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TheSophiaofJesusChrist

TranslatedbyDouglasM.Parrott
ArchiveNote
Thetranslationof"TheSophiaofJesusChrist"(also
sometimestitled,"TheWisdomofJesusChrist")isderived
fromtwoseparatelypreservedcopiesofthetext.Thefirst
copyisinNagHammadiCodexIII(NHCIII)asecond
copyofthistextwaspreservedintheBerlinGnostic
Codex.AthirdfragmentofthetextinGreekwasalsofound
amongtheOxyrhynchuspapyrusdocuments.Thuswehave
threedistinctcopiesofthisscriptureattestedfromthree
separateancientsources,twoinCoptic,oneinGreek.In
thetranslator'scommentsbelow,sectionsofthetext
suppliedfromtheBerlinGnosticCodexareidentifiedwith
thenotation,"BG".
TheSophia(Wisdom)ofJesusChrist
Afterherosefromthedead,histwelvedisciplesandsevenwomen
continuedtobehisfollowers,andwenttoGalileeontothemountain
called"DivinationandJoy".Whentheygatheredtogetherandwere
perplexedabouttheunderlyingrealityoftheuniverseandtheplan,and
theholyprovidence,andthepoweroftheauthorities,andabout
everythingtheSaviorisdoingwiththeminthesecretoftheholyplan,
theSaviorappearednotinhispreviousform,butintheinvisible
spirit.Andhislikenessresemblesagreatangeloflight.Buthis
resemblanceImustnotdescribe.Nomortalfleshcouldendureit,but
onlypure,perfectflesh,likethatwhichhetaughtusaboutonthe
mountaincalled"OftheOlives"inGalilee.
Andhesaid:"Peacebetoyou,MypeaceIgiveyou!"Andtheyall
marveledandwereafraid.TheSaviorlaughedandsaidtothem:"What
areyouthinkingabout?Areyouperplexed?Whatareyousearching
for?"
Philipsaid:"Fortheunderlyingrealityoftheuniverseandtheplan."
TheSaviorsaidtothem:"Iwantyoutoknowthatallmenarebornon
earthfromthefoundationoftheworlduntilnow,beingdust,whilethey
haveinquiredaboutGod,whoheisandwhatheislike,havenotfound
him.Nowthewisestamongthemhavespeculatedfromtheorderingof
theworldand(its)movement.Buttheirspeculationhasnotreachedthe
truth.Foritissaidthattheorderingisdirectedinthreeways,byallthe
philosophers,(and)hencetheydonotagree.Forsomeofthemsay
abouttheworldthatitisdirectedbyitself.Others,thatitisprovidence
(thatdirectsit).Others,thatitisfate.Butitisnoneofthese.Again,of
thethreevoicesIhavejustmentioned,noneisclosetothetruth,and
(theyare)fromman.ButI,whocamefromInfiniteLight,Iamhere
forIknowhim(Light)thatImightspeaktoyouabouttheprecise
natureofthetruth.Forwhateverisfromitselfisapollutedlifeitis
selfmade.Providencehasnowisdominit.Andfatedoesnotdiscern.
Buttoyouitisgiventoknowandwhoeverisworthyofknowledge
willreceive(it),whoeverhasnotbeenbegottenbythesowingof

uncleanrubbingbutbyFirstWhoWasSent,forheisanimmortalin
themidstofmortalmen."
Matthewsaidtohim:"Lord,noonecanfindthetruthexceptthrough
you.Thereforeteachusthetruth."
TheSaviorsaid:"HeWhoIsisineffable.Noprincipleknewhim,no
authority,nosubjection,noranycreaturefromthefoundationofthe
worlduntilnow,excepthealone,andanyonetowhomhewantsto
makerevelationthroughhimwhoisfromFirstLight.Fromnowon,I
amtheGreatSavior.Forheisimmortalandeternal.Nowheiseternal,
havingnobirthforeveryonewhohasbirthwillperish.Heis
unbegotten,havingnobeginningforeveryonewhohasabeginning
hasanend.Sincenoonerulesoverhim,hehasnonameforwhoever
hasanameisthecreationofanother."
(BG84,1317adds:Heisunnameable.Hehasnohumanformfor
whoeverhashumanformisthecreationofanother).
"Andhehasasemblanceofhisownnotlikewhatyouhaveseenand
received,butastrangesemblancethatsurpassesallthingsandisbetter
thantheuniverse.Itlookstoeverysideandseesitselffromitself.Since
itisinfinite,heiseverincomprehensible.Heisimperishableandhas
nolikeness(toanything).Heisunchanginggood.Heisfaultless.Heis
eternal.Heisblessed.Whileheisnotknown,heeverknowshimself.
Heisimmeasurable.Heisuntraceable.Heisperfect,havingnodefect.
Heisimperishabilityblessed.Heiscalled'FatheroftheUniverse'".
Philipsaid:"Lord,how,then,didheappeartotheperfectones?"
TheperfectSaviorsaidtohim:"Beforeanythingisvisibleofthosethat
arevisible,themajestyandtheauthorityareinhim,sinceheembraces
thewholeofthetotalities,whilenothingembraceshim.Forheisall
mind.Andheisthoughtandconsideringandreflectingandrationality
andpower.Theyallareequalpowers.Theyarethesourcesofthe
totalities.Andtheirwholeracefromfirsttolastwasinhis
foreknowledge,(thatof)theinfinite,unbegottenFather."
Thomassaidtohim:"Lord,Savior,whydidthesecometobe,andwhy
weretheserevealed?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"IcamefromtheInfinitethatImighttellyou
allthings.SpiritWhoIswasthebegetter,whohadthepower<of>a
begetterandaformgiver`snature,thatthegreatwealththatwas
hiddeninhimmightberevealed.Becauseofhismercyandhislove,he
wishedtobringforthfruitbyhimself,thathemightnot<enjoy>his
goodnessalone,but(that)otherspiritsoftheUnwaveringGeneration
mightbringforthbodyandfruit,gloryandhonor,inimperishableness
andhisinfinitegrace,thathistreasuremightberevealedbySelf
begottenGod,thefatherofeveryimperishablenessandthosethatcame
tobeafterward.Buttheyhadnotyetcometovisibility.Nowagreat
differenceexistsamongtheimperishables."
Hecalledout,saying:"Whoeverhasearstohearabouttheinfinities,let
himhear!"and"Ihaveaddressedthosewhoareawake."Stillhe
continuedandsaid:"Everythingthatcamefromtheperishablewill
perish,sinceitcamefromtheperishable.Butwhatevercamefrom
imperishablenessdoesnotperishbutbecomesimperishable.So,many

menwentastraybecausetheyhadnotknownthisdifferenceandthey
died."
Marysaidtohim:"Lord,thenhowwillweknowthat?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Come(you)frominvisiblethingstotheend
ofthosethatarevisible,andtheveryemanationofThoughtwillreveal
toyouhowfaithinthosethingsthatarenotvisiblewasfoundinthose
thatarevisible,thosethatbelongtoUnbegottenFather.Whoeverhas
earstohear,lethimhear!
"TheLordoftheUniverseisnotcalled'Father',but'Forefather',the
beginningofthosethatwillappear,buthe(theLord)isthe
beginninglessForefather.Seeinghimselfwithinhimselfinamirror,he
appearedresemblinghimself,buthislikenessappearedasDivineSelf
Father,and<as>ConfronterovertheConfrontedones,FirstExistent
UnbegottenFather.Heisindeedofequalage<with>theLightthatis
beforehim,butheisnotequaltohiminpower.
"Andafterwardwasrevealedawholemultitudeofconfronting,self
begottenones,equalinageandpower,beinginglory(and)without
number,whoseraceiscalled'TheGenerationoverWhomThereIsNo
Kingdom'fromtheoneinwhomyouyourselveshaveappearedfrom
thesemen.Andthatwholemultitudeoverwhichthereisnokingdomis
called'SonsofUnbegottenFather,God,Savior,SonofGod,'whose
likenessiswithyou.Nowheistheunknowable,whoisfullofever
imperishablegloryandineffablejoy.Theyallareatrestinhim,ever
rejoicinginineffablejoyinhisunchanginggloryandmeasureless
jubilationthiswasneverheardorknownamongalltheaeonsandtheir
worldsuntilnow."
Matthewsaidtohim:"Lord,Savior,howwasManrevealed?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Iwantyoutoknowthathewhoappeared
beforetheuniverseininfinity,Selfgrown,SelfconstructedFather,
beingfullofshininglightandineffable,inthebeginning,whenhe
decidedtohavehislikenessbecomeagreatpower,immediatelythe
principle(orbeginning)ofthatLightappearedasImmortal
AndrogynousMan,thatthroughthatImmortalAndrogynousManthey
mightattaintheirsalvationandawakefromforgetfulnessthroughthe
interpreterwhowassent,whoiswithyouuntiltheendofthepoverty
oftherobbers.
"AndhisconsortistheGreatSophia,whofromthefirstwasdestinedin
himforunionbySelfbegottenFather,fromImmortalMan,who
appearedasFirstanddivinityandkingdom,fortheFather,whois
called'Man,SelfFather',revealedthis.Andhecreatedagreataeon,
whosenameis'Ogdoad',forhisownmajesty.
"Hewasgivengreatauthority,andheruledoverthecreationof
poverty.Hecreatedgodsandangels,<and>archangels,myriads
withoutnumberforretinue,fromthatLightandthetrimaleSpirit,
whichisthatofSophia,hisconsort.Forfromthis,Godoriginated
divinityandkingdom.Thereforehewascalled'Godofgods'and'King
ofkings'.
"FirstManhashisuniquemind,within,andthoughtjustasheisit
(thought)(and)considering,reflecting,rationality,power.Allthe
attributesthatexistareperfectandimmortal.Inrespectto

imperishableness,theyareindeedequal.(But)inrespecttopower,they
aredifferent,likethedifferencebetweenfatherandson<,andson>and
thought,andthethoughtandtheremainder.AsIsaidearlier,amongthe
thingsthatwerecreated,themonadisfirst.
"Andaftereverything,allthatwasrevealedappearedfromhispower.
Andfromwhatwascreated,allthatwasfashionedappearedfromwhat
wasfashionedappearedwhatwasformedfromwhatwasformed,what
wasnamed.Thuscamethedifferenceamongtheunbegottenonesfrom
beginningtoend."
ThenBartholomewsaidtohim:"How(isitthat)<he>wasdesignated
intheGospel'Man'and'SonofMan'?Towhichofthem,then,isthis
Sonrelated?"
TheHolyOnesaidtohim:"IwantyoutoknowthatFirstManiscalled
'Begetter,SelfperfectedMind'.HereflectedwithGreatSophia,his
consort,andrevealedhisfirstbegotten,androgynousson.Hismale
nameisdesignated'FirstBegetter,SonofGod',hisfemalename,'First
BegettressSophia,MotheroftheUniverse'.Somecallher'Love'.Now
Firstbegotteniscalled'Christ'.Sincehehasauthorityfromhisfather,
hecreatedamultitudeofangelswithoutnumberforretinuefromSpirit
andLight."
Hisdisciplessaidtohim:"Lord,revealtousabouttheonecalled'Man',
thatwealsomayknowhisgloryexactly."
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Whoeverhasearstohear,lethimhear.First
BegetterFatheriscalled'Adam,EyeofLight,'becausehecamefrom
shiningLight,andhisholyangels,whoareineffable(and)shadowless,
everrejoicewithjoyintheirreflecting,whichtheyreceivedfromtheir
Father.ThewholeKingdomofSonofMan,whoiscalled'SonofGod,'
isfullofineffableandshadowlessjoy,andunchangingjubilation,
(they)rejoicingoverhisimperishableglory,whichhasneverbeen
hearduntilnow,norhasitbeenrevealedintheaeonsthatcame
afterward,andtheirworlds.IcamefromSelfbegottenandFirst
InfiniteLight,thatImightrevealeverythingtoyou."
Again,hisdisciplessaid:"Tellusclearlyhowtheycamedownfromthe
invisibilities,fromtheimmortaltotheworldthatdies?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"SonofManconsentedwithSophia,his
consort,andrevealedagreatandrogynouslight.Hismalenameis
designated'Savior,BegetterofAllThings'.Hisfemalenameis
designated'AllBegettressSophia'.Somecallher'Pistis'.
"Allwhocomeintotheworld,likeadropfromtheLight,aresentby
himtotheworldofAlmighty,thattheymightbeguardedbyhim.And
thebondofhisforgetfulnessboundhimbythewillofSophia,thatthe
mattermightbe<revealed>throughittothewholeworldinpoverty,
concerninghis(Almighty's)arroganceandblindnessandtheignorance
thathewasnamed.ButIcamefromtheplacesabovebythewillofthe
greatLight,(I)whoescapedfromthatbondIhavecutofftheworkof
therobbersIhaveawakenedthatdropthatwassentfromSophia,that
itmightbearmuchfruitthroughme,andbeperfectedandnotagainbe
defective,butbe<joined>throughme,theGreatSavior,thathisglory
mightberevealed,sothatSophiamightalsobejustifiedinregardto
thatdefect,thathersonsmightnotagainbecomedefectivebutmight
attainhonorandgloryandgouptotheirFather,andknowthewordsof

themasculineLight.AndyouweresentbytheSon,whowassentthat
youmightreceiveLight,andremoveyourselvesfromtheforgetfulness
oftheauthorities,andthatitmightnotagaincometoappearance
becauseofyou,namely,theuncleanrubbingthatisfromthefearfulfire
thatcamefromtheirfleshlypart.Treadupontheirmaliciousintent."
ThenThomassaidtohim:"Lord,Savior,howmanyaretheaeonsof
thosewhosurpasstheheavens?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Ipraiseyou(pl.)becauseyouaskaboutthe
greataeons,foryourrootsareintheinfinities.Nowwhenthosewhom
Ihavediscussedearlierwererevealed,heprovided....
[pages109and110aremissinginNHCIII,replacedherebythe
correspondingsectionintheBerlinGnosticCodex,thebeginningof
whichissomewhatdifferentfromthefinalpartialsentenceofNHCIII
108(thebrokenoffsentence)]
[BG107]:"NowwhenthosewhomIhavediscussedearlierwere
revealed,SelfbegetterFatherverysooncreatedtwelveaeonsfor
retinueforthetwelveangels.Alltheseareperfectandgood.Thusthe
defectinthefemaleappeared."
And<he>saidtohim:"Howmanyaretheaeonsoftheimmortals,
startingfromtheinfinities?"
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Whoeverhasearstohear,lethimhear.The
firstaeonisthatofSonofMan,whoiscalled'FirstBegetter',whois
called'Savior',whohasappeared.Thesecondaeon(is)thatofMan,
whoiscalled'Adam,EyeofLight'.Thatwhichembracestheseisthe
aeonoverwhichthereisnokingdom,(theaeon)oftheEternalInfinite
God,theSelfbegottenaeonoftheaeonsthatareinit,(theaeon)ofthe
immortals,whomIdescribedearlier,(theaeon)abovetheSeventh,that
appearedfromSophia,whichisthefirstaeon.
"NowImmortalManrevealedaeonsandpowersandkingdoms,and
gaveauthoritytoallwhoappearinhim,thattheymightexercisetheir
desiresuntilthelastthingsthatareabovechaos.Fortheseconsented
witheachotherandrevealedeverymagnificence,evenfromspirit,
multitudinouslightsthataregloriousandwithoutnumber.Thesewere
calledinthebeginning,thatis,thefirstaeonand<thesecond>and
<thethird>.Thefirst<is>called'UnityandRest'.Eachonehasits
(own)nameforthe<third>aeonwasdesignated'Assembly'fromthe
greatmultitudethatappeared:inone,amultituderevealedthemselves.
Nowbecausethemultitudesgatherandcometoaunitywecallthem
'AssemblyoftheEighth.'Itappearedasandrogynousandwasname
partlyasmaleandpartlyasfemale.Themaleiscalled'Assembly',
whilethefemaleiscalled'Life',thatitmightbeshownthatfroma
femalecamethelifeforalltheaeons.Andeverynamewasreceived,
startingfromthebeginning.
"Forfromhisconcurrencewithhisthought,thepowersverysoon
appearedwhowerecalled'gods'andthegodsofthegodsfromtheir
wisdomrevealedgods<andthegods>fromtheirwisdomrevealed
lordsandthelordsofthelordsfromtheirthinkingsrevealedlordsand
thelordsfromtheirpowerrevealedarchangelsthearchangelsfrom
theirwordsrevealedangelsfromthem,semblancesappeared,with
structureandformandnameforalltheaeonsandtheirworlds.

"Andtheimmortals,whomIhavejustdescribed,allhaveauthority
fromImmortalMan,whoiscalled'Silence',becausebyreflecting
withoutspeechallherownmajestywasperfected.Forsincethe
imperishabilitieshadtheauthority,eachcreatedagreatkingdominthe
Eighth,(and)alsothronesandtemples(and)firmamentsfortheirown
majesties.FortheseallcamebythewilloftheMotherofthe
Universe."
ThentheHolyApostlessaidtohim:"Lord,Savior,tellusaboutthose
whoareintheaeons,sinceitisnecessaryforustoaskaboutthem."
TheperfectSaviorsaid:"Ifyouaskaboutanything,Iwilltellyou.
Theycreatedhostsofangels,myriadswithoutnumber,forretinueand
theirglory.Theycreatedvirginspirits,theineffableandunchangeable
lights.Fortheyhavenosicknessnorweakness,butitiswill.[BG
115,14addshere:Andtheycametobeinaninstant.]
"Thustheaeonswerecompletedquicklyintheheavensandthe
firmamentsinthegloryofImmortalManandSophia,hisconsort:the
areafromwhicheveryaeonandtheworldandthosethatcame
afterwardtook(their)patternfortheircreationoflikenessesinthe
heavensofchaosandtheirworlds.Andallnatures,startingfromthe
revelationofchaos,areintheLightthatshineswithoutshadow,andjoy
thatcannotbedescribed,andunutterablejubilation.Theyeverdelight
themselvesonaccountoftheirunchanginggloryandtheimmeasurable
rest,whichcannotbedescribedamongalltheaeonsthatcametobe
afterward,andalltheirpowers.NowallthatIhavejustsaidtoyou,I
saidthatyoumightshineinLightmorethanthese."
Marysaidtohim:"HolyLord,wheredidyourdisciplescomefrom,
andwherearetheygoing,and(what)shouldtheydohere?"
ThePerfectSaviorsaidtothem:"IwantyoutoknowthatSophia,the
MotheroftheUniverseandtheconsort,desiredbyherselftobring
thesetoexistencewithouthermale(consort).Butbythewillofthe
FatheroftheUniverse,thathisunimaginablegoodnessmightbe
revealed,hecreatedthatcurtainbetweentheimmortalsandthosethat
cameafterward,thattheconsequencemightfollow...[BG118:]...
everyaeonandchaosthatthedefectofthefemalemight<appear>,
anditmightcomeaboutthatErrorwouldcontendwithher.Andthese
becamethecurtainofspirit.From<the>aeonsabovetheemanationsof
Light,asIhavesaidalready,adropfromLightandSpiritcamedown
tothelowerregionsofAlmightyinchaos,thattheirmoldedforms
mightappearfromthatdrop,foritisajudgmentonhim,Arch
Begetter,whoiscalled'Yaldabaoth'.Thatdroprevealedtheirmolded
formsthroughthebreath,asalivingsoul.Itwaswitheredandit
slumberedintheignoranceofthesoul.Whenitbecamehotfromthe
breathoftheGreatLightoftheMale,andittookthought,(then)names
werereceivedbyallwhoareintheworldofchaos,andallthingsthat
areinitthroughthatImmortalOne,whenthebreathblewintohim.But
whenthiscameaboutbythewillofMotherSophiasothatImmortal
Manmightpiecetogetherthegarmentsthereforajudgmentonthe
robbers<he>thenwelcomedtheblowingofthatbreathbutsincehe
wassoullike,hewasnotabletotakethatpowerforhimselfuntilthe
numberofchaosshouldbecomplete,(thatis,)whenthetime
determinedbythegreatangeliscomplete.

"NowIhavetaughtyouaboutImmortalManandhaveloosedthe
bondsoftherobbersfromhim.Ihavebrokenthegatesofthepitiless
onesintheirpresence.Ihavehumiliatedtheirmaliciousintent,and
theyallhavebeenshamedandhaverisenfromtheirignorance.
Becauseofthis,then,Icamehere,thattheymightbejoinedwiththat
SpiritandBreath,[NHCIIIcontinues:]andmightfromtwobecome
one,justasfromthefirst,thatyoumightyieldmuchfruitandgoupto
HimWhoIsfromtheBeginning,inineffablejoyandgloryandhonor
andgraceoftheFatheroftheUniverse.
"Whoever,then,knowstheFatherinpureknowledgewilldeparttothe
FatherandreposeinUnbegottenFather.Butwhoeverknowshim
defectivelywilldeparttothedefectandtherestoftheEighth.Now
whoeverknowsImmortalSpiritofLightinsilence,throughreflecting
andconsentinthetruth,lethimbringmesignsoftheInvisibleOne,
andhewillbecomealightintheSpiritofSilence.WhoeverknowsSon
ofManinknowledgeandlove,lethimbringmeasignofSonofMan,
thathemightdeparttothedwellingplaceswiththoseintheEighth.
"Behold,IhaverevealedtoyouthenameofthePerfectOne,thewhole
willoftheMotheroftheHolyAngels,thatthemasculinemultitude
maybecompletedhere,thattheremightappearintheaeons,the
infinitiesandthosethatcametobeintheuntraceablewealthofthe
GreatInvisibleSpirit,thattheyallmighttakefromhisgoodness,even
thewealthoftheirrestthathasnokingdomoverit.IcamefromFirst
WhoWasSent,thatImightrevealtoyouHimWhoIsfromthe
Beginning,becauseofthearroganceofArchBegetterandhisangels,
sincetheysayaboutthemselvesthattheyaregods.AndIcameto
removethemfromtheirblindness,thatImighttelleveryoneaboutthe
Godwhoisabovetheuniverse.Therefore,treadupontheirgraves,
humiliatetheirmaliciousintent,andbreaktheiryokeandarousemy
own.IhavegivenyouauthorityoverallthingsasSonsofLight,that
youmighttreadupontheirpowerwithyourfeet."
ThesearethethingstheblessedSaviorsaid,andhedisappearedfrom
them.Thenallthediscipleswereingreat,ineffablejoyinthespirit
fromthatdayon.AndhisdisciplesbegantopreachtheGospelofGod,
theeternal,imperishableSpirit.Amen.

TheSophiaofJesus
Originaltranslationofthistextwaspreparedbymembersofthe
CopticGnosticLibraryProjectoftheInstituteforAntiquityandChristianity,ClaremontGraduateSchool.
TheCopticGnosticLibraryProjectwasfundedbyUNESCO,theNationalEndowmentfortheHumanities,andother
Institutions.
E.J.BrillhasassertedcopyrightontextspublishedbytheCopticGnosticLibraryProject.

Thetranslationpresentedherehasbeenedited,modifiedandformattedforuseintheGnosticSocietyLibrary.
Foracademiccitation,pleaserefertopublishededitionsofthistext.

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