Pistis Sophia Chapter 27

CHAPTER 27.

It happened now as the archons of the aeons and
those of the Heimarmene and those of the sphere continued
acting after this type; as they turned themselves they ate
the dregs of their matter, they did not allow them to become
souls in the world of mankind, so that they might be retarded
as rulers. And the powers, namely the powers within them
which were souls, spent a great time outside this. Now these
remained making two cycles continually.
It happened now when I came to go forth for the service
for the sake of which I was appointed, through the command
of the First Mystery, I came forth to the midst of the tyrants
of the archons of the twelve aeons. And my garment of light
was upon me, and I was shining exceedingly, there being
no measure to the light which I had.
Now it happened, when those tyrants saw the great light
which I had, the great Adamas, the Tyrant, and all the
tyrants of the twelve aeons all began to wage war with the
light of my garment, wishing to restrain it for themselves,
so that they might still be retarded in their rulership (king-
dom). These now acted thus, not knowing with whom
they waged war. When they now rebelled and waged war
with the light, I then turned the paths and the courses of
their aeons, and the paths of their Heimarmene and their
sphere, according to the command of the First Mystery,
and I caused them to spend six months looking to the
triangles of the left, and to the quadrangles, and to those
in their aspect , and to their pattern of eight, according to
the manner in which they were at first. But I turned their
rotation or their aspect to another rank. And I caused them
to spend another six months looking to the works of their
(periods of) influence in the quadrangles of the right, and
in their triangles, and in those which are in their aspect,
and in their pattern of eight. And I caused the archons of the
aeons to be confused with much confusion, and I caused
them to wander in error, together with all the archons of the
Heimarmene and those of the sphere. And I agitated them
greatly. And they were now, from this time, not able to
turn themselves to the dregs of their matter in order to
swallow it, so that their places might be continually retarded,
and so that they might spend a great time as rulers. But
when I had taken a third part of their power, I turned their
sphere to cause them to spend (a period of) time looking to
the left and to spend another (period of) time looking to
the right. I turned their whole path and their whole course,
and I caused the path of their course to be accelerated, so
that they might be purified quickly, and they might go
upwards quickly. And I lessened their cycles, and I made
their path easier, and it was greatly accelerated, and they
were confused in their path, and from this time they were
not able to swallow the matter of the dregs of what is
purified of their light. And further I lessened their times and
their periods, so that the perfect number of souls which will
receive mysteries and which will be in the Treasury of the
Light should be completed quickly. And unless I had turned
their courses and unless I had lessened their periods, they
would not have allowed any souls to come to the world, on
account of the matter of their dregs which they swallowed,
and they would have destroyed a multitude of souls. On
account of this now, I have said to you at this time : 'I have
lessened the times for the sake of my chosen ones, otherwise
none of the souls could have been saved'. But I have lessened
the times and the periods for the sake of the perfect number
of the souls which will receive mysteries, which are the
chosen ones. And had I not lessened their periods, none of
the material souls would have been saved, but they would
have been consumed in the fire which is in the flesh of the
archons. This now is the discourse on which you have
questioned me with accuracy".
It happened, however, when Jesus finished saying these
words to his disciples, they all prostrated themselves at once,
they worshipped him and they said to him : "We are
blessed beyond all men, for thou hast revealed to us these
great events".

[Pistis Sophia Index|Gnostic Society Virtual Library |

Gnostic Scriptures and Fragments section | .Societas Gnostica Norvegia ]