Le livre des secrets de Jean ou Apocryphon de Jean
- Admin
- 26 oct. 2022
- 26 min de lecture
Livre des secrets de Jean
Bibliothèque copte de Nag Hammadi.
Traduit du Copte par Bernard Barc, université de Laval Québec Canada.
La traduction originale se trouve sur le site de l’Université de Laval au Québec
THE SECRET BOOK OF JOHN
The Teaching of the Savior and the Revelation of the Mysteries (Based on the Coptic text, translated from French)
I. JOHN AND ARIMANIOS
It happened during one of these days when John, the brother of James—the sons of Zebedee—had gone up to Jerusalem. As he had gone up to the Temple, a Pharisee named Arimanios approached him and said to him: "Where is your Master, the one whom you followed?" John said to him: "He has returned to the place from whence he came." The Pharisee said to him: "This Nazarene has led you into error and filled your ears with lies. He has closed your hearts and turned you away from the traditions of your fathers."
II. JOHN CONTEMPLATES THE INVISIBLE
When I heard these words, I turned away from the Temple, heading toward the mountain, to a deserted place. I was very afflicted in my heart and I said: "How then was the Savior mandated? Why was he sent into the world by his Father who sent him? Who is his Father? And of what nature is that aeon toward which we will go?" He told us that this aeon in which we are has received the imprint of that incorruptible aeon toward which we will go, but he did not instruct us about the latter, telling us of what nature it is?
III. JOHN RECEIVES THE VISION OF THE INVISIBLE
At that moment, as I was thinking of these things, the heavens opened, the entire creation was illuminated by a light appearing below the heavens, and the whole world was shaken. I was terrified and I prostrated myself. And behold, a child appeared to me, then he changed his appearance taking that of an old man—in whom there was a light. I looked, but did not understand this prodigy. Was it an Idea with multiple forms—in the light—whose forms were manifested one by one? Or was it a single Idea that had a triple aspect?
IV. THE TRIPLE MESSAGE OF THE SAVIOR
This apparition said to me: "John, why are you perplexed and why are you afraid? You are not a stranger to this Idea. Do not be pusillanimous." "I am with you at all times. I am the Father, I am the Mother, I am the Son. I am the one who exists eternally, the one who is without stain and without mixture." "I have come now to instruct you in what is, what has been, and what must come to pass, so that you may know the invisible things as the visible things, and to instruct you also about the Perfect Man." "Now, therefore, lift up your face, listen, and write what I will tell you today, so that you may send it yourself to your spiritual companions who are issued from the unshakable race of the Perfect Man."
V. TEACHING ON THE INVISIBLE
The Spirit-Father: The Monad
I then interrogated in order to think, and he said to me: "The Monad is a monarchy over which no power is exercised; it is the God and Father of all things, the Holy, the Invisible established above all things, established in his Incorruptibility, established in this pure light that no ocular light can look upon. He is the Spirit."
What the Spirit Is in the Invisible
It is not fitting to think of him as a god or in similar terms, for he is more than a god. He is a power above which no power exists, for nothing exists before him.— He also has no need of what comes after him: he has no need of "Life," for he is eternal.— He needs nothing, for he is imperishable, inasmuch as he has no lack that would make him perfectible. He is, on the contrary, totally perfect at all times.— He is Light.—
He is the Unlimited, for no one exists before him to limit him. He is the Undistinct, for no one exists before him to impose a distinction on him. He is the Incommensurable, for no one else has measured him who exists before him. He is the Invisible, for no one has seen him, this Eternal who always exists. He is the Unspeakable, for no one exists who apprehends him in order to say it. He is the Unnameable, for there is no one who exists before him to name him.— He is the Incommensurable Light, without-mix, holy and pure.— He is the Perfect and Incorruptible Unspeakable.
The Spirit is Not Subject to the Tripartition of Reality
He is neither Perfection, nor Bliss, nor Divinity, but a reality superior to these notions. He is neither Infinite nor Limited, but a reality superior to these notions. He is neither Corporeal nor Incorporeal, neither great nor small, and cannot be quantified. He is not a creature. No one can also think of him, for he is not part of anything that exists, but is a reality superior to what exists, not by virtue of his superiority, but in himself.
He cannot be part of an Aeon, for time does not exist for him. Indeed, one who is part of an Aeon, others have prepared this Aeon for him. And time was not imposed on him as a measure since he received nothing from another who measures him. And he is without need, for there is absolutely no one before him; it is to himself that he addresses his requests.— In the perfection of the light, he will think the light without-mix!—
How the Spirit Manifests in the Visible
Incommensurable Majesty! Eternal, dispenser of eternity! Light, dispenser of light! Life, dispenser of life! Blessed, dispenser of bliss! Knowledge, dispenser of knowledge!— Eternally Good, dispenser of good, maker of good, not to the measure of what he possesses but to the measure of what he dispenses. Grace that dispenses a grace! Gift that dispenses a gift! Incommensurable Light!—
The Mother
The Spirit is the Head of the Aeons (Definition: Aeon: eternal power emanated from the Being, making his action on things possible.) What shall I say to you about this elusive being? That he is the Idea of the Light! In the measure that I can think of him—for who will ever be able to think of him!— I will be able to speak of him in these terms: His Aeon is incorruptible, in quietude, resting in silence. He, the Spirit, exists before all things. He is the head of all the Aeons.— Is there anything else beside him? None of us knows what concerns this Incommensurable except him who dwelt in him. It is he who told us these things. It is He who thinks of himself in his own light that surrounds him. He is the source of living water, the light full of purity.
Barbelo, Manifestation of the Unique-Thought of the Father
The source of the spirit flowed, coming from the living water of the light. And he presided over the choirs of all the aeons and worlds. In all their forms he thought his own likeness by contemplating it in the water of pure light that surrounds him. And his unique-thought became reality, manifested and stood before him, in the issue of the flaming of the light. Such is the power anterior to all things and which was manifested. Such is the pre-thought perfect of all things, at once light, idea of the light, and likeness of the invisible.
Such is the perfect power, the perfect Aeon of glory glorifying the spirit for having manifested her. And thinking him, she is his first-thought, his likeness. She became a Primordial Man who is the virginal spirit: triple male with triple power, triple name, triple generation, non-aging Aeon, androgynous issued from the pre-thought of the spirit.
The Ten Aeons of the Father
And Barbelo asked the Spirit that "Pre-science" be given to her. And he made a sign of assent. When he had made a sign of assent, Pre-science manifested, stood beside Unique-thought (Pre-thinking/Pronoia)—that is to say Pre-thinking (Pronoia)—glorifying the Invisible "Spirit" and the Perfect Power, Barbelo, for it is by her intervention that these emanations came into existence.
Again this Power, (Barbelo), asked that Incorruptibility be given to her. And he made a sign of assent. When he had made a sign of assent, Incorruptibility manifested. She stood beside Unique-thought (Ennoia) and Pre-science, glorifying the Invisible and Barbelo for it is by her intervention that she came into existence.
She asked that Eternal Life be given to her. He made a sign of assent. When he had made a sign of assent, Eternal-Life manifested. And they all stood together glorifying the Spirit and Barbelo since it is by her intervention that they came into existence,— by the manifestation of this invisible Spirit.—
Such is the pentad of the Aeons of the Father which constitutes the Primordial Man. Such is the likeness of the Invisible which is Barbelo associated with Unique-thought (Ennoia), Pre-science, Incorruptibility, and Eternal-Life. Such is the androgynous pentad which composes the decade of the Aeons of the Father, that which constitutes the Unbegotten Father (agénètos).
VI. THE SON
The Birth of the Son in Silence
Barbelo looked intensely toward the Spirit, toward the pure light. She turned toward herself and bore a spark of blessed light, but which was not equal to him in magnitude. Such is the Only-Begotten (Monogenes) issued from the Father, such is the God Self-Begotten (Autogenes), the First-Begotten (Protogenes?) of all those of the Spirit, of the pure light. Then the invisible Spirit rejoiced concerning the light which had come into existence, which had appeared in the first Power, his Pre-thinking (Pronoia), Barbelo. And he anointed this Son with his Goodness so that he might be perfect and that there might be in him no deficiency of Goodness since he anointed him with the Goodness. It is the Invisible Spirit who poured upon him (this Goodness). And the Son received the anointing of the virginal Spirit and stood in his presence glorifying the invisible Spirit by whom he was manifested and the perfect Pre-thinking (Pronoia).
From Silence to the Word
And the Son asked that "a partner" be given to him, the Intellect (Nous). The invisible Spirit made a sign of assent and Intellect (Nous) manifested to him and stood beside the Christ glorifying the invisible Spirit as well as Barbelo. All (the works that preceded) were produced in silence and Unique-thought (Ennoia). The invisible Spirit then wished to make a work. His Will became a work, manifested and stood beside Intellect (Nous)—and Light—glorifying him. The Word followed the Will, for it is by the Word that the Christ created all things, he the God Self-Begotten (Autogenes).
As for Eternal Life and Will as well as Intellect (Nous) and Pre-science, they stood glorifying the invisible Spirit and Barbelo for it is from her that they are issued.
Christ is Instituted as Mediator
Thus the Son reached perfection by the intervention of the Spirit.— He the God Self-Begotten (autogenes) eternal, Son of Barbelo, he who stood in the presence of the eternal and virginal invisible Spirit,— He the God Self-Begotten (autogenes), the Christ, whom the Spirit had magnificently honored because he was issued from his First-Thought (Protennoia),— He whom the invisible Spirit established as God over the All, true God. The Spirit gave him all power and made it so that the Truth which is in him was submitted to him so that he might think (noein) all things, he whose name will be said only to those who are worthy of it.
The Tetrad of the Luminaries
It is from the light—which is the Christ—and from Incorruptibility, by "the gift" of the Spirit, that the four great luminaries were manifested out of the God Self-Begotten (autogenes) to stand beside the Son as a triad composed of Will, Unique-thought (Ennoia), and Life, while the tetrad is composed of Grace, Understanding, Perception, and Sagacity.
The Twelve Aeons of the Son
The Grace of the first luminary Armozèl, the angel of light, is in the first Aeon; with him are three aeons: Grace, Truth, and Form. The second luminary, [Oro]iaèl, was established on the second Aeon; with him are three aeons: Pre-thinking (Pronoia), Perception, and Memory. The third luminary, Daveithé, was established on the third Aeon; with him are three aeons: Understanding, Love, and Idea. As for the fourth luminary, Elèlèth, he was established on the fourth Aeon; with him are three aeons: Perfection, Peace, and Wisdom.
Such are the four luminaries who stand beside the God Self-Begetter (autogénètor). Such are the twelve aeons who assist the Child, the great Christ Self-Begetter (autogénètor), by the good will of the divine invisible Spirit. These twelve aeons are those of the Son, of the Self-Begotten (autogénètos) by whom all things were established by the will of the holy Spirit, through the intermediary of the Self-Begotten (autogénès).
VII. THE MODEL OF HUMANITY
The Manifestation of the Perfect Man
It is from Pre-science and Perfect Intellect, "by the gift and" the good will of the great invisible Spirit and the good will of the Self-Begotten (autogénès) that the true Perfect Man proceeds, the first manifested. The Spirit called him Adam. And he installed him on the first Aeon, near the great God, the Christ Self-Begetter (autogénè) beside the first Aeon of Armozel accompanied by his powers. And the invisible Spirit gave him an invincible intellectual (noeron) power. The Perfect Man then said: "I glorify and bless the invisible Spirit." "It is by you that all has existed and toward you that all returns. I bless You, You, the Self-Begotten (Autogenes) and the Aeons, Triad, Father, Mother, and Son, Perfect Power!"
The Sethian Model of Humanity
(Seth: the replacement, biblical patriarch, third son of Adam and Eve.) And the Perfect Man installed his son Seth on the second Aeon near the second luminary Oriaèl. In the third Aeon was installed the seed of Seth—the souls of the saints who are eternal—in the third luminary, Daveithaï. In the fourth Aeon finally were installed the souls of those who had knowledge of their perfection and were not prompt to repent, but remained temporarily in this state and then eventually repented. It is beside the fourth luminary, Elèlèth, that these ones will remain, he who has attached himself to them for the glorification of the invisible Spirit.
VIII. TEACHING ON THE ARCHONTIC WORLD
The Impetuosity of Wisdom (SOPHIA)
Therefore, our sister Wisdom (SOPHIA)—who is an Aeon—conceived a thought of her own. Thinking the Spirit and Pre-science, she wished to manifest the Idea by herself without the Spirit having risen with her to assist her, without even him having made a sign of assent, without even her consort, the virginal male Spirit, having given his consent.
It is therefore without having found him who speaks with one voice with her that she will give her consent; it is without the good will of the Spirit and without him who speaks with one voice with her knowing it that she rushed forth. Because of the impetuosity which is in her, her thought could not be inoperative. Then her work came out, imperfect, ugly in appearance, because she had made it without her consort. And (this work) was also not like the maternal likeness but of another form.
Wisdom Installs Ialdabaoth as Demiurge
Wisdom saw, upon reflection, that her work was the imprint of another form—with a serpent's face and a lion's face and "eyes" blazing with fire.— Then she cast it far from her, out of these places, so that none of the Immortals might see it because she had borne it by ignorance. She joined her work to a luminous cloud and placed in the midst of the cloud a throne so that no one might see this work except the holy Spirit whom one calls "Life," the mother of all. And she gave it her name: "Ialdabaôth." He is the First Archon. He is he who stole a great power from the Mother.
Ialdabaoth Creates His Own Aeon
He departed from her, moved away from the place of his birth, seized another place and created for himself an Aeon blazing with a luminous fire, that in which he now stands.
The Powers of the Lower World
Then he coupled with the folly (aponoia) which accompanies him, and begot the Authorities which are inferior to him, twelve angels assigned each to his own Aeon, according to the model of the imperishable Aeons. And he created for each of the twelve angels, 7 angels, and for these angels, 3 powers, so that the total of those inferior to him is three hundred sixty angelic beings, to which is added his triple power conceived in the likeness of the first model which exists before him.
The Double Names of the First Twelve Angels
Consequently, when these Authorities were manifested by the Principal Begetter, First Archon of darkness, it is from the ignorance of him who begot them that they received their name. The first name is Iaôth. The second is Hermas, "the eye of fire." The third is Galila. The fourth is Iôbêl. The fifth is Adônaios. The sixth is Sabaôth. The seventh is Kaïnan and Kaê, he whom one calls Kaïn, that is to say the sun. The eighth is Abiressiné. The ninth is Iôbêl. The tenth is Harmoupiaêl. The eleventh is Adônin. The twelfth is Bélias.
All these Authorities therefore have different names which come to them from covetousness and anger. But these are different double names which were given to them and their second names were given to them by the glory of the heaven, and truly manifest their nature. And Saklas called them names preceding mixing folly with their power. By these latter, at times, they decline and weaken. By the others, on the contrary, they acquire strength and grow.
Seven Angels Reign over the Heavens and Five over the Chaos
And the First Archon commanded seven kings to reign over the heavens and the other five to reign over the Infernal Chaos.
The names of glory of those who rule over the seven heavens are the following: The first is Iaôth with the aspect of a lion. The second is Elôaios with the aspect of a donkey. The third is Astaphaios with the aspect of a hyena. The fourth is Iaô with the aspect of a seven-headed serpent. The fifth is Adônaios with the aspect of a dragon. The sixth is Adôni with the aspect of a monkey. The seventh is Sabbataios with the aspect of a luminous fire flame. Such is the hebdomad of the Sabbath! Such are those who rule the world!
Of the Hierarchy of the Archontic World
As for Ialdabaôth Saklas, he who identifies with this multiple form so that he manifests himself in every face according to his desire, he distributed among them a portion of the fire which is his and of his power. But from this pure light of the Power which he stole from the Mother, he did not give them any. Thus he was for them a Christ, because of the glory which is in him, and which comes to him from the power of the light of the Mother. It is for this reason that he had himself proclaimed God, thus showing himself disobedient toward the entity from which he was issued.
The Double Names of the Seven Powers
And Ialdabaôth joined to the Powers seven Powers. By his word they existed. And he gave them a name. He installed the Powers starting from the top: The first Power is therefore Pre-thinking (pronoia), beside the first Power, Iaôth. The second is Divinity, beside the second, Eloaiôs. The third is Messianity, beside the third, Astaphaiôs. The fourth is Jealousy, beside the fourth, Iaô. The fifth is Royalty, beside the fifth, Sabaôth. The sixth is Understanding, beside the sixth, Adôni. The seventh is Wisdom, beside the seventh, Sabbataiôs.
These Powers possess a firmament corresponding to each heaven and an Aeon conceived in the likeness of the primordial Aeons, on the model of the Immortals.
The Blasphemy of the Archon
Ialdabaôth therefore saw the creation which is below him as well as the crowd of angels which are below him and are issued from him. He said to them: "I am a jealous God! Outside of me there exists no other!" By this, he signifies to the angels who are below him that there exists another God, for if no other existed, of whom would he be jealous?
Wisdom is Carried
The Mother then began to be carried because she perceived that her deficiency was due to the fact that her consort had not been in accord with her when she darkened losing her perfection. And I, John, said: "O Christ, what does 'she was carried' mean?" He then laughed and said: "Would you think that it is in the sense where Moses said: she was carried above the waters?" No! but seeing the evil and the revolt that would come from her son, she repented, and making a going and coming in the darkness of ignorance she began to be ashamed. She does not venture outside but makes a going and coming. Her going and coming is what "being carried" signifies.
Wisdom is Placed in the Ninth Aeon
When the impudent Archon stole power from the Mother, he did not know that those who are superior to his Mother are multitude. He said indeed of his Mother that she alone existed. Seeing the immense crowd of angels that he created he exalted himself above them. When the Mother understood that the abortion of darkness was imperfect because her consort had not been in agreement with her, she repented. She shed abundant tears. Then her consort heard the prayer of her repentance. His brothers interceded in her favor and the invisible holy Spirit made a sign of assent and having made a sign of assent, the invisible Spirit poured upon her a Spirit coming from the Pleroma. Her consort descended toward her in order to straighten her deficiencies. It was with circumspection that he wished to straighten her deficiencies, so it was not in his own Aeon that she was placed, but, because of the extreme ignorance that she manifested, she is found in the ninth Aeon until she has straightened her deficiency.
IX. TEACHING ON MAN
Manifestation of the Primordial Man
And a voice reached Wisdom saying: "Man exists and the Son of Man." The First Archon Ialdabaôth heard the voice but thought that this one did not come from above. Then the holy and perfect Father, the Primordial Man, instructed them about himself taking the form of a man. The Blessed one manifested his Idea and the entire Archonship of the seven Powers bent down and saw in the water the imprint of the likeness.
The Creation of the Psychic Man
The Powers said to one another: "Let us create a man who is in the likeness of God and according to the appearance." They created their work by a joint action with all their Powers. They modeled on the one hand a modeling after themselves and each of the powers, and from the Power, created on the other hand the soul. They created this soul according to the likeness they had seen, as an imitation of him who exists from the beginning, the Perfect Man. They said: "Let us name him Adam so that the name of this one and his power become for us light."
The Psychic Man is in the Likeness of the Powers
And the Powers proceeded starting from the inside: the first, Divinity, what she did is a soul of bone. The second, Messianity, a soul of nerve. The third, "Jealousy," a soul of flesh. The fourth, Pre-thinking (pronoia), a soul of marrow and which constitutes all the organization of the body. The fifth, Royalty, a soul of blood. The sixth, Understanding, a soul of skin. The seventh, Wisdom, a soul of hair. And thus they organized the entire body.
Then their angels assisted them and realized from what had been previously prepared by the Powers as support of the soul, the harmonious ordering of the members. And thus the entire body was created, ordered by the multitude of angels of whom I have spoken to you previously. This body remained inert for a long moment because the seven Powers could not put it upright any more than the three hundred sixty other angels who had proceeded to the ordering of the members.
The Power of the Mother Stolen by the Powers is Given to Adam
Then the Mother wished to take back the power which she had given to the Archon fruit of her impetuosity. She went out in innocence and addressed a supplication to the Father of All whose mercy is abundant, to the God of light. And he sent, by holy decision, the Self-Begotten (autogenès) and the four luminaries under the appearance of angels of the First Archon. They gave him counsel with the aim of extirpating from him the power of the Mother. They said to him: "Blow into his face a spirit which is in you and the work will stand up!" He breathed his spirit into it—that is to say of the power which comes from the Mother—and his work changed immediately.
Then the rest of the Authorities was jealous of Ialdabaoth, for it was through all of them that man had existed, and they gave to this one their own powers. And thus he became possessor of the souls of the seven Authorities and of their powers. His wisdom became superior to all their wisdom and superior to that of the First Archon. Adam is Driven toward Matter Ialdabaoth and his Authorities understood that man had stripped himself of wickedness by becoming wiser than them and that he had accessed the light. They took him then and drove him toward the lower regions of immense matter.
The Sending of the "Thought from Above"
The blessed Father, benevolent and merciful, manifested his compassion toward this power of the Mother which had been subtracted from the First Archon. so that she might exercise her power on the body. He, full of pity, sent the benevolent Spirit, as help for him who had descended first and who had been called Adam. This Spirit is Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the light, that which Adam named "Life." It is she who assists all creation, labors with it, straightens her toward the perfection of her own temple, instructs her of the descent of her deficiency and teaches her her ascent. And Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the light was hidden in him so that the Archons do not perceive her presence, but that our sister Wisdom who is like us may correct her deficiencies thanks to Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the light.
The Modeling of Material Adam
The man thus became luminous because of the shadow of the light which is in him. And his thought became superior to that of his creators. And, having bent toward him, they saw that man had become superior to them. They then held counsel with the entire angelic body of the Archons and the rest of their powers. Then the "breath" and the earth were mixed with water and flame; they assembled them by means of the four winds with burning breath, uniting them together. Causing great confusion. They introduced man into the shadow of death. They thus made a remodeling, once again, but from earth, water, fire, and breath, that is to say from matter, darkness, desire, and counterfeit Spirit. There it is the link! There is the tomb of the modeling of the body which they clothed man with as a material link! There is the primordial descent and the primordial separation! But the Unique-thought (ennoia) of the primordial light which is in man, that is the one who awakens his thought!
The Paradise of the Archon
The First Archon took man and placed him in this Paradise, of which he said that it is delight for him, but it is in order to deceive him, for their delights are bitter, and their beauty perverse. Their delights are deception and their tree, impiety. Their fruit is an incurable poison and their promise is death for him.
The Trees of Paradise
Concerning their tree which they planted pretending that it is the tree of life, I will teach you the mystery of their life. This mystery, it is the Counterfeit Spirit sent by them in order to mislead man so that he does not think (noein) his perfection. This tree is thus made: Its root is bitter, its branches are shadows of death. Its foliage is hatred and deception. Its oil is an anointing of perversity and its fruit desire of death. Its seed only drinks of "darkness." Those who taste this tree, their place of habitation is Hades. As for the tree they say is for knowing good and evil, it is Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the light. It is concerning this one that they gave the commandment of "not to taste," that is to say not to obey her since this commandment was issued against the tree so that man does not look up, toward his perfection and that he does not understand that he is naked of his perfection. But it is I who straightened them so that they might eat!
What is the Role of the Serpent?
I said to him: "Christ! Is it not the serpent who taught the woman?" He smiled and said: "It is the serpent who taught her procreation made of desire, stain, and corruption, for they are things useful for him himself."
What is Forgetfulness?
And the First Archon knew that Superior-Thought of the light would not obey him because she was more intelligent than him. So he desired to take back the power which had been withdrawn in favor of Adam. And he cast forgetfulness upon Adam. I said to him: "Christ! what is forgetfulness?" Then he said to me: "Do not interpret it as Moses said: 'he made him sleep', but understand that he veiled the senses of Adam with a veil and weighed him down with insensitivity. For the First Archon spoke through the mouth of the prophet saying: 'I will weigh down the ears of their heart so that they do not understand and do not see'."
The Modeling of the Woman
Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the Light had previously hidden herself in Adam and by her will, the Great Archon desired to make her come out by means of the rib. But as Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the Light is an elusive being, the darkness, although she pursued her, could not seize her. The Great Archon decided therefore to make the Power come out of Adam by making again a modeling in the form of a woman and thus put "this" woman upright before Adam. This did not happen as Moses said: "he took a rib," but he made the woman beside him.
Adam Comes Out of Forgetfulness and Recognizes Epinoia
At this moment Adam was sobered from the intoxication of darkness, for Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the Light removed the veil which was on his heart. As soon as he knew his own essence. He said: "Now it is truly a bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh! Therefore, man will leave his father and his mother, unite to his wife and they will become, the two of them, one flesh." — that is to say that the consort of the Mother will be sent and that the deficiency of her will be straightened. — That is why Adam named her "Mother of All Living."
Superior-Thought Instructs Adam
By decision of the Sovereignty from above and by the revelation that she delivered to him, Superior-Thought (Epinoia) taught Adam the knowledge which comes from the tree of the same name, in the form of an eagle. She taught him to eat the knowledge, so that he might remember his perfection—for both had suffered the fall of ignorance.
Adam and Superior-Thought Driven Out of Paradise
Yaldabaoth understood that Adam and his wife were departing from him, and he cursed them. He also added to the address of the woman that her husband would rule over her, without knowing the mystery which had occurred by holy decision from above. But they were afraid to curse him and to manifest his ignorance to all his angels. He therefore drove them out of Paradise and clothed them in a dull darkness.
X. THE TRIPARTITION OF HUMANITY
Cain and Abel
Ialdabaoth then saw the virgin who stood near Adam. He was filled with ignorance and wishing to raise from her a seed, he defiled her and begot a first son, as well as a second: Yaoué with bear's face and Eloim with cat's face. One is just and the other unjust. Eloim is the just and Yaoué the unjust. The just, he established him on fire and spirit; the unjust, he established him on water and earth. These are the ones whom all generations of men have named Cain and Abel. Until today, the matrimonial union instituted by the First Archon has existed. He sowed in Adam a sexual desire so that the copy which is born from this desire, at the instigation of their counterfeit "Spirit," is of the same nature as that instituted by the Archon. As for the two Archons Eloeim and Iaoué, he installed them on principalities so that they might rule over the tomb.
Seth
Adam knew her who is of the same nature as him and begot Seth according to the model of the race which is above in the aeons. It is in this way that the Mother sent that which is hers. For her, the Spirit descended in order to awaken her who is of the same nature as him, conceived according to the model of the Pleroma, so that in turn this one might awaken men from the forgetfulness and malice of the tomb. And thus Seth remained for some time. He worked in favor of the seed of Superior-Thought (Epinoia) so that when the Spirit comes from the holy aeons he establishes them out of the deficiency in order to restore the Aeon so that it might be in a holy perfection, and thus be without deficiency.
XI. CONCERNING THE SOUL
The Fate of the Perfect
I said then: "Christ! Will the souls of all humans live in the pure light?" He said to me: "You have managed to think (ennoia) of important things which is difficult to reveal to others other than those who belong to this unshakable race." Those upon whom the Spirit of life comes after they have united with the Power, will be saved and perfect and will be worthy of ascending toward these great luminaries. They will indeed be worthy of being purified there above of all evil and of the attractions of perversity since they applied themselves to nothing other than promoting this incorruptible gathering. They cared for this one without anger, nor jealousy, nor fear, nor desire, nor greed. They were affected by none of these passions, nor by any other, but only by the flesh while they use it, watching the moment where they will come out of it and will be received by the controllers in the dignity of eternal incorruptible life and the call, enduring all, supporting all, to lead the combat to its term and inherit eternal life.
The Perfect Against His Will
I said: "Christ! If they have not accomplished this, what will become of the souls toward which the Power and the Spirit of life will have descended in order to save them?" He said to me: "Those in which this Spirit enters, in any case, will live, for they are out of reach of evil. The Power indeed enters into every man; for without it he could not stand upright. It is after the soul has been engendered that the Spirit of life is brought to her. When this vigorous Spirit of life has come
XII. THE FATE OF THE NON-GNOSTICS (CONTINUED)
The Salvation of the Non-Gnostics I said then: "Christ! How can the soul become smaller and smaller and return into the bosom of the Mother or of the Man?" When I had asked him, he rejoiced and said: "Blessed are you for being able to think (ennoia) such important things, which are difficult to reveal to others other than those who belong to this unshakable race." It is for the sake of liberating them that these souls are remitted to the other soul which the Spirit of life inhabits. By traveling with her and obeying her, she is saved without needing to return to another flesh.
The Renegade Gnostics I said to him: "Christ! What becomes of the souls of those who have attained knowledge and then turned away?" He said to me: "They will go to the place where the angels of poverty lead those for whom repentance (metanoia) has not come, and they will be kept there until the day of their judgment." "Anyone who has blasphemed the Holy Spirit will be tortured in an eternal punishment."
XIII. THE ORIGIN OF THE COUNTERFEIT SPIRIT
The Generation of Fate (Heimarmene) I said then: "Christ! From where did the Counterfeit Spirit come?" He said to me: "After the Mother, rich in mercy, assisted by the merciful Holy Spirit who labored with us as the Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the light united with the seed, had awakened the thought of men of the race of the Perfect Man, eternal light, the First Archon learned that this man had been transferred to the heights of their wisdom. He wished to appropriate their plan of salvation." Due to his ignorance, he did not know that they are wiser than him. The First Archon devised a plan with his Powers. They engendered Fate (Heimarmene) and bound, through measure, time, and moments, the gods of the heavens, the angels, the demons, and men, so that all might be caught in the link of this Fate which reigns over every thing. — A wicked and perverse design! —
The Deluge And the First Archon repented concerning all that had come into existence by his action. He held counsel to provoke a deluge over the entire human edifice. But the greatness of Pre-thinking (Pronoia) — Superior-Thought (Epinoia) of the Light — instructed Noah and announced it to the men. But they did not believe it. This did not happen as Moses said: "He hid in an ark." But Superior-Thought hid him in a place. It was not only Noah but also men of the unshakable race who went to a place. They took refuge by means of a cloud of light. And Noah came to know the Sovereignty from above, he and those who were with him in the light that had shone for them because darkness had spread over everything on earth.
The Union of Angels and Daughters of Men The Archon devised a plan with his angels and they sent their angels to the daughters of men in order to arouse from them a progeny, for their pleasure. And not succeeding the first time, they all made the decision to create the Counterfeit Spirit by recalling the Spirit that had descended. Then the angels changed their own appearance into that of "their husbands," so that, passing for their husbands, they might fill them with the spirit associated with them in the darkness coming from evil. They brought them gold, silver, presents, and metals of bronze, iron, and all sorts. They tempted them so that they might no longer remember their unshakable Pre-thinking (Pronoia). They possessed them, and they gave birth to sons born of darkness, born of their Counterfeit Spirit. This Spirit closed the hearts of these sons, and they became hard with the hardness of the Counterfeit Spirit up to now.
Blessing Therefore, let the Mother-Father with abundant mercy be blessed, who receives form in her seed!
XIV. FUTURE PERSPECTIVES
"I have first ascended to the Perfect Aeon, but I tell you these things now so that you might write them down and transmit them to your spiritual companions in secret, for this mystery belongs to the unshakable race. The Mother descended once more before me; what she did in the world was to restore her seed, but I will teach you what will happen! Indeed, I have transmitted these things to you so that you might write them down and keep them safe." He said to me then: "Cursed be whoever exchanges these writings for a present, for food, drink, clothing, or anything of the same kind."
XV. EPILOGUE
Immediately after having entrusted this mystery to John, the Christ became invisible to him. Then he came to the disciples, his companions, and began to tell them the words that had been said to him by the Savior.
The Secret Revelation of John.
Commentaires