Sacred Texts Christianity Gnosticism Index Previous Next
Buy this Book at Amazon.com
Pistis Sophia, by G.R.S. Mead, [1921], at sacred-texts.com
And Jesus answered and said unto John: "Finely indeed do ye question on all with precision and certainty. But now, therefore, John, hearken that I may discourse with thee. Every one who hath received mysteries of the Light, will abide in the region up to which every one hath received mysteries, and he hath not the power to go into the height into the orders which are above him.
Of the first Commandment."So that he who hath received mysteries in the first Commandment, hath the power to go into the orders which are below him, that is into all the orders of the third [?] space; but he hath not the power to go into the height to the orders which are above him.
Of the first space."And he who shall receive the mysteries of the First Mystery, which is the four-and-twentieth mystery from without and the head of the first space which is without,--he hath the power to go into all the orders which are without him; but he hath not the power to go into the regions which are above him or to pass through them.
Of the second space."And of those who have received the mysteries in the orders of the four-and-twenty mysteries, |204. every one will go into the region in which he hath received mysteries, and he will have the
power to pass through all the orders and spaces which are without him; but he hath not the power to go into the higher orders which are above him or to pass through them.
Of the third space."And he who hath received mysteries in the orders of the First Mystery which is in the third space, hath the power to go into all the lower orders which are below him and to pass through all; but on the other hand he hath not the power to go into the regions which are above him or to pass through them.
Of the Thrice-spirituals."And he who hath received mysteries of the first Thrice-spiritual, which ruleth over the four-and-twenty mysteries all together which rule over the space of the First Mystery, of whose region at the expansion of the universe I will tell you--he, therefore, who shall receive the mystery of that Thrice-spiritual, hath the power to go down into all orders which are below him; but he hath not the power to go into the height into the orders which are above him, that is into all the orders of the space of the Ineffable.
"And he who hath received the mystery of the second Thrice-spiritual, hath the power to go into all the orders of the first Thrice-spiritual |205. and to pass through them all and all their orders which are in them; but he hath not the power to go into the higher orders of the third Thrice-spiritual.
"And he who hath received the mystery of the third Thrice-spiritual, which ruleth over the three Thrice-spirituals and the three spaces of the First Mystery all together, [hath the power to go into all the orders which are below him]; but he hath not the power to go into the height
into the orders which are above. him, that is into the orders of the space of the Ineffable.
Of the master-mystery."And he who hath received the master-mystery of the First Mystery of the Ineffable, that is the twelve mysteries of the First Mystery all together, which rule over all the spaces of the First Mystery, he, therefore, who shall receive that mystery, hath the power to pass through all the orders of the spaces of the three Thrice-spirituals and the three spaces of the First Mystery and all their orders, and hath the power to pass through all the orders of the inheritances of the Light, to pass through them from without within and from within without and from above below and from below |206. above and from the height to the depth and from the depth to the height and from the length to the breadth and from the breadth to the length; in a word, he hath the power to pass through all the regions of the inheritances of the Light, and he hath the power to bide in the region where he pleaseth, in the Inheritance of the Light-kingdom.
"And amēn, I say unto you: That man will at the dissolution of the world be king over all the orders of the Inheritance of the Light. And he who shall receive that mystery of the Ineffable which I am,
Of the gnosis of the master-mystery."That mystery knoweth why the darkness hath arisen and why the light hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the darkness of the darknesses hath arisen and why the light of the lights hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the chaos hath arisen and why the treasury of the light hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the judgments have arisen and why the light-land and the region of the inheritances of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the chastisements of the sinners have arisen and why the rest of the kingdom of the light hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth |207. why the sinners have arisen and why the inheritances of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the impious have arisen and why the good have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the chastisements and judgments have arisen and why all the emanations of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the sins have arisen and why the baptisms and the mysteries of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the fire of chastisement hath arisen and why the seals of the light, so that the fire should not harm them, have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why wrath hath arisen and why peace hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why slander hath arisen and why songs of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the prayers of the light have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why cursing hath arisen and why blessing hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why knavery hath arisen and why deceit hath arisen.
"And that mystery |208. knoweth why the slaying hath arisen and why the quickening of the souls hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why adultery
and fornication have arisen and why purity hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why intercourse hath arisen and why continence hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why insolence and boasting have arisen and why humbleness and meekness have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why tears have arisen and why laughter hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why slander hath arisen and why good report hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why appreciation hath arisen and why disdain of men hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why murmuring hath arisen and why innocence and humbleness have arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why sin hath arisen and why purity hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why strength hath arisen and why weakness hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why |209. motion of body hath arisen and why its utility hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why poverty hath arisen and why wealth hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why the freedom [?] of the world hath arisen and why slavery hath arisen.
"And that mystery knoweth why death hath arisen and why life hath arisen."