“My God, my God, why, lord, have you forsaken me?” He spoke these words on the cross, for he had left that place.

(82) I only said, "Is it right? " and He forsook me. Why dost Thou flee from the cries of us on earth? Why pourest Thou sorrow on the heart of the sorrowful? O Thou who, as each new morn dawns from the east, Art seen uprising anew, like a bright fountain! What excuse makest Thou for Thy witcheries? O Thou whose lips are sweeter than sugar, Thou that ever renewest the life of this old world, Hear the cry of this lifeless body and heart! But, for God's sake, leave off telling of the Rose;

(3) When then Jesus had said this, he said unto his disciples: "Who hath ears to hear, let him hear." "'1. Lord, God of my salvation, by day and by night have I cried unto thee. "'2. Let my weeping come before thee; incline thine ear to my supplication, O Lord. "'3. For my soul is full of evil, my life hath drawn nigh to the world below. "'4. I am counted among them who have gone down into the pit; I am become as a man who hath no helper. "'5. The free among the dead are as the slain who are thrown away and sleep in tombs, whom thou no more rememberest, and they are destroyed through thy hands. "'6. They have set me in a pit below, in darkness and shadow of death. "'7. Thy wrath hath settled down upon me and all thy cares have come upon me. (Selah.) "'8. Thou hast put away mine acquaintances far from me; they have made me an abomination for them. They have abandoned me, and I cannot go forth. "'9. My eye hath become dim in my misery; I have cried unto thee, O Lord, the whole day and have stretched forth my hands unto thee. "'10. Wilt thou not surely work thy wonders on the dead? Will not surely the physicians arise and confess thee? "'11. Will they not surely proclaim thy name in the tombs, "'12. And thy righteousness in a land which thou hast forgotten? "'13. But I have cried unto thee, O Lord, and my prayer shall reach thee early in the morning. "'14. Turn not thy face away from me. "15. For I am miserable, I am in sorrow from my youth up. And when I had exalted myself, I humbled myself and arose. "'16. Thy angers are come upon me and thy terrors have brought me into delusion. "'17. They have surrounded me as water; they have seized upon me the whole day long. "'18. My fellows hast thou kept far from me and my acquaintances from my misery.' "This is then the solution of the mystery of the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was oppressed in the chaos."

(46) But now we must not think, that the holy Man in Christ died, for that died not; but the mortal [Man] from the Kingdom of this World [is that which died,] that [was it which] cried (on the Cross) My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me! And we see very clearly the great Might [and Power] of the holy Man in Christ, when the Mortal (which was taken from this World) went into Death, how the holy almighty [Man] wrestled with Death, insomuch that the Elements shaked with it, and the Sun (which is the Light of the Nature of this World) lost its Splendor, as if it were then to perish; and then the living Champion in Christ fought with the Anger, and stood in the Hell of the Anger of God, and loosed the Soul (which he commended into his Father's Hands) quite off from the Anger of God, also from the Source [or Torment] of Hell; and this was that which David said; Thou wilt not leave my Soul in Hell, nor permit thy holy [one] to perish.

(1) And when Jesus had spoken this, Matthew came forward and said: "My Lord, thy spirit hath stirred me and thy light hath made me sober to proclaim this eighth repentance of Pistis Sophia. For thy power hath prophesied thereof aforetime through David in the thirtieth Psalm, saying: "'1. On thee, O Lord, have I hoped. Let me never be put to shame; save me according to thy righteousness. "'2. Incline thine ear unto me, save me quickly. Be thou unto me a protecting God and a house of refuge to save me. "'3. For thou art my support and my refuge; for thy name's sake thou wilt guide me and feed me. "'4. And thou wilt draw me out of this snare, which they have laid privily for me; for thou art my protection. "'5. Into thy hands I will render my spirit; thou hast redeemed me, O Lord, God of Truth. "'6. Thou hast hated them who hold to vain emptiness; but I have trusted. "'7. And I shall rejoice because of my Lord and make merry over thy grace. For thou hast looked down upon my humbleness and saved my soul out of my necessities. "'8. And thou hast not shut me up in the hands of my foes; thou hast set my feet on a broad space. "'9. Be gracious unto me, O Lord, for I am afflicted; my eye is distracted in the wrath and my soul and my body. "'10. For my years have wasted away in sadness and my life is wasted in sighing. My power is enfeebled in misery and my bones are distracted. "'11. I am become a mockery for all my foes and my neighbours. I am become a fright for my acquaintances, and they who saw me, are fled away from me. "'12. I am forgotten in their heart as a corpse, and I have become as a ruined vessel. "'13. For I have heard the scorn of many who encompass me round about. Massing themselves together against me, they took counsel to take away my soul from me. "'14. But I have trusted in thee, O Lord. I said: Thou art my God. "'15. My lots are in thy hands. Save me from the hand of my foes and free me from my persecutors. "'16. Reveal thy face over thy slave, and free me according to thy grace, O Lord. "'17. Let me not be put to shame, for I have cried unto, thee. Let the impious be put to shame and turn towards hell. "'18. Let the crafty lips be struck dumb, which allege iniquity against the righteous in pride and scorn.'"

(59) Thus I will not be angry with my God, though for his name's sake I should endure shame, ignominy and reproach, which springeth, buddeth and blossometh for me every day, so that I am almost inured to it: I will sing with the prophet David [Psalm lxxiii 26], Though my body and soul should faint and fail, yet thou, O God, art my trust and confidence; also my salvation, and the comfort of my heart.

(2) "'1. Lord, give ear unto my supplication and let my voice reach unto thee. "'2. Turn not away thy face from me; incline thine ear unto me in the day when I am oppressed; quickly give ear to me on the day when I shall cry unto thee. "'3. For my days are vanished as smoke and my bones are parched as stone. "'4. I am scorched as the grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread. "'5. From the voice of my groaning my bones cleaved to my flesh. "'6. I am become as a pelican in the desert; I am become as a screech-owl in the house. "'7. I have passed the night watching; I am become as a sparrow alone on the roof. "'8. My enemies have reviled me all the day long, and they who honour me, have injured me. "'9. For I have eaten ashes instead of my bread and mixed my drink with tears, "'10. Because of thy wrath and thy rage; for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down. "'11. My days have declined as a shadow, and I am dried up as the grass, "'12. But thou, O Lord, thou endurest for ever, and thy remembrance unto the generation of generation[s]. "'13. Arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time is come to have mercy upon her; the proper time is come. "'14. Thy servants have longed for her stones, and will take pity on her land. "'15. And the nations will have fear of the name of the Lord, and the kings of the earth have fear of thy sovereignty. "'16. For the Lord will build up Zion and reveal himself in his sovereignty. "17. He hath regarded the prayer of the humble and hath not despised their supplication. "'18. This shall be recorded for another generation, and the people who shall be created will praise the Lord. "'19. Because he hath looked down on his holy height; the Lord hath looked down from the heaven on the earth, "'20. To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the sons of those who are slain, "'21. To proclaim the name of the Lord in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem.' "This, my Lord, is the solution of the mystery of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."

(32) And man's jealousy is only an offshoot from God's. But, let me now quit this subject, and make complaint Complaints of God's harsh dealings with His adoring slaves. "Wherefore dost thou abandon thy creed and faith? What matters it if it be heathen or true? Why hast thou forsaken thy Beloved? What matters it if she be fair or ugly?" Let me then, I say, make complaint I cry, and my cries sound sweet in His ear; How shall I not wail under His chastening hand?

(3) It was my cross that the world did not accept, my apparent exaltation, my third baptism in a revealed image. When they had fled from the fire of the seven authorities, and the sun of the powers of the rulers set, darkness overtook them. And the world became poor. After they bound him with many restraints, they nailed him to the cross, and they fastened him with four nails of brass. The veil of his temple he tore with his hands. There was a trembling that overcame the chaos of the earth, for the souls that were in the sleep below were released, and they arose. They walked about boldly, having shed jealousy of ignorance and unlearnedness beside the dead tombs; having put on the new human; having come to know that perfect blessed one of the eternal and incomprehensible father and the infinite light, which is I. When I came to my own and united them with myself, there was no need for many words, for our thought was with their thought. Therefore they knew what I was saying, for we took counsel about the destruction of the rulers. And therefore I did the will of the father, who is I.

(81) Thou hast drunk blood of grapes, nay, my blood! Go! for I know thee not. Get away! I am a lover beside himself, whose words are wild. Thou fanciest thyself near to God, Saying, "The maker of the dish is not far from the dish." Knowest thou not that the nearness of saints to God Involves the power to do mighty works and signs? Iron was as wax in the hands of David, God's nearness and His beneficence are common to all, Nearness is of various kinds, O son,

(1) "'1. Out of the depths I have cried unto thee, O Lord. "'2. Hearken unto my voice; let thine ears give heed to the voice of my supplication. "'3. O Lord, if thou heedest my iniquities, who will be able to pass [the test]? "'4. For pardon is in thy hands; for the sake of thy name have I waited for thee, O Lord. "'5. My soul hath waited for thy word. "'6. My soul hath hoped in the Lord from the morning until the evening. Let Israel hope in the Lord from the morning until the evening. "'7. For grace standeth by the Lord and with him is great redemption. "'8. And he will deliver Israel from all his iniquities.'

(3) "'1. I will give thanks unto thee, O Lord, for thou art my God. "'2. Abandon me not, O Lord, for thou art! my hope. "'3. Thou hast given me thy vindication for naught, and I am saved through thee. "'4. Let them who pursue me, fall down and let them not see me. "'5. May a smoke-cloud cover their eyes and an air-mist darken them, and let them not see the day, so that they may not seize me. "'6. May their resolution be impotent, and may what they concoct come upon them. "'7. They have devised a resolution, and it hath not taken effect for them. "'8. And they are vanquished, although they be mighty, and what they have wickedly pre-pared is fallen upon them. "'9. My hope is in the Lord, and I shall not be afraid, for thou art my God, my Saviour.'" It came to pass then, when Salome had finished saying these words, that Jesus said unto her: "Well said, Salome; and finely. This is the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."

(2) I was greatly troubled in my groaning. I will bathe my bed and my cover each night with my tears. I have become old in the midst of all my enemies. Depart from me, all you who work at lawlessness, for look, the lord has heard the cry of my weeping and the lord has heard my prayer.

(166) O, why do I pity thee, thou stinking goat? O thou cursed stinking devil! how hast thou spoiled us? How wilt thou excuse thyself? What wilt thou object to me? Objection.

(36) And now when this earnest Business was taken in Hand, that the Saviour of the World hung on the Cross, as a Curse, and wrestled with Earth and Hell, he said, / thirst. O that great Thirst! The fierce wrathful Kingdom was weary, as also the Kingdom of this World, they desired Strength; and the Kingdom of Heaven thirsted after our Souls; it was a Thirst of all the three Principles.

(164) O noble guest! O, why didst thou depart from us! O fierceness, wrath and astringency or severity, thou art the cause of it! O fierce wrathful devil! O, what hast thou done, who hast sunk down thyself and thy beautiful bright angels into darkness? Woe, woe for ever!

(3) "'1. O Lord, unto thee have I lifted up my soul, O my God. "'2. I have abandoned myself unto thee; let me not be put to shame and let not mine enemies mock at me. "'3. For all who wait upon thee shall not be put to shame; let them be put to shame who do iniquity without a cause. "'4. O Lord, show me thy ways and teach me thy paths. "'5. Lead me in the way of thy truth and teach me, for thou art my God and my saviour; on thee will I wait all the day long. "'6. Call to remembrance thy mercies, O Lord, and the favours of thy grace, for they are from eternity. "'7. Remember not the sins of my youth and those of my ignorance. Remember me according to the fulness of thy mercy because of thy goodness, O Lord. "'8. The Lord is gracious and sincere; therefore fore will he instruct sinners in the way. "'9. He will guide the tender-hearted in the judgment and will teach the tender-hearted his ways. "'10. All the ways of the Lord are grace and truth for them who seek his righteousness and his testimonies. "'11. For thy name's sake, O Lord, forgive me my sin, [for] it is exceedingly great. "'12. Who is the man who feareth the Lord? For him will he establish laws in the way which he hath chosen. "'13. His soul will abide in good things and his seed will inherit the land. "'14. The Lord is the strength of them who fear him; and the name of the Lord belongeth to them who fear him, to make known unto them his covenant. "'15. Mine eyes are raised ever unto the Lord, for he will draw my feet out of the snare. "'16. Look down upon me and be gracious unto me, for I am an only-begotten; I am wretched. "'17. The afflictions of my heart have in-creased; bring me out of my necessities. "'18. Look upon my abasement and my woe, and forgive me all my sins. "'19. Look upon mine enemies, how they have increased themselves and hated me with unjust hatred. "'20. Preserve my soul and save me; let me not be put to shame, for I have hoped on thee. "'21. The simple and sincere have joined themselves to me, for I have waited on thee, O Lord. "'22. O God, deliver Israel from all his afflictions.'"