A FOURTH BOOK
CHAPTER 126
AND Mary continued
again and said unto Jesus: "In what type is the outer darkness; or
rather how many regions of chastisement are there in it?"
Of the dragon of the outer darkness.
And
Jesus answered and said unto Mary: "The outer darkness is a great
dragon, whose tail is in his mouth, outside the whole world and
surrounding the whole world. And there are many regions of chastisement
within it. There are twelve mighty
chastisement-dungeons and a ruler is in every dungeon and the face of
the rulers is different one from another.
Of the rulers of the twelve dungeons and
their names.
"And the first ruler, who is in
the first dungeon, hath a crocodile's face, whose tail is in his mouth.
And out of the jaws of the dragon cometh all ice and all dust and all
cold and all different diseases. This [is] he who is called with his
authentic name in his region 'Enchthonin.'
"And the ruler who
is in the second dungeon, -- a cat's face is his authentic face. This [is]
he who is called in his region 'Charachar.'
"And the ruler who
is in the third dungeon, -- a dog's face is his authentic face. This [is]
he who is called in his region 'Archarōch.'
"And the ruler who
is in the fourth dungeon, -- a serpent's face is his authentic face. This
[is] he who is called in his region 'Achrōchar.'
"And the ruler who
is in the fifth dungeon, -- a black bull's face is his authentic face.
This [is] he who is called in his region 'Marchūr.'
"And the ruler who
is in the sixth dungeon, -- a wild boar's face is his authentic face. This
[is] he who is called in his region 'Lamchamōr.'
"And the
ruler who is in the seventh dungeon, -- a
bear's face is his authentic face. This [is] he who is called in his
region with his authentic name 'Luchar.'
"And the ruler of
the eighth dungeon, -- a vulture's face is his authentic face, whose name
in his region is called 'Laraōch.'
"And the ruler of
the ninth dungeon, -- a basilisk's face is his authentic face, whose name
in his region is called 'Archeōch.'
"And in the tenth
dungeon is a multitude of rulers, and every one of them hath seven
dragon's heads in his authentic face. And he who is over them all is in
his region with his name called Xarmarōch.'
"And in the
eleventh dungeon is a multitude of rulers, -- and every one of them hath
seven cat-faced heads in his authentic face. And the great one over them
is called in his region Rōchar.'
"And in the
twelfth dungeon is an exceedingly great multitude of rulers, and every
one of them hath seven dog-faced heads in his authentic face. And the
great one over them is called in his region 'Chrēmaōr.'
Of the doors of the dungeons.
The angels who watch the
doors.
"These
rulers then of these twelve dungeons are inside the dragon of the outer
darkness, each and every one
of them hath a name every hour, and every one of them changeth his face
every hour.
And moreover every one of these dungeons hath a door opening upwards, so
that the dragon of the outer darkness hath twelve dark dungeons, and
every dungeon hath a door opening upwards. And an angel of the height
watcheth each of the doors of the dungeons, -- whom Yew, the First Man,
the overseer of the Light,
the envoy of
the First Commandment, hath established as watchers of the dragon, so
that the dragon and the rulers of his dungeons which are in him, may not
mutiny."
When the
Saviour had said this, Mary Magdalene answered and said: "My Lord, will
then the souls which shall be led into that region, be led through these
twelve doors of the dungeons, every one according to the judgment of
which it is deserving?"
What souls
pass into the dragon, and how.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "No soul at all will be led into
the dragon through these doors. But the soul[s] of the blasphemers and
of those who are in the doctrines of error and of all who teach
doctrines of error, and of those who have intercourse with males, and of
those stained and impious men and of atheists and murderers and
adulterers and sorcerers, -- all such souls then, if while still in life
they do not repent but remain persistently in their sin, and all the
souls which have stayed behind without, that is those which have had the
number of the circuits which are appointed them in the sphere, without
having repented, -- well, at their last circuit will those souls, they and
all the souls of which I have just told you, be led out of [?] the jaws
of the tail of the dragon into the dungeons of the outer darkness. And
when those souls of the doors of the dungeons have been led into the
outer darkness into the jaws of his tail, he turneth his tail into his
own mouth and shutteth them in. Thus will the souls be led into the
outer darkness.
The nature of
the names of the dragon.
"And the
dragon of the outer darkness hath twelve authentic names on his doors, a
name on every one of the doors of the dungeons. And these twelve names
are different one from another; but the twelve are one in the other, so
that he who speaketh one name, speaketh all. These then will I tell you
at the expansion of the universe. Thus then is fashioned the outer
darkness, -- that is the dragon."
When then the Saviour had said this, Mary answered and said unto the
Saviour: "My Lord, are then the chastisements of that dragon far more
terrible compared with all the chastisements of the judgments?"
Of
the severity of the chastisements of the dragon.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Not only are they more painful
compared with all the chastisements of the judgments, but all the souls
which are led into that region, will be frozen up [?] in the violent
cold and the hail and exceedingly violent fire which is in that region,
but also at the dissolution of the world, that is at the ascension of
the universe, those souls will perish through the violent cold and the
exceedingly violent fire and be non-existent for ever."
Mary answered and said: "Woe unto the souls of sinners! Now, therefore,
my Lord, is the fire in the world of mankind fiercer, or the fire in
Amente?"
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Amēn, I say unto thee: The fire in
Amente is nine times fiercer than the fire in mankind.
"And the
fire in the chastisements of the great chaos is nine times more violent
than that in Amente.
"And the fire in the chastisements of the rulers who [are] on the way of
the midst, is nine times more violent than the fire of the chastisements
in the great chaos.
"And the fire in the dragon of the outer darkness and in all the
chastisements in him is seventy times more violent than the fire in all
the chastisements and in all the judgments of the rulers who [are] on
the way of the midst."
The disciples bewail the fate of sinners.
And
when the Saviour had said this unto Mary, she smote her breast, she
cried out and wept, she and all the disciples together, and said: "Woe
unto sinners, for their chastisements are exceedingly numerous!"
Mary came forward,
she fell down at the feet of Jesus, kissed them and said: "My Lord, bear
with me if I question thee, and be not wroth with me, that I trouble
thee oft; for from now on I will begin to question thee on all things
with determination."
The Saviour
answered and said unto Mary: "Question concerning all things on which
thou desirest to question, and I will reveal them unto thee in openness
without similitude."
Mary further questioneth Jesus.
Mary
answered and said: "My Lord, if a good man hath accomplished all the
mysteries and he hath a kinsman, in a word he hath a man, and that man
is an impious [one] who hath committed all sins and is deserving of the
outer darkness, and he hath not repented, or he hath completed his
number of circuits in the changes of the body, and that man hath done
nothing useful, and he hath
come out of the body, and we have known certainly of him, that he hath
sinned
and is deserving of the outer darkness, -- what are we to do with him, to
save him from the chastisements of the dragon of the outer darkness, and
that he may be removed into a righteous body which shall find the
mysteries of the Light-kingdom, in order that it may be good and go on
high and inherit the Light-kingdom?"
How to save the souls of sinners.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "If a sinner is deserving of the
outer darkness, or hath sinned according to the chastisements of the
rest of the chastisements and hath not repented, or a sinning man who
hath completed his number of circuits in the changes of the body and
hath not repented, -- if then these men of whom I have spoken, shall come
out of the body and be led into the outer darkness, now, therefore, if
ye desire to remove them out of the chastisements of the outer darkness
and all the judgments and to remove them into a righteous body which
shall find the mysteries of the Light, that it may go on high and
inherit the Light-kingdom, -- then perform this same mystery of the
Ineffable which forgiveth sins at every time, and when ye have finished
performing the mystery then say:
A summary of the formulæ.
"The
soul of such or such a man of whom I think in my heart, -- if it is in the
region of the chastisements of the dungeons of the outer darkness, or if
it is in the rest of the chastisements of the dungeons of the outer
darkness and in the rest of the chastisements
of the dragons, -- then is it to be removed out of them all. And if it
hath completed its number of its circuits of the changes, then is it to be
led before the Virgin of Light, and the Virgin of Light is to seal it
with the seal of the Ineffable and cast it down in whatever month into a
righteous body which shall find the mysteries of the Light, so that it
may be good, go on high and inherit the Light-kingdom. And moreover if
it hath completed the circuits of changes, then is that soul to be led
before the seven virgins of the Light who [are set] over the baptisms,
and they are to apply them to the soul and seal it with the sign of the
kingdom of the Ineffable and lead it into the orders of the Light.
"This then will ye
say when ye perform the mystery.
"Amēn, I say
unto you: The soul for which ye shall pray, if it indeed is in the
dragon of the outer darkness, he will draw his tail out of his mouth and
let go that soul. And moreover if it is in all the regions of the
judgments of the rulers, amēn, I say unto you: The receivers of
Melchisedec will with haste snatch it away, whether the dragon let it go
or it is in the judgments of the rulers; in a word, the receivers of
Melchisedec
will snatch it away out of all the regions in which it is, and will lead
it into the region of the Midst before the Virgin of Light, and the
Virgin of Light proveth it and seeth the sign of the kingdom of the
Ineffable which is on that soul.
"And if it hath
not yet completed its number of circuits in the changes of the soul, or
[in the changes] of the body, the Virgin of Light sealeth it with an
excellent seal and hasteth to have it cast down in any month into a
righteous body which shall find the mysteries of the Light, be good and
go on high into the Light-kingdom.
"And if that
soul hath had its number of the circuits, then the Virgin of Light
proveth it, and doth not have it chastized, because it hath had its
number of circuits, but handeth it over to the seven virgins of the
Light. And the seven virgins of the Light prove that soul, baptize it
with their baptisms and give it the spiritual chrism and lead it into
the Treasury of the Light and put it in the last order of the Light
until the ascension of all the perfect souls. And when they prepare to
draw apart the veils of the region of those of the Right, they cleanse
that soul anew and purify it and put it in the orders of the first
saviour who [is] in the
Treasury of the Light."
It came to pass
then, when the Saviour had finished speaking these words unto his
disciples, that Mary answered and said unto Jesus: "My Lord, I have
heard thee say: 'He who shall receive of the mysteries of the Ineffable
or who shall receive of the mysteries of the First Mystery, -- they become
flames of light-beams and light-streams and penetrate all the regions
until they reach the region of their inheritance.'"
Of the light beams and light-streams.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "If they receive the mystery when
still in life, and if they come out of the body, they become light-beams
and light-streams and penetrate all the regions until they reach the
region of their inheritance.
"But if they are
sinners and are come out of the body and have not repented, and if ye
perform for them the mystery of the Ineffable, in order that they may be
removed out of all the chastisements and be cast into a righteous body,
which is good and inheriteth the Light-kingdom or is brought into
the last order of the Light, then they will not be able to penetrate the
regions, because they do not perform the mystery [themselves]. But the
receivers of Melchisedec follow them and lead them before the Virgin of
Light. And
the servitors of the judges of the rulers make frequent haste to take
those souls and hand them over from one to the other until they lead
them before the Virgin of Light."
Mary pleadeth for those who have neglected
the mysteries.
And Mary continued and said
unto the Saviour: "My Lord, if a man hath received the mysteries of the
Light which [are] in the first space from without, and when the time of
the mysteries up to which they reach, is completed, and if that man
continueth anew to receive mysteries of the mysteries which [are] within
the mysteries which he hath already received, and moreover that man hath
become negligent, not having prayed in the prayer which taketh away the
evil of the victuals which he eateth and drinketh, and through the evil
of the victuals he is bound to the axle of the Fate of the rulers and
through the necessity of the elements he hath sinned anew after the
completion of the time up to which the mystery reacheth, -- because he
hath become negligent and hath not prayed in the prayer which taketh
away the evil of the souls and purifieth them, -- and that man is come out
of the body before he hath repented anew and anew received the mysteries
of the mysteries which [are] within the mysteries which he hath already
received, -- those which accept repentance from him and forgive his
sins, -- and when he came forth out of the body and we knew with
certainty that they have carried him into the midst of the dragon of the
outer darkness because of the sins which he committed, and that that man
hath no helper in the world nor any one compassionate, that he should
perform the mystery of the Ineffable until he should be removed out of
the midst of the dragon of the outer darkness and led into the
Light-kingdom, -- now, therefore, my Lord, what will befall him until he
save himself from the chastisements of the dragon of the outer darkness?
By no means, O Lord, abandon him, because he hath endured sufferings in
the persecutions and in the whole godhood in which he is.
"Now, therefore, O
Saviour, have mercy with me, lest one of our kinsmen should be in such a
type, and have mercy with all the souls which shall be in this type; for
thou art the key which openeth the door of the universe and shutteth the
door of the universe, and thy mystery comprehendeth them all. Have then
mercy, O Lord, with such souls. For they have called on the name of thy
mysteries, [were it but] for one single day, and have truly had faith in
them and were not in play-acting. Give them then, O Lord, a gift in thy
goodness and give them rest in thy mercy."
When then
Mary had said this, the Saviour called her most exceedingly blessed
because of the words
which she had spoken. And the Saviour was in great compassion and said
unto Mary: "Unto all men who shall be in this type of which thou hast
spoken, unto them while they [are] still in life, give ye the mystery of
one of the twelve names of the dungeons of the dragon of the outer
darkness, -- those which I will give you when I have ended explaining unto
you the universe from within
without and from without within.
Of the efficacy of the names of the twelve
angels.
"And all men who shall find the
mystery of one of the twelve names of that dragon of the outer darkness,
and all men even if they are very great sinners, and they have first
received the mysteries of the Light and thereafter have transgressed, or
they have performed no mystery at all, then if they have completed their
circuits in the changes, and if such men go forth out of the body
without having repented anew, and if they are led into the chastisements
which [are] in the midst of the dragon of the outer darkness, and remain
in the circuits and remain in the chastisements in the midst of the
dragon, -- these, if they know the mystery of one of the twelve names of
the angels while they are in life and are in the world, and if they
speak one of their names while they are in the midst of the
chastisements of the dragon, -- then, at the hour when they shall speak
it, the whole dragon will be tossed about and most exceedingly
convulsed, and the door of the dungeon in which the souls
of those men are, openeth itself upward, and the ruler of the dungeon in
which those men are, casteth the souls of those men out of the midst of
the dragon of the outer darkness, because they have found the mystery of
the name of the dragon.
The souls who know the names escape and are
taken to Yew.
"And when the ruler casteth
out souls, straight-way the angels of Yew, the First Man, who watch the
dungeons of that region, hasten to snatch away those souls to lead them
before Yew, the First Man, the Envoy of the First Commandment. And Yew,
the First Man, seeth the souls and proveth them; he findeth that they
have completed their circuits and
that it is not lawful to bring them anew into the world, for it is not
lawful to bring anew into the world all souls which are cast into the
outer darkness. [But] if they have not yet completed their number of
circuits in the changes of the body, the receivers of Yew keep them with
them until they perform for them the mystery of the Ineffable, and
remove them into a good body which shall find the mysteries of the Light
and inherit the Light-kingdom.
Of their subsequent fate.
"But
if Yew proveth them and findeth that they have completed their circuits
and that it is not lawful to [re]turn them anew to the world, and that
also the sign of the Ineffable
is not with them, then Yew hath compassion upon them and leadeth them
before the seven virgins of the Light. They baptize them with their
baptisms, but they do not give them the spiritual chrism. And they lead
them into the Treasury of the Light, but they do not put them in the
orders of the Inheritance, because no sign and no seal of the Ineffable
is with them. But they save them from all chastisements and put them
into the light of the Treasury, separated and apart by themselves alone
until the ascension of the universe. And at the time when they will draw
apart the veils of the Treasury of the Light, they cleanse those souls
anew and purify them most exceedingly and give them anew mysteries and
put them in the last order which [is] in the Treasury, and those souls
will be saved from all the chastisements of the judgments."
And when the
Saviour had said this, he said unto his disciples: "Have ye understood
in what manner I discourse with you?"
Mary interpreteth the same from a former
saying.
Mary then answered and said "My
Lord, this is the word which thou hast spoken unto us aforetime, in a
similitude, saying: 'Make to yourselves a friend out of the Mamōn of
unrighteousness, so that if ye remain behind, he may receive you into the everlasting tents.' Who then is the Mamōn of unrighteousness, if not
the dragon of the outer darkness? This is the word: He who shall
understand the mystery of one of the names of the dragon of the outer
darkness, if he remaineth behind in the outer darkness or if he hath
completed the circuits of the changes, and speaketh the name of the
dragon, he will be saved and go up out of the darkness and be received
into the Treasury of the Light. This is the word, my Lord."
Of the cup of forgetfulness.
The
Saviour answered again and said unto Mary: "Well said, spiritual and
pure [one]. This is the solution of the word."
Mary continued
again and said: "My Lord, doth the dragon of the outer darkness come
into this world or doth he not come?"
Of the light of the sun and the darkness of
the dragon.
The Saviour answered and said
unto Mary: "When the light of the sun is outside [? above the world], he
covereth the darkness of the dragon; but if the sun is below the world,
then the darkness of the dragon abideth as veiling of the sun and the
breath of the darkness cometh into the world in form of a smoke in the
night, -- that is, if the sun withdraweth into himself his rays, then
indeed the world is not able to endure the darkness of the dragon in its
true form; otherwise would it be dissolved and go to ruin withal."
When the Saviour
had said this, Mary continued again and said unto the Saviour: "My Lord, still do I question thee and
hide [it] not from me. Now, therefore, my Lord, who compelleth then the
man until he sinneth?"
The Saviour
answered and said unto Mary: "It is the rulers of the Fate who compel
the man until he sinneth."
Mary answered and
said unto the Saviour: "My Lord, surely the rulers do not come down to
the world and compel the man until he sinneth?"
Of the cup of forgetfulness.
Of
the counterfeiting spirit.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "They do not come down in this
manner into the world. But the rulers of the Fate, when an old soul is
about to come down through them, then the rulers of that great Fate who
[are] in the regions of the head of the æons, -- which is that region
which is called the region of the kingdom of Adamas, and which is that
region which is in face of the Virgin of Light, -- then the rulers of the
region of that head give the old soul a cup of forgetfulness out of the
seed of wickedness, filled with all the different desires and all
forgetfulness. And straightway, when that soul shall drink out of the
cup, it forgetteth all the regions to which it hath gone,
and all the chastisements in which it hath travelled. And that cup of the
water of forgetfulness becometh body outside the soul, and it resembleth
the soul in all [its] figures and maketh [itself] like it, -- which is
what is called the counterfeiting spirit.
Of the fashioning of a new soul.
"If
on the other hand it is a new soul which they have taken out of the
sweat of the rulers and out of the tears of their eyes, or far rather
out of the breath of their mouths, -- in a word, if it is one of the new
souls or one of such souls, if it is one out of the sweat, then the five
great rulers of the
great Fate take up the sweat of all the rulers of their æons, knead it
together withal, portion it and make it into a soul. Or far rather if it
is refuse of the purification of the Light, then Melchisedec taketh it
up from the rulers. The five great rulers of the great Fate knead the
refuse together, portion it and make it into different souls, so that
every one of the rulers of the æons, every one of them putteth his
portion into the soul. For this cause they knead it jointly, so that all
may [par]take of the soul.
"And the
five great rulers, if they portion it and make it into souls, bring it
out of the sweat
of the rulers. But if it is one out of the refuse of the purification of
the Light, then Melchisedec, the great Receiver of the Light, taketh it
[sc. the refuse] up from the rulers, or far rather if it is out
of the tears of their eyes or out of the breath of their mouth, -- in a
word, out of such souls, when the five rulers portion it and make it
into different souls, -- or far rather if it is an old soul, then the
ruler who is in the head of the æons, himself mixeth the cup of
forgetfulness with the seed of wickedness, and he mixeth it with every
one of the new souls at the time when he is in the region of the head.
And that cup of forgetfulness becometh the counterfeiting spirit for
that soul, and bideth outside the soul, being a vesture for it and
resembling it in every way, being envelope as vesture outside it.
Of the in-breathing of the power.
"And
the five great rulers of the great Fate of the æons and the ruler of the
disk of the sun and the ruler of the disk of the moon inbreathe within
into that soul, and there cometh forth out of them a portion
out of my power which the last Helper
hath cast into the Mixture. And the portion of that power remaineth
within in the soul,
unloosed and existing on its own authority for the economy unto which it
hath been inset, to give sense unto the soul, in order that it may seek
after the works of the Light of the Height always.
"And that power is
like the species of the soul in every form and resembleth it. It cannot
be outside the soul, but remaineth inside it, as I have commanded it
from the beginning. When I willed to cast it into the first Commandment,
I gave it commandment to remain outside [? inside] the souls for the
economy of the First Mystery.
Jesus promiseth to reveal all in detail.
"And
so I will tell you at the expansion of the universe all these words
concerning the power and also concerning the soul, after what type they
are fashioned, or what ruler fashioneth them, or what are the different
species of the souls. And so will I tell you at the expansion of the
universe how many fashion the soul. And I will tell you the name of all
of them who fashion the soul. And I will tell you the type, how the
counterfeiting spirit and the destiny have been prepared. And I will
tell you the name of the soul before it is purged, and moreover its name
when it hath been purged and become pure. And I will tell you the name
of the counterfeiting spirit; and I will tell you the name of the
destiny. And I will tell you the name of all the bonds with which the
rulers bind the counterfeiting spirit
to the soul. And I will tell you the name of all the decans who fashion
the soul in the bodies of the soul in the world; and I will tell you in
what manner the souls
are fashioned. And I will tell you the type of every one of the souls;
and I will tell you the type of the souls of the men and of those of the
birds and of those of the wild beasts and of those of the reptiles. And
I will tell you the type of all the souls and of those of all the rulers
which are sent into the world, in order that ye may be completed in all
gnosis. All this will I tell you at the expansion of the universe. And
after all this I will tell you wherefor all this hath come to pass.
Of the light-power and the counterfeiting
spirit.
"Hearken, therefore, that I may
discourse with you concerning the soul according as I have said: The
five great rulers of the great Fate of the æons and the rulers of the
disk of the sun and the rulers of the disk of the moon breathe into that
soul, and there cometh out of them a portion of my power, as I have just
said. And the portion of that power remaineth within the soul, so that
the soul can stand. And they put
the counterfeiting spirit outside the soul, watching it and assigned to
it; and the rulers bind it to the soul with their seals and their bonds
and seal it to it, that it may compel it always, so that it continually
doeth its mischiefs and all its iniquities, in order that it may be
their slave always and remain under their sway always in the changes of
the body; and they seal it to it that it may be in all the sin and all
the desires of the world.
The parents we are to abandon.
"For
this cause, therefore, have I in this manner brought the mysteries into
this world which undo all the bonds of the counterfeiting spirit and all
the seals which are bound to the soul, -- those which make the soul free
and free it from its parents the
rulers, and make it into refined light and lead it up into the kingdom
of its father, the first Issue, the First Mystery, for ever.
"For this cause
therefore, have I said unto you aforetime: 'He who doth not abandon
father and mother and come and follow after me, is not worthy of me.' I
have, therefore, said at that time: Ye are to abandon your parents the
rulers, that I may make you sons of the First Mystery for ever."
Salome is in doubt.
And
when
the Saviour had said this, Salome started forward and said: "My Lord, if
our parents are the rulers, how standeth it written in the Law of Moses:
'He who shall abandon his father and his mother, let him die the death'?
Hath not thus the Law made statement thereon?"
And when Salome
had said this, the light-power in Mary Magdalene bubbled up in her and
she said to the Saviour: "My Lord, give commandment unto me that I
discourse with my sister Salome to tell her the solution of the word
which she hath spoken."
It came to pass
then, when the Saviour had heard Mary say these words, that he called
her most exceedingly blessed. The Saviour answered and said unto Mary:
"I give commandment unto thee, Mary, that thou speak the solution of the
word which Salome hath spoken."
Mary removeth the doubt of Salome.
And
when the Saviour had said this, Mary started forward to Salome, embraced
her and said unto her: "My sister Salome, concerning the word which thou
hast spoken: It standeth written in the Law of Moses: 'He who shall
abandon his father and his mother, let him die the death,' -- now,
therefore, my sister Salome, the Law hath
not said this concerning the soul nor concerning the body nor concerning
the counterfeiting spirit, for all these are sons
of the rulers and are out of them. But the Law hath said this concerning
the power which hath came forth out of the Saviour, and which is the
light-man within us to-day. The Law hath moreover said: Every one who
shall remain without the Saviour and all his mysteries, his parents,
will not only die the death but go to ruin in destruction."
When then Mary had
said this, Salome started forward to Mary and embraced her anew. Salome
said: "The Saviour hath power to make me understanding like thyself."
It came to pass,
when the Saviour had heard the words of Mary, that he called her most
exceedingly blessed. The Saviour answered and said unto Mary in the
midst of his disciples: "Hearken, therefore, Mary, who it is who
compelleth the man until he sinneth.
Of the charge given to the counterfeiting
spirit.
"Now, therefore, the rulers seal the
counterfeiting spirit to the soul, [but] so that it doth not agitate it
every hour, making it do all sins and all iniquities. And they give
commandment moreover unto the counterfeiting spirit, saying: 'If the
soul cometh out of the body, do not agitate it, being assigned to it and
transferring it to all the regions of the judgments, region by region,
on account of all the sins which thou hast made it do, in order that it
may be chastized in all the regions of the judgments, so that it may not
be able to go
on high to the Light and return into changes of the body.'
"In a word, they
give commandment to the counterfeiting
spirit, saying: 'Do not agitate it at all at any hour unless it doth not
speak mysteries and undo all the seals and all the bonds with which we
have bound thee to it. [But] if it sayeth the mysteries and undoeth all
the seals and all the bonds and [sayeth] the apology of the region, and
if it cometh, then let it go forth, for it belongeth to those of the
Light of the Height and hath become a stranger unto us and unto thee,
and thou wilt not be able to seize it from this hour onwards. If on the
contrary it sayeth not the mysteries of the undoing of thy bonds and of
thy seals and of the apologies of the region, then seize it and let it
not out; thou shalt transfer it to the chastisements and all the regions
of the judgments on account of all the sins which thou hast made it do.
After this lead [such souls] before the Virgin of Light, who sendeth
them once more into the circuit.'
Of the charge given to the servitors.
"The
rulers of the great Fate of the æons hand these over to the
counterfeiting spirit; and the rulers summon the servitors of their æons,
to the number of three-hundred-and-sixty-and-five, and give them the
soul and the counterfeiting spirit, which are bound to one another. The
counterfeiting spirit is the without of the soul, and the compound of
the power is the within of the soul, being within both of them, in order
that they may be able to stand, for
it is the power which keepeth the two up-right. And the rulers give
commandment to the servitors, saying unto them: This is the type which
ye are to put into the body of the matter of the world.' They say unto
them indeed: 'Put the compound of the power, the within of the soul,
within them all, that they may
be able to stand, for it is their up-rightness, and after the soul put
the counterfeiting spirit.'
Of conception.
"Thus
they give commandment to their servitors, that they may deposit it into
the bodies of the antitype. And following this fashion the servitors of
the rulers bring the power and the soul and the counterfeiting spirit,
bring them down to the world, and pour [them] out into the world of the
rulers of the midst. The rulers of the midst look after the
counterfeiting spirit; and also the destiny, whose name is Moira,
leadeth the man until it hath him slain through the death appointed unto
him, which the rulers of the great Fate have bound to the soul. And the
servitors of the sphere bind the soul and the power and the
counterfeiting spirit and the destiny. And they portion them all and
make them into two portions and seek after the man and also after the
woman in the world to whom they have given signs, in order that they may
send them into them. And they give one portion to the man and one
portion to the woman in a victual of the world or in a breath of the air
or in water or in a kind which they drink.
"All this I will
tell unto you and the species of every soul and the type, how they enter
into the bodies, whether of men or of birds or of cattle or of wild
beasts or of reptiles or of all the other species in the world. I will
tell you their type, in what type they enter into men; I will tell it
you at the expansion of the universe.
Of the compulsion of the parents.
"Now, therefore,
when the servitors of the rulers cast the one portion into the woman and
the other into the man in the fashion which I have
told you, then the servitors secretly compel them, even if they are
removed at very great distance from one another, so that they concert to
be in a concert of the world. And the counterfeiting spirit which is in
the man, cometh to the portion which is entrusted to the world in the
matter of his body, and lifteth it and casteth it down into the womb of
the woman [into the portion] which is entrusted to the seed of
wickedness.
Of the process of gestation.
"And
in that hour the three-hundred-and-sixty-and-five servitors of the
rulers go into her womb and take up their abode in it. The servitors
bring the two portions the one to the other, and moreover the servitors
withhold
the blood of all the food of the woman which she will eat and which she
will drink, and they withhold [it] in the womb of the woman up to forty
days. And after forty days they knead the blood of the power of all the
food and knead it well in the woman's womb.
"After forty days
they spend another thirty days in building its members in the image of
the body of the man; each buildeth a member. I will tell you the decans
who will build it [sc. the body]; I will tell them you at the
expansion of the universe.
Of the incarnation of the soul.
"If
then after this the servitors shall have completed the whole body and
all its members in seventy days, after this the servitors summon into
the body which they have built, -- first indeed they summon the
counterfeiting spirit; thereafter they summon the soul within them; and
thereafter they summon the compound of the power into the soul; and the
destiny they put outside them all, as it is
not blended with them, [but] following them and accompanying them.
Of the sealing of the plasm.
"And
after this the servitors seal them one to the other with all the seals
which the rulers have given them. [And] they seal the day on which they
have taken up their abode in the womb of the woman, -- they seal [it] on
the left hand
of the plasm; and they seal the day on which they have completed the
body, on the right hand; and they seal the day on which the rulers have
handed it over to them, on the middle of the skull of the body of the
plasm; and they seal the day on which the soul hath come forth out of
the rulers, they seal it on the [left of] the skull of the plasm; and
they seal the day on which they kneaded the members and separated them
for a soul, they seal it on the right of the skull of the plasm; and the
day on which they have bound the counterfeiting spirit to it [the soul],
they seal on the back of the skull of the plasm; and the day on which
the rulers have breathed the power into the body, they seal on the brain
which is in the midst of the head of the plasm and also on the inside [?
the heart] of the plasm; and the number of years which the soul will
spend in the body, they seal on the forehead which is on the plasm. And
so they seal all those seals on the plasm. I will tell you the names of
all these seals at the expansion of the universe; and after the
expansion of the universe I will tell you wherefor all hath come to
pass. And, if ye could understand it, I am that mystery.
"Now, therefore,
the servitors complete the whole man. And of all these seals with which
they have sealed the body,
the servitors carry the whole peculiarity
and bring it to all the retributive rulers who [are] over all the
chastisements of the judgments; and these hand it over to their
receivers, in order that they may lead their souls out of the
bodies, -- they hand over to them the peculiarity of the seals, in order
that they may know the time when they are to lead the souls out of the
bodies, and in order that they may know the time when they are to bring
to birth the body, so that they may send their servitors in order that
they may draw near and follow the soul and bear witness of all the sins
it shall do, -- they and the counterfeiting spirit, -- on account of the
manner and way, how they shall chastize it in the judgment.
Of the destiny.
"And
when the servitors have given the peculiarity of the seals to the
retributive rulers, they withdraw themselves to the economy of their
occupations which is appointed unto them through the rulers of the great
Fate. And when the number of months of the birth of the babe is
completed, the babe is born. Small in it is the compound of the power,
and small in it is the soul; and small in it is the counterfeiting
spirit. The destiny on the contrary is large, as it is not mingled into
the body for their economy, but followeth the soul
and the body and the counterfeiting spirit, until the time when the soul
shall come forth out of the body, on account of the type of death by
which it shall slay it [the body] according to the death appointed for
it by the rulers of the great Fate.
Of how a man cometh by his death.
"Is
he to die by a wild beast, the destiny leadeth the wild beast against
him until it slay him; or is he to die by a serpent, or is he to fall into a pit by
mischance, or is he to hang himself, or is he to die in water, or
through such [kinds of death], or through another death which is worse
or better than this, -- in a word, it is the destiny which forceth his
death upon him. This is the occupation of the destiny, and it hath no
other occupation but this. And the destiny followeth every man until the
day of his death."
Mary answered and
said: "To all men then who are in the world, will all which is appointed
them through the Fate, whether good or bad or sin or death or life, -- in
a word, will all which is appointed them through the rulers of the Fate,
have to come unto them?"
There is no escape from the destiny.
The
Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Amēn, I say unto you: All which is
appointed unto every one through the Fate, whether all good or all
sins, -- in a word, all which is appointed them, cometh unto them.
Of the keys of the mysteries.
"For
this cause, therefore, have I brought
the keys of the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; otherwise no flesh
in the world would be saved. For without mysteries no one will enter
into the Light-kingdom, be he a righteous or a sinner.
"For this cause,
therefore, have I brought the keys of the mysteries into the world, that
I may free the sinners who shall have faith in me and hearken unto me,
so that I may free them from the bonds and the seals of the æons of the
rulers and bind them to the seals and the vestures and the orders of the
Light, in order that he whom I shall free in the world from the bonds
and the seals of the æons of the rulers, may be freed in the Height from
the bonds and seals of the æons of the rulers, and in order that he whom
I shall bind in the
world to the seals and the vestures and the orders of the Light, may be
bound in the Light-land to the orders of the inheritances of the Light.
"For the
sake of sinners, therefore, have I torn myself asunder at this time and
have brought them the mysteries, that I may free them from the æons of
the rulers and bind them to the inheritances of the Light, and not only
the sinners, but also the righteous, in order that I may give them the
mysteries and that they may be taken into the Light, for without
mysteries they cannot
be taken into the Light.
The mysteries are for all men.
"For
this cause, therefore, I have not hidden it, but I have cried it aloud
clearly. And I have not separated the sinners, but I have cried it aloud
and said it unto all men, unto sinners and righteous, saying: 'Seek that
ye may find, knock that it may be opened unto you; for every one who
seeketh in truth, will find, and who knocketh, to him it will be
opened.' For I have said unto all men: They are to seek the mysteries of
the Light-kingdom which shall purify them and make them refined and lead
them into the Light.
A prophecy of John the Baptizer.
"For
this cause, therefore, hath John the Baptizer prophesied concerning me,
saying: 'I indeed have baptized you with water unto repentance for
forgiveness of your sins. He who cometh after me, is stronger than me.
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will purify his floor. The chaff indeed
he will consume with unquenchable fire, but the wheat he will gather
into his barn.' The power in John hath prophesied concerning me, knowing
that I would bring the mysteries into the world and purify the sins of the sinners who
shall have faith in me and hearken unto me, and make them into refined
light and lead them into the Light."
When then Jesus
had said this, Mary answered and said: "My Lord, if men go to seek and
they come upon the doctrines of error, whence then are they to know
whether they belong to thee or not?"
The Saviour
answered and said unto Mary: "I have said unto you aforetime: 'Be ye as
skilful money-changers. Take the good, throw the bad away.'
The criterion of orthodoxy.
"Now,
therefore, say unto all men who would seek the godhead: 'If north wind
cometh, then ye know that there will be cold; if south wind cometh, then
ye know that there will be burning and fervent heat.' Now, therefore,
say unto them: 'If ye have known the face of the heaven and of the earth
from the winds, then know ye exactly, if then any come now unto you and
proclaim unto you a godhead, whether their words have harmonized and
fitted with all your words which I have spoken unto you through two up
to three witnesses, and whether they have harmonized in the setting of
the air and of the heavens and of the circuits and of the stars and of
the light-givers and of the whole earth and all on it and of all waters
and all in them.' Say unto them: 'Those who shall come unto you, and
their words fit and harmonize in the whole gnosis with that which I have
said unto you, I will receive as belonging unto us.' This is what ye
shall say unto men, if ye make proclamation unto them in order that they
may guard themselves from the doctrines of error.
The Books of Yew.
"Now,
therefore, for the sake of sinners have I rent myself asunder and am
come into the world, that I may save them. For even for the righteous,
who have never done any evil and have not sinned at all, it is necessary
that they should find the mysteries which are in the Books of Yew, which
I have made Enoch write in Paradise, discoursing with him out of the
tree of the Gnosis and out of the tree of the Life. And I made him
deposit them in the rock Ararad, and set the ruler Kalapataurōth, who is
over Skemmūt, on whose head is the foot of Yew, and who surroundeth all
æons and Fates, -- I set up that ruler as watcher over the Books of Yew on
account of the flood, and in order that none of the rulers may be
envious of them and destroy them. These will I give you, when I shall
have told you the expansion of the universe."
When then the
Saviour had said this, Mary answered and said: "My Lord, who now then is
the man in the world who hath not sinned at all, who is pure of
iniquities? For if he is pure of one, he will not be able to be pure of
another, so that he may find the mysteries which are in the Books of
Yew? For I say: A man in this world will not be able to be pure of sins;
for if he is pure of one, he will not be able to be pure of another."
Few only will accomplish the mystery of the
First Mystery.
The Saviour answered and said
unto Mary: "I say unto you: They will find one in a thousand and two in
ten-thousand for the accomplishment of the mystery of the First Mystery.
This will I tell unto you when I have explained to you the expansion of
the universe. For this cause, therefore, I have rent myself asunder and
have brought the mysteries into
the world, because all are under sin and all are in need of the gift of
the mysteries."
Mary answered and
said unto the Saviour: "My Lord, before thou didst come to the region of
the rulers and before thou didst come down into the world, hath no soul
entered into the Light?"
No soul had entered into the Light before
the coming of the First Mystery.
The Saviour
answered and said unto Mary: "Amēn, amēn, I say unto you Before I did
come into the world, no soul hath entered into the Light. And now,
therefore, when I am come, I have opened the gates of the Light and
opened the ways which lead to the Light. And now, therefore, let him who
shall do what is worthy of the mysteries, receive the mysteries and
enter into the Light."
Mary continued and
said: "But, my Lord, I have heard that the prophets have entered into
the Light."
Of the prophets.
The
Saviour continued and said unto Mary: "Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: No
prophet hath entered into the Light; but the rulers of the æons have
discoursed with them out of the æons and given them the mystery of the
æons. And when I came to the regions of the æons, I have turned Elias
and sent him into the body of John the Baptizer, and the rest also I
turned into righteous bodies, which will find the mysteries
of the Light, go on high and inherit the Light-kingdom.
Of the patriarchs.
"Unto
Abraham on the other hand and Isaac and Jacob I have forgiven all their
sins and their iniquities and have given them the mysteries of the Light
in the æons and placed them in the region of Yabraōth and of all the
rulers who have repented. And when I go into the Height and am on the point of
going into the Light, I will carry their souls with me into the Light.
But, amēn, I say unto you, Mary: They will not go into the Light before
I have carried thy soul and those of all thy brethren into the Light.
Of the souls of the righteous from Adam to
Jesus.
"The rest of the patriarchs and of
the righteous from the time of Adam unto now, who are in the æons and
all the orders of the rulers, when I came to the region of the æons, I
have through the Virgin of Light made to turn into bodies which will all
be righteous, -- those which will find the mysteries of the Light, enter
in and inherit the Light-kingdom."
Mary answered and
said: "Blessed are we before all men because of these splendours which
thou hast revealed unto us."
The Saviour
answered and said unto Mary and all the disciples: "I will still reveal
unto you all the splendours of the Height, from the interiors of the
interiors to the exteriors of the exteriors,
that ye may be perfected in all gnosis and in all fulness and in the
height of the heights and the depths of the depths."
The disciples know of a surety that Jesus
is the Great Initiator.
And Mary continued
and said to the Saviour: "Lo, my Lord, we have openly, exactly and
clearly known that thou hast brought the keys of the mysteries of the
Light-kingdom, which forgive souls sins and purify them and make them
into refined light and lead them into the Light."
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