Pistis Sophia

And himself that Mystery, dispatched to me a great power of Light out of the Height for me to help the Pistis Sophia and to bring her up out of her Chaos. But I looked at the Height of Aeons, I saw the power of Light which the First Mystery dispatched to me, that I should deliver the Sophia from the Chaos. It happened therefore, I having seen it coming out of the Aeons and rushing toward me, but I, I was being over the Chaos, another power of Light came out of me also, that it should help also the Pistis Sophia. And the power of [107b] Light which came out of the Height by the First Mystery came down upon the power of Light which came out of me, and they met one another, they made a great effluence of light. These therefore having said them Jesus to his disciples, said he, Do ye understand in what manner I am speaking with you? Sprang up again Mariham, said she, My Lord I understand what thou art saying concerning the explanation of this word: thy power of light prophesied once by David in the eighty-fourth psalm, saying, The mercy with the truth met one another, and the righteousness with the peace kissed one another. The truth burst forth out [108a] of the earth and the righteousness looked out of the heaven. The mercy therefore is the power of Light which came by the First Mystery, because he heard the Pistis Sophia, the First Mystery, he had mercy on her in all her afflictions. The truth also is the power which came out of thee, because that thou completedst the truth, for thee to deliver her from the Chaos.

And again the righteousness is the power which came by the First Mystery which will steer the Pistis Sophia: and again the peace is the power which came out of thee, because that it will go toward the emanations of the Self-willed, and take away from them the lights, which they took away from the Pistis Sophia, namely, that thou may gather them into the Sophia [108b] and make them at peace with her power. The truth also is the power which came out of thee, thou being in the Place below of the Chaos. Because of this, thy power said by David, The truth burst forth out of the earth, because that thou art in the Place below of the Chaos. The righteousness also which looked out of the heaven, that is the power which came out of the Height by the First Mystery, this which went into the Sophia.

It happened therefore, Jesus having heard these words, said he, Well (done), Mariham the happy, this (One) who will inherit all the kingdom of the Light. After these (things) there came also forward Maria the mother of Jesus, said she, My Lord [109a] and my Saviour, command to me also, for me to say this word of answer? Said he, Jesus, He whose spirit will become understanding I forbid him not, but I urge him the more for to say the meaning which moved him.

Now therefore Maria my mother according to the matter in which I sojourned I command to thee, for thee to say also the meaning of the word. But answered Maria, said she, My Lord, concerning the word which thy power prophesied by David, The mercy with the truth met one another, the righteousness with the peace, they kissed one another, the truth burst forth in the earth, and the righteousness looked out of the heaven. Thy power prophesied this word once concerning thee, thou being yet little, before [109b] the spirit came upon thee, thou being in a vineyard with Ioseph came the spirit out of the Height, he came to me into my house, being like to thee, and I was not knowing him, and I was thinking that (it) is thou. And said to me the spirit, Where is Jesus my brother that I may meet him? And he having said this to me, I was puzzled, and I was thinking that (it) is a phantasm to the tempting me. But I took him up I bound him unto the foot of my place of lying which is in my house, until I should come to you out unto the field, thou with Ioseph. And I having found thee in the vineyard, while Ioseph giveth the vineyard unto the reed, it happened therefore, thou having heard me saying the word to Ioseph, thou understoodest the word, thou rejoicedst, and saidst thou, Where is he that I may see him or else I am remaining [110a] for him in this place?

But it happened, Ioseph having heard thee saying these words he was disturbed, and we came up together, we went into the house: we found the spirit bound unto the place of lying, and we looked at thee with him, we found thee being like to him, and was loosened he who was bound unto the bed, he embraced thee, he kissed thee, and thou also thou kissedst him, ye became only one. This therefore is the word with its explanation. The mercy is the spirit which came out of the Height by the First Mystery: because that he had mercy on the race of the men, he dispatched his spirit for to forgive the sins of all the world, and for them to receive mystery and inherit the kingdom of the light. The truth also is the power which sojourned in me, having come [110b] out of the Barbelo, it became for thee for body material and it preached of the Place of the truth. The righteousness is thy spirit, this which brought the mysteries out of the Height for him to give them to the race of the mankind. The peace also is the power which sojourned in thy material body according to the World, this which baptised the race of the mankind, until it made them stranger unto the sin, and made them at peace with thy spirit, and become being at peace with the emanations of the Light, namely, that the righteousness with the peace kissed one another.

And according as he said, The truth burst forth out of the earth, but the truth is [111a] thy material body, this which burst forth from me according to the earth of the mankind, this which preached of the Place of the truth (Coptic) of the Truth: and also according as he said, The righteousness burst forth out of the heaven, (so) the righteousness is the power which looked out of the Height, this which will give the mysteries of the light to the race of the mankind, and for them to become righteous and for them to be good, and inherit the kingdom of the light. It happened therefore, Jesus having heard these words which said Maria his mother, said he: Well (done and) fairly, Maria. Came forward the other Maria, said she, My Lord, bear with me, and be not angry with me. While thy mother was [111b] speaking with thee concerning the explanation of these words, my power disturbed me for to come forward, and say also the explanation of these words. Said he to her Jesus, I command to thee for to say their explanation. Said she Maria, My Lord, the mercy and the truth met one another. The mercy therefore is the spirit which came upon thee, thou having received baptism by Iohannes: the mercy therefore is the spirit of the divinity, this which came upon thee: he had mercy on the race of the mankind, he came down, he met the power of Sabaoth the good, this which is in thee, this which preached of the Places of the truth.

But she said also, The righteousness with the peace kissed one another. [112a] The righteousness therefore is the spirit of the Light, this which came upon thee, this which brought the mysteries of the Height, for to give them to the race of the mankind. The peace also is the power which (is) in thee of Sabaoth the good, this which baptised (and) forgave to the race of the mankind, and it made them at peace with the sons of the light. And also according as thy power said by David, The truth burst forth in the earth, namely, the power of the Sabaoth the good. He said, It burst forth in the earth. This which burst forth in Maria thy mother the native of earth. The righteousness also which looked out of the heaven, that [112b] is the spirit which (is) in the Height, this which brought all the mysteries out of the Height, he gave them to the race of the mankind, they became righteous and they became good, they inherited the kingdom of the light. It happened therefore, Jesus having finished hearing these words, saying them Mariham, said he, Well (done) Mariham, inheritor of the light. Came again forward Maria the mother of Jesus, she prostrated at his feet, she kissed them, and said she, My Lord and my son and my Saviour, be not angry with me, but spare me that I may say the explanation of these words another time. The mercy with the truth met one another [113a].

I am Maria thy mother with Elisabet the mother of Iohannes, I met her: the mercy therefore is the power which (is) in me of the Sabaoth: this which came out of me, namely thee, thou hadst mercy on all the race of the mankind. The truth also is the power which (is) in Elisabet, namely Iohannes, this who came, he preached of the way of the truth, namely thee: who preached before thee. And again the mercy with the truth which met one another, are thou my Lord who met Iohannes on the day, thou being about to receive baptism (and Iohannes himself). But thou also with Iohannes [113b] are the righteousness with the peace who kissed one another.

The truth burst forth out of the earth, and the righteousness looked out of the heaven, namely, the time (at) which thou ministeredst to thy own self: thou madest form of Gabriel, thou lookedst out upon me out of the heaven, thou spakest with me, and thou having spoken with me, thou burstedst forth in me, namely the truth, namely the power of Sabaoth the good, this which becometh in thy material body, namely the truth which burst forth out of the earth.

It happened therefore, [114a] Jesus having heard these words, saying them Maria his mother, said he: Well (done and) fairly. This is the explanation of all the words, these which my power of light prophesied about them once by David the prophet.