Pistis Sophia

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[345^a] fire and punish her in them for six other months with eight days. After these (things) they (will) take her upon the road of the Middle, and each of the Rulers of the road of the Middle (will) punish her in his punishments for six other months with eight days. After these things they (will) take her to the Virgin of the Light, this who is wont to judge the good and (with, MS) the evil, that she may judge her. And whenever the Sphere should turn round she is wont to deliver them up to her Receivers, that they may cast her unto the Aeons of the Sphere. And are wont the Ministers of the Sphere to take her out unto water which is below the Sphere; and it is (wont) to become a fire boiling and eating into her, until it purifieth her entirely. And is wont to come Ialouham

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the Receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, this who is wont to give the cup of forgetfulness to the souls, and to bring a [345^b] cup being full of the water of the forgetfulness and give it to the soul: and she (is wont to) drink it and forget every place (coptic word) with every Place unto which she went: and cast her into a body, which is about to spend its time (in which) he is wont to pain his heart continually. This is the punishment of the man who curseth. Added further Mariham, said she, My Lord Jesus, then the man (a) slanderer continually, whenever he should come out of body whither is he about to go, or what is his punishment? Said Jesus, A man (a) slanderer continually, whenever should be completed his time by the Sphere for him to come out of body, are wont to come after him Abiout with Kharmon the Receivers of Ariel, and they bring his soul out of body, and spend three days going with her teaching her the creatures of the World. And after these (things) [346^a] they take her down unto Amente (close) to Ariel, and he (is wont) to punish her in his punishments eleven months with twenty one days. And afterwards they take her unto the Chaos (close) to Ialdabaoth with his forty nine demons, and each one of his demons goeth out upon her for another eleven months with other twenty one days, scourging her with whips of smoke. And after these they take her into the rivers of smoke with seas of fire boiling, and they punish her in them other eleven months with twenty one days. And after these they are wont to take her away upon the road of the Middle, and each of the Rulers in the road of the Middle punisheth her in his punishments other eleven months with twenty one days. After [346^b] these they are wont to take her away to the Virgin of the Light, this who is wont to judge the righteous with the sinners, that she may judge her. And whenever the Sphere should turn round, she is wont to deliver her up to her Receivers, that they may cast her out unto the Aeons of the Sphere. And the Ministers of the Sphere take her out unto water below the Sphere, and it becometh a smoke boiling and it eateth in at her, until it purifieth her entirely. And bringeth the cup of forgetfulness Ialouham, the Receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, and he giveth it to the soul: and she drinketh it and forgetteth every place (coptic word) with every thing with every Place unto which she went: and they give her into a body being about to spend his time being oppressed. This is the judgment of the man, (the) slanderer. Said she, Mariham, Woe woe to the sinners. Answered [347^a] also Salome, said she, My Lord, Jesus, a man, murderer having not done sin ever except killing, whenever he should come out of body, what is his punishment? Answered Jesus, said he, A man killer, having not done sin ever except killing, whenever his time should be completed by the Sphere for him to come out of body, are wont to come the Receivers of Ialdabaoth, and bring his soul out of body, and bind her by her feet behind a great demon of face of horse, and he spendeth three days going round with her in the World. After these (things) they are wont to take her out unto the Place of the cold with the snow and punish her there for three years with six months. After these they (are wont to) take her down unto the Chaos (close) to Ialdabaoth with his forty nine demons, and scourge [347^b] her his demons other three years for each (demon) with six months. After these (things) they are wont to take her unto the Chaos (close) to the Persephone, and punish her in her punishments other three years with six months. After these (things) they are wont to take her away upon the road of the Middle, and each of the Rulers of the road of the Middle punisheth her in the punishments of his Places for other three years with six months. And after these they take her to the Virgin of the Light, this who is wont to judge the righteous with the sinners that she may judge her, and whenever the Sphere should turn round she is wont to command, that they cast her unto the Darkness which is outer, until the time (in) which they will take away the Darkness of the Middle she is wont to be destroyed and dissolved. This is the punishment of the man, (a) killer. Said he, Petros, My Lord, [348^a] Let the women be content unto seeking, that we also may seek. Said Jesus to Mariham with the women, Leave the place for your brothers, (the) male that they also may seek. Answered Petros said he, My Lord, then a man, (a) thief, (a) robber, his sin being this continually, whenever he should come out of body, what is his punishment? Said Jesus, This of this kind whenever his time should be completed by the Sphere, are wont to come after him the Receivers of Adonis, and bring his soul out of body and spend three days going round with her teaching her the creatures of the World. After these (things) they are wont to take her down unto Amente (close) to Ariel that he may punish her in his punishments for three months with eight days with hours two. [348^b] And after these (things) they take (her) unto the Chaos (close) to Ialdabaoth, with his forty nine demons, that each of his demons should punish her other three months with eight days with hours two. After these (things) they are wont to take her down upon the road of the Middle, that each of the Rulers of the road of the Middle should punish her by his smoke of darkness with his evil fire for other three months with eight days with hours two. After these (things) they are wont to take her up to the Virgin of the Light, this who is wont to judge the righteous and the sinners, that she may judge her. And whenever should the Sphere turn round, she is wont to give her to her Receivers, that they may cast her unto the Aeons of the Sphere, that the Ministers of the Sphere may take her unto water being below the Sphere, that it may become [349^a] smoke boiling, that it may eat in at her, until it purify her entirely. After these (things) is wont to come Ialouham the Receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, and he bringeth the cup of the forgetfulness, and he giveth it to the soul that she may drink it, and she forgetteth every thing with every Place unto which she went: and they cast her unto a body lame and maimed and blind. This is the punishment of the man, (a) robber.

Answered Andreas, said he, A man proud, (a) despiser whenever he should come out of body, what will they do to him? Said Jesus, This of this kind whenever his time should be completed by the Sphere, are wont to come after him the Receivers of Ariel and take his soul, and they spend three days going about in the World teaching her the creatures of [349^b] the World. After these (things) they are wont to take her down unto Amente, up to Ariel that he may punish her in his punishments for twenty months. After these (things) they are wont to take her unto the Chaos up to Ialdabaoth with his forty nine demons, and that he may punish her with his demons one by one for other twenty months. After these (things) they are wont to take her up on the road of the Middle, that each of the Rulers of the road of the Middle may punish her for other twenty months. And after these (things), they are wont to take her to the Virgin of the Light that she may judge her. And whenever should the Sphere turn round, she is wont to give her to her Receivers, that they may cast her unto Aeons of the Sphere. And are wont the Ministers of the Sphere to take her out unto water being underneath the Sphere, that it may become a smoke boiling that it may eat in [350^a] at her until it purifieth her. And is wont to come Ialouham the Receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, and bringeth the cup of forgetfulness, and he giveth it to the soul that she may drink it, and she forgetteth every thing with every Place unto which she went: and they cast her down unto a body dumb, deformed, that every one may remain despising him. This is the punishment of the man proud (a) despiser.

Said he, Thomas, A man blasphemer continually, what is his punishment? Said Jesus, This of this kind whenever should his time be completed by the Sphere, are wont to come after him the Receivers of Ialdabaoth and bind him with his tongue to a great demon with face of horse, and they spend three days going about with him in the World and punish him. After these (things) they are wont to take him [350^b] out unto the place of the cold with the snow to punish him for eleven years. After these (things) they are wont to take him down unto the Chaos (close) to Ialdabaoth with his forty nine demons, that each of the demons may punish him other eleven years. After these (things) they are wont to take him out unto the Darkness which is outer, until the day (in) which they will judge the great Ruler of face of dragon which goeth round the Darkness, and is wont that soul, she is wont to be numbed and to waste away and to be dissolved. This is the judgment of the man blasphemer.

Said Bartholomaios, A man who sleeper with male, What is his punishment? Said he, Jesus: The man sleeping with male with the man who will sleep with him (there shall be the same measure) [351^a] as the man blasphemer: whenever the time therefore should be completed by the Sphere, are wont to come after their souls the Receivers of Ialdabaoth that he may punish them with his forty nine demons for eleven (added in margin) years. After these (things) they are wont to take them out unto rivers of smoke with seas of pitch boiling, full of demons of face of swine, they are wont to eat in at them and punish them in the rivers of smoke for other eleven years. After these (things) they are wont to take them out in the Darkness which is outer, until the day of the judgment (in) which they will Judge the great Darkness, they are wont to be dissolved and perish.

Said Thomas, We heard that there are some upon the earth who are wont to take away the sperma of the males with the menstruum [351^b] of the woman and give them unto a (mess of) lentil and eat it, while they say, We are believing Esau with Iakob. Is it a thing which is right or otherwise? But Jesus was angry with the World at that hour, and said he to Thomas, Amen I say that every sin and every unlawfulness—this sin surpasseth them—these of this kind. They are about to take them immediately unto the Darkness which is outer, nor shall they throw them back unto the Sphere again. But they are not about to be wasted away and destroy them in the Darkness which is outer, the place in which there is not mercy nor is there light, but the weeping is, and the gnashing of the teeth is (there). And every soul which they will take unto the Darkness which is outer, they are not wont to throw them back again, but they are wont to perish and be dissolved.

Answered Iohannes, Then a man [352^a] having not done sin but being become good continually, but having not found thy mysteries for him to pass through the Rulers, whenever he should come out of body, what will they do to him? Said Jesus, The man of this kind whenever should his time be completed by the Sphere, are wont to come after his soul the Receivers of Bainkhoookh, being one among the Triple-powered Gods, that they may take his soul in a joy with a gladness, and spend three days going round with her teaching her the creatures of the World in joy with gladness. After these (things) they are wont to take her down unto Amente and teach her the punishment-places, those which (are) in Amente, but they would not be about to punish her in them, but they are about to teach her only of them. And the steam of the flame of the punishments [352^b] is wont to become touching her only a little. After these (things) they take her away up on the road of the Middle, and teach her the punishments of the roads of the Middle, while the steam of the flame toucheth her a little. And after these (things) they take her to the Virgin of the Light, that she may judge her before the little Sabaoth the good, he of the Middle, until the Sphere should turn round, that Zeus with Aphrodite may come in the presence of the Virgin of the Light, that the Kronos with Ares may come behind her. Then she is wont to take away that righteous soul and deliver her up to her Receivers and cast her unto the Aeons of the Sphere, that the Ministers of the Sphere may take her out unto water being underneath the Sphere, that it may become a smoke [353^a] boiling, that it may eat in at her until it should purify her entirely. And is wont to come Ialouham the Receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, this who is wont to give the cup of forgetfulness to the souls. And he is wont to bring the water of forgetfulness, and give it to the soul and she forgetteth every thing with every Place unto which she went. Afterwards is wont to come a Receiver of the little Sabaoth, the good, he of the Middle, he is wont to bring also a cup, full of the understanding and wiseness and with watchfulness in it, and giveth it to the soul, and they cast her unto a body, that she will not be able to sleep nor will she be able to forget, because of the cup of the watchfulness which they gave to her, but it will become beating her heart continually, seeking after the mysteries of the Light, [353^b] until she find them by the precept of the Virgin of the Light, and inherit the Light eternal (of-unto-age, MS).

Said Mariham, Then a man having done every sin and every unlawfulness, having not found the mysteries of the Light is he about to receive all his punishments at one time? Said Jesus, Yea, he is about to receive them. If also those which he did (were) three he is about to receive three punishments.

Said Iohannes, Then a man having done every sin and every unlawfulness, but at the last he found the mysteries of the Light is it possible for him to be saved? Said Jesus, This of this kind who did every sin and every unlawfulness, and found the mysteries of the Light, and did them and completed them, and did not cease, nor did sin, he is about to inherit the Treasury of the Light.

Said Jesus to his disciples, If should [354^a] the Sphere turn round and (if) Kronos with Ares should come behind the Virgin of the Light; and Zeus with the Aphrodite should come in the presence of the Virgin, being in their own Aeons, they are wont to draw (away) the veils of the Virgin; she is wont to become cheerful in that hour, seeing these two stars of light in her presence. And every soul which she will cast unto the cycle of the Aeons of the Sphere at that hour, for them to come out unto the world, they are wont to become righteous and good, and they are wont to find the mysteries of the Light at this time. (Or if not) she is wont to dispatch them another time, that they may find the mysteries of the Light. If Ares also with Kronos should come to the presence of the Virgin, Zeus with the Aphrodite beg behind her, not seeing them, every soul which she will cast [354^b] unto the creatures of the Sphere at that hour, they are wont to become evil and wrathful, and they are not wont to find the mysteries of the Light.

These therefore while Jesus is saying them to his disciples in the Middle of Amente, cried out, wept the disciples, Woe woe to the men the sinners, these upon whom the neglect lieth and the forgetfulness of the Rulers, until they come out of body and they take them unto these punishments. Have mercy on us, have mercy on us, the Son of him who is holy, and have compassion on us, that we should be saved from these punishments and these judgments, which are prepared for the sinners. Otherwise we did sin, we also, our Lord and our Light....

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[355^a] the righteous (one). They came out (by) three (and) three unto the four regions of the heaven, they preached the evangel of the Kingdom in all the world, the Christ working with them in the word of the strengthening and the signs which follow them and the wonders. And thus they knew the kingdom of the God in all the earth and in all the world of the Israel, unto witness to all the nations, these who become from the places of rising to place of setting: (two lines of ornament, two lines erasure, and two more lines of ornament.)