Pistis Sophia · 19 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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It became a Ruler of face of lion in the Chaos, whose (one) half became fire and whose other half became darkness, namely, Ialdabaoth this which I said unto you many times.

These therefore having happened, was weakened the Sophia greatly greatly; and also began that power of light of face of lion to cause itself to take away all the powers of light in the Sophia; and all [45 ] the material powers of the Self-willed surrounded the Sophia together, they afflicted her.

She cried out greatly greatly the Pistis Sophia, she cried up unto the Light of the Lights, this which she saw from at first, having believed it, and she said this Repentance, saying thus, O Light of the Lights, this whom I believed from at first, Hear therefore now, O Light, my repentance.

Deliver me, O Light, because evil thoughts came in unto me.

I looked, O Light, unto the parts which (are) below, I saw a light at that place, I am thinking that I am about to go unto that Place and (to) take away that light: and I went, I became in the darkness which (is) in the Chaos below, and I was not able to prevail to fly out to go unto my Place: [45 ] because that I was afflicted in all the emanations of the Self-willed, and the power of face of lion took away my light which (was) in me: and I cried out for a help, and came not my shout up in the darkness, and I looked unto the Height that should help me, the Light which I trusted.

And having looked unto the Height, I saw all the Rulers of the Aeons which are many.

And they are looking upon me, rejoicing at me who did not anything to them for evil; but they were hating me without cause.

And they having seen the Rulers of the Aeons rejoicing at me, (they) the emanations of the Self-willed, knew that would not help me the Rulers of the Aeons; and 25 were glad of heart those emanations, these which were afflicting me in violence; and the light which I took not away from them indeed, they took it away from me [46 ].

Now therefore, O Light of the Truth, thou knowest that I did these (things) in my innocence, in thinking that (thy light) is belonging unto the light of the face of lion, and the sin which I did is manifest in thy presence.

Let me not therefore be cut off, O Lord, because I trusted unto thy light from at first, O Lord, O light of the powers, let me not be cut off therefore from my light: for by reason of thy cause and thy light I became in my affliction and shame covered over me: and because of the pretext of thy light I became alien unto my brothers the Invisibles; and with the great emanations of the Barbelo: these (things) happened to me, O Light, because I was jealous of thine abode, and came up upon me the anger of the Self-willed, this who hearkened not unto thy command for him to emanate out of the [46 ] emanation of his power; because that I became in his Aeon, not doing his mystery: and were deriding me all the Rulers of the Aeons: and I became in that Place, making lamentations seeking after the light which I saw in the Height: and were seeking after me the Guards of the gates of the Aeons, and all were mocking me even those who are living in their mystery.

But I, I was looking up unto the Height, up unto thee O Light.

Themes

◆Aeonscosmology

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

The text explicitly mentions 'Rulers of the Aeons' who are looking upon the speaker and rejoicing at her innocence.

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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 faces, halves, parts, and emotions like jealousy and rejoicing.

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◆Archonscosmology

Malevolent planetary rulers or demiurgic powers that govern the material world and obstruct the soul's ascent.

The 'emanations of the Self-willed' are described as powers that afflict the Sophia and mock her.

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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 speaker is described as being covered over in affliction and alienated from her brothers due to her transgression.

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◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

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

The text describes a fundamental opposition between light and darkness, fire and chaos.

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◆Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The speaker cries out but her shout does not rise in the darkness, indicating concealment.

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◆Divine Lighttheology

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

Light is a central motif throughout the passage, referenced as a source of truth and power that the speaker seeks to reclaim.

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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 powers flowing from a source (Ialdabaoth) and emanating into lower levels like the Chaos and Aeons.

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◆Fall Of Sophiacosmology

The Gnostic myth of Wisdom's prolapse from the Pleroma — her unilateral desire or error producing the Demiurge and the entrapment of divine sparks in matter.

The passage is a narrative of Sophia's weakening and suffering due to her error in trusting the wrong light.

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◆Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The text describes the speaker's descent into darkness and chaos below, seeking help from the Height.

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◆Gnosis Direct Knowledgesoteriology

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

The speaker claims she believed the Light from at first and seeks direct connection to it.

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◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The text references a 'Repentance' spoken in secret to the Light.

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◆Inner Lightanthropology

The divine spark or luminous quality residing within the human person, potentially recognisable through introspection.

The speaker possesses a personal light that is taken away by the power of the face of lion.

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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 Light is portrayed as an active responsive reality who hears the speaker's repentance.

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◆Mystical Unionsoteriology

The merging of the individual soul or self with the divine, transcending personal identity.

The speaker prays to be delivered from shame and cut off from her brothers so she may remain with the Light.

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◆Prayerpraxis

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

The passage is structured as a direct prayer of repentance and petition to the Light.

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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 speaker seeks to return to the Height where she first saw the Light.

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◆Self Examinationpraxis

Daily review of thought and action as spiritual practice.

The speaker explicitly states she did these things in her innocence and seeks to know why she was afflicted.

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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 text describes the Sophia being weakened, alienated from her brothers, and covered over in affliction due to her error.

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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 speaker looks up unto the Height that should help her and seeks to return to the Light.

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Related passages · 3 parallels

◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 2 (part 7)

“The light of God has also the quality of the fire, but in it the wrath is changed into love; hate and bitter pain into mild beneficence and sweet desire or satisfaction." ( Menschwerdung , i. 5–16.) "The fountain of love is a clasping and…”

Both passages explore the theme of light and darkness, with a focus on the struggle between divine and chaotic forces. They also share a mystical perspective on the nature of divine light and its interaction with the material world.

◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 6 (part 5)

“But when this took place the love in the light of God broke through that heaven of division and ignited the heat." ( Aurora , xxv. 68.) "God, the eternal light and the eternal will, shines within the darkness, and the darkness has captured…”

Both passages describe a mystical fall and subsequent redemption involving light and darkness, with a central figure (Pistis Sophia in Passage A and divine Wisdom in Passage B) seeking help from a higher light. They share themes of divine intervention, the struggle between light and darkness, and the restoration of light.

◆christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 12 (part 3)

“He willingly surrendered Himself to the wrath (to the suffering caused by the lower principles that had been awakened to consciousness in consequence of the sin), and He extinguished it by His love. He came from God into this world and too…”

Both passages describe a divine figure who descends into a state of suffering or chaos to overcome evil and redeem a fallen being. The Pistis Sophia passage details Sophia's repentance and plea for deliverance from the chaos she entered, while the second passage describes Christ's sacrifice and victory over death and darkness.