Thomas interpreteth the song of Sophia from the Odes of Solomon.
It came to pass then, when the First Mystery had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that Thomas came forward, and said:
"My Lord, my light-dweller hath ears and my mind hath understood the words which thou hast said. Now, therefore, give commandment unto me to set forth clearly the solution of the words."
And the First Mystery answered and said unto Thomas:
"I give thee commandment to set forth the solution of the song which Pistis Sophia sang unto me."
Thomas answered and said:
"My Lord, concerning the song which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, because she was saved out of the chaos, thy light-power prophesied aforetime thereon through Solomon (the son of David) in his Odes:1
"'1. I am saved from the bonds and am fled unto thee, O Lord.
"'2. For thou hast been on my right hand, saving me and helping me.
"'3. Thou hast hindered my adversaries and they have not been revealed, because thy face was with me, saving me in thy grace.
"'4. I was despised in the sight of many and cast out;
I have become [as] lead in their sight.
"'5. Through thee I have gotten a power which helped me;
for thou hast set lamps on my right and on my left, so that no side of me may be without light.
"'6. Thou hast overshadowed me with the shadow of thy grace, and I was relieved of the coats of skin.2
"'7. It is thy right hand (which hath raised me up) and taken (hast taken) the sickness from me.
"'8. I have become powerful in thy truth and purified in thy righteousness.
"'9. My adversaries have withdrawn themselves from me, and I am justified by thy goodness, for thy rest endureth unto all eternity.'
"This then, my Lord, is the solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was saved out of the chaos. Hearken, therefore, that I may say it in openness.
"The word then which thy light-power hath spoken through Solomon:
'I am saved from the bonds and am fled unto thee, O Lord,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'I am loosed from the bonds of the darkness and am come unto thee, O Light.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'Thou wert on my right hand, saving and helping me,'--it is again
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'Thou art become a light on all sides of me, [saving me] and helping me.'
"And the word which thy light-power hath spoken:
'Thou hast hindered my adversaries and they have not been revealed,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'And the emanations (of Self-willed) which fought against me, thou hast hindered through thy light, and they could not come nigh me.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'Thy face was with me, saving me in thy grace,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'Thy light was with me, saving me in thy light-stream.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'I was despised in the sight of many and cast out,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken:
The emanations (of Self-willed) constrained me and took my power from me, and I have been despised before them and cast out into the chaos, with no light in me.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
I have become [as] lead in their sight,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'When they had taken my light from me, I became [as] heavy-weighing matter before them.'
"And moreover the word which thy power hath spoken:
'Through thee I have gotten a power for me which helped me,'--it is again
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'And thereafter came a light-power unto me through thee which saved me.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'Thou hast set lamps on my right and on my left, so that no side of me may be without light,'--it is the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken:
'Thy power shone on my right and on my left and surrounded me on all sides of me, so that no part of me was without light.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'Thou hast overshadowed me with the shadow of thy grace,'--it is again
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'And thou hast covered me with the light of the stream.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
I was relieved of the coats of skin,[3]'--it is again
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'And they have purified me of all my evil matters, and I raised myself above them in thy light.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon:
'It is thy right hand which hath raised me up, and hath taken the sickness from me,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'And it is thy light-stream which hath raised me up in thy light and hath taken from me the emanations (of Self-willed) which constrained me.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'I have become powerful in thy truth and purified in thy righteousness,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'I have become powerful in thy light and purified light in thy stream.'
And the word which thy power hath spoken:
'My adversaries have withdrawn themselves from me,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'The emanations (of Self-willed) which constrained me, have withdrawn themselves from me.'
"And the word which thy power hath spoken through Solomon:
'And I am justified in thy goodness, for thy rest endureth unto all eternity,'--it is
the word which Pistis Sophia hath spoken: 'I am saved in thy goodness; for thou savest every one.'
"This then, O my Lord, is the whole solution of the repentance which Pistis Sophia hath uttered, when she was saved out of the chaos and loosed from the bonds of the darkness."
1. Read: Odes Of Solomon ch. 25
2. Read: Genesis 3:21
3. notes: coats of skin is flesh.