shall sit on thrones with him	74
Mary interpreteth the words of Jesus	74
The ninth repentance of Sophia	75
James interpreteth the ninth repentance from Psalm xxxiv.	78
Jesus commendeth James and promiseth the first place unto the disciples	81
Mary interpreteth the words of Jesus	81
The repentance of Sophia is accepted. Jesus is sent to help her	81
The tenth repentance of Sophia	83
Peter interpreteth the tenth repentance from Psalm cxix.	83
Jesus commendeth Peter	84
The eleventh repentance of Sophia	84
Salome interpreteth the eleventh repentance from Psalm li.	85
Jesus commendeth Salome	86
Self-willed aideth his emanations and they again oppress Sophia	86
The twelfth repentance of Sophia	87
Andrew interpreteth the twelfth repentance from Psalm cviii.	90
The thirteenth repentance of Sophia	92
Martha interpreteth the thirteenth repentance from Psalm l.	93
Jesus sendeth forth a light-power to help Sophia	93
Sophia uttereth a song of praise	94
Salome interpreteth the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon	95
The power sent by Jesus formeth a light-wreath on Sophia's head	96
Sophia uttereth another song of praise	97
Mary, his mother, asketh and receiveth permission to speak	97
Mary, his mother, interpreteth the song of Sophia from the xixth Ode of Solomon	98
Jesus commendeth his mother	98
The commandment of the First Mystery is fulfilled for taking Sophia entirely out of the chaos	98
The First Mystery and Jesus send forth two light-powers to help Sophia	98
Mary Magdalene interpreteth the mystery from Psalm lxxxiv	99
Mary, the mother, further interpreteth the scripture	100
p. ix
	PAGE
The story of the phantom spirit	101
Of the spiritual and material bodies of Jesus	102
The other Mary further interpreteth the same scripture from the baptism of Jesus	103
Mary, the mother, again further interpreteth the same scripture from the meeting of herself with Elizabeth, mother of John the Baptizer	104
Of the incarnation of Jesus	104
THE NOTE OF A SCRIBE
A note by a later hand, copied from another scripture	105
DIVISION II.
SUPERSCRIPTION:
THE SECOND BOOK OF PISTIS SOPHIA
John further interpreteth the same scripture	106
Of Sabaōth, Barbēlō, Yabraōth and the light-vesture	107
Gabriēl and Michaēl are summoned to help Pistis Sophia	108
The light-stream restoreth the light-powers to Sophia	109
The light-stream, having accomplished its purpose, departeth from Sophia	110
Peter interpreteth the narrative from the Odes of Solomon	110
The emanations of Self-willed cry aloud to him for help	114
He sendeth forth another more violent power like unto a flying arrow	114
The fashioning of the serpent-, basilisk- and dragon-powers	115
The demon power of Adamas dasheth Sophia down	115
Sophia again crieth to the Light	116
Gabriēl and Michaēl and the light-stream again go to her aid	116
The transfiguration of Sophia	117
Jesus, the First Mystery looking without, causeth Sophia to triumph	117
James interpreteth the narrative from Psalm xc	118
Sophia singeth a song of praise	124
Thomas interpreteth the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon	125
Sophia singeth another song of praise	129
Matthew interpreteth the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon	131
Sophia continueth to sing	135
Mary is afraid of Peter	135
Mary interpreteth the song of Sophia from Psalm xxix	136
Sophia continueth her song	136
Martha interpreteth from Psalm xxix	136
Sophia continueth her song	137
Mary interpreteth from Psalm cii	137
Sophia is led to a region below the thirteenth æon and given a new mystery	138
She continueth to sing	138
p. x
	PAGE
Andrew interpreteth from Psalm xxxix	139
The conversation of Sophia and the Light	140
The Light promiseth to seal the regions of Self-willed	140
How Sophia will know that the time of her final deliverance hath come	141
What will come to pass at that time	141
The time for the final deliverance of Sophia is completed	142
Adamas sendeth forth two emanations of darkness to plague Sophia	143
Sophia again singeth a song to the Light	144
James interpreteth the song from Psalm vii	145
Sophia addresseth Adamas and his rulers	146
Sophia again singeth to the Light	147
Martha interpreteth the words of Sophia from Psalm vii	148
Jesus bringeth Sophia again to the thirteenth æon	148
Sophia singeth the praises of the Light to her fellow-invisibles	149
Philip interpreteth the song from Psalm cvi.	151
END OF THE STORY OF PISTIS SOPHIA
Mary questioneth Jesus	153
Of the glory of the four-and-twenty invisibles	155
Of the glory of the Fate	156
Of the glory of the twelve æons	156
Of the glory of the thirteenth Hon	157
Of the glory of the Midst	157
Of the glory of the Right	157
Of the glory of the Treasury	158
Of the glory of the Inheritance	158
Mary again questioneth Jesus	159
Of the twelve saviours and their regions in the Inheritance	160
Of the ascension of those of the Treasury into the Inheritance	162
Of their respective ranks in the kingdom	162
Of the powers of the Right and their emanation and ascension	162
Of the powers of the Midst and their ascension	163
But this shall not take place till the consummation of the æon	164
Of the ascension of the souls of the perfect	164
Of the rank of the souls of the perfect	165
Mary interpreteth the discourse from the scriptures	166
Of the last Helper	167
That the regions beyond the Helpers are indescribable	167
Mary further questioneth Jesus	168
Of the second Helper	169
Of the third, fourth and fifth Helpers	169
Mary again questioneth Jesus	169
Of those who receive the mystery in the last Helper	170
John questioneth Jesus	171
Of the first Commandment	171
Of the first space	171
Of the second space	171
Of the third space	172
Of the Thrice-spirituals in the third space, i.e. the first space of the Ineffable	172
Of the master-mystery	173
p. xi
	PAGE
Of the gnosis of the master-mystery	173
Of the gnosis of the mystery of the Ineffable	176
The disciples lose courage	181
Jesus explaineth that that mystery is really simpler than all mysteries	182
Of the rending asunder and emanation of the powers of the universe	183
Of those of the second space of the Ineffable	183
Of those of the first space of the Ineffable	186
Jesus promiseth to explain further all in detail	188
Of the mystery succinctly	188
Of the one and only word of the Ineffable	189
Of the ascension of the soul of him who shall receive the one and only mystery	189
Of the rank of such a soul	191
Such souls are one with the First Mystery	192
Of the dignity of the thrones in the kingdom	193
Of the gnosis of the word of the Ineffable	194
Of the distinction between the gnosis of the universe and the mysteries of the Light	194
Of the ascension of the souls of those who receive the twelve mysteries of the First Mystery	196
Mary again questioneth Jesus	197
Of the three mysteries and five mysteries	197
Of the first mystery	198
Of the second mystery	198
Of its efficacy	199
Of the third mystery	200
Of its efficacy for the uninitiated	200
Of the three and five mysteries	201
Of the mysteries of the three spaces	201
Of the reign of a thousand years of the Light	202
What is a year of the Light	203
Of those of the first space in the kingdom of the thousand years	203
Of those of the second space	204
Of those of the third space, the first from without	204
Of the Books of Yew	205
Andrew questioneth Jesus	206
That the disciples and the powers are from the same Mixture	206
Of transcorporation and purification	207
Of the purifying mysteries	208
That all who are purified will be saved	209
That finally they will be higher than all powers	209
Jesus pardoneth the ignorance of Andrew	210
SUB-SCRIPTION:
A PORTION OF THE BOOKS OF THE SAVIOUR
p. xii
DIVISION III.
THE CONCLUSION OF ANOTHER BOOK
	PAGE
Of the Limbs of the Ineffable	210
The Saviour is their treasury	211
Of the dignity of those who have received the mysteries	211
A THIRD BOOK
Of the proclamation of the disciples	213
What men should renounce	213
The boundaries of the ways of the worthy	217
Unto whom are the mysteries of the Light to be given	218
The mysteries are for the forgiveness of sins	218
Mary questioneth the Saviour	219
Of the soul of the righteous man who hath not received the mysteries at death	219
John questioneth Jesus	221
The disciples are to forgive many times seven times	222
Of the reward of the savers of souls	222
John continueth his questioning	222
That the mysteries shall be given again unto a repentant brother even up to the three of the second space	223
The limit of the power of the disciples to forgive sins	224
A former saying explained	224
Of the master-mystery of the forgiveness of sins	225
John continueth his questioning	225
Further of the forgiveness of sins	225
John continueth his questioning	227
Of pretenders who receive the mysteries	228
A former saying explained	228
Mary again questioneth Jesus	229
How the souls of those who have come out of the body may be helped by those on earth	230
Mary continueth her questioning	231
How he who possesseth the mysteries can come forth out of the body without suffering	231
Mary continueth her questioning	232
The mystery of the raising of the dead	233
The disciples became frenzied at the sublimity of the prospect	233
How the disciples shall make proclamation	233
What mysteries they shall give	234
The mystery of the raising of the dead not to be given to any	234
Of the constitution of man	236
Of the counterfeiting spirit	236
The state of the sinful soul after death	236
How a sinful soul is brought back to birth	238
Of the ascension after death of the good soul that hath received the mysteries	238
Of the state after death of one who hath received the mysteries and yet hath transgressed	240
p. xiii
	PAGE
The apology of the rulers of the ways of the midst	241
The apology of the rulers of the Fate	241
Of the ascension of that soul into the Inheritance	242
Mary interpreteth from former sayings	243
The piece of money which was brought unto Jesus	243
A saying of Paul	244
The foes of one's own house	245
A former saying concerning rebirth	245
Mary continueth to question Jesus	246
Of the retributive servitors	247
How the soul of the sinner is stamped with his sins	248
How the baptisms purify sins	249
The separation of the portions by the mystery of baptism	249
Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying	249
Mary further questioneth Jesus	251
Of the forgiveness of sins according to the higher mysteries	251
Mary interpreteth the same from the Psalm xxxi.	252
Of forgiveness even unto twelve times of those who have received the mysteries of the First Mystery	253
Of such initiated who sin and die without repentance	253
Of the unending forgiveness of those who have received the mystery of the Ineffable	253
Of such initiated who sin and die without repentance	254
Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying	255
Of the unending compassion of the great mysteries for the repentant	256
Of the unrepentant	256
Mary interpreteth from a former saying	257
If even men on earth are compassionate, how much more then the highest mysteries?	257
Jesus trieth Peter	258
Mary interpreteth the incident from a former saying	259
In the case of repentance only higher mysteries than those previously received can remit sins	260
There is no limit to the number of mysteries the faithful may receive	261
The fate of the gnostic who sinneth is more terrible than that of the ignorant sinner	261
Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying	261
Of those who procrastinate, saying they have many births before them	262
Of the time of the completion	263
Those who procrastinate are excluded from the Light	263
Their entreaties at the gates of the Light	263
Mary interpreteth the same	264
A FOURTH BOOK
Of the dragon of the outer darkness	265
Of the rulers of the twelve dungeons and their names	265
Of the doors of the dungeons	267
The angels who watch the doors	267
p. xiv
	PAGE
What souls pass into the dragon, and how	267
The nature of the names of the dragon	268
Of the severity of the chastisements of the dragon	268
Of the degrees of the fires of the chastisements	268
The disciples bewail the fate of sinners	269
Mary further questioneth Jesus	269
How to save the souls of the sinners	270
A summary of the formulæ	270
Of the light-beams and light-streams	272
Mary pleadeth for those who have neglected the mysteries	273
Of the efficacy of the names of the twelve angels	275
The souls who know the names escape and are taken to Yew	275
Of their subsequent fate	276
Mary interpreteth the same from a former saying	277
Of the light of the sun and the darkness of the dragon	277
Of the cup of forgetfulness	278
Of the counterfeiting spirit	278
Of the fashioning of a new soul	278
Of the inbreathing of the power	279
Jesus promiseth to reveal all in detail	280
Of the light-power and the counterfeiting spirit	281
The parents we are to abandon	281
Salome is in doubt	282
Mary removeth the doubt of Salome	282
Of the charge given to the counterfeiting spirit	283
Of the charge given to the servitors	284
Of conception	285
Of the compulsion of the parents	286
Of the process of gestation	286
Of the incarnation of the soul	286
Of the sealing of the plasm	287
Of the destiny	288
Of how a man cometh by his death	288
There is no escape from the destiny	289
Of the keys of the mysteries	289
The mysteries are all for men	290
A prophecy of John the Baptizer	290
The criterion of orthodoxy	291
The Books of Yew	292
Few only will accomplish the mystery of the First Mystery	292
No soul had entered into the Light before the coming of the First Mystery	293
Of the prophets	293
Of the patriarchs	293
Of the souls of the righteous from Adam to Jesus	294
The disciples know of a surety that Jesus is the Great Initiator	294
SUB-SCRIPTION:
A PORTION OF THE BOOKS OF THE SAVIOUR
p. xv
DIVISION IV.
A FIFTH BOOK
	PAGE
The disciples gather round Jesus	295
The invocation of Jesus	295
The grouping of the disciples	295
The interpretation of iaō	295
He continueth to make invocation	296
The apocalypse of the heavens	296
The figures of the disk of the sun and of the moon	296
Jesus and the disciples are transported to the ways of the midst	297
Of the repentant and unrepentant rulers	297
Of the hierarchies of the unrepentant rulers and the names of their five regents	298
Of the powers which Yew bound into the five regents	298
Of the functions of Zeus, the chief regent	298
The incorruptible names of the regents	299
Mary questioneth Jesus on the ways of the midst	299
Of the mysteries which Jesus will give unto his disciples	300
Of the constitution of the ways of the midst	301
Of Paraplēx	301
Of Yew and Melchisedec	301
How the demon rulers carry off souls	302
The chastisements of Paraplēx	302
Of Ariouth the Æthiopian	303
Of triple-faced Hekatē	304
Of Parhedrōn Typhon	305
Of Yachthanabas	306
The disciples beseech Jesus to have mercy upon sinners	307
Jesus encourageth his disciples	307
Jesus and his disciples ascend higher	308
He breatheth into their eyes	308
Their eyes are opened	308
Jesus explaineth the vision of fire and water, and wine and blood	308
The same explained from former sayings	309
Jesus and his disciples descend to earth	309
Jesus promiseth to give them the mystery of the forgiveness of sins	310
The mystic offering	310
The invocation	310
The rite is consummated	312
Directions as to the future use of the rite	312
Of three other mystic rites	312
Of the highest mysteries and of the great name	313
Of the efficacy of that name	313
A SIXTH BOOK
Of the chastisement of the curser	315
Of the chastisement of the slanderer	316
Of the chastisement of the murderer	317
Peter protesteth against the women	318
p. xvi
	PAGE
Of the chastisement of the thief	318
Of the chastisement of the arrogant	319
Of the chastisement of the blasphemer	320
Of the chastisement of him who hath intercourse with males	321
Of the chastisement of a foul act of sorcery	322
Of the after-death state of the righteous man who hath not been initiated	322
Of the cup of wisdom	323
A sinner suffereth for each separate sin	323
Even the greatest of sinners, if he repent, shall inherit the kingdom	324
Of the time favourable for the birth of those who shall find the mysteries	324
The disciples beseech Jesus to have mercy upon them	324
A LATER POSTSCRIPT
The proclamation of the disciples	325

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CONTENTS