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Pistis Sophia · 95 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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Amen I say unto you, That man whenever he should come out of the body, they are not wont to judge him in any Place of the Rulers, nor will they be able to punish him in any Place, 120 nor the fire will touch him through the great mystery of the Ineffable, which becometh with him: and they will hasten quickly, and deliver him up to one another, and steer him along (from Place to Place) and from array to array, even until they take him (close) to the Virgin of the Light, all the Places fearing before the mystery with the sign of the kingdom of the Ineffable, this which becometh with him: and whenever they should take it (close) to the Virgin of the Light, the Virgin will see the sign of the mystery of the kingdom [222 ] of the Ineffable, becoming with him, is wont to wonder the Virgin of the Light, and she is wont to prove him. But she is not wont to cause them to take him unto the Light, until he completeth all the duties (politia) of the Light of that mystery, which are these the purifications of the renunciation of the World and with all the matter which is in it. The Virgin of the Light is wont to seal him with a seal more excellent, which is this, (the form of the seal is not given), and to cause them to cast him in any month in which he came out of the body of the matter unto a body being about to become righteous, this being about to find the Godhead of the truth, with the mysteries which are high, and (to) inherit them, and (to) inherit the Light unto age, namely, the free-gifts of the second mystery of the First Mystery of the Ineffable. The third [222 ] Mystery also of that Ineffable, the man indeed who will complete that mystery, not only because whenever he should come out of the body being about to inherit the kingdom of the mystery, but whenever he should perform and complete it with all its figures, which is this, that whenever he should do that mystery and complete it well, and mention by name that mystery over a man coming out of the body, having known that mystery, this (man) who having delayed, or rather did not delay this (man) who becometh in the punishments which are cruel of the Rulers, and with their judgments which are cruel with their fires which are various: Amen I say to you, The man who cometh out of the body, whenever they should name this mystery for his sake, they will hasten quickly and remove him and deliver [223 ] him up to one another, even until they take him (close) to the Virgin of the Light, and the Virgin of the Light will seal him with a seal being more excellent, which is this (the form of the seal is not given): and in any month she will cause them to cast him unto the body of (a) righteous (man), this who will find the Godhead of the truth with the mystery which is more excellent, and he (will) inherit the kingdom of the Light. This therefore is the free-gift of 121 the third mystery of the Ineffable. Now therefore every one who will receive (one) out of the five mysteries of the Ineffable, this whenever he should come out of the body and inherit unto the Place of that mystery (and the kingdom of those five mysteries) [223 ] they are equal with one another in their kingdom, but they are not equal with the three mysteries of the Ineffable.
Themes
Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine entities are described with human characteristics such as judging, punishing, casting, and being sealed.

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Apophatic Theologytheology

Describing the divine only by negation—God transcends all positive categories and concepts; the via negativa.

The text repeatedly emphasizes the 'Ineffable' nature of the mystery that transcends ordinary understanding and judgment.

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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 body is described as a state from which one must come out to inherit the kingdom and be righteous.

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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 exists between the material world/body and the divine realm of the Light and Godhead.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The text centers on the 'Ineffable' mystery that is concealed from ordinary judgment and perception.

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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 passage describes a final judgment process where Rulers punish souls based on their completion of mysteries.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The text functions as a guide for the soul's movement after death through specific destinations and trials.

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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 contingent upon completing the duties of the Light and knowing the mystery rather than external rituals.

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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 'mysteries' and 'Ineffable' knowledge reserved for those who complete the duties.

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Inner Lightanthropology

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

The Light of that mystery is associated with the divine nature that must be found within the soul.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

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

The inheritance of the kingdom of the Ineffable is tied to the completion of duties within the individual's spiritual state.

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Living Godtheology

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

Divine entities are depicted as active agents who judge, punish, and seal souls.

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Mystical Unionsoteriology

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

The Virgin of the Light seals the soul with a more excellent seal upon completion of the mystery.

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Paradox As Teachingethics

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

The text uses apparent contradictions such as fire not touching the soul due to the Ineffable.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The passage describes a guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms governed by Rulers and the Virgin of the 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 text lists 'purifications' and renunciation of the World as necessary duties for inheritance.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

Mentioning the name of the mystery is specified as a condition for liberation from punishment.

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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 Virgin of the Light proves the soul and requires knowing the mystery for inheritance.

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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 soul is described as moving from one Place to another toward the Virgin of the 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 text describes inheriting the Godhead of the truth and becoming righteous through purification.

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Tripartite Soulanthropology

Division of the human being into three principles: spirit (pneuma), soul (psyche), and body/matter (hyle or soma).

The distinction between body, soul, and matter is implied in the passage's structure.

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Related passages · 5 parallels
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Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the role of divine mysteries or visions in determining the soul's fate. They share themes of purification, divine intervention, and the ultimate destination of the soul, though they come from different mystical traditions.
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245 got It, and by It dwelt in the Dark Palace. Yü-khiang 1 got It, and by It was set on the North Pole. Hsî Wang-mû 2 got It, and by It had her seat in (the palace of) Shâo-kwang. No one knows Its beginning; no one knows Its end. Phäng…”
Both passages discuss the attainment of a transcendent state or mystery that grants protection and elevation beyond the ordinary human experience. They describe a process of spiritual transformation and the conferring of divine or mystical benefits, though within different cultural and religious contexts.