Pistis Sophia 147–148
Pseudonymous: A Gnostic work presenting dialogues of the risen Jesus with his disciples (Mary Magdalene above all); the author is unknown. The Askew Codex combines several writings (books 1–3 and a separate fourth part).
Source: Mead 1921.English: G. R. S. Mead (1921), public domain, published as it stands. The work survives only in Coptic (the Askew Codex), which is not a language of this site. The English here is G. R. S. Mead's translation (revised edition, London, 1921), published as it stands. No original-language text is shown.
Chapter 147
147Mead 1921, 321
English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown
Bartholomew said: “A man who hath intercourse with a male, what is his vengeance? “Jesus said: “The measure of the man who hath intercourse with males and of the man with whom he lieth, is the same as that of the blasphemer. “When then the time is completed through the sphere, the receivers of Yaldabaoth come after their soul, and he with his forty-and-nine demons taketh vengeance on it eleven years. “Thereafter they carry it to the fire-rivers and seething pitch-seas, which are full of demons with pigs’ faces. They eat into them and take vengeance on [?] them in the fire-rivers another eleven years. “Thereafter they carry them into the outer darkness until the day of judgment when the great darkness is judged; and then they will be dissolved and destroyed.” Thomas said: “We have heard that there are some on the earth who take the male seed and the female monthly blood, and make it into a lentil porridge and eat it, saying: ’ We have faith in Esau and Jacob.’ Is this then seemly or not? “Jesus was wroth with the world in that hour and said unto Thomas: “Amen, I say: This sin is more heinous than all sins and iniquities. Such men will straightway be taken into the outer darkness and not be cast back anew into the sphere, but they shall perish, be destroyed in the outer darkness in a region where there is neither pity nor light, but howling and grinding of teeth. And all the souls which shall be brought into the outer darkness, will not be cast back anew, but will be destroyed and dissolved.” John answered [and said]: “A man who hath committed no sin, but done good persistently, but hath not found the mysteries to pass through the rulers, when he cometh out of the body, what will happen unto him? “Jesus said: “If the time of such an one is completed through the sphere, the receivers of Bainchoooch, who is one of the triple-powered gods, come after his soul and lead his soul with joy and exultation and spend three days circling round with it and instructing it concerning the creations of the world with joy and exultation. “Thereafter they lead it down into the Amente and instruct it concerning the instruments of chastisement in the Amente; but they will not take vengeance on it therewith. But they will only instruct it concerning them, and the smoke of the flame of the chastisements catcheth it only a little. “Thereafter they carry it up unto the way of the midst and instruct it concerning the chastisements of the ways of the midst, the smoke from the flame catching it a little. “Thereafter they lead it unto the Virgin of Light, and she judgeth it and depositeth it with the little Sabaoth, the Good, him of the Midst, until the sphere turneth itself, and Zeus and Aphrodite come in face of the Virgin of Light, while Kronos and Ares come behind her. “At that hour she taketh that righteous soul and handeth it over to her receivers, that they may cast it into the æons of the sphere. And the servitors of the sphere lead it forth into a water which is below the sphere; and a seething fire ariseth and eateth into it until it purifieth it utterly. “Thereafter cometh Yaluham, the receiver of Sabaoth, the Adamas, who giveth the cup of forgetfulness unto the souls, and he bringeth the water of forgetfulness and handeth it to the soul; [and it drinketh it] and forgetteth all things and all the regions to which it had gone. “Thereafter there cometh a receiver of the little Sabaoth, the Good, him of the Midst. He himself bringeth a cup filled with thoughts and wisdom, and soberness is in it; [and] he handeth it to the soul. And they cast it into a body which can neither sleep nor forget because of the cup of soberness which hath been handed unto it; but it will whip its heart persistently to question about the mysteries of the Light until it find them, through the decision of the Virgin of Light, and inherit the Light for ever.”
Notes and citation
Cite (SBL): Pist. Soph. 147 (Mead 1921, 321; trans. G. R. S. Mead, 1921, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pistis-sophia/147/#p-147). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown
Chapter 148
148Mead 1921, 323
English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown
Mary said: “A man who hath committed all sins and all iniquities and hath not found the mysteries of the Light, will he receive the chastisements for them all at once? “Jesus answered: “Yea, he will receive it; if he hath committed three sins, he will receive chastisement for three.” John said: “A man who hath committed all sins and all iniquities, but at last hath found the mysteries of the Light, is it possible for him to be saved? “Jesus Said: “Such a man who hath committed all sins and all iniquities, and he findeth the mysteries of the Light, and performeth and fulfilleth them and ceaseth not nor doeth sins, will inherit the Treasury of the Light.” Jesus Said unto his disciples: “When the sphere turneth itself, and Kronos and Ares come behind the Virgin of Light and Zeus and Aphrodité come in face of the Virgin, they being in their own æons, then the veils of the Virgin draw themselves aside and she falleth into joy in that hour when she seeth these two light-stars before her. And all the souls which she shall cast at that hour into the circuit of the æons of the sphere, that they may come into the world, will be righteous and good and find at this time the mysteries of the Light; she sendeth them anew that they may find the mysteries of the Light. “If on the other hand Ares and Kronos come in face of the Virgin and Zeus and Aphrodite behind her, so that she seeth them not, then all the souls which she shall cast in that hour into the creatures of the sphere, will be wicked and wrathful and do not find the mysteries of the Light.” When then Jesus said this unto his disciples in the midst of the Amente, the disciples cried and wept, [saying]: “Woe, woe unto sinners, them on whom the negligence and the forgetfulness of the rulers lie until they come out of the body and are led to these chastisements! Have mercy upon us, have mercy upon us, son of the Holy [One], and have compassion with us, that we may be saved from these chastisements and these judgments which are prepared for the sinners; for we also have sinned, our Lord and our Light.” [A Later Postscript]... the righteous [man]. They went forth three by three to the four zones of heaven and they proclaimed the goodness of the kingdom in the whole world, the Christ inworking with them through the words of confirmation and the signs and the wonders which followed them. And thus was known the kingdom of God on the whole earth and in the whole world of Israel as a witness for all the nations which are from the rising unto the setting [of the sun]. [Two Lines erased.]
Notes and citation
Cite (SBL): Pist. Soph. 148 (Mead 1921, 323; trans. G. R. S. Mead, 1921, https://sophiascriptura.com/fathers/pistis-sophia/147/#p-148). (abbreviation not yet checked)
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Translation: English translation by G. R. S. Mead (1921); the original is not shown