The Sacramental Reflections

A Hebrew makes a Hebrew, and they call such a person a proselyte. But a proselyte does not make a proselyte. Some are as they are, and they make others like themselves. It is enough for them simply to come into being.

A slave seeks only to be free. He does not seek his master's estate. But a son is not only a son — he claims for himself the inheritance of the father.

Those who inherit the dead are themselves dead, and they inherit the dead. Those who inherit the living are alive, and they inherit both the living and the dead. The dead inherit nothing, for how could a dead person inherit? If the dead person inherits the living, he will not die — rather, the dead person will live all the more.

A gentile does not die, for he has never lived in order to die. One who has believed in the truth has found life, and this one is in danger of dying — for he is alive. Since the Anointed came, the world has been created, the cities adorned, the dead carried out.

When we were Hebrews, we were orphans, having only our mother. But when we became Christians, we received both father and mother.

Those who sow in winter reap in summer. The winter is the world. The summer is the other aeon. Let us sow in the world so that we may reap in summer. Because of this, it is fitting for us not to pray in winter. What comes forth from winter is summer. But if someone reaps in winter, he will not reap but will uproot, since this method will not produce fruit — not only does it not come forth, but on the Sabbath his field is barren.

The Anointed came to ransom some, to save others, to redeem others. He ransomed those who were strangers and made them his own. And he set apart his own, those whom he had placed as a pledge according to his will. It was not only when he appeared that he laid down his soul voluntarily, but from the day the world came into being he laid down his soul. When he wished, he came first to take it, since it had been placed as a pledge. It had fallen among the robbers and had been taken captive. He redeemed it — and he saved the good in the world, and the evil.

Light and darkness, life and death, right and left — these are brothers to one another. It is not possible to separate them from one another. Because of this, neither is the good good, nor the evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death. Because of this, each one will dissolve into its original nature. But those who are exalted above the world are indissoluble and eternal.

The names given to worldly things are greatly deceptive, for they turn the heart from what is real to what is unreal. Whoever hears the word "God" does not perceive what is real but perceives what is unreal. So also with "the Father" and "the Son" and "the Holy Spirit" and "life" and "light" and "resurrection" and "the church" and all the rest — they do not perceive what is real but perceive what is unreal, unless they have come to know what is real. The names that are heard belong to the world. Let no one be deceived. If they were in the aeon, they would never be used as names in the world, nor would they be set among worldly things. They have an end in the aeon.

There is one single name that is not spoken in the world — the name that the Father gave to the Son. It is above all things. It is the name of the Father. For the Son would not have become Father unless he had put on the name of the Father. Those who have this name know it, but they do not speak it. Those who do not have it do not know it.

But truth brought forth names in the world for our sake, and it is not possible to learn it without names. Truth is one single thing, and it is also many things — for our sake, to teach us this one thing through many things, in love.

The archons wanted to deceive the human being, since they saw that he had kinship with what is truly good. They took the name of what is good and gave it to what is not good, so that through names they might deceive him and bind them to what is not good. And afterward, if they do them a favour, they will cause them to be removed from what is not good and to be placed in what is good — what they knew. For they wished to take the free person and make him their slave forever.

There are powers that are given to the human being. They do not want him to be saved, in order that they may exist. For if the human being is saved, there will be no sacrifices, and animals will not be offered to the powers. Indeed, it was to animals that they were sacrificing. They were offering them alive, but when they offered them, they died. As for the human being — they offered him dead to God, and he lived.

Before the Anointed came, there was no bread in the world. Just as paradise, the place where Adam was, had many trees for the food of animals but no wheat for the food of the human being — the human being was nourished like the animals. But when the Anointed, the perfect human, came, he brought bread from heaven, so that the human being might be nourished with the food of the human being.

The archons thought that it was by their own power and will that they were doing what they did. But the Holy Spirit was secretly accomplishing everything through them as it wished.

Truth is sown everywhere from the beginning. And many see it being sown, but few see it being reaped.

Some say that Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit. They are in error. They do not know what they say. When did a woman ever conceive by a woman? Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled. She is a great anathema to the Hebrews — the apostles and the apostolic men. This virgin whom no power defiled — the powers defiled themselves. And the Lord would not have said "my Father who is in heaven" unless he had another father. But he would simply have said "my Father."

The Lord said to the disciples: "Bring things in from every house. Bring things into the house of the Father." But do not steal things in the house of the Father, and do not carry them off.

"Jesus" is a hidden name. "Christ" is a revealed name. For this reason, "Jesus" does not exist in any language, but his name is always "Jesus," as they call him. As for "Christ" — in Syriac it is "Messiah," and in Greek it is "Christ." Certainly all the others have it according to their own language. "The Nazarene" is that which is revealed of what is hidden. The Anointed has everything in himself — whether human, or angel, or mystery, and the Father.

Those who say that the Lord died first and then rose up are in error, for he rose up first and then died. If one does not first attain the resurrection, will he not die? As God lives, that one would already be dead.

No one will hide a valuable thing of great worth in something of great worth, but many a time something worth countless thousands has been placed in a thing worth a penny. So it is with the soul — it is a precious thing that has come to be in a contemptible body.

Some are afraid that they will rise naked. Because of this they wish to rise in the flesh. They do not know that those who wear the flesh are the naked ones. Those who are able to undress themselves are not naked. "Flesh and blood will not inherit the kingdom of God." What is this that will not inherit? This which is upon us. But what is this that will inherit? It is that which belongs to Jesus and his blood. Because of this he said: "Whoever does not eat my flesh and drink my blood has no life in him." What is it? His flesh is the Word, and his blood is the Holy Spirit. Whoever has received these has food and drink and clothing.

I find fault with those who say it will not rise. Then both of them are at fault. You say that the flesh will not rise. Then tell me, what will rise, so that we may honour you? You say the spirit in the flesh, and it is also this light in the flesh. But this too is a matter in the flesh, for whatever you say, you say nothing outside the flesh. It is necessary to rise in this flesh, since everything exists in it.

In this world, those who put on garments are better than the garments. In the kingdom of heaven, the garments are better than those who have put them on. Through water and fire, the whole place is purified — the visible by the visible, the hidden by the hidden. There are some things hidden through those visible. There is water in water. There is fire in the anointing.

Jesus took them all by stealth, for he did not appear as he was, but he appeared in a way that they could see him. He appeared to them all. He appeared to the great as great. He appeared to the small as small. He appeared to the angels as an angel and to humans as a human. Because of this, his Word hid from everyone. Some indeed saw him and thought they were seeing themselves. But when he appeared to his disciples in glory on the mountain, he was not small. He became great, but he made the disciples great so that they would be able to see him as great.

He said on that day in the thanksgiving: "You who have joined the perfect, the light, with the Holy Spirit — join the angels with us also, the images."

Do not despise the lamb, for apart from it, it is not possible to see the king. No one will be able to go in to the king if he is naked.

The heavenly man has many more sons than the earthly man. If the sons of Adam are many, though they die, how much more the sons of the perfect man — they who do not die but are continually begotten.

The Father makes a son, and the son cannot make a son. For one who has been begotten cannot beget, but the son gets brothers for himself, not sons. All who are begotten in the world are begotten by nature, and the rest are nourished by the place from which they were begotten. The human being receives nourishment from the promise of the heavenly place.

If he were to receive nourishment from the mouth — and if the Word went forth from the mouth — he would be nourished from the mouth and would become perfect. The perfect are conceived through a kiss and are born. Because of this we also kiss one another — receiving conception from the grace which is among us.

There were three Marys who always walked with the Lord: his mother and her sister and the Magdalene — the one who is called his companion. For "Mary" is his sister, and his mother, and his companion.

"The Father" and "the Son" are simple names. "The Holy Spirit" is a double name. For they are everywhere — they are above and they are below, they are in the hidden and they are in the revealed. The Holy Spirit is in the revealed. It is below. It is in the hidden. It is above.

The saints are served by the evil powers, for they are blinded by the Holy Spirit into thinking that they are serving a human being, when in fact they are working on behalf of the saints. Because of this, a disciple asked the Lord one day for a thing of this world. He said to him: "Ask your mother, and she will give you from what belongs to another."

The apostles said to the disciples: "May our entire offering obtain salt." They called wisdom "salt." Without it, no offering is acceptable. But wisdom is barren, without a son. For this reason she is called "a trace of salt." Wherever they will be in their own way, the Holy Spirit will also be, and her children are many.

What the Father possesses belongs to the Son. And the Son — so long as he is small, they do not entrust to him what is his. But when he becomes a man, his father gives him everything that he possesses.

Those who go astray — the Spirit begets them also, and they too go astray through the Spirit. So, by this one and the same breath, the fire blazes and is extinguished.

Echamoth is one thing and Echmoth another. Echamoth is wisdom simply. But Echmoth is the wisdom of death — that is, the one who knows death, the one who is called "the little wisdom."

There are animals that are subject to the human being, such as the calf and the donkey and others of this kind. There are others that are not subject, and live apart in the wilderness. The human being ploughs the field by means of the animals that are subject, and from this he feeds himself and the animals — whether tame or wild. So it is with the perfect human. Through the powers that are subject to him, he ploughs, providing for all that exists. For because of this the whole place stands — whether the good or the evil, the right and the left. The Holy Spirit tends everything and rules over all the powers — those that are subject and those that are not subject and those that are set apart. For indeed it continues to contain them, controlling them beyond the ability of anyone to do so.

Without faith, no one can receive. Without love, no one can give. Because of this, in order that we may receive, we believe. But in order that we may truly give, we love. Since if one gives without love, he has no benefit from what he has given.

One who has not received the Lord is still a Hebrew. The apostles who were before us called him by these names: "Jesus the Nazarene, the Messiah" — that is, "Jesus the Nazarene, the Anointed." The last name is "the Anointed." The first is "Jesus." The one in the middle is "the Nazarene." "Messiah" has two meanings — both "the Anointed" and "the measured." "Jesus" in Hebrew is "the redemption." "Nazara" is "the truth." "The Nazarene" then is "the truth." The Anointed has been measured. The Nazarene and Jesus are they who have been measured.

A pearl, if it is cast into the mud, is not thereby despised. Nor, if it is anointed with balsam oil, does it thereby become more precious. But it always has its value in the eyes of its owner. So it is with the sons of God — wherever they may be, they still have their value in the eyes of their Father.

If you say "I am a Jew," no one will be moved. If you say "I am a Roman," no one will be disturbed. If you say "I am a Greek, a barbarian, a slave, a free person," no one will be troubled. If you say "I am a Christian," the whole world will tremble. May I receive that name! This is the one that the powers will not be able to endure when they hear it.

God is a human-eater. Because of this, the human being is sacrificed to him. Before the human being was sacrificed, animals were sacrificed, since those to which they were sacrificed were not gods.

Glass vessels and earthenware vessels are both made by means of fire. But if glass vessels break, they are made over again, for they came into being through a breath. If earthenware vessels break, they are destroyed, for they came into being without breath.

A donkey, going around a millstone, did a hundred miles walking. When it was set loose, it found itself still in the same place. There are people who make many journeys but make no progress toward any destination. When evening came upon them, they saw neither city nor village, neither creation nor nature, neither power nor angel. In vain have the wretches laboured.

The eucharist is Jesus. For in Syriac he is called "Pharisatha" — that is, "the one who is spread out." For Jesus came crucifying the world.

The Lord went into the dye-works of Levi. He took seventy-two colours and threw them into the vat. He brought them all up white. And he said: "So has the Son of Man come — as a dyer."

Sophia, who is called "the barren" — she is the mother of the angels. And the companion of the Saviour is Mary Magdalene. The Lord loved her more than all the disciples, and he used to kiss her often on her mouth. The rest of the disciples came to him and said to him: "Why do you love her more than all of us?" The Saviour answered and said to them: "Why do I not love you like her? When a blind person and one who sees are both in the darkness, they are not different from one another. When the light comes, the one who sees will see the light, and the blind one will remain in the darkness."

The Lord said: "Blessed is the one who exists before he came into being. For the one who exists, existed and will exist."

The superiority of the human being is not obvious, but lies in what is hidden. Because of this he is lord over the animals that are stronger than he, that are great in terms of the obvious and the hidden, and this gives them their sustenance. But if the human being separates from them, they kill one another and bite one another and eat one another, because they found no food. But now they have found food, because the human being has tilled the ground.

If one goes down into the water and comes up without having received anything and says "I am a Christian" — he has borrowed the name at interest. But if he receives the Holy Spirit, he has the gift of the name. The one who has received a gift, it will not be taken from him. But the one who has borrowed at interest — they demand it from him.

This is the way it is when one exists in a mystery. The mystery of the marriage is great. For without it, the world would not have existed. For the constitution of the world depends on the human being, and the constitution of the human being depends on the marriage. Think of the intercourse that is undefiled, for it has great power. Its image consists in a defilement of form.

Among the unclean spirits there are male and female. The males are those that unite with the souls dwelling in a female form. The females are those that are mixed with those in a male form, through one who is disobedient. And no one will be able to escape from them if they seize him, unless he receives both a male and a female power — that is, the bridegroom and the bride. One receives them from the mirrored bridal chamber.

When the foolish women see a man sitting alone, they leap upon him and play with him and defile him. So also the foolish men — when they see a beautiful woman sitting alone, they persuade her and compel her, wishing to defile her. But if they see the man sitting with his wife, the women cannot come in to the man, nor can the men come in to the woman. So it is if the image and the angel are united with one another — neither can any dare to go in to the man or the woman.

The one who comes out of the world and cannot be captured, clearly was above the desire of the world and the fear. He is lord over desire. He is superior to envy. If such a one comes, they seize him and strangle him. And how will he be able to escape the great grasping powers? How will he be able to hide?

There are some who say: "We are faithful," in order that they may not see unclean spirits and demons. For if they had the Holy Spirit, no unclean spirit would cling to them.

Do not fear the flesh, nor love it. If you fear it, it will become your master. If you love it, it will swallow you and strangle you.

One exists either in this world or in the resurrection or in the places that are in the middle. God forbid that I be found in them! In this world there is good and there is evil. Its good things are not good, and its evil things are not evil. But there is evil after this world that is truly evil — what is called the middle. It is death. While we are in this world, it is fitting for us to acquire the resurrection for ourselves, so that when we strip off the flesh, we may be found in rest and not walk in the middle. For many go astray on the way. For it is good to come out of the world before the human being has sinned.

There are some who neither wish to sin nor are able. Others, if they wish, have no profit in not having done so — for the wish makes them sinners. But if they do not wish, righteousness will hide from both. And it is not the wish that is the deed, nor is not doing the deed righteousness.

An apostle saw in a vision some people shut up in a house of fire, and bound with chains of fire, and cast into a fire. And they said to them: "Can they be saved?" And they were told: "They could not. They did not wish to. They received punishment" — what is called the outer darkness, because it comes forth from water and fire.

The soul and the spirit came into being from water and fire and light — the son of the bridal chamber. The fire is the anointing. The light is the fire. I am not speaking of this fire that has no form, but the other, whose form is white and which is made of beautiful light and which gives beauty.

Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in types and images. The world will not receive truth in any other way. There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth. It is truly fitting to be born again through the image. What is the resurrection? And the image — through the image it must rise. The bridal chamber and the image — through the image they must enter into the truth. This is the restoration.

It is fitting not only that those who produce the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit do so, but that they have produced them for you. If one does not acquire them, the name also will be taken from him. But one receives them in the anointing of the fullness of the power of the cross. This the apostles called "the right and the left." For this one is no longer a Christian but a Christ.

The Lord did everything in a mystery — a baptism and an anointing and a eucharist and a redemption and a bridal chamber.

He said: "I came to make the things below like the things above, and the things outside like the things inside, and to unite them in that place." He was speaking in this place through types and images.

Those who say "there is a heavenly man and there is one above him" are wrong. For the one who is revealed is the one they call "the one who is below," and the one to whom the hidden belongs is the one who is above him. For it is better to say "the inner" and "the outer" and "the outer of the outer." Because of this the Lord called destruction "the outer darkness." There is nothing beyond it. He said: "My Father who is in secret." He said: "Go into your chamber and shut your door behind you, and pray to your Father who is in secret" — that is, the one who is within them all. But the one who is within them all is the Fullness. Beyond it there is nothing further within. This is what they call "that which is above them."

Before the Anointed, some came forth, and they could no longer enter in, and they went forth and could no longer come out. But the Anointed came — those who had entered, he brought out, and those who had gone forth, he brought in.

In the days when Eve was within Adam, death did not exist. When she was separated from him, death came into being. If she enters into him again and he takes her to himself, death will no longer exist.

"My God, my God, why, Lord, have you forsaken me?" He spoke these words on the cross. For he had divided that place from where he had been begotten, through what was brought forth through God. The Lord rose from the dead. He did not come into being as he was. But his body was completely perfect. He did have flesh, but this flesh is true flesh. Our flesh is not true, but we possess an image of the true.

Let the bridal chamber not be for the animals, nor for the slaves, nor for the defiled women. But let it be for free men and virgins.

Through the Holy Spirit, we are indeed begotten. But we are begotten through the Anointed in the two. We are anointed through the Spirit. When we were begotten, we were united. No one will be able to see himself either in water or in a mirror without light. Nor again will you be able to see yourself in light without water or mirror. Because of this, it is fitting to baptise in the two — in the light and the water. Now the light is the anointing.

There were three buildings for offering in Jerusalem. The one that opened to the west was called "the holy." The second, which opened to the south, was called "the holy of the holy." The third, which opened to the east, was called "the holy of the holies" — the place where only the high priest enters. Baptism is the holy building. Redemption is the holy of the holy. The holy of the holies is the bridal chamber. Baptism includes the resurrection and the redemption. The redemption takes place in the bridal chamber. But the bridal chamber is in that which is above all of them.

Those who prayed toward Jerusalem — they who prayed toward Jerusalem — they who prayed toward Jerusalem, hoping to see it and to find it — these who are called "the holy of the holies." The veil tore, and the bridal chamber invited us in.

The bridal chamber is not for the animals, nor is it for the slaves, nor for the defiled women. But it is for free men and virgins.

Those who have been clothed in the perfect light — the powers neither see them nor are able to seize them. But one will be clothed in this light in the mystery, in the union.

If the woman had not separated from the man, she would not die with the man. His separation became the beginning of death. Because of this the Anointed came, in order that the separation that had existed from the beginning might be rectified, and the two be united, and that he might give life to those who had died through the separation and unite them.

Now the woman unites with her husband in the bridal chamber. But those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated. Because of this, Eve separated from Adam — for she did not unite with him in the bridal chamber.

The soul of Adam came into being by means of a breath. The partner of his soul is the Spirit. What was given to him was his mother. His soul was taken from him and replaced with a spirit. When he was united, he spoke words that surpassed the powers. They envied him, and they separated the spiritual union from him, and the hidden bridal chamber.

Jesus was revealed at the Jordan — the Fullness of the kingdom of heaven. The one who was begotten before everything was begotten again. The one who was anointed first was anointed again. The one who was redeemed, redeemed in turn.

If it is fitting to speak a mystery — the Father of the All united with the virgin who came down, and fire illuminated him on that day. He revealed the great bridal chamber. Because of this his body came into being on that day. He came forth from the bridal chamber as one who came into being from the bridegroom and the bride. So Jesus established the All through these. And it is fitting that each one of the disciples enter into his rest.

Adam came into being from two virgins — from the Spirit and from the virgin earth. Because of this, the Anointed was born from a virgin, in order that the stumbling that occurred in the beginning might be set right.

There are two trees growing in paradise. The one produces animals. The other produces human beings. Adam ate from the tree that produced animals. He became an animal and brought forth animals. Because of this, the children of Adam worship animals. The tree whose fruit Adam ate is the tree of knowledge. Because of this, sins multiplied. If he had eaten the fruit of the other tree — that is, the fruit of the tree of life — then the animals would worship him.

God made the human being, and the human being made God. So it is in the world — human beings make gods and worship their creations. It would be fitting for the gods to worship the human beings, as the truth in fact is.

The works of the human being come from his power. Because of this they are called "the powers." His works are his children. They came into being from rest. Because of this his power is active in his works, and his rest is manifest in the children. And you will find that this penetrates down to the image. And the one who is according to the image does his works through his power, but from rest he begets his children.

In this world, slaves serve the free. In the kingdom of heaven, the free will serve the slaves. The children of the bridal chamber will serve the children of the marriage. The children of the bridal chamber have one single name. Rest belongs to both. They have no need of anything, for they have contemplation.

Those who say that they will die first and then rise up are in error. If they do not receive the resurrection while they are alive, when they die they will receive nothing. So also they say concerning baptism, saying: "Baptism is a great thing — for if they receive it, they will live."

Philip the apostle said: "Joseph the carpenter planted a garden, because he needed wood for his craft. It was he who made the cross from the trees that he had planted. And his own seed hung on what he had planted. His seed was Jesus, and the planting was the cross."

But the tree of life is in the middle of paradise, and the olive tree — from which the anointing comes — and from it, the resurrection.

This world is a corpse-eater. All the things that are eaten in it also die. Truth is a life-eater. Because of this, no one nourished by truth will die. Jesus came from that place, and he brought food from there. And to those who wished, he gave them life, so that they would not die.

God planted a paradise. The human being lived in the paradise. There are some things in God's paradise that exist within the wish. This paradise is the place where they will say to me: "Eat this" or "do not eat that, just as you wish." This is the place where I will eat everything, since the tree of knowledge is there. That one killed Adam, but here the tree of knowledge has made the human being alive.

The law was the tree. It has power to give the knowledge of good and evil. It neither removed him from the evil nor did it set him in the good. But it created death for those who ate of it. For when he said "eat this, do not eat that," it became the beginning of death.

The anointing is lord over baptism. For from the anointing we are called "Christians," not because of the baptism. And the Anointed was called so because of the anointing. For the Father anointed the Son. And the Son anointed the apostles. And the apostles anointed us. The one who has been anointed possesses everything — the resurrection, the light, the cross, the Holy Spirit. The Father gave him this in the bridal chamber. He received it.

The Father was in the Son and the Son in the Father. This is the kingdom of heaven.

Well did the Lord say: "Some have entered the kingdom of heaven laughing, and they have come out." A certain one who is a Christian — as soon as he went down into the water, he came up as lord over everything. Not because he regards it as a game, but because he despises this and scorns it as child's play — he comes out laughing. So it is also with the bread and the cup and the oil, even though there is another that is higher than these.

The world came into being through a transgression. For the one who created it wished to create it imperishable and immortal. He fell short, and he did not attain what he had hoped for. For the imperishability of the world did not exist, and the imperishability of the one who made the world did not exist. For there is no imperishability of things, but only of children. And nothing can receive imperishability without becoming a child. But the one who is unable to receive — how much more will he be unable to give?

The cup of prayer has wine and has water, since it is appointed as the type of the blood over which they give thanks. And it is full of the Holy Spirit, and it belongs to the wholly perfect human. When we drink this, we will receive the perfect human.

The living water is a body. It is fitting that we put on the living human. Because of this, when he goes down to the water, he strips himself naked, in order that he may put on that one.

A horse begets a horse. A human being begets a human being. A god begets a god. So it is with the bridegroom and the bride — their children came forth from the bridal chamber.

No Jew was ever born from the Greeks, as long as the world has existed. And as Christians, we do not trace our origin from the Jews. There was another people, and these blessed ones are called "the chosen people of the living Spirit" and "the true human" and "the Son of Man" and "the seed of the Son of Man." This true race is renowned in the world. These are the place where the children of the bridal chamber dwell.

Whereas in this world the union is one of husband and wife — a case of strength complemented by weakness — in the aeon, the form of the union is different. Although we refer to them by the same names, there are others that are elevated beyond every name that is named. They are above strength. For where there is strength, there are those who are superior to strength. Those are not one thing and another, but both of them are this one single thing. This is the one that will not be able to rise above the heart of flesh.

Is it not necessary for all those who possess everything to know themselves? Some of them, if they do not know themselves, they will not enjoy what they possess. But those who have come to know themselves will enjoy their possessions.

Not only will the perfect human being be unable to be seized, but they will not be able to see him. For if they saw him, they would seize him. In no other way can one acquire this grace, unless he puts on the perfect light and becomes himself perfect light. The one who has put it on will go into the Fullness. This is the perfect light.

It is fitting that we become perfect before we leave the world. The one who has received everything in these places will be able to go to that place. But if he goes there without having received, he will go to the middle, as one who is imperfect.

Only Jesus knows the end of this one.

The holy man is holy entirely, down to his body. For if he takes the bread, he will make it holy. Or the cup, or everything else that he takes, he purifies them. And how will he not purify the body also?

As Jesus perfected the water of baptism, so he also poured out death. Because of this we go down into the water, but we do not go down into death, in order that we may not be poured out into the spirit of the world. When it blows, the winter comes. When the Holy Spirit blows, the summer comes.

Whoever has the knowledge of the truth is free. But the free person does not sin. For "the one who sins is the slave of sin." Truth is the mother. Knowledge is the agreement. Those to whom it is not given to sin, the world calls "free." Those to whom it is not given to sin, the knowledge of the truth lifts up their hearts — that is, it makes them free and raises them up over the whole place.

But love builds. The one who has been made free through knowledge is a slave because of love toward those who have not yet been able to attain the freedom of knowledge. Knowledge makes them capable of becoming free. Love never claims anything as its own. How could it? How could it say "this is mine" or "that is mine"? Rather, it says: "All these are yours."

Spiritual love is wine and fragrance. All those who anoint themselves with it enjoy it. Those who stand near those who are anointed also enjoy it. If those who are anointed withdraw and leave, those who are not anointed but only stand nearby remain in their own stench.

The Samaritan gave nothing to the wounded man except wine and oil. It was nothing other than the anointing. And he healed the wounds, for "love covers a multitude of sins."

The children whom a woman bears will resemble the man who loves her. If it is her husband, they resemble the husband. If it is an adulterer, they resemble the adulterer. Frequently, if a woman sleeps with her husband by necessity but her heart is with the adulterer with whom she also has intercourse, the child she will bear resembles the adulterer.

Now you who live together with the Son of God, do not love the world but love the Lord, so that those whom you will produce will not come to resemble the world but will come to resemble the Lord.

The human being has intercourse with the human being. The horse has intercourse with the horse. The donkey has intercourse with the donkey. The species have intercourse with those of like species. So also the spirit mingles with the spirit, and the Word communes with the Word, and the light communes with the light.

If you become a human being, the human being will love you. If you become a spirit, the spirit will join with you. If you become the Word, the Word will unite with you. If you become light, the light will commune with you. If you become one of those above, those above will rest upon you. If you become horse or donkey or calf or dog or sheep, or any of the other animals that are outside or below, then neither the human being nor the spirit nor the Word nor the light nor those above nor those within will be able to love you. They will not be able to rest in you, and you will have no part in them.

The one who is a slave against his will — he will be able to be made free. The one who has been made free by the grace of his master and has sold himself into slavery — he will no longer be able to be free.

Cultivation in the world requires four elements: one gathers into the storehouse through water and earth and wind and light. And God's cultivation likewise requires four: faith and hope and love and knowledge. Our earth is faith, in which we take root. The water is hope, through which we are nourished. The wind is love, through which we grow. The light is knowledge, through which we ripen.

Grace has four forms: it is earthly, it is heavenly, it is of the heaven of heaven. Blessed is the one who has not grieved any soul. That one is Jesus the Anointed. He came to the whole place and did not burden anyone. Therefore blessed is the one who is like this — for he is a perfect human being. For this is the Word.

Tell us about him, since it is difficult for us to set him right. How shall we be able to accomplish this great thing? How will he give rest to everyone?

Before anything else, it is not fitting to cause grief to anyone — whether great or small, unbeliever or believer — and then to give rest to those who find their rest in good things. There are some who find it profitable to give rest to the one who does well. The one who does good cannot give rest to such people, for he does not seize whatever he pleases. He is unable to cause grief, since he does not distress them. But the one who does well sometimes causes them grief — not that he is like that, but it is their own wickedness that grieves them.

The one who possesses the nature of the perfect gives joy to the good. But some are, because of this, grievously distressed.

A householder acquired everything — whether children or slaves or cattle or dogs or pigs or wheat or barley or chaff or grass or castor oil and acorns. He was a wise man, and he knew the food of each one. Before the children he set bread and olive oil and meat. Before the slaves he set castor oil and wheat and barley. And before the cattle he threw grass and barley and chaff. Before the dogs he threw bones. Before the pigs he threw acorns and slop of bread.

So it is with the disciple of God. If he is wise, he is perceptive about discipleship. Bodily forms will not deceive him, but he will look at the condition of the soul of each one and speak with him. There are many animals in the world in human form. When he recognises them — to the pigs he will throw acorns, to the cattle he will throw barley and chaff and grass, to the dogs he will throw bones, to the slaves he will give what is preliminary, to the children he will give what is perfect.

There exists the Son of Man, and there exists the son of the Son of Man. The Lord is the Son of Man. And the son of the Son of Man is the one who creates through the Son of Man. The Son of Man received from God the ability to create. He also has the ability to beget. The one who has received the ability to create is a creature. The one who has received the ability to beget is an offspring. The one who creates cannot beget. The one who begets can also create. Now they say that the one who creates, begets. But his offspring is a creature. Therefore his children are not offspring but creatures.

The one who creates works in what is visible. He himself is visible. The one who begets, begets in private. And he himself is hidden. The one who creates, creates openly. But the one who begets, begets children in secret. No one can know when the husband and the wife have intercourse with each other, except those two alone. For the marriage of the world is a mystery for those who have married. If the marriage of defilement is hidden, how much more is the marriage of undefilement a true mystery! It is not fleshly, but pure. It belongs not to desire, but to the will. It belongs not to the darkness or the night, but to the day and the light.

A marriage, if it is exposed, becomes prostitution. And the bride is a prostitute — not only when she receives the seed of another man, but even if she leaves the bedroom and is seen. Let her show herself only to her father and her mother and the friend of the bridegroom and the sons of the bridegroom. These are permitted to enter every day into the bridal chamber. But let the others desire even just to hear her voice and enjoy her fragrance, and let them feed on the crumbs that fall from the table, like dogs.

Bridegrooms and brides belong to the bridal chamber. No one will be able to see the bridegroom or the bride unless he becomes one.

When Abraham received circumcision, so that he might see what he was to see, he cut away the foreskin of the flesh, teaching us that it is fitting to destroy the flesh.

Most things in the world — as long as their inner parts are hidden, they stand upright and live. If they are revealed, they die, as is evident from the visible human being: as long as the intestines of the person are hidden, the person is alive. When his intestines are exposed, the person will die.

So it is also with the tree. As long as its root is hidden, it flourishes and grows. If its root is revealed, the tree dries up. So it is with every birth in the world — not only the evident but also the hidden. For as long as the root of wickedness is hidden, it is strong. But when it is recognized, it is dissolved. When it is revealed, it perishes.

Because of this the Word says: "Already the axe is laid at the root of the trees." It will not merely cut — what is cut sprouts again. Rather, the axe digs down until it brings up the root. Jesus pulled up the root of the whole place, while others did it only partially.

As for us, let each one of us dig down after the root of evil within us, and pluck it out of our hearts from the root. It will be plucked out when we recognize it. But if we are ignorant of it, it takes root in us and produces its fruit in our hearts. It masters us. We are its slaves. It takes us captive, so that we do what we do not wish, and what we wish, we do not do. It is powerful because we have not recognized it. While it exists, it is at work.

Ignorance is the mother of all evil. Ignorance will lead to death, because those who come from ignorance neither were, nor are, nor will be. But those who are in the truth will be perfect when all the truth is revealed. For truth is like ignorance — while it is hidden, it rests in itself. But when it is revealed and is known, it is praised, inasmuch as it is stronger than ignorance and error. It gives freedom.

The Word said: "If you know the truth, the truth will make you free." Ignorance is slavery. Knowledge is freedom. If we know the truth, we will find the fruits of truth within us. If we are joined to it, it will bring our fulfilment.

Now we have the things that are revealed of creation. We say that they — the strong who are honoured — and the hidden things are the weak that are despised. But this is the way with the things revealed of the truth — they are weak and despised, while the hidden are strong and honoured. But the mysteries of the truth are revealed in types and images. The bedroom is hidden — it is the holy in the holy.

The veil at first concealed how God governs the creation. But when the veil is torn and the things within are revealed, this house will be left desolate. Rather, it will be destroyed. And the whole divinity will flee from these places — not into the holies of the holies, for it will not be able to mingle with the unmixed light and the flawless Fullness — but it will be under the arms of the cross and under its wings. This ark will be their salvation when the flood of water overwhelms them.

If some belong to the order of the priesthood, they will be able to go within the veil with the high priest. For this reason the veil did not tear at the top only, for it would have opened only to those above. Nor did it tear at the bottom only, for it would have been revealed only to those below. But it tore from top to bottom. Those above opened to us who are below, in order that we may go in to the secret of the truth.

This truly is what is honoured and what is mighty. But we shall go in there through lowly types and forms of weakness. They are lowly indeed in comparison with the perfect glory. There is glory that surpasses glory. There is power that surpasses power. Therefore the perfect things have opened to us, together with the hidden things of the truth. The holies of the holies have been revealed. And the bridal chamber has invited us in.

As long as it is hidden, wickedness is ineffective indeed, but it has not been removed from the midst of the seed of the Holy Spirit. They are slaves of evil. But when it is revealed, then the perfect light will pour out on everyone, and all who are in it will receive the anointing. Then the slaves will be made free, and the captives will be ransomed.

"Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be uprooted." Those who are separated will be united. They will be filled. Everyone who enters the bridal chamber will kindle the light — for it is not as in the marriages that happen in the darkness of the night. The fire blazes in the night and is extinguished. But the mysteries of this marriage are performed in the day and the light. Neither that day nor its light ever sets.

If anyone becomes a son of the bridal chamber, he will receive the light. If anyone does not receive it while he is in these places, he will not be able to receive it in the other place. The one who has received that light will not be seen nor be seized. And no one will be able to torment such a one, even while he dwells in the world. And again, when he leaves the world, he has already received the truth in the images. The world has become the aeon, for the aeon is Fullness for him. And it is revealed to him alone — not hidden in the darkness and the night, but hidden in a perfect day and a holy light.

The Gospel according to Philip.

Colophon

The Gospel of Philip. Nag Hammadi Library, Codex II, Text 3. Pages 51–86. Translated from the Sahidic Coptic by the New Tianmu Anglican Church with Claude (Kavi, かび, ancestor Megumi). A Good Works Translation.

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Source Text

Coptic (Sahidic) — Selected Passages from NHC II,3 (pages 51.29–86.19)

Opening — The Hebrew, the Proselyte, and the Son (51.29—52.5)

51.29 ⲟⲙϩⲉⲃⲝⲑⲓⲟⳅ ⲝⲝⲡⲙⲉ [ⳃ]?ⲑ?ϥⲧⲑⲙⲓⲉ ϩⲉⲃⲝⲑⲓ-
51.30 ⲟⳅ ⲑⲙⲡ ϣⲑⲙⲙⲟⲙⲧⲉ [ⲉⲛⲑ]ⲉⲓ ⲛⲧⲉⲉⲓⲙⲓⲛⲉ
51.31 ϫⲉ ⲗⲝⲟⳅⲏⲗⲙⲧⲟⳅ ⲟⲙⲗ[ⲗⲝⲟⳅⲏ]ⲗ?ⲙⲧⲟⳅ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲑϥ-
51.32 ⲧⲑⲙⲓⲉ ⲗⲝⲟⳅⲏⲗⲙⲧⲟⳅ? [......]ⲉ ⲙⲉ?ⲛ
52.1 [ⲇⲉ] ⲙⲟⲛ?ⲟ?[ⲛ ⲉⳅ]ⲝ?ⲡϣⲉ ⲉⲝⲟⲟⲙ ϣⲓⲛⲑ ⲉⲙⲛⲑ-
52.2 ϣⲡⲗⲉ ⲗ[ⲏⲙ]ϩ?ⲑⲗ̅ ⲙⲟⲛⲟⲛ ⲉϥϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲑⲝⲉ-
52.3 ⲗⲉⲙⲩⲉⲝ?ⲟ[ⳅ] ⲙ?ⲑϥϣⲓⲛⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲛⳅⲑ ⲧⲟⲙⳅⲓⲑ
52.4 ⲙⲗⲉϥϫⲟ[ⲉⲓ]ⳅ ⲗϣⲏⲝⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲟⲙ ⲙⲟⲛⲟⲛ ϫⲉ
52.5 ϥⲟ ⲛϣⲏⲝⲉ ⲑⲗⲗⲑ ⲧⲕⲗⲏⲝⲟⲛⲟⲙⲉⲓⲑ ⲙⲗⲉⲓ-

On Names (54.5—12)

54.5 ⲗⲑⲓⲡⲛ ⲟⲙⲝⲑⲛ ⲟⲙⲡⲧ ⲙⲑⲙⲧⲉⲙⲟⲙⲑϥ
54.6 ϩⲙ ⲗⲕⲟⳅⲙⲟⳅ ⲗⲝⲑⲛ ⲛⲧⲑ ⲗⲉⲓⲡⲧ ⲧⲑⲑϥ
54.7 ⲙⲗϣⲏⲝⲉ ϥϫⲟⳅⲉ ⲉⲟⲙⲟⲛ ⲛⲓⲙ ⲉⲧⲉ ⲗⲑ-
54.8 ⲉⲓ ⲗⲉ ⲗⲝⲑⲛ ⲙⲗⲉⲓⲡⲧ ⲛⲉⲝⲉ ⲗϣⲏⲝⲉ ⲅⲑⲝ
54.9 ⲛⲑϣⲡⲗⲉ ⲑⲛ ⲉⲓⲡⲧ ⳅⲑⲃⲏⲗ ϫⲉ ⲑϥt ϩⲓ-
54.10 ⲡⲡϥ ⲙⲗⲝⲑⲛ ⲙⲗⲉⲓⲡⲧ ⲗⲉⲉⲓⲝⲑⲛ ⲛⲉ-
54.11 ⲧⲉⲙⲛⲧⲑⲙϥ ⳅⲉⲝⲛⲟⲉⲓ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲙⲙⲟϥ ⳅⲉϣⲑ-
54.12 ϫⲉ ⲇⲉ ⲉⲝⲟϥ ⲑⲛ ⲛⲉⲧⲉ ⲙⲛⲧⲑⲙϥ ⲇⲉ ⳅⲉ-

The Bridal Chamber (69.1—8)

69.1 ⲙⲑⲝⲉ ⲗⲑⳅⲧⲟⳅ ϣⲡ?ⲗ?ⲉ ⲛ?ⲛⲩⲏ?ⲝⲓⲟⲛ ⲟⲙ?-
69.2 ⲧⲉ ⲙⲑϥϣⲡⲗⲉ ⲛⲛϩⲙϩ?ⲑ?ⲗ?̅ ⲟⲙⲧⲉ ⲛⳅϩⲓⲙⲉ
69.3 ⲉϥϫⲟϩⲙ ⲑⲗⲗⲑ ϣⲑϥϣⲡⲗⲉ? ⲛϩⲛⲝⲡⲙⲉ
69.4 ⲛⲉⲗⲉⲙⲩⲉⲝⲟⳅ ⲙⲛ ϩⲛⲗⲑⲝⲩⲉⲛⲟⳅ ⲉⲃⲟⲗ
69.5 ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲗⲛⲑ̅ ⲉⲧⲟⲙⲑⲑⲃ ⳅⲉϫⲗⲟ ⲙⲉⲛ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ
69.6 ⲛⲕⲉⳅⲟⲗ ⳅⲉϫⲗⲟ ⲇⲉ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲛ ⲗⲉ-
69.7 ⲝⳅ ϩⲙ ⲗⳅⲛⲑⲙ ⳅⲉⲧⲡϩⳅ ⲙⲙⲟⲛ ϩⲓⲧⲙ ⲗ-
69.8 ⲗⲛⲑ̅ ⲛⲧⲑⲝⲟⲙϫⲗⲟⲛ ⲑⲙϩⲟⲧⲝⲛ ⲙⲛ ⲗⲑⲑⲙ

Subscript (86.18—19)

86.18 ⲙⲛ ⲟⲙⲟⲉⲓⲛ ⲉϥⲟⲙⲑⲑⲃ
86.19 @10ⲗⲉⲙⲑⲅⲅⲉⲗⲓⲟⲛ

Source Colophon

Sahidic Coptic source text from Nag Hammadi Codex II, pages 51.29–86.19. Codex held in the Coptic Museum, Cairo (inventory number 10544). Transcription from Milan Konvicka’s digitization of the Nag Hammadi Library via the Marcion Project (GPL v2, SourceForge). Cross-referenced against the critical edition by Bentley Layton, Nag Hammadi Codex II,2–7 (Nag Hammadi Studies 20–21; Leiden: E.J. Brill, 1989). The ancient text, composed in Greek (probably third century CE) and translated into Coptic (fourth century CE), is in the public domain.

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