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Pistis Sophia · 63 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou struckest the serpent, he of the seven heads through my hands. And thou settest me up upon his matter, thou destroyedst him that his seed should not rise up from this hour. And the word which thy power said, And thou wast being with me, and thou wast helping me. That is the word which said the [147 ] Pistis Sophia, And thou wast being with me, thou art helping me in all these (things). And the word which thy power said, And thy name surrounded me in every Place. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thy light surrounded me in all their Places. And the word which said thy power, And thy right (hand) destroyed the poison of the evil speaker. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And through thee were made powerless the emanations of the Self-willed, because thou tookest away the light of their power from them. And the word which thy power said, Thy hand opened the road of thy faithful (ones). That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou directedst my road to bring me out of the Chaos, because I believed thee. And the word which thy power said, Thou redeemedst them out of the tombs, and thou removedst them out of the midst of the embalmed-corpses. That is the word which said [148 ] the Pistis Sophia, And thou redeemedst me out of the Chaos, and thou removedst me out of the material darkness, namely, the emanations of darkness which (are) in the Chaos, these whose light thou tookest away from them. And the word which thy power said, Thou tookest away bones being dead, thou clothedst them with a body, and those which move not, thou gavest to them an energy of life. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou tookest away all my powers, these in which there is not light, thou puttest in unto them a light being purified. And all my members in which there is not light moving, thou gavest to them a light of life from thy Height. And the word which thy power said, Thy road 80 became uncorruptness, with thy face. [148 ] That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thou directedst thy road for me and (with, MS) the light of thy face became to me a life indestructible. And the word which thy power said, Thou broughtest thy Aeon upon the destruction, that they should loosen all the bonds. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou broughtest me even me, thy power, upon the Chaos and upon the destruction, that should be loosened all the matter which becometh in that Place, and should be made new all my powers by the light. And the word which thy power said, And thy light maketh foundation for them all. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, And thy light became in them [149 ] all. And the word which thy power of light said by Solomon, Thou puttest thy richness upon him. And he made a dwelling being holy. That is the word which said the Pistis Sophia, Thou strengthenest the light of thy effluence upon me, and I became light, being purified. This therefore, my Lord, is the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia. It happened therefore, the First Mystery having heard these words, saying them Mathaios, said he, Well (done) Mathaios and fairly, the beloved. This is the explanation of the hymn which said the Pistis Sophia.
Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

The divine is described using human attributes such as hands, face, light, and the ability to direct roads.

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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 explicitly describes the material world as 'Chaos' and 'material darkness' that must be overcome through divine light.

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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 is drawn between light and darkness, good and evil, and the purified versus the corrupted.

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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 used to describe divine presence, purification, and the overcoming of 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.

The divine actively directs the path and redeems from tombs, indicating an ordering of cosmic affairs.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The text describes redemption from tombs and embalmed corpses, implying guidance through death.

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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 achieved through the direct knowledge of the Pistis Sophia and belief in the divine power.

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Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The passage begins with 'This therefore, my Lord, is the explanation of the hymn' indicating esoteric teaching.

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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, present, and dynamic rather than an abstract principle.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

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

The text describes being 'dead' yet clothed with a body and moved by energy of life.

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Prayerpraxis

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

Mathaios speaks to the Lord as 'my Lord' and addresses divine power directly.

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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 text emphasizes being directed out of Chaos and material darkness back to a state of life and light.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

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

The process involves purification from powers lacking light to become light itself.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The passage repeatedly references the 'word' and 'name' of the divine as sources of power and salvation.

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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 speaker describes being in Chaos and material darkness before redemption.

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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 journey involves moving from the Chaos to a state of life indestructible through divine light.

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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 speaker states that through purification, they became light and were strengthened by the divine effluence.

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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.

Divine power is invoked to effect physical and spiritual transformation through words and action.

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Related passages · 3 parallels
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 8 (part 2)
Verily it shall be cast forth by my healing words of power, and I will drive it away from before the sight of thy sunbeams." The holy god opened his mouth and said, "I was passing along my path, and I was going through the two regions of my…”
Both passages involve a divine figure (Ra in Passage A and Pistis Sophia in Passage B) who is afflicted and requires healing or redemption. Both texts emphasize the power of names and divine intervention to overcome adversity, showcasing a mystical understanding of the divine and its interaction with the world.
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 36 (part 4)
Verily, Sut spake unto me (17) the things which concern himself, and I said, I Let the thought of the trial of the balance by thee be even within our hearts.'" The majesty of the god Anubis saith: (18) "Dost thou know the name of this door…”
Both passages describe a divine interaction where a deity or higher power aids a figure in overcoming darkness or chaos. They share themes of redemption, purification, and the restoration of light, though they come from different mystical traditions.
jewish_mysticism|The Book of Enoch (1 Enoch, Charles translation)|Chapter LXII
LXII. Judgement of the Kings and the Mighty: Blessedness of the Righteous . CHAPTER LXII. 1. And thus the Lord commanded the kings and the mighty and the exalted, and those who dwell on the earth, and said: 'Open your eyes and lift up your…”
Both passages describe a divine figure who brings about redemption and judgment. The Pistis Sophia passage focuses on the redemption and empowerment of Pistis Sophia by a divine power, while the second passage describes the judgment of the unrighteous and the blessedness of the righteous by the Son of Man. Both share themes of divine intervention, redemption, and the ultimate triumph of light over darkness.