Pistis Sophia · 118 of 160 · tr. George Horner

Document THIRDr

And that of the God to the God, namely, whenever the soul should receive mystery she is wont to give the defence to all the Rulers with the Place of the King, the Adamas.

And the soul is wont to give the honour with the glory to those of all the Places of the Light.

And the word, It shone when thou hadst seen it, being of silver and brass.

That is the type of this, the power of the Light being in it, namely, the silver [267 ] which is choice.

And being in her the counterfeit spirit, namely, the material brass.

Then this, my Lord, is the first meaning.

The second meaning also which thou finishedst saying to us now concerning the soul which receiveth mystery, whenever it should come unto the Place of the Rulers of the road of the Middle, and they are wont to come out before her in a great fear greatly greatly, and is wont the soul, she is wont to give to them (him, MS ) the mystery of the fear.

And they (she, MS ) are wont to fear before her, and she is wont to give the Fate unto her Place, and she is wont to give the counterfeit spirit unto its Place, and she is wont to give the defence with the seals to each of the Rulers who (are) upon the roads, and she is wont to give the honour with the glory with the respect of the seals with the hymns to those of all the Places of the Light.

Concerning this word, my Lord, [268 ] which thou saidst by the mouth of Paulos our brother once, Give the tribute to him of the tribute, and give the fear to him of the fear, give the custom to him 148 of the custom, and give the honour to him of the honour, and give the respect to him of the respect, and do not owe anything to anyone.

Which (is) this My Lord, The soul who receiveth mystery is wont to give the defence to all the Places, This is, my Lord, the second meaning.

The third meaning also concerning the word which thou saidst unto us once, The counterfeit spirit is wont to become enemy unto the soul, causing it to do all the sins and all the passions, and it is wont to convict her in the punishment concerning all the sins which it caused her to do, in one word, it is wont to be enemy unto the soul in every form.

Concerning this word therefore which thou saidst unto us once, The enemies of the man are his domestics [268 ] namely the domestics of the soul are the counterfeit spirit with the Fate, these which are enemy unto the soul at every time causing her to do every sin with every wickedness.

Then this, my Lord, is the third meaning.

The fourth meaning also concerning the word which thou saidst, If the soul should come out of the body, and walk in the road of the counterfeit spirit, and whenever it should not find the mystery of the loosening of all the bonds with the seals, these which are bound to the counterfeit spirit, and (yet) it should cease to be allotted unto her.

If therefore she should not find it, is wont the counterfeit spirit, it is wont to take the soul (close) to the Virgin of the Light, the judge: and is wont the judge, the Virgin of the Light, she is wont to prove the soul and find about her, she having done sin; and having not also found the mysteries of the Light with her.

And she is wont to give [269 ] her to one of her Receivers, and is wont her Receiver, he is wont to bring her and cast her unto the body, and she is not wont to come out of the changes with the body, having not given the last Cycle.

Themes

◆Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with human attributes such as giving defence, honour, and fear.

All passages →

◆Body As Obstacleanthropology

The material body viewed as a prison, tomb, or source of error that hinders spiritual knowledge and return.

The body is associated with changes and the soul's inability to come out of it without the last Cycle.

All passages →

◆Cosmic Dualismtheology

Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.

A stark opposition is drawn between the Light/Truth and the counterfeit spirit/material brass.

All passages →

◆Divine Lighttheology

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

The text repeatedly references the 'Place of the Light' and the 'power of the Light being in it'.

All passages →

◆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.

A final judgment by the Virgin of the Light occurs where the soul is found to have sinned.

All passages →

◆Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The passage describes the soul's movement through specific afterlife realms like the Place of the Rulers and the road of the Middle.

All passages →

◆Hidden Sayingssoteriology

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

The text emphasizes that the soul gives mystery to rulers and that certain words contain deeper meanings reserved for those ready to receive them.

All passages →

◆Inner Lightanthropology

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

The power of the Light is described as residing within the soul when it receives mystery.

All passages →

◆Kingdom Withinanthropology

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

The Place of the Light and the power of the Light are located within the soul rather than externally.

All passages →

◆Living Godtheology

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

Divine entities like the Virgin of the Light are depicted as active judges who prove and sentence souls.

All passages →

◆Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The passage details the soul's movement through specific afterlife realms like the Place of the Rulers and roads.

All passages →

◆Ritual Puritypraxis

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

The soul must find the mystery of loosening bonds to avoid being cast into the body.

All passages →

◆Sacred Namestheology

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

The text references specific divine names like Paulos and the Virgin of the Light that carry ontological power.

All passages →

◆Self Knowledgesoteriology

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

The soul's ability to find the mystery is linked to its internal state rather than external action.

All passages →

◆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 soul is described as being torn from its divine origin when it enters the body and cannot find the mystery of loosening bonds.

All passages →

◆Spiritual Ascentpraxis

A staged journey of the soul upward through heavenly realms or levels of being toward the divine source.

The text describes the soul's movement from the body to the Place of the Rulers and the Light.

All passages →

Related passages · 2 parallels

◆mandaean|Gnostic John the Baptizer — Portents at John's Birth|Section 16

“When Messiah said this, Yahyā cries aloud; tears come to him without ceasing, and he speaks: "[God] forbid that the high King of Light should look for lot in deceivers. The soul is not like the blood, that it should become heated in the bod…”

Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the challenges it faces. They share themes of the soul's interaction with divine and demonic forces, the need for mysteries or virtues to aid the soul, and the ultimate judgment or liberation of the soul.

◆platonism|Plato: Phaedrus|Section 1p

“And there is a law of Destiny, that the soul which attains any vision of truth in company with a god is preserved from harm until the next period, and if attaining always is always unharmed. But when she is unable to follow, and fails to b…”

Both passages discuss the journey of the soul after death and the consequences of its actions. They describe different states or levels the soul can attain based on its knowledge and deeds, showing a conceptual parallel in their mystical traditions.