And the Adamas the great Tyrant with all the Tyrants who become in all the Aeons began to war without cause against the light and they knew not [24 ] with whom they are warring, because that they were not seeing anyone except the light which surpassed greatly.
It happened therefore, they having warred against the light, they all burned one with another and fell down in the Aeons, they became as the earth-beings who are dead, no breath being in them.
And I took away a third part of all their powers, that they should not work in their evil doings, and that whenever the men who (are) in the World should invoke them in their mysteries, these who brought them down even 13 the Angels who transgressed—these which were their magic, that therefore whenever they should invoke them in their evil doings, they should not be able to accomplish them: and the Destiny with the Sphere which is lord unto them I removed, [24 ] and I caused them to spend six months turned to the Left (hand) and they fulfilling their influences, and six months, looking to the Right (hand) fulfilling their influences: but (it was) through the command of the First precept, and through the command of the First Mystery, Ieou the overseer of the light, put them looking to the left every hour fulfilling their influences and with their doings.
It happened therefore, I having come unto their place, they were refractory and they warred against the light: I took away the third part of their power, that they should not be able to prevail in fulfilling their evil doings; and the Destiny with the Sphere [25 ] which is lord unto them I removed, and I put them looking to the Left for six months, fulfilling their influences, and I put them for six other months turned to the Right, fulfilling their influences.
These therefore having said unto his disciples, said he to them, He who hath ear to hear let him hear.
It happened therefore, Mariham having heard these words, saying them the Saviour, she gazed in the air for the time of an hour.
Said she, My Lord command to me that I may speak in boldness.
Answered Jesus the merciful, said he to Mariham, Mariham the happy, this whom I shall complete in all the mysteries [25 ] of the (things) of the Height.
Speak in boldness, because thou art she whose heart straineth toward the Kingdom of the heavens more than all thy brothers.
Then said she, Mariham to the Saviour, My Lord, the word which thou saidst to us, He who hath ear to hear let him hear, art thou saying that we should understand the word which thou saidst?
Hear, therefore, my Lord and I (will) say in boldness.
The word which thou saidst that I took away the third part from the power of the Rulers of all the Aeons; and that I removed their Destiny with their Spheres, these which are for lord unto them, that whenever the race of the men should invoke them in their mysteries, these which taught them the Angels, who transgressed, unto the accomplishment of their evil [26 ] works and unlawful, in the mystery of their magic; in order that they should not be able to prevail any more from this hour to accomplish their unlawful works, because that thou tookest away their power from them: with their hour-setters, with their enquirers, with those who are wont to show to the men, who are in the World, everything which will happen, that they should not understand from this hour to show to them any 14 thing which will happen, because thou removedst their Spheres; and thou causedst them to spend six months turned to the left, fulfilling their influences, and other six months looking to the right, fulfilling their influences.
Augustinian and Plotinian doctrine that evil has no positive being of its own but is a lack, distortion, or absence of the good — denying ontological dualism while preserving moral seriousness.
The fallen rulers are described as having no breath or power, indicating a lack of divine vitality.
Transgressive knowing acquired against divine prohibition — the Watchers' teaching of metallurgy, sorcery, and cosmetics in 1 Enoch, the Gnostic Eve narratives, the Promethean mytheme; explicitly contrasted with gnosis_direct_knowledge, which is salvific.
The passage details the teaching of 'magic' and 'unlawful works' by transgressing Angels that Mariham seeks to prevent.
The felt condition of exile from one's divine origin — Rumi's reed flute torn from its bed, Plotinus's 'we have forgotten,' the Gnostic forgetfulness; the affective wound that complements return_to_source and gives the return its motive.
The Tyrants are described as having burned one with another and fallen into the Aeons without seeing the light.
The doctrine — central to Eastern Orthodox and Maximian theology — that the human person is progressively transformed into a partaker of the divine nature by grace, not merely justified or united in passing ecstasy.
Mariham is called 'happy' and her heart is described as straining toward the Kingdom of the heavens.