(1) It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that they rejoiced in great joy and exulted when they heard Jesus say these words. And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto them: "Hearken, therefore, now still further, O my disciples, so that I discourse with you concerning the whole gnosis of the mystery of the Ineffable. "That mystery of the Ineffable knoweth why unmercifulness hath arisen and why mercifulness hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why ruin hath arisen and why everlasting eternity hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the reptiles have arisen and why they will be destroyed. "And that mystery knoweth why the wild beasts have arisen and why they will be destroyed. "And that mystery knoweth why the cattle have arisen and why the birds have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the mountains have arisen and why the precious stones therein have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the matter of gold hath arisen and why the matter of silver hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the matter of copper hath arisen and why the matter of iron and of stone hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the matter of lead hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the matter of glass hath arisen and why the matter of wax hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why herbs, that is the vegetables, have arisen and why all matters have arisen. "And the mystery knoweth why the waters of the earth and all things in them have arisen and why also the earth hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the seas and the waters have arisen and why the wild beasts in the seas have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the matter of the world hath arisen and why it [the world] will be utterly destroyed."

(0) These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke

(3) To these statements the apostle will testify: "I know a man in Christ, caught up into the third heaven, and thence into Paradise, who heard unutterable words which it is not lawful for a man to speak," - intimating thus the impossibility of expressing God, and indicating that what is divine is unutterable by human power; if, indeed, he begins to speak above the third heaven, as it is lawful to initiate the elect souls in the mysteries there. For I know what is in Plato (for the examples from the barbarian philosophy, which are many, are suggested now by the composition which, in accordance with promises previously given, waits the suitable time). For doubting, in Timaoeus, whether we ought to regard several worlds as to be understood by many heavens, or this one, he makes no distinction in the names, calling the world and heaven by the same name. But the words of the statement are as follows: "Whether, then, have we rightly spoken of one heaven, or of many and infinite? It were more correct to say one, if indeed it was created according to the model." Further, in the Epistle of the Romans to the Corinthians it is written, "An ocean illimitable by men and the worlds after it." Consequently, therefore, the noble apostle exclaims, "Oh the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God!"

Now after I heard these things, O my son [Messos, I was] afraid and [I turned toward the crowd ... ] [...] thought [...] [...] [...] ... [...] [empowers those who are able] to know these things [by a] greater revelation, but I was able--even though flesh was upon me--to hear from about these things. And because of the wisdom that is in them, the thought within me distinguished things beyond measure from unknowable things. Therefore I fear that my wisdom has become excessive."

(37) Timaeus: and the circle of the Same, spinning truly, declares the facts, reason and knowledge of necessity result. But should anyone assert that the substance in which these two states arise is something other than Soul, his assertion will be anything rather than the truth. And when the Father that engendered it perceived it in motion and alive, a thing of joy to the eternal gods, He too rejoiced ; and being well-pleased He designed to make it resemble its Model

(12) Thomas said to him: "Lord, Savior, why did these come to be, and why were these revealed?"

(2) Jesus said unto them: "There is no mystery which is more excellent than these mysteries on which ye question, in that it will lead your souls into the Light of the lights, into the regions of Truth and Goodness, into the region of the Holy of all holies, into the region in which there is neither female nor male, nor are there forms in that region, but a perpetual indescribable Light. Nothing more excellent is there, therefore, than these mysteries on which ye question, save only the mystery of the seven Voices and their nine-and-forty powers and their ciphers. And there is no name which is more excellent than them all, the name in which are all names and all lights and all powers.

(10) These things should seem to thee, Asclepius, if thou dost understand them, true; but if thou dost not understand, things not to be believed. To understand is to believe, to not believe is not to understand. My word (logos) doth go before [thee] to the truth. But mighty is the mind, and when it hath been led by word up to a certain point, it hath the power to come before [thee] to the truth. And having thought o'er all these things, and found them consonant with those which have already been translated by the reason, it hath [e'en now] believed, and found its rest in that Fair Faith. To those, then, who by God['s good aid] do understand the things that have been said [by us] above, they're credible; but unto those who understand them not, incredible. Let so much, then, suffice on thought-and-sense.

(17) Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear has heard and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human mind."

(69) Timaeus: from which we arrived hither. In this way we shall endeavor now to supplement our story with a conclusion and a crown in harmony with what has gone before. As we stated at the commencement, all these things were in a state of disorder, when God implanted in them proportions both severally in relation to themselves and in their relations to one another, so far as it was in any way possible for them to be in harmony and proportion. For at that time nothing partook thereof, save by accident, nor was it possible to name anything worth mentioning which bore the names we now give them, such as fire and water,

(50) Timaeus: coming severally into existence, and “wherefrom” in turn they perish, in describing that and that alone should we employ the terms “this” and “that”; whereas, in describing what is “suchlike”—hot, for instance, or white, or any of the opposite qualities, or any compounds thereof—we ought never to apply to it any of these terms. But we must bestir ourselves to explain this matter again yet more clearly. Now imagine that a man were to model all possible figures out of gold, and were then to proceed without cessation to remodel each of these into every other, then, if someone were to point to one of the figures and ask what it is,

(1) Jesus continued again and said unto his disciples: "Yet further, O my disciples and companions and brethren, let every one be sober in the spirit which is in him, let him understand and comprehend all the words which I shall say unto you; for from now on will I begin to discourse with you concerning all the gnoses of that Ineffable. "That mystery knoweth why the west hath arisen and why the east hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the south hath arisen and why the north hath arisen. Yet further, O my disciples, hearken and continue to be sober and hearken to the total gnosis of the mystery of the Ineffable. "That mystery knoweth why the demons have arisen and why mankind hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the heat hath arisen and why the pleasant air hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the stars have arisen and why the clouds have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the earth became deep and why the water came thereon. "And that mystery knoweth why the earth became dry and why the water came thereon. "And that mystery knoweth why famine hath arisen and why superfluity hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the hoar-frost hath arisen and why the healthful dew hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the dust hath arisen and why the delightsome freshness hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the hail hath arisen and why the pleasant snow hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the west wind hath arisen and why the east wind hath arisen. ("And that mystery knoweth why the fire of the height hath arisen and why the waters have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the east wind hath arisen. [? miscopied.]) "And that mystery knoweth why the south wind hath arisen and why the north wind hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the stars of the heaven and the disks of the light-givers have arisen and why the firmament with all its veils hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the rulers of the spheres have arisen and why the sphere with all its regions hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the rulers of the æons have arisen and why the æons with their veils have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the tyrant rulers of the æons have arisen and why the rulers who have repented have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the servitors have arisen and why the decans have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the angels have arisen and why the archangels have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the lords have arisen and why the gods have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the jealousy in the height hath arisen and why concord hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why hate hath arisen and why love hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why discord hath arisen and why concord hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why avarice hath arisen and why renunciation of all hath arisen and love of possessions hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why love of the belly hath arisen and why satiety hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the paired have arisen and why the unpaired have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why impiety hath arisen and why fear of God hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the light-givers have arisen and why the sparks have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the thrice-powerful have arisen and why the invisibles have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the fore-fathers have arisen and why the purities have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the great self-willed hath arisen and why his faithful have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the great triple-powerful hath arisen and why the great invisible forefather hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the thirteenth æon hath arisen and why the region of those of the Midst hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why receivers of the Midst have arisen and why the virgins of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the ministers of the Midst have arisen and why the angels of the Midst have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the light-land hath arisen and why the great receiver of the light hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the guards of the region of the Right have arisen and why the leaders of them have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the gate of life hath arisen and why Sabaōth, the Good, hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the region of the Right hath arisen and why the light-land, which is the treasury of the light, hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the emanations of the light have arisen and why the twelve saviours have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the three gates of the treasury of the light have arisen and why the nine guards have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the twin-saviours have arisen and why the three Amēns have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the five Trees have arisen and why the seven Amēns have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the Mixture which existeth not, hath arisen and why it is purified."

(13) H: Not any one of these is He; for He it is that causeth them to be, both all and each and every thing of all that are. Nor hath He left a thing beside that is-not; but they are all from things-that-are and not from things-that-are-not. For that the things-that-are-not have naturally no power of being anything, but naturally have the power of the inability-to-be. And, conversely, the things-that-are have not the nature of some time not-being.

(7) And Jesus answered and said unto John: "Finely indeed do ye question on all with precision and certainty. But now, therefore, John, hearken that I may discourse with thee. Every one who hath received mysteries of the Light, will abide in the region up to which every one hath received mysteries, and he hath not the power to go into the height into the orders which are above him. "That mystery knoweth why the darkness hath arisen and why the light hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the darkness of the darknesses hath arisen and why the light of the lights hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the chaos hath arisen and why the treasury of the light hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the judgments have arisen and why the light-land and the region of the inheritances of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the chastisements of the sinners have arisen and why the rest of the kingdom of the light hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the sinners have arisen and why the inheritances of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the impious have arisen and why the good have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the chastisements and judgments have arisen and why all the emanations of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the sins have arisen and why the baptisms and the mysteries of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the fire of chastisement hath arisen and why the seals of the light, so that the fire should not harm them, have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why wrath hath arisen and why peace hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why slander hath arisen and why songs of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the prayers of the light have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why cursing hath arisen and why blessing hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why knavery hath arisen and why deceit hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the slaying hath arisen and why the quickening of the souls hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why adultery and fornication have arisen and why purity hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why intercourse hath arisen and why continence hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why insolence and boasting have arisen and why humbleness and meekness have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why tears have arisen and why laughter hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why slander hath arisen and why good report hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why appreciation hath arisen and why disdain of men hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why murmuring hath arisen and why innocence and humbleness have arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why sin hath arisen and why purity hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why strength hath arisen and why weakness hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why motion of body hath arisen and why its utility hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why poverty hath arisen and why wealth hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why the freedom [?] of the world hath arisen and why slavery hath arisen. "And that mystery knoweth why death hath arisen and why life hath arisen."

(2) And when the disciples had heard this, they fell down, adored Jesus and said "Blessed are we beyond all men, because thou hast revealed unto us these great wonders." They continued, besought him and said: "We beseech thee, reveal unto us: What are then these ways?" When then Mary said this weeping, Jesus answered in great compassion and said unto them: "Truly, my brethren and beloved, who have abandoned father and mother for my name's sake, unto you will I give all mysteries and all gnoses. "I will give you the mystery of the twelve æons of the rulers and their seals and their ciphers and the manner of invocation for reaching their regions. "I will give you moreover the mystery of the thirteenth æon and the manner of invocation for reaching their regions, and I will give you their ciphers and their seals. "And I will give you the mystery of the baptism of those of the Midst and the manner of invocation for reaching their regions, and I will announce unto you their ciphers and their seals. "And I will give you the baptism of those of the Right, our region, and its ciphers and its seals and the manner of invocation for reaching thither. "And I will give you the great mystery of the Treasury of the Light and the manner of invocation for reaching thither. "I will give you all the mysteries and all the gnoses, in order that ye may be called 'children of the fulness, perfected in all the gnoses and all the mysteries.' Blessed are ye beyond all men on earth, for the children of the Light are come in your time."

(1) It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished saying these words to his disciples, that he continued again in the discourse, and said unto them: "Lo, I have then put on my Vesture, and all authority hath been given me through the First Mystery. Yet a little while and I will tell you the mystery of the universe and the fulness of the universe; and I will hide nothing from you from this hour on, but in fulness will I perfect you in all fulness and in all perfection and in all mysteries, which are the perfection of all perfections and the fulness of all fulnesses and the gnosis of all gnoses,--those which are in my Vesture. I will tell you all mysteries from the exteriors of the exteriors to the interiors of the interiors. But hearken that I may tell you all things which have befallen me.

(110) For they are an imitation of his Mind, but that which is fabricated hath something of Body.

(6) Now, to fill fully each desire of thine, Return I to elucidate one place, In order that thou there mayst see as I do. Thou sayst: 'I see the air, I see the fire, The water, and the earth, and all their mixtures Come to corruption, and short while endure; And these things notwithstanding were created;' Therefore if that which I have said were true, They should have been secure against corruption. The Angels, brother, and the land sincere In which thou art, created may be called Just as they are in their entire existence; But all the elements which thou hast named, And all those things which out of them are made, By a created virtue are informed.

(2) "For the dead bury their dead." Whence Jeremiah says: "I will fill it with the earth-born dead whom mine anger has smitten." God, then, being not a subject for demonstration, cannot be the object of science. But the Son is wisdom, and knowledge, and truth, and all else that has affinity thereto. He is also susceptible of demonstration and of description. And all the powers of the Spirit, becoming collectively one thing, terminate in the same point - that is, in the Son. But He is incapable of being declared, in respect of the idea of each one of His powers. And the Son is neither simply one thing as one thing, nor many things as parts, but one thing as all things; whence also He is all things. For He is the circle of all powers rolled and united into one unity.

(5) And Jesus had not told his disciples of what type are the five Helpers, nor into what region they are brought; nor had he told them how the great Light hath expanded itself, nor into what region it hath been brought; nor had he told them of the five Impressions, nor as to the First Commandment, into what region they have been brought. But he had discoursed with them generally, teaching that they exist, but he had not told them their expansion and the order of their regions, how they are. For this cause they have not known that there were also other regions within that mystery. And he had not told his disciples: "I have gone forth out of such and such regions until I entered into that mystery, and until I went forth out of it"; but, in teaching them, he said to them: "I am come forth from that mystery." For this cause then they thought of that mystery, that it is the completion of completions, and that it is the head of the universe and that it is the total Fulness. For Jesus had said to his disciples: "That mystery surroundeth that universe of which I have spoken unto you from the day when I met with you even unto this day." For this cause then the disciples thought there is nothing within that mystery.