Passages similar to: Apocalypse of Adam — The Illuminator of Knowledge
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Gnostic
Apocalypse of Adam
The Illuminator of Knowledge (2)
Then the god of the powers is disturbed and says, "What is the power of this person who is higher than we are?" Then he brings a great wrath against that person. And glory withdraws and lives in holy houses it has chosen for itself. The powers do not see it with their eyes, nor do they see the illuminator. They punish the flesh of the one over whom the holy spirit has come.
O Light, smite down them who have taken away my power from me, and take away the power from them who have taken away mine from me. "'2. For I am thy p...
(3) "'1. O Light, smite down them who have taken away my power from me, and take away the power from them who have taken away mine from me. "'2. For I am thy power and thy light. Come and save me. "'3. Let great darkness cover my oppressors. Say unto my power: I am he who will save thee. "'4. Let all those who would take away my light from me utterly, lack their power. Let them face about unto the chaos and become powerless, who would take away my light from me utterly. "'5. Let their power be as dust, and let Yew, thy angel, smite them. "'6. And if they would go into the height, let darkness seize upon them and let them slip down and turn to the chaos. And let thy angel Yew pursue them and cast them down into the darkness below. "'7. For they have set a lion-faced power as a trap for me, although I have done them no ill, from which its light will be taken; and they have oppressed the power in me, which they will not be able to take away. "'8. Now, therefore, O Light, take away the purification from the lion-faced power without its knowing it,--the thought which Self-willed hath thought, to take away my light; take away his own and let the light be taken away from the lion-faced power, which set the trap for me. "'9. But my power will exult in the Light and rejoice that he will save it. "'10. And all the portions of my power shall say: There is no saviour but thee. For thou wilt save me out of the hand of the lion-faced power, which hath taken away my power from me, and thou savest me out of the hands of them who have taken away my power and my light from me. "'11. For they have risen up against me, lying against me and saying that I know the mystery of the Light which is in the height, [the Light] in which I have had faith. And they have constrained me, [saying:] Tell unto us the mystery of the Light in the height,--that which I know not. "'12. And they have requited me with all this ill because I have had faith in the Light of the height; and they have made my power lightless. "'13. But when they constrained me, I sat in the darkness, my soul bowed down in mourning. "'14. And do thou, O Light--for that reason sing I praise to thee--save me. I know that thou wilt save me because I fulfilled thy will ever since I was in my æon. I fulfilled thy will, as the invisibles who are in my region, and as my pair. And I mourned, looking unceasingly and searching for the Light. "'15. Now, therefore, have all the emanations of Self-willed surrounded me and rejoiced over me and sore oppressed me without my knowing [paragraph continues] [them]. And they have fled away and ceased from me but have had no pity upon me. "'16. They have returned again and made trial of me and they have oppressed me in great oppression and ground their teeth against me, desiring to take away my light from me utterly. "'17. How long, therefore, O Light, dost thou suffer them, that they oppress me? Save my power from their evil thoughts and save me from the hand of the lion-faced power; for I alone of the invisibles am in this region. "'18. I will sing praises unto thee, O Light, in the midst of all who are gathered together against me, and I will cry unto thee in the midst of all who oppress me. "'19. Now, therefore, O Light, let not them who hate me and desire to take away my power from me, rejoice over me--who hate me and flash their eyes against me, though I have not done anything unto them. "'20. For indeed they have fawned upon me with sweet words, asking me concerning the mysteries of the Light which I know not, and have craftily spoken against me and been enraged against me, because I have had faith in the Light in the height. "'21. They have opened their chops against me and said.: Well indeed, we will take from her her light. "'22. Now, therefore, O Light, thou hast known their guile; suffer them not and let not thy help be far from me. "'23. Quickly, O Light, vindicate and avenge me, "'24. And give judgment on me according to thy goodness. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, let them not take away my light from me, "'25. And let them not say in their heart: Our power is glutted with her light. And let them not say: We have consumed her power. "'26. But rather let darkness come upon them, and let those who long to take away my light from me, become powerless, and let them be clothed with chaos and darkness, who say there: We will take away her light and her power. "'27. Now, therefore, save me that I may rejoice, for I long for the thirteenth æon, the region of Righteousness, and I shall say ever-more: May the light of thy angel Yew shine more and more. "'28. And my tongue will sing praises to thee in thy gnosis my whole time in the thirteenth æon.'
Chapter 5: Of the Corporeal Substance, Being and Propriety of an Angel. Question. (42)
For as the light goeth forth from the Son of God in the whole Father into all the powers, and affecteth all the powers of the Father, and on the other...
(42) For as the light goeth forth from the Son of God in the whole Father into all the powers, and affecteth all the powers of the Father, and on the other side all the powers of the Father affect the light of the Son of God wherefrom ariseth the Holy Spirit:
Chapter 6: How an Angel, and how a Man, is the Similitude and Image of God. (34)
Observe, when the gracious, amiable, blessed, joyful glance and light, together with the sweet power out of the Son of God, shineth into all powers...
(34) Observe, when the gracious, amiable, blessed, joyful glance and light, together with the sweet power out of the Son of God, shineth into all powers in the whole Father, then all the powers are kindled by the gracious, amiable, blessed, lovely light and sweet power, in a triumphing and joyful manner.
You are the great power that came into being, and I am the perfect light that is above the spirit and the darkness, the one who puts to shame the dark...
(2) "And by the will of the greatness my equality was revealed, that what is of the power might become apparent. You are the great power that came into being, and I am the perfect light that is above the spirit and the darkness, the one who puts to shame the darkness for the intercourse of impure rubbing. For through the division of nature the majesty wished to be covered with honor up to the height of the thought of the spirit. And the spirit received rest in his power. For the image of the light is inseparable from the unconceived spirit. And the lawgivers did not name him after all the clouds of nature, nor is it possible to name him. For every likeness into which nature had divided is a power of the chaotic fire, which is the material seed. The one who took to himself the power of the darkness imprisoned it in the midst of its members. And by the will of the majesty, in order that the mind and the whole light of the spirit might be protected from every burden and from the toil of nature, a voice came forth from the spirit to the cloud of the hymen. And the light of the astonishment began to rejoice with the voice that was granted to him. And the great spirit of light was in the cloud of the hymen. He honored the infinite light and the universal likeness, who I am, the son of the majesty, saying, 'Anasses Duses, you are the infinite light who was given by the will of the majesty to establish every light of the spirit upon the place, and to separate the mind from the darkness. For it was not right for the light of the spirit to remain in Hades. For at your wish the spirit arose to behold your greatness.'
Chapter 11 (The powers of the firmament are amazed and fall down and adore him)
And they gazed at the radiant vesture of light with which I was clad, and they saw the mystery which contains their names, and they feared most exceed...
(3) "And all rulers and all authorities and all angels therein were thrown all together into agitation because of the great light which was on me. And they gazed at the radiant vesture of light with which I was clad, and they saw the mystery which contains their names, and they feared most exceedingly. And all their bonds with which they were bound, were unloosed and every one left his order, and they all fell down before me, adored and said: 'How hath the lord of the universe passed through us without our knowing?' And they all sang praises together to the interiors of the interiors; but me they saw not, but they saw only the light. And they were in great fear and were exceedingly agitated and sang praises to the interiors of the interiors.
Its plotting taketh away the light from me all the time, and as sharp iron have they taken away power from me. "'3. I chose to descend into the chaos ...
(1) "'2. Its plotting taketh away the light from me all the time, and as sharp iron have they taken away power from me. "'3. I chose to descend into the chaos rather than to abide in the thirteenth æon, the region of Righteousness. "'4. And they desired to lead me craftily, in order to consume my whole light. "'5. For this cause then will the Light take away their whole light, and also their whole matter will be made naught. And it will take away their light and not suffer them to abide in the thirteenth æon, their dwelling-place, and will not have their name in the region of those who shall live. "'6. And the four-and-twenty emanations will see what hath befallen thee, O lion-faced power, and will be afraid and not be disobedient, but give the purification of their light. "'7. And they will see thee and will rejoice over thee and say: Lo, an emanation which hath not given the purification of its light, so that it may be saved, but boasted itself in the abundance of the light of its power, because it did not emanate from the power in it, and hath said: I will take away the light from Pistis Sophia, which will now be taken from it.' "Now, therefore, let him in whom his power is raised, come forward and proclaim the solution of the eleventh repentance of Pistis Sophia." Then Salome came forward and said: "My Lord, concerning this thy light-power prophesied aforetime through David in the fifty-first Psalm, saying:
"Who then knoweth that name, if he cometh out of the body of matter, nor smoke nor darkness nor authority nor ruler of the Fate-sphere nor angel nor...
(3) "Who then knoweth that name, if he cometh out of the body of matter, nor smoke nor darkness nor authority nor ruler of the Fate-sphere nor angel nor archangel nor power can hold down the soul which knoweth that name; but if it cometh out of the world and sayeth that name to the fire, it is quenched and the darkness withdraweth. "And if it sayeth it to the demons and to the receivers of the outer darkness and their rulers and their authorities and their powers, they will all sink down and their flame will burn and they will cry out: 'Holy, holy art thou, most holy of all holies.' "And if one sayeth that name to the receivers of the wicked chastisements and their authorities and all their powers and also to Barbēlō and the invisible god and the three triple-powered gods, straightway if one will say this name in those regions, they will all fall one on another, will be undone and destroyed and cry out: 'O Light of all lights, which is in the boundless lights, remember us and purify us.'" And when Jesus had finished saying these words, all his disciples cried out, wept with loud sobbing, saying: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
And there I saw the mansions of the elect and the mansions of the holy, and mine eyes saw there all the sinners being driven from thence which deny th...
(41) And there I saw the mansions of the elect and the mansions of the holy, and mine eyes saw there all the sinners being driven from thence which deny the name of the Lord of Spirits, and being dragged off: and they could not abide because of the punishment which proceeds from the Lord of Spirits.
Chapter 77 (Sophia again singeth a song to the Light)
O Light of lights, I have had faith in thee. Save me from all these rulers who pursue after me, and help me, "'2. That in sooth they may never take fr...
(2) "'1. O Light of lights, I have had faith in thee. Save me from all these rulers who pursue after me, and help me, "'2. That in sooth they may never take from me my light, as the lion-faced power [did]. For thy light is not with me and thy light-stream to save me. Nay, Adamas is the more enraged against me, saying unto me: Thou hast imprisoned my power in the chaos. "'3. Now, therefore, O Light of lights, if I have done this and have imprisoned it, if I have done any injustice at all to that power, "'4. Or if I have constrained it, as it hath constrained me, then let all these rulers who pursue after me, take my light from me and leave me empty; "'5. And let foe Adamas pursue after my power and seize upon it and take my light from me and cast it into his dark power which is in the chaos, and keep my power in the chaos. "'6. Now, therefore, O Light, lay hold on me in thy wrath and lift up thy power above my foes who have lifted themselves up against me to the very end. "'7. Quicken me quickly, as thou hast said unto me: I will help thee.'
And the Lord of Spirits seated him on the throne of His glory, And the spirit of righteousness was poured out upon him, And the word of his mouth slay...
(62) And the Lord of Spirits seated him on the throne of His glory, And the spirit of righteousness was poured out upon him, And the word of his mouth slays all the sinners, And all the unrighteous are destroyed from before his face.
Bayazid and his impious sayings when beside himself (11-20)
When that holy person had given this injunction, Again that overflowing cup became beside himself, Alienation came upon him, reason went astray,...
(11) When that holy person had given this injunction, Again that overflowing cup became beside himself, Alienation came upon him, reason went astray, Reason is like an officer when the king appears; Reason is God's shadow; God is the sun. What power has the shadow before the sun? When a man is possessed by an evil spirit Whatever he says is really said by that spirit, Though it seems to proceed from the man's mouth. When the spirit has this rule and dominance over him,
Chapter 12: Of the Nativity and Proceeding forth or Descent of the Holy Angels, as also of their Government, Order, and Heavenly joyous Life. (59)
In these three names and powers stand heaven and this world, and all whatsoever thy heart can think upon, and though thou shouldst draw a little...
(59) In these three names and powers stand heaven and this world, and all whatsoever thy heart can think upon, and though thou shouldst draw a little circle, which thou canst hardly look into, or which thou canst hardly discern, even less than the smallest point thou canst imagine, yet even in that is the whole divine power; and the Son of God is generated therein, and the Holy Ghost therein goeth forth from the Father and the Son; if not in love, then in wrath, as it is written, [Psalm xviii. 26] With the holy thou art holy, and with the perverse thou art perverse.
From that time those that possess the earth shall no longer be powerful and exalted: And they shall not be able to behold the face of the holy, For...
(38) From that time those that possess the earth shall no longer be powerful and exalted: And they shall not be able to behold the face of the holy, For the Lord of Spirits has caused His light to appear On the face of the holy, righteous, and elect.
Light of my salvation, I sing praise unto thee in the region of the height and again in the chaos. "'2. I sing praise unto thee in my hymn with which ...
(3) "'1. Light of my salvation, I sing praise unto thee in the region of the height and again in the chaos. "'2. I sing praise unto thee in my hymn with which I sang praise in the height and with which I sang praise unto thee when I was in the chaos. Let it come into thy presence, and give heed, O Light, to my repentance. "'3. For my power is filled up with darkness, and my light hath gone down into the chaos. "'4. I am myself become as the rulers of the chaos, who are gone into the darknesses below; I am become as a material body, which hath no one in the height who will save it. "'5. I am become also as matters from which their power hath been taken, when they are cast down into the chaos,--[matters] which thou hast not saved, and they are condemned utterly by thy commandment. "'6. Now, therefore, have they put me into the darkness below,--in darknesses and matters which are dead and in them [is] no power. "'7. Thou hast brought thy commandment upon me and all things which thou hast decreed. "'8. And thy spirit hath withdrawn and abandoned me. And moreover by thy commandment the emanations of my eon have not helped me and have hated me and separated themselves from me, and yet am I not utterly destroyed. "'9. And my light is diminished in me, and I have cried up to the light with all the light in me, and I have stretched forth my hands unto thee. "'10. Now, therefore, O Light, wilt thou not accomplish thy commandment in the chaos, and will not the deliverers, who come according to thy commandment, arise in the darkness and come and be disciples for thee'? "'11. Will they not utter the mystery of thy name in the chaos? "'12. Or will they not rather utter thy name in a matter of the chaos, in which thou wilt not [thyself] purify? "'13. But I have sung praises unto thee, O Light, and my repentance will reach unto thee in the height. "'14. Let thy light come upon me, "'15. For they have taken my light, and I am in pain on account of the Light from the time when I was emanated. And when I had looked into the height to the Light, then I looked down below at the light-power in the chaos; I rose up and went down. "'16. Thy commandment came upon me, and the terrors, which thou didst decree for me, have brought me into delusion. "'17. And they have surrounded me, in numbers as water, they have laid hold on me together all my time. "'18. And by thy commandment thou hast not suffered my fellow-emanations to help me, nor hast thou suffered my pair to save me out of my afflictions.' "This then is the fifth repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered in the chaos, when all the material emanations of Self-willed had continued and oppressed her."
Chapter 8 (More concerning the light-powers in the disciples)
And the decans of the rulers and their servitors thought that they were souls of the rulers; and the servitors brought them, they bound them into the ...
(2) of the Treasury of the Light which I had received from the twelve ministers of the Midst, I cast into the sphere of the rulers. And the decans of the rulers and their servitors thought that they were souls of the rulers; and the servitors brought them, they bound them into the body of your mothers. And when your time was completed, ye were born in the world without souls of the rulers in you. And ye have received your portion out of the power which the last Helper hath breathed into the Mixture, that [power] which is blended with all the invisibles and all rulers and all æons,--in a word, which is blended with the world of destruction which is the Mixture. This [power], which from the beginning I brought out of myself, I have cast into the First Commandment, and the First Commandment cast a portion thereof into the great Light, and the great Light cast a portion of that which it had received, into the five Helpers, and the last Helper took a portion of that which it received, and cast it into the Mixture. And [this portion] is in all who are in the Mixture, as I have just said unto you."
Chapter 2: An Introduction, shewing how men may come to apprehend The Divine, and the Natural, Being. And further of the two Qualities. (11)
The holy angels live in the power of meekness, of the light and joyfulness: The devils live in the power of the rising or elevating quality of...
(11) The holy angels live in the power of meekness, of the light and joyfulness: The devils live in the power of the rising or elevating quality of fierceness, terror and darkness, and cannot comprehend the light, into which condition they precipitated and cast themselves through their pride and elevation of themselves; as I shall shew afterwards, when I shall write of the creation.
Chapter 19: Concerning the Created Heaven, and the Form of the Earth, and of the Water, as also concerning Light and Darkness. Concerning Heaven. (132)
For when thy light is extinguished, then thou standest in the darkness, and in the darkness the wrath of God is hidden, and so if thou awakenest it, t...
(132) For when thy light is extinguished, then thou standest in the darkness, and in the darkness the wrath of God is hidden, and so if thou awakenest it, then it burneth in thee.
Chapter 2: An Introduction, shewing how men may come to apprehend The Divine, and the Natural, Being. And further of the two Qualities. (59)
Here you must lift up your eyes beyond nature, into the light-holy triumphing divine power, into the unchangeable Holy Trinity, which is a...
(59) Here you must lift up your eyes beyond nature, into the light-holy triumphing divine power, into the unchangeable Holy Trinity, which is a triumphing, springing, moveable being, and all powers are therein, as in nature.
Chapter 4: Of the creation of the Holy Angels. An Instruction or open Gate of Heaven. (13)
But in the Father all powers are mild and soft, like heaven, and very full of joy, for all the powers triumph in one another, and their voice or sound...
(13) But in the Father all powers are mild and soft, like heaven, and very full of joy, for all the powers triumph in one another, and their voice or sound riseth up from eternity to eternity.
Chapter 25: Of the whole Body of the Stars and of their Birth or Geniture; that is, the whole Astrology, or the whole Body of this World. (73)
Now when the heaven was made for a distinction or partition between the light of God and the kindled corruption of the body of this world, then was...
(73) Now when the heaven was made for a distinction or partition between the light of God and the kindled corruption of the body of this world, then was the body of this world a dark valley, and had no light besides the heaven that could have shone forth in the outward body; all powers stood as it were captivated in death, and were in great anguish, till they had heated themselves in the midst or centre of the body.