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Pistis Sophia · 39 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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But I came out of all their midst, not any power knew (it), neither those of the inward part of the inward parts, nor those of the outward part of the outward, except the First Mystery only. It happened therefore, I having come unto the Chaos to help her, she saw me, I being comprehensible and enlightening greatly, becoming in mercifulness toward her. For I was not being self-willed as the power of face of lion, this which took away the power of light from the Sophia, and also this which oppressed her to take away all the light which (is) in her. [90 ] Saw therefore me enlightening, the Sophia, more than the power of face of lion a number of ten thousand times, and I am becoming in great mercifulness toward her. And she knew that I am out of the Height of the Heights, this whose light she believed from at first. Was confident of heart the Pistis Sophia, and she said the tenth Repentance, saying, I cried up unto thee, O Light of the Lights, in my being oppressed, thou heardest me. O Light, deliver my power out of lips of violence and the unlawful, and out of snares of guile, O Light, that which they will take away from me by a snare of guile, they would not have brought it to thee. For the snares of the Self-willed are spread abroad and with the traps of the unmerciful (ones). Woe [90 ] to me indeed, because my place of dwelling was distant, and I became in the places of dwelling of the Chaos: my power became in Places which are not mine; and I flattered those unmerciful (ones): and whenever I should flatter them they are wont to fight against me without a cause. These therefore Jesus having said them to his disciples, said he to them, Now therefore he whose spirit moveth him, let him come forward and say the explanation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Answered Petros, said he, O Lord, concerning this also thy power of light prophesied by David once, saying in the 50 hundred and nineteenth psalm, I cried up unto thee, O Lord, in my being oppressed, thou heardest me, O Lord, deliver my soul [91 ] out of lips of violence and from a tongue of guile. What will they give to thee, and what will they add unto thee with a tongue of guile? The arrows of the strong one are sharp with the coals of the desert. Woe to me because my place of dwelling became far away. I dwelt in the places of dwelling of Kedar. My soul was made sojourner in a multitude of places. I was being peaceable with those who hate the peace, whenever I should speak with them they are wont to fight with me without a cause. This therefore now, O Lord, is the explanation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia, that which she said while are oppressing her the material emanations of the Self-willed, they with his power of face of lion afflicted her greatly. Said he [91 ] to him Jesus, Well (done) Petros and fairly (said). This is the explanation of the tenth repentance of the Pistis Sophia. Added also Jesus in the word, said he to his disciples, It happened therefore, having seen me the power of face of lion, I having come near unto the Pistis Sophia enlightening greatly, it was angry unto the more, and it emanated out of it other multitudes of emanations being fierce greatly. These therefore having become, said the eleventh Repentance the Pistis Sophia saying, Why exalted itself the power of the strong (one) among evils?
Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The divine is described using human-like attributes such as 'power of face of lion' and 'Mercifulness'.

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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 describes the soul becoming a sojourner in places not its own and being oppressed by material emanations.

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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 passage establishes a fundamental opposition between the light of Sophia and the Self-willed power that oppresses her.

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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 invoked as the central attribute of the divine Sophia and the source of enlightenment.

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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 references 'material emanations' flowing from a higher source that oppress the divine Sophia.

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Evil As Privationtheology

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.

Evil is described as the absence of light and the power to take away light rather than positive existence.

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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 a 'First Mystery' that only a few know, indicating esoteric knowledge reserved for the initiated.

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Inner Lightanthropology

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

The text emphasizes Sophia's internal light and the speaker's role as an enlightening force within her.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

The claim that the divine realm is present inside the individual, accessible without external mediation.

The text asserts that the divine power is present within the individual ('in my being oppressed').

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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 depicted as active and responsive to prayer ('thou heardest me').

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Love Of Neighbourethics

Active compassionate care for others as a central spiritual obligation or expression of divine love.

Mercifulness toward the oppressed is described as a key characteristic of the divine presence.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

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

The text presents the paradox that the power of face of lion takes away light from Sophia yet is itself overcome by her enlightenment.

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Prayerpraxis

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

The passage includes a direct invocation of prayer ('I cried up unto thee') as a central act of petition to the divine.

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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 narrative describes coming out of chaos and returning to the Height of the Heights from which light was believed at first.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

Divine names such as 'Light of the Lights' are invoked with ontological power in the prayer.

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Self Knowledgesoteriology

The recognition of one's own true divine nature as the primary path to liberation; 'know thyself' as soteriology.

The speaker identifies with the light and Sophia's enlightenment as a form of knowing.

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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 explicitly describes the soul's exile ('my place of dwelling was distant') and distance from its divine origin.

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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 movement from chaos to the Height of the Heights represents an upward journey toward divine origin.

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Related passages · 2 parallels
christian_mysticism|The Life and Doctrines of Jacob Boehme|Chapter 10 (part 3)
It was she in whom the voice of God promised again to introduce the living, holy substance from heaven, and to generate anew and in divine power the faded image of God that was contained therein." 1 ( Grace , vii. 18.) This, however, did n…”
Both passages describe a divine intervention to rescue a fallen or oppressed entity (Pistis Sophia in Passage A and Eve in Passage B). They share themes of divine light, mercy, and the restoration of a weakened or corrupted state through divine action.
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 8 (part 1)
THE LEGEND OF RA AND ISIS. Now Isis was a woman who possessed words of power; her heart was wearied with the millions of men, and she chose the millions of the gods, but she esteemed more highly the millions of the khu's . And she meditat…”
Both passages depict a divine figure (Jesus in Pistis Sophia and Isis in the Legend of Ra and Isis) intervening to help a suffering entity (Pistis Sophia and Ra, respectively). Both involve themes of divine mercy, the use of sacred knowledge or power, and the overcoming of adversity through divine intervention.