Of the distinction between the gnosis of the universe and the mysteries of the Light.
When then the Saviour had said this, Mary Magdalene started forward and said:
"My Lord, bear with me and be not wroth with me, if I question on all things with precision and certainty. Now, therefore, my Lord, is then another the word (of the mystery) of the Ineffable and another the word (of the whole gnosis)?"
The Saviour answered and said:
"Yea, another is the mystery (of the Ineffable) and another the word (of the whole gnosis)."
And Mary answered again and said unto the Saviour:
"My Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me. Now, therefore, my Lord, unless we live and know the gnosis (of the whole word) of the Ineffable, shall we not be able to inherit the Light-kingdom?"
And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary:
"Surely; for every one who shall receive a mystery (of the Light-kingdom) will go and inherit up to the region up to which he hath received mysteries. But he will not know the gnosis (of the universe) wherefor all this hath arisen, unless he knoweth the one and only word (of the Ineffable) which is the gnosis (of the universe). And again in openness: I am the gnosis (of the universe). And moreover it is impossible to know the one and only word (of the gnosis) unless a man first receive the mystery (of the Ineffable). But all the men who shall receive mysteries in the Light,--every one will go and inherit up to the region up to which he hath received mysteries.
"On this account I have said unto you aforetime: 'He who hath faith in a prophet, will receive a prophet's reward, and he who hath faith in a righteous {man} will receive a righteous {man's} reward1,'--that is: Every one will go to the region up to which he hath received mysteries. He who receiveth a lesser mystery, will inherit the lesser mystery, and he who receiveth a higher mystery, will inherit the higher regions. And every one will abide in his region in the light of my kingdom, and every one will have power over the orders (which are below him) but he will not have the power to go to the orders (which are above him); but he will abide in the region (of the Inheritance) of the Light of my kingdom, being in a great light immeasurable for the gods and all the invisibles, and he will be in great joy and great jubilation.
"But now, therefore, hearken, that I may discourse with you concerning the grandeur (of those) who shall receive the mysteries (of the First Mystery).
"He, therefore, who shall receive the {first} mystery (of that First Mystery) and it shall be at the time that he cometh out of the body (of the matter of the rulers),--then the retributive receivers come and lead the soul (of that man) out of the body. And that soul will become a great light-stream in the hands (of the retributive receivers); and those receivers will be afraid of the light (of that soul). And that soul will go upwards and pass through all the regions (of the rulers) and all the regions (of the emanations of the Light). And it will not give answers nor apologies nor tokens in any single region (of the Light) nor in any single region (of the rulers); but it will pass through all the regions and cross over them all, so that it goeth and ruleth over all the regions (of the first saviour).
2. Of the ascension of the souls of those who receive the twelve mysteries of the First Mystery.
"In like manner also he who shall receive the second mystery (of the First Mystery) and the third and fourth, until he shall receive the twelfth mystery (of the First Mystery), if it shall be at the time that he cometh out of the body (of the matter of the rulers),--then the retributive receivers come and lead the soul (of that man) out of the body of matter. And those souls will become a great light-stream in the hands of the retributive receivers; and those receivers will be afraid of the light of those souls and will become powerless and fall on their faces. And those souls will straightway soar upwards and cross over all the regions (of the rulers) and all the regions (of the emanations of the Light). They will not give answers nor apologies nor tokens in any single region; but they will pass through all the regions and will cross over them all and rule over all the regions (of the twelve saviours), so that they who receive the second mystery (of the First Mystery), will rule over all the regions (of the second saviour) in the inheritances of the Light.
"In like manner also those who receive the third mystery (of the First Mystery) and the fourth and fifth and sixth up to the twelfth,--every one will rule over all the regions (of the saviour) up to whom he hath received the mystery.
"And he who shall receive in sequence the twelfth mystery (of the First Mystery), that is the master-mystery concerning which I discourse with you,-- and he who, therefore, shall receive those twelve mysteries (which belong to the First Mystery) if he goeth forth out of the world, will pass through all the regions (of the rulers) and all the regions (of the Light), being a great light-stream, and he will moreover rule over all the regions (of the twelve saviours); but they will not be able to be like unto those who receive the one and only mystery of the Ineffable. But he who shall receive those mysteries will abide in those orders, because they are exalted, and he will abide in the orders (of the twelve saviours)."
1. Read: Matthew 10:41