John asketh and receiveth permission to speak.
It came to pass while Iesus spake these words unto his disciples, saying unto them:
"This is the fourth penitence which Pistis Sophia hath uttered; now, therefore, let him who understandeth, understand,"
--it came to pass then, when Iesus had spoken these words, that John came forward, adored the breast (of Iesus) and said unto him:
"My Lord, give commandment to me also, and grant me to speak the solution of the fourth penitence which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
2. John interpreteth the penitence from Psalm ci.
Iesus said unto John:
"I give thee commandment, and I grant thee to speak the solution of the penitence which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
John answered and said:
"My Lord and Saviour, concerning this penitence which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, thy light-power which was in David, hath prophesied aforetime in the one-hundred-and-first Psalm[1]:
"'1. Lord, give ear unto my supplication and let my voice reach unto thee.
"'2. Turn not away thy face from me; incline thine ear unto me in the day when I am oppressed; quickly give ear to me on the day when I shall cry unto thee.
"'3. For my days are vanished [as] smoke and my bones are parched [as] stone.
"'4. I am scorched [as] the grass, and my heart is dried up; for I have forgotten to eat my bread.
"'5. From the voice (of my groaning) my bones cleaved to my flesh.
"'6. I am become [as] a pelican in the desert; I am become [as] a screech-owl in the house.
"'7. I have passed the night watching; I am become [as] a sparrow alone on the roof.
"'8. My enemies have reviled me all the day long, and they who honour me, have injured me.
"'9. For I have eaten ashes instead of my bread and mixed my drink with tears,
"'10. Because of thy wrath and thy rage; for thou hast lifted me up and cast me down.
"'11. My days have declined [as] a shadow, and I am dried up [as] the grass,
"'12. But thou, O Lord, thou endurest for ever, and thy remembrance unto the generation of generation{s}.
"'13. Arise and have mercy upon Zion, for the time is come to have mercy upon her; the proper time is come.
"'14. Thy servants have longed for her stones[2], and will take pity on her land.
"'15. And the nations will have honor (of the name) of the Lord, and the kings (of the earth) have fear of thy sovereignty.
"'16. For the Lord will build up Zion and reveal himself in his sovereignty.
"17. He hath regarded the prayer (of the humble) and hath not despised their supplication.
"'18. This shall be recorded for another generation, and the people who shall be created will praise the Lord.
"'19. Because he hath looked down on his holy height; the Lord hath looked down from the heaven on the earth,
"'20. To hear the sighing of those in chains, to loose the sons of those who are slain,
"'21. To proclaim the name (of the Lord) in Zion and his praise in Jerusalem.'
"This, my Lord, is the solution of the mystery of the penitence which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
1. Read: Psalm 102:1-21
2. Read: Revelation 2:17