But added also Jesus in the word, said he to his disciples, It happened therefore, the Pistis Sophia having said these words, completed was the time for bringing her up from the Chaos, and through my own self, without the First Mystery I brought a power of light out of myself; I sent it down unto the Chaos for it to bring the Pistis Sophia up from the Place which is deep of the Chaos [101 ], and bring her unto the Place which (is) upper of the Chaos, until the command (should) come out from the First Mystery for them to bring her up from the Chaos absolutely.
And my power of light brought the Pistis Sophia up unto the Places which (are) upward of the Chaos.
It happened therefore, the emanations of the Self-willed having known that they brought the Pistis Sophia up unto the Places which (are) upward of the Chaos they again persecuted her unto the high (part), wishing to take her again unto the Places which (are) of the Chaos below.
And was enlightening greatly my power of light, this which I sent to bring the Pistis Sophia up from the Chaos.
It happened therefore, having persecuted the Sophia, the emanations [102 ] of the Self-willed, they having brought her unto the Places which (are) upward of the Chaos, she hymned again, and she cried up at me saying, I shall hymn up unto thee, O Light, because I wished to come (close) to thee.
I shall hymn up unto thee, O Light, because thou art my deliverer: leave me not in the Chaos: deliver me, O Light of the Height, because thou art he unto whom I hymned: thou dispatched to me thy light through thyself and thou deliveredst me: thou broughtest me unto the Places 56 which (are) upward of the Chaos.
Let them fall therefore below unto the Places which (are) beneath of the Chaos, the emanations of the Self-willed, these which are persecuting me: and let them not come unto the Places which (are) upward, for to [102 ] see me.
And let great darkness cover over them, and let come to them an obscurity of darkness: and let them not see me in the light of thy power, this which thou dispatchedst to me to deliver me, that they should not lay hold upon me: and their plot which they thought for to take away my power, let it not happen for them: and according as they spake of me to take away my light from me, take away theirs also instead of mine.
And they said to take away all my light, and they were not able to take it away, because thy power of light becometh indeed with me, because they plotted without thy precept, O Light, because of this they were not able to take away my [103 ] light, because that I believed the light, and I shall not fear; and the light is my deliverer, and I shall not fear.
Now therefore he whose power is exalted, let him say the explanation of the words which said the Pistis Sophia.
But it happened, Jesus having finished saying these words unto his disciples, came forward Salome, said she, My Lord, my power forced me for to say the explanation of the words which said the Pistis Sophia.
Thy power prophesied once by Solomon saying, I shall manifest to thee, O Lord, because thou art my God.
Leave me not, O Lord, because [103 ] thou art my hope: thou gavest to me thy judgment without a cause, and I was delivered through thee.
Let fall those who are persecuting me; and let them not see me.
Themes
◆Anthropomorphismtheology
Attributing human characteristics, emotions, or form to the divine; embodied divine imagery.
The divine is described using human attributes such as sending power, being a deliverer, and having a will.
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 flow from the First Mystery to the power of light sent down to bring Sophia up from the Chaos.
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 narrative depicts Sophia being brought from the deep Chaos and persecuted by emanations until she is rescued by light.