The Apocalypse of Peter CODEX VII

 As the Savior was sitting in the temple in the three hundredth (year) of the covenant and the agreement of the tenth pillar, and being satisfied with the number of the living, incorruptible Majesty, he said to me, "Peter, blessed are those above belonging to the Father, who revealed life to those who are from the life, through me, since I reminded they who are built on what is strong, that they may hear my word, and distinguish words of unrighteousness and transgression of law from righteousness, as being from the height of every word of this Pleroma of truth, having been enlightened in good pleasure by him whom the principalities sought. But they did not find him, nor was he mentioned among any generation of the prophets. 

He has now appeared among these, in him who appeared, who is the Son of Man, who is exalted above the heavens in a fear of men of like essence. But you yourself, Peter, become perfect in accordance with your name with myself, the one who chose you, because from you I have established a base for the remnant whom I have summoned to knowledge. Therefore be strong until the imitation of righteousness - of him who had summoned you, having summoned you to know him in a way which is worth doing because of the rejection which happened to him, and the sinews of his hands and his feet, and the crowning by those of the middle region, and the body of his radiance which they bring in hope of service because of a reward of honor - as he was about to reprove you three times in this night." And as he was saying these things, I saw the priests and the people running up to us with stones, as if they would kill us; and I was afraid that we were going to die. 

And he said to me, "Peter, I have told you many times that they are blind ones who have no guide. If you want to know their blindness, put your hands upon (your) eyes - your robe - and say what you see." But when I had done it, I did not see anything. I said "No one sees (this way)." Again he told me, "Do it again." And there came in me fear with joy, for I saw a new light greater than the light of day. Then it came down upon the Savior. And I told him about those things which I saw. And he said to me again, "Lift up your hands and listen to what the priests and the people are saying." And I listened to the priests as they sat with the scribes. The multitudes were shouting with their voice. When he heard these things from me he said to me, "Prick up your ears and listen to the things they are saying." And I listened again, "As you sit, they are praising you". And when I said these things, the Savior said, "I have told you that these (people) are blind and deaf. Now then, listen to the things which they are telling you in a mystery, and guard them, Do not tell them to the sons of this age. For they shall blaspheme you in these ages since they are ignorant of you, but they will praise you in knowledge." "For many will accept our teaching in the beginning. 

And they will turn from them again by the will of the Father of their error, because they have done what he wanted. And he will reveal them in his judgment, i.e., the servants of the Word. But those who became mingled with these shall become their prisoners, since they are without perception. And the guileless, good, pure one they push to the worker of death, and to the kingdom of those who praise Christ in a restoration. And they praise the men of the propagation of falsehood, those who will come after you. And they will cleave to the name of a dead man, thinking that they will become pure. But they will become - 1 9 7 - greatly defiled and they will fall into a name of error, and into the hand of an evil, cunning man and a manifold dogma, and they will be ruled without law." "For some of them will blaspheme the truth and proclaim evil teaching. And they will say evil things against each other. Some will be named: (those) who stand in (the) strength of the archons, of a man and a naked woman who is manifold and subject to much suffering. And those who say these things will ask about dreams. And if they say that a dream came from a demon worthy of their error, then they shall be given perdition instead of incorruption." "For evil cannot produce good fruit. For the place from which each of them is produces that which is like itself; for not every soul is of the truth, nor of immortality. For every soul of these ages has death assigned to it in our view, because it is always a slave, since it is created for its desires and their eternal destruction, in which they are and from which they are. They love the creatures of the matter which came forth with them." 

"But the immortal souls are not like these, O Peter. But indeed, as long as the hour is not yet come, it (the immortal soul) shall resemble a mortal one. But it shall not reveal its nature, that it alone is the immortal one, and thinks about immortality, having faith, and desiring to renounce these things." "For people do not gather figs from thorns or from thorn trees, if they are wise, nor grapes from thistles. For, on the one hand, that which is always becoming is in that from which it is, being from what is not good, which becomes destruction for it and death. But that which comes to be in the Eternal One is in the One of the life and the immortality of the life which they resemble." "Therefore all that which exists not will dissolve into what exists not. For deaf and blind ones join only with their own kind." "But others shall change from evil words and misleading mysteries. Some who do not understand mystery speak of things which they do not understand, but they will boast that the mystery of the truth is theirs alone. And in haughtiness they shall grasp at pride, to envy the immortal soul which has become a pledge. For every authority, rule, and power of the aeons wishes to be with these in the creation of the world, in order that those who are not, having been forgotten by those that are, may praise them, though they have not been saved, nor have they been brought to the Way by them, always wishing that they may become imperishable ones. 

For if the immortal soul receives power in an intellectual spirit -. But immediately they join with one of those who misled them." "But many others, who oppose the truth and are the messengers of error, will set up their error and their law against these pure thoughts of mine, as looking out from one (perspective) thinking that good and evil are from one (source). They do business in my word. And they will propagate harsh fate. The race of immortal souls will go in it in vain, until my Parousia. For they shall come out of them - and my forgiveness of their transgressions, into which they fell through their adversaries, whose ransom I got from the slavery in which they were, to give them freedom that they may create an imitation remnant in the name of a dead man, who is Hermas, of the first-born of unrighteousness, in order that the light which exists may not believed by the little ones. But those of this sort are the workers who will be cast into the outer darkness, away from the sons of light. For neither will they enter, nor do they permit those who are going up to their approval for their release." "And still others of them who suffer think that they will perfect the wisdom of the brotherhood which really exists, which is the spiritual fellowship of those united in communion, through which the wedding of incorruptibility shall be revealed.

 The kindred race of the sisterhood will appear as an imitation. These are the ones who oppress their brothers, saying to them, "Through this our God has pity, since salvation comes to us through this," not knowing the punishment of those who are made glad by those who have done this thing to the little ones whom they saw, (and) whom they took prisoner." "And there shall be others of those who are outside our number who name themselves bishop and also deacons, as if they have received their authority from God. They bend themselves under the judgment of the leaders. Those people are dry canals." - 1 9 8 - But I said " I am afraid because of what you have told me, that indeed little (ones) are, in our view, the counterfeit ones, indeed, that there are multitudes that will mislead other multitudes of living ones, and destroy them among themselves. And when they speak your name they will be believed." The Savior said, "For a time determined for them in proportion to their error they will rule over the little ones. And after the completion of the error, the never-aging one of the immortal understanding shall become young, and they (the little ones) shall rule over those who are their rulers. The root of their error he shall pluck out, and he shall put it to shame so that it shall be manifest in all the impudence which it has assumed to itself. And such ones shall become unchangeable, O Peter." "Come therefore, let us go on with the completion of the will of the incorruptible Father. For behold, those who will bring them judgment are coming, and they will put them to shame. But me they cannot touch. And you, O Peter, shall stand in their midst. Do not be afraid because of your cowardice. Their minds shall be closed, for the invisible one has opposed them." 

When he had said those things, I saw him seemingly being seized by them. And I said "What do I see, O Lord? That it is you yourself whom they take, and that you are grasping me? Or who is this one, glad and laughing on the tree? And is it another one whose feet and hands they are striking?" The Savior said to me, "He whom you saw on the tree, glad and laughing, this is the living Jesus. But this one into whose hands and feet they drive the nails is his fleshly part, which is the substitute being put to shame, the one who came into being in his likeness. But look at him and me." But I, when I had looked, said "Lord, no one is looking at you. Let us flee this place." But he said to me, "I have told you, 'Leave the blind alone!'. And you, see how they do not know what they are saying. For the son of their glory instead of my servant, they have put to shame." And I saw someone about to approach us resembling him, even him who was laughing on the tree. And he was with a Holy Spirit, and he is the Savior. And there was a great, ineffable light around them, and the multitude of ineffable and invisible angels blessing them. 

And when I looked at him, the one who gives praise was revealed. And he said to me, "Be strong, for you are the one to whom these mysteries have been given, to know them through revelation, that he whom they crucified is the first-born, and the home of demons, and the stony vessel in which they dwell, of Elohim, of the cross, which is under the Law. But he who stands near him is the living Savior, the first in him, whom they seized and released, who stands joyfully looking at those who did him violence, while they are divided among themselves. Therefore he laughs at their lack of perception, knowing that they are born blind. So then the one susceptible to suffering shall come, since the body is the substitute. But what they released was my incorporeal body. But I am the intellectual Spirit filled with radiant light. He whom you saw coming to me is our intellectual Pleroma, which unites the perfect light with my Holy Spirit." 

"These things, then, which you saw you shall present to those of another race who are not of this age. For there will be no honor in any man who is not immortal, but only (in) those who were chosen from an immortal substance, which has shown that it is able to contain him who gives his abundance. Therefore I said, 'Every one who has, it will be given to him, and he will have plenty.' But he who does not have, that is, the man of this place, who is completely dead, who is removed from the planting of the creation of what is begotten, whom, if one of the immortal essence appears, they think that they possess him - it will be taken from him and be added to the one who is. You, therefore, be courageous and do not fear at all. For I shall be with you in order that none of your enemies may prevail unto you. Peace be to you, Be strong!" When he (Jesus) had said these things, he (Peter) came to himself. Apocalypse of Peter - 1 9 9 -

The Second Treatise of the Great Seth CODEX VII

And the perfect Majesty is at rest in the ineffable light, in the truth of the mother of all these, and all of you that attain to me, to me alone who am perfect, because of the Word. For I exist with all the greatness of the Spirit, which is a friend to us and our kindred alike, since I brought forth a word to the glory of our Father, through his goodness, as well as an imperishable thought; that is, the Word within him - it is slavery that we shall die with Christ - and an imperishable and undefiled thought, an incomprehensible marvel, the writing of the ineffable water which is the word from us. 

It is I who am in you, and you are in me, just as the Father is in you in innocence. Let us gather an assembly together. Let us visit that creation of his. Let us send someone forth in it, just as he visited (the) Ennoias, the regions below. And I said these things to the whole multitude of the multitudinous assembly of the rejoicing Majesty. The whole house of the Father of Truth rejoiced that I am the one who is from them. I produced thought about the Ennoias which came out of the undefiled Spirit, about the descent upon the water, that is, the regions below. And they all had a single mind, since it is out of one. They charged me since I was willing. I came forth to reveal the glory to my kindred and my fellow spirits. For those who were in the world had been prepared by the will of our sister Sophia - she who is a whore - because of the innocence which has not been uttered. 

And she did not ask anything from the All, nor from the greatness of the Assembly, nor from the Pleroma. Since she was first, she came forth to prepare monads and places for the Son of Light and the fellow workers which she took from the elements below to build bodily dwellings from them. But, having come into being in an empty glory, they ended in destruction in the dwellings in which they were, since they were prepared by Sophia. They stand ready to receive the life-giving word of the ineffable Monad and of the greatness of the assembly of all those who persevere and those who are in me. I visited a bodily dwelling. I cast out the one who was in it first, and I went in. 

And the whole multitude of the archons became troubled. And all the matter of the archons, as well as all the begotten powers of the earth, were shaken when it saw the likeness of the Image, since it was mixed. And I am the one who was in it, not resembling him who was in it first. For he was an earthly man, but I, I am from above the heavens. I did not refuse them even to become a Christ, but I did not reveal myself to them in the love which was coming forth from me. I revealed that I am a stranger to the regions below. 

There was a great disturbance in the whole earthly area, with confusion and flight, as well as (in) the plan of the archons. And some were persuaded, when they saw the wonders which were being accomplished by me. And all these, with the race, that came down, flee from him who had fled from the throne to the Sophia of hope, since she had earlier given the sign concerning us and all the ones with me - those of the race of Adonaios. Others also fled, as if from the Cosmocrator and those with them, since they have brought every (kind of) punishment upon me. And there was a flight of their mind about what they would counsel concerning me, thinking that she (Sophia) is the whole greatness, and speaking false witness, moreover, against the Man and the whole greatness of the assembly. 

It was not possible for them to know who the Father of Truth, the Man of the Greatness, is. But they who received the name because of contact with ignorance - which (is) a burning and a vessel - having created it to destroy Adam, whom they had made, in order to cover up those who are theirs in the same way. But they, the archons, those of the place of Yaldabaoth, reveal the realm of the angels, which humanity was seeking in order that they may not know the Man of Truth. 

For Adam, whom they had formed, appeared to them. And a fearful motion came about throughout their entire dwelling, lest the angels surrounding them rebel. For without those who were offering praise - I did not really die lest their archangel become empty. And then a voice - of the Cosmocrator - came to the angels: "I am God and there is no other beside me." 

But I laughed joyfully when I examined his empty glory. But he went on to say, "Who is man?" And the entire host of his angels, who had seen Adam and his dwelling, were laughing at his smallness. And thus did their Ennoia come to be removed outside the Majesty of the heavens, i.e.,the Man of Truth, whose name they saw since he is in a small dwelling place, since they are small (and) senseless in their empty Ennoia, namely their laughter. It was contagion for them. The whole greatness of the Fatherhood of the Spirit was at rest in his places. And I am he who was with him, since I have an Ennoia of a single emanation from the eternal ones and the undefiled and immeasurable incomprehensibilities. I placed the small Ennoia in the world, having disturbed them and frightened the whole multitude of the angels and their ruler. 

And I was visiting them all with fire and flame because of my Ennoia. And everything pertaining to them was brought about because of me. And there came about a disturbance and a fight around the Seraphim and Cherubim, since their glory will fade, and the confusion around Adonaios on both sides and their dwelling - to the Cosmocrator and him who said, "Let us seize him''; others again, "The plan will certainly not materialize.'' For Adonaios knows me because of hope. And I was in the mouths of lions. And the plan which they devised about me to release their Error and their senselessness - I did not succumb to them as they had planned. But I was not afflicted at all. Those who were there punished me. And I did not die in reality but in appearance, lest I be put to shame by them because these are my kinsfolk. I removed the shame from me and I did not become fainthearted in the face of what happened to me at their hands. I was about to succumb to fear, and I according to their sight and thought, in order that they may never find any word to speak about them. For my death, which they think happened, (happened) to them in their error and blindness, since they nailed their man unto their death. For their Ennoias did not see me, for they were deaf and blind. But in doing these things, they condemn themselves. 

Yes, they saw me; they punished me. It was another, their father, who drank the gall and the vinegar; it was not I. They struck me with the reed; it was another, Simon, who bore the cross on his shoulder. I was another upon Whom they placed the crown of thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height over all the wealth of the archons and the offspring of their error, of their empty glory. And I was laughing at their ignorance. And I subjected all their powers. For as I came downward, no one saw me. For I was altering my shapes, changing from form to form. And therefore, when I was at their gates, I assumed their likeness. For I passed them by quietly, and I was viewing the places, and I was not afraid nor ashamed, for I was undefiled. And I was speaking with them, mingling with them through those who are mine, and trampling on those who are harsh to them with zeal, and quenching the flame. And I was doing all these things because of my desire to accomplish what I desired by the will of the Father above. 

And the Son of the Majesty, who was hidden in the regions below, we brought to the height where I in all these aeons with them, which (height) no one has seen nor known, where the wedding of the wedding robe is, the new one and not the old, nor does it perish. For it is a new and perfect bridal chamber of the heavens, as I have revealed (that) there are three ways: an undefiled mystery in a spirit of this aeon, which does not perish, nor is it fragmentary, nor able to be spoken of; rather, it is undivided, universal, and permanent. For the soul, the one from the height, will not speak about the error which is here, nor transfer from these aeons, since it will be transferred when it becomes free and when it is endowed with nobility in the world, standing before the Father without weariness and fear, always mixed with the Nous of power (and) of form. They will see me from every side without hatred. For since they see me, they are being seen (and) are mixed with them. Since they did not put me to shame, they were not put to shame. Since they were not afraid before me, they will pass by every gate without fear and will be perfected in the third glory.

It was my going to the revealed height which the world did not accept, my third baptism in a revealed image. When they had fled from the fire of the seven Authorities, and the sun of the powers of the archons set, darkness took them. And the world became poor when he was restrained with a multitude of fetters. They nailed him to the tree, and they fixed him with four nails of brass. The veil of his temple he tore with his hands. It was a trembling which seized the chaos of the earth, for the souls which were in the sleep below were released. And they arose. They went about boldly, having shed zealous service of ignorance and unlearnedness beside the dead tombs, having put on the new man, since they have come to know that perfect Blessed One of the eternal and incomprehensible Father and the infinite light, which is I, since I came to my own and united them with myself. There is no need for many words, for our Ennoia was with their Ennoia. 

Therefore they knew what I speak of, for we took counsel about the destruction of the archons. And therefore I did the will of the Father, who is I. After we went forth from our home, and came down to this world, and came into being in the world in bodies, we were hated and persecuted, not only by those who are ignorant, but also by those who think that they are advancing the name of Christ, since they were unknowingly empty, not knowing who they are, like dumb animals. They persecuted those who have been liberated by me, since they hate them - those who, should they shut their mouth, would weep with a profitless groaning because they did not fully know me. lnstead, they served two masters, even a multitude. But you will become victorious in everything, in war and battles, jealous division and wrath. But in the uprightness of our love we are innocent, pure, (and) good, since we have a mind of the Father in an ineffable mystery. For it was ludicrous. 

It is I who bear witness that it was ludicrous, since the archons do not know that it is an ineffable union of undefiled truth, as exists among the sons of light, of which they made an imitation, having proclaimed a doctrine of a dead man and lies so as to resemble the freedom and purity of the perfect assembly, (and) themselves with their doctrine to fear and slavery, worldly cares, and abandoned worship, being small (and) ignorant, since they do not contain the nobility of the truth, for they hate the one in whom they are, and love the one in whom they are not. For they did not know the Knowledge of the Greatness, that it is from above and (from) a fountain of truth, and that it is not from slavery and jealousy, fear and love of worldly matter. For that which is not theirs and that which is theirs they use fearlessly and freely. They do not desire, because they have authority, and a law from themselves over whatever they will wish. 

But those who have not are poor, that is, those who do not possess him. And they desire him and lead astray those, who through them have become like those who possess the truth of their freedom, just as they bought us for servitude and constraint of care and fear. This person is in slavery. And he who is brought by constraint of force and threat has been guarded by God. But the entire nobility of the Fatherhood is not guarded, since he guards only him who is from him, without word and constraint, since he is united with his will, he who belongs only to the Ennoia of the Fatherhood, to make it Perfect and ineffable through the living water, to be with you mutually in wisdom, not only in word of hearing but in deed and fulfilled word. For the perfect ones are worthy to be established in this way and to be united with me, in order that they may not share in any enmity, in a good friendship. I accomplish everything through the Good One, for this is the union of the truth, that they should have no adversary. But everyone who brings division - and he will learn no wisdom at all because he brings division and is not a friend - is hostile to them all. 

But he who lives in harmony and friendship of brotherly love, naturally and not artificially, completely and not partially, this person is truly the desire of the Father. He is the universal one and perfect love. For Adam was a laughingstock, since he was made a counterfeit type of man by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. And Abraham and Isaac and Jacob were a laughingstock, since they, the counterfeit fathers, were given a name by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. We are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. David was a laughingstock in that his son was named the Son of Man, having been influenced by the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and the fellow members of my race. But we are - 1 9 4 - innocent with respect to him; we have not sinned. Solomon was a laughingstock, since he thought that he was Christ, having become vain through the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him. I have not sinned. The 12 prophets were laughingstocks, since they have come forth as imitations of the true prophets. They came into being as counterfeits through the Hebdomad, as if he had become stronger than I and my brothers. 

But we are innocent with respect to him, since we have not sinned. Moses, a faithful servant, was a laughingstock, having been named "the Friend," since they perversely bore witness concerning him who never knew me. Neither he nor those before him, from Adam to Moses and John the Baptist, none of them knew me nor my brothers. For they had a doctrine of angels to observe dietary laws and bitter slavery, since they never knew truth, nor will they know it. For there is a great deception upon their soul, making it impossible for them ever to find a Nous of freedom in order to know him, until they come to know the Son of Man. Now concerning my Father, I am he whom the world did not know, and because of this, it (the world) rose up against me and my brothers. But we are innocent with respect to him; we have not sinned. For the Archon was a laughingstock because he said, "I am God, and there is none greater than I. 

I alone am the Father, the Lord, and there is no other beside me. I am a jealous God, who brings the sins of the fathers upon the children for three and four generations." As if he had become stronger than I and my brothers! But we are innocent with respect to him, in that we have not sinned, since we mastered his teaching. Thus he was in an empty glory. And he does not agree with our Father. And thus through our fellowship we grasped his teaching, since he was vain in an empty glory. And he does not agree with our Father, for he was a laughingstock and judgment and false prophecy. O those who do not see, you do not see your blindness, i.e., this which was not known, nor has it ever been known, nor has it been known about him. They did not listen to firm obedience. Therefore they proceeded in a judgment of error, and they raised their defiled and murderous hands against him, as if they were beating the air. And the senseless and blind ones are always senseless, always being slaves of law and earthly fear. I am Christ, the Son of Man, the one from you who is among you. I am despised for your sake, in order that you yourselves may forget the difference. 

And do not become female, lest you give birth to evil and (its) brothers: jealousy and division, anger and wrath, fear and a divided heart, and empty, non-existent desire. But I am an ineffable mystery to you. Then before the foundation of the world, when the whole multitude of the Assembly came together upon the places of the Ogdoad, when they had taken counsel about a spiritual wedding which is in union, and thus he was perfected in the ineffable places by a living word, the undefiled wedding was consummated through the Mesotes of Jesus, who inhabits them all and possesses them, who abides in an undivided love of power. And surrounding him, he appears to him as a Monad of all these, a thought and a father, since he is one. And he stands by them all, since he as a whole came forth alone. And he is life, since he came from the Father of ineffable and perfect Truth, (the father) of those who are there, the union of Peace and a friend of good things, and life eternal and undefiled joy, in a great harmony of life and faith, through eternal life of fatherhood and motherhood and sisterhood and rational wisdom. They had agreed with Nous, who stretches out (and) will stretch out in joyful union and is trustworthy and faithfully listens to someone. 

And he is in fatherhood and motherhood and rational brotherhood and wisdom. And this is a wedding of truth, and a repose of incorruption, in a spirit of truth, in every mind, and a perfect light in an unnameable mystery. But this is not, nor will it happen among us in any region or place in division and breach of peace, but (in) union and a mixture of love, all of which are perfected in the one who is. It also happened in the places under heaven for their reconciliation. Those who knew me in salvation and undividedness, and those who existed for the glory of the father and the truth, having been separated, blended into the one through the living word. And I am in the spirit and the truth of the motherhood, just as he has been there; I was among those who are united in the - 1 9 5 - friendship of friends forever, who neither know hostility at all, nor evil, but who are united by my Knowledge in word and peace which exists in perfection with everyone and in them all. And those who assumed the form of my type will assume the form of my word. Indeed, these will come forth in light forever, and (in) friendship with each other in the spirit, since they have known in every respect (and) indivisibly that what is, is One. And all of these are one. 

And thus they will learn about the One, as (did) the Assembly and those dwelling in it. For the father of all these exists, being immeasurable (and) immutable: Nous and Word and Division and Envy and Fire. And he is entirely one, being the All with them all in a single doctrine, because all these are from a single spirit. O unseeing ones, why did you not know the mystery rightly? But the archons around Yaldabaoth were disobedient because of the Ennoia who went down to him from her sister Sophia. They made for themselves a union with those who were with them in a mixture of a fiery cloud, which was their Envy, and the rest who were brought forth by their creatures, as if they had bruised the noble pleasure of the Assembly. And therefore they revealed a mixture of ignorance in a counterfeit of fire and earth and a murderer, since they are small and untaught, without knowledge having dared these things, and not having understood that light has fellowship with light, and darkness with darkness, and the corruptible with the perishable, and the imperishable with the incorruptible. 

Now these things I have presented to you - I am Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, who is exalted above the heavens - O perfect and incorruptible ones, because of the incorruptible and perfect mystery and the ineffable one. But they think that we decreed them before the foundation of the world, in order that, when we emerge from the places of the world, we may present there the symbols of incorruption from the spiritual union unto knowledge. You do not know it, because the fleshly cloud overshadows you. But I alone am the friend of Sophia. I have been in the bosom of the father from the beginning, in the place of the sons of the truth, and the Greatness. Rest then with me, my fellow spirits and my brothers, forever. 

Second Treatise of the Great Seth 

The Paraphrase of Shem CODEX VII

What Derdekeas (Elohim, Angelic Messengers, Arch Angels all) revealed to me, Shem,  according to the will of the Majesty. My thought which was in my body snatched me away from my race. It took me up to the top of the world, which is close to the light that shone upon the whole area there. I saw no earthly likeness, but there was light. And my thought separated from the body of darkness as though in sleep.

I heard a voice saying to me, Shem, since you are from an unmixed power and you are the first being upon the earth, hear and understand what I shall say to you first concerning the great powers who were in existence in the beginning, before I appeared. There was Light and Darkness and there was Spirit between  them. Since your root fell into forgetfulness – he who was the unbegotten Spirit – I reveal to you the truth about the powers. The Light was thought full of hearing and word. They were united into one form. And the Darkness was wind in waters. He possessed the mind  wrapped in a chaotic fire. And the Spirit between them was a gentle, humble light. These are the three roots. They reigned each in them­selves, alone. And they covered each other, each one with its power.

But the Light, since he possessed a great power, knew the abase­ment of the Darkness and his disorder, namely that the root was not straight. But the crookedness of the Darkness was lack of per­ception, namely (the illusion that) there is no one above him. And as long as he was able to bear up under his evil, he was covered with the water. And he  stirred. And the Spirit was frightened by the sound. He lifted himself up to his station. And he saw a great, dark water. And he was nauseated. And  the thought of the Spirit stared down; he saw the infinite Light. But he was overlooked by the putrid root. And by the will of the great Light  the dark water separated. And the Darkness came up wrapped in vile ignorance, and (this was) in order that the mind might separate from him because he prided  himself in it.

And when he stirred, the light of the Spirit appeared to him. When he saw it he was astonished. He did not know that another Power was above him. And when he saw that his likeness was dark compared with the Spirit, he felt hurt. And in his pain he lifted up to the height of the members of Darkness his mind which was the eye of the bitterness of evil. He caused his mind to take shape in a member of the regions of the Spirit, thinking that, by staring (down) at his evil, he would be able to equal the Spirit. But he was not able. For he wanted to do an impossible thing, and it did not take place. But in order that the mind of Darkness, which is the eye of the bitterness of evil, might not be destroyed, since he was made par­tially similar, he arose and shone with a fiery light upon all of Ha­des, so that he equality to the faultless Light might become ap­parent. For the Spirit made use of every form of Darkness because he appeared in his majesty. And the exalted, infinite Light appeared, for he was very joyful.

He wished to reveal himself to the Spirit. And the likeness of the exalted Light appeared to the unbegotten Spirit. appeared.  I the son of the incorruptible, infinite Light.  appeared in the likeness 5 of the Spirit, for  am the ray of the universal Light. And his ap­pearance to me (was) in order that the mind of Darkness might not remain in Hades. For the Darkness made himself like his mind in a part of the members. When , Shem, appeared   in it (i.e. the like­ness), in order that the Darkness might become dark to himself, ac­cording to the will of the Majesty – in order that the Darkness might become free from every aspect of the power which he possessed – the mind drew the chaotic fire, with which it was covered, from the midst of the Darkness and the water. And from the Darkness the water became a cloud. and from  the cloud the womb took shape. The chaotic fire which was a deviation  went there.

And when the Darkness saw it (i.e. the womb) he became unchaste and when he had aroused the water, he rubbed the womb. His mind dissolved down to the depths of Nature. It mingled with the power of the bitterness of Darkness. And her (i.e. the womb's) eye ruptured at the wickedness in order that she might not again bring forth the mind. For it was a seed of Nature from the dark root.

And when Nature had taken to herself the mind by means of the dark power, every likeness took shape in her. And when the Darkness  had acquired the likeness of the mind, it resembled the Spirit. For Nature rose up to expel it; she was powerless against it, since she did not have a form from the Darkness. For she brought it forth in the cloud. And the cloud shone. A mind appeared in it like a frightful, harmful fire. It (i.e. the mind) collided against the unbegotten Spirit since it possessed a likeness from him. In order that Nature might become empty of the chaotic fire, then immediately Nature  was divided into four parts. They became clouds which varied in their appearance. They were called Hymen, Afterbirth, Power, (and) Water. And the Hymen and the Afterbirth and the Power were chaotic fires. And it (i.e. the mind) was drawn from the midst of the Darkness and the water – since the mind was in the midst of Nature

and the dark power – in order that the harmful waters might not cling to it. Because of this Nature was divided, according to my will, in order that the mind may return to its power which the dark root, which was mixed with it (i.e. the mind), had taken from it. And he (i.e. the dark root) appeared in the womb. And at the division of Nature he separated from the dark power which he possessed from the mind. It (i.e. the mind) went into the midst of the power – this was the middle region of Nature.

And the Spirit of light, when the mind burdened him, was aston­ished. And the force of his Astonishment cast off the burden. And it (i.e. the burden)  returned to its heat. It put on the light of the Spirit. And when Nature moved away from the power of the light of the Spirit, the burden returned. And the Astonishment (of the) light cast off the burden. It stuck to the cloud of the Hymen. And all the clouds of Darkness cried out, they who had separated from Hades, because of the alien Power. He is the Spirit of light who has come in them. And by the will of the Majesty the Spirit gazed up at the in­finite Light, in order that his light may be pitied and  the likeness brought up from Hades.

And when the Spirit had looked,  flowed out – , the son of the Majesty – like a wave of bright light and like a whirlwind of the immortal Spirit. And  blew from the cloud of the Hymen upon the As­tonishment of the unbegotten Spirit. It (i.e. the cloud) separated and cast light upon the clouds. These separated in order that the Spirit might return. Because of this the mind took shape. Its repose was shat­tered. For the Hymen of Nature was a cloud which cannot be grasped; it is a great fire. Similarly, the Afterbirth of Nature is the cloud of silence; it is an august fire. And the Power which was mixed with the mind, it, too, was a cloud of Nature which  was joined with the Darkness that had aroused Nature to unchastity. And the dark water was a frightful cloud. And the root of Nature, which was below, was crooked, since it is burdensome and harmful. The root was blind with respect to the light-bondage which was un­fathomable since it had many appearances.

And  had pity on the light (of) the Spirit which the mind had re­ceived.  returned to my position in order to pray to the exalted, in­finite Light that the power of the Spirit might increase on the place and might be filled without dark defilement. And reverently  said, "Thou art the root of the Light. Thy hidden form has appeared, O exalted, infinite one. May the whole power of the Spirit spread and may it be filled with its light, O infinite Light. (Then) he will not be able to join with the unbegotten Spirit, and the power of the Aston­ishment will not be able to mix with Nature. According to the will of the Majesty," my prayer was accepted.

And the voice of the Word was heard saying through the Majesty to the unbegotten Spirit, "Behold, the power has been completed. He who was revealed by me appeared in the Spirit. Again I shall appear. I am Derdekeas, the son of the incorruptible, infinite Light."

The light of the infinite Spirit came down to a feeble nature for a short time until all the impurity of nature became void, and in or­der that the darkness of Nature might be blamed. I put on my gar­ment which is the garment of the light of the Majesty – which I am.

I came in the appearance of the Spirit to consider the whole light which was in the depths of the Darkness. According to the will of the Majesty, in order that the Spirit by means of the Word might be filled with his light independently of the power of the infinite Light, and at my wish, the Spirit  arose by his (own) power. His greatness was granted to him that he might be filled with his whole light and depart from the whole burden of the Darkness. For what was behind was a dark fire which blew (and) pressed on the Spirit. And the Spirit re­joiced because he was protected from the frightful water. But his light was not equal to the Majesty. But <what> he was granted by the infinite Light, (he was granted it) in order that in all his members he might appear as a single image of light. And when the Spirit arose above the water, his black likeness became apparent. And the Spirit honored the exalted Light: "Surely thou alone art the infinite one, because thou art above every unbegotten thing, for thou hast protected me from the Darkness. And at thy wish I arose above the power of darkness.

And that nothing might be hidden from you, Shem, the thought, which the Spirit from the greatness had contemplated, came into be­ing, since the Darkness was not able [to] restrain his evil. But when it appeared, the three roots became known as they ⁵ were from the beginning. If the Darkness had been able to bear up under his evil, the mind would not have separated from him, and another power would not have appeared.

But from the time it appeared I was seen, the son of the Majesty, in order that the light of the Spirit might not become faint, and that Nature might not reign over it, because it gazed at me. And by the will of the greatness  my equality was revealed, that what is of the Power might become apparent. You are the great Power which came into being, and I am the perfect Light which is above the Spirit and the Darkness, the one who puts to shame the Darkness for the intercourse of the impure practice. For through the division of Na­ture the Majesty wished to be covered with honor up to the height of the Thought of the Spirit. And the Spirit received rest in his power.

 For the image of the Light is inseparable from the unbegotten Spirit. And the lawgivers did not name him after all the clouds of Nature, nor is it possible to name them. For every likeness into which Nature had divided is a power of the chaotic fire which is the hylic seed. The one who took to himself ⁵ the power of the Darkness impris­oned it in the midst of its members.

And by the will of the Majesty, in order that the mind and the whole light of the Spirit might be protected from every burden and (from) the toil of Nature, a voice came forth from the Spirit to the cloud of the Hymen. And the light of the astonishment began to re­joice with the voice which was granted to him. And the great Spirit of light was in the cloud of the Hymen. He honored the infinite Light and the universal likeness who I am, the son of the Majesty. It is said: "Anasses Duses, thou art the infinite Light who was given by the will of the Majesty to establish every light of the Spirit upon the place, and to separate the mind from the Darkness. For it was not right for the light of the Spirit to remain in Hades. For at thy wish the Spirit arose to behold thy greatness."

For I said these things to you, Shem, that you might know that my likeness, the son of the Majesty, is from my infinite Thought, since I am for him a universal likeness ⁵ which does not lie, (and) I am above every truth and origin of the word. His appearance is in my beautiful garment of light which is the voice of the immeasurable Thought.  We are that single, sole light which came into being. He appeared in another root in order that the power of the Spirit might be raised from the feeble Nature. For by the will of the great Light I came forth from the exalted Spirit down to the cloud of the Hymen without my universal garment.

And the Word took me to himself, from the Spirit, in the first cloud of the Hymen of Nature. And I put on this of which the Majes­ty and the unbegotten Spirit made me worthy. And the threefold unity of my garment appeared in the cloud, by the will of the Majesty, in a single form. And my likeness was covered ³⁰ with the light of my garment. And the cloud was disturbed, and it was not able to bear my likeness. It shed the first power, the one (which) it had taken from the Spirit, that one which shone on him from the beginning, before (I) appeared in the word to the Spirit. The cloud would not have been able to bear both of them. And the light which came forth from the cloud passed through the silence, until it came into the middle region. And, ⁵ by the will of the Majesty, the light mixed with him (i.e.) the Spirit which exists in the silence, he who had been separated from the Spirit of light. It was separated from the light  by the cloud of the silence. The cloud was disturbed. It was he who gave rest to the flame of fire. He humbled the dark womb in order that she might not reveal other seed from the darkness. He kept them back in the middle region of Nature in their position which was in the cloud. They were troubled since they did not know where they were. For still they (did> not possess the universal understand­ing of the Spirit.

And when I prayed to the Majesty, toward the infinite Light, that the chaotic power of the Spirit might go to and fro, and the dark womb might be idle, and that my likeness might appear  in the cloud of the Hymen, as if I were wrapped in the light of the Spirit which went before me, and by the will of the Majesty and through  the prayer I came in the cloud in order that through my garment –  which was from the power of the Spirit – the pleroma of the word, might bring power to the members who possessed it in the Darkness. For because of them I appeared in this insignificant place. For I am a helper of every one who has been given a name. For when I ap­peared in the cloud, the light ¹⁰ of the Spirit began to save itself from the frightful water, and (from) the clouds of fire which had been separated from dark Nature. And I gave them eternal honor  that they might not again engage in the impure practice.

And the light which was in the Hymen was disturbed by my power, and it passed through my middle region. It was filled with the uni­versal Thought. And through the word of the light of the Spirit it re­turned to  its repose. It received form in its root and shone without deficiency. And the light which had come forth with it from the silence went in the middle region  and returned to the place. And the cloud shone. And from it came an unquenchable fire. And the part which separated from the astonishment put on forgetfulness. It was deceived by the fire of darkness. And the shock of its astonishment cast off the burden of the cloud. It was evil since it was unclean. And the fire mixed with the water in order that the waters might become harmful. 

And Nature which had been disturbed immediately arose from the idle waters. For her ascent was shameful. And Nature took to herself the ¹⁰ power of fire. She became strong because of the light of the Spirit which was in Nature. Her likeness appeared in the water in the form of a frightful beast ³⁵ with many faces, which is crooked below. A light went down to chaos filled with mist and dust, in order to harm Nature. ²⁰ And the light of the Astonishment which is in the middle region came to it after he cast off the burden of the Darkness. He rejoiced when the Spirit arose. For he looked ²⁵ from the clouds down at the dark waters upon the light which was in the depths of Nature.

Therefore I appeared that I might ³⁰ get an opportunity to go down to the nether world, to the light of the Spirit which was burden­ed, that I might protect him from the evil of the burden. And through ³⁵ his looking down at the dark region the light once more 16 came up in order that the womb might again come up from the water. She (i.e. the womb) came up by my will. Guilefully the eye opened. ⁵ And the light which had appeared in the middle region (and) which had separated from the Astonishment rested and shone upon her. And the womb saw ¹⁰ things she had not seen, and she rejoiced joyful­ly in the light, although this was not hers — the one which appeared in the middle region, in her wickedness, when he (i.e. the light) shone 15 upon her. And the womb saw things she had not seen, and she was brought down to the water, she was thinking that she had reached to the power of light. ²⁰ And she did not know that her root was made idle by the likeness of the Light, and that it was to her (i.e. the root) that he had run.

The light was astonished, the one which was in ²⁵ the middle region and which was beginning and end. Therefore his thought gazed di­rectly up at the exalted Light. And he called out and said, ²⁰ "Lord, have mercy on me, for my light and my effort went astray. For if thy goodness does not establish me, I do not know where I am." And when the Majesty ³⁵ had heard him, he had mercy on him. '

And I appeared in the cloud of the Hymen, in the silence, 17 with­out my holy garment. With my will I honored my garment which has three forms in the cloud of the Hymen. ⁵ And the light which was in the silence, the one from the rejoicing Power, contained me. I wore it. And its two parts appeared ¹⁰ in a single form. Its other parts did not appear on account of the fire. I became unable to speak in the cloud of the Hymen, for its fire was frightful, ¹⁵ lifting itself up with­out humility. And in order that my greatness and the word might appear, I placed likewise my other garment in the cloud of the silence. ²⁰ I went into the middle region and put on the light that was in it, that was sunk in forgetfulness and that was separated from the Spirit of astonishment, for he had cast off the burden. ²⁵ At my wish nothing mortal appeared to him, but they were all immortal things which the Spirit granted to him. And he said in ³⁰ the thought of the Light, ai eis ai ou phar dou is ei ou: I have come in a great rest  in order that he may give rest to my light in ³⁵ his root, and may bring it out of 18 harmful Nature.

Then, by the will of the Majesty, I took off my garment of light. I put on another garment ⁵ of fire which has no form, which is from the mind of the power,  which was separated, and which was  prepared for me, according to my will, in the middle region. For the middle region ³⁰ covered it with a dark power in order that I might come and put it on. I went down to chaos to save the whole light from it. For without ¹⁵ the power of darkness I could not oppose  Nature. But I rested myself upon her staring eye ²⁰ which was a light from the Spirit. For it had been prepared for me as a garment and a rest by the Spirit. Through me he opened his eyes down to ²⁵ Hades. He granted Nature his voice for a time. '

And my garment of fire, according to the will of the Majesty, went down to what is strong, and to the ³⁰ unclean part of Nature which (the) power of darkness was covering. And my garment rubbed Na­ture in her covering. And her unclean ³⁵ femininity was strong. And the wrathful womb came up 19 and made the mind dry, resembling a fish which has a drop of fire and a power of fire. And when Nature ⁵ had cast off the mind, she was troubled and she wept. When she was hurt, and in her tears, she cast off the power of the Spirit 30 (and) remained as I. I put on the light of the Spirit and I rested with my garment on account of  the sight of the fish.

And in order that  the deeds of Nature might be condemned, ¹⁵ since she is blind, manifold animals came out of her, in accordance with the number of the fleeting winds. All of them came into being in Hades searching for the light ²⁰ of the mind which took shape. They were not able to stand up against it.  I rejoiced over their ignorance. ^I They found me, the son of the Majesty, in ²⁵ front of the womb which has many forms. I put on the beast, and laid before her a great request

that heaven and earth ³⁰ might come into being, in order that the whole light might rise up. For in no other way could the power of the Spirit be saved from bondage except that I appear ³⁵ to her in animal form. Therefore she was gracious to me 20 as if I were her son.

And on account of my request, Nature arose since she possesses of the power of the Spirit and the Darkness ⁵ and the fire. For she had taken off her forms. When she had cast it off, she blew upon the water. The heaven was created. And from the foam of the heaven ¹⁰ the earth came into being. And at my wish it brought forth all kinds of food in accordance with the number of the beasts. And it brought forth dew from the winds on account of you (pl.) and those ¹⁵ who will be begotten the second time upon the earth. For the earth pos­sessed a power of chaotic fire. Therefore it brought forth ²⁰ every seed.

And when the heaven and the earth were created, my garment of fire arose in the midst of the cloud of Nature (and) shone upon the whole world ²⁵ until Nature became dry. The Darkness which was its (i.e. the earth's) garment was cast into the  harmful waters. The mid­dle region was cleansed from the Darkness. ³⁰ But the womb grieved be­cause of what had happened. She perceived in her parts what was  water like a mirror. When she perceived (it), she wondered ²⁵ how it had come into being. Therefore she remained a widow. It also was 21 astonished (that) it was not in her. For still the forms possessed a power of fire and light. It (i.e. the power) remained ⁵ in order that it might be in Nature until all the powers are taken away from her. For just as the light of the Spirit was completed in three clouds, it is nec­essary ¹⁰ that also the power which is in Hades will be completed at the appointed time. For, because of the grace of the Majesty, I came forth to her from the water for the second time. ¹⁵ For my face pleased  her. Her face also was glad.

And I said to her, "May seed  and power come forth from you ²⁰ upon the earth." And she obeyed the will of the Spirit that she might be brought to naught. And when her forms returned, they rubbed  their tongue(s) with each other; they copulated; ²⁵ they begot winds and demons and the power which is from the fire and the Darkness and the Spirit. But the form which remained alone cast the ³⁰ beast from herself. She did not have intercourse, but she was the one who rubbed herself alone. And she brought forth a wind which  possessed a power ³⁵ from the fire and the Darkness and the Spirit.

And in order that the 22 demons also might become free from the power which they possessed through the impure intercourse, a womb was with the winds ⁵ resembling water. And an unclean penis was with the demons in accordance with the example of the Darkness, and in the way he rubbed with the womb from the beginning. And after ¹⁰ the forms of Nature had been together, they separated from each other. They cast off the power, being astonished about the deceit which had happened to them. They grieved ¹⁵ with an eternal grief. They covered themselves with their power.

And when I had put them to shame, I arose with my garment in the power and — which is above the beast which is a light, ²⁰ in order that I might make Nature desolate. The mind which had appeared in the Nature of Darkness, (and) which was the eye of the heart of Darkness, at my wish reigned over ²⁵ the winds and the demons. And I gave him a likeness of fire, light, and attentiveness, and a share of guileless word. Therefore he was given of the greatness ³⁰ in order to be strong in his power, independent of the power, independent of the light of the Spirit, and intercourse of Darkness, in order that, at the end of time, when 23 Nature will be destroyed, he may rest  in the honored place. For he will be found faithful, since he has loathed ⁵ the un­chastity of Nature with the Darkness. The strong power of the mind came into being from the mind and the unbegotten Spirit.

But the winds, which are demons ¹⁰ from water and fire and dark­ness and light, had intercourse unto perdition. And through this intercourse the winds received in their womb ¹⁵ foam from the penis of the demons. They conceived a power in their womb. From the breathing the wombs of the winds girded each other ²⁰ until the times of the birth came. They went down to the water. And the power was delivered, through the breathing which moves the birth, in the midst of the practice. And ²⁵ every form of the birth received shape in it. When the times of the birth were near, all the winds were gathered from the water which is near the ³⁰ earth. They gave birth to all kinds of unchastity. And the place where the wind alone went was permeated with the unchastity. Barren wives came from it ³⁵ and sterile hus­bands. 24 For just as they are born, so they bear.

Because of you (pl.), the image of the Spirit appeared in the earth and the water. ⁵ For you are like the Light. For you possess a share of the winds and the demons, and a thought from the Light of the power of the Astonishment. ¹⁰ For everything which he brought forth from the womb upon the earth  was not a good thing for her, but her groan and her pain, because of the image which appeared in ¹⁵ you from the Spirit. For you are exalted in your heart. And it is blessed­ness, Shem, if ²⁰ a part is given to someone and if he departs from the soul to (go) to the thought of the Light. For the soul is a burden of the Darkness, and those who know where the root of the soul came from will be able to grope after Nature also. ²⁵ For the soul is a work of unchastity and an (object of) scorn to the thought of Light. For I am the one who revealed concerning all that is unbegotten. ³⁰

And in order that the sin of Nature might be filled, I made the womb, which was disturbed, pleasant – the blind wisdom – that I might be able to bring (it) to naught. And at my 25 wish, he plotted with the water of Darkness and also the Darkness, that they might wound every form of your (pl.) heart. For by ⁵ the will of the light of the Spirit they surrounded you; they bound you in Faith. And in or­der that his plan might become idle, he sent a demon ¹⁰ that the plan of her wickedness might be proclaimed. And he caused a flood, and he destroyed your (pl.) race, in order to take the light and to take from ¹⁵ Faith. But I proclaimed quickly by the mouth of the demon that a tower  come to be up to the particle of the light, which was left in the demons and ²⁰ their race – which was water – that the demon might be protected from the turbulent chaos. And the womb planned these things according to my will in order that she might ²⁵ pour forth completely. A tower came to be through the demons. The Darkness was disturbed by his loss. He loosened the muscles of the womb. And the demon ³⁰ who was going to enter the tower was protected in order that the races might continue and might acquire coherence through him. For he possesses power from every form. ³⁵

Return henceforth, 26 O Shem, and rejoice [greatly] over your race and Faith, for without body and necessity it is protected from ⁵ every body of Darkness, bearing witness to the holy things of the greatness which was revealed to them in their thought by my will. And they shall rest in the unbegotten Spirit ¹⁰ without grief. But you, Shem, be­cause of this, you remained in (the) body outside the cloud of light that you might remain with Faith. And Faith ¹⁵ will come to you. Her thought will be taken and given to you with a consciousness of light. And I  told you these things for the benefit of your race from the cloud of light. ²⁰ And likewise what I shall say to you concerning everything, I shall reveal to you completely that you may reveal them to those who will be upon the earth the ²⁵ second time.

O Shem, the disturbance which occurred at my wish happened in order that Nature might become empty. For the wrath of the Dark­ness subsided. ³⁰ O Shem, the Darkness' mouth was shut. No longer does the light which shone for the world appear in it, according to my will. And when Nature had said that ³⁵ its wish was fulfilled, then every form was engulfed by the waters 27 in prideful ignorance. She (i.e. Nature) turned her dark vagina and cast from her the power of fire ⁵ which was in her from the beginning through the practice of the Darkness. It (masc.) lifted itself up and shone upon the whole world instead of the righteous one. And all her forms ¹⁰ sent forth a power  like a flame of fire up to heaven as a help to the corrupted light, which had lifted itself up. For they were members of the ¹⁵ chaotic fire. And she did not know that she had harmed herself. When she cast forth the power,  the power which she possessed, she cast it forth from the genitals. It was the demon, ²⁰ a deceiver, who stirred up the womb in every form – .  And in her ignorance, as if she were doing a great thing, she grant­ed the demons ²⁵ and the winds a star each. For without wind and star nothing happens upon the earth. For every power is filled by them after they were ³⁰ released from the Darkness and the fire and the power and the light. For in the place where their darkness and their fire were mixed with each other beasts were brought forth. And it was in the place ³⁵ of the Darkness, and the fire, and the power 28 of the mind, and the light, that human beings came into existence. Being from the Spirit, the thought of the Light, my eye, exists not in every man. ⁵ For before the flood came from the winds and the demons, rain came to men. But then, in order that the power which is in the tower might be brought forth, ¹⁰ and might rest upon the earth  Nature, which had been disturbed,  wanted to harm the seed which will be upon the earth after the flood. ¹⁵ Demons were sent to them, and a deviation of the winds, and a burden of the angels, and a fear of the prophet, a condemnation of speech, that I may ²⁰ teach you, O Shem, from what blindness your race is protected. When I have re­vealed to you all that has been spoken,  then the righteous one will ²⁵ shine upon the world with my garment. And the night and the day will  be separated. For I shall hasten down to the world to take the light  of that place, the one which ³⁰ Faith possesses. And I shall appear to those who will acquire the thought of the light of the Spirit. For be­cause of them my majesty appeared.

When ³⁵ he will have appeared, O Shem, upon the earth, [in] the place which will be 29 called Sodom, (then) safeguard the insight which I shall give you. For those whose heart was pure will con­gregate to you, ⁵ because of the word which you will reveal. For when you appear  in the world, dark Nature will shake against you, ¹⁰ together with the winds and a demon,  that they may destroy the in­sight. But you, proclaim quickly to the Sodomites your universal teaching, ¹⁵ for they are your members. For the demon of human form will part from that place by my will, since he is ignorant. He will guard this utterance. But the ²⁰ Sodomites, according to the will of the Majesty, will bear witness to the universal testimony. They  will rest with a pure conscience in the place ²⁵ of their repose, which is the unbegotten Spirit. And as these things will happen, Sodom will be burned unjustly  by a base nature. ³⁰ For the evil will not cease in order that your majesty may reveal that place.

Then 30 the demon will depart with Faith. And then he will appear in the four regions of the world. And when ⁵ Faith appears in the last likeness, then will her appearance become manifest. For the first­born is the demon who appeared in the union ¹⁰ of Nature with many faces, in order that Faith might appear in him. For when he appears in the world, evil passions will arise, ¹⁵ and earthquakes, and wars, and famines, and blasphemies. For because of him the whole world will be disturbed. For he will seek the power ²⁰ of Faith and Light; he will not find it. For at that time the demon will also appear upon the river to baptize with an ²⁵ imperfect baptism, and to trouble the world with a bondage of water. But it is necessary for me to appear in the members of the thought of Faith to ³⁰ reveal the great things of my power. I shall separate it from the demon who is Soldas. And the light which he possesses from the Spirit I shall mix ³⁵ with my in­vincible garment, as well as him whom I shall reveal 31 in the darkness for your sake and for the sake of your race which will be protected from the evil Darkness.

Know, O Shem, that without ⁵ Elorchaios and Amoias and Stro­phaias and Chelkeak and Chelkea and Aileou, no one will be able to pass by this wicked region. For this is my memorial ¹⁰ that in it I have been victorious over the wicked region. And I have taken the light of the Spirit from the frightful water. For when the ¹⁵ appointed days of the demon draw near he who will baptize erringly – , then I shall appear in the baptism of the demon to reveal ²⁰ with the mouth of Faith a testimony to those who belong to her. I testify of thee, Spark the unquenchable, Osei, the elect of ²⁵ the Light, the eye of heaven, and Faith, the first and the last, and Sophia, and Saphaia, and Saphaina, and the righteous Spark, and the ³° impure light. And you (sg.), east, and west, and north, and south, upper air and lower air, and all the powers and authorities, 32 you (pl.) are in Nature.

And you (sg.), Moluchtha and Soch are from every work and every impure effort of ⁵ Nature. Then I shall come from the demon down to the water. And whirlpools of water and flames of fire will rise up against me. Then I ¹⁰ shall come up from the water, having put on the light of Faith and the unquenchable fire, in order that through my help the power of the Spirit may cross, ¹⁵ she who has been cast in the world by the winds and the demons and the stars. And in them I every unchastity will be filled.

Finally, O Shem, consider ²⁰ yourself pleasing in the thought of the Light. Do not let your thought have dealings with the fire and the body of Darkness which was an unclean ²⁵ work. These things which I teach you are right.

This is the paraphrase: – For you did not remember that it is from the firmament that ³⁰ your race has been protected. – Elorchaios is the name of the great Light, the place from which I have come, the Word which has no equal. And the likeness is my honored garment. ³⁵ And Derderkeas is the name of his Word in 33 the voice of the Light. And Strophaia is the blessed glance which is the Spirit. and it is Chelkeach, who is my garment, ⁵ who has come from the Astonishment, who was in the cloud of the Hymen which appeared, as a trimor­phic cloud. And Chelkea is my garment ¹⁰ which has two forms, he who was in the cloud of Silence. And Chelke is my garment which  was given him from every region; it was given him in a single form 15 from the greatness, he who was in the cloud of the middle region. and the star of the Light which was mentioned is my invincible gar­ment which ²⁰ I wore in Hades; this (i.e. the star of the Light) is the mercy which surpasses the thought and the testimony of those who bear witness. And the testimony which has been mentioned: ²⁵ the First and the Last, Faith,  the Mind of the wind of darkness. And Sophaia and Saphaina are in the cloud of those who have been separ­ated from the chaotic fire. ³⁰ And the righteous Spark is the cloud of light which has shone in your (pl.) midst. For in it (i.e. the cloud of light) my garment will go down to chaos.

But the 34 impure light, which appeared in the Darkness (and) which belongs to dark Nature, is a power. And the upper air and the lower air, and the ⁵ powers and the authorities, the demons and the stars, these possessed a particle of fire and a light from the Spirit.

And Moluchthas is a wind, ³⁰ for without it nothing is brought forth upon the earth. He has a likeness of a serpent and a unicorn. His protrusion(s) are manifold wings. ¹⁵ And the remainder is the womb which has been disturbed. You are blessed, Shem, for your race has been protected from the dark wind which is many-faced. And they will ²⁰ bear the universal testimony and (bear witness) to the impure  prac­tice of (Nature>. And they will become sublime through the reminder of the Light.

O Shem, ²⁵ no one who wears the body will be able to complete these things. But through ^I remembrance he will be able to grasp  them, in order that, when his thought separates from the body, ³⁰ then these things may be revealed to him. They have been revealed to your race. O Shem, it is difficult for someone wearing a body to complete [these things, as] I said to you. 35 And it is a small number that will' complete them, those who possess the particle of the mind and the thought of the light of the ⁵ Spirit. They will keep their mind from the impure practice. For many in the race of Nature will seek the security of the Power. They will not find it, nor ¹⁰ will they be able to do the will of Faith. For they are seed of the universal Darkness. And those who  find them are in much suffering. The winds ¹⁵ and the demons will hate them. And the bondage of the body is  severe. For where the winds, and the stars, and the demons cast forth from the power ²⁰ of the Spirit, (there) repentance and testimony will appear upon them, and mercy will lead them to the unbegotten Spirit. ²⁵ And those who are repentant will find rest  in the consummation and Faith, in the place of the Hymen. This is the Faith which will ³⁰ fill the place which has been  left empty. But those who do not share in the Spirit of light and in Faith will dissolve in the [Darkness], the place 36 where repentance did not come. '

It is I who opened the eternal gates which were shut from the begin­ning. To those who long for the best of ⁵ life, and those who are wor­thy of the repose, he revealed them. I granted perception to those who perceive. I disclose to them ¹⁰ all the thoughts and the teaching  of the righteous ones. And I did not become their enemy at all. But when I had endured the wrath of the world, I was victorious. There was not 15 one of them who knew me. The gates of fire and endless smoke opened against me. All the winds rose up against me. The thunderings and the ²⁰ lightning-flashes for a time will rise up against me. And they will bring  their wrath upon me. And on account of me according to the flesh, they  will rule over them according to kind. ²⁵

And many who wear erring flesh will go down  to the harmful wat­ers through the winds and the demons. And they are bound by the water. ³⁰ And he will heal with a futile remedy. He will lead astray, and he will bind the world. And those that do the will of Nature, their part will [...] 37 two times in the day of the water and the forms of Nature. And it will not be granted them, when Faith disturbs them 5 in order to take to herself the righteous one.

O Shem, it is necessary that the thought be called by the Word in order that the bondage of the power of the Spirit may be saved frog the frightful ¹⁰ water. And it is blessedness if it is granted someone to contemplate the exalted one, and to know the exalted time and the bondage. For the water is an ¹⁵ insignificant body. And men are not released, since they are bound in the water, just as from the beginn­ing the light of the Spirit was bound.

O Shem, they are deceived ²⁰ by manifold demons, thinking that through baptism with the uncleanness of water, that which is dark, feeble, idle, ²⁵ (and) disturbing, he will take away the sins. And they do not know that from the water to the water there is bondage, and error and unchastity, ³⁰ envy, murder, adultery, false witness, heresies, robberies, lusts, babblings, wrath, bitterness, ³⁵ great [...].

38 Therefore there are many deaths which burden their thoughts. For I foretell it to those who have a heart. ⁵ They will refrain from the impure baptism. And those who take heart from the light of the Spirit will not have dealings with the impure practice. ¹⁰ And their heart will not expire, nor will they curse. And the water – <nor> will they be given honor. Where the curse is, there is the deficiency. ¹⁵ And the blindness is where the honor is. For if they mix with the evil ones, they become empty in the dark water.  For where the water has been ²⁰ mentioned, there is Nature, and the oath, and the lie, and the loss. For only in the unbegotten Spirit, where the exalted Light rested, ²⁵ has the water not been mentioned, nor can it be mentioned.

For this is my appearance: for when I have ³⁰ completed the times which are assigned to me upon the earth, then I will cast from me [my garment of fire (?)]. And 39 my unequalled garment will come forth upon me, and also all my garments which I put on in all the clouds ⁵ which were from the Astonishment of the Spirit. For the air will tear my garment. For it (i.e. my garment) will shine, and it will divide all the clouds up to ¹⁰ the root of the Light. The repose is the mind and my garment. And my remaining garments, those on the left and those on the right, will shine ¹⁵ on the back in order that the image of the Light may appear. For my garments which I put on in the three clouds, in the last day they ²⁰ will rest in their root, i.e. in the unbegotten Spirit, since they are without fault, through the divi­sion of (the) clouds.

Therefore I have appeared, ²⁵ being faultless, on account of the clouds, because they are unequal, in order that the wickedness of Nature might be ended. For she wished at that time ³⁰ to snare me. She was about to fix (to the cross) Soldas who is the dark flame, who attended on the [...] of error, 40 that he might snare me. She took care of her faith, being vainglorious.

And at that time ⁵ the light was about to separate from the Dark­ness, and a voice was heard in the world, saying, "Blessed is the eye which has seen thee, and the mind which has ¹⁰ supported thy majesty at my desire." It will be said by the exalted one, "Blessed is Rebouel among every race of men, for it is you (fern.) alone ¹⁵ who have seen." And she will listen. And they will behead the woman who has the perception, whom you will reveal upon the earth. And according to ²⁰ my will she will bear witness, and she will cease from every vain effort of Nature and chaos. For the woman whom they will behead at that ²⁵ time is the coherence of the power of the demon who will baptize the seed of darkness in severity, that it (i.e. the seed) may mix with unchastity. ³⁰ He begot a woman. She was called Rebouel.

See, O Shem, how all the things I have said to you have been ful­filled. [And .... And the things which] you 41 lack, according to my will they will appear to you at that place upon the earth that you may reveal them ⁵ as they are. Do not let your thought have dealings with the body. For I have said these things to you, through the voice of the fire, for I entered through ¹⁰ the midst of the clouds. And I spoke according to the language of each one. This is my language which I spoke to you. And it will be taken from you. And you will speak with the voice of the world ^is upon the earth. And it will appear to you with that appearance and voice, and all that I have said to you. Henceforth proceed with Faith ²⁰ to shine in the depths of the world.

And I, Shem, awoke as if from a long sleep. I marveled when I re­ceived the power of the Light and his whole thought. ²⁵ And I pro­ceeded with Faith to shine with me. And the righteous one followed us with my invincible garment. And all that he had told me ³⁰ would happen upon the earth happened. Nature was handed over to Faith, that she (i.e. Faith) might overturn her and that she (i.e. Nature) might stand in the Darkness. She brought forth a 42 turning motion while wandering night and day without receiving rest with the souls.

These things completed her ⁵ deeds.

Then I rejoiced in the thought of the Light. I came forth from the Darkness and I walked in Faith where the forms of ¹⁰ Nature are, up to the top of the earth, to the things which are prepared.

Thy Faith is upon the earth the whole day. For all night and day she surrounds ¹⁵ Nature to take to herself the righteous one. For Na­ture is  burdened, and she is troubled. For none will be able to open the forms of the Womb except the mind ²⁰ alone who was entrusted with their likeness. For frightful is their likeness of the two forms  of Nature, the one which is blind.

But they who have ²⁵ a free conscience remove themselves from the babbling of Nature. For they will bear witness to the universal tes­timony; ³⁰ they will strip off the burden of Darkness; they will put on the Word of the Light; and they will not be kept back 43 in the insig­nificant place. And what they possess from the power of the mind they will give to Faith. They will ⁵ be accepted without' grief. And the chaotic  fire which they possess they will place in the middle region of

Nature. And they will be received ¹⁰ by my garments, those which are in the clouds. It is they who guide their members. They will rest in the Spirit without suffering. And because of this the ¹⁵ appointed term of Faith appeared upon the earth for a short time, until the Dark­ness is taken away from her, and her testimony is revealed ²⁰ which was revealed by me. They who will prove to be from her root will strip off the Darkness and the chaotic fire. ²⁵ They will put on the light of the mind and they will bear witness. For all that I have said must happen.

After I cease to be upon the earth and ³⁰ withdraw up to my rest, a great, evil error will come upon the world, and many evils in ac­cordance with the number of the forms of 44 Nature. Evil times will come. And when the era of Nature is approaching destruction, dark­ness will ⁵ come upon the earth. The number will be small. And a demon will come up from the power who has a likeness of fire. He will divide the heaven, (and) he will rest ¹⁰ in the depth of the east. For the whole world will quake. And the deceived world will be thrown into confusion. Many places will be flooded because of ¹⁵ envy of the winds and the demons who have a name which is senseless: Phorbea, Chloerga. They are the ones who govern the world with their teach­ing. And they lead astray ²⁰ many hearts because of their disorder and their unchastity. Many places will be sprinkled with blood. And five races by themselves ²⁵ will eat their sons. But the regions of the south  will receive the Word of the Light. But they who are from the error of the world ³⁰ and from the east – . A demon will come forth from (the) belly of the serpent. He was 45 in hiding in a desolate place. He will perform many wonders. Many will loathe him. A wind will come forth from his mouth with a female likeness. Her name will be called  Abalphe. He will reign over the world from the east to the west.

Then Nature will have ¹⁰ a final opportunity. And the stars will cease from the sky. The mouth of error will be opened in order that the evil Darkness may become idle and silent. And in the last day ¹⁵ the forms of Nature will be destroyed with the winds and all their demons; they' will become a dark lump, just as they were ²⁰ from the beginning. And the sweet waters which were burdened by the demons will perish. For where the power of the Spirit has gone ²⁵ there are my sweet waters. The other works of Nature will not be manifest. They will mix with the infinite waters of darkness. ³⁰ And all her forms will cease from the middle region.

I,  Shem, have completed these things. And my mind began to separate from the body of darkness. My 46 time was completed. And  my mind put on the immortal memorial. And I said, "I agree with thy ⁵ memorial which thou hast revealed to me: Elorchaois, and thou, Amoiaiai, and thou, Sederkeas, and they guilelessness, Stro­phaias, and thou, Chelkeak, ¹⁰ and thou, Chelkea, and Chelke and Elaie, you (pl.) are the immortal memorial. I testify to thee, Spark, the unquenchable one, who is an eye ¹⁵ of heaven and a voice of light,  and Sophaia, and Saphaia, and Saphaina, and the righteous Spark, and Faith, the first and the last, and the upper air and lower ²⁰ air, ( and thou, Chelkeak, and Chelke and Elaie, you (pl.) are the immor­al memorial. I testify to thee, Spark, the unquenchable one, who is an eye of heaven ²⁵ and a voice of light, and Sophaia, and Saphaia, and Saphaina, and the righteous Spark, and Faith, the First and the Last, and the upper air and the lower air, ) and ³⁰ all the powers and the authorities that are in the world. And you, impure light, and you (sg.) also, east, and west, and south, and ³⁵ north, you (pl.) are the zones 47 of the inhabited world. And you (fern. sg.) also Moluch­tha and Essoch, you (pl.) are the root of evil and every work and ⁵ impure effort of Nature."

These are the things which I completed while bearing witness. I am Shem. On the day that I was to come forth from (the) body, when my thought ¹⁰ remained in (the) body, I awoke as if from a long sleep. And when I arose as it were from the burden of my body, I said, Just as Nature became old, ¹⁵ so is it also in the day of mankind. Blessed are they who knew, when they slept, in what power their thought rested. ²⁰

And when the Pleiades separated, I saw clouds which I shall pass by. For the cloud of the Spirit is like a pure beryl. ²⁵ And the cloud of the hymen is like a shining emerald. And the cloud of silence is like a flourishing amaranth. And ³⁰ the cloud of the middle region is like a pure jacinth. And when the righteous one appeared in Nature, then – when Nature ³⁵ was angry – she felt hurt, and she granted 48 to Morphaia to visit heaven. The righteous one visits dur­ing twelve periods that he may visit them during one ⁵ period, in order that his time may be completed quickly, and Nature may become idle.

Blessed are they who guard themselves against the ¹⁰ heritage of death, which is the burdensome water of darkness. For it will not be possible to conquer them in a few moments, since they hasten to come forth from the error of the ¹⁵ world. And if they are conquered, they will be kept back from them and be tormented in the darkness until the time of the consummation. When the consummation ²⁰ has come and Nature has been destroyed, then their thoughts will  separ­ate from the Darkness. Nature has burdened them for a short time. And they ²⁵ will be in the ineffable light of the unbegotten Spirit without a form. And thus is the mind as I have said from ³⁰ the first.

Henceforth, O Shem,  go in grace and continue in faith upon the earth. For every power of light and fire will be completed by me 49 because of you. For without you they will not be revealed until you speak them openly. When you cease to be upon the earth, they will ⁵ be given to the worthy ones. And apart from this proclamation, let them speak about you upon the earth, since they will take the care­free and agreeable land.