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Pistis Sophia · 133 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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And 166 that man came out of the body before that he repented again and received mystery again in the mysteries, those which (are) within the mysteries which he finished receiving, these which they are wont to receive again for the repentance, and they forgive the sins; and he having come out of the body we knew in an exactness that they took him away in unto the midst of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer on account of the sins which he did. And that man hath not helper upon the World nor compassionate (one) for him to make the mystery of the Ineffable, even until they should remove him out of the midst of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, and take him in unto the kingdom of the Light. Now therefore, my Lord, [297 ] then what is that which he will do until he is delivered from the punishments of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer? Nay, O Lord, forsake him not because he suffered in the persecutions and in the whole Godhead in which he becometh. Now therefore O Saviour, have mercy on me, lest at any time any one of our kindred should become in this type of this kind. And have mercy on all the souls who will become in this type, because thou art our key which openeth (the) door of the Universe and which shutteth (the) door of the Universe, and thy mystery is that which extendeth to them all. Aio, O Lord, have mercy on the souls of this kind, because they named indeed thy mysteries on one day, and they believed them truly, and because they were not becoming in hypocrisy. Aio, O Lord, give to them a free-gift in thy goodness, and give to them a rest which is in [297 ] thy mercifulness. These therefore having said them Maria, called her happy the Saviour greatly greatly on account of the words which she saith. And became in great mercy the Saviour, said he to Maria, Every man who will become in this type which thou sayest, yet being alive, give to them the mystery of one of the twelve names of the chambers of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, these which I shall give to you whenever I should finish distributing to you the Universe from within out and from without in. And every man who will find the mystery of one of the twelve names of that dragon of the Darkness which is outer, and every man even though they are sinners greatly, and having received the mysteries of the Light at first (but) afterwards they transgressed, or otherwise indeed they did not do any mystery at all. These whenever they should complete [298 ] their cycle in the changes (of body). And these of this kind, when they should come out of body having not repented again, and they take them unto the punishments which are in the midst of the dragon of the 167 Darkness which is outer, and are left in the cycles, and are left in the punishments which (are) in the midst of the dragon, and these knowing the mystery of one of the twelve names of the Angels, being alive, being become in the World, and they say one of their names, being within in the midst of the punishments of the dragon, (and the hour (in) which they will say it, is wont to shake the whole dragon, M ), and he is wont to be disturbed greatly greatly. And the chambers in which are in the souls of those men is wont to open its doors toward the heaven, and is wont the Ruler of the chamber in which become those men, and he is wont to cast the souls of those men [298 ] out of the midst of the dragon of the Darkness which is outer, because they found the mystery of the name of the dragon.
Themes
Apophatic Theologytheology

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

The text explicitly mentions 'the mystery of the Ineffable' which transcends ordinary description.

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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 passage repeatedly describes the body as a prison that must be left behind to escape punishment and enter the 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.

The text establishes a stark opposition between the Dragon of Darkness (outer) and the Kingdom of Light.

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Divine Hiddennesstheology

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

The mention of the 'Ineffable' suggests the divine is concealed beyond ordinary knowledge.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

The Kingdom of Light is presented as the destination and opposite of the Dragon of Darkness.

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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 text describes souls being cast out of punishment based on their knowledge of names.

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Funerary Navigationpraxis

Texts and rituals guiding the soul through death.

The passage details the soul's movement from body to punishments and eventual liberation.

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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 conditioned on knowing the mystery of a name rather than faith or ritual.

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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 'mystery of one of the twelve names' reserved for those ready.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

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

The mention of mysteries being received within suggests an internal divine realm.

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Living Godtheology

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

The Saviour is depicted as active and responsive to prayer.

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Prayerpraxis

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

Maria directly addresses the Saviour with a petition for mercy and rest.

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Psychopomp Journeycosmology

Guided passage of the soul through afterlife realms.

The passage describes the soul's movement from body to punishments and eventual liberation.

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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 goal is for souls to be taken in unto the kingdom of the Light after punishment.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

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

Repentance and forgiveness are prerequisites for receiving mystery.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The text centers on the power of knowing specific names of the dragon to effect liberation.

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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 soul is depicted as being trapped in punishments until it knows the mystery of a name.

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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 narrative involves moving from punishment to the Kingdom of Light through knowledge.

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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.

Salvation involves becoming in the World and receiving mysteries like the Saviour.

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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 text distinguishes between the body, soul, and the ability to repent or find mystery.

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Related passages · 1 parallel
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 19 (part 11)
The unclean man who would walk thereover doth fall down among the knives; or (as others say), His name is "Mathes,"[2] and he is the watcher of the door of Amenta; or (as others say), His name is "Heri-sep-f." "Hail, Lord of terror, chief o…”
Both passages describe a journey through the afterlife involving judgment, punishment, and the need for purity or repentance. They share themes of divine guardians, the fate of souls, and the intervention of higher powers to guide or save the deceased.