Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (12 page)

of deceit, while the established truth is

to the totality, the Father was not jealous.

immutable, imperturbable, perfect in

What jealousy indeed (could there be)

beauty. For this reason, despise error.

between himself and his members? For,

Thus it had no root; it fell into a fog

if this aeon had thus [received] their [perregarding the Father, while it was infection], they could not have come [ . . . ]

volved in preparing works and oblivions

the Father. He retains within himself their

and terrors, in order that by means of

perfection, granting it to them as a return

these it might entice those of the middle

to him and a perfectly unitary knowledge.

and capture them.

It is he who fashioned the totality, and

The oblivion of error was not revealed.

within him is the totality and the totality

It is not a [ . . . ] from the Father. Oblivion

was in need of him.

did not come into existence from the Fa

As in the case of a person of whom

ther, although it did indeed come into

some are ignorant, he wishes to have

existence because of him. But what

them know him and love him, so—for

comes into existence in him is knowlwhat did the totality have need of if not edge, which appeared in order that

knowledge regarding the Father?—he beoblivion might vanish and the Father came a guide, restful and leisurely. In

might be known. Since oblivion came

schools he appeared (and) he spoke the

into existence because the Father was not

word as a teacher. There came the men

known, then if the Father comes to be

wise in their own estimation, putting him

known, oblivion will not exist from that

to the test. But he confounded them bemoment on.

cause they were foolish. They hated him

Through this, the gospel of the one

because they were not really wise.

who is searched for, which �was� re

After all these, there came the little

vealed to those who are perfect through

children also, those to whom the knowl

THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH

47

edge of the Father belongs. Having been

the Father, it is necessary for the totality

strengthened, they learned about the imto ascend to him. Then, if one has knowlpressions of the Father. They knew, they edge, he receives what are his own and

were known; they were glorified, they

draws them to himself. For he who is

glorified. There was manifested in their

ignorant is in need, and what he lacks is

heart the living book of the living—the

great, since he lacks that which will make

one written in the thought and the mind

him perfect. Since the perfection of the

[of the] Father, which from before the

totality is in the Father and it is necessary

foundation of the totality was within his

for the totality to ascend to him and for

incomprehensibility—that (book) which

each one to receive what are his own, he

no one was able to take, since it remains

enrolled them in advance, having prefor the one who will take it to be slain.

pared them to give to those who came

No one could have become manifest from

forth from him.

among those who have believed in sal

Those whose name he knew in advation unless that book had appeared. For vance were called at the end, so that one

this reason the merciful one, the faithful

who has knowledge is the one whose

one, Jesus, was patient in accepting sufname the Father has uttered. For he ferings until he took that book, since he

whose name has not been spoken is igknows that his death is life for many.

norant. Indeed, how is one to hear if his

Just as there lies hidden in a will, bename has not been called? For he who is fore it is opened, the fortune of the deignorant until the end is a creature of ceased master of the house, so (it is) with

oblivion, and he will vanish along with

the totality, which lay hidden while the

it. If not, how is it that these miserable

Father of the totality was invisible, being

ones have no name, (how is it that) they

something which is from him, from

do not have the call? Therefore, if one

whom every space comes forth. For this

has knowledge, he is from above. If he is

reason Jesus appeared; he put on that

called, he hears, he answers, and he turns

book; he was nailed to a tree; he pubto him who is calling him, and ascends lished the edict of the Father on the cross.

to him. And he knows in what manner

O such great teaching! He draws himself

he is called. Having knowledge, he does

down to death though life eternal clothes

the will of the one who called him, he

him. Having stripped himself of the perwishes to be pleasing to him, he receives ishable rags, he put on imperishability,

rest. Each one’s name comes to him. He

which no one can possibly take away

who is to have knowledge in this manner

from him. Having entered the empty

knows where he comes from and where

spaces of terrors, he passed through those

he is going. He knows as one who having

who were stripped naked by oblivion,

become drunk has turned away from his

being knowledge and perfection, prodrunkenness, (and) having returned to claiming the things that are in the heart,

himself, has set right what are his own.

[ . . . ] teach those who will receive

He has brought many back from error.

teaching.

He has gone before them to their places,

But those who are to receive teaching

from which they had moved away, since

[are] the living who are inscribed in the

it was on account of the depth that they

book of the living. It is about themselves

received error, the depth of the one who

that they receive instruction, receiving it

encircles all spaces while there is none

from the Father, turning again to him.

that encircles him. It was great wonder

Since the perfection of the totality is in

that they were in the Father, not knowing

48

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

him, and (that) they were able to come

served.—For the place where there is

forth by themselves, since they were unenvy and strife is deficient, but the place able to comprehend or to know the one

where (there is) Unity is perfect. Since

in whom they were. For if his will had

the deficiency came into being because

not thus emerged from him—for he rethe Father was not known, therefore, vealed it in view of a knowledge in which

when the Father is known, from that moall its emanations concur.

ment on the deficiency will no longer

This is the knowledge of the living

exist. As in the case of the ignorance of

book which he revealed to the 23 aeons,

a person, when he comes to have knowlat the end, as [his letters], revealing how edge, his ignorance vanishes of itself, as

they are not vowels nor are they consothe darkness vanishes when light appears, nants, so that one might read them and

so also the deficiency vanishes in the

think of something foolish, but they are

perfection. So from that moment on the

letters of the truth which they alone speak

form is not apparent, but it will vanish in

who know them. Each letter is a complete

the fusion of Unity, for now their works

�thought� like a complete book, since

lie scattered. In time Unity will perfect

they are letters written by the Unity, the

the spaces. It is within Unity that each

Father having written them for the aeons

one will attain himself; within knowledge

in order that by means of his letters they

he will purify himself from multiplicity

should know the Father.

into Unity, consuming matter within him

While his wisdom contemplates the

self like fire, and darkness by light, death

Word, and his teaching utters it, his

by life.

knowledge has revealed �it�. While

If indeed these things have happened

forebearance is a crown upon it, and his

to each one of us, then we must see to it

gladness is in harmony with it, his glory

above all that the house will be holy and

has exalted it, his image has revealed

silent for the Unity. (It is) as in the case

it, his repose has received it into itself,

of some people who moved out of dwellhis love has made a body over it, his ings having jars that in spots were not

fidelity has embraced it. In this way the

good. They would break them and the

Word of the Father goes forth in the tomaster of the house would not suffer loss.

tality, as the fruit [of] his heart and an

Rather �he� is glad because in place of

impression of his will. But it supports the

the bad jars (there are) full ones which

totality; it chooses them and also receives

are made perfect. For such is the judgthe impression of the totality, purifying ment which has come from above. It has

them, bringing them back into the Father,

passed judgment on everyone; it is a

into the Mother, Jesus of the infinite

drawn sword, with two edges, cutting on

sweetness.

either side. When the Word appeared, the

The Father reveals his bosom.—Now

one that is within the heart of those who

his bosom is the Holy Spirit.—He reveals

utter it—it is not a sound alone but it

what is hidden of him—what is hidden

became a body—a great disturbance took

of him is his Son—so that through the

place among the jars because some had

mercies of the Father the aeons may

been emptied, others filled; that is, some

know him and cease laboring in search

had been supplied, others poured out,

of the Father, resting there in him, knowsome had been purified, still others broing that this is the rest. Having filled the ken up. All the spaces were shaken and

deficiency, he abolished the form—the

disturbed because they had no order nor

form of it is the world, that in which he

stability. Error was upset, not knowing

THE GOSPEL OF TRUTH

49

what to do; it was grieved, in mourning,

the one who exists, who established it

afflicting itself because it knew nothing.

from what does not exist. For he who has

When knowledge drew near it—this is

no root has no fruit either, but though he

the downfall of (error) and all its ema-

thinks to himself, “I have come into benations—error is empty, having nothing ing,” yet he will perish by himself. For

inside.

this reason, he who did not exist at all

Truth appeared; all its emanations

will never come into existence. What,

knew it. They greeted the Father in truth

then, did he wish him to think of himself?

with a perfect power that joins them with

This: “I have come into being like the

the Father. For, as for everyone who loves

shadows and phantoms of the night.”

the truth—because the truth is the mouth

When the light shines on the terror which

of the Father; his tongue is the Holy

that person had experienced, he knows

Spirit—he who is joined to the truth is

that it is nothing.

joined to the Father’s mouth by his

Thus they were ignorant of the Father,

tongue, whenever he is to receive the

he being the one whom they did not see.

Holy Spirit, since this is the manifesta

Since it was terror and disturbance and

tion of the Father and his revelation to

instability and doubt and division, there

his aeons.

were many illusions at work by means of

He manifested what was hidden of

these, and (there were) empty fictions, as

him; he explained it. For who contains,

if they were sunk in sleep and found

if not the Father alone? All the spaces are

themselves in disturbing dreams. Either

his emanations. They have known that

(there is) a place to which they are fleethey came forth from him like children ing, or without strength they come (from)

who are from a grown man. They knew

having chased after others, or they are

that they had not yet received form nor

involved in striking blows, or they are

yet received a name, each one of which

receiving blows themselves, or they have

the Father begets. Then, when they refallen from high places, or they take off ceive form by his knowledge, though