Copy of The Book of Secrets of John or Apocryphon of John

Livre des secrets de Jean

Bibliothèque copte de Nag Hammadi.

Traduit du Copte par Bernard Barc, université de Laval Québec Canada.

http://www.eogc.org/wa_files/Livre_des_Secrets_de_Jean.pdf

La traduction originale se trouve sur le site de l’Université de Laval au Québec

https://www.naghammadi.org/sites/naghammadi.org/files/uploads/traductions/NH-II-1-Livre-des-secrets-de-Jean.pdf

The Book of the Secrets of John (Long Version)

Codex II–1, pages 1–32 and Codex IV–1, pages 1–49 Translated from French (based on Bernard Barc’s translation of the Coptic)

(This is) the teaching [of the Sav]ior and the re[vela]tion of the [mysteries which are] hidden in [silence] and of those which he had taught to John [his dis]ciple.

It happened during one of these [days] of festival, when John [brother] of James, — the sons of Zebe[dee] — had gone up (to Jerusalem), he went up to the Temple. A [Pha]rise named Arimanios a[pproac]hed him and said to him: "Where is your Master, the one whom you followed?" I said to him: "He has returned to the place from whence he came." The Pharisee [said to me]: "[By deception] he has deceived you [this Nazarene] and he has filled [your ears with lies] and he has closed [your ears and turned you away] from the tradi[tions of your fathers]."

[When I hea]rd these words, I [John turned around] from the Tem[ple .................] And I was [very] grieved [..........] ... : "How was the Savior [mandated?] And why was he sent [into the world] by [his Father?] And who is his] father who [sent him?] And of what [nature is] this aeon [............] Indeed, who [......... told us] that this aeon [.......... received the fi]gure of the aeon [incorruptible but did not teach us] [of what nature] was this one.

At that moment, [as I was thinking of these things, behol]d the [heavens o]pened ....... became] luminous [all] the crea[tion which is under] the heavens and that the [world] was shaken.  I [feared ....... I] saw in the light [a man standing] beside me. As I [saw] him [he became] like a (being) great, then he [changed his] appearance becoming like a servant .. [........] before me. It was an [image] having multiple forms in the lum[i], whose [aspects] manifested mutually [and] whose [aspe]ct had a triple form.

[He] said to me: "John, J[oh]n, why do you doubt? Why are you afraid? Do not be a stranger to this appearance, that is to say, do not [be] pusillanimous. I am [with you] at all times. I [am the Father, I am] the Mo[ther, I am the So]n. I am without stain and without mixture. [Now I have come to teach] you of what is, [of what has been] and of what must [come to be], so that [you may know] the unmanifested [things as the manifest things and that I teach you] about the [unshakable generation of the Perfect Man].

"Now [................. in order] that you [receive what I teach] you today and that [you present it to those who sha]re the same Spirit as you, those who belong to the race [unshakable] of the Perfect Man."

[Then I, I]nterrogated in order to [understand this. He] said to [me]: "The Monad [is a mon]archy over which nothing rules; [it is the Di]ety and Father of all things, [the Invisi]ble who rules [over all things (he) who is in] Incorruptibility, estab[lished in the] pure light that [no eye can lo]ok upon. He [is the Spirit] invisible.

It is not fitting to [conceive] him as (one conceives) the gods or in similar terms. For he is in fact more than a god because no one exists above him, because no one rules  over him.

"[He does not exist] (nor) in something inferior to him, [since all] exists in him alone. [He is eternal] since he needs [nothing], for he is absolutely perfect. He [lacks] nothing that could make him (more) perfect. He is [on the contrary] totally perfect at all times in the lu[ght.

"[He is un]limited because no one exists [before him] to limit him. He is un[distinct] because no one exists before him to impose a distinction on him. He is immeasurable because no one [existed before him to measure him]. He is in[visible] because no one has seen him. [He is eternal, existing] eternally. He is in[speakable, since] no one can apprehend him in order to speak of him. [He is in]namable because [no one exists before him] to give him a name.

"He is [an immeasurable light], without mixture, holy [and pure.] He is the unspeakable, [perfect] in (his) incorruptibility.

"He is neither [per]fection, nor bea[ttitude], nor divin[ity], but he is [superior] (to these notions). He is neither [cor]poreal [nor in]corporeal, neither great nor small. [There is no] means that allows us to say that he is a quantity or a [.....].

"No one can indeed [think of him], (for) he does not belong to those who [exist, but] (is) far superior to them, not by virtue of his supe[riority], but in himself.

"He does not belong to the aeons, nor to time, for if someone belongs to an aeon it is because others prepared this (eon) previously for him. [He has not been] subjected to a temporal division [since he] received nothing from [another]. What is received is a loan (made to another), but he who is first does not exist in a way to receive from himself.

He looks at him[self] in  his light. [........] he is (the) greatness. He is a being of immeasurable [pu]rity. (He is) aeon, dispenser of aeon, life, dispenser of [life], [blessed], dispenser of blessedness, knowledge, dispenser of knowledge, good, dispenser of goodness, merciful, dispenser of] mercy and salvation, grace, dispenser of grace, [not] because he possesses but because he gives. (He is) [the light] immeasurable and incorruptible.

"[How shall I speak] of him [with you]?

"His [Aeon] is incorruptible, in quietude and [resting in silence], (he who) is pre-existing [to all things. He is] indeed the head of [all] the Aeons [and] it is he who gives them substance by his goodness. We, [we do not know] of [these incomprehensible things nor] do we understand of these [immeasurable things] that [what] has been revealed by him, the Father. It is he [alone] who has [spoke]n to us.

"He (the Spirit) looks at him[self] in his (own) light which [en]surrounds him, that is to say the living water source, and he produces [all] the aeons. In every form, he [conceives] his own image by seeing it in the source of the Spr[it, in] expressing his will by the li[ght] [which is in the sour]ce of the li[ght water which] surrounds him.

"Then [his Thought became] a work and appeared, having ma[nifested] before him in the flamboi[ng of] his light. She is the first [power] (that one) that existed before all those [that she manifested] by her thought.

"She is [the Pronoia of all things], the light [which illuminates, the image of the] light of (the Spirit).

"(She is) the Perfect Power [which is the im]age of the invisible Virgin Spirit (and) perfect. [She is the first] power, the glorious Barbélô, glory  perfect in the aeons, glory of the manifestation. She rendered glory to the Virgin Spirit and praised him because it is from him that she had been manifested.

She who is the first Thought, the image of this (Spirit), she was the matrix of all since she exists before them all. (She is) the Mother-Father, the Primordial Man, the Holy Spirit, the triple male, the triple power, the triple androgynous name, the Eternal Aeon among the (aeons) invisible and the first (to be) issued.

She (Pronoia) asked the invisible Virgin Spirit, who is Barbélô, that prescience be given to her. And the Spirit made a sign of assent. When he had made a sign of assent, Prescience appeared and stood beside Pronoia, — that which comes from the Thought of the invisible Spirit [vir]ginal — rendering glory to this (Spirit) and to his perfect power Barbélô by whom she came into existence.

"And again, (Pronoia) asked that incorruptibility be given to her. And the Spirit made a sign of assent. By [his sign of assent], Incorruptibility [was revealed], [stood] with Ennoia and Prescience, rendering glory to this invisible Spirit and to Barbélô, by [the intervention] of whom they came into existence.

"Barbélô then asked that eternal life be given to her and the invisible Spirit made a sign of assent. Then, by virtue of his sign of assent, Eternal-Life was revealed and, [standing (all) upright], they rendered glory to the invisible [Spirit] as well as to Barbélô, by [the intervention of whom] they came into existence.

"And she asked again that truth be given to her. And the invisible Spirit having made a sign of assent, Truth was revealed. Then they all stood (upright) and rendered glory to the invisible Spirit and welcoming  and to his Barbélô by the intervention of whom (Truth) came into existence.

"Such is the pentad of the aeons of the Father, which identifies with the Primordial Man, image of the Invisible Spirit which is Pronoia, that is to say Barbélô, (pentad composed) of Ennoia as well as Prescience, of Incorruptibility, of Eternal-Life and of Truth. Such is the pentad of the androgynous aeons which constitutes the decade of the aeons, that is to say the Father.

And (the Spirit) looked toward Barbélô, through the pure light which surrounds the invisible Spirit and in its flaming. And she conceived from him and he gave birth to a spark of light, in the image of the blessed light, but not equal to it in magnitude.

"This is the Monogenes of the Mother-Father that (the Father) manifested, he who is his only offspring, the Monogenes of the Father, the pure light.

"Then the invisible Virgin Spirit rejoiced that the light had come into existence, that it had begun to be manifested by the first power, his Pronoia, Barbélô. And he anointed this (Monogenes) with his Goodness/Messianity so that he might become perfect, (for) that he might have no deficiency of Goodness/Messianity since he was anointed with the Goodness/Messianity of the invisible Spirit. And (the Monogenes) stood in the presence of the (Spirit) while he poured upon him (his goodness). And as soon as he had received from the Spirit (this goodness), he rendered glory to the Holy Spirit and to the perfect Pronoia { } by whom he had been manifested.

"And (the Monogenes) asked that a partner, the Intellect, be given to him. The invisible Spirit made a sign of assent and, when he had made a sign of as[sent],  Intellect manifested and stood beside the good/Christ, glorifying him as well as Barbélô.

"All (the works preceding) were produced in silence and (by) the Thought.

"Then (the Christ) wished, by the word of the invisible Spirit, to create a work. And his Will became a work and manifested with Intellect and the light, glorifying him.

"And the word followed Will, for it is by the word that the Christ, the Autogene God, created all things.

"(As for) Eternal-Life and Will (on one part) and Intellect and Prescience (on the other part), they stood (there) glorifying the invisible Spirit and Barbélô because it is from her that they are issued.

The Holy Spirit conferred (therefore) perfection upon the Autogene God, (who is) his Son and (that of) Barbélô, so that he might stand in the presence of the great and invisible Virgin Spirit, (he) the Autogene God, the Christ, he who has been honored with a loud voice. He was manifested by Pronoia.

"And the invisible Virgin Spirit established the true Autogene God over all things and subjected to him all authority, as well as the truth which is in him, so that he might think all things, he who has been named with a name which is above all name. This name indeed will be said only to those who are worthy of it.

"It is indeed from the light which is the Christ and from Incorruptibility, by the gift of the Spirit, that the four luminaires (proceed) from the Autogene God. (The Spirit) designated them to assist  the (Son).

"The triad is (composed of) Will, Ennoia, and Life.

"The quadruple power, for its part, is (composed of) Understanding, Grace, Perception, and Intelligence.

"Grace is beside the aeon of the luminary Armozel, who is the first angel. With this aeon (of Armozel) are found three other aeons: Grace, Truth, and Form. The second luminary, Oriael, is he who was established on the second aeon. With him are three other aeons: Epinoia, Perception, and Memory. The third luminary is Daveithai, he who was established on the third aeon. With him are found three other aeons: Understanding, Love, and Appearance. As for the fourth aeon, it was established on the fourth luminary, Eleleth. With him are found three other aeons: Perfection, Peace, and Wisdom.

"Such are the four luminaires who assist the Autogene God. Such are the twelve aeons who assist the Son, the great Autogene Christ, by the will and gift of the invisible Spirit. These twelve aeons belong to the Autogene Son and it is by the will of the Holy Spirit that all things were established by the Autogene.

"It is from the Pre[science] of the perfect Intellect, by the manife[station] of the will of the invisible Spirit as well as the will of the Autogene, (that proceed) the Perfect Man, first manifested, and Truth. It is he whom the Virgin Spirit named: Pigera-Adamas. (The Spirit) established him on the  first aeon with the great Autogene Christ, beside the first luminary Armozel and the powers which are with him. And the invisible (Spirit) gave him an invincible intellectual power and he spoke.

"He glorified and blessed the invisible Spirit saying: "It is because of you that all has existed and all will return to you. I will therefore bless and glorify you, you, as well as the Autogene and the aeons, (you who are) Triad, Father, Mother, Son, Perfect Power."

¶"And (the Perfect Man) installed his son Seth on the second aeon near the second luminary Oroiel. In the third aeon was then installed the seed of Seth near the third luminary Daveithai. (There) were installed the souls of the saints. In the fourth aeon finally were installed the souls of those who are ignorant of the Pleroma and have not been prompt to repent but have remained temporarily (in this state) then repented. (These souls) were (installed) beside the fourth luminary Eleleth. They are creatures who render glory to the invisible Spirit.

"Therefore, Sophia of Epinoia, being an aeon, thought a thought from herself as well as (from) the reflection of the invisible Spirit and (from) Prescience. She wished to manifest a likeness outside herself without (having expressed) the good will of the Spirit — he had not given his consent — e[t without] her consort nor (even) the assent of the latter.

"As the face of her masculinity had not given its consent, as she had not found her partner, she made a sign of assent without the good will of the Spirit and without her partner knowing of it. She came out  because of the irresistible force which is in her.

"Her reflection was not unproductive. And appeared out of her an imperfect work and different from her own form because she had made it without her consort; (this work) was not in conformity with the aspect of her mother because it had another form.

When (Sophia) saw that (the work that her will had produced) had taken the counterfeit appearance of a dragon with a lion's face and that its eyes resembled the blazing fires that illuminate, she cast it far from her, out of these places, so that none of the immortals might see it, because she had made it in (a state of) ignorance.

"And she surrounded it with a luminous cloud and placed (for it) a throne in the midst of the cloud so that no one might see it, except the Holy Spirit whom one calls 'Mother of the Living'. And she gave it the name of Yaltabaôth. He is the First Archon, the one who took great power from his mother.

"Then he departed from her and moved away from the places where he was born. He seized (other places and) created for himself other aeons blazing with a luminous fire, that which exists now.

"And he united with his own folly and begot for himself authorities.

"The name of the first is Athoth, which generations call.. [...]. The second is Harmas, that is to say '[the eye] of jealousy'. The third is Kalila Oumbri. The fourth is Yabel. The fifth is Adonaïou which one also calls Sabaoth. The sixth is Cain, which generations of men call the Sun. The seventh is Abel. The eighth is Abrisené. The ninth is Yobêl.  The tenth is Armoupiêêl. The eleventh is Melkheiradôneïn. The twelfth is Belias, that is to say the overseer of the infernal abyss.

¶"And (the First Archon) established seven kings, one by firmament of the sky, on the seven heavens and five on the abyss of the abyss, to reign there.

"And he distributed from his fire upon them, but did not send (upon them a part) of the luminous power which he had taken from his mother.

It is an ignorant darkness, also when the light mixed with the darkness, it illuminated the darkness. But the darkness mixing with the light, darkened the light. And (the First Archon) was no longer light nor darkness, but he was weakened.

"This weakened Archon possesses three names: his first name is Yaltabaôth, the second Saklas, the third Samael.

"He is impious by virtue of the folly which inhabits him. For he has said: 'I am God and there is no other god beside me!', for he is ignorant of his origin, of the place from whence he came.

And the (twelve) archons created for themselves seven powers and (these) powers created for themselves <three> angels each, until reaching three hundred sixty-five angels.

"Here are the bodies (associated) with the names. The first is Athoth, he has a sheep's face. The second is Eloiâiou, he has a donkey's face. The third is Astaphaios, he has a hyena's fa[ce]. The fourth is Yao, he has a seven-headed drago[n's] face. The fifth is Sabaoth, he has a dragon's face. The sixth is Adonin, he has a monkey's face. The seventh is Sabbédé, he has a face of luminous fire. Such is the hebdomad of the Sabbaton.

"Yaltabaôth indeed possesses multiple  faces in addition to all those (enumerated previously), so that he can impose a specific appearance on them all, according to his good pleasure. Being in the midst of the Seraphim, he shared his fire with them.

"It is for this reason that he has been Lord for them, because of the power of the glory which comes to him from the light of his Mother. It is for this reason that he proclaimed himself God, disobeying thus the place from whence he came.

"And (Yaltabaôth) united to the powers which are with him seven authorities issued from his thought. And by his word this (thought) existed. And he gave a name to each authority. He began from the top.

"The first (name) is Messianity beside the first (authority), Athoth; the second is Pronoia, beside the second, Eloaïo; the third is Divinity, beside the third, Astraphaïos(s); the fourth is Lordship, beside the fourth, Yao; the fifth is Kingship, beside the fifth, Sanbaoth; the sixth is Jealousy, beside the sixth, Adonein; the seventh is Wisdom beside the seventh, Sabbateôn.

"Those possess a firmament by heaven.

These names were given to them according to the glory of the heavens for the pur[pose of the des]truction of these authorities. Whereas the names given to them by their Chief Begetter give them authority, the names given to them according to the glory of the heavens are for them cause of destruction and reduction to impotence. Thus, they possess two names.

"(Yaltabaôth) has therefore organized for himself all things according to the resemblance of the primordial aeons which had existed (previously), so that he has  created these (things) according to the aspect of the (beings) immortal, not that he himself contemplated the immortals, but (because) the power which is in him, that which he stole from his mother, begot in him the image of the ordering (of the world).

"Then, seeing the creation surrounding him as well as the crowd of angels which are around him (and) which are issued from him, (Yaltabaôth) said to them: "I am a jealous God and there is no other god outside of me!" But by declaring this he signifies to the angels who are beside him that there exists another god because if no other existed, of whom would he be jealous?

"The Mother then began to go and come. She had perceived <her> deficiency when the brilliance of her light had diminished. And she darkened because her consort had not spoken with one voice with her." And I (John) said: "Lord! What does 'go and come' mean?" He then laughed and said "Do not think that it is, as Moses said, (that she went and came) over the waters. No! But when she saw the evil that had happened and (the nature of) the theft that her son had stolen from her, she repented. Then forgetfulness took hold of her in the darkness of ignorance and she began to manifest shame. [ ] in movement. This movement is the going and coming.

The impudent (Archon) therefore stole a power from his mother. But he was ignorant, and thought that no other existed except his mother alone. Seeing therefore the crowd of angels that he had created, he exalted himself above them.

"But when the mother understood that the <abortion> of the darkness was imperfect, she understood at the same time that her consort had not spoken with one voice with her. She repented,  (shedding) abundant tears.

"And the prayer of her repentance was heard. And the whole Pleroma of the invisible Virgin Spirit interceded in her favor. <And the invisible Spirit made a sign of assent and having made a sign of assent>, the Holy Spirit poured upon her that which comes from the whole Pleroma. Indeed, it was not her consort who came to her but (that) which comes from the Pleroma came to her in order to straighten her deficiency.

"And she was taken up not to her own (aeon), but above her son, so that she is in the ninth aeon, until she has straightened her deficiency.

"And a voice came out of the superior celestial aeon (saying) "Man exists as well as the Son of Man". The First Archon Yaltabaôth heard it and thought that this voice came from his mother and did not understand whence it came.

"Then the holy and perfect Mother-Father, perfect Pronoia, image of this Invisible who is the Father of all by whom all existed (and who is) the Primordial Man, instructed them by manifesting his appearance under a human form.

"Then the whole aeon of the First Archon trembled and the foundations of the abyss were shaken and from the waters which are above the matter, the lower part was illuminated by the manifestation of the image of this (Primordial Man) who had manifested. And when all the authorities and the First Archon looked, they saw that the totality of the lower part had been illuminated and, thanks to the light, they saw in the water the figure of the image.

 "And (Yaltabaôth) said to the authorities who are beside him: "Let us go, let us create a man in the image of God and according to our likeness so that the image of this one may become for us light."

"And they (created) him from their respective powers according to the characteristics that had been given to them. And each of the authorities placed (in him) a characteristic (conceived) according to the figure of the image that had appeared to them, according to his (figure) psychic. He (Yaltabaôth?) created a hypostasis in the likeness of the first Perfect Man. And (he and his authorities) said: "Let us name him Adam so that his name may become for us a luminous power."

"And the powers began (to create him). The first, Goodness, created a soul of bone. The second, Pronoia, created a soul of nerve. The third, Divinity, created a soul of flesh. The fourth, Lordship, created a soul of marrow. The fifth, Kingship, created a soul of blood. The sixth, Jealousy, created a soul of skin. The seventh, Intelligence, created a soul of hair.

"Then the crowd of angels stood near him. And they received from the authorities the seven supports of the soul in order to make the assembly of the members and the assembly of the trunk as well as the ordered arrangement of each of the members.

"The first began by creating the head. Eteraphaôpe Abron created his crown; Mêniggesstrôêth created the brain; Asterekhmên, the right eye; Thaspomokham, the left eye. Iéronumos, the right ear; Bissoum, the left ear; Akiôreim, the nose;  Banên Ephroum, the lips; Amên, the teeth; Ibikan, the molars; Basiliadêmê, the tonsils; Akhkha, the uvula. Adaban (created) the neck; Khaaman, the spine; Dearkhô, the throat; Têbar, the right shoulder; N[.....] the left shoulder; Mniarkhôn, the right elbow; [...]e the left elbow; Abitriôn, the right forearm; Euanthên, the left forearm; Krus, the right hand; Bêluai, the left hand; Trêneu, the fingers of the right hand; Balbêl, the fingers of the left hand; Krima, the fingernails; Astrôps, the right breast; Barrôph, the left breast; Baoum, the right armpit; Ararim, the left armpit; Arekh, the belly; Phthauê, the navel; Sênaphim, the abdomen; Arakhethôpi, the right ribs; Zabedô, the left ribs; Barias, the right hip; Phnouth, the left hip. Abênlenarkhei (created) the marrow; Khnoumeninorin, the bones; Gêsole, the stomach; Agromauma, the heart; Banô, the lung; Sôstrapal, the liver; Anêsimalar, the spleen; Thôpithrô, the intestines; Biblô, the kidneys; Roerôr, the nerves; Taphreô, the dorsal spine of the body; Ipouspobôba, the veins; Bineborin, the arteries; Aatoimenpsêphei [ ]. To them belong the breaths which are in all the members.

"Enthollei (created) the flesh entirely; Bedouk the right buttock; Arabêei, the <left buttock>: < ....... > the penis; Eilô, the testicles; Sôrma, the shameful parts; Gormakaiokhlabar, the right thigh; Nebrith, the left thigh; Psêrêm, the kidney (?) {of the leg} right; Asaklas, the kidney (?) left; Ormaôth, the right leg; Emêmun, the left leg; Knux,  the right shin; Tupêlon, the left shin; Akhiêl, the right knee; Phnêmê, the left knee; Phiouthrom, the right foot; Boabel, his toes; Trakhoun, the left foot; Phikna, his toes; Miamai, the toenails; Labernioum [ ]. As for those who have been instituted over all these, they are seven: Athoth, Armas, Kalila, Yabel, Sabaoth, Ka[in, Ab]el.

"Those who act specifically in the members are: in the head, Diolimodraza; in the neck, Yammeax; in the right shoulder, Yakouib; in the left shoulder, Ouertôn; in the right hand, Oudidi; in the left, Arbao; in the fingers of the right hand, Lampnô; in the fingers of the left hand, Lêekaphar; in the right breast, Barbar; in the left breast, Imaê; in the chest, Pisandiaptês; in the right armpit, Koadê; in the left armpit, Odeôr; in the right ribs, Asphixix; in the left ribs, Sunogkhouta; in the belly, Arouph; in the womb,

"Sabalô; in the right thigh, Kharkharb; in the left thigh, Khthaôn; in all the shameful parts, Bathinôth; in the right leg, Khoux; in the left leg, Kharkha; in the right shin, Aroêr; in the left shin, Tôekhtha; in the right knee, Aôl; in the left knee, Kharanêr; in the right foot, Bastan; in his toes, Arkhentekhtha; in the left foot, Marephnounth; in his toes, Abrana.

"The seven who have power over all these are: Mikhaêl, Ouriêl, Asmenedas, Saphasatoêl, Aarmouriam, Rikhram, Amiôrps.

He who is in charge of sensations is Arkhendekta; the one in charge of perception, Deitharbathas; the one in charge of imagination, Oummaa; the one in charge of assent,  Aakhiaram, and the one in charge of all impulse, Riaramnajhô.

"The source of the demons which (inhabit) the entire body is composed of four (principles): hot, cold, wet, and dry. Their mother to all is matter. He who governs over the hot is Phloxopha; he who governs over the cold, Oroorrothos; he who governs over the dry, Erimaxô and he who governs over the wet, Athurô. The mother of all these, Onorthokhras, stands in the midst of them; she is unlimited and mixes with them all; and she is truly matter because it is through her that they are nourished.

"The four chiefs (of the) demons are Ephememphi, affected by pleasure, Yôkô, by desire, Nenentôphni, by pain, and Blaomên by fear. Their mother to all is Esthêsis-oukh-epiptoê.

"From these four demons proceed passions. From pain proceed envy, jealousy, pain, boredom, rivalry, insensitivity, anxiety, worry, affliction, etc. From pleasure proceed many vices as well as vanity and that which resembles it. From desire proceed anger, irritation, bit[terness], bitter passion and dissatisfaction, and that which resembles it. From fear proceed terror, perplexity, anguish, and shame. All these (passions) are both useful and harmful. As for the no-

tion (which summarizes) their reality, it is Anarô, the head of the material soul,  for she is with Esthêsis-oukh-epiptoê.

Here is the number of angels: in total they are three hundred sixty-five. All worked on the psychic and material body until they had finished it (member) by member. Indeed, there exist other (angels) assigned (each) to an additional passion of which I have not spoken. If however you desire to know them, it is written in the book of Zoroaster.

"All these angels and demons worked therefore until they had ordered the psychic body. And their work remained totally inactive and immobile for a long time.

"When the Mother wished to (re)take the power which she had given to the First Archon, she addressed a supplication to the Mother-Father of all things whose mercy is great. He sent five illuminators, by holy decision, to the place of the angels of the First Archon.

"(These illuminators) advised him with the aim of extirpating the power of the Mother and said to Yaltabaôth: "Blow into his face the Spirit which is yours and his body will stand up!" And he blew into his face his spirit — that is to say the power of his Mother — (but) did not understand (the scope of his gesture) because he is ignorant. Then the power of the Mother passed from Yaltabaôth to the psychic body which had been made in the likeness of the one that exists from the beginning. This body (psychic) changed, acquired power and became luminous.

"At that moment,  the other powers became jealous (of Yaltabaôth), for it was also through all of them that (man) had existed; they gave him their power and his intelligence then became superior to that of his creators and superior to that of the first Archon.

"When (the Archon and his powers) understood that he was luminous, that he was superior to them by thought and that he had stripped himself of evil, they took him and drove him toward the lowest part of all matter.

Then, the blessed Mother-Father, benevolent and compassionate, manifested his compassion toward this power of the Mother which had been stolen from the first Archon because (his powers) still exercise their power on the psychic and sensitive body. (The Father-Mother) then sent, through his benevolent Spirit full of pity, as help for Adam, Epinoia of light that which comes from the (Father-Mother) and which one has named "Life".

"It is she who brings help to the entire creation, who labors with him (Adam) and restores him in his perfection, who instructs him of the descent of his seed by instructing him of the path of return, the path by which he descended.

"And Epinoia of the light is hidden in Adam so that the archons do not perceive (her presence) but also so that Epinoia may become (the agent of) the straightening of the Mother's deficiency.

"Then the Man became visible because of the shadow of the light which is in him. And his thought was superior to (that of) all his creators. When they looked, they saw that his thought was superior.

"And they held counsel with the whole (army) archonic and angelic. They took fire, earth  and water, mixed them together with the four winds of fire, associated them together and caused great confusion. And they led (Adam) into the shadow of death in order to remodel from the earth, water, fire and breath, that which comes from matter, that is to say from dark ignorance, desire and their counterfeit spirit.

"This is what is called the tomb of the remodeling of the body! What the bandits imposed upon man is the bond of forgetfulness; and he became a mortal man. Such is the primordial descent and the primordial separation! But Epinoia of the light which is in him, it is she who will awaken his thought!"

And the archons took him. They placed him in the Paradise and said to him: "Eat!" that is to say: "(Eat) in idleness!" For, assuredly, their delights are bitter and their beauty perverse. Their delights are deception and their trees, impiety. Their fruit is a poison which brings no healing and their promise is death.

"This is the tree of their life which they placed in the midst of the paradise. But I, I will teach you what is the mystery of their life, that is to say the project they made together to (fabricate) the likeness of their spirit.

"(This tree) is that whose root is bitter and whose branches are dead. Its shadow is hate and there is deception in its leaves. Its flower is the anointing of perversity and its fruit is death. Its seed is desire and it blooms in darkness. Those who taste  of this (tree), their dwelling place is Hades and darkness their place of rest.

"As for that which they called 'the tree of the knowledge of good and evil', it is Epinoia of the Light, that which they banished from the presence (of man) so that he might not look up toward his fullness and not know the nakedness of his shame. But it is I who have restored them so that they might eat."

Then I said to the Savior: "Lord! Is it not the serpent who taught Adam to eat?" The Savior smiled (and) said: "The serpent taught them (only) to eat, by vice, the desire for procreation (and) corruption, so that (man) might be useful to him."

"And (the First Archon) knew that (Adam) disobeyed him because of the light of Epinoia which is in him and which makes his thought superior to that of the First Archon. Then (the archon) wished to take back the power which he had given him (by taking it) from himself. And he brought forgetfulness upon Adam."

And I said to the Savior: "What is forgetfulness?" Then he said to me: "It is not (to be understood) as Moses had written (and as) you have heard — For he indeed said in his first book: 'He made him sleep' — but (it is to be understood) from his perceptions. For (the Archon) has equally said through the prophet: 'I will make heavy their ears so that they neither understand nor see'."

Epinoia of the light then hid within him and the First Archon wished to make her come out through the rib of (Adam). But as Epinoia of the light is an ungraspable being, the darkness which pursued her did not seize her.

"Then (the First Archon) took out from (Adam) a part of his power and created another model, in the form of a woman, in the likeness of Epinoia which had manifested to him.  And he placed in the female model the part which he had stolen from the power of the man and not as Moses said: 'the rib of him'. Then (Adam) saw the woman beside him.

"At that moment, Epinoia of the light manifested in order to remove the veil which he had on his heart and he was sobered from the drunkenness of darkness. And he knew his co-essence. And he said: "For now she is a bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh!"

"For this reason, a man will leave his Father and his Mother and unite to his wife, and they will become, the two of them, one flesh because the consort of (Adam?) will be sent to him and (that) he will leave his father and his mother. {5-20}.

"As for our sister Sophia, she is the one who descended in innocence in order to correct her own deficiency. It is for this reason that she was called 'Life', that is to say 'the Mother of the Living'.

"By (decision of) the Pronoia of the Celestial Sovereignty and by (the intervention of) that one, they tasted perfect knowledge. I, (the Savior), manifested myself under the aspect of an eagle, above the tree of knowledge — that is to say (above) the Epinoia coming from Pronoia, pure light, — in order to instruct them and awaken them from (their) deep sleep, for they were both in a state of decay. They (Adam and his wife) became aware of their nakedness. And Epinoia who is light manifested to them to awaken their thought.

When Yaltabaôth understood that (the man and the woman) were straying from him, he cursed his earth. He found the woman  preparing for her husband, for he was her master, (but) without knowing the mystery that had happened by holy decision. But they feared to blame him. Then he revealed to his angels the ignorance which is his and drove (the man and the woman) out of paradise and clothed them in thick darkness.

"And the First Archon saw the virgin who stood with Adam, and (saw also) that Epinoia, the living light, was manifesting in her. Then Yaltabaôth was filled with ignorance. But when the Pronoia of all things had knowledge of (this), she sent (angels) and they tore Life out of Eve. And the First Archon defiled this (latter). He begot from her two sons, the first and the second: Eloïm and Yaoué. Eloïm has a bear's face and Yaoué has a cat's face. One is just, the other unjust. Yaoué is just and Eloïm unjust. (The First Archon) established Yaoué on fire and wind and established Eloïm on water and earth. To these he gave the names as follows: Cain and Abel, showing (thus) his cunning.

"Until today the sexual union (instituted) by the First Archon has lasted. He sowed a desire for procreation in the (companion) of Adam. He thus produced, through the means of sexual union, the engendering of the bodily image and placed (men) under the influence of his counterfeit spirit.

"As for the two archons (Yaoué and Eloïm), he established them on (the) elements so that they might govern over the tomb.

"When Adam knew the image of his own prescience, he begot the image  of the son of man (and) named it: 'Seth'.

"In the manner of the generation which is in the aeons, the other Mother sent down below her Spirit (which is) the image that resembles her and a copy of that which is in the Pleroma, in order to prepare a place of habitation for the aeons who will descend. And (this Spirit) made men drink an water of forgetfulness coming from the First Archon, so that they no longer know what is their origin.

"And such was the situation of the seed that (this Spirit) assists for a time so that when comes the Spirit coming from the holy aeons, he restore this (seed) and heal it of the deficiency so that the whole Pleroma (re)becomes holy and without deficiency."

Then I said to the Savior: "Lord! Will all souls therefore be saved in the pure light?" He answered and said to me: "Great are the things to which your thought has had access, for it is difficult to reveal them to others except to those who belong to the unshakable generation.

"Those (souls) upon whom the Spirit of Life will come and remain with the power will be saved and become perfect and will be worthy of the great things. And they will be purified in this place from all evil and the worries of perversity, for they care for nothing other than incorruptibility alone, attending to it from here (below), without anger, nor jealousy, nor fear, nor desire, nor any need. They were affected by none of these (passions), but only by the carnal condition which they bear, watching the moment when they will be welcomed  by the receivers. (Acting) thus, those are worthy of incorruptible (and) eternal life and of the call. They endure all, bear all to lead to its perfection the combat and inherit eternal life."

I said to him: "Lord! The souls that did not do this, (but) upon whom the power and the Spirit of life descended, will they be [rejected]?" He answered and said to me: "If the Spirit has descended upon them, in any case they will be saved and will change (place). For the power descends indeed upon every man because without it no one could stand up. It is after (men) have been begotten that the Spirit of Life grows and (that) the power comes and fortifies this soul and nothing can lead it astray in the works of perversity. (On the contrary) those upon whom the counterfeit Spirit descends are attracted by him and fall into error."

I said: "Lord! The souls of these, when they will leave their flesh, where will they go?" But he, laughed and said to me: "The soul in which the power will become stronger than the counterfeit Spirit, that one is vigorous and flees perversity; she is then saved by the incorruptible visit and accesses the rest of the aeons."

I said then: "Lord! Then, those who did not know to whom they belonged, where will their souls be?" He said to me: "A counterfeit Spirit  made pressure on these when they fell into error and it oppresses the soul, orients it toward perverse works and precipitates it into forgetfulness. And after it has left (the body), it is delivered to the authorities which depend on the Archon and (these authorities) bind it with bonds and throw it into the prison. Then (these authorities) turn with it until it wakes from forgetfulness and acquires knowledge. And reaching perfection in this way, it is saved."

I said then: "Lord! How can the soul become small again and return to the bosom of its mother or to the man?" At my question, he rejoiced and said to me: "Truly, you are blessed for you have understood! This soul is destined to follow another (soul) which has the Spirit of Life within her. This (soul) is saved by (the intervention of) this (other) and is not thrown into another flesh."

I said: "Lord! Those who have accessed knowledge and turned (away) from it, where will their souls go?" Then he said to me: "Where the angels of poverty go, it is in that place that they will be led, a place where there is no repentance. And they will be guarded for the day when they will be tortured. Those who have blasphemed the Spirit will be punished with an eternal punishment."

I said then: "Lord! Where did the counterfeit Spirit come from?" He said to me then: "The Mother-Father rich in mercy, Holy Spirit (present) in all forms, merciful and  compassionate toward you, (he) who is none other than the Epinoia of the Light Pronoia, raised up the seed of the perfect generation at the same time as his Thought and the eternal light of the Man. When the First Archon understood that they had become superior to him by the eminence (of their wisdom) and that they surpassed him in thought, he wished to seize their discernment, ignorant that it is by the Thought that they are superior to him and that he will be incapable of seizing them.

"(The First Archon) held counsel with his authorities — who are his powers — and they committed together adultery with Sophia. And was begotten by them a bitter Fate which is the last versatile link and whose nature is to make oscillate from one thing to another. She is so hard and so powerful that it is to her that the gods, the angels, the demons and all generations have been associated, until this day. It is indeed from this Fate that proceeded all fault, as well as injustice, blaspheme associated with the bond of forgetfulness, ignorance, every crushing precept associated with these crushing transgressions and these great terrors. And thus the whole creation was made blind so that (creatures) do not know the God who is superior to them all. And by virtue of the bond of forgetfulness their sins (their) have been hidden because they have been linked to measures, times and moments, because this (Fate) rules over all things.

And (the First Archon) repented of all the work that he had made. He held counsel again in order to send a deluge  upon the creation of man. But the greatness of the light of Pronoia instructed Noah who announced it to the entire seed, that is to say the sons of men. But those who are strangers to him did not listen to him.

"This did not happen as Moses said: 'They hid in an ark', but they hid in a place, not only Noah, but also many men of the unshakable generation. They went toward a place and hid in a cloud of light.

"And (Noah) knew the authority (of Pronoia) and that that which comes from the light was with him, she who had shone for them because (the First Archon) had sent darkness over the whole earth.

"Then (the First Archon), held counsel with his powers. He sent his angels toward the daughters of men so that they take for themselves  (certain) among them and stir up a seed for their satisfaction. But they did not succeed the first time.

"Not succeeding, they met again all together to hold counsel once more and created a counterfeit Spirit in the likeness of the Spirit that had descended, in order to defile the souls through his agency. Then the angels took the (human) appearance of these, taking the appearance of their consorts, filling them with the spirit of darkness that had been mixed with them as well as with perversity. They brought gold, silver, a gift, bronze, iron, metal and all sorts of things of this kind. And they led into great worries the men  who had followed them, leading them astray in multiple errors. They aged without knowing rest. They died without having attained truth nor known the God of Truth and thus the whole creation was held in perpetual slavery from the foundation of the world until now.

"And having taken wives they begot sons issued from darkness, in the likeness of their Spirit and they closed their ears and hardened them with the hardness of the counterfeit Spirit, until now.

Me, the perfect Pronoia of all things, I changed into my seed. As I existed first, it is I who make way in every way. I am the richness of light, I am the memory of the Pleroma but I have also made way in the immense darkness.

"I advanced until reaching the midst of the prison and the foundations of chaos were shaken. Then I hid myself from them because of their malice and they did not know me.

"Again I returned for the second time and made way. I left (the Aeons) of the light, I who am the memory of Pronoia, I introduced myself into the midst of the darkness and inside the Amenté, turning toward my economy. Then the foundations of Chaos were shaken, about to fall upon those who are in the Chaos and destroy them. Then, again, I fled toward my root of light so as not to destroy them before the time (fixed).

"A third time again I made way, I who am the light existing in the light, I who am the memory of Pronoia, in order to  introduce myself into the midst of the darkness and inside the Amenté. I filled my face with light <in view> of the end of their aeon and I introduced myself into the midst of their prison, that is to say the prison of the body and I said: "Let him who hears rise from deep sleep!" Then he wept and shed deep sobs. He wiped his (tears) and said: "Who pronounces my name and whence comes this hope to me while I am in the bonds of the prison?" And I said to him: "I am the Pronoia of pure light, I am the Thought of the Virgin Spirit, she who restores you to a place of honor. Rise up and remember that you are the one who has heard and follow your root, I who am compassionate, and beware of the angels of poverty as well as the demons of Chaos and all those who impede you. And remain awake outside of deep sleep and the shroud (which covers) the inside of the Amenté." Then I made him rise and I sealed him in the light of the water, by means of the five seals, so that death might have no power over him from this instant.

"And behold now I am going to ascend toward the Perfect Aeon.

"I have finished (of making heard) all these things to your ears. But I have (also) said all this to you so that you put it in writing and transmit it in secret to those who share the same Spirit as you, for this mystery is that of the unshakable generation."

And the Savior transmitted this to him so that he put it in writing and keep it safe.

Then he said to him: "Cursed be whoever exchanges these (words) for a gift or for food or for drink or for a garment or something else  of the same kind."

This was confided to him mysteriously. And (the Savior) became immediately invisible to him. Then (John) came to his companions and reported to them what the Savior had said to him.

Jesus Christ. Amen! The Book of Secrets according to John