Mary again questioneth Iesus.
It came to pass, when Iesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that Mary adored the feet (of Iesus) and kissed them. Mary said:
"My Lord, bear with me, if I question thee, and be not wroth with me."
The Saviour answered and said unto Mary:
"Question concerning what thou desirest to question, and I will reveal it unto thee in openness."
And Mary answered and said:
"My Lord, suppose a good and excellent brother (whom we have filled with all the mysteries of the Light) and that brother hath a brother or kinsman, in a word he hath in general {any} man, and this {man} is a sinner and impious or better he is no sinner, and such an one hath gone out of the body, and the heart (of the good brother) is grieved and mourneth over him, that he is in judgments and chastisements,--now, therefore, my Lord, what are we to do to remove him out of the chastisements and harsh judgments?"
2. How the souls of those who have come out of the body may be helped by those on earth.
And the Saviour answered and said unto Mary:
"Concerning this word, therefore, I have already spoken unto you at another time, but hearken that I may say it again, so that ye may be perfected in all mysteries and be called 'the perfected in every fulness.'
"Now, therefore, all men, sinners or better who are no sinners, not only if ye desire that they be taken out of the judgments and violent chastisements, but that they be removed into a righteous body (which will find the mysteries of the godhead) so that it goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-Kingdom,--then perform the third mystery (of the Ineffable) and say:
Carry ye the soul of this and this man of whom we think in our hearts, carry him out of all the chastisements (of the rulers) and haste ye quickly to lead him before the Virgin (of Light); and in every month let the Virgin (of Light) seal him with a higher seal, and in every month let the Virgin (of Light) cast him into a body (which will be righteous and good) so that it goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-Kingdom.
"And if ye say this,
amēn,
I say unto you: All who serve in all the orders of the judgments (of the rulers), hasten to hand over that soul from one to the other, until they lead it before the Virgin (of Light). And the Virgin (of Light) sealeth it with the sign (of the Kingdom of the Ineffable) and handeth it over unto her receivers, and the receivers will cast it into a body (which will be righteous and find the mysteries of the Light) so that it will be good and goeth on high and inheriteth the Light-Kingdom. Lo, this is it on which ye question me."