Continuance of the Sophia of Jesus the Christ

recorded by Mary the Magdalene

Simon said to him, "Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the World?"

Jesus said, "There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called 'sin.' That is why the God came into your midst, to the essence of every nature, in order to restore it to its root."

Then he continued and said, "That is why you become sick and die, for you are of the one who carries on the works of womanhood. He who understands, let him understand. Matter gave birth to a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from something contrary to nature. Then there arose a disturbance in the whole body. That is why I said to you, 'Be of good courage.' But if you are discouraged, be encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature. He who has ears, let him hear."

When Jesus had said this, he greeted them all, saying, "Peace be with you. Receive my peace to yourselves. Beware that no ones leads you astray, saying, 'Lo here!' or 'Lo there!' for the Son of Man is within you. Follow after him! Those who seek him will find him. Go then, and preach the gospel of the kingdom. Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed for you, and do not give a law like a lawgiver lest you be constrained by it." When he had said this, he departed.

These are the things Jesus said, then he disappeared from them.

But the disciples were grieved. They wept greatly, saying, "How shall we go to the gentiles and preach the gospel of the kingdom of the Son of Man? If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?"

Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, "Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for his grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. Rather, let us praise his greatness, for he has prepared us and made us into men." When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to Good, and they began to discuss the words of Jesus.

Simon said to Mary, "Sister, we know that Jesus loved you more than the rest of the women. Tell us the words of Jesus which you remember, which you know but we do not, nor have we heard them."

Mary answered and said, "What is hidden from you, I will proclaim to you."

And she began to speak to them these words: "I saw Jesus in a vision and I said to him, 'Lord, I saw you today in a vision.' He answered and said to me, 'Blessed are you that you did not waver at the sight of me. For where the mind is, there is the treasure.' I said to him, 'Lord, now does he who sees the vision see it through the soul or through the spirit?' Jesus answered and said, 'He does not see through the soul nor through the spirit, but the mind which is between the two, that is what he sees the vision with. The soul serves you as a garment, though you do not know it.'

" 'Once the soul was questioned by Ignorance, who questioned the soul, saying, "Where are you going? In wickedness are you bound, but you are bound so do not judge!" And the soul said, "Why do you judge me although I have not judged? I was bound, though I have not bound. I was not recognized, but I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly things and the heavenly."

" 'When the soul had overcome Ignorance, it went upwards and saw Wrath, which took seven forms. The first form is darkness, the second is desire, the third is ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of the flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom. These are the seven powers of Wrath. They asked the soul, "Whence do you come, slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?" The soul answered and said, "What binds me has been slain, and what surrounds me has been overcome, and my Desire has been ended, and Ignorance has died. In a world I was released from a world, and in a type from a heavenly type, and from the fetter of oblivion, which is transient. From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence".' "

When Mary has said this she fell silent, since it was to this point that Jesus had spoken with her. But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, "Say what you wish to say about what she has said, I at least do not believe that Jesus said this, for certainly these teachings are strange ideas."

Simon answered, and spoke concerning the same things. He questioned them about Jesus, "Did he really speak with a woman without our knowledge and not openly? Are we to turn about and all listen to her? Did he prefer her to us?"

Then Mary wept and said to the Simon, "My brother, Simon, what do you think? Do you think I thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about Jesus?"

Levi answered and said to Simon, "Simon, you have always been hot tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. If Jesus made her worthy, who are you to reject her? Surely Jesus knows her very well, that is why he loved her more than us. Rather, let us be ashamed and put on the perfect man and acquire him for ourselves as he commanded us, and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or law beyond what Jesus said."

Then all the disciples were in great, ineffable joy in the spirit from that day on. And his disciples began to preach this gospel of the kingdom God, the Eternal, Imperishable Spirit.

Amen.