(1) It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that John came forward and said: "My Lord, suppose a sinning and a law-breaking man is replete in all iniquities, and he hath ceased from these for the sake of the kingdom of heaven and renounced the whole world and the whole matter therein, and we give him from the be-ginning onwards the mysteries of the Light which are in the first space from without, and if he receiveth the mysteries, and after a little while again if he returneth and transgresseth, and thereafter again if he turneth and ceaseth from all sins and turneth and renounceth the whole world and the whole matter therein, so that he cometh again and is in great repentance, and if we know truly in truth that he longeth after God, so that we give him the second mystery of the first space which is from without;--in like manner if he turneth anew and transgresseth and is again in the sins of the world, and again if he thereafter turneth and ceaseth from the sins of the world and again renounceth the whole world and the whole matter therein and again is in great repentance, and we know it with certainty that he is not a play-actor, so that we turn and give him the mysteries of the beginning, which [are] in the first space from without;--in like manner, if he turneth again and sinneth and is in every type [of sin];--desirest thou that we forgive him unto seven times and give him the mysteries which are in the first space from without, unto seven times or not?" The Saviour answered again and said unto John: "Not only forgive him unto seven times,

(2) but amēn, I say unto you: Forgive him unto many times seven times, and every time give him the mysteries from the beginning onwards which are in the first space from without. Perchance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom. "For this cause, therefore, when ye questioned me aforetime, saying: 'If our brother sin against us, desirest thou that we forgive him unto seven times?'--I answered and spake unto you in a similitude, saying: 'Not only unto seven times, but unto seventy times seven.' "Now, therefore, forgive him many times and every time give him the mysteries which are in the first space which is from without. Perchance ye win the soul of that brother and he inheriteth the Light-kingdom.

(2) When then the Saviour had said this, he said unto his disciples: "Understand ye in what manner I speak with you?" And Mary answered again and said: "Yea, my Lord, already have I seized on all the words if he again turneth and transgresseth twelve times and again twelve times repenteth, praying in the mystery of the First Mystery, it will be forgiven. "But if after the twelve times he again transgresseth and turneth and transgresseth, it will not be forgiven him for ever, so that he should turn himself to any [mystery] of his mystery; and this [man] hath not repentance unless he receiveth the mysteries of the Ineffable, which have compassion at every time and forgive at every time."

(2) It came to pass then, when Jesus had finished speaking these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: "Do ye understand in what manner I discourse with you?" And Peter started forward and said unto Jesus: And Peter answered and said unto Jesus "O Lord, give ear that I may speak the thought of her repentance, of which aforetime thy power prophesied through the prophet David, uttering her repentance in the seventieth Psalm: "'1. O God, my God, I have trusted in thee, let me no more be put to shame for ever. "'2. Save me in thy righteousness and set me free; incline thine ear unto me and save me. "'3. Be unto me a strong God and a firm place to save me; for thou art my strength and my refuge. "'4. My God, save me from the hand of the sinner and from the hand of the transgressor and from the impious [one]. "'5. For thou art my endurance, O Lord, thou art my hope from my youth up. "'6. I have trusted myself to thee from my mother's womb; thou hast brought me out of my mother's womb. My remembrance is ever in thee. "'7. I have become as the crazy for many; thou art my help and my strength, thou art my deliverer, O Lord. "'8. My mouth was filled with glorifying, that I may praise the glory of thy splendour the whole day long. "'9. Cast me not away in the time of age; if my soul fades, forsake me not. "'10. For mine enemies have spoken evil against me and they who lay in wait for my soul, have taken counsel against my soul, "'11. Saying together: God hath forsaken him; pursue and seize him, for there is no saviour. "'12. God, give heed to my help. "'13. Let them be ashamed and destroyed who calumniate my soul. Let them be enwrapped in shame and disgrace who seek evil against me.' "This then is the solution of the second repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."

(1) Thereafter Jesus saw a woman who came to make repentance. He had baptized her three times, and yet she had not done what was worthy of the baptisms. And the Saviour desired to try Peter, to see if he was compassionate and forgiving, as he had commanded them. He said unto Peter: "Lo, three times have I baptized this soul, and yet at this third time she hath not done what is worthy of the mysteries of the Light. Wherefor then cloth she make her body good for nothing? Now, therefore, Peter, perform the mystery which cutteth off the souls from the inheritances of the Light; perform that mystery in order that it may cut off the soul of this woman from the Inheritance of the Light." When then the Saviour had said this, he tried [Peter] to see whether he was compassionate and forgiving. When then the Saviour had said this, Peter said: "My Lord, let her yet this time, that we may give her the higher mysteries; and if she is fit, then hast thou let her inherit the Light-kingdom, but if she is not fit, then hast thou [to] cut her off from the Light-kingdom." When then Peter had said this, the Saviour knew that Peter was compassionate as he and forgiving. When then all this was said, the Saviour said unto his disciples: "Have ye understood all these words and the type of this woman?"

(2) When then Jesus had said this unto his disciples, he said unto them: "Now, therefore, let him whom his spirit stirreth, come forward and speak the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia." Peter answered and said: "O Lord, concerning this thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the one-hundred-and-nineteenth Psalm; saying: Jesus said unto him: "Well said, Peter, and finely. This is the solution of the tenth repentance of Pistis Sophia."

(8) It came to pass then thereafter that Jesus gave command: "Let all the powers of the Left go to their regions." And Jesus with his disciples remained on the Mount of Galilee. The disciples continued and besought him: "For how long then hast thou not let our sins which we have committed, and our iniquities be forgiven and made us worthy of the kingdom of thy father? And Jesus said unto them: "Amēn, I say

(25) Peter said to him, Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world?

(1) [paragraph continues] "My Lord, we will not endure this woman, for she taketh the opportunity from us and hath let none of us speak, but she discourseth many times." And Jesus answered and said unto his disciples: "Let him in whom the power of his spirit shall seethe, so that he understandeth what I say, come forward and speak. But now, Peter, I see thy power in thee, that it understandeth the solution of the mystery of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered. Now, therefore, Peter, speak the thought of her repentance in the midst of thy brethren."

(1) Peter said: "My Lord, let the women cease to question, in order that we also may question." Jesus said unto Mary and the women: "Give opportunity to your men brethren, that they also may question." Peter answered and said: "My Lord, a robber and thief, whose sin is this persistently, when he cometh out of the body, what is his chastisement?"

(2) And Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass again thereafter that Pistis Sophia cried unto me, saying: "O Light of lights, I have transgressed in the twelve æons, and have descended from them; wherefor have I uttered the twelve repentances, [one] for each æon. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, forgive me my transgression, for it is exceedingly great, because I have abandoned the regions of the height and have come to dwell in the regions of the chaos.' "When then Pistis Sophia had said this, she continued again in the thirteenth repentance, saying: "'1. Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy great grace; according to the fulness of thy mercy blot out my sin. "'2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity. "'3. And may my sin be ever present to thee, "'4. That thou mayest be justified in thy words and prevail when thou judgest me.' "This is then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered." Jesus said unto her: "Well said, finely, Martha, blessed [one]."

(2) Mary answered and said: "My Lord, all men who shall receive the mysteries of the mystery of the Ineffable, and have turned again, have transgressed and have ceased in their faith, and again thereafter, when they are still in life, have turned and have repented, how many times will it be forgiven them?" The Saviour answered and said unto Mary: "Amēn, amēn, I say unto you: To every man who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable, not only if he transgresseth once, turneth again and repenteth, will it be forgiven, but if at any time he transgresseth, and if, when still in life, he turneth again and repenteth, without play- acting, and again if he turneth and repenteth and prayeth in any of his mysteries, then will it be forgiven him, because he hath received of the gift of the mysteries of the Ineffable, and moreover because those mysteries are compassionate and forgive at every time." And Mary answered again and said unto Jesus: "My Lord, those who shall receive the mysteries of the Ineffable, and have again turned, have transgressed and have ceased in their faith and are moreover come out of the body before they have repented, what will befall such?"

(1) Jesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples: "It came to pass, when Pistis Sophia had finished uttering the sixth repentance for the forgiveness of her transgression, that she turned again to the height, to see if her sins were forgiven her, and to see whether they would lead her up out of the chaos. But by commandment of the First Mystery not yet was she hearkened to, so that her sin should be forgiven and she should be led up out of the chaos. When then she had turned to the height to see whether her repentance were accepted from her, she saw all the rulers of the twelve æons mocking at her and rejoicing over her because her repentance was not accepted from her. When then she saw that they mocked at her, she grieved exceedingly and lifted up her voice to the height in her seventh repentance, saying:

(5) Then in one word he asks us, "Whose is the world, and all that is in the world? Are they not God's? " Wherefore Peter says, that the Lord said to the apostles: "If any one of Israel then, wishes to repent, and by my name to believe in God, his sins shall be forgiven him, after twelve years. Go forth into the world, that no one may say, We have not heard."