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Pistis Sophia · 137 of 160 · tr. George Horner

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And I shall say unto you the name of the counterfeit spirit, and I shall say unto you the name of the Fate, and I shall say unto you the name of all the bonds, these in which are wont the Rulers to bind the counterfeit spirit in unto the soul, and I shall say unto you the name of all the Dekans, these which worked the soul in the bodies of the soul which (is) in the World: and I shall say unto you in what manner they are working the souls: and I shall say unto you the type of each of the souls, and I shall say unto you the type [304 ] of the souls of the men, with those of the birds, with those of the wild beasts, with the creeping things: and I shall say unto you the type of all the souls, with those of all the Rulers who sent them unto the World, that ye may become being complete in all knowledge, that they should call you, Those who are complete 171 in all knowledge, with every pleroma. These all I shall say them unto you in the Distribution of the Universe, and after these all I shall say unto you, because of what also these all became. Hear therefore that I may speak with you concerning the soul, according as I said that are wont the five great Rulers of the great Destiny of the Aeons; and with the Rulers of the disk of the sun, with the Rulers of the disk of the moon, they are wont to breathe in unto that soul, and cometh out [305 ] of them a portion out of my power, according as I finished saying unto you. And is wont the portion of that power, it is wont to remain within the soul, that should be able to stand (upright) the soul, and they are wont to put the counterfeit spirit outside of the soul, being vigilant unto her and imparted unto her. And are wont the Rulers to bind it in unto the soul with their seals with their bonds, and they are wont to seal it in unto her, that it should compel her at every time, that it should make their passions with their unlawfulnesses with all their sins which are continued, that she should be slave to them at every time, and remain under their subjection at every time in the changes of the body: and they are wont to seal it in unto her, for her to become in every sin with every lust of the World. Because of this therefore of this [305 ] kind I brought the mysteries unto the World, these which are wont to loosen all the bonds of the counterfeit spirit and with all the seals, these which bind in unto the soul, these (mysteries) which are wont to make the soul free, and they are wont to redeem her from her Ruler parents, and they are wont to make her pure Light, and take her up unto the kingdom of her Father the First of coming, the First Mystery unto age. Because of this therefore I said unto you once, He who will not forsake father and mother and come and follow me, this (one) is not worthy of me. I said therefore once, Ye shall forsake your Ruler parents, that I may make you for son of the First Mystery for unto age. But these having said them the Saviour, sprang up forward Salome, said she, My Lord, if our parents are the Rulers, then how (is it) written in the Law of [306 ] Moyses, He who will forsake his father with his mother, in a death let him die? Then did not the law speak of it?
Themes
Aeonscosmology

Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.

The passage explicitly mentions 'five great Rulers of the great Destiny of the Aeons' as active agents in binding the soul.

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Anthropomorphismtheology

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

Divine beings are described with human characteristics such as breathing, sealing, and ruling parents.

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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 describes the body as a source of bondage where the soul remains under subjection and sin continues.

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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 'soul' and the 'counterfeit spirit' bound by Rulers.

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Divine Lighttheology

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

The passage states that redemption will make the soul 'pure Light'.

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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 Rulers actively work and bind souls according to a cosmic destiny.

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Emanation Hierarchycosmology

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.

A hierarchy of Rulers governs the binding of the soul within the World structure.

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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 references a final state where the soul is redeemed and made pure.

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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 defined as becoming 'complete in all knowledge' rather than through ritual or faith alone.

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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' reserved for those ready to receive them concerning the soul's liberation.

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Inner Lightanthropology

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

The redeemed soul is described as becoming a 'pure Light'.

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Kingdom Withinanthropology

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

The promise of redemption and purity is located directly within the individual's soul rather than in an external 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 divine is depicted as active, speaking, and actively working to redeem the soul.

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Microcosm Macrocosmcosmology

The human being as a small-scale image of the entire cosmos; the body, soul, and intellect mirroring the structure of the heavens and the divine — distinct from correspondence in that it makes the human the privileged mirror.

The text links human souls to cosmic structures like the sun and moon's disks.

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Pleromacosmology

The divine fullness or totality of the highest realm, populated by aeons and divine attributes, contrasted with the deficient material world.

The passage repeatedly emphasizes becoming 'complete in all knowledge' and possessing a 'pleroma'.

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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 to redeem the soul from Ruler parents and take her up to the kingdom of her Father.

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Ritual Puritypraxis

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

Redemption involves making the soul 'pure Light' from bondage.

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Sacred Namestheology

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

The text emphasizes knowing and speaking the names of spirits and bonds as a key to liberation.

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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.

Salvation is achieved through knowing the soul's true nature and types rather than external obedience.

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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 enslaved by Rulers and bound in the World until redeemed.

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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 text describes lifting the soul up to the kingdom of her Father.

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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 redeemed soul becomes a 'son of the First Mystery' and partaker of divine nature.

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Related passages · 4 parallels
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 25 (part 2)
Saith Osiris Ani: "Hail, thou god Annitu! Hail, O Runner, (2) dwelling in thy hall! O thou great god, grant thou " that my soul may come unto me from wheresoever it may be. If it would tarry, then bring thou unto me (3) my soul from wher…”
Both passages deal with the concept of the soul's liberation and its journey towards a higher state of being. They share themes of redemption, the soul's struggle against forces that bind it, and the ultimate goal of achieving a pure, enlightened state.
egyptian|The Egyptian Book of the Dead (Papyrus of Ani)|Chapter 26 (part 1)
PLATE XVIII. My soul (5) seeth the great god within the boat of Ra on the day of souls. My soul is (6) in the front among those who tell the years. Come; the eye of Horus, which stablisheth glories (7) upon the brow of Ra and rays of lig…”
Both passages discuss the concept of the soul's liberation from bondage and the role of divine intervention or mystical practices in achieving this freedom. They share themes of spiritual redemption and the struggle against forces that bind the soul, though they come from different mystical traditions.
mandaean|Gnostic John the Baptizer — Portents at John's Birth|Section 7
YAHYĀ proclaims and speaks: "Ye nobles, who lie there, ye ladies, who will not awaken,—ye who lie there, what will you do on the Day of the Judgment? When the soul strips off the body, on Judgment-Day what will you do? O thou distracted, ju…”
Both passages discuss the concept of liberation from worldly bonds and the role of spiritual knowledge or mysteries in achieving this liberation. They also mention the idea of forsaking worldly attachments to follow a higher spiritual path.
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 nature of the soul, its connection to divine knowledge, and the consequences of its actions. They also describe a hierarchical structure of souls based on their understanding and proximity to the divine, emphasizing the importance of mystical knowledge for liberation or perfection.