explanation of the words which thou saidst, thy power of light
prophesied about them once by Solomon in his Odes, Came out an effluence
it made a great river being wide, it drew all (things) and it turned
itself toward the Temple. They were not able to lay hold on it with
strong-banks, with places built: nor were able to lay hold on it the
arts of those who lay hold on the waters: they brought it over all the
earth, and it laid hold on all. Drank those who became upon the sand
which is dry: their thirst was dissolved and it was quenched, they
having given to them the drink from that which is exalted: happy (ones)
are the deacons [120^b] of that drink, those who were entrusted with the
water of the Lord: they turned lips which were dry, took a cheerful
heart those who were brought low: they laid hold on souls giving up the
breath, that they should not die: they set up the limbs which fell, they
gave power to their boldness, and they gave light to their eyes: because
they all knew themselves in the Lord, and they were delivered through a
water of life eternal. Hear therefore, my Lord and I (shall) utter the
word in boldness, according as thy power prophesied by Solomon. An
effluence came out it became a great river being wide, namely, that the
effluence of Light was wide [121^a] out in the Chaos in all the Places
of the emanations of the Self-willed. And the word also which thy power
said by Solomon, It drew all (things), it brought them toward the
Temple, namely, that it drew all the powers of light out of the
emanations of the Self-willed, these which they took away from the
Pistis Sophia, and it cast them in unto the Pistis Sophia another time.
And the word also which thy power said, Were not able to lay hold on it
strong-banks with places built, namely, that the emanations of the
Self-willed were not able to lay hold on the effluence of Light in the
wall of the darkness of the Chaos. And the word [121^b] also which it
said, They brought it over all the earth, and it filled every thing,
namely, that Gabriel with Mikhael they having brought it upon the body
of the Pistis Sophia, it cast in unto her all the lights, these which
took away from her the emanations of the Self-willed and became light
the body of her matter. And the word which it said, Drank those who
become upon the sand which is dry, namely, that received light all those
which become in the Pistis Sophia, these whose light they took away at
first. And the word which it said, Their thirst was dissolved and it was
quenched, namely, that her power ceased being diminished of light and
they were satisfied with light, because they gave (back) to them their
light [122^a] which they took away from them. And also according as also
said thy power, They gave to them the drink through him who is exalted,
namely, that they gave the Light to them through the effluence of Light,
this which came out of me, I the First Mystery. And according as said
thy power of light, Happy are the deacons of that drink, namely, the
word which thou saidst, Mikhael with Gabriel, these who served they took
the effluence of Light unto the Chaos, and also they brought it up (from
Chaos). They will give to them the mysteries of the Light of the Height,
these who were entrusted with the effluence of the Light. And also
according as said thy power, They turned [122^b] lips which were dry,
namely, Gabriel with Mikhael took not away for themselves the light of
the Pistis Sophia, these which they snatched from the emanations of the
Self-willed, but they cast them in unto the Pistis Sophia. And also the
word which it said, Received a cheerfulness of heart those who were
dissolved, namely, that all the other powers of the Pistis Sophia, these
which took not away the emanations of the Self-willed were cheerful
very, and they were filled with light out of the other light, because
they cast it in unto them. And the word which thy power said, They
vivified souls giving-up the breath, that they should not die, [123^a]
namely, that they having cast the lights in unto the Pistis Sophia they
vivified the body of her matter, this from which they took away its
light at first, this which was about to perish. And also the word which
thy power said, They set up limbs which fell, (or that they should not
fall), namely, that they having cast in unto her her lights, they set up
all her powers, these which were about to be dissolved. And also
according as thy power of light said, They gave a power to their
boldness, namely, that they took again their light, and they became as
they were being at first. And also the word which [123^b] said, They
gave a light unto their eyes, namely, that they received perception from
the light, and they knew the effluence of Light, that it is belonging
unto the Height. And also the word which it said, They all knew them in
the Lord, namely, that all the powers of the Pistis Sophia knew one
another by the effluence of Light. And also the word which it said, They
were delivered by a water of life eternal, namely, that they were
delivered by the whole the effluence of Light. And the word which it
said, Drew them all the effluence of Light. And it drew them toward the
Temple, namely, that the effluence of Light [124^a] having taken up all
the lights of the Pistis Sophia and having snatched them from the
emanations of the Self-willed, it cast them in unto the Pistis Sophia
and it returned, it came out of the Chaos, it came upon thee, who
thyself art the Temple. This is the explanation of all the words, these
which said thy power of light by the Ode of Solomon. It happened
therefore, the First Mystery having heard these words, saying them
Petros, said he to him, Well (done), O happy Petros, this is the
explanation of the words which they said. But added also in the word the
First Mystery said he, It happened therefore, I having not yet brought
the Pistis Sophia up from the Chaos, because that they had not yet
commanded to me by my Father, [124^b] the First Mystery who looked
inward. Then therefore after these (things) having known the emanations
of the Self-willed that my effluence of Light took away the powers of
light from them, these which they took away from the Pistis Sophia, it
cast them in unto the Pistis Sophia, and also they saw the Pistis Sophia
becoming light as she was being from at first, they were angry with the
Pistis Sophia, and also they cried up against their Self-willed for to
come and help them and take away the powers which (are) in the Sophia
another time. And the Self-willed dispatched out of the Height in the
thirteenth Aeon, he dispatched another great power of light, it came
down unto the Chaos as an [125^a] arrow flying, that he should help his
emanations, and take away the lights of the Pistis Sophia another time.
And having come down that power of light, the emanations of the
Self-willed, these which become in the Chaos, which afflicted the Pistis
Sophia, they were confident of heart greatly, and again they persecuted
the Pistis Sophia with great fear and in a great disturbance; and they
afflicted her some among the emanations of the Self-willed, one indeed
among them changed himself unto a form of great serpent, another also
changed himself unto a form of serpent of basilisk having seven heads:
another also changed himself unto a form of dragon, and also the first
[125^b] power of the Self-willed which is of face of lion, and also all
his emanations which are many greatly came together they oppressed the
Pistis Sophia, and also they brought her into the Places which are below
(of) the Chaos, and also they disturbed her greatly. It happened
therefore, they having disturbed her, she ran from them, she came unto
the Places which (are) of the upper part of the Chaos, and ran after her
the emanations of the Self-willed, they disturbed her greatly. It
happened therefore after these (things), looked out of the twelve Aeons
the Adamas the tyrant, this (one) also was being angry with the Pistis
Sophia, because that she was wishing to go unto the Light of the Lights,
this who was being above all of them: [126^a] because of this he was
angry with her. It happened therefore, the Adamas the tyrant having
looked out of the twelve Aeons, he saw the emanations of the Self-willed
oppressing the Pistis Sophia, until they take away all the lights in
her. But it happened the power of the Adamas having come down unto the
Chaos (close) to all the emanations of the Self-willed, it happened
therefore, that demon having come down unto the Chaos he thrust the
Pistis Sophia down, and the power of face of lion, with the face of
serpent, and with the face of basilisk serpent, and with the face of
dragon, and with all the other emanations of the Self-willed which are
[126^b] many greatly, they all surrounded the Pistis Sophia, wishing to
take away her powers which (are) in her another time. And they oppressed
the Pistis Sophia greatly, and they threatened her. It happened
therefore, they having oppressed her and having disturbed her greatly,
she cried again up towards the Light and she hymned saying, O Light thou
(art) he who helped me: let thy light come upon me, because thou art my
accepter, and I am coming (close) to thee, O Light. I am believing thee,
O Light, because thou art my deliverer of me from the emanations of the
Self-willed and with the Adamas the tyrant; and thou (art) he who
delivereth me from all his [127^a] threats which are cruel.
But these having said the Pistis Sophia, then also by the command of my
Father the First Mystery which looked inward, I sent also Gabriel with
Mikhael with the ten (?) great effluences of Light, that they should
help the Pistis Sophia. And I ordered unto Gabriel with Mikhael, that
they should take away the Pistis Sophia upon their hands, that her feet
should not touch the darkness below: and also I ordered unto them for to
steer her from the Places of the Chaos, into those which they are about
to bring her. It happened therefore, the angels having gone down unto
the Chaos, they with the effluence of Light, and also all the emanations
of the Self-willed [127^b] with the emanation of the Adamas, they saw
the effluence of Light enlightening greatly greatly, there being not
measure unto the light which becometh from it, they feared and they let
go of the Pistis Sophia: and the great effluence of Light surrounded the
Pistis Sophia on every side of her on left of her and on right of her,
and on every side of her, and it became a crown of light unto her head.
It happened therefore, the effluence of Light having surrounded the
Pistis Sophia, she was confident of heart greatly greatly, and it ceased
not surrounding her on every side of her; and she feared not the
emanations of the Self-willed, these which become in the Chaos, nor also
she feared the other new [128^a] power of the Self-willed, this which he
cast down unto the Chaos as an arrow flying; nor also she trembled at
the demonic power of the Adamas, this which came out of the Aeons. And
also by my command, I, the First Mystery who looked outward, enlightened
greatly greatly my effluence of Light, this which surrounded the Pistis
Sophia on every side of her. And the Pistis Sophia remained in the midst
of the light, there being a great light on left of her and on right of
her and on every side of her, and being also a crown unto her head: and
all the emanations of the Self-willed changed not also their face, nor
were they able to support the rush of the great [128^b] light of the
effluence, this which became a crown unto her head. And all the
emanations of the Self-willed, a multitude among them fell on right of
her, because that she is enlightening greatly greatly; and other
multitudes fell on left of her, and they were not able to approach unto
the Pistis Sophia at all, from the great light. Nevertheless they fell
all upon one another (or they came all who are close to one another).
And they were not able to do anything of evil to the Pistis Sophia,
because that she was trusting unto the light. And through the command of
my Father the First Mystery, who looked inward, I also, I came down unto
the Chaos enlightening greatly greatly. [129^a] I came up to the power
of face of lion, this (power) which was enlightening greatly, and I took
away all its light which (is) in it, and I held down all the emanations
of the Self-willed for them not to go unto their Place from this hour,
which (is) the thirteenth Aeon. And I took away the power from all the
emanations of the Self-willed: and they fell all in the Chaos being
powerless. And I brought out the Pistis Sophia, being on (the) right of
Gabriel with Mikhael. And the great effluence of Light, it went also in
unto them; and filled her sight with her enemies the Pistis Sophia,
because I took away their power of light from them, and I brought the
Pistis Sophia out of the Chaos, she having trampled [129^b] upon the
emanation of the Self-willed the face of serpent, and also she was
trampling upon the emanation of face of basilisk having seven heads. And
she is trampling upon the power of face of lion, with the face of
dragon. I caused the Pistis Sophia to remain standing upon the emanation
of the Self-willed, this which became of face of basilisk of serpent
having seven heads, but it was being strong(er) than all of them in its
evils. And I, the First Mystery, I stood upon it, and I took away all
the powers which (are) in it, and I destroyed all its matter, that seed
from it should not rise up from this hour.
But these while the First Mystery is saying unto the disciples, he
answered saying, Understood ye in what manner I am speaking [130^a] with
you. Came forward Iakkobos said he, My Lord, concerning the explanation
therefore of the words which thou saidst, prophesied about them once thy
power of light by David in the ninetieth psalm, He who dwelleth under
the help of him who is high shall abide under the shadow of the God of
the heaven. He will say to the Lord, Thou art my accepter, and my place
of refuge: my God I am trusting unto him; because he it is who will save
me from the snare of the snarer, and from a word being cruel. He will
make shadow unto thee under his (thy, MS) breast, and thou wilt trust
under his wing. His [130^b] truth will surround thee as an armour
(weapon, MS). Thou wilt not fear for a fear of night, and for an arrow
which flieth in the day, for a thing which moveth in the darkness; for a
calamity of demon of the hour of mid-day. There are a thousand (who)
will fall on left of thee and ten thousand on right of thee; but they
will not approach unto thee. Nevertheless thou wilt fill thy sight with
them, thou wilt see the recompense of the sinners: because thou art, O
Lord my hope; thou placest for thee that which is high for place of
refuge: there is not evil (which) will approach unto thee; there is not
scourge (which) will approach in unto thy place of abiding: because he
will order unto [131^a] his angels because of thee, for to keep thee in
all thy ways; and they (will) lift thee upon their hands
lest-at-any-time thou should dash against a stone with thy foot. Thou
wilt mount upon a serpent with a basilisk, and trample upon a lion with
a dragon. Because he trusted unto me I will save him; I will make shadow
unto him, because he knew my name: he will cry up unto me, and I, I
shall hear him, I am with him in his affliction, and I shall save him
and (I shall) give glory to him; and (I shall) increase him in a
multitude of days, and (I shall) teach him of my salvation. This is, O
Lord, the explanation of the words which thou saidst. Hear therefore
that I may say them in boldness. The word therefore which [131^b] thy
power said by David, He who dwelleth under the help of him who is high,
will abide under the shadow of the God of the heaven, namely, that when
the Pistis Sophia had trusted unto the Light she abode under the light
of the effluence of Light. This which came from the Height through thee.
And the word which thy power said by David, I shall say to the Lord,
Thou art my accepter and my place of refuge, my God I trusted unto him.
That is the word with which hymned the Pistis Sophia, Thou art my
accepter and I am coming (close) to thee. And also the word which thy
power said, My God unto whom I am trusting, thou art [132^a] he who will
save me from the snare of the snarers, and from a word being cruel. That
is that which said the Pistis Sophia, O Light I am believing thee,
because thou art he who will deliver me from the emanations of the
Self-willed, and with those of the Adamas the tyrant. And thou also art
he who will deliver me from all their threats which are cruel. And also
the word which said thy power by David, He will make shadow unto thee
under his (thy, MS) breast, and thou wilt trust under his wing, namely,
that the Pistis Sophia became in the light of the effluence of Light,
this which came out of thee, and she remained confident of heart, for
the light which (is) on left of her [132^b] with that which (is) on
right of her, namely the wings of the effluence of Light. And the word
which thy power of light prophesied by David, The truth will surround
thee as armour (a weapon, MS), that is the light of the effluence of
Light, that which surrounded the Pistis Sophia on every side of her as
armour. And the word which thy power said, He will not fear for a fear
of night, namely, that the Pistis Sophia feared not for the fears with
the disturbances, these in which they planted her in the Chaos which is
the night. And the word which thy power said, He will not fear [133^a]
for an arrow flying in the day, namely, that the Pistis Sophia did not
fear for the power, this which the Self-willed dispatched out of the
Height at the last, this which came unto the Chaos, being as an arrow
flying, which thy power therefore of light said, Thou wilt not fear for
an arrow flying in the day. Because that power came out of the
thirteenth Aeon, that is (that) which is lord over the twelve Aeons, and
that is (that) which enlighteneth unto all the Aeons. Because of this
therefore he said, The day. And the word also which thy power said, He
will not fear [133^b] for a thing, walking in the darkness, namely, that
the Sophia did not fear for the emanation of face of lion (serpent, MS)
which was giving fear to the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos, namely, the
darkness. And the word which thy power said, He will not fear for an
accident with a demon of the hour of mid-day, namely, that the Pistis
Sophia did not fear for the emanation demonic of the Adamas, the tyrant,
this which thrust the Pistis Sophia down in great calamity, this which
came from Adamas out of the twelve Aeons. Because of this therefore said
thy power, He will not fear [134^a] for a calamity of demon of the time
of mid-day. The time of mid-day is because it came out of the twelve
Aeons, namely, the time of mid-day. And also Night, because it came out
of the Chaos, namely, the night, and it came out of the twelve Aeons,
which are between the two. Because of this thy power of light said, The
time of mid-day because the twelve Aeons are between the thirteenth Aeon
and between the Chaos. And the word also which thy power of light said
by David, There are thousand (who) will fall on left of him and a ten
thousand on right of him; and they will not approach him, namely,
[134^b] that when the emanations of the Self-willed One, these which are
numerous greatly, they having not been able to support the great light
of the effluence of Light, a multitude among them fell on left of the
Pistis Sophia. And a multitude fell on right of her. And they were not
being able to approach her to hurt her. And the word which thy power of
light said by David, Nevertheless thou wilt fill thy sight with them,
and thou wilt see the recompense of the sinners, because thou, O Lord,
art my helper, namely, the word that the Pistis Sophia filled her sight
with her enemies which are the emanations of the Self-willed, those all
of which fell (down) upon one another: [135^a] not only she filled her
sight with them in this, but thou also, my Lord, the First Mystery, thou
tookest away the power of light which becometh in the power of face of
lion, and also thou tookest away the power of all the emanations of the
Self-willed, and also thou heldest them down in Chaos for them to go
unto their Place from that hour. Because of this therefore the Pistis
Sophia filled her sight with her enemies, namely, the emanations of the
Self-willed in every thing, which prophesied David about the Pistis
Sophia, saying, Nevertheless thou wilt fill thy sight with them, and
thou wilt see the recompense of the sinners. Not only that she filled
her sight with them, they fell upon one another in the Chaos, but she
saw [135^b] also their recompense also this which they repaid to them:
according as the emanations of the Self-willed thought to take away the
light of the Pistis Sophia from her, thou repaidest to them, and thou
recompensed to them. And thou tookest away the power of light which (is)
in them instead of the light of the Sophia, this (one) who believed the
light of the Height. And according as thy power of light said by David,
Thou placedst him who is high for thee for place of refuge: there is not
evil (which) will be able to approach thee, and there is not scourge
(which) will approach in unto thy place of dwelling, namely, that when
the Pistis Sophia had believed (closely) in the Light, and when she had
been oppressed she hymned up unto him, were not able to do anything of
evil to her the emanations of the Self-willed, [136^a] nor were they
able to hurt her, and they were not able to approach her at all. And the
word which thy power of light said by David, He will order to his angels
concerning thee, that they should guard thee in all thy ways, and lift
thee upon their hands lest-at-any-time thou should dash against a stone
with thy foot. That also is the word that thou orderest to Gabriel with
Mikhael for them to steer the Pistis Sophia through all the Places of
the Chaos, until they brought her up and raised her in their hands, that
her feet should not touch the darkness below, and (should not) also lay
hold on her those of the darkness below. And the word which thy power of
light [136^b] said by David, Thou wilt trample upon a serpent with a
basilisk, and thou wilt trample upon a lion with a dragon. Because he
trusted unto me I shall save him and I shall make shadow unto him,
because he knew my name, namely, the word that when the Pistis Sophia
came, coming up from the Chaos, she trampled upon the emanations of the
Self-willed, she trampled upon those who have face of serpent, and upon
those who have face of basilisk of serpent having seven heads. And she
trampled upon the power of face of lion, with that which hath face of
dragon, because that she believed the Light she was delivered from them
all. This is, my Lord, the explanation of the words which thou saidst.