baptised her three times, and she did not do that which is worthy of the
baptism. And the Saviour wished to tempt Petros to see if he became
merciful and forgiving according as he ordered unto them, said he toward
Petros, Behold three times I baptised this soul, and in these (this, MS)
three times she did not that which is worthy of the mysteries of the
Light. Because of what therefore [281^b] doth she render useless also
the body? Now therefore Petros, perform the mystery of the Light, this
which is wont to cut away the souls from the inheritance of the Light.
Perform that mystery, and cut away the soul of this woman from the
inheritances of the Light. These therefore having said them the Saviour
he tempted to see whether he became merciful and forgiving. These
therefore having said them the Saviour, said he, Petros, My Lord, leave
her this time also, that we may give to her the mysteries which are
high, and whenever she should become profitable thou lettest her, she
inherited the kingdom of the Light, but if she should not become
profitable, thou cuttest her away from the kingdom of the Light. These
therefore having said them Petros, knew the Saviour that Petros became
merciful (like) his manner and forgiving. All these therefore having
happened, said he the Saviour [282^a] to his disciples, Understand ye
all these words with the type of this woman? Answered Maria, said she,
My Lord, I understand the mysteries of the words which happened to this
woman. Concerning the words therefore which happened to her, which thou
saidst unto us once in a parable, saying, A man had a fig-tree in his
vineyard, but he came seeking after his fruit, and he found not any on
it. Said he to his gardener, Behold, three years I come, I seek after
fruit in this fig-tree, and I find not any in it, cut it (down),
therefore, because of what rendereth it useless also the ground. But he
answered, said he to him, My Lord, bear with it this year also, until I
shall dig around it, and put dung to it. But if it should send forth
another year, thou lettest it (be), but if thou findest not any, thou
cuttest it (down). Behold [282^b] this, my Lord, is the explanation of
the word. Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Well (done) O
spiritual (one) this is the word. Added also Maria, said she to the
Saviour, My Lord, then a man who received mystery, and did not that
which is worthy of the mysteries, but turned (away), he did sin: after
these (things) also he repented and he became in a great repentance, is
it lawful also, my brothers, to repeat the mystery which he received, or
otherwise indeed to give to him a mystery among the mysteries which are
below him. Is it lawful therefore or otherwise. But answered the
Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen amen I say to you, Neither the mystery
which he received nor that which is below him are wont to hear him to
forgive his sins, but the mysteries which are high(er) than those which
he received, they are those which are wont to hear him, and they forgive
his sins. Now therefore Maria [283^a] let thy brothers give to him the
mystery which is high(er) than that which he received, and they will
receive his repentance from him, and they will forgive his sins. That
(one) indeed because he received another time, and the others because he
surpassed them above. This indeed is not wont to hear him to forgive his
sins, but the mystery which is high(er) than that which he received,
that is that which is wont to forgive his sins. But if he, having
received three mysteries in the two Spaces or in the third (reckoning
from) within, and this (one) turned (away) he transgressed, is (are, MS)
wont not any mystery to hear him, for to help him in his repentance,
neither those which are high, nor those which are below him, except the
mystery of the First Mystery with the mystery of the Ineffable: they are
those which are wont to hear him and receive from him his repentance.
Answered Maria, said she, My Lord, then a man, having received mystery
up to two or up to three in [283^b] the second Space or the third Space,
and this (one) turned (away) and transgressed, but yet being in his
faith in directness and without hypocrisy. (shall he continue to
receive?) Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Every man who received
mystery in the second Space and in the third, and also he did not
transgress, but yet being in his faith without hypocrisy, it is lawful
for these of this kind to receive mystery in the Space which he willeth
from at first, even until to last, because that he (they, MS) did not
transgress.
Added also Maria, said she, My Lord, then a man having known the
Godhead, and he received from the mysteries of the Light, and he turned
(away) he transgressed he lawless became, he did not turn unto
repentance: and a man also who found not the Godhead nor knew it, and
that man being a sinner, and also impious [284^a] is, and they came out
of body both, which of them is he who will receive (tribulation, M) more
the judgments?
Answered also the Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen amen I say unto thee,
The man who knew the Godhead, this who received the mysteries of the
Light, and he did sin, not having turned to repent, he will receive
tribulation in the punishments of the judgments in great tribulations
with judgments manifold, greatly greatly beyond the impious man and
lawbreaker, this who knew not the Godhead. Now therefore he who hath ear
to hear let him hear. These therefore having said them the Saviour,
sprang up forward Maria, said she, My Lord, there is ear of my
Light-dweller, and I understood all the word which thou saidst:
concerning this word therefore which thou saidst unto us once in a
parable [284^b], The servant who knew the wish of his lord and prepared
not, nor did the wish of his lord, he will receive great stripes, but he
who knew not and did not, he will be worthy of little (stripes): because
every one to whom they entrusted more they will seek after more from
him, and unto whom they committed many (things) they will require of him
many, namely, my Lord, he who knoweth the Deity and he found the mystery
of the Light, (and) he transgressed, they will punish him in a great
judgment more than him who knew not the Godhead. This my Lord is the
explanation of the word. Added also Maria, said she to the Saviour, My
Lord, if the faith with the mysteries come to manifestation, now
therefore whenever souls, whenever they should come unto the world for
many of cycles, and they neglect to [285^a] receive mystery, trusting
that whenever they should come unto the world for another cycle they
will receive them, then indeed do they not run risk of not attaining to
receive the mysteries? Answered the Saviour, said he to his disciples,
Preach to all the world, saying to the men, strive that ye receive the
mysteries of the Light at this time which is troublous and go in unto
the kingdom of the Light. Do not cast a day in unto a day or a cycle in
unto a cycle, and trust that ye attain unto receiving the mysteries,
whenever we should come unto the world for another cycle: and these know
not when is about to become the number of the perfect souls, for
whenever should become the number of the perfect souls I shall shut
therefore the gate of the Light. And there is not any (who) will go in
from this hour, nor is there any (who) cometh out afterwards. [285^b]
Because that was completed the number of the perfect souls, and was
completed the mystery of the First Mystery, this because of which the
Universe became, which is I, that Mystery. And from this hour there is
not any (who) will go in unto the Light, and there is not any who will
be able to come out: because in the completion of the time of the number
of the perfect souls, before that I put forth the fire unto the World
for to purify the Aeons with the veils with the firmaments with all the
earth all the other matter which (is) upon it, yet also are becoming the
mankind. In that time therefore will be more manifested the faith with
the mysteries in those days: and there are many souls coming by the
cycle of the change of the body, and they are coming unto the World,
some of them being in this present [286^a] time, having heard me
teaching: in the completion of the number of the perfect souls they will
find the mysteries of the Light and receive them: and they (will) come
up to the gate of the Light and find it, having been completed the
number of the perfect souls, namely, the completion of the First
Mystery, and that is the knowing of the Universe. And they will find it,
I having shut up the gate of the Light. And it is not possible for any
to come in, or for any to come out from this hour. These souls therefore
will knock in unto the gate of the Light, saying, Lord open to us. I
shall answer that I may say to them, I know you not whence ye are. And
they will say to me, We received out of thy mysteries, and we completed
all thy teaching, and thou [286^b] taughtest to us in the highways. And
I shall answer that I may say to them, I know not you who ye are, those
who work the unlawfulness with the evil, even until now. Because of this
go unto the Darkness which is outer. And in that hour they will go unto
the Darkness which is outer, the Place in which is the weeping with the
gnashing of the teeth. Because of this therefore preach to all the
World, say unto them: Strive, renounce all the World with all the matter
which is in it, and receive the mysteries of the Light, before that was
completed the number of the perfect souls, that they should not put you
at the door of the gate of the Light, and betake you unto the Darkness
which is outer. Now therefore he who hath ear to hear, let him hear.
These therefore having said them the Saviour, sprang up also forward
[287^a] Maria, said she, My Lord not only (is it) that hath ear my
Light-dweller, but heard my soul and understood every word which thou
sayest. Now therefore, my Lord, concerning the words which thou saidst,
Preach to the men of the World say unto them, Strive, receive the
mysteries of the Light in this time which is troublous, that ye should
inherit the kingdom of the Light.
Added also Maria, said she to Jesus, My Lord, then the Darkness which is
outer of what type is it being, or otherwise rather, there are how many
Places of punishment in it? But answered Jesus, said he to Maria, The
Darkness which is outer is a great dragon, with his tail within his
mouth, being outside all the World and going round all the WORLD with a
multitude of places of judgment within it, being of twelve [287^b]
chambers of the punishments cruel, with a Ruler in every chamber (the
chamber the chamber, MS) with the faces of the Rulers different from one
another. But the first Ruler who becometh in the first (hath) a face of
crocodile, with his tail within his mouth: with all ice coming out of
his mouth of the dragon, with at every time with all cold with all
sicknesses which are various, this (one) they are wont to call his
original name in his Place, Enkhthonin: and the Ruler who becometh in
the second chamber, a face of cat is his original face. This they are
wont to call him in their Place Kharakhar. And the Ruler who becometh in
the third chamber, a face of a dog is his original face. This they are
wont to call him in their Place, Arkharokh. [288^a] And the Ruler who
becometh in the fourth chamber, a face of snake is his original face,
this (one) they are wont to call him in their Place, Akhrokhar. And the
Ruler who becometh in the fifth chamber, a face of black calf is his
original face, this (one) they are wont to call him in their Place,
Markhour. And the Ruler who becometh in the sixth chamber, a face of sow
of mountain is his original face, this (one) they call him in their
Place, Lamkhamor. And the Ruler of the seventh chamber, a face of bear
is his original face, this (one) they are wont to call him in his
original name in their Place, Lukhar. And the Ruler of the eighth
chamber a face of a gryphus is his original face, this (one) they are
wont to call his name in their Place, Laraokh. And the Ruler of the
ninth [288^b] chamber a face of a basilisk is his original face, this
(one) they are wont to call his name in their Place, Arkheokh. And the
tenth chamber there are many Rulers in it seven heads of dragon to each
of them in their original face, and he who is over them all they are
wont to call his name in their Place, Xarmarokh. And eleventh chamber,
there are many Rulers of that Place (coptic word, MS) with seven heads
of cat to each of them in their original face, and the great (one) who
is over them, they are wont to call him in his Place, Rokhar. And the
twelfth chamber there are many Rulers in it, they being many
exceedingly, with seven heads of face of a dog to each of them in their
original face. And the great (one) who is over them they are wont to
call him in [289^a] their Place, Khremaor. These Rulers therefore of
these twelve chambers being within the dragon of the Darkness which is
outer, and each of them having a name according to hour. And is wont
each of them to change his face according to hour. And these twelve
chambers have each of them a door open unto the Height, so that the
dragon of the Darkness which is outer hath twelve chambers of Darkness,
there being a door to every chamber (the chamber the chamber, MS) open
unto the Height. And there is an Angel of the Height being vigilant unto
each of the doors of the chambers. These who Ieou the first man, the
overseer of the Light, the Legate of the First precept, he is he who put
them being vigilant unto the dragon that he should not be disorderly
with all the Rulers of his chambers which are in him.
[289^b] These therefore having said them the Saviour, answered Maria the
Magdalene, said she, My Lord, then the souls indeed which they take unto
that Place are they not indeed wont to take them through these twelve
doors of the chambers, each according to the judgment of which it is
worthy? Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, They are not wont to
take any soul in unto the dragon through these doors, but the soul of
the blasphemers, and those who become with teaching of error, with every
one who giveth teaching in the error, and with the sleepers with male,
and with the (soul) of the men who are polluted, and with the impious,
with every man atheist, and the murderers, with the adulterers, and with
the sorcerers. All the souls therefore of this kind whenever they should
not repent, yet being alive, but remaining in their sin steadfast, with
all the souls also, these [290^a] who were left outside of this, namely,
who received their number of cycles which is reckoned unto them in the
Sphere, they having not repented, but in their last cycle they will take
those souls, those with all the souls which I finished saying them, they
will take them through the mouth of the tail of the dragon in unto the
chambers of the Darkness which is outer. And whenever they should finish
taking the souls in unto the Darkness which is outer in the mouth of his
tail, he is wont to bring round again his tail in unto his own mouth and
shut them (in). This is the manner (in) which they will take the souls
in unto the Darkness which is outer. And the dragon of the Darkness,
which is outer, hath twelve original names, these which (are) in his
mouths, a name according to each of the doors of the chambers. And these
(this, MS) [290^b] twelve names are various with one another, but being
with (in, MS) one another twelve, so that he who will say one of the
names is saying all the names. This therefore I shall say unto you in
the Distribution of (the) Universe. This therefore is the manner which
becometh the Darkness which is outer, namely the dragon. These therefore
having said them the Saviour, answered Maria, said she to the Saviour,
My Lord, then the punishment of that dragon (is) cruel greatly, beyond
the punishment of all the judgment. Answered the Saviour, said he to
Maria, Not only also that they are painful beyond all the punishments of
the judgments; but every soul which they will take unto the Place they
will numb it in the cold which is cruel, and with the hails and with the
fire which is cruel greatly: these [291^a] which become in that Place.
But in the dissolution of the World, namely, in the catching up of the
Universe, those souls will be wasted away by the cold which is cruel,
and with the fire which is cruel greatly, and they will be without
existence unto age. Answered Maria, said she, Then woe to the souls of
the sinners. Now therefore my Lord, the flame which (is) in the place of
the mankind is being hot or the fire which (is) in Amente is hot?
Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Amen I say to thee, Hot is being
the fire which (is) in Amente more than the fire which is in mankind
nine times. And the fire which is in the punishment of the great Chaos
is cruel, more than that which (is) in Amente nine times: and the fire
which (is) in the judgment of the Rulers, who are on the road [291^b] of
the Middle, is cruel, more than the fire of the punishment which is in
the great Chaos nine times: and the fire which is in the dragon of the
Darkness which is outer with all the judgments which (are) in it, are
cruel more than the fire which (is) in all the punishments which (are)
in the judgments of the Rulers, these who (are) on the road of the
Middle, is cruel more than them seventy times. But these having said
them the Saviour unto Maria she smote on her breast, she cried out, she
wept, she with all the disciples at once, said she, Woe to the sinners
because many are their judgments greatly. Came in front Mariham, she
prostrated upon the feet of Jesus, she worshipped them, said she, My
Lord, bear with me, seeking from thee, and be not angry with me because
I molest thee many [292^a] times, for from now I am about to begin to
seek from thee concerning every thing in an exactness.
Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, Seek after every thing which
thou wishest to seek after, and I shall reveal them to thee in boldness,
without parable. Answered Maria said she, My Lord, then a man, good,
having completed all the mysteries, having a kinsman, in one word,
having a man, and that man being impious, having done every sin which
are worthy of the Darkness which is outer, and he did not repent, or
otherwise, having completed his number of cycle in the changes of the
body, and being not profitable at all, that man, having come out of the
body, and we knew securely that he sinned, worthy of the Darkness which
is outer, then what is that which we shall do, until we deliver [292^b]
him from the punishments of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer,
and remove him unto a righteous body, being about to find the mysteries
of the kingdom of the Light, and that he may become good and go unto the
Height and inherit the kingdom of the Light.
Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, If a sinner, he is being worthy
of the Darkness which is outer, or otherwise indeed he did sin according
to the punishment, the rest also of the punishments; and this (one) did
not repent, or otherwise indeed (he is) a man sinner who completed his
number of cycle in the changes of the body and this (one) did not
repent, whenever those men therefore, these whom I said, whenever they
should come out of the body, and they should take them unto the Darkness
which is outer. Now therefore if ye wish to remove them out of the
punishments of the Darkness which is outer with all the judgments, and
they remove [293^a] them unto a righteous body, this (one) being about
to find the mysteries of the Light, that he may go unto the Height and
inherit the kingdom of the Light, do the same mystery of the Ineffable,
this which is wont to forgive sin at every time: and whenever ye should
finish doing the mystery, say, The soul of such or such a man of whom I
thought in my heart, if she is in the Place of the punishments of the
chambers of the Darkness which is outer, even if it is in the rest also
of the punishments of the chambers of the Darkness which is outer, with
the rest also of the punishments of the dragon, they shall remove her
out of the all: and if she should not complete the number of the cycles
in the changes (of the body) they shall take her (close) to the Virgin
of the Light, and the Virgin of the Light (will) seal her (him, MS) with
the seal of the Ineffable [293^b] and cast it in the same month unto a
righteous body, this in whom she will find the mysteries of the Light,
and that she may become good and go unto the Height and inherit the
kingdom of the Light. And also if she completed the cycles of the
changes, they shall take that soul up to the seven Virgins of the Light,
these who are over the baptism, and they (will) put it upon that soul,
and seal her with the sign of the kingdom of the Ineffable and take her
(him, MS) among the arrays of the Light, these I will say whenever ye
should complete the mysteries. Amen I say to you, The soul (for) which
ye will pray, if indeed she is in the dragon of the Darkness which is
outer, he will liberate his tail out of his mouth and vomit out that
soul. And also if she is in [294^a] any (every, MS) Place of the
judgments of the Rulers, Amen I say unto you, Will carry her off in a
haste the Receiver of Melkhisedek, if should have vomited her the
dragon, or otherwise indeed she is in the judgments of the Rulers, in
one word, will carry her off the Receivers of Melkhisedek from any
(every, MS) Place in which she is in. And they will take her unto the
Place of the Middle (close) to the Virgin of the Light. And is wont the
Virgin of the Light, she is wont to prove her, and see the sign of the
kingdom of the Ineffable being in that soul, and if she hath not yet
completed the number of cycles in the changing of the soul, or in (the
changing) of the body, is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to
seal her with a seal more excellent, and [294^b] hasten to make them
cast her in the same month unto a righteous body, this which is about to
find the mysteries of the Light, and about to be good, that he may go
unto the Height unto the kingdom of the Light. And if that soul received
her number of cycles, is wont the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to
prove her, she is not wont to let them punish her, because that she
received the number of cycle: but she is wont to deliver her unto the
seven Virgins of the Light. And are wont the seven Virgins of the Light,
they are wont to prove that soul, and they are wont to baptise her with
their baptisms, and give to her the spiritual chrism, and take her unto
the Treasury of the Light, and put her in the last array of the Light,
until the catching up of all the perfect souls. And whenever they should
prepare for drawing away the veils [295^a] of the Place of those on the
Right (hand), they are wont to purify that soul again and cleanse her
and put her in the arrays of the first Saviour, he who (is) in the
Treasury of the Light.