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Pistis Sophia · 17 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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It happened therefore having come upon their veils, they drew (away) of their own (accord), they opened to me, 22 I came [40 ] in unto the thirteenth of the Aeon ( MS. Aeons), I found the Pistis Sophia being below the thirteenth Aeon, she by herself, being none of them with her. But she was sitting at that place grieving and making lament, because they took her not unto the thirteenth Aeon, her Place which is at the Height. And also she was grieving concerning the tribulations which did to her the Self-willed (one), this who is one of the three Triple powers. But these whenever I should speak with you concerning their distribution, I shall say unto you the mystery, how these became. It happened therefore, she having seen me, the Pistis Sophia, as I am enlightening greatly greatly, there being not measure unto the light which is from me, she became in great disturbance [41 ], and she looked in the light of my vesture, she saw the mystery of her name in my vesture, and all the glory of its mystery: because she was becoming at first in the Place of the Height in the thirteenth Aeon. But she was wont to hymn the light which (is) at the Height, this which she saw in the veil of the Treasury of the Light. It happened therefore, she having continued hymning the Light which is at the Height, all the Rulers looked, who (are) together with the great two Triple powers and with her Invisible, who is joined unto her, and the other twenty-two emanation Invisibles. Since the Pistis Sophia with her partner, they with the other twenty-two emanations are wont to make (up) twenty-four emanations, [41 ] these which emanated them out the great Forefather Invisible, he with the great two Triple powers. It happened therefore while Jesus saith these (things) unto his disciples came forward Mariham, said she, My Lord I heard thee once saying, The Pistis Sophia is not herself One out of the twenty-four emanations, and how she becometh not in their Place. But thou saidst that I found her being below the thirteenth Aeon. Answered Jesus, said he to his disciples, It happened while the Pistis Sophia (was) in the thirteenth of the Aeons in the Place of all her brothers the Invisibles, namely twenty-four emanations of the great Invisible, it happened [42 ] therefore by the precept of the First Mystery, looked unto the Height the Pistis Sophia, she saw the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light, and she desired to go unto that Place: and she could not prevail to go unto that Place. But she ceased doing the mystery of the thirteenth Aeon. But she was hymning unto the Light of the Height, that which she saw in the light of the veil of the Treasury of the Light. It 23 happened therefore while she is hymning unto the Place of the Height, all the Rulers who become in the twelve Aeons hated her, these who (are) below, because that she ceased from their mysteries, and because that she wished to go unto the Height and be above them all. Because of this, therefore, they were angry against her and they hated her.
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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 mentions 'thirteenth of the Aeon' and lists twelve Aeons as the source of Rulers who hate the Pistis Sophia.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with human characteristics such as sitting, grieving, and being angry.

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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 Pistis Sophia is described as being 'below' the Aeon and hindered by her desire to ascend.

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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 exists between the Pistis Sophia's desire for the Height and the Rulers' hatred of her descent.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The Pistis Sophia is initially hidden from the Aeon and must look through a veil to see the light.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

Light is central to the narrative, with the Pistis Sophia looking in the 'light of my vesture' and hymning the 'Light which is at the Height'.

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Emanation Hierarchycosmology

A chain of divine beings or principles flowing downward from a single transcendent source (the One or the Father), each level less perfect than the one above.

The text describes a structured hierarchy of Aeons, Rulers, and emanations flowing from the great Forefather Invisible.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

Jesus reveals a 'mystery' to his disciples regarding the Pistis Sophia's status and distribution that is not known by all.

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Living Godtheology

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

The divine is portrayed as active and responsive, speaking to disciples and revealing mysteries.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

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

Specific numbers like 'thirteenth', 'twelve', and 'twenty-four' are used structurally to define divine groups and places.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

Using apparent contradiction, reversal, or riddle to destabilise ordinary understanding and induce insight.

The Pistis Sophia is described as being 'not herself One out of the twenty-four emanations' yet still one of them.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The Pistis Sophia is depicted as actively hymning the Light and the Height.

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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 Pistis Sophia's desire to go 'unto that Place' and be 'above them all' represents a movement toward her divine origin.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

The maintenance of a state of cleanliness—physical, moral, or spiritual—required for encounter with the divine.

The Pistis Sophia is associated with the 'Treasury of the Light', implying a state of purity required for ascent.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The text emphasizes that the Pistis Sophia sees the 'mystery of her name' in the light of the vesture.

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Separation From Sourcesoteriology

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 Pistis Sophia is explicitly described as being 'below' the Aeon and grieves because she was not taken to her Place at the Height.

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Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The Pistis Sophia's journey involves a movement from being below the Aeon to desiring to go 'unto that Place' at the Height.

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Theosis Deificationsoteriology

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.

The Pistis Sophia is described as becoming in the Place of the Height and being joined unto her Invisible partner.

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