A Valentinian Exposition CODEX XI

 

[...] enter [...] the abundance [...] those who [...] I will speak my mystery to those who are mine and to those who will be mine. Moreover it is these who have known him who is, the Father, that is, the Root of the All, the Ineffable One who dwells in the Monad. He dwells alone in silence, and silence is tranquility since, after all, he was a Monad and no one was before him. He dwells in the Dyad and in the Pair, and his Pair is Silence. And he possessed the All dwelling within him. And as for Intention and Persistence, Love and Permanence, they are indeed unbegotten. God came forth: the Son, Mind of the All, that is, it is from the Root of the All that even his Thought stems, since he had this one (the Son) in Mind. For on behalf of the All, he received an alien Thought since there were nothing before him. From that place it is he who moved [...] a gushing spring. Now this is the Root of the All and Monad without any one before him. 

Now the second spring exists in silence and speaks with him alone. And the Fourth accordingly is he who restricted himself in the Fourth: while dwelling in the Three-hundred-sixtieth, he first brought himself (forth), and in the Second he revealed his will, and in the Fourth he spread himself out. While these things are due to the Root of the All, let us for our part enter his revelation and his goodness and his descent and the All, that is, the Son, the Father of the All, and the Mind of the Spirit; for he was possessing this one before [...]. He is a spring. He is one who appears in Silence, and he is Mind of the All dwelling secondarily with Life. For he is the projector of the All and the very hypostasis of the Father, that is, he is the Thought and his descent below. When he willed, the First Father revealed himself in him. Since, after all, because of him the revelation is available to the All, I for my part call the All 'the desire of the All'. And he took such a thought concerning the All - I for my part call the thought 'Monogenes'. 

For now God has brought Truth, the one who glorifies the Root of the All. Thus it is he who revealed himself in Monogenes, and in him he revealed the Ineffable One [...] the Truth. They saw him dwelling in the Monad and in the Dyad and in the Tetrad. He first brought forth Monogenes and Limit. And Limit is the separator of the All and the confirmation of the All, since they are [...] the hundred [...]. He is the Mind [...] the Son. He is completely ineffable to the All, and he is the confirmation and the hypostasis of the All, the silent veil, the true High Priest, the one who has the authority to enter the Holies of Holies, revealing the glory of the Aeons and bringing forth the abundance to . The East [...] that is in Him. He is the one who revealed himself as the primal sanctuary and the treasury of the All. And he encompassed the All, he who is higher than the All. 

These for their part sent Christ forth to establish her just as they were established before her descent. And they say concerning him: [...] He is not manifest, but invisible to those remaining within Limit. And he possesses four powers: a separator and a confirmor, a form-provider and a substance-producer. Surely we alone would discern their presences and the time and the places which the likenesses have confirmed because they have [...] from these places [...] the Love [...] is emanated [...] the entire Pleroma [...]. The persistence endures always, and [...] for also [...] the time [...] more [...] that is, the proof of his great love. So why a separator, and a confirmor and a substance-producer and a form-provider as others have said? For they say concerning Limit that he has two powers, a separator and a confirmor, since it separates Depth from the Aeons, in order that [...]. These, then [...] of Depth [...]. For [...] is the form [...] the Father of the Truth [...] say that Christ [...] the Spirit [...] Monogenes [...] has [...]. It is a great and necessary thing for us to seek with more diligence and perseverance after the scriptures and those who proclaim the concepts. 

For about this the ancients say, "they were proclaimed by God." So let us know his unfathomable richness! He wanted [...] servitude. He did  not become [...] of their life [...]. They look steadfastly at their book of knowledge and they regard one another`s appearance. That Tetrad projected the Tetrad which is the one consisting of Word and Life and Man and Church. Now the Uncreated One projected Word and Life. Word is for the glory of the Ineffable One while Life is for the glory of Silence, and Man is for his own glory, while Church is for the glory of Truth. This, then, is the Tetrad begotten according to the likeness of the Uncreated (Tetrad). And the Tetrad is begotten [... ] the Decad from Word and Life, and the Dodecad from Man, and Church became a Triacontad. Moreover, it is the one from the Triacontad of the Aeons who bear fruit from the Triacontrad. They enter jointly, but they come forth singly, fleeing from the Aeons and the Uncontainable Ones. And the Uncontainable Ones, once they had looked at him, glorified Mind since he is an Uncontainable One that exists in the Pleroma. 

But the Decad from Word and Life brought forth decads so as to make the Pleroma become a hundred, and the Dodecad from Man and Church brought forth and made the Triacontad so as to make the three hundred sixty become the Pleroma of the year. And the year of the Lord [...perfect...] perfect [...] according to [...] Limit and [...] Limit [...] the greatness which [...] the goodness [...] him. Life [...] suffer [...] by the face [...] in the presence of the Pleroma [...] which he wanted [...]. And he wanted to leave the Thirtieth - being a szygy of Man and Church, that is, Sophia - to surpass the Triacontad and bring the Pleroma [...] his [...] but [...] and she [...] the All [...] but [...] who [...] the All [...]. He made [...] the thoughts and [...] the Pleroma through the Word [...] his flesh. These, then, are the Aeons that are like them. After the Word entered it, just as I said before, also the one who comes to be with the Uncontainable One brought forth [...] before they [...] forth [...] hide him from [...] the syzygy and [...] the movement and [...] project the Christ [...] and the seeds [...] of the cross since [...] the imprints of the nail wound [...] perfection. 

Since it is a perfect form that should ascend into the Pleroma, he did not at all want to consent to the suffering, but he was detained [...] him by Limit, that is, by the syzygy, since her correction will not occur through anyone except her own Son, whose alone is the fullness of divinity. He willed within himself bodily to leave the powers and he descended. And these things (passions) Sophia suffered after her son ascended from her, for she knew that she dwelt in a [...] in unity and restoration. They were stopped [...] the brethren [...] these. A [...] did not [...]. I became [...]. Who indeed are they? The [...], on the one hand, stopped her [...], on the other hand, [...]. with the [...] her. These moreover are those who were looking at me, these who, [...] these who considered [...] the death. They were stopped [...] her and she repented and she besought the Father of the truth, saying, "Granted that I have renounced my consort. Therefore I am beyond confirmation as well. I deserve the things (passions) I suffer. I used to dwell in the Pleroma putting forth the Aeons and bearing fruit with my consort" And she knew what she was and what had become of her. 

So they both suffered; they said she laughs since she remained alone and imitated the Uncontainable One, while he said she laughs since she cut herself off from her consort. [...] Indeed Jesus and Sophia revealed the creature. Since, after all, the seeds of Sophia are incomplete and formless, Jesus contrived a creature of this sort and made it of the seeds while Sophia worked with him. For since they are seeds and without form, he descended and brought forth that pleroma of aeons which are in that place, since even the uncreated ones of those Aeons are of the pattern of the Pleroma and the uncontainable Father. The Uncreated One brought forth the pattern of the uncreated, for it is from the uncreated that the Father brings forth into form. But the creature is a shadow of pre-existing things. Moreover, this Jesus created the creature, and he worked from the passions surrounding the seeds. And he separated them from one another, and the better passions he introduced into the spirit and the worse ones into the carnal. Now, first among all those passions [...] nor [...] him, since, after all, Pronoia caused the correction to project shadows and images of those who exist from the first and those who are and those who shall be. This, then, is the dispensation of believing in Jesus for the sake of him who inscribed the All with likenesses and images and shadows. 

After Jesus brought forth further, he brought forth for the All those of the Pleroma and of the syzygy, that is, the angels. For simultaneously with the agreement of the Pleroma her consort projected the angels, since he abides in the will of the Father. For this is the will of the Father: not to allow anything to happen in the Pleroma apart from a syzygy. Again, the will of the Father is: always produce and bear fruit. That she should suffer, then, was not the will of the Father, for she dwells in herself alone without her consort. Let us [...] another one [...] the Second [...] the son of another [...] is the Tetrad of the world. And that Tetrad put forth fruit as if the Pleroma of the world were a Hebdomad. And it entered images and likenesses and angels and archangels, divinities and ministers. When all these things were brought to pass by Pronoia [...] of Jesus who [...] the seeds [...] of Monogenes [...]. Indeed they are spiritual and carnal, the heavenly and the earthly. He made them a place of this sort and a school of this sort for doctrine and for form. 

Moreover the Demiurge began to create a man according to his image on the one hand and on the other according to the likeness of those who exist from the first. It was this sort of dwelling place that she used for the seeds, namely [... separate ...] God. When they [...] in behalf of man, since indeed the Devil is one of the divine beings. He removed himself and seized the entire plaza of the gates and he expelled his own root from that place in the body and carcasses of flesh, for he is enveloped by the man of God. And Adam sowed him. Therefore he acquired sons who angered one another. And Cain killed Abel his brother, for the Demiurge breathed into them his spirit. And there took place the struggle with the apostasy of the angels and mankind, those of the right with those of the left, those in heaven with those on earth, the spirits with the carnal, and the Devil against God. Therefore the angels lusted after the daughters of men and came down to flesh so that God would cause a flood. 

And he almost regretted that he had created the world [...] the consort and Sophia and her Son and the angels and the seeds. But the syzygy is the complete one, and Sophia and Jesus and the angels and the seeds are images of the Pleroma. Moreover, the Demiurge cast a shadow over the syzygy and the Pleroma and Jesus and Sophia and the angels and the seeds. The complete one glorifies Sophia; the image glorifies Truth. And the glory of the seeds and Jesus are those of Silence and Monogenes. And the angels of the males and the seminal ones of the females are all Pleromas. Moreover whenever Sophia receives her consort and Jesus receives the Christ and the seeds and the angels, then the Pleroma will receive Sophia joyfully, and the All will come to be in unity and reconciliation. For by this the Aeons have been increased; for they knew that should they change, they are without change.

On the Anointing 

 [....] according to [....] the type of [...] see him. It is fitting for you at this time to send thy Son Jesus Christ and anoint us so we might be able to trample upon the snakes and the heads of the scorpions and all the power of the Devil since he is a shepherd of the seed. Through him we have known thee. And we glorify thee : Glory be to thee, the Father in the Son, the Father in the Son, the Father in the Holy Church and in the holy angels! From now he abides forever in the perpetuity of the Aeons, forever until the untraceable Aeons of the Aeons. Amen. 

On the Baptism 

This is the fullness of the summary of knowledge which summary was revealed to us by our Lord Jesus Christ, the Monogenes. These are the sure and necessary items so that we may walk in them. But they are those of the first baptism [......The First] baptism is the Forgiveness of sins [...] said, [...] you to the [...] your sins the [...] is a pattern of the [...] of the Christ which is the equal of the  [..within] him [...]. For the [...] of Jesus [...]. Moreover, the first baptism is the forgiveness of sins. We are brought from those of the right, that is, into the imperishability which is the Jordan. But that place is of the world. So we have been sent out of the world into the Aeon. For the interpretation of John is the Aeon, while the interpretation of that which is the upward progression, that is, our Exodus from the world into the Aeon

. 

On the Baptism 

[..... from the ] world into the Jordan and from the blindness of the world into the sight of God, from the carnal into the spiritual, from the physical into the angelic, from the created into the Pleroma, from the world into the Aeon, from the servitudes into sonship, from entanglements into one another, from the desert into our village, from the cold into the hot, from [...] into a [...] and we [...] into the [....thus] we were brought from seminal bodies into bodies with a perfect form. Indeed I entered by way of example the remnant for which the Christ rescued us in the fellowship of his Spirit. And he brought us forth who are in him, and from now on the souls will become perfect spirits. Now the things granted us by the first baptism [....invisible ...which] is his, since [.......speak][about...].... 

On the Eucharist 

We give thanks to you and we celebrate the eucharist, O Father, remembering for the sake of thy Son, Jesus Christ that they come forth [...] invisible [...] thy [Son....] his [love...] to [knowledge ......] they are doing thy will through the name of Jesus Christ and will do thy will now and always. They are complete in every spiritual gift and every purity. Glory be to thee through thy Son and they offspring Jesus Christ from now and forever. Amen. 

On the Eucharist 

 [...] in the [...] the word of the [....the] holy one it is [...] food and [drink...] Son, since you [...] food of the [...] to us the [...] in the [life ..] he does [not boast...] that is[...] Church [...] you are pure [...] thou art the Lord. Whenever you die purely, you will be pure so as to have him [...] everyone who will guide him to food and drink. Glory be to thee forever. Amen. 

The Thought of Norea CODEX IX (daughter of Adam)

Father of All, Ennoia  of the Light, dwelling in the heights above the (regions) below, Light dwelling in the heights, Voice of Truth, upright Nous , untouchable Logos , and ineffable Voice, incomprehensible Father! It is Norea  who cries out to them. They heard, (and) they received her into her place forever. 

They gave it to her in the Father of Nous, Adamas , as well as the voice of the Holy Ones, in order that she might rest in the ineffable Epinoia , in order that might inherit the first mind3which had received, and that might rest in the divine Autogenes  , and that she (too) might generate herself, just as she also has inherited the living Logos , and that she might be joined to all of the Imperishable Ones, and speak with the mind of the Father. And she began to speak with the words of Life , and remained in the presence of the Exalted One, possessing that which she had received before the world came into being. She has the great mind of the Invisible One, and she gives glory to Father, and she dwells within those who [...] within the Pleroma, and she beholds the Pleroma.

There will be days when she will behold the Pleroma, and she will not be in deficiency , for she has the four holy helpers who intercede on her behalf with the Father of the All, Adamas. He it is who is within all of the Adams, possessing the thought of Norea, who speaks concerning the two names which create a single name.Ennoia is the Greek word for thought. Nous is the Greek word for Mind. In Hermetic and Gnostic writings, Nous often is used as a name or a description of the one true God. Logos is the Greek word often translated into English as Word. In the original Greek it is more of a reference to ratio, order, or logic, although language (hence 'word') is also a valid choice. Logos, in Christological writings is usually assumed to refer to Christ. This assumption, however, is drawn into question when one observes the use of the word in the Hermetic and non-Christian Gnostic traditions, as "The Thought of Norea" is an example of. It should be read as the saving logic, or knowledge (gnosis) by which salvation is achieved. 

 This part begins the Thought with an address to higher beings, formed as an invocation. Although Pearson details it as being to the divine Sethian triad of Father, Mother and Son, this does not seem so clear. Clearly more than one being is addressed, as Norea refers to "them" in line 3, and clearly the Son is addressed ("Logos," line 2) and the Father ("Nous," line 2), but presumably the Ennoia and/or the Voice is meant to refer to the divine Mother. Norea, under many variations of spelling, is a frequent figure in Gnostic literature (cf. especially The Hypostasis of the Archons), under a great variety of circumstances, from the ark burning wife of Noah to the sister-wife of Seth. In this last capacity, in Sethian Gnosticism, she often appears as a female equivalent of his male savior figure. Here, however, she takes the position of savior alone.  Begins the second segment in the Thought, where Norea is taken from this world into the divine world (the Pleroma), being her proper place. It is telling in that the higher powers do not receive her into their place, but into hers. She is brought into the thought of the mind, and there can speak with all the Imperishable Ones, being the higher powers themselves and all the saved. We see that she has inherited the Logos, which a Christian would read as receiving the Spirit of the Word, Christ, and she also becomes Autogenetic. Thus she, so to speak, is taken into the Godhead. 

Identified as "the Father of the All" and "the Father of Nous" (or mind), Adamas is a name often used to refer to the father of all mankind. One will notice, though, that, unlike the Bringhamite Mormons, this does not imply that a man, Adam, is the father of all, or the father of God (Nous), for Adamas is present in all that Adams (see note, line 20). This is, instead, a transcendent being, a totality of thoughts, by which salvation is achieved, roughly equivalent to the Christian Holy Spirit. Epinoia: Although this annotator does not know from what Greek word this is derived, it evidently refers to the Pleroma once again, wherein Norea may find rest. First mind: refers once again to the Nous, being the first mind of God. The significance is that it points out once again that she has inherited the very mind of God. Autogenes is the Greek word meaning "self-begotten," in that the Creator is self-creating, and needs no external force to bring Him into being. In Hermetic and Gnostic writings it is often used as an alternate name for the one true God. 

The significance here is that, having been freed from the bonds of this corruptible world, Norea becomes "self-begotten," able to generate herself, showing the immortality of the soul and the fact that the appearance of creation is misleading. Living Logos: in Gnostic texts, the term "Living Christ", as opposed to simply "Christ," is used to refer to the secret or spiritual being, as opposed to the earthly or corruptible being. The use here may be construed as to refer to the immortal and spiritual Logos (note 3), as opposed to the Logos that manifests itself in the world which we may perceive. Norea has, thus, inherited the true knowledge of reality, not simply earthly knowledge as can be studied from experiences here on this plane. Part three: She has here received the very mind of God into herself, and simultaneously sees and is the Godhead, or Pleroma. Words of Life: Here, Pearson conjectures that the words of Life refer to the capacity to deliver salvation, and thus shows that Norea achieves the capacity to save mankind by virtue of her salvation. "that which she had received before the world came into being": refers to the immortality of the soul, and the concept that the soul, although it may believe or perceive itself to be apart from the Pleroma, in reality has received the mind of God (note 12), the living Logos, and the words of Life before this corruptible world came into being. 

Pleroma: The Pleroma is the word referring to the thirty highest Aeons, constituting the one true God, although it also refers to the beings that occupy those Aeons. This is how Norea may simultaneously see and be the Pleroma. Essentially, this word means what is thought of as the Godhead in Eastern culture. Fourth and final section of the Thought, wherein it speaks of Norea's salvation, and how it is aided. Deficiency: The concept of being in or out of deficiency is a common one in Gnostic writings, and refers to being filled or not filled with the spirit of God (or, among Christian Gnostics, Christ). One who is not filled with the spirit of God is deficient, and thirsts, and is not saved. The Norea perceives the Pleroma and is not deficient demonstrates that being one with the Godhead is salvation, and fills one with the spirit. Four holy helpers: Pearson identifies these helpers with the four "luminaries" of Sethian Gnosticism, Harmozel, Oroiael, Daveithe, and Eleleth. 

These beings are more detailed in Melchizedek, where it is seen that they are referred to as "commander" or "Commander-in-chief," and seem to fulfill a position somewhat similar to the Archangels in Christianty, although Melchizedek groups the "offspring of the Archons" with the offspring of "all the angels," and so the luminaries may be of a higher type. Here they are seen as entities aiding by intercession in Norea's continual salvation, thus implying that salvation is something that can be lost. Adams: Adam being the Hebrew for "man," should be read as meaning the reference here to the Adams as the mass of created humanity. That Adamas is present in all Adams shows that the transcendent totality of thoughts is present in all created mankind.  

Melchizedek CODEX IX

 

Jesus Christ, the Son of God [...] from ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... the aeons, that I might tell all of the aeons, and, in (the case of) each one of the aeons, that I might tell the nature of the aeon, what it is, and that I might put on friendship and goodness as a garment, O brother, [...] and ... ... (7 lines unrecoverable) ... their end [...]. And he will reveal to them the truth [...] in ... ... (3 lines unrecoverable) ... proverb(s) ... ... (lines 26-eop [=end of page], and first 2 lines of next page, unrecoverable) ... at first in parables and riddles [...] proclaim them. Death will tremble and be angry, not only he himself, but also his fellow world-ruling archons, and the principalities and the authorities, the female gods and the male gods, together with the archangels. And ... ... (4 lines unrecoverable) ... all of them, [...] the world-rulers [...], all of them, and all the [...], and all the [...]. They will say [...] concerning him, and concerning [...] and ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... they will [...] hidden mysteries ... ... (lines 27-eop, and first 2 lines of next page, unrecoverable) ... out of [...] the All. They will [...] this. 

The lawyers will bury him quickly. They will call him 'impious man', 'lawless', 'impure'. And on the third day, he will rise from the dead ... ... (lines 12- eop, and first 3 lines of next page, unrecoverable) ... holy disciples. And the Savior will reveal to them the world that gives life to the All. But those in the heavens spoke many words, together with those on the earth, and those under the earth. ... ... (lines 11-eop unrecoverable) ... which will happen in his name. Furthermore, they will say of him that he is unbegotten, though he has been begotten, (that) he does not eat, even though he eats, (that) he does not drink, even though he drinks, (that) he is uncircumcised, though he has been circumcised, (that) he is unfleshly, though he has come in the flesh, (that) he did not come to suffering, he came to suffering, (that) he did not rise from the dead, he arose from the dead. 

But all the tribes and all the peoples will speak the truth who are receiving from you yourself, O Melchizedek, Holy One, High-Priest, the perfect hope and the gifts of life. I am Gamaliel, who was sent to [...] the congregation of the children of Seth, who are above thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads, of the aeons [...] essence of the aeons, aba[...] aiai ababa. O divine [...] of the [...] nature [...]! O Mother of the aeons, Barbelo! O first-born of the aeons, splendid Doxomedon Dom[...]! O glorious one, Jesus Christ! O chief commanders of the luminaries, you powers Armozel, Oroiael, Daveithe, Eleleth, and you man-of-light, immortal aeon Pigera-Adamas, and you good god of the beneficent worlds, Mirocheirothetou, through Jesus Christ, the Son of God! This is the one whom I proclaim, inasmuch as there has visited the One who truly exists, among those who exist [...] do(es) not exist, Abel Baruch - that you (sg.) might be given the knowledge of the truth [...], that he is from the race of the High-priest, which is above thousands of thousands, and myriads of myriads, of the aeons. The adverse spirits are ignorant of him, and (of) their (own) destruction. 

Not only (that, but) I have come to reveal to you the truth, which is within the brethren. He included himself in the living offering, together with your offspring. He offered them up as an offering to the All. For it is not cattle that you will offer up for sin(s) of unbelief, and for the ignorances, and (for) all the wicked deeds which they will do [...]. And they do not reach the Father of the All [...] the faith ... ... (20 lines unrecoverable) For the waters which are above [...] that receive baptism [...]. But receive that baptism which is with the water which [...], while he is coming ... ... (3 lines unrecoverable) ... baptism as they ... ... (18 lines unrecoverable) - 2 3 0 - ... pray for the offspring of the archons and all the angels, together with the seed flowed forth from the Father of the All [...] the entire [...] from [...] there were engendered the gods and the angels, and the men [...] out of the seed, all of the natures, those in the heavens and those upon the earth and those under the earth ... ... (14 lines unrecoverable) ... nature of the females [...], among those that are in the [...]. They were bound with [...] But this is not (the) true Adam nor (the) true Eve. 

For when they ate of the tree of knowledge, they trampled the Cherubim and the Seraphim with the flaming sword. They [...], which was Adam's, [...] the world-rulers, and [...] them out [...] after they had brought forth [...] offspring of the archons and their worldly things, these belonging to ... ... (13 lines unrecoverable) ... light [...]. And the females and the males, those who exist with [...] hidden from every nature, and they will renounce the archons [...] who receive from him the [...]. For they are worthy of [...] immortal, and great [...], and great [...], and great [...] sons of men [...] disciples [...] image, and [...] from the light [...] which is holy. For [...] from the beginning [...] a seed ... ... (lines 13-eop unrecoverable) But I will be silent [...], for we are the brethren who came down from the living [...]. They will [...] upon the ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... of Adam, [...], Abel, Enoch, Noah, [...] you, Melchizedek, the Priest of God Most High, [...] those who [...] women ... ... (lines 14-eop unrecoverable) ... these two who have been chosen will at no time nor in any place will they be convicted, whenever they have been begotten, by their enemies, by their friends, nor by strangers, nor their (own) kin, (nor) by the impious, nor the pious. All of the adverse natures will [...] them, whether those that are manifest, or those that are not manifest, together with those that dwell in the heavens, and those that are upon the earth, and those that are under the earth. 

They will make war [...] every one. For [...], whether in the ... ... (3 lines unrecoverable) ... many ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) And these in the [...] every one will [...]. These will [...] with every blow [...] weaknesses. These will be confined in other forms, and will be punished. These the Savior will take them away, and they will overcome everything, not with their mouths and words, but by means of the [...], which will be done for them. He will destroy Death. These things which I was commanded to reveal, these things reveal as I (have done). But that which is hidden, do not reveal to anyone, unless it is revealed to you (to do so)." And immediately, I arose, I, Melchizedek, and I began to [...] God [...] that I should rejoice ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... while he is acting [...] living [...] I said, "I ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... and I will not cease, from now on, forever, O Father of the All, because you have had pity on men, and you have sent the angel of light [...] from your aeons [...] to reveal [...]. When he came, he caused me to be raised up from ignorance, and (from) the fructification of death to life. For I have a name: 

I am Melchizedek, the Priest of God Most High; I know that it is I who am truly the image of the true High-Priest of God Most High, and [...] the world. For it is not a small thing that God [...] with [...] while he [...]. And [...] the angels that dwell upon the earth ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... is the sacrifice of [...], whom Death deceived. When he died, he bound them with the natures which are leading them astray. Yet he offered up offerings [...] cattle, saying, "I gave them to Death, and the angels, and the [...] demons [...] living offering [...]. I have offered up myself to you as an offering, together with those that are mine, to you yourself, (O) Father of the All, and those whom you love, who have come forth from you who are holy (and) living. And the perfect laws, I shall pronounce my name as I receive baptism now (and) forever, (as a name) among the living (and) holy names, and (now) in the waters. Amen." 

Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, O Father of the All, who truly exists, [...] do(es) not exist, Abel Baruch [...], for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, Mother of the aeons, Barbelo, for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, First-born of the aeons, Doxomedon [...], for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... for ever and ever, Amen. - 2 3 1 - Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... first aeon, Harmozel, for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, commander, luminary of the aeons, Oriael, for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, commander of the aeons, man-of-light, Daveithe, for ever and ever. Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, commander-in-chief, Eleleth ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... the aeons ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... for ever and ever, Amen. Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, good god of the beneficent words, ... Mirocheirothetou, for ever and ever, Amen. 

Holy are you, Holy are you, Holy are you, Commander-in-chief of the All, Jesus Christ, for ever and ever, Amen. ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... blessed [...] confession. And [...] confess him [...] now [...], then it becomes [...] fear and [...], fear and [...] disturb [...] surrounding them [...], in the place which has a great darkness in it, and many [...] appear [...] there [...] appear ... ... (lines 23-eop unrecoverable) And [...] they were clothed with [...] all, and ... ... (6 lines unrecoverable) ... disturbances. They gave [...] their words [...], and they said to me, "[...], Melchizedek, Priest of God Most High," [...] they spoke as though [...] their mouths [...] in the All ... ... (7 lines unrecoverable) ... lead astray ... ... (lines 25-eop unrecoverable) ... with his [...] worship, and [...] faith, and [...] his prayers, and ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... those that are his [...] first ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... 

They did not care that the priesthood which you perform, which is from ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... in the counsels of [...] Satan [...], the sacrifice [...] his doctrines ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... of this aeon ... ... (4 lines unrecoverable) ... which exist(s) in [...], lead(s) astray ... ... (lines 27-eop unrecoverable) ... and some ... ... (2 lines unrecoverable) ... he gave them to ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... and thirteen ... ... (lines 7-eop unrecoverable) ... throw him [...], in order that you might ... ... (1 line unrecoverable) ... for immediately, [...], by means of [...] on the ground. The ... ... (lines 7-eop unrecoverable) (pp.23-24 of the codex are almost completely missing) ... men. And [...] you (pl.) struck me, [...] you threw me, [...] corpse. And you crucified me from the third hour of the Sabbath-eve until the ninth hour. And after these things, I arose from the dead, [...] came out of [...] into me, [...] my eyes saw [...], they did not find anyone ... ... (lines 13-eop unrecoverable) ... greeted me [...]. 

They said to me, "Be strong, O Melchizedek, great High-priest of God Most High, for the archons, who are your enemies, made war; (but) you have prevailed over them, and they did not prevail over you, and you endured, and you destroyed your enemies. [...] of their [...] will rest in any [...] which is living (and) holy [...] those that exalted themselves against him in [...] flesh ... ... (lines 15-eop unrecoverable) "... with offerings, working on that which is good, fasting with fasts. These revelations, do not reveal to anyone in the flesh, since they are incorporeal, unless it is revealed to you (to do so)." When the brethren who belong to the generations of life had said these things, they were taken up to (the regions) above all the heavens. Amen.

The Letter of Peter to Philip CODEX VIII

The Letter of Peter which he sent to Philip "Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, to Philip, our beloved brother and our fellow apostle, and (to) the brethren who are with you: greetings! Now I want you to know, our brother, that we received orders from our Lord and the Savior of the whole world that we should come together to give instruction and preach in the salvation which was promised us by our Lord Jesus Christ. But as for you, you were separate from us, and you did not desire us to come together and to know how we should organize ourselves in order that we might tell the good news. Therefore would it be agreeable to you, our brother, to come according to the orders of our God Jesus?" When Philip had received these (words), and when he had read them, he went to Peter rejoicing with gladness. Then Peter gathered the others also. 

They went upon the mountain which is called "the (mount) olives," the place where they used to gather with the blessed Christ when he was in the body. Then, when the apostles had come together, and had thrown themselves upon their knees, they prayed thus saying, "Father, Father, Father of the light, who possesses the incorruptions, hear us just as thou hast taken pleasure in thy holy child Jesus Christ. For he became for us an illuminator in the darkness. Yea hear us!" And they prayed again another time, saying, "Son of life, Son of immortality, who is in the light, Son, Christ of immortality, our Redeemer, give us power, for they seek to kill us!" Then a great light appeared so that the mountains shone from the sight of him who had appeared. And a voice called out to them saying, "Listen to my words that I may speak to you. Why are you asking me? I am Jesus Christ who am with you forever." Then the apostles answered and said, "Lord, we would like to know the deficiency of the aeons and their pleroma." 

And: "How are we detained in this dwelling place?" Further: "How did we come to this place?" And: "In what manner shall we depart?" Again: "How do we have the authority of boldness?" And: "Why do the powers fight against us?" Then a voice came to them out of the light saying, "It is you yourselves who are witnesses that I spoke all these things to you. But because of your unbelief I shall speak again. First of all concerning the deficiency of the aeons, this is the deficiency, when the disobedience and the foolishness of the mother appeared without the commandment of the majesty of the Father. She wanted to raise up aeons. 

And when she spoke, the Arrogant One followed. And when she left behind a part, the Arrogant One laid hold of it, and it became a deficiency. This is the deficiency of the aeons. Now when the Arrogant One had taken a part, he sowed it. And he placed powers over it and authorities. And he enclosed it in the aeons which are dead. And all the powers of the world rejoiced that they had been begotten. But they do not know the pre-existent Father, since they are strangers to him. But this is the one to whom they gave power and whom they served by praising him. But he, the Arrogant One, became proud on account of the praise of the powers. He became an envier and he wanted to make an image in the place of an image, and a form in the place of a form.

 And he commissioned the powers within his authority to mold mortal bodies. And they came to be from a misrepresentation, from the semblance which had merged." "Next concerning the pleroma: I am the one who was sent down in the body because of the seed which had fallen away. And I came down into their mortal mold. But they did not recognize me; they were thinking of me that I was a mortal man. And I spoke with him who belongs to me, and he harkened to me just as you too who harkened today. And I gave him authority in order that he - 2 2 8 - might enter into the inheritance of his fatherhood. And I took [...] they were filled [...] in his salvation. And since he was a deficiency, for this reason he became a pleroma." 

"It is because of this that you are being detained, because you belong to me. When you strip off from yourselves what is corrupted, then you will become illuminators in the midst of mortal men." "And this (is the reason) that you will fight against the powers, because they do not have rest like you, since they do not wish that you be saved." Then the apostles worshiped again saying, "Lord, tell us: In what way shall we fight against the archons, since the archons are above us?" 

Then a voice called out to them from the appearance saying, "Now you will fight against them in this way, for the archons are fighting against the inner man. And you are to fight against them in this way: Come together and teach in the world the salvation with a promise. And you, gird yourselves with the power of my Father, and let your prayer be known. And he, the Father, will help you as he has helped you by sending me. Be not afraid, I am with you forever, as I previously said to you when I was in the body." 

Then there came lightning and thunder from heaven, and what appeared to them in that place was taken up to heaven. Then the apostles gave thanks to the Lord with every blessing. And they returned to Jerusalem. And while coming up they spoke with each other on the road concerning the light which had come. And a remark was made concerning the Lord. It was said, "If he, our Lord, suffered, then how much (must) we (suffer)?" Peter answered saying, "He suffered on our behalf, and it is necessary for us too to suffer because of our smallness." Then a voice came to them saying, "I have told you many times: it is necessary for you to suffer. 

It is necessary that they bring you to synagogues and governors, so that you will suffer. But he who does not suffer and does not [...] the Father [...] in order that he may [...]." And the apostles rejoiced greatly and came up to Jerusalem. And they came up to the temple and gave instruction in salvation in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they healed a multitude. And Peter opened his mouth, he said to his (fellow) disciples, "Did our Lord Jesus, when he was in the body, show us everything? For he came down. My brothers, listen to my voice." 

And he was filled with a holy spirit. He spoke thus: "Our illuminator, Jesus, came down and was crucified. And he bore a crown of thorns. And he put on a purple garment. And he was crucified on a tree and he was buried in a tomb. And he rose from the dead. My brothers, Jesus is a stranger to this suffering. But we are the ones who have suffered through the transgression of the mother. And because of this, he did everything like us. For the Lord Jesus, the Son of the immeasurable glory of the Father, he is the author of our life. 

My brothers, let us therefore not obey these lawless ones, and walk in [...]." [...] Then Peter gathered together the others also, saying, "O, Lord Jesus Christ, author of our rest, give us a spirit of understanding in order that we also may perform wonders." Then Peter and the other apostles saw him, and they were filled with a holy spirit, And each one performed healings. And they parted in order to preach the Lord Jesus. And they came together and greeted each other saying, "Amen." Then Jesus appeared saying to them, "Peace to you all and everyone who believes in my name. And when you depart, joy be to you and grace and power. And be not afraid; behold, I am with you forever." Then the apostles parted from each other into four words in order to preach. And they went by a power of Jesus, in peace.