Because of this therefore of this kind, I brought the keys of the mysteries [313 ] unto the World, that I should unloose the sinners, these who will believe me, and who will hearken to me, that I should unloose them from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers and bind them in unto the seals (added in upper margin) with the vestures with the arrays of the Light, that he whom I shall loosen upon the World from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers, they shall loosen him in the Height from the bonds with the seals of the Aeons of the Rulers, and he whom I shall bind upon the World in unto the seals with the vestures with the arrays of the Light, they (will) bind him in the land of the Light in unto the arrays of the inheritances of the Light.
Because of the sinners I despoiled myself at this time, I brought the mysteries to them, that I should unloose them from the Aeons of the Rulers, and bind them in unto the inheritances of the Light: not only (for) the sinners but also the righteous, that I should give to them the mysteries, [314 ] and they (will) take them unto the Light: for without mystery it is not possible to take them unto the Light: Because of this therefore I hid not it, but I cried out plainly, and I separated not the sinners: but I cried out, and I said unto all men the 177 sinners with the righteous (ones), saying, Seek that ye may find, knock that they may open to you: for every one who seeketh in truth will find, and he who knocketh they will open to him.
For I said unto every man that they should seek after the mysteries of the kingdom of the Light, these which will purify them and make them pure (Light), and they (will) take them unto the Light.
Because of this therefore Iohannes the baptist prophesied about me, saying, I indeed baptised you in water unto repentance unto the forgiveness of your sins: he who is coming after me [314 ] is more excellent than I, this whose fan (is) in his hand, he is about to purify his threshing-floor, the chaff indeed he is burning it in a fire which is not wont to be quenched, but the wheat he is gathering it in unto his barn.
My power which (is) in Iohannes prophesied about me, knowing that I shall bring the mysteries unto the World, and I (shall) purify the sins of the sinners, these who will believe me, and hearken unto me, and I (shall) make them pure light, and take them unto the Light.
These therefore having said them Jesus, answered Maria, said she, My Lord, then whenever the men go that they should seek, and come upon teachings of error, by what are they about to know that they are reckoned unto thee or otherwise?
Answered the Saviour, said he to Maria, I said unto you once, Be as the wise money-changers, because that which is [315 ] good he taketh it, that which is bad he casteth it out.
Now therefore, say to every man who will seek the Godhead, Whenever a wind of north, ye are wont to know that a coolness is that will happen, whenever a south wind cometh out, ye are wont to know that (added in upper margin) burning-heat with a warmth is that which will happen.
Themes
◆Aeonscosmology
Divine archetypal beings or eternal attributes dwelling within the Pleroma, often arranged in male-female syzygies.
The text explicitly mentions 'Aeons of the Rulers' as entities whose seals bind or unbind sinners.
Ontological opposition between two primal principles (light/darkness, truth/lie, spirit/matter) as the fundamental structure of reality.
The text establishes a fundamental opposition between 'sinners' and 'righteous', as well as 'bonds with the seals of the Aeons' versus 'arrays of the Light'.
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 outlines a final decision where sinners are unbound and righteous are given mysteries to take unto the Light.