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Pistis Sophia · 16 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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But I shortened the periods with the times because of the perfect number of the souls, which will receive mysteries, namely the chosen (ones): and if I did not shorten their times, there is not any material soul (which) will be saved. But they would have been consumed in the fire, this which becometh in the flesh of the Rulers. This therefore is the word about which thou enquirest of me in accuracy. [38 ] But it happened, Jesus having finished saying these words unto his disciples, they all prostrated together, they worshipped to him, and said they to him, We are happy (ones) beyond every man, thou having revealed to us these great grandeurs. Added also Jesus in the word, said he to his disciples, Hear, hear concerning the words which became to me among 21 the Rulers of the twelve Aeons, with all their Rulers, with their Lords, with their Authorities, with their Angels with their Archangels. They having seen therefore the vesture of light which (is) upon me, they with their Unpaired (ones) every one of them saw the mystery of their name becoming in my vesture of light, this [39 ] which (is) upon me, they prostrated all one after another, they worshipped to the vesture of light which (is) upon me, and they all cried out together, saying, How did the Lord of the Universe pass through us, we having not known (it). And they all hymned together unto the inward part of the inward parts. And all their Triple powers, with their great Forefather and their Unbegotten (ones) with their Self-begotten (ones) with their Begotten (ones) with their Gods with their sparks with their luminaries, in one word, with all their great (ones) they saw the Tyrants of their Places abiding in feebleness, having their power diminished in them, and they became themselves in great weakness, and they became also in great fear, there being no measure unto it. And they were [39 ] beholding the mystery of their name in my vesture, and they had begun to come and worship the mystery of their name, which (is) in my vesture: and they were not able to prevail because of the great light which becometh with me. But they worshipped distant from me a little: but they worshipped the light of my vesture, and they all cried out together hymning unto the inward part of the inward parts. It happened therefore, these having happened, to the Tyrants, who become among the Rulers, they were all weakened, they fell down in their Aeons, and they became as the men of the world who are dead, having not breath in them, as also they did at the hour (in) which I took away their power from them. It happened therefore after these (things) I having come out to those Aeons, each [40 ] one of all those who become in the twelve Aeons, they were all bound in unto their arrays, and they completed their works according as I put them, for to spend six months turned to the Left, doing their works in their four-corners with their three-corners, with those who (are) in front of them. And again to spend another six months beholding the Right in their three-corners and in their four-corners, with those who are in front of them. Thus also will move, those who become in the Destiny with the Sphere. It happened therefore after these (things) I came unto the Height even unto the veils of the thirteenth Aeon ( MS. Aeons).
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Themes
Aeonscosmology

Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.

The text explicitly lists 'the twelve Aeons' and describes their rulers, lords, authorities, and arrays as central to the narrative.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.

Divine beings are described with human-like attributes such as 'Rulers,' 'Lords,' 'Angels,' and 'Archangels.'

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Body As Obstacleanthropology

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

The text states that material souls would be consumed in fire if not shortened, implying the body hinders salvation.

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Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A clear opposition is drawn between the 'material soul' that will be consumed and the 'chosen ones' who receive mysteries.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

The supreme God's radical concealment beyond ordinary knowledge or perception; the Hidden Father.

The text emphasizes that the Lord passed through them without their knowledge, indicating a concealed divine presence.

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Divine Lighttheology

The uncreated luminous quality of the divine, sometimes experienced directly in mystical states; illumination as revelation.

Light is repeatedly described as a vesture upon the Lord that reveals mysteries and causes Tyrants to fall into feebleness.

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Eschatological Judgmentsoteriology

Final, collective cosmic judgment as an event in which the wicked are sentenced and the cosmos restored; distinct from psychopomp_journey (individual passage at death) and emphasising verdict where Zoroastrian frashokereti emphasises restoration.

The passage describes the weakening and consumption of Tyrants as a consequence of divine action.

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Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

Salvation through direct experiential knowledge of the divine nature, not through faith, ritual, or moral works alone.

Salvation is contingent upon receiving 'mysteries' through direct revelation rather than material salvation.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

Esoteric teachings reserved for those ready to receive them; outer meaning conceals an inner liberating truth.

The text refers to 'mysteries' that are revealed only to the chosen ones and are central to the divine word.

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Living Godtheology

The divine conceived as active, present, and dynamic—not an abstract principle but a personal responsive reality.

The Lord is depicted as an active agent who reveals mysteries and moves through Aeons.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

Numbers, proportions, and mathematical relationships as the underlying structure of divine reality.

The text references the 'perfect number of the souls' and specific cycles of six months.

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Prayerpraxis

Direct address to the divine, whether petitionary, contemplative, or liturgical; speech and silence offered upward.

Disciples prostrate and worship the Lord in response to his revelation.

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Return To Sourcesoteriology

The soul's journey back to its divine origin, reversing the fall into matter through stages of purification or illumination.

The movement of Aeons is described as returning to their arrays after a cycle of six months.

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Sacred Namestheology

Divine names or formulas that carry ontological power, used in prayer, liturgy, or magical practice.

The mystery of their name becoming in the vesture of light is highlighted as a key revelation.

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