The Gnostic Society Library

Pistis Sophia
translated by G. S. R. Mead


Index  Previous  Next 

p. 106

THE SECOND BOOK OF PISTIS SOPHIA

CHAPTER 63

JOHN also came forward and said: "O Lord, bid me also speak the solution of the words which thy light-power hath prophesied aforetime through David."

And Jesus answered and said unto John: "To thee too, John, I give commandment to speak the solution of the words which my light-power hath prophesied through David:

"'10. Grace and truth met together, and righteousness and peace kissed each other.

"'11. Truth hath sprouted forth out of the earth, and righteousness looked down from heaven.'"

John further interpreteth the same scripture.And John answered and said: "This is the word which thou hast said unto us aforetime: 'I have come out of the Height and entered into Sabaōth, the Good, and embraced the light-power in him.' Now, therefore, 'Grace and truth' which 'met together,'--thou art 'grace,' thou who art sent out of the regions of the Height through thy Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, in that he hath sent thee, |127. that thou mayest have mercy on the whole world. 'Truth' on the other hand is the power of

p. 107

[paragraph continues] Sabaōth, the Good, which bound itself in thee and which thou hast cast forth to the Left,--thou the First Mystery which looketh without. And the little Sabaōth, the Good, took it and cast it Of Sabaōth, Barbēlō, Yabraōth and the light-vesture.forth into the matter of Barbēlō, and he made proclamation concerning the regions of Truth to all the regions of those of the Left. That matter of Barbēlō then it is which is body for thee to-day.

"And 'righteousness and peace' which 'kissed each other,'--'righteousness' then art thou who didst bring all the mysteries through thy Father, the First Mystery which looketh within, and hast baptized this power of Sabaōth, the Good; and thou didst go to the region of the rulers and didst give unto them the mysteries of the Height; they became righteous and good.

"'Peace' on the other hand is the power of Sabaōth, that is thy soul, which did enter into the matter of Barbēlō, and all the rulers of the six æons of Yabraōth have made peace with the mystery of the Light.

"And 'truth' which 'sprouted forth out of the earth,'--it is the power of Sabaōth, the Good, which came out of the region of the Right, which lieth outside the Treasury of the Light., and which hath come into the region of those of the Left; |128. it hath entered into the matter of Barbēlō, and hath made proclamation concerning the mysteries of the region of Truth.

"'Righteousness' on the other hand which 'looked down from heaven,' is thou the First Mystery which looketh down without, as thou didst come out of the spaces of the Height with the mysteries of the Light-kingdom; and thou

p. 108

didst come down upon the light-vesture which thou didst receive from the hand of Barbēlō, which [vesture] is Jesus, our Saviour, in that thou didst come down upon him as a dove."

It came to pass then, when John had brought forward these words, that the First Mystery which looketh without, said unto -him: "Well said, John, beloved brother."


Next: Chapter 64

Return to the Gnostic Society Library