

Zostrianos - John Turner - The Nag Hammadi Library

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The Nag Hammadi Library

      Zostrianos

        (Scholar's Edition)

Translated by John D. Turner

This original translation is presented in the Gnostic Society Library      by  permission of Dr. John D. Turner, who retains all copyright.  The headings shown in bold text are added to the text by  Dr. Turner. Line numbers are given in suprascript, bold numbers indicate codex page. Dr. Turner's  fully annotated version of this translation, including  a full index of his complex outline of sections, is available here.

Zostrianos is a complex text, and the original manuscript is fragmentary in many places. Using outlined headings, this translation offers the reader a guide to the themes of the text. Dr. Turner has indicated lacunae with ellipses [...]. Several long sections of the codex are  too fragmentary for interpretation. This edition makes every effort to reproduce all decipherable text in the original Coptic manuscript. Dr. Turner has provided an image of one of the manuscript pages of  Zostrianos, along with his transcription and translation.

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     ZOSTRIANOS

       NHC VIII, 1: 1,1- 132,9

          Authorial Ascription

1 1 [The book] of the [glory] of the 2 eternally living words [that] 3 I Zos[trianos wrote] 4 [ ... ] ... [ .... ] ... [ ... ] ... and Iolaos. 5 I came into the world for the sake of 6 my contemporaries
            and [posterity], 7 [the] living elect.

           Kerygmatic Pronouncement

 The God 8 [of] truth lives in very truth 9 [and]
            knowledge and eternal 10 light!

           Zostrianos' Autobiographical Prologue
 I. Rejection of Material and Psychic Associations

 After I intellectually parted from the 11 corporeal darkness
            within me as well as 12 the psychic chaos 13 and
            the lustful femininity 14 [that is] in the darkness--since I
            did not concern myself with 15 it--and after I had discovered
            the boundlessness 16 of my material (nature) and reproved the 17 dead creation within me 18 and the perceptible
            divine world- 19 ruler, I powerfully 20 proclaimed
            wholeness to those 21 with unrelated parts. 22 Although
            I had tried their ways 23 for a little while insofar as 24 the necessity of birth brought me 25 visibility, I was never
            satisfied with 26 them. Instead, I always 27 used
            to separate myself from them 28 because I had come into being
            through 29 a holy--although procreative--[birth]. 30

 II. Initial This-Worldly Vision of the Perfect Child

 When I had improved my sinless 31 soul, then I strengthened 2 1 the intellectual [spirit within me] 2 and I [was able to awaken from] 3 the [dark sleep and find] 4 my [paternal] God [ ... ] 5 [ ... ]. Although I
            had [worked on this in every way], I 6 was fortified with a
            holy spirit 7 higher than god. [It settled] 8 upon
            me alone as I was improving myself, [and] 9 I saw the perfect
            Child--[who he is] 10 as well as what [he possesses]-- 11 often and [variously] 12 appearing to me like this--a 13 consenting [unity]--as I was seeking the 14 [male] father of
            all things [that are] 15 conceptual and sensible, 16 specific and generic, [partial] 17 and whole, 18 containing and contained, 19 corporeal and incorporeal, 20 essential and material, and [matters] 21 pertaining to all these,
            and the Existence that is 22 combined with them and with the
            god of 23 this <perfect child>, the ingenerate Kalyptos,
            even the power 24 [in] them all.

 III. Initial Puzzles concerning the Relationship
            of the Ideal and Phenomenal Worlds

 Now as for Existence: 25 How can beings--since they are from 26 the aeon of those who derive from 27 an invisible
            and undivided 28 self-generated Spirit as triform 29 unengendered
            images--both have 30 an origin superior to Existence 31 and pre-exist all [these] 32 and yet have come to be in
            the [world]? 33 How do those in its presence with all these 3 1 [originate from the] Good 2 [that is above]?
            What sort [of power] and 3 [cause, and] what is [the] place
            of that [one]? 4 What is its principle? 5 How does
            its product 6 belong both to it and all these? How, 7 [being a] simple [unity], 8 does it differ [from] itself, given
            that it exists as 9 Existence, Form, and 10 Blessedness,
            and, being vitally alive, 11 grants power? How 12 has Existence which has no being 13 appeared in a power that
            has being? 14

 IV. Diligent but Fruitless Attempts to Find Answers

 Pondering these things so as to understand them, 15 after the
            custom of my race 16 I would offer them up daily to the god 17 of my fathers. I would praise 18 them all, for
            my forefathers 19 and ancestors who sought found. 20

As for me, I did not stop seeking 21 a place of repose worthy
            of my spirit, 22 where I would not be bound in the perceptible 23 world. Then, as I was deeply 24 troubled and gloomy
            because of the 26 pettiness around me, 26 I dared
            to act and 27 to deliver myself to the wild beasts of the 28 desert for a violent death.

 V. This-Worldly Appearance of the Angel of Knowledge

 There stood 29 before me the angel of the knowledge 30 of eternal light, and he said to me, 31 "Zostrianos, why have
            you gone mad 32 as though you were ignorant of the great eternal
            beings 4 1 who are above? [And don't you know that] 2 [you are a chosen person] 3 and therefore you were informed
            about [what you shall do] 4 so that you might now be saved?
            Never 5 ever [become] destructive, nor [pay attention] 6 to those you are familiar with 7 in order to save others [whom] 8 the father on high will choose. [Do you] 9 [suppose]
            that you are the father of [your race]? 10 Or that Iolaos is
            your father? [You have] 11 a divine angel [that has shown] 12 you [the way] through holy persons! 13 Come and transcend
            these [realms]! 14 You will return to them another [time] 15 to proclaim a living [race], 16 to save those who are 17 worthy and to empower the elect. 18 For great is the struggle
            of this age, 19 but the time [in] this world is short." 20

           Zostrianos' Spiritual Ascent through the Aeons
 I. The Luminous Cloud

 When he had said this [to me] 21 I very eagerly and very 22 gladly embarked with

            him 23 upon a great luminous cloud, and [left] 24 my
            molded form upon the earth, 25 guarded by glories. [We] 26 eluded the entire world 27 and the thirteen aeons 28 in it, as well as their angelic host. 29 We were not seen,
            but their 30 chief was disturbed at [our] 31 [passage,]
            for [our] luminous cloud, 5 1 [being an essence] superior 2 [to every cosmic thing], 3 was ineffable. Its beauty 4 shines brightly, having an ability to 5 [guide]
            pure spirits, 6 existing as a vitalizing spirit 7 and intelligent reason-- 8 [not] like those things in the world 9 [that are made] of pliable matter 10 and persuasive
            reason. 11

Then I knew that the power 12 in me presided over the darkness 13 because it contained total light. 14 I was baptized
            there, and 15 I received the image of the glories 16 there
            and became like 17 one of them.

 II. The Atmospheric Realm and the Aeonic Copies

 I traversed the 18 atmospheric [realm] and passed by the 19 Aeonic Copies after 20 immersing myself [there] seven times 21 [in] living [water], once for each 22 [of the]
            aeons without pausing until 23 [I had traversed] them all at
            once. 24

 III. The Sojourn, Repentance, and Arrival at the
            Self-generated Aeon

           1. Ascent through the Repentance and Sojourn to
            the Self-generated Aeons

 I ascended to the [truly] existent Sojourn; 25 [I] was baptized,
                and 26 [I abandoned the world] and [I] ascended to the 27 truly existent Repentance 28 [and was] baptized there 29 [six] times. I passed through the 6 1 sixth; [I was empowered
                from this very one] 2 and I ascended to the [Self-generated]
                Aeons. 3 I stood there after having seen a truly existent light 4 of the truth truly existing from 5 its self-generated
                root [with] 6 great angels and glories [beyond] 7 measure.

             2. The First of Five Baptisms in the Name of Autogenes

 I was baptized in the [name of] 8 the divine Autogenes 9 [by]

those powers that preside [over the] 10 living water, Michar
                  and Mi[cheus.] 11

                  I was purified by [the] great 12 Barpharanges.

                  I was [glorified] 13 and inscribed in glory. 14

                  I was sealed by 15 those who preside over these powers,

                  [Michar], 16 Micheus, Seldao, Ele[nos] 17 and
                  Zogenethlos.

                  I [became] 18 a [contemplative] angel 19 and
                  stood upon the first--20 that is the fourth--aeon 21 together with the souls. I blessed

                  the 22 divine Autogenes and

                  the 23 forefather Pigeradamas,

                  [an eye of] 24 the Autogenes, the first perfect 25 [human being]; and

                  Seth Emm[acha Seth], 26

                  the son of [A]damas, the [father of] 27 the [immovable race];
                  and

                  the [Four] 28 Lights, [Armozel], 29 [and Oroiael,
                  Davithe and Eleleth]; 30 and Mirothea--she is the mother [ of
                  Adamas]-- 31 and

                  Prophania--[she is the mother] 32 of the Lights--and

                  Ple[sithea] 7 1 the [mother of the angels].

             3. The Second of Five Baptisms in the Name of Autogenes

 I was 2 [baptized for the] second time in the name 3 of the divine Autogenes 4 by these same powers. I 5 became an angel of 6 masculine gender. I stood upon 7 the second-that is the third--aeon 8 along with the children
                of 9 Seth, and I blessed these same ones.

             4. The Third of Five Baptisms in the Name of Autogenes

 And I 10 was baptized for the third time 11 in the
                name of the divine Autogenes 12 by these same powers. 13 [I] became a holy angel and 14 stood upon the third-- 15 that is the second--[aeon], and I 16 [blessed] these same ones.

             5. The Fourth of Five Baptisms in the Name of Autogenes

 And I was baptized 17 for the fourth time by 18 these
                [same] powers. I became 19 [a] perfect [angel] 20 [and stood upon] the fourth-- 21 [that is the first]--aeon,
                and 22 [blessed these same ones.]

             6. Zostrianos Seeks the Single Reality Underlying
              the Self-generated Aeons

 Then I sought 23 [a single power belonging to these]. I spoke 24 [these words, saying]: "I 25 [ ... ] of 26

                [ ... and] I 27 [was asking] him [about] the 28 [conception of these]: why [are there] 29 [differences] in the
                ability [that hears] 30 them differently in human auditions? 8 1 [Are these same ones] their 2 powers?
                Or are these things the same 3 but their names differ from one
                another? Does 4 soul differ from soul? 5 Why are
                human beings different 6 from one another? How and to what extent 7 are they human?"

             7. The Revelation of Authrounios

               a) Authrounios Offers to Explain the Realms Below
                the Self-generated Aeons

 The great 8 pre-eminence, Authrounios, said to me: 9 "Are you asking about those things through 10 which you have
                passed? Or 11 why this atmospheric realm 12 has this
                worldly pattern? Or 13 how many Aeonic Copies 14 there are? Or why they are [not] perturbed? 15 Or about the
                Sojourn and 16 Repentance and about the [aeonic] creation 17 and the world which [does not truly exist (i.e. the psychic world)]? 18 [I will openly teach] 19 you about [all these things you seek] 20 of me. [Neither a revelation] 21 nor a [command
                appears] 22 to you, [even from the] 21 Invisible
                [Spirit, until you know these things] 24 and the [doctrine that
                ... ] 25 of [ ... ] 26 ... [ ... ] 27 [Eleleth ... ] 28 [that [will appear to you."

               b) Zostrianos Joins the Aeons He Has Traversed

 And with him] 29 and [with myself I joined with] 30 [these aeons] that I had [traversed.

               c) Authrounios Explains the Origin of the Physical
                Cosmos and Sophia's Role

 And] 9 1 The [great] pre-eminence 2 Authrounios
                said [to me]: "The 3 atmospheric realm came into being by a 4 rational principle, and it incorruptibly manifests generated 5 and perishable things 6 for the sake of the advent 7 of the great judges (i.e., stars), lest they 8 experience perception and 9 be enclosed in the creation. But
                when 10 they came upon it and thereby perceived 11 the works of the world, 12 they condemned its ruler to a perishability 13 that is a pattern for the world, since it 14 is
                a [substance] and principle of matter, 15 the dark, corrupt
                [product]. 16

When Sophia contemplated 17 [these (stars)], she emitted
                the darkness, 18 [fleeing what] is subject to the 19 [Archon, since it] is [an invisible] mold, 20 [a principle]
                of the [insubstantial] substance 21 [and the form]less form 22 [ ... ] a [shapeless] shape. 23 [It makes room]
                for 24 [every cosmic thing ... ] the All 25

                [ ... the corrupt product] 26 [since it is a rational principle] 27 [that persuades ] the darkness. [He sows] 28 [from
                his] reason, since it [is im]possible 29 [for the archon] of
                [creation] to 30 see any of the eternal entities. 10 1 He saw a reflection, and with reference to 2 the
                reflection that he [saw] 3 therein, he created the world. 4 With a reflection of a reflection 5 he worked upon the world, 6 and then even the reflection of 7 the appearance
                was taken from him. But 8 Sophia was given a place of rest 9 in exchange for her repentance. 10 In consequence, because there
                was within her no 11 pure, original image, 12 either
                pre-existing in him or that had 13 already come to be through
                him, he 14 used his imagination and fashioned the remainder, 14 for the image belonging to Sophia 16 is always
                corrupt [and] 17 deceptive. But the Archon--[since he simulates] 18 and embodies by [pursuing the image] 19 because
                of the superabundance [that inclined downward]--looked 20 downward."

               d) Zostrianos' Response

 When [I heard these things and when] 21 I saw [them, I was able
                to understand] 22 the mind of [these who set their mind] 23 upon the things they do not [know]. 24 Since he has set [his
                mind upon ... the] 25 aeons [ ... ] 26 [greater than
                ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28

               e) The Revelation of Authrounios Concludes

(1) The Restoration of Sophia

 And [again he said, "Sophia became] 29 perfect through [the
                  will of] 30 [the commander] through whom [the atmospheric] 31 [realm perseveres], having 11 1 [immutably averted] the
                  destruction of the world. 2

(2) The Aeonic Copies and the Illumination of Souls

 Now the 3 Aeonic Copies 4 exist as follows: they
                  have not 5 attained an equipotent form, 6 [but] they
                  possess eternal glories, 7 and they exist 8 as judgment
                  seats for each of 9 the powers. But when l0 souls
                  are illumined by 11 the light within these (Copies) and 12 by the pattern which often arises 13 [effortlessly] in them, 14 then she (the soul) thinks that she sees 15 [the
                  truth] and the eternal 16 [cause in] the blessed [Idea] 17 [that exists] as the single Unity 18 [ ... ] each of 19 [ ... ] light that 20 [ ... ] all, and she 21 [ ...
                  ] whole, and she 22 [ ... ] and a 23 [ ... ] and
                  she 24 [ ... ] she who 25 [ ... ] she 26 [...] 27 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] of 28 [the Sojourn.
                  And the reproof] 29 of the Repentance [is with the souls] 12 1 according to the power [within them that] 2 they
                  might stand.

And the 3 inferior [souls] are trained 4 by the
                  Aeonic Copies, 5 which receive a replica 6 of their
                  souls while they are still in the 7 world. After the individual
                  procession 8 of the aeons, they come into being 9 and they are individually transferred 10 from the 11 copy of the Sojourn 12 to the truly existent Sojourn, 13 from the copy of 14 the Repentance to the truly existent 15 Repentance, [and from the] 16 copy of the Self-generated (aeons) 17 [to the] truly existent [Self-generated (aeons)], 18 and so on. [ ... ] 19 The souls ... [ ... ] 20 exist
                  in a [light ...] 21 them all [through the] Aeonic 22 [Copies.

On the one hand, they] 23 see, [but when ...] 24 and certain [...] 25 forth [ ... ] 26 the [ ... ] 27 outside [ ... ] 28 [light ...] 29 ...
                  [ ... ] 30 of [ ... ] 31 [all] those [who] are ...
                  as they] 3 1 [bless:

the god] above 2 the [great] aeons] and

                    the 3 [ingenerate] Kalyptos,

                    the great 4 male Protophanes,

                    the perfect 5 [Child] who is higher than god, 6 and

                    his eye, Pigeradamas." 7

               f) Zostrianos invokes Ephesech, Child of the Child

 I called upon the 8 Child of the Child Ephesech. He 9 stood before me and said: 10 "O messenger of god, son of the 11 father, [you are] the perfect human. 12 [Why]
                are you calling on me and 13 asking about the things you know,
                as 14 though you were [ignorant] of them?"

[But] 15 [I said,] " I am seeking after the 16 water: [So how does] it perfect and give 17 [its power]? What
                are [its] powers, 18 [the names] in which we receive baptism? 19 [Why are] these names 20 [different than those?]
                And why 21 [are the waters different] from one 22 [another? And are they complete] in the ... 23 [ ... from] others 24 [ ... ] humans 25 [ ... Why are they different] 26 [in this way from one another]?" 27

             8. The Revelation of Ephesech I: Baptism and Assimilation
              to the Barbelo Aeon

               a) The Three Powers of the Invisible Spirit and
                the Origin of the Barbelo Aeon

 [The Child of the] 28 [Child Ephesech, the Savior, answered] 14 1 saying, "[Zost]trianos, 2 hear about
                [all] these things! 3 Now the pre-[existent] 4 principles
                are three in number, although they have 5 appeared from a single
                origin [of] the 6 Barbelo aeon, not as an indefinite number
                of 7 principles and powers, nor 8 as derivatives
                of any origin and any 9 power. (Rather)

they have manifested every principle 10

                  and empowered every power, 11

                  and have appeared in that which 12 is far superior to them,

                  these who are 13 Existence, Blessedness 14 and
                  Life.

 [And these have appeared] 15 with one [another and appeared] 16 from a [single unity], 17 and therefore [ ...
                ] 18 they were named [for their] 19 greater [glory
                ... single ...] 20 and [certain ... ] 21 a perfect
                [ ... ] 22 from [a single principle, and] 23 [it
                is] a [simple unity ...] 24 always [ ...] 25 ...
                [...] 26 ... [ ...] 27 ... [ ...] 28 ...
                [ ...]

               b) Three Baptismal Waters of the Barbelo Aeon,
                Three Powers of the Invisible Spirit

15 1 And [there exists] a water for 2 [each]
                of them. Therefore 3 they are [three] perfect waters: 4

It is the water of Life

that 5 belongs to Vitality

in which you now 6 have been baptized in the Autogenes. 7

 It is the [water] of Blessedness 8

that [belongs] to Knowledge

in which you 9 will be [baptized] in the Protophanes. 10

 It is the water of Existence 11

[which] belongs to Divinity, that is, 12 to Kalyptos. 13

And the water of Life 14 [exists with respect to] Power,

                  that of 15 [Blessedness] with respect to Essence, 16

                  and that of [Divinity] with respect to 17 [Existence].

 But all [these] 18 [are likenesses and forms of the] Triple
                Powered One. 19 It is [they] that 20 [flow from the]
                pure water 21 [ ... it] is also [the pattern ... ] 22 [ ... water] according to 23 [ ... when they] depart 24 [ ... male] 25 [ ... there] 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [...] 16 1 Existence [as he]
                is. 2

               c) The Generation of Determinate Being: The Barbelo
                Aeon

 Not only [did they dwell] 3 in thought, but he [made room for] 4 them, since he is [Becoming] in the following 5 way: he imposed a [limit] upon 6 Being, lest it become 7 endless and formless; 8 instead, it was truly delimited while
                it was a 9 new entity in order that [it] might become 10 something having 11 its own [dwelling], 12 Existence
                together with [Being], 13 standing with it, existing with it, 14 surrounding it, [and being like it] 15 on every
                side. [It withdrew] 16 from the [living water that it might] 17 receive the [pre] existent 18 [stability] of [
                ... ] 19 activity [ ... ] 20 visible ... [ ... ] 21 his word also [ ... ] 22 ... these after [ ...
                ] 23 they became [ ... making room] 24 for a [ ...
                ] 25 ... [ ... ] 26 ... [ ... ] 27 ...
                [ ... ] 28 ... [ ... ] 29 ... [ ... ] 17 1 And the power exists together with the 2 Essence and the Existence 3 of Being, while this water exists. 4 And the name
                in which one is baptized 5 is a rational expression of this
                water. 6

               d) The Receipt of Enlightenment and Stable Being
                through Baptism

 Therefore the first perfect water of 7 the Triple Powered One,
                <that of> Autogenes, 8 [is] Life for the perfect souls, 9 for it is a rational expression of 10 the coming into being
                of both the perfect [Mind] 11 [and of] that [one]. 12 For the source of all [those] 13 is the Invisible Spirit, while
                the others derive 14 [from knowledge], since 15 they
                are likenesses of him. [But] he who simultaneously knows 16 [how he exists] and what 17 [the] living [water is], 18 [such a one] lives within 19 [knowledge. That which belongs
                to knowledge] is the 20 [water of] Vital[ity]. And in 21 [becoming, Life] becomes [limitless] 22 [that it may receive]
                its [own Being]. 23 [ ... and ] the name 24 [ ...
                ] ... 25 [ ... ] ... 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 18 1 he truly exists; this is so since he 2 limits himself. They [approach] 3 this water according
                to this 4 equipotency and equivalence in rank. 5

Protophanes, the great male 6 invisible perfect mind, 7 has his own water, 8 as you [will see] 9 when you
                arrive at his place. So 10 also does the ingenerate Kalyptos. 11

               e) The Structure of the Barbelo Aeon

(1) Autogenes, the Triple Male Child, Protophanes,
                  and Kalyptos

 In relation to each one there exists 12 a partial and [initial]
                  form, 13 so that they might thus become complete, 14 for the Self-generated aeons are four 15 perfect instances of 16 the all-perfect ones [that exist before] 17 the
                  [perfect individuals]. 18 And the [fifth] aeon [contains] 19 the [divine] Autogenes, 20 for [they] all [derive from the] 21 [perfect, divine Triple] Male [Child]. 22 For
                  [they are] wholes [ ... ] 23 perfect [divine ... the Triple] 24 [Male ... the] 25 [perfect] individuals [ ...
                  ] 26 in the [ ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 ... [... ] 29 ...[ ... ] 30 ...[ ... ] 31 ...[ ... ] 1[9] 1 perfect (individuals?), those
                  who exist by 2 species, genus, 3 whole, and partial
                  difference. 4

The path of ascent that is higher 5 than perfect <is?>
                  likewise with Kalyptos. 6

The divine Autogenes is 7 chief ruler of his 8 own aeons and angels 9 as parts of him: for 10 those
                  that individually comprise the four 11 simultaneously comprise
                  the fifth 12 aeon, and the 13 fifth exists in unity.
                  Taken individually, the 14 four [comprise] the fifth. 15 But all these are 16 individually complete [because they] have
                  a 17 [a (single) principle].

So also 18 [the Triple Male] is a 19 [perfect
                  individual], for he is a [power] of 20 [the] divine [Autogenes].
                  And 21 [Protophanes], the invisible 22 [perfect]
                  male mind, 23 [is the dwelling place] of those who 24 [are unified within the aeons]. A 25 [ ... ] ... 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] 29 [ ... like] 20 1 living and perfect parts. 2

Now as for the Entirety, both the all-perfect 3 kind and
                  that which is higher than perfect 4 and blessed:

                  The 5 self-generated Kalyptos 6 is a pre-existent
                  principle of 7 the Autogenes, a deity and 8 forefather,
                  a cause of 9 Protophanes, a father 10 of his own
                  parts, 11 a paternal deity, 12 apprehended, but 13 not comprehended. As he is a self-derived power, 14 he is father
                  of himself, 15 therefore he is [fatherless]. 16

                  The invisible Triple Powered One, the 17 Forethought [of
                  them] all, the 18 Invisible Spirit, is [source of them all] 19 and [an insubstantial Existence] 20 [prior to
                  essence] 21 and existence [and being]. 22 [Existences
                  are prior to] 23 life, [for it is] the [cause of] 24 Blessed[ness. And ... ] 25 the [ magnitude ... ] 26 all [these ... ] 27 the [ ... ] 28 ... [ ... ] 29 ... [ ... ] 30 ... [ ... ] 21 1 [exist] in
                  them.

(2) Baptism and the Ascent and Unification of Souls
                  within the Barbelo Aeon

 [They descended] 2 among others, but they [are all] 3 intermingled 4 in many places, whatever 5 place is
                  desirable and pleasing. 6 They are everywhere and 7 they are nowhere. 8 They contain spirit-- 9 for they
                  are incorporeal--yet transcend 10 incorporeal things. They are
                  undivided, with 11 living thoughts and a power 12 of truth, together with those purer 13 than they, since in this
                  respect 14 they are spiritually purer and 15 unlike
                  bodies that 16 are in a single location. 17 Above
                  all, they are without compulsion, 18 whether in whole 19 or part. Therefore 20 their path of ascent is pure 21 [since it is imperishable]. Each 22 [of their powers has] set
                  [aside] 23 [for itself] its own [root]. And 24 [
                  ... ] them 25 [ ... ] ... 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... above all] 29 [ ... ] its 22 1 particular aeons. Then 2 [he knows] how he can 3 receive an 4 eternal pattern.

And 5 the universal intelligence joins in 6 when
                  the 7 water of Autogenes is complete. 8 When one
                  knows it and 9 all these, one has to do with the 10 water of Protophanes; when 11 one unites with him and all these, 12 one has to do with Kalyptos. 13

Similarly among the 14 aeons: as regards knowing these individually 15 along with their parts, they are [perfect]. Those 16 of the Entirety where 17 knowledge is and that which they know 18 have [become distinct], yet 19 they have something
                  in common 20 with one another. The Entirety and all 21 [these have the] 22 immersion in the [baptism of the] 23 [Autogenes.

If the ... ] 24 [perfect ... ] 25 ... [ ... ] 26 ... [ ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 ... [
                  ... ] 29 ... [ ... That] 23 1 one, exhibiting
                  himself 2 as one who has come to know how 3 he belongs
                  to him and experiences 4 mutual fellowship, 5 has
                  washed in the baptism of Protophanes. 6

And if one understands their 7 origin, 8 how they
                  are all manifest in 9 a single principle, and how l0 all who are joined come to 11 be divided, and how those 12 who were divided join 13 again, and how the parts 14 [join with] the wholes and the 15 species with the [genuses]--when 16 one understands these things--one has washed 17 in the baptism of Kalyptos.

According 18 to each locale one has 19 a portion
                  of the 20 eternal ones [and] ascends 21 [to them.
                  As] one 22 [becomes pure and] simple, 23 just so
                  one continually [approaches] 24 unity. Being [always] 25 pure and [simple], 26 one is filled [with Mentality,] 27 with Existence, [and Spirit], 28 even a holy Spirit. There is 24 1 nothing of him outside of him. 2

On the one hand, with perfect soul he [sees] those 3 of
                    the Autogenic ones;

                    with Intellect, 4 those of the Triple Male;

                    with 5 Holy Spirit, those of the Protophanic 6 ones.

                    On the other hand, He hears about Kalyptos 7 through the
                    powers of the Spirit

                    from whom they 8 have come forth

                    in a far superior 9 revelation of the Invisible 10 Spirit.

And by means of the thought 11 which now exists in silence
                    and 12 within the First Thought,

                    (he hears) about the Triple 13 Powered Invisible Spirit;

                    it 14 is, moreover, an audition and a silent power 15 purified with life- giving Spirit, 16 the perfect, [first] perfect, 17 and all-perfect one. 18

(3) Preservation of Those Who are Worthy by the
                  Glories

 Therefore there are glories appointed 19 as [nourishers] over
                  them. Those who have 20 been truly baptized in knowledge 21 and those who are worthy are guarded, 22 but those who [are]
                  not 23 from this kind [are mere things] 24 and they
                  [return] to 25 [their own root. One] 26 [deriving
                  from] the fifth is 27 [satisfied with those of the Aeonic] Copies. 28 [For each] of the aeons 29 [there is] a baptism 30 [of this sort].

(4) Various Baptisms and Degrees of Knowledge

 Now if 31 [one] strips off the world 25 1 and lays aside [nature], 2 whether one is a sojourner without 3 dwelling place or power, 4 following the practices
                  of 5 others, or whether one repents, 6 having committed
                  no sin, 7 being satisfied with knowledge (and) 8 without concern for anything (worldly), 9 baptisms are appointed 10 respectively for these:

(There is) the path 11 into the Self-generated ones, the
                  one 12 in which you have now been baptized each 13 time, which is appropriate for seeing the [perfect] 14 individuals--it
                  is a knowledge 15 of everything, having originated l6 from the powers of the Self-generated ones. 17

(There is) the one you will perform when you transfer 18 to the all-perfect aeons. 19

                  When you wash in the third 20 baptism, [then] you will learn 21 about those [that] truly [exist] 22 in [that]
                  place.

                  Now concerning [these] names, 23 they are like this: 24 there is a unity, [and it is a single genus] 25 like [things
                  that are perfect] 26 by virtue of [coming into being among] 27 things that are, and [they have come into being because] 28 there is a rational expression of them [and because] 26 1 it is a name that truly exists 2 [as] they do.

Now 3 on the one hand existing things exist 4 in an intellection similar to them, and one's 5 generic similarity
                  is innate in one's own individuality; 6 on the other hand, an
                  individual sees, understands, 7 enters, and 8 becomes
                  like it (his genus) by audible 9 speaking and hearing. 10 But by (mere) hearing they are powerless, because they 11 are
                  sensible and corporeal. 12 Therefore they take 13 things as they are able to receive them. 14 It is a [faint]
                  image 15 arising like this 16 from sensation or reasoning, 17 superior to material nature 18 but inferior to
                  the intellectual 19 essence.

               f) Various Kinds of Souls and their Level of Aeonic
                Attainment

(1) Types of Incarnate Souls

 Do not be amazed about the 20 differences among souls. 21 When one thinks that they are different, 22 then they are [not]
                  similar, although they are [parts] 23 of things that [endure].

[Now] 24 one [appears] 25 in a [soul] and has
                    [completely] perished; 26

                        their [souls] 27 [are disem]bodied.

                    Another 28 [who is within] his time 29 [appears]
                    for a time; 27 1

                        their soul is [em-] 2 bodied.

                    Now those who have 3 completely [perished] are four, 4

                        while those [within] 5 time are nine.

                    Each one 6 of them has its character 7 and habit.

                    Though similar, they 8 are different;

                        though distinct, 9 they are also stable.

 And other immortal souls 10 associate with all 11 these souls because of 12 the Sophia who looked down. 13 For there are three species of 14 immortal souls:

(2) Types of Disincarnate Souls in the Sojourn

 The ones who have 15 taken root upon the Sojourn 16 do not have self-generated 17 power; they 18 follow
                  the ways of 19 others. Now this is a 20 single species, 21 [self-contained].

(3) Types of Disincarnate Souls in the Repentance

 (Second), those that 22 stand [upon the] Repentance, who 23 [were not ambivalent about] sin, 24 since knowledge is sufficient
                  [for] them: 25 Since they are neophytes, [they still sin]. 26 Yet it (this species) also has distinctions: 27 there are [those]
                  who have 28 sinned; others [also who] 28 1 have repented; and others 2 [who only intend (to repent)]. 3 For there are [three] classes of these (last ones): 4 those
                  who have committed 5 all the sins and have repented; 6 (those who have sinned) partially, 7 or those who only intended
                  (to sin). 8 Therefore, their aeons also are six 9 according to the place attained 10 by each of their (souls).

(4) Types of Disincarnate Souls in the Self-generated
                  Aeons

 The third 11 (major kind) is that of the souls of 12 the Self-generated ones; they 13 have a rational expression
                  of the ineffable 14 truth existing in 15 knowledge
                  as well as self-generated [power] 16 and eternal [life]. 17 [And] they have four distinctions 18 in the same manner: the
                  forms 19 of angels, 20 those who love the truth, 21 those who hope, and those who believe. 22 [Indeed],
                  they [also] have [syzygies], 23 and they exist [within them]. 24 They exist [as four places of] 25 the Self-generated
                  ones. [The first] is 26 the one of [perfect Life]; 27 the [second] is [ the one of Mentality]. The 28 [third is the
                  one of eternal] 29 Knowledge; the fourth is 30 the
                  one [belonging to the] immortal [souls]. 29 1

               g) The Relation of the Four Lights and Their Denizens
              to the Soul's Ascent

 The Four Lights exist 2 [there] in the same way:

[Arm]ozel [is] 3 [set] over the first aeon, 4

a desire for god [and] 5 truth and a uniter of souls; 6

 Oroiael, a seer 7 of truth, is set over the 8 the
                    second;

                    Daveithe, a vision 9 of knowledge, is set over 10 the third;

                    Eleleth, an eager impulse 11 and preparation for truth, 12 is set over the fourth. 13

 The four exist as 14 rational expressions of truth and 15 knowledge. They exist, although they 16 belong not to Protophanes
                  but 17 to the Mother (i.e. Barbelo).

It is a thought of 18 the perfect Mind of the 19 light that causes immortal souls 20 to acquire knowledge. 21 [He is the one who is sufficient] for them, the 22 [divine]
                  Autogenes, Arse[n]oas (i.e. male mind? S]orso[r]oas?), a 23 revelation [of the power] of them all, 24 [for] he is an [intelligent],
                  ineffable 25 rational expression [of the] truth 26 who [speaks openly] 27 about the [perfect Mind], 28 that it is [a principle] existing 29 above in an [indivisibility] 30 1 [with which it is joined] in a syzygy 2 within an [intellectual] light 3 and thought within 4 its aeon.

And Adam is the [perfect] 5 human, being an eye of Autogenes. 6 It is his knowledge that <knows> 7 that the
                  divine Autogenes 8 is a rational expression of [the] perfect
                  Mind 9 of truth.

The son of l0 Adam, Seth, comes to 11 each of
                  the souls as knowledge 12 sufficient for them. Therefore, 13 [the] living [seed] originated 14 from him.

Mirothea is [the one in whom] 15 the divine Autogenes [appeared] 16 together with [Adamas]; she is a thought 17 of
                  the perfect Mind concerning 18 her own Existence, what she is, 19 [how] she used to exist, 20 and that she exists.

Therefore 21 the divine Autogenes 22 is a rational
                  expression and knowledge, and the 23 knowledge [derives from
                  a rational expression]. 24 Therefore [the soul of] 25 Adamas [is simple. It is the power] 26 of the [simple ones to
                  whom] it appeared 27 [and it is a] transformation of [the] 28 souls; it is also [a power of] 29 [the] perfect [Mind]. On behalf
                  of [the] 30 [perfect ones and] the angelic host [31] 1 [it has often appeared]. 2

[If] therefore [there exists] 3 [the cosmic] soul [that produces] 4 [them and pre-exists] 5 [the perceptible world
                  as well], 6 the Aeonic Copies 7 [that] truly [exist] 8 [and the Sojourn] that 9 [truly exists and] the
                  Repentance 10 [are the ascent] to this place, up 11 [to the Self-generated] aeons that 12 [truly] exist.

                  If 13 [it (the soul) finds] and loves 14 [the
                  truth], it will stand upon 15 [the fourth] aeon, 16 [possessing] the Light 17 Eleleth; [it will] become a 18 contemplative [thought]. 19

[And if] it hopes and 20 perceives, it is an [angel] of the
                  [male] 21 gender that has come to stand upon 22

                  [the third, possessing] 23 [the Light Daveithe].

If 24 [ ... ] ... 25 [ ... ] ... 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] ... 29 [ ... ] ... 32 1

                  [If] it is joined [with] 2 [the truth, then it will] stand 3 [upon the] first [aeon], 4 [possessing the Light] 5 Ar[mozel.

If you become] 6 an [angel of the intelligible] 7 [world, and if you ascend] 8 to [that power], you [will] 9 stand upon [the first aeon], 10 the light which [is over them
                  all]. 11

               h) Negative and Positive Prospects for Souls in
                the Self-generated Aeons

 Immeasurable [and great is] 12 that aeon! [Now if you] 13 [attain] only those, [you will fall away] 14 from the perfect
                  [aeons and] 15 that power, [whether] 16 or [not it
                  is] possible for 17 one [to consolidate] 18 every
                  [form] of his immortal] soul, 19 not [only] the perceptible
                  and [measurable], 20 [but] also the in[expressibly] 21 individually [perfect] one. And 22 there is nothing [ ... ] 23 him [ ...] 24 which he [ ... ] 25 ...
                  [ ... ] 26 ... [ ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 [in ... ] 29 [ ... ] 33 1 and in[corporeal
                  ... ] 2 upon every one [ ... ] 3 every [one ... ]
                  is 4 form[less ... ] 5 [ ... uncreated] and this
                  one 6 [ ... ] and this [pattern] 9 [ ... ] nothing 8 [ ... ] eternal, nor 9 [ ... ] a whole [ ... ] 10 [ ... ] unceasing ...] of this 11 [ ... ] he that
                  is subtle 12 [ ... ] having received 13 [ ... ] the
                  perfect Mind 14 [ ... ] ... undivided 15 [ ... ]
                  perfect light 16 [ ... ] and he is in 17 [ ... ]
                  Adamas, and 18 [ ... the divine] Autoge[nes]. 19 And he ascends 20 [to the great perfect] Mind 21 [Protophanes]. The divine [ingenerate] Kalyptos 22 [who fore]knows 23 [ ... ] but 24 [ ... ] soul 25 [ ...
                  ] there 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] 29 [ ... ] ... [34] 1 [ ... ] existence 2 [their completion] 3 [ ... ] root [ ...] 4 [ ... ] second 5 powers and [ ... ] 6 and third [
                  ... ] 7 appear [ ... ] 8 which [ ... ] 9 there is a [ ... free] 10 soul [ ... cause]. 11 And
                  the aeons [ ... ] 12 dwelling place [ ... some] 13 souls and [ ... ] 14 [they are] gods [ ... ] 15 higher
                  than god [ ... ] 16 of the [Self-generated ones ... ] 17 Autogenes [ ... ] 18 first ... [ ... ] 19 angel [
                  ... ] 20 invisible [ ... ] 21 ... some [ ... ] 22 soul and [ ... ] 23 aeons [ ... ] 24 and to the [soul
                  ... ] 25 angel [ ... ] 26 shape [ ... angel] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 ... [ ... ] 29 ... [ ... ] 30 ... [ ... ] 35 1 she [has ... ] 2 [ ... ]
                  eternal [many times]. 3 And [ ... often] 4 [she stands.
                  And if] 5 a soul [ ... ] 6 [it again becomes] 7 [an angel], and [if the angels and the] 8 [other divine beings
                  become] worldly, 9 the holy [soul] 10 [is] superior.

               i) Aeonic Levels and Waters below the Self-generated
                Aeons

 Now as for [the] aeons that are [below] 11 [Autog]enes, 12 [they too] have [other] waters, the [water] 13 [of this one
                  (the holy soul) and also those of] the archons. 14 [But these
                  waters] have 15 [still other distinctions] about which 16 it is not [fitting for] her (the soul) to speak. 17

               j) The Triple Male Child and the Three Sub-Aeons
                of the Barbelo Aeon

 [The invisible] male 18 [stands before] it and 19 [before] the divine [Autogen]es 20 [ ... ] which exists 21

                  [ ... ] hear 22 [ ... A]u[t]ogenes 23 [ ... ]
                  of 24 [ ... ] ... 25 [ ... ] ... 26 [
                  ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] 28 [ ... any] 3[6] 1 [pattern at all. He] has 2 [a rational expression]
                  of Existence 3 [in order that he might become] Life [for] 4 [all those that] exist on account of [an] 5 [intelligent] rational
                  expression [of the truth]. 6

                  The [perfect Triple] Male Child 7 [is] a form [of the] divine 8 [Autogenes, a power of the Invisible] 9 Spirit
                  [and a thought within] 10 the perfect [Mind, and an] 11 agreement of [a prime principle] 12 with a principle [and of
                  a prime] 13 source with [a source. He is a power] 14 of Barbel[o. And he is a revelation] 15 and a [thought within] 16 the perfect Mind (i.e., Barbelo).

[Now the] 17 secondary (principles) are those of [the knowledge
                  of] 18 [the] thought [that originated] 19 from the
                  [light that exists] 20 in Barbel[o ... ]. 21 And
                  Kalyptos [ ... ] 22 all these [ ... ] 23 virginal
                  [ ... ] 24 she ... [ ... ] 25 in a [ ... ] 26 and [ ... ] 26 [beget ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 for [ ... ] 37 1 in that one. [Either she derives from]
                  the power 2 [of] that one, [or else she] 3 derives
                  from [its aeon]. But she 4 derives from the power of that one, 5 [the one who truly exists], since she 6 [exists]
                  as his [image]. 7 [He is the pre-existent one]; although they
                  are pre- 8 [existent, they are derivatives] of that (pre-existence) 9 [which is his]. And he is the 10 [the immutable
                  one]; it is he alone 11 [that can] suffice for himself, 12 [for he has no] deficiency. 13 [ ... ] all, he gives 14 [ ... ] through the 15 [ ... ] For [because of him] 16 [they are parts of] her in order that he might become 17 [ ...
                  ] and that one which 18 [ ... ] him 19 [ ... ] undivided 20 [ ... Ba]rbelo; he 21 [ ... ] in order that he
                  might become 22 [ ... ] blessedness 23 [ ... ] ... 24 [ ... ] all 25 [ ... ] he 26 [knows
                  ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] ... 29 [ ... perfect ... ]

[38] 1 [He (the Triple Male Child) is] a [thought]
                  of the perfect 2 [Mind (i.e. Barbelo) since he is knowledge]
                  and he [is] 3 [a] perfect [triple powered] spirit. 4 [He is a] perfect [male], living 5 forever [since he is an invisible
                  god]. 6 And [he exists since] this one 7 exists [before
                  him. He is the rational expression] 8 of the [perfect Mind since] 9 he is [a rational expression] from [ ... ] 10 which
                  is in [ ... they have] 11 all these 12 eternally
                  [ ... exist] 13 [in] the Triple [Powered ... ] 14 is in the [ ... they resemble] 15 those that [are unified, being] 16 perfect. ... [ ... ] 17 the Protopha[nes perfect] 18 Mind, but [ ... ] 19 pure [ ... ] 20 and he [ ... ] 21 of an image [ ... ] 22 appear [
                  ... ] 23 and the non-[ ... ] 24 ... [ ... ] 25 him [ ... ] 26 pattern [ ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 ... [ ... ] 29 ... [ ... ] 30 ... [ ... ] [39] 1 [ ... ] ... 2 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] namely 3 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... ] ... 5 [ ... ] because
                  of him they 6 [ ... ] bounds him 7 [ ... ] he is
                  simple 8 [ ... ] for he is 9 [ ... him] as if he
                  [alone] exists 10 [and] as if [he is] other 11 [than
                  existing things], that is, 12 [that which has] privation.

Concerning 13 [ ... ] Triple Male 14 [ ... ] truly
                  [exists] as 13 [ ... mind] of knowledge 16 [ ...
                  ] those who [truly] exist 17 [in the way] that he has 18 true existence 19 [ ... ] and a [ ... ] ... 20 [
                  ... ] and she 21 [ ... ] second 22 [ ... ] perfect
                  which 23 [ ... ] appear 24 [ ... ] in him they 25 [ ... ] Kalyptos 26 [ ... ] ... 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] ... 29 [ ... species] 30 [ ... ] ... 31 [ ... ] these [40] 1 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 2 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 3 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 4 ... [ ... ] 5 two species ... [ ... ] 6

[His (the Triple Male Child's)] Knowledge [is Protophanes], 7 [the invisible] 8 [perfect male Mind. And] 9 he has
                  [his own Existence] 10 within [the] ingenerate [Kalyptos]. 11 [He possesses the] 12 third [of those aeons], 13 [since he] possesses [Mentality]. 14 And he [contains those
                  who] 15 dwell together [in order that they become] 16 all-perfect [and blessed], 17 since there is no [ ... ] 18 ... [ ... ] 19 ... From [ ... ] 20 god. The [(masc.)
                  ... stood] 21 with him [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 [perfect ... ] 24 of the [ ... ] 25 Kalyptos [ ...
                  ] 26 ... [ ... ] 27 ... [ ... ] 28 ...
                  [ ... ] 29 ... [ ... ] 41 1 [ ... ] know 2 [ ... ] of 3 [ ... Pr]oto[phanes, the male] 4 [perfect]
                  Mind, 5 [possesses all] the powers 6 [that dwell]
                  entirely 7 [unified] within [him] and he [dwells] 8 [among them.

And] his knowledge 9 [is a great deity], the Auto[genes]. l0 And [the divine Autogenes] 11 [is a principle]
                  of the [perfect] 12 Triple Male Child. [And] this male 13 [is a pattern and species] 14 [of the] perfect [Mind]--although
                  it does not contain 15 [these] within a [single] knowledge l6 like that one-- 17 [and he is] a measure of the individuals 18 [and] a single knowledge of the 19 individuals,
                  [both] the wholly 20 [and individually] perfect. 21

And the [perfect] male Mind 22 [is] a [knowledge of] the
                  Kalyptos, 23 [and] the divine [ingenerate] Kalyptos 24 [is a principle and cause] and a power 25 [and an existence]
                  of them all. 26 [ ... truly] 27 [ ... ] ... 28 [ ... ] ... 29 [ ... ] ... 30 [... Pro]to- 31 [phanes ... Pro-] 42 1 to[phanes ... ] one another 2 ... [ ... ] mind [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] they [exist] 4 [together ... ] 5 [wholly ... the] 6 ingenerate [Kalyptos.

               k) Five Kinds of Person and their Prospects for
                Salvation

(1) Mortality Necessitates Salvation

 ... ] 7 human ... [ ... ] 8 since they [belong to
                  all those who will be] 9 [saved] and to the one who [will save
                  them]. l0

Now the [one who repents and] 11 the sojourner [and the one
                  inhabiting] 12 the perceptible [world] 13 live with
                  what is dead. [They] 14 all [resemble a single thing. They] 15 attain salvation [apart from] 16 the dead. Now
                  [none] of them 17 needed salvation 18 initially,
                  but salvation is needed more 19 now that they are degraded. 20

(2) Materialistic Persons with Dead Souls

 As for the (type of) person that is dead: 21 its soul, [its
                  mind] and 22 its body [are] all [dead]. 23 Sufferings
                  [of the subtle], 24 fathers of [material men], 25 [they are demons that] 26 the fire [consumes]. 27 [They are worldly ... ] 28 ... [ ... ] 29 ... [ ...
                  ] 30 ... [ ... ] 43 1 that is transformed.

(3) Materialistic Persons with Living Souls

 The second (type of) 2 person is the immortal soul 3 that inhabits dead things, 4 concerning itself with them; [for] 5 it then [undertakes] a search for 6 particular
                  benefits 7 [and it] experiences 8 bodily suffering.
                  It (the soul) 9 [is treated corporeally], and it l0 [forgets that it has] 11 an eternal god; it 12 associates
                  with daimons. 13

(4) Those who Sojourn

 Now the humanity in the 14 Sojourn: if 15 it inwardly
                  possesses a discovery of the 16 truth, it is far 17 from the deeds of others 18 who live [wickedly] and [stumble]. 19

(5) Those who Repent

 As for the (type of) person that repents: 20 if it renounces 21 dead things and desires 22 real things--immortal 23 mind and immortal soul-- 24 [it is going to] be
                  zealous about them 25 by first undertaking for itself an inquiry 26 not just about action 27 but of the results. 28 For from this he [receives another] 29 [conception. The entire
                  place] and 30 [every] attainment [will be his].

(6) Those who are Saved

 [44] 1 Now the (type of) person that can be saved 2 is the one that seeks itself and 3 its intellect and finds each 4 of them. And how much power 5 this (type) has!

The person 6 that has been saved is one who has not known 7 about these things [merely] as 8 they (formally)
                  exist, but one 9 who is personally involved with [the] rational
                  faculty 10 as it exists [in him]. 11 He has grasped
                  their [image that changes] 12 in every situation as though they
                  had become 13 simple and one. For then 14 this (type)
                  is saved who can 15 pass through [them] all; 16 [he
                  becomes] 17 them all. Whenever it 18 [wishes], it
                  again parts 19 from all these matters and 20 withdraws
                  into itself; 21 for it becomes divine, 22 having
                  withdrawn into god."

             9. Zostrianos' Response to Ephesech's First Revelation

 [Now] 23 this is what [I] heard, [and] 24 I offered
                up praise to:

the living 25 and ingenerate God [who is] 26 in truth, and

                  the ingenerate [Kalyptos], 27

                  Protophanes 28 the invisible male perfect 29 Mind,

                  the invisible 30 Triple Male Child, 31 [and

                  the] divine Autogenes.

 [4]5 1 I said to the child of the child 2 Ephesech who was with me, "Can 3 your wisdom instruct me about 4 the dispersion of the (type of) person 5 that is
                saved? Who 6 are the ones mixed with it, and 7 who
                are those that divide it, 8 so that the living elect 9 might know?"

             10. The Revelation of Ephesech: Part II

               a) Souls that can be Saved Need Assistance to Escape
                Reincarnation

 Then the 10 child of the child 11 Ephesech, [speaking]
                openly, told me: 12 "When (this type) repeatedly withdraws 13 into itself alone 14 and is occupied with 15 the
                knowledge of other things, 16 since the intellect and immortal
                [soul] do [not] 17 intelligize, it thereupon 18 experiences
                deficiency, 19 for it too turns, has nothing, and 20 separates from it (the intellect) and 21 stands [apart] and
                experiences 22 an alien [impulse] 23 instead of becoming
                a unity. 24 So that (type of person) resembles many forms. 25 And when it turns aside, it 26 comes into being seeking those
                things that 27 do not exist. When it 28 descends
                to them in thought, 29 it cannot understand them 30 in any other way unless 46 1 it be enlightened, and it
                becomes 2 a physical entity. Thus this type of person 3 accordingly descends into generation, 4 and becomes speechless
                because of the 5 difficulties and indefiniteness 6 of matter. Although possessing 7 eternal, immortal power, 8 (this type) is bound in the clutches of 9 the body, [removed], 10 and [continually] bound 11 within strong bonds, 12 lacerated 13 by every evil spirit, until 14 it once more [reconstitutes itself] and begins again 15 to inhabit
                it.

               b) The Glories Enable Salvation

 Therefore, 16 for their salvation, there have been appointed 17 specific powers, and these same ones inhabit 18 this world. And among the Self-generated ones 19 there stand
                at each 20 [aeon] certain glories 21 so that one
                who is in the [world] 22 might be saved alongside [them]. The
                glories are 23 perfect living concepts; it is [im-] 24 possible that they perish because [they are] patterns 25 of
                salvation, that is to say, anyone 26 receiving them will be
                rescued to them, 27 and being patterned and 28 empowered
                by this same (pattern), and 29 having that glory as a helper, 30 one thus passes through the world 31 [and every
                aeon].

                And there 4[7] 1 are the guardians of the
                immortal 2 soul:

Gamaliel and 3 Strempsouchos;

                      Akramas 4 and Loel, and Mnesinous 5 [are] immortal spirits;

                  Yesseus 6 [M]azareu[s] Ye[s]sedekeus is 7 [the
                  commander]

                      [who] belongs to the Child, 8 [the Savior],

                      the Child of the Child, even 9 [the one
                  who knows you]; and

                  Ormos 10 is [Delimiter] over the living seed, 11 and

                  Kam[ali]el is the Spirit-giver; 12

                  The Attendants are 13 Isauel and Audael and [A]brasax; 14

                  the Myriads, Phaleris, Phalses, 15 [and] Eurios;

                  the Guardians of 16 glory, Stetheus, 17 Theo[pe]mptos,
                  Eurumeneus 18 and Olsen.

                  The Helpers [in] 19 every matter are Ba[thor]mos, 20 [I]son, Eir[o]n, Lalameus, 21

                         Eidomeneus and Authrou[n]ios; 22

                  the Judges are Sumphthar, 23 Eukrebos and Keilar; 24

                  the Rapturer, Samblo; 25

                  the Angels who guide 26 the misty clouds, Sappho 27 and Thouro."

             11. Zostrianos' Vision and Praise of Self-generated
              Aeons and the Triple Male Child

 When he had said 28 these things, he told me about all of those 29 in the Self-generated 30 Aeons. They were all 48 1 eternal lights and perfect, 2 being individually
                complete. 3 At each of the 4 aeons I saw a living
                earth, a 5 living water, luminous [air] 6 and an
                [unconsuming] fire. 7 All [these], being 8 simple,
                are also immutable 9 and simple 10 [eternal living
                creatures], 11 possessing a variety [of] beauty, 12 trees 13 of many kinds that do not 14 perish, as
                well as plants 15 of the same sort as all these, 16 imperishable fruit, 17 human beings alive with every species, 18 immortal souls, 19 every shape and 20 species of intellect, 21 gods of truth, 22 angels
                dwelling in 23 great glory with an 24 indissoluble
                body [and] 25 ingenerate offspring and 26 unchanging
                perception. 27 There was also that which 28 impassively
                experiences passion, 29 for it was a power of a power.

[49] 1 [ ... ] ... 2 [ ... ] ... [ ...
                ] change 3 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] indissoluble 4 [ ...
                ] ... [ ... ] these 5 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] all 6 [
                ... ] are. They 7 [ ... ] through them all 8 [ ...
                dwell] within 9 [ ... ] ... They are 10 [ ... ] come
                to be [ ... ] 11 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] (Lines 12 and following
                  do not survive.) [50] 1 of [ ... all] 2 [ ... simple], 3 perfect [ ] ... 4 eternal [ ...
                ] ... 5 aeon ... [ ... ] 6 ... and the [ ... ] 7 receive power [from ...] 8 and their [ ... ] 9 in
                a

                [ ... ] 10 for ... [ ... ] 11 [ ... ] not [ ...
                ] (Lines 12 and following do not survive.) [51] 1 [ ... ] ... in 2

                [ ... ]thorsoês 3 [ ... ] silence 4 [ ...
                ] him is 5 [ ... ] ... is the god] 6 [ ... ] we were
                blessing: 7

[the Autogenes and]

                  Pigeradamas 8 [and

                  Meirothea the] mother of [the one] 9 [glorified by] her
                  who glorifies 10

                      [him who begets divinity], 11 [and

                  Prophania] the mother [of] 12 [the (Four) Lights], and

                  Plesithea 13 [the mother] of the angels, and 14

                  [the son] of Adam, Se[th] 15 [Emma]cha Seth, father of 16 [the] immovable [race],

                  and [those who belong to] 17 [the] four Lights,

                      Arm[ozel], 18 [Oria]el, Daveithe, Eleleth. 19

 [These] we blessed by name: 20 [the self-]seer, the ruler of
                glory, 21 the Triple [Powered] 22 [and] Triple Male
                Child. 23 [With] majesty we said: 24

                "You are one, you are 25 [one], you are one, O Child [52] 1 of [ ... ] 2 Yato[menos ... ] 3 exist
                [ ... ] 4 ...

                [ ... ] 5 you [ ... ]. 6

You are one, you [are one ... ] 7 Semelel [ ... ] 8 Telmachae[l ... ] 9 Omothem[..] 10 male ... [ ...
                ] 11 [the] engenderer [of glory, the] 12 ruler of
                [glory, the] 13 lovable one, he [of] all [the] 14 absolutely all-perfect ones. 15 Akron [ ... ]. 16

O Triple Male: AA[AAA] 17 ÔÔÔÔÔ
                BI TREIS E[IS]! 18

                (fivefold first and last; twice times 10,000 times three in one?)

You are spirit from 19 spirit;

                  you are light 20 from light;

                  you are [silence] 21 from silence;

                  [you are] 22 thought from thought, 23

                  O [perfect] Child of 24 the god ...[ ... ] 25 ...

Let us say [ ... ] [53] 1

                  [ ... let us say] 2

                  [ ... let us say] 3

                  [ ... let us say] 4

                  [ ... ] word 5 [ ... ] ... the great 6 [ ...
                  ] and the [great] 7 [ ... God] ... 8 [ ...."

 All together] we [blessed] 9 [ ... the] invisible l0 [aeon of B]arbelo [ ... ] 11 [ ... ] the un-[ ... ] 12 [ ... ] the [Triple] Male 13 Prônês, and the all- 14 glorious one, Youel. 15

             12. The Fifth and Last of Five Baptisms in the
              Name of Autogenes

 [When I was] baptized the fifth 16 [time] in the name of the 17 Autogenes by 18 these same powers, I 19 became divine. 20 [I] stood upon the [fifth] 21 aeon,
                a habitation for 22 all [of them]; I saw all those 23 belonging to [the] Autogenes, 24 [those] who truly exist. 25

             13. Zostrianos Sees all the Self-generated Aeons

 Indeed I was immersed five [54] 1 times [by ... ] 2 and I[saouel, the ... ] 3 of the [great Yesseus Ma]zareu[s] 4 [Yessedekeus, the one] 5 from [ ... ] 6 that one [and ... ] 7 perfect [ ... ] 8 and the great
                [virginal] 9 glory, [the all-glorious one, she of] 10 [the great divine male gender], 11 the [mother who] 12 revealed 13 [all] the doubly perfect [aeons, even] 14 the one belonging to all the male species, 15 the [ruler] 16 of the glory, the mother of 17 [the] glories Youel, and the 18 [four] luminaries of [the] 19 [male] Mind 20 Protophanes: Selmen [and those] 21 with him (Solmis?), the 22 god-[revealers] Zachth[os] 23 and Yachthos, Sethe[us] 24 and Antiphan[te]s, [Sel-] 25 dao and Ele[n]os.

[ ... ] [55] 1 [ ... ] ... 2 [ ... if ...]
                comes 3 [ ... ] the 4 [ ... ] ... 5 [
                ... ] likeness 6 [ ... ] exist as 7 [ ... ] of the 8 [Autogenes], for [I] saw 9 [the aeons of the] aeons
                [since they] 10 [resemble ... ] more [than the] 11 [ ... ] light 12 [ ... ] more glorious [ ...] 13 [ ... ]

These are in relation to 14 [each] of the aeons: a 15 living [earth] and a 16 [living] water, and air made of 17 light and a blazing 18 fire which does not 19 [consume],
                and living animals and 20 [trees]; souls 21 [and]
                minds and human beings 22 [and] all those who dwell 23 [with them], gods 24 [or] powers or 25 even angels,
                for all these [56] 1 ... [ ... ] 2 and [ ...
                ] 3 and ... [ ... ] 4 exist [ ... ] 5 all [ ... ] 6 all ... [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] all 8 [ ... ] they are [ ... ] 9 and they are [ ... ] l0 [ ... ] and [ ... ] 11 [and] those [who come forth through] 12 the Autogen[es. And I] 13 was shaped by these. 14

[And] the aeons [of the] Autogenes 15 opened; a [great light] 16 came forth upon [me] 17 from the [perfect] 18 male aeons, and they [were glorified]. 19 The four 20 aeons were spread [out] 21 within a [single] aeon 22 in the form of a single [aeon] 23 existing [alone]. 24

 IV. Zostrianos Approaches the Aeon of Protophanes

             1. Ephesech Departs and Zostrianos Sees the Light-Crown
              and Seals

 Then E[phesech], 25 the child of the child [brought me ... ]
              [57] 1 [ ... ] ... 2 [ ... ] ... 3 [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... there stood] 5 [Yesseus] Maza[reus] 6 [Yessede]keus [together with] 7 [those who give
              the crown] of 8 [light with seals] upon it, 9 [namely
              Gamaliel] and Gabrie[l], 10 [who are under the great Lights]. 11 [And] there were seals 12 of four kinds. 13

 2. The Revelation of Yo(u)el

              a) The Appearance of Yo(u)el

 There came before me the 14 the glorious male 15 and [virginal] Yoel. 16 [I] wondered about the crowns, 17 (and) she [said] to me:

               b) The Crowns and Their Seals

"Why 18 [does] your spirit wonder 19 [about] the
                crowns and the 20 [seals] on them? 21 [They] are
                the crowns which empower 22 every [spirit] and every soul; 23 and [the] seals which are 24 [upon] them are the triple-classes,
                even 25 [those belonging to] the Invisible Spirit. [58] 1 ... [ ... ] 2 virgin [ ... ] 3 ... [
                ... ] 4 ... [ ... ] 5 and ... [ ... ] 6 virgin [ ... ] 7 ... and [ ... ]. 8 He sought [ ...
                ] 9 strength in the [ ... ] 10 [in] them [ ... ] 11 [ ... ] and [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 12 [ ... ] he
                [empowered them all]. 13 And the seals [of these] kinds 14 are those belonging to [Autogenes] 15 and Protophanes and 16 Kalyptos.

The [Invisible] 17 Spirit [is] a psychic 18 and
                intellectual power, 19 a knower and 20 a foreknower.
                Therefore 21 he is mediated by [Ga]briel 22 the spirit-giver,
                [so that] 23 when he gives [a] 24 holy spirit, he
                might 25 seal one ("him") with the crown 26 and crown
                him, as though 27 [he has] gods [and] 5[9] 1 [ ... a] power 2 [ ... ] the 3 [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... ] ... 5 [ ... ] the [four] 6 [great Luminaries]
                will [... ] 7 [ ... ] they [live]. 8

               c) The Perfect Individuals

 [The individuals are] spirits 9 [that exist and know] 10 [him in order that they may] become 11 [perfect. They exist] 12 [by themselves] and they are 13 not [among] them
                (i.e., intermingled) in order that they may 14 [become] simple 15 and [might not] be replicated 16 [in] any respect.
                [These] are the simple, 18 perfect individuals. 19

               d) The All-Perfect who are Unified

 [The Entirety] and all these, 20 [the aeons] of aeons, 21 [complete] him, [as well as] all those 22 who are collectively 23 all-perfect. It takes great 24 [effort] to see
                them, 25 for [the invisible] 60 1 [Protophanes
                the great male] 2 [Mind ... ] 3 ... [ ... ] 4 perfect [ ... ] 5 in the [Existence ... ] 6 ... [
                ... ] 7 every [power ... ] 8 [truly] exist, 9 [for] it [was a great thing for all those] 10 [who] hear him
                [openly]. 11 And [they were existing] 12 in thought
                [and] 13 Forethought, [since] 14 it is powerful [and] 15 perfect.

[But] 16 it is fitting for you to [declaim] 17 about everything and [about] 18 the things you will hear 18 through a thought 20 of those higher than perfect 21 and the things you will [recognize] 22 with a soul [of] 23 the perfect ones." 24

             3. Youel Baptizes Zostrianos in Living Water

 [When] she had said these things, she [baptized me] [61] 1 [in living water] 2 [ ... ] ... 3 [... ] of 4 [the great] 5 [male invisible] 6 [perfect Mind Protophanes-Armedon] 7 [ ... ] the first 8 [ ... ]. I received power 9 [from her] and [she appeared] 10 [to me and I] received form 11 [and semblance]. I received 12 [a light] that
              was beyond my [calculation], 13 [and I] received a holy spirit. 14 [I] became [truly] existing.15

             4. Zostrianos Sees the Triple Male Child

 Then she brought me 16 into the great [aeon] 17 where
              the perfect 18 Triple Male is. 19 I saw 20 [the] invisible Child 21 within an invisible 22 light.

             5. Yo(u)el Administers Zostrianos' Last Baptism

 Then [she] baptized me again in [62] 1 [living water
              ... ] 2 that [ ... ] 3 say [ ... ] 4 [
              ... ] ... [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] its [beauty ... ] 6 him
              ... [ ... ] 7 [and] I [ ... ] 8 I was able to [see] 9 [in the presence of] the great 10 and perfect [Self-generated
              ones.

And] 11 Yoel the all-[glorious] one 12 said to
              me: 13 "You have [received] all the [baptisms] 14 in which it is fitting to be] baptized, 15 and you have become
              [perfect] 16 [for] the hearing of all 17 [these matters].
              Therefore [call] now 18 upon Salamex and S[emen] 19 and the all-perfect Ar[mê], 20 the luminaries of the Barbelo
              [Aeon], 21 the immeasurable 22 knowledge. [They] 23 will reveal [to you] [63] 1 [those of the]
              invisible, 2 [great perfect male] 3 [Protophanes,
              and] 4 [the ingenerate Kalyptos and] 5 [then they
              will teach you about] 6 [the virginal Barbelo aeon] 7 [and] the Invisible 8 [Triple] Powered Spirit."

             6. Zostrianos Invokes the Luminaries of the Barbelo
              Aeon

 [When] 9 the all-[glorious] Youel 10 [had said this]
              to me, she 11 [set me down] and went and stood 12 before the Proto[phan]es. 13 Then I 14 [stood at
              rest] upon my spirit, 15 praying fervently to the great 16 luminaries by 17 thought. I was calling 18 upon Salamex
              and Se[m]en 19 and the all-perfect 20 [Ar]mê.

 V. Zostrianos is Anointed, Enters the Aeon of Protophanes,
            and Crowned

             1. The Revelation from the Luminaries of the Barbelo
              Aeon: Part 1

 And I saw 21 [glories] greater than powers, 22 [and]
              they anointed me. I was capable [64] 1 and I [ ... ] 2 in [this one ... ] 3 and [then] 4 the
              all-[perfect male virginal Youel departed], 5 [having] 6 covered [them] 7 all. [And I saw] 8 Salamex [and
              Semen], 9 [those] who revealed 10 everything [to
              me] saying, 11

               a) Negative and Positive Predications of the One:

                Victorinus, Adv. Arium 49,9-40; 50,9-10

"Zostrianos, [hear] 12 about the things you sought: 13

[He] was a [unity] 14 and a single one, 15

                  existing prior to [all those] 16 that truly exist,

                  [an] 17 immeasurable Spirit, completely indiscernible 18 by anything else 19 that

                  [exists] 20 in him and [outside] 21 him and [remains] 22 after him.

It is he alone 23 who delimits himself, [65] 1

                  [part]less,  2 [shape]less, [quality]less, 3

                  [color]less, [specie]less, 4 [form]less to them [all]. 5

[He precedes] them all: 6

                  [he is pre-principle of] 7 [every principle],

                  fore[thought] 8 [of] every thought, 9

                  [strength] of every power. 10

[He is faster] <than> [his] 11 [motion],

                  he is more stable <than> 12 [stability],

                  he [surpasses] 13 compaction 14

                  [as well as] rarefaction. 15

[And] he is farther than 16 any unfathomable(ness),

                  and he is 17 more [definite] than any corporeal entity, 18

                  he is purer than any incorporeal entity, 19

                  he is more penetrating <than> any 20 thought and any
                  body. 21

[Being] more powerful than them all, 22

                  any genus or species, 23

                  He is their totality: [66] 1

                      [the] whole of [true] existence 2 and

                      [those who truly] [exist; 3

                  he is] all [these;

                  for he is greater] 4 [than the whole,

                      corporeal] 5 [and incorporeal alike], 6

                  [he is more] particular [than] 7 [all the] parts. 8

Existing by a [pure un-] 9 knowable [power,

                  he] from whom 10 [derive] all those 11 that truly
                  exist, 12

                  (he) from whom derives 13 the [truly] existent Spirit, 14 the sole One.

               b) The Three Powers of the Spirit: Victorinus,
                Adv. Arium 50,10-16; 50,7-10; 50,5-8

 For they are [triple] 15 powers of his [unity], 16

                  [complete] Existence, 17 Life and 18 Blessedness.

                  In 19 Existence he exists [as] 20 a simple unity, 21

                      his own [rational expression] and idea. 22

                      Whomever he will find 23 he brings into 24 being.

                  [And in] 25 Vitality, he is alive [and] [67] 1 [becomes;

                  in Blessedness] 2 [he comes to] 3 [have Mentality]. 4

[And he] knows [that]

                      all these 5 [become] uniquely him, 6 for

                  [no] divinity 7 [is concerned with anything] except

                      [what] 8 [is his] alone, and

                  he [is a unity] 9

                      within himself [and] 10 [by himself],

                  the single, [perfect] 11 [Spirit].

For he dwells 12 [within] that which is his,

                      which [exists] 13 [as] an idea of an
                  idea, 14

                      [a] unity of the 15 [Henad.

                  He exists as [the] 16 [Spirit],

                      inhabiting it 17 by intellect,

                      and it inhabits 18 him.

                  He is not about to come forth to any 19 place,

                  because he [is] a single 20 perfect, simple Spirit. 21

                      He is his own place, and 22

                      he is its inhabitant. 23

                  Indeed <he is> everything.

And 24 on the other hand [there] is

                  the one who [68] 1 [comes to be in] 2 [Mentality] and [Life], 3

                      even [his] inhabitant. 4

                  And the Life 5 is [an] activity of the 6 insubstantial
                  [Existence]. 7

                  That which exists in [them] 8 [exists] in him; 9

                  and because of [him

                      they exist as] 10 Blessed[ness] and 11 perfect[ion].

                  And [it (the Life) is the power] 12

                      that exists in [all those] 13 that truly
                  exist. 14

               c) Implications for Salvation

 Blessed is the [Idea] 15 of the activity that exists! 16 By receiving Existence 17 it receives potential [for] 18 perfection. Since it never 19 divides, it is then 20 perfect. Therefore, 21 it is perfect 22 because it
                is not divisible 23 with itself. 24 For nothing exists 25 before it except 26 [the perfect] unity (Pages
                  69 to 72 were blank) [73] 1 [that is its] Existence, 2 [since] it is salvation [for] 3 [the wholes].

And he [of whom] 4 it is [not] even possible or [fitting] 5 [to speak], if one 6 [affirms] him for himself,
                all such things 7 [will eventuate], for he [who] 8 [abides] in the Existence 9 [of] this one l0 [exists]
                in every way in Life; by 11 Blessedness he knows; and 12 if he participates in the 13 [wholes], he is perfect. 14 But if he participates in 15 [two] or one, he is of the sort 16 that he has participated: 17

For [this] reason 18 there are those with soul 19 and those without soul; 20

                  for this reason those who will 21 be saved;

                  for this reason those who will 22 [perish] if they had no
                  [share] 23 in him;

                  for [this] reason 24 there is matter and 25 bodies;

                  for this reason [74] 1 [there is a desirable] in-[corporeality]; 2

                  Therefore [they are derivatives] 3 [of a whole].

 For all [these reasons] 4

it is he who [pre-] 5 exists and [is pure], 6 since

                  he is a [simple] Unity, 7 [a] single, unnamable Spirit, 8

                  even his own [Existence], 9 Idea (and) 10 [Being],
                  both

                      [in accord with the] 11 activity which
                  is [his] Life, 12 and

                      in accord with the perfection 13 which
                  [is] the luminous intellectual 14 power.

                  [And] 15 the three stand together, 16 moving
                  together. 17

It is everywhere and 18 nowhere that

                  he [empowers] 19 and activates them all. 20

                  The ineffable, 21 unnamable one--

                      it is 22 from himself that he [truly]
                  exists, 23

                      resting himself [in] 24 in his perfection-- 25

                  has [not] shared in [any] form, [75] 1

                      therefore [he is invisible to] 2 them
                  [all.

                  He has taken] 3 [no pattern for himself,

                  nor] 4 [is he anything at all of] those [that] 5 [exist

                      among the perfect ones] and

                      [those] 6 [that are unified].

                  The one 7 [belonging to the Entirety] exists in Existence 8 [and

                  he] dwells in the [Vitality] 9 of Life; and

                  in l0 Perfection and 11 [Mentality] <and>
                  Blessedness. 12

               d) The Attributes of the Spirit: Victorinus, Adv.
                Arium 50,18-21

 All [these] were existing 13 [in the] indivisibility of 14 [the] Spirit.

And it is Mentality 15 on account of [which] is 16

                  [divinity] and {in}substan[tiality] 17 and

                  Blessedness 18 and Life and 19

                  Mentality and goodness. 20

And Henad 21 and Unity 22 and

                  all these absolutely- 23

                  the purity of the ingenerateness--

                  pre-exist , 24 that is, 25

                  all these as well as the [76] 1 [ ...

               e) The Emergence of the Barbelo Aeon from the Triple-Powered
                Spirit

(1) The Emergence of Barbelo

 ... ] his [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] within [the] 3 [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... ] ... [ ... like] 5 [a fragrance
                  it reaches] 6 [the] light [anterior to] 7 [their]
                  aeon. It is a [power that] 8 inhabits a [part of the] 9 ingenerateness, for it 10 always exists. It [sought] 11 after him, seeing him [there] 12 and existing as a simple [unity]. 13 Since he is 14 Blessedness in 15 perfection,
                  he [was] 16 a perfect and [blessed] unity. 17 She
                  lacks this (unity) of that one 18 because she lacked him, 19 since he would supplement her 20 with knowledge. And 21 his knowledge dwells 22 outside of him with 23 that
                  which contemplates him 24 inwardly. [A] 25 reflection
                  and an [image] [77] 1 [that] lacks [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] simple 4 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] ... [ ... and] 6 [
                  ... ] ... it would [have fallen] 7 [down]. Therefore she [came
                  to exist] 8 [outside his] fullness 9 It was not for
                  herself that she desired 10 this aspect of her that she 11 [established] outside the 12 [perfection]; she became distinct 13 because she is [an] all-perfect instance 14 [of]
                  perfection 15 existing as contemplation. 16

With respect to that one, 17 [she] is an offspring that supplements 18 him, even that which derives from 19 his ineffable
                  power. 20 She has 21 a pre-potency, even 22 the primal ingenerateness 23 succeeding that one, 24 because with respect to all the 25 rest [she is] a first aeon.
                  [78] 1 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] ... [
                  ... ] 3 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 4 [all who are pure because
                  of the insubstantial] 5 [Existence. It is she who] grants 6 [rest]. It is (s)he who knows] 7 and [who foreknows] 8 him(her)self, [truly existing] 9 as a [single] aeon l0 in act [and] 11 potency and [Existence]. 12 It is
                  not [in] 13 time that she originated, but [she] 14 [appeared] eternally, 15 having eternally stood 16 in his presence. 17 She was overshadowed by the 18 majesty of his [goodness]. 19 She stood 20 looking
                  at him and rejoicing. 21 Being filled with 22 kindness
                  [she did not become separate]. 23 But when she was [filled]
                  [79] 1 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] ... [
                  ... ] 3 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] ... [of the
                  glories]. 5 [And she is an insubstantial Existence] 6 [and a power] that [truly exists]. 7 [She is the] first [insubstantial] 8 Existence [after] 9 that one. 10

[And from] the undivided One toward 11 Existence in act 12 move the [intellectual] perfection 13 and intellectual Life 14 that were 15 Blessedness and 16 divinity.
                  The [entire] Spirit, 17 perfect, simple 18 and invisible, 19 [has] become a unity 20 in existence and 21 act, even a 22 simple Triple [Powered] One, 23 an
                  Invisible Spirit, an 24 image of the one that 25 truly exists, the one [80] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ...
                  ] ... [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] able [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... It is impossible to comprehend] 6 true [existence] 7 since it is her [source], 8 while she is an image.

[She began to] 9 strive, since it was [im]possible 10 to unite with his [image]. 11 She saw its [privation] 12 while it was [in the presence of] 13 the all-perfection of 14 that one, since he 15 pre-exists and 16 is situated over all these, 15 pre-existing, being known 18 as three-powered. The 19 Invisible Spirit has 20 never [been] incognizant: [he (merely) did not] 21 make an act
                  of knowing, but was instead [abiding in] 22 perfection [and] 23 Blessedness. [Now] when [she] [81] 1 became
                  incognizant [ ... ] 2 and she [ ... ] 3 body after
                  [ ... in] 4 another way [ ... ] 5 [en]lighten [ ...
                  ] 6 she [was] existing [individually] 7 [as cause]
                  of [the declination]. 8 Lest she come forth anymore 9 or get further away l0 from perfection, she 11 knew
                  herself and him, 12 and she stood at rest 13 and
                  spread forth 14 on his [behalf]-- 15 since she was 16 [from] true existence, 17 she was from what 18 truly exists in common with all 19 things--to know herself 20 and the one that pre-exists. 21

(2) The Emergence of Kalyptos

 Having supplemented him, 22 they came into existence. {they 23 came into existence} And 24 they are manifest
                  through those [82] 1 [who pre-]exist. And 2 [ ... ] through the [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] since they had appeared 4 [as a] second 5 [Mentality]. And they appeared 6 [through the one (Barbelo)] who 7 foreknows him,
                  being 8 an eternal space, 9 having become l0 a secondary form of his knowledge, 11 even the duplication of 12 his knowledge, the ingenerate 13 Kalyptos. And
                  [the] 14 truly existent ones also 15 stood at rest
                  upon it (Kalyptos), 16 for she accordingly knew him 17 in order that those following 18 her might come into being having 19 a place, and that 20 those that come forth 21 might not precede her but 22 might become holy 23 and simple.

She is the 24 introspection of the god [83] 1 who pre-[exists. She ] 2 spread [forth ... ] 3 to
                  the simple [ ... ] ... 4 salvation [ ... ] 5 salvation
                  [ ... ]. 6 [And] he ... [ ... ] 7 [the] light that
                  is fore- 8 [known]. She was called 9 Barbelo by virtue
                  of 10 thought, the 11 perfect virginal male of three 12 kinds. And it is her own knowledge 13 through
                  which she originated 14 lest 15 [she be drawn] down
                  and 16 come forth further 17 by the things that exist 18 in her and that follow 19 her. Rather, she is 20 simple in order that she might 21 be able to know
                  the god 22 who pre-exists, since 23 she became better
                  than 24 those when she 25 [revealed her product]
                  [84] 1 ingenerate[ly]. 2

[And she became a] third 3 [aeon. There are] two [differences] 4 [in form] among [aeons], 5 [and they differ in
                  this] 6 [way:

On the one hand she is a first] 7 [aeon] with the [second] 8 ingenerate [nature], 9 a second [image]. 10 She stood at rest [as the] 11 first instance of that [which] 12 truly exists.

In [another way] 13 [she is] truly the Blessedness 14 of the Invisible [Spirit], 15 the knowledge of the primal 16 Existence within the 17 Simplicity of the 18 Invisible
                  Spirit-- 19 `within the Henad' resembles 20 `within
                  the Unity'--that which 21 is pure and shape[less]. 22

And he who [ ... ] 23 exists [ ... ] [85] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] and knows 8

                  [ ... ] and the 9 [Mentality] and the [perfection] 10 acted upon it and 11 [it came to rest], the first [divine] Kalyptos, 12 all of them: 13 existence and activity, 14 divinity, kind 15 and species. And the powers are 16 a unity.

Now how 17 is he a unity, that is, 18 not as a
                  particular but 19 as a whole? What 20 is the unity
                  that is the Henad? 21

[And] by 22 [its] activity [and the] vitality 23 and [ ... ] of 24 [ ...] And the Entirety [86] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 ... [ ... ] 4 ...
                  [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 ... [ ... ] 7 ...
                  [ ... ] 8 power [ ... ] 9 ... as [ ... ] 10 [Existence.

(3) Kalyptos Praises her Source

 A] perception [of the] 11 truth of [that] all-perfect one 12 said [by way of praise]: 13

`You are great, Aphr[edon]. 14 You are perfect, Neph[redon].' 15

 To his existence she says: 16

`You are great, Deipha[neus]'-- 17 she [is] his activity
                    and life 18 and divinity-- 19 `You are great, Harmedo[n], 20 the [all-]glorious one, Epiph[aneus]'-- 21

                    his Blessedness and 22 the perfection [of] the 23 unity.

 All [of that which belongs to a single one] 24 is unified [
                  ... ] [87] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] ... 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 [ ... ]
                  ... 7 [ ... ] eternal 8 [ ... ] intellectual 9 [ ... perfect] 10 [the virginal Barbelo] 11 through
                  the simplicity 12 of the Blessedness 13 of the Triple
                  Powered 14 Invisible Spirit.

She 15 who has known that one 16 has known herself.
                  And that one, being 17 everywhere one, being 18 undivided,
                  [brought] 19 [her to] himself [so that] she might know 20 [herself as] his activity. 21 [He] who does not know 22 [himself is one] who is known 23 [while existing] within another
                  [88] 1 [one. ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 ... [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 ...[
                  ... ] 7 ... [ ... ] 8 ... [ ...

(4) Praise of Barbelo as the Primal Kalyptos by
                  her Denizens

`We ] 9 bless [you ... ] 10

                    O Be[ritheus, Erigenaor], 11 Or[imeni]os, Ar[amen], 12

                        Alphl[eges], Elilio[upheus], 13 Lalameus,
                    Noetheus! 14

                    Your name is great [and] 15 strong.

                    He who knows [you] 16 knows everything.

                    You are 17 one, you are one, Sious, Ei[ron], 18 Aphredon!

                    You are the [aeon] 19 of the aeons of the 20 perfect great one,

                    the first 21 Kalyptos of the [third] 22 activity!'

               f) Implications of the Foregoing for Zostrianos

 [Now he] is [the one] 23 we have [before ...] 24 his image [ ... ] 25 of his, he [ ... ] [89] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ]
                  ... 5 [ ... ] ... 6 [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] 8 [ ... ] ... 9 [ ... existence ] 10 [
                  ... ] and he 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] ... 13 [ ... ] in 14 [ ... the glory] 15 [ ... ] glories 16 [ ... ] a 17 [ ... ] in 18 [ ... ]
                  ... 19 [ ... ] 20 [ ... ] ... 21 [ ...
                  ] aeon 22 [ ... ] ... 23 [ ... ] ... 24 [ ... ] .. [90] 1[ ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] 8 [ ... ] 9 exist [ ... ] 10 ... [ ... ] 11 ... [ ... ] 12 [and] 13 ... [ ... ] 14 ... [ ... ] 15 ... [ ... ] 16 [blessed ... ] 17 ... [ ... ] 18 perfect [ ... ] 19 ... [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 ... [
                  ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 ... [ ... ] 24 ...[ ... ] 25 ... [ ... ] [91] 1 [ ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] 8 [ ... ] ... 9 [ ... ] divine 10 [ ... ] ... 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] ... the thought of] 13 [the thought] that was fore- 14 [known] together with certain powers: 15 [an]
                  all-perfect [receptacle] 16 [and a foundation] of 17 them all and a cause 18 of [them] all, since 19 [she
                  is perfection, even] Barbelo, 20 [and he reckons her] to himself
                  and 21 [and to the one who bears] all these 22 [within
                  himself], since he has not put 23 [any ... ] and his 24 [ ... ] become 25 [ ... ] ... but [92] 1 [
                  ... ] 2 [ ... ] 3 [ ... ] 4 [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] 6 [ ... ] 7 [ ... ] 8 [ ... ] 9 [ ... ] 10 of ... [ ... ] 11 from [
                  ... ] 12 [and ... ] become [ ... ] 13 who [ ... ]
                  ... 14 single [ ... the one] who [exists] 15 with
                  a multitude ... [ ... ] 16 within [a ... ] 17 according
                  to the [concept] which 18 really [exists], which is [un-] 19 namable [and] un- 20 [knowable, a] hidden (Kalyptos) [Epinoia] 21 ... [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 triple
                  [ ... ] 24 ... [ ... ] 25 but [ ... un-] [93] 1 namable.

All these are, 2 as it were, emerging 3 from him
                  who is inferior. 4 If you give glory 5 because of
                  him, and if you 6 [think that he is] Existence 7 [or the Triple Powered One is] his 8 [existence, or he is a
                  unique Spirit] 9 [that is] simple 10 [ ... ] ... 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] he will 13 [
                  ... ] ... 14 [ ... ] that one 15 [ ... know] him 16 [ ... ] ... 17 [ ... ] perfect 18 he
                  is [ ... perfect] 19 and [ ... ] ... which 20 is
                  ... [ ... ] complete 21 ... [ ... ] ... 22 [ ...
                  ] his 23 [ ... ] ... 24 [ ... ] him 25 [ ... ] see the 26 [ ... ] those ones, [94] 1 he was not able to see her. 2

Therefore, it is impossible to receive 3 him in this way
                  in 4 majestic purity, 5 since he is a unity, more
                  perfect than 6 [what] is in a [form] of 7 the [ ...
                  ] which 8 [they do not wish to know] 9 on account
                  of [ ... in]effable 10 [ ... ] ... 11 ... [ ... ] 12 ... [ ... ] 13 which [ ... ] 14 together
                  [ ... ] 15 ... [ ... ] 16 which [ ... ] for 17 ... [ ... invisible] 18 ... [ ... exist] together 19 ... [ ... ] and [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] ... 21 ...
                  [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 ... [ ... ] 24 ... [ ... ] 25 ... nor [ ... differences] [9]5 1 between these and 2 angels, and differences 3 between these and human beings, 4 and differences between 5 these [and] an existence 6 and [insubstantial substances] 7 [and a substance and] an 8 [intellection] and [a perception] 9 [ ... ] truly 10 [ ... ] those 11 [
                  ... ] truly 12 [ ... ] ... 13 [for even ... ] the
                  [perceptible] 14 world [according to ] the way 15 ... [ ... ] an 16 [existence ... ] 17 for ... [ ...
                  ] 18 and [ ... ] ... 19 ... [ ... ] ... 20 [
                  ... ] 21 [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... the one who] [96] 1 will approach
                  him knowledgeably 2 is empowered, but he who is 3 far from him is inferior." 4

             2. Zostrianos' Response to the Luminaries

 And I said, "Why 5 then have the judges come 6 into
              being? What is the [suffering] of 7 the [ ... ] for 8 ... [ ... the ignorance] 9 and [ ... ] 10 ... [ ...
              ] 11 ... [ ... ] 12 but [ ... ] 13 ...
              [ ... ] 14 through [ ... ] who [discovers] 15 the
              suffering [that occurs] through 16 the [body and through his
              five] 17 [senses, that it] exists 18 [outside ...
              ] she 19 dwells [ ... ]division?" 20

             3. The Revelation of the Luminaries of the Barbelo
              Aeon: Part II

               a) Damaged Text: 96,20-113,14

 [ ... ] ... 21 [ ... ] ... 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] [97] 1 male, since she is knowledge [of] 2 the Triple Powered great
                  Invisible 3 Spirit, the image of 4 [the primal] Kalyptos,
                  the 5 [Blessedness] abiding in the 6 [Invisible]
                  Spirit, [without] the non- 7 [ ... ] non- 8 [ ...
                  ] for 9 [ ... ] he knows 10 [ ... ] 11 [ ... the] first 12 [ ... ] non- 13 [ ... ] ... 14 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] she is 15 visible [ ... ] 16 knowledge [ ... ] she 17 stands [ ... ] ... 18 ...
                  [ ... ] ... 19 [ ... ] 20 [ ... ] ... 21 [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ...
                  ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] [98] 1 [and] a perfect Henad of 2 a complete unity.

[And] 3 when she had completely separated 4 from
                  the Entirety [ ... ] 5 Existence and [ ... ] 6 ...
                  [and] the thoughts [ ... ] 7 ... [ ... ] 8 ... [
                  ... ] 9 [perception ... ] 10 ... [ ... ] 11 ... [ ... ] 12 ... [ ... ] 13 ... [ ... ] 14 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 15 ... [ ... ] that 16 ...
                  [ ... ] ... 17 ... [ ... ] ... 18 ... [ ... ] 19 ... [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 ... [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...
                  ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ]

[99] 1 [ ... ] ... she stands at rest [ ... ] 2 [ ... existence ... ] ... 3 [ ... ] which 4 [ ...
                  ] ... 5 [ ... ] knowledge 6 [ ... ] him 7 [ ... ] ... 8 [ ... ] ... 9 [ ... ] she blesses l0 [ ... ] ... 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] ... 13 [ ... ] ... 14 [ ... ] which 15 [ ... ] ... 16 [ ... ] and 17 [ ... ] ... 18 [ ... ] ... 19 [... ] ... 20 [... ] ... 21 [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...
                  ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] [100] 1 ... [ ... ] three [ ... ] 2 ... [ ... ] which [ ... ] 3 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 4 ... [ ... ] 5 ... [ ...
                  ] 6 Arm[ozel ... ] 7 ... [ ... ] 8 [ ...
                  the ... [ ... ] 9 is the [ ... ] 10 [through ...
                  ] 11 power [ ... first] 12 ... [ ... ] 13 ... [ ... ] 14 ... [ ... ] 15 which [ ... ] 16 forth [ ... ] 17 ... [ ... ] 18 ... [ ... ] 19 first [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...
                  ] 26 [ ... ] [101] 1 [ ... ] invisible [ ...
                  ] 2 [ ... ] that one [ ... ] 3 [ ... this] is the
                  [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 5 [ ... ] ... [
                  ... ] species 6 [ ... ] ... 7 [ ... ] ... 8 [ ... ] of a 9 [ ... ] ... 10 [ ... ] ... 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] Kalyptos 13 [ ... ] undivided 14 [ ... ] ... 15 [ ... ] ... 16 [ ...
                  ] ... 17 [ ... thought] 18 [ ... ] ... 19 [ ... ] ... 20 [ ... ] 21 [ ... ] 22 [
                  ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] [102] 1 ... [ ... ] which exist [ ... ] 2 ... [ ... ] the [ ... ] 3 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 4 and [ ... ] ... [ ... all] 5 ... [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 6 ... [ ... ] 7 ... [ ...
                  ] 8 ... [ ... ] 9 he [ ... ] 10 ... [
                  ... ] 11 ... [ ... ] 12 ... [ ... ] 13 and [ ... ] 14 those [ ... ] 15 a [ ... ] 16 ... [ ... ] 17 ... [ ... ] 18 ... [ ... ] 19 some [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 ... [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...
                  ] 26 [ ... ] [103] 1 principles of [ ... ] 2 [that truly] exist. But [those] ... 3 [that] exist
                  [ ... essence] 4 [ ... ] in 5 [ ... this] is 6 [ ...] the 7 [ ...] ... 8 [ ...] ... 9 [ ... ] ... 10 [ ...] ... 11 [ ...] forth 12 [ ...] they 13 [ ...] not 14 [ ...] ... 15 [ ...] this 16 [ ...] ... 17 [ ... ] ... 18 [ ... ] ... 19 [ ... ] and 20 [ ... ] 21 [ ... ] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ...
                  ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] 28 [104] 1 [ ... ] she reveals 2 [ ... ] of those
                  who [dwell] 3 [ ... ] ... of that one 4 and [ ...
                  ] this ... [ ... ] 6 Epinoia [ ... ] 7 ...[ ... ] 8 see [ ... ] 9 ...[ ... ] l0 ... [ ...
                  ] 11 ... [ ... ] 12 ... [ ... ] 13 ...
                  [ ... ] 14 he [ ... ] 15 really [ ... ] 16 ... [ ... ] 17 that [ ... ] 18 and [ ... ] 19 ... [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 ... [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 ... [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] 28 [ ...
                  ] [105] 1 are those who [stand within] 2 the
                  aeon of [ ... ] 3 come up to [ ... ] ... 4 [ ...
                  ] joined [ ... ] which 5 exist in [ ... ] that one 6 on the one hand [ ... ] how much 7 [ ... ] that one 8 [ ... ] One 9 [ ... an] origin 10 [ ... ] male 11 [ ... ] and 12 [ ... ] this one 13 [ ... ] matter 14 [ ... ] single 15 [ ... ] ... 16 [
                  ... exist] 17 [ ... ] ... 18 [ ... ] ... 19 [ ... ] which 20 [ ... ] and 21 [ ... ] ... 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...
                  ] 26 [ ... ] [106] 1 ... [ ... ] and he exists 2 ... [ ... ] he is [ ... ] and [in] 3 ... [divisible
                  ... ] boundary of a [ ... ] 4 ... [ ... ] a principle [ ...
                  ] 5 ... [ ... ] nor of [ ... ] 6 ... [ .... For]
                  the one who [ ... ] 7 ... [ ... ] 8 [others ... ] 9 ... [ ... ] 10 and [ ... ] 11 ... [
                  ... ] 12 number [ ... ] 13 ... [ ... ] 14 according to [ ... ] 15 which [ ... ] 16 ... [ ...
                  ] 17 ... [ ... ] 18 ... [ ... ] 19 ...
                  [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 ... [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [
                  ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] [107] 1 them [within the hypostasis] 2 and [ ... their] 3 existence [ ... ] ... 4 [ ... ] and the [ ... ] exists 5 as [ ... ] a 6 form [ ... ] first 7 [ ... ] ... 8 [ ... ] first 9 [ ... ] of the 10 [ ... ] ... 11 [ ... ] ... 12 [ ... ] this one 13 [ ... ] ... 14 [ ... ] three 15 [ ... ] ... 16 [ ... ] ... 17 [ ... ] ... 18 [ ... ] ... 19 [ ... ] ... 20 [ ... ] ... 21 [ ... one] 22 [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ...] 26 [ ...
                  ] 27 [ ... ] 28 [ ... ] [108] 1 [ ... ] not, they give [them] 2 [ ... ] he who exists 3 [from] all [ ... ] and 4 he [ ... ] a multitude 5 of shapes [ ... ] creation 6 ... [ ... ] 7 and [
                  ... ] 8 forth [ ... ] 9 rank [ ... ] 10 the non-[ ... ] 11 three [ ... ] 12 in the [ ...
                  ] 13 these [ ... ] 14 the [ ... ] 15 of
                  [ ... ] 16 appears [ ... ] 17 ... [ ... ] 18 ... [ ... ] 19 ... [ ... ] 20 ... [ ... ] 21 in [ ... ] 22 ... [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] (Pages 109-112 do
                    not survive.)

               b) The Kalyptos Aeon

(1) The Contents of the Kalyptos Aeon

 [113] 1 and angels, 2 daimons, minds, 3 souls, living creatures, 4 trees and bodies and 5 those prior to them,

                  those 6 of the simple elements 7 of simple principles,
                  and 8

those that are in [mixture] 9 and

                    those that are unmixed:

air 10 [and] water, earth 11 and

                    number, pairing 12 and motion,

                    [limitation] and 13 order, and breath, and 14 all the rest.

                    There are 15 fourth powers that are 16 [in] the
                    fourth aeon],

                    those 17 [that] are in the [totalities] and 18 perfections of all these,

                    the powers 19 [of] powers,

                    [wholes] of 20 [the wholes],

                    [genera] of 21 [the genera,

                    angels] 22 [of the] angels,

                    souls 23 [of the] souls,

                    living animals 24 [of the] living animals,

                    trees [of] 25 [the trees],

                    bodies [of the] 26 [bodies].

 And [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 28 [ ... ] [114] 1 his own.

There are [those] 2 that are as if generated, and 3

                    those that are in an ingenerate 4 generation; and

                    there are those 5 that are holy and eternal, 6

                    those that are changeless 7 within change and 8

                    in corruption within incorruptibility. 9

And there are those that exist as 10 wholes;

                    there are those [that are] 11 [generic] and

                    those that inhabit [an] 12 order and a rank;

                    there are 13 those in [incorruptibility], 14 and

                    there are the primary ones [that stand] 15 at rest with
                    the secondary ones [among] 16 them all,

                    [all] those [that] 17 [derive] from them and

                    [those that] 18 exist [among] them and

                    [from] 19 these that [follow] them [and] 20

                    [from them] ... [ ... ] 21

                    these [ ... ] ... [ ... ]. 22

 And [they] stood at rest [upon the] 23 fourth aeon [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] they dwell [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] ... they dwell [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] the whole [ ... ] [11]5 1 in them, since it is scattered abroad. 2 They do not conflict
                  with one another, 3 but they too are alive; among themselves 4 they exist and 5 agree with one another as 6 those who derive from a single 7 principle. They dwell united 8 because they all inhabit 9 a single aeon of Kalyptos, 10 [although] they become distinct in capability. 11 For aeon by aeon 12 they abide, standing at rest 13 as they ought. 14

[But] Kalyptos is [a] single aeon; 15 [it] contains four
                  different 16 aeons. 17 Each of the aeons 18 has capabilities, not 19 like firsts and seconds, 20 for they [are] all  21 eternal, [and] they differ 22 (merely) [in] rank and glory. 23 [And the others] that are 24 [within the] fourth aeon and 25 [in the aeons] that preexist
                  (it) 26 [are] divine. [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] they are
                  [ ... ] 28 [ ... ] [116] 1

All of them exist 2 in unity,

                    unified 3 and individually, 4

                    perfected in fellowship and 5

                    filled with the aeon that 6 truly exists.

 There are 7 those among them that have come to stand 8 as if they exist essentially. 9 And there are those that are l0 actively or [passively] quasi-[essential]; 11 they exist secondarily, for 12 it is the ingenerateness of the
                  truly existent ingenerate 13 entities that indwells them. 14 When the ingenerate ones 15 have come into being, their power 16 stands at rest.

There is there an 17 incorporeal essence

                        with [an] 18 imperishable [body];

                    in [that place] 19 there is the [truly] existent immutable] 20 [one,

                        even] 21 that which changes [with] 22 change;

                    [with all of them] 23 stands

                        [the unconsuming] 24 [and in]destructible
                    fire.

(2) The Ideal Cosmos of the Kalyptos Aeon and the
                  Modes of Non-Being:

                  Victorinus, Ad Candidum 8,8-21; 11,1-12

 [And ... ] 25 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 1[1]7 1 he stands.

It is there that 2 all living creatures are, 3

                    existing individually,

                        although 4 unified.

                    The knowledge 5 of the knowledge is there 6

                        as well as a basis for ignorance. 7

                    Chaos is there 8

                        as well as a [place] 9 for all of them,

                    it being [complete]

                        while they are incomplete. 10

                    True light (is there),

                        as well as 11 enlightened darkness (i.e.
                    intelligible matter)

                    together with 12 that which truly is non-existent (i.e.
                    gross matter), 13

                        that [which] is not-truly existent (i.e. souls), 14

                        [as well as] the non-existent ones that are not
                    at all (i.e. sensibles). 15

But he <is> the l6 [Good]

                        from which derives 17 what is good and
                    pleasant, 18

                    even the god

                        from 19 [whom] derives the divine

                        as well as that which 20 [is beyond divine],
                    that which is great. 21

 For [there is nothing] partial; 22 [there is no] form together
                  with the god 23 [of that one] and that [which] 24 [is superior to] god. [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] all these [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] guilessness [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 1[1]8 1 and genus.

He has not 2 commingled with anything,

                    but he remains 3 alone in himself and 4

                    rests himself within his 5 limitless limit. 6

                    He is [the] god of those that 7 truly exist,

                    a self-[seer] 8 and god-revealer. 9

(3) Barbelo Praises herself and the Invisible Spirit

 Having empowered him who [knows], 10 Barbelo--the Aeon, the
                  Knowledge 11 of the Invisible Triple 12 Powered perfect
                  Spirit--[glorified] 13 herself as she said:

`He [is alive with] 14 life.

                    I am alive in [unity]. 15

                    You, O Unity, are alive.

                    He is alive, [he] 16 who is three.

                    You are the [triad] 17 who [is] thrice [replicated: AAA] 18 EEE.'

 [They are] the first seven [vowels]. 19 The third [seven and] 20 the second [seven are EEE] 21 EEEE AAAAAAA [ ...
                  ] 22 And this [has four ... ] 23 [ ... ] knowledge
                  [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] ... [ ...
                  ] [11]9 1 part.

What mind! 2

                    What wisdom!

                    What knowledge! 3

                    What doctrine!

(4) The Four Luminaries of the Kalyptos Aeon

 His 4 luminaries are given names:

the first 5 [is Arme]don and his consort (is) 6 [Armê;

                    the] second is Diphane[us] 7 [and] his consort (is) Deiph[anea]; 8

                    the third is 9 [Aphred]on and his consort (is) 10 [ ... ];

                    the fourth is 11 [Solmi]s and his consort (is) Olmis. 12

 And there is Kalyptos, having 13 [joined] with his Idea. And 14 [he is] invisible to all 15 these so that they
                  all might be 16 empowered by him, since 17 [<he
                  is> a god] dwelling in 18 [the] all-perfect [aeon].

                  There are 19 fourths that dwell 20 [beside him]
                  and the First. 21 [And the fourths] are in accord with a 22 [syzygy proper] to him alone 23 [and B]arbelo; [he is next after] 24 [her since she is their totality.

The] 25 [first] luminary [ ... ] 26 [ ... he who] 1[20] 1 knows him and the one who is placed 2 second. Now the first 3 of the aeons is Harmedon, 4 the paternal glory.

The second 5 luminary <is> one that [does know] 6 him, but all the [individuals] 7 <are> a wisdom [of him who]
                  resides 8 in the fourth [aeon], 9 which has revealed
                  [him] l0 and all the glories.

[The third] 11 luminary <is> one [who] does not [see] 12 him, being the rational expression of all 13 [the
                  forms] as well as the [glory]. 14 [He is] the understanding
                  [that is] 15 in the third [aeon]. 16 Four inhabit
                  him: 17 Malsedon and M[..]nios. 18

The fourth luminary 19 is the one who sees [him, he] 20 of all the forms [that are] 21 unified, dwelling [in] 22 an instruction and glory [and] 23 truth of the [four aeons] 24 O[l]mis, [ ... ] and the [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] ...
                  [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 27 [ ... the] [121] 1 fifth.

The first--that 2 is, the second--is 3 the all-perfect
                  Kalyptos, 4 for there are the four luminaries. 5 It is Kalyptos who has 6 divided again. They are unified, and 7 these knowers are all those that 8 are glories;
                  all of them 9 are perfect. It is he 10 [that] knows
                  everything about 11 them all, since he is all-perfect. 12

From him is every 13 power, and every one is with 14 its entire aeon.

                    It is to him 15 and from him that 16 they all
                    come, 17

                    the power of them 18 all, the principle of them all. 19

When he knows 20 [himself],

                    he becomes a 21 [second] aeon and

                    a 22 [second] ingenerateness. 23

 [They have] other aeons 24 [within] them [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 27 [ ...
                  ] 28 [ ... ] 29 [ ... If he] 1[2]2 1 becomes a Barbelo, he 2 becomes a first aeon 3 because of the eternity of the 4 Invisible Spirit; (since Kalyptos
                  is) the second 5 ingenerateness.

(5) The Glories of the Kalyptos Aeon

 These are all 6 the glories:

the limitless 7 Aphredons,

                    [the] 8 ineffables,

                    the revealers, 9

                    the immutables,

                    all [the ...], 10

                    the glory-revealers; 11

                    the pairwise manifested Marsedons, 12

                    the limitless Solmises, 13

                    the self-revealers, 14

                    those who are [full] 15 of glory,

                    those who [attend the] 16 glories,

                    the blessers,

                    the M[alse]dons, 17

                    the hidden ones (Kalyptoi) that [are manifest], 18

                    the limits [that] 19 exceed the limits,

                    [and the thoughts] 20 that are [above the thoughts]. 21

 [And he establishes them] 22 [upon ... ] ... [ ... ] 23 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 24 [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] 28 [ ... having] [123] 1 ten thousand glories 2 in them. Therefore, it is 3 a complete glory so that whenever 4 it can 5harness
                  and control, it may become complete. 6 Thus, even if it enter 7 a body and a material transformation, 8 they do
                  not 9 receive greater honor for 10 their all-perfection
                  which is from him; 11 all these and their associates 12 are perfect.

So too each 13 aeon has 14 ten thousand aeons 15 in itself, so that 16 it may collectively become
                  a complete 17 aeon, and each dwells in the 18 [Blessedness]
                  of the 19 perfect Invisible Triple Powered 20 [Spirit
                  in the presence of] the silence 21 [of the God] who is fore- 22 [known], even the knowledge 23 [ ... ] ... [ ...
                  ] 24 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] ...

               c) The Protophanes Aeon

(1) Protophanes as the Image of Kalyptos

 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] entire [ ... ], 12[4] 1 a silence of the second 2 knowledge, the first
                  thought 3 within an agreement of the Triple 4 Powered
                  One, since he commanded her 5 to know him so that he might become 6 all-perfect. And he is inherently 7 perfect. It
                  is by simplicity 8 and Blessedness that he is 9 recognized.
                  [He received] 10 goodness through that 11 successor
                  of the Barbelo Aeon 12 who grants him being. 13 It
                  was not the power of the former, but of the latter. 14 The aeons
                  that truly 15 exist abide silently. 16 Existence
                  was inactivity, 17 and the knowledge of the self-established 18 Kalyptos was ineffable. 19

Having come [from the] 20 fourth, the [thought of his] 21 thought, the Proto[phanes], 22 the great perfect male [Mind,
                  ... ] 23 [ ... Arme]do[n ... ] 24 [ ... ] ... [ ...
                  ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] [1]25 1 He is his image, equal to 2 him in glory and power, 3 superior to him in rank, 4 though not in aeonic
                  level. 5 Like him he possesses them all, 6 alive,
                  dwelling together 7 in unity with the aeon 8 within
                  the aeons. He shares 9 a fourfold difference 10 with
                  all the rest that 11 are there.

And 12 Kalyptos truly exists, 13 and with him
                  is located the 14 all-glorious one, Youel, the male 15 virginal glory, through 16 whom are seen all the 17 all-perfect ones.

                  Those 18 that stand before him are the three: 19

[the divine] Child,

                    the Triple 20 [Male, and]

                    the [divine] 21 [Autogenes].

 He possesses 22 [three] within one which [makes four]. 23 [The one who] also dominates the 24 [ ... ] dwelling upon [
                  ... ] 25 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] 12[6] 1 ... ten thousand-fold.

(2) The Four Aeons of the Protophanes Aeon

The 2 first aeon 3 inhabiting him <is ...>,
                    from whom 4 comes

                        the first luminary Solmis 5and the god-revealer
                    (Selmen?), 6

                        infinite according to the 7 pattern in
                    the Kalyptos 8 and Doxomedon aeons.9

                    The second aeon is Akremon l0 the ineffable, containing 11

                        the second luminary 12 Zachthos and Yachthos.

                    The 13 third aeon is Ambrosios 14 the virgin,
                    containing 15

                        the third luminary 16 Setheus and Antiphantes. 17

                    The fourth aeon 18 is the [triple-]gendered blesser (Hymneos?) 19 containing

                        [the] 20 fourth luminary [Seldao] 21 and Elenos.

 He is [dominated] 22 by [the perfect Mind Protophanes] 23 Arm[edon ... ] 24 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 25 [ ... ] 26 [ ... ] 27 [ ... ] [1]27 1

`PHOÊ ZOÊ ZÊOÊ ZÊ[OÊ] ZÔSI 2 ZÔSI ZAÔ ZÊOOO ZÊSEN ZÊSEN!

                  The individuals and the four 4 who are eightfold are alive! 5

                  ÊOOOO ÊA ÊÔ!

                  It is you who are before 6 them, you who are in them 7 all!'

They are within 8 the perfect male Armedon- 9 Protophanes, the actuality 10 of all these dwelling together. 11

               d) The Autogenes Aeon and its Four Sub-Aeons

 Since all the individuals were 12 existing as perfect ones, 13 the activity of all the 14 individuals appeared
                again. As for 15 the divine Autogenes, he 16 stands
                within an 17 aeon containing 18 four different 19 Self-generated Aeons.

The 20 first aeon in him 21 of the first Light 22 is

                      [Harmozel], Orneos, Euthrounios, 23 also
                  called 24 [ ... ] ... [ ... ] 25 [...

                  The] second [aeon of] 26 [the second Light is] 27

                      [Oraiael, Io]udas[i]os, Ap[..], 1[28] 1 Arros[iel].

                  The third (aeon) 2 of the third Light (is) 3

                      Daveithe, Laraneus, Epiphanios, 4 Eideos.

                  The fourth 5 (aeon) of the fourth Light 6 is

                      Eleleth, Kodere, Epiphanios, 7 Allogenios.

               e) Conclusion: Those that Reside in Matter

 Now 8 all the others that reside in 9 matter were
                all persistent. 10 It was because of their knowledge of 11 majesty, their audacity and power, that 12 they came into existence
                and 13 adorned themselves. Because they did not 14 know God, they shall pass away. 15

Behold, Zostrianos, you have heard 16 all these things of
                which the gods 17 are ignorant and that are 18 undefined
                for angels." 19

             4. Zostrianos' Response to the Luminaries' Revelation

 As for me, I became bold and said: 20 "I am [still] wondering
              about the Triple 21 Powered Invisible perfect Spirit-- 22 how it exists for itself, [even the] 23 [cause] for them all
              [and of] those that 24 truly exist [ ... ] ... 25 [ ... ] what is the [place of] 26 [that one] and [of what sort
              is it]?" 27 [And after I] said [these things, I was] [12]9 1 greatly [glorified], and they set [me] down and left. 2

Apophantes and Aphropais the 3 Virgin-light came before me 4 and brought me to Protophanes, 5 the great male
              perfect 6 Mind.

There I saw all of them 7 as they dwell 8 in unity.

              I united 9 with them all and blessed

the l0 Kalyptos aeon,

                the 11 virginal Barbelo, and

                the Invisible 12 Spirit.

 I became all-perfect 13 and was empowered.

              I was inscribed 14 in glory and sealed. 15

              There I received 16 a perfect crown.

           Zostrianos' Descent from the Aeons and Recording
            of the Revelation

 I came 17 forth to the perfect individuals. 18 All
              of them were questioning 19 me, listening to the 20 majesty of the knowledge, 21 rejoicing and 22 receiving
              power.

When I again 23 came down to the 24 Self-generated
              Aeons, I received a true 25 image, pure, worthy 26 of perception.

I came 27 down to the Aeonic copies 28 and came
              down here 130 1 to the atmospheric [realm].

              I wrote 2 three wooden tablets and left them 3 as knowledge for those who would 4 come after me, the living
              elect. 5 Then I came down to the perceptible 6 world
              and put on 7 my image. Because it was uninstructed, 8 I empowered it and went about 9 preaching the truth to everyone. l0 Neither the angelic beings of 11 the world nor
              the archons 12 saw me, for I nullified a multitude 13 of [disgraces] that brought me near death. 14

           Zostrianos Issues the Call to Awakening

 But an errant multitude 15 I awakened, saying: 16 "Understand, you who are alive, the holy 17 seed of Seth! Do
              not [be] 18 disobedient to me. [Awaken] 19 your divine
              part as divine, and 20 empower your sinless elect soul. 21 Mark the 22 passing of this world and 23 seek the
              immutable 24 ingenerateness. The [Father] of 25 all
              these invites you 26 as he awaits you. And even when you are
              ill-treated, 131 1 he will not abandon you. 2

Do not baptize yourselves with death 3 nor entrust yourselves
              to things 4 inferior to you as if to 5 superior things.
              Flee the madness 6 and the bondage of femininity, 7 and choose for yourselves the salvation 8 of masculinity.

You have 9 not come to suffer; rather, you have l0 come to escape your bondage. Release 11 yourselves, and that
              which has bound 12 you will be nullified. Save 13 yourselves, that that one (your soul) 14 may be saved.

The kind Father 15 has sent you the Savior 16 and empowered you! Why 17 do you hesitate? Seek when you are 18 sought; when you are invited, 19 listen. For the
              time is 20 short. Do not be led 21 astray.

              Great is the aeon 22 of the aeons of the living ones, 23 and the [punishment] 24 of those who are unconvinced. 25 Many bonds and chastisers 26 surround you. 1[3]2 1 Flee quickly 2 before destruction reaches you. 3 Behold the light! Flee 4 the darkness. May you
              not be led 5 astray to destruction." 6

           Colophon

              ZOSTRIANOS 7

              Words of Truth of 8

              Zostrianos. God of Truth. 9

Words of Zoroaster.

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