The thirteenth penitence of Sophia.
And Iesus continued again in the discourse and said unto his disciples:
"It came to pass again thereafter that Pistis Sophia cried unto me, saying:
"O Light (of lights), I have transgressed in the twelve æons, and have descended from them; wherefor have I uttered the twelve penitences, [one] for each æon. Now, therefore, O Light (of lights), forgive me my transgression, for it is exceedingly great, because I have abandoned the regions (of the height) and have come to dwell in the regions (of the chaos).'
"When then Pistis Sophia had said this, she continued again in the thirteenth penitence, saying:
"'1. Hearken unto me singing praises unto thee, O Light (of lights). Hearken unto me uttering the repentance for the thirteenth æon, the region out of which I have come down, in order that the thirteenth repentance (of the thirteenth æon) may be accomplished,--those [æons] which I have overstepped and out of which I have come down.
"'2. Now, therefore, O Light (of lights), hearken unto me singing praises unto thee in the thirteenth æon, my region out of which I have come down.
"'3. Save me, O Light, in thy great mystery and forgive my transgression in thy forgiveness.
"'4. And give unto me the baptism and forgive my sins and purify me from my transgression.
"'5. And my transgression is the lion-faced power, which will never be hidden from thee;
for because of it have I gone down.
"'6. And I alone among the invisibles, in whose regions I was, have transgressed, and have gone down into the chaos. Moreover I have transgressed, that thy commandment may be accomplished.'
"This then Pistis Sophia said. Now, therefore, let him whom his spirit urgeth to understand her words, come forward and proclaim her thought."
1. Martha interpreteth the thirteenth penitence from Psalm l.
Martha came forward and said:
"My Lord, my spirit urgeth me to proclaim the solution of that which Pistis Sophia hath spoken; thy power hath prophesied aforetime concerning it through David in the fiftieth Psalm[1], saying thus:
"'1. Be gracious unto me, O God, according to thy great grace;
according to the fulness of thy mercy blot out my sin.
"'2. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity.
"'3. And may my sin be ever present to thee,
"'4. That thou mayest be justified in thy words and prevail when thou judgest me.'
"This is then the solution of the words which Pistis Sophia hath uttered."
Iesus said unto her:
"Well said, finely, Martha, blessed [one]."
1. Read: Psalm 51:1-4