It is the Lord who spoke with me: "See now the completion of my
redemption. I have given you a sign of these things, James, my brother.
For not without reason have I called you my brother, although you are
not my brother materially. And I am not ignorant concerning you; so that
when I give you a sign - know and hear."
"Nothing existed except Him-who-is. He is unnameable and ineffable. I
myself am also unnameable, from Him-who-is, just as I have been given a
number of names - two from Him-who-is. And I, I am before you. Since you
have asked concerning femaleness, femaleness existed, but femaleness was
not first. And it prepared for itself powers and gods. But it did not
exist when I came forth, since I am an image of Him-who-is. But I have
brought forth the image of him so that the sons of Him-who-is might know
what things are theirs and what things are alien (to them). Behold, I
shall reveal to you everything of this mystery. For they will seize me
the day after tomorrow. But my redemption will be near."
James said, "Rabbi, you have said, 'they will seize me.' But I, what
can I do?" He said to me, "Fear not, James. You too will they seize. But
leave Jerusalem. For it is she who always gives the cup of bitterness to
the sons of light. She is a dwelling place of a great number of archons.
But your redemption will be preserved from them. So that you may
understand who they are and what kinds they are, you will [...]. And
listen. They are not [...] but archons [...]. These twelve [...] down
[...] archons [...] upon his own hebdomad."
James said, "Rabbi, are there then twelve hebdomads and not seven as
there are in the scriptures?" The Lord said, "James, he who spoke
concerning this scripture had a limited understanding. I, however, shall
reveal to you what has come forth from him who has no number. I shall
give a sign concerning their number. As for what has come forth from him
who has no measure, I shall give a sign concerning their measure"
James said, "Rabbi, behold then, I have received their number. There
are seventy-two measures!" The Lord said, "These are the seventy-two
heavens, which are their subordinates. These are the powers of all their
might; and they were established by them; and these are they who were
distributed everywhere, existing under the authority of the twelve
archons. The inferior power among them brought forth for itself angels
and unnumbered hosts. Him-who-is, however, has been given [...] on
account of [...] Him-who-is [...] they are unnumbered. If you want to
give them a number now, you will not be able to do so until you cast
away from your blind thought, this bond of flesh which encircles you.
And then you will reach Him-who-is. And you will no longer be James;
rather you are the One-who-is. And all those who are unnumbered will all
have been named."
<James said,>, "Rabbi, in what way shall I reach Him-who-is, since
all these powers and these hosts are armed against me?" He said to me,
"These powers are not armed against you specifically, but are armed
against another. It is against me that they are armed. And they are
armed with other powers. But they are armed against me in judgment. They
did not give [...] to me in it [...] through them [...]. In this place
[...] suffering, I shall [...]. He will [...] and I shall not rebuke
them. But there shall be within me a silence and a hidden mystery. But I
am fainthearted before their anger."
James said, "Rabbi, if they arm themselves against you, then is there
no blame?"
- You have come with knowledge,
- that you might rebuke their forgetfulness.
- You have come with recollection,
- that you might rebuke their ignorance.
But I was concerned because of you.
- For you descended into a great ignorance,
- but you have not been defiled by anything in it.
- For you descended into a great mindlessness,
- and your recollection remained.
- You walked in mud,
- and your garments were not soiled,
- and you have not been buried in their filth,
- and you have not been caught.
And I was not like them, but I clothed myself with everything of
theirs.
- There is in me forgetfulness,
- yet I remember things that are not theirs.
- There is in me [....],
- and I am in their [...].
[...] knowledge [...] not in their sufferings [...]. But I have
become afraid before them, since they rule. For what will they do? What
will I be able to say? Or what word will I be able to say that I may
escape them?"
The Lord said, "James, I praise your understanding and your fear. If
you continue to be distressed, do not be concerned for anything else
except your redemption. For behold, I shall complete this destiny upon
this earth as I have said from the heavens. And I shall reveal to you
your redemption."
James said, "Rabbi, how, after these things, will you appear to us
again? After they seize you, and you complete this destiny, you will go
up to Him-who-is." The Lord said, "James, after these things I shall
reveal to you everything, not for your sake alone but for the sake of
the unbelief of men, so that faith may exist in them. For a multitude
will attain to faith and they will increase in [...]. And after this I
shall appear for a reproof to the archons. And I shall reveal to them
that he cannot be seized. If they seize him, then he will overpower each
of them. But now I shall go. Remember the things I have spoken and let
them go up before you." James said,"Lord, I shall hasten as you have
said." The Lord said farewell to him and fulfilled what was fitting.
When James heard of his suffering and was much distressed, they
awaited the sign of his coming. And he came after several days. And
James was walking upon the mountain which is called "Gaugelan", with his
disciples, who listened to him because they had been distressed, and he
was [...] a comforter, saying, "This is [...] second [...]" Then the
crowd dispersed, but James remained [...] prayer [...], as was his
custom.
And the Lord appeared to him. Then he stopped (his) prayer and
embraced him. He kissed him, saying, "Rabbi, I have found you! I have
heard of your sufferings, which you endured. And I have been much
distressed. My compassion you know. Therefore, on reflection, I was
wishing that I would not see this people. They must be judged for these
things that they have done. For these things that they have done are
contrary to what is fitting."
The Lord said, "James, do not be concerned for me or for this people.
I am he who was within me. Never have I suffered in any way, nor have I
been distressed. And this people has done me no harm. But this (people)
existed as a type of the archons, and it deserved to be destroyed
through them. But [...] the archons, [...] who has [...] but since it
[...] angry with [...] The just [...] is his servant. Therefore your
name is "James the Just". You see how you will become sober when you see
me. And you stopped this prayer. Now since you are a just man of God,
you have embraced me and kissed me. Truly I say to you that you have
stirred up great anger and wrath against yourself. But (this has
happened) so that these others might come to be."
But James was timid (and) wept. And he was very distressed. And they
both sat down upon a rock. The Lord said to him, "James, thus you will
undergo these sufferings. But do not be sad. For the flesh is weak. It
will receive what has been ordained for it. But as for you, do not be
timid or afraid". The Lord ceased.
Now when James heard these things, he wiped away the tears in his
eyes and very bitter [...] which is [...]. The Lord said to him, "James,
behold, I shall reveal to you your redemption. When you are seized, and
you undergo these sufferings, a multitude will arm themselves against
you that <they> may seize you. And in particular three of them will
seize you - they who sit (there) as toll collectors. Not only do they
demand toll, but they also take away souls by theft. When you come into
their power, one of them who is their guard will say to you, 'Who are
you or where are you from?' You are to say to him, 'I am a son, and I am
from the Father.' He will say to you, 'What sort of son are you, and to
what father do you belong?' You are to say to him, 'I am from the
Pre-existent Father, and a son in the Pre-existent One.' When he says to
you, [...], you are to say to him [...] in the [...] that I might
[...]."
'[...] of alien things?' You are to say to him, 'They are not
entirely alien, but they are from Achamoth, who is the female. And these
she produced as she brought down the race from the Pre-existent One. So
then they are not alien, but they are ours. They are indeed ours because
she who is mistress of them is from the Pre-existent One. At the same
time they are alien because the Pre-existent One did not have
intercourse with her, when she produced them.' When he also says to you,
'Where will you go?', you are to say to him, 'To the place from which I
have come, there shall I return.' And if you say these things, you will
escape their attacks.
"But when you come to these three detainers who take away souls by
theft in that place [...] these. You [...] a vessel [...] much more than
[...] of the one whom you [...] for [...] her root. You too will be
sober [...]. But I shall call upon the imperishable knowledge, which is
Sophia who is in the Father (and) who is the mother of Achamoth.
Achamoth had no father nor male consort, but she is female from a
female. She produced you without a male, since she was alone (and) in
ignorance as to what lives through her mother because she thought that
she alone existed. But I shall cry out to her mother. And then they will
fall into confusion (and) will blame their root and the race of their
mother. But you will go up to what is yours [...] you will [...] the
Pre-existent One."
"They are a type of the twelve disciples and the twelve pairs, [...]
Achamoth, which is translated 'Sophia'. And who I myself am, (and) who
the imperishable Sophia (is) through whom you will be redeemed, and (who
are) all the sons of Him-who-is - these things they have known and have
hidden within them. You are to hide <these things> within you, and you
are to keep silence. But you are to reveal them to Addai. When you
depart, immediately war will be made with this land. Weep, then, for him
who dwells in Jerusalem. But let Addai take these things to heart. In
the tenth year let Addai sit and write them down. And when he writes
them down [...] and they are to give them [...] he has the [...] he is
called Levi. Then he is to bring [...] word [...] from what I said
earlier [...] a woman [...] Jerusalem in her [...] and he begets two
sons through her. They are to inherit these things and the understanding
of him who [...] exalts. And they are to receive [...] through him from
his intellect. Now, the younger of them is greater. And may these things
remain hidden in him until he comes to the age of seventeen years [...]
beginning [...] through them. They will pursue him exceedingly, since
they are from his [...] companions. He will be proclaimed through them,
and they will proclaim this word. Then he will become a seed of [...]."
James said, "I am satisfied [...] and they are [...] my soul. Yet
another thing I ask of you: who are the seven women who have been your
disciples? And behold all women bless you. I also am amazed how
powerless vessels have become strong by a perception which is in them."
The Lord said, "You [...] well [...] a spirit of [...], a spirit of
thought, a spirit of counsel of a [...], a spirit [...] a spirit of
knowledge [...] of their fear. [...] when we had passed through the
breath of this archon who is named Adonaios [...] him and [...] he was
ignorant [...] when I came forth from him, he remembered that I am a son
of his. He was gracious to me at that time as his son. And then, before
<I> appeared here, <he> cast them among this people. And from the place
of heaven the prophets [...]."
James said, "Rabbi, [...] I [...] all together [...] in them
especially [...]." The Lord said, "James, I praise you [...] walk upon
the earth [...] the words while he [...] on the [...]. For cast away
from you the cup which is bitterness. For some from [...] set themselves
against you. For you have begun to understand their roots from beginning
to end. Cast away from yourself all lawlessness. And beware lest they
envy you. When you speak these words of this perception, encourage these
four: Salome and Mariam and Martha and Arsinoe [...] since he takes some
[...] to me he is [...] burnt offerings and [...]. But I [...] not in
this way; but [...] first-fruits of the [...] upward [...] so that the
power of God might appear. The perishable has gone up to the
imperishable and the female element has attained to this male element."
James said, "Rabbi, into these three (things), then, has their [...]
been cast. For they have been reviled, and they have been persecuted
[...]. Behold [...] everything [...] from anyone [...]. For you have
received [...] of knowledge. And [...] that what is the [...] go [...]
you will find [...]. But I shall go forth and shall reveal that they
believed in you, that they may be content with their blessing and
salvation, and this revelation may come to pass."
And he went at that time immediately and rebuked the twelve and cast
out of them contentment concerning the way of knowledge [...].
[...]. And the majority of them [...] when they saw, the messenger
took in [...]. The others [...] said, "[...] him from this earth. For he
is not worthy of life." These, then, were afraid. They arose, saying,
"We have no part in this blood, for a just man will perish through
injustice" James departed so that [...] look [...] for we [...] him.
