Pistis sophia. A gnostic gospel (with extracts from the books of the saviour appended)

INTRODUCTION.

Gebhardt and Harnack's Texts and Investigations into the History of Ancient Christian Literature original: "Texte und Untersuchungen zur Geschichte der alt christlichen Literatur" (Leipzig), vol. viii.

Schmidt agrees with Harnack as to date, and thinks that the Pistis Sophia may be attributed to an Ophite school. In the works of the three writers referred to above there is a mass of information with regard to the Pistis Sophia, but as only the date and to some extent the authorship are being dealt with in this Introduction, the further consideration of their views must be postponed until a Commentary to form a complement to the present translation is attempted.

[THE FIRST BOOK OF PISTIS SOPHIA.]

Jesus has taught his disciples only up to the region of the first mystery.

(1) It came to pass, when Jesus had risen from the dead, that he passed eleven years speaking with his disciples, and instructing them up to the regions of the first statutes only, and up to the regions of the first mystery, the mystery within the veil, within the first statute, which is the four and twentieth mystery, and below those which are in the second space of the first mystery, which is before all mysteries—the father in the likeness of a dove.

What the first mystery surrounds.

And Jesus said to his disciples: "I am come from that first mystery, which is also the last mystery, the four and twentieth mystery." For his disciples knew not that mystery, nor did they understand that there was anything within that mystery; but they thought that that mystery indeed was the chief of the pleroma divine fullness, and the head of all that exists; and they thought it was the end of all ends, for Jesus had said to them concerning