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Pistis Sophia · 35 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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Thou hatedst those who keep that which is vain without cause; but I, I trusted, I shall be glad about the Lord, and I shall be delighted over thy mercy: because thou lookedst upon my humility and thou savedst my soul out of the necessities, and thou shutest not me up in the hands of the darkness, thou madest stand my feet in a [81 ] wide place: have mercy on me, O Lord, because I am afflicted. Mine eyes were disturbed in the anger, and my soul with my belly. Because my years failed in pain of heart, and my life failed in groanings. My power was weakened in poverty, and were disturbed my bones. I became for reproach to all my enemies, and those who are near unto me. I became for fear to those who know me. And those who see me they ran away from me. They forgot me as a corpse in their heart, and I was as a vessel which perished. Because I heard the contempt of multitudes surrounding me round about me, in their gathering upon me together. They counselled to take away my soul from me. But I trusted unto thee, O Lord. I said, Thou art my God [81 ] my lot is being in thy hands. Deliver me from the hand of mine enemies and save me from those who persecute me. Manifest thy face upon thy servant, and save me in thy mercy, O Lord. Let me not be ashamed because I cried up unto thee, let them be ashamed, the impious (ones), and (let) them turn them unto Amente. Let be silenced the lips of guile, those who utter unlawfulness at the just in pride with contempt. But Jesus having heard these words, said he, Fairly (said) Maththaios. Now therefore, Amen I say to you, Whenever should be completed the perfect number, and the Universe be caught up, I shall sit in the Treasury of the Light, and ye also ye will sit upon twelve powers of light until we shall [82 ] restore all the arrays of the twelve Saviours unto the Place of the inheritance of each of them. But these having said them, said he, Understand ye what I am saying? Came forward Maria, said she, O Lord, because of this 45 indeed thou saidst unto us once in a parable, Ye, ye were patient with me in the temptations, I shall establish with you a kingdom according as my Father established with me, that ye should eat and drink upon my table in my kingdom, and ye, ye will sit upon twelve thrones and judge the twelve tribes of the Israel. Said he to her, Well (done) Maria. Added also Jesus, said he to his disciples [82 ]. It happened therefore also after these (things), having oppressed the Pistis Sophia in the Chaos, the emanations of the Self-willed, she said the ninth Repentance, saying, O Light, Smite those who took away my power from me, and take away the power of those who took away mine from me, because I am thy power with thy light. Come and deliver me. Let a great darkness cover over those who oppress me. Say to my power, I am he who will deliver thee. Let them be diminished of their power, all these who wish to take away my light from me altogether. Let them turn them unto the Chaos, and let them be powerless, those who wish to take away my light from me altogether. Let their power become as dust, and let smite them Ieou thy [83 ] angel; and whenever they should set out to come unto the Height, let darkness catch them, and let them slide down, and let them turn them unto the Chaos. And let persecute them Ieou thy angel, and send them unto the darkness below.
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Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The divine is addressed directly as 'Lord' and described with human attributes like mercy, anger, and the ability to save.

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Apocatastasiscosmology

The doctrine of the periodic restoration or recurrence of all things to their original state after vast cycles.

The promise of restoration implies a final return to divine order after suffering.

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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 describes physical suffering ('poverty', 'bones', 'groanings') that hinders spiritual strength.

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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 establishes a stark opposition between Light and Darkness, Power and Chaos as fundamental forces.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

Light is invoked repeatedly as the source of power and salvation against the oppressive Darkness.

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Divine Providencetheology

Pronoia — the doctrine that the divine actively orders the unfolding of the cosmos and human affairs toward intelligible ends, against pure chance or blind necessity.

God actively intervenes to save the soul from necessity and darkness despite human suffering.

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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 text outlines a future restoration where the wicked will be silenced and sent to Amente.

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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 explicitly describes Pistis Sophia's oppression by the Self-willed emanations and her cry for deliverance from the Chaos.

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Frashokereticosmology

The final restoration/renovation of the cosmos.

The promise of restoring arrays to their inheritance suggests a final renovation of cosmic order.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

References to Amente and the soul's state after death suggest guidance through the afterlife realms.

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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 linked to trusting in God and understanding the words spoken by Jesus rather than external ritual.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

Jesus speaks a parable that reveals a future restoration to those who are patient with him.

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Inner Lightanthropology

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

The speaker identifies their own power as being derived from the divine Light.

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Living Godtheology

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

God is portrayed as an active, responsive reality who saves the soul and manifests His face.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The speaker declares trust in God as their lot being in His hands, indicating a merging of will with divine providence.

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Numerical Mysticismtheology

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

Specific numbers like 'twelve' and the 'perfect number' are used to structure the eschatological promise.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The passage is structured around petitions and declarations of trust addressed directly to the Lord.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The mention of being delivered from darkness and sent to Amente implies a passage through afterlife realms.

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Renunciation Of Wealthethics

The spiritual danger of attachment to material possessions; wealth as a spiritual obstacle.

The speaker describes poverty as a state that weakens power but does not hinder trust in God.

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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 promise of sitting in the Treasury of the Light implies a reversal of exile back to divine origin.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The invocation of specific divine names like 'Ieou' carries ontological power to smite and deliver.

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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 passage vividly describes the soul's current state of affliction, poverty, and being taken away from power.

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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 promise of sitting in the Treasury of the Light implies a movement upward toward divine authority.

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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.

Disciples are promised to sit upon thrones and judge tribes, indicating a transformation into divine agents.

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Theurgypraxis

Iamblichean ritual practice that engages the gods directly through consecrated material symbols and actions, on the premise that divine power descends into properly prepared matter — distinct from philosophical contemplation alone.

The text includes ritual invocation of angels and names to effect divine intervention against oppression.

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Related passages · 12 parallels
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