The Sacraments; Life and Death

The Wisdom that is called barren, she is the [Mother of the] [an]gel[s] as well as [the] companion of the [... Ma]ry Mag[da]lene. [... loved her] more than the disciples [... he] greet[ed] her on her [...] times. The rest of [...] [...] they said to him: “Why do you love her more than all of us?”⁠a The savior answered, and said to them: “Why is it that I do not love you in the way she does? A blind person and a sighted person who both dwell in darkness do not differ from each other. When the light arrives, then he who sees will behold the light, and he who is blind will persist in darkness.” The Lord said: “Blessed is he who is before he came to be,”⁠b because he who is has come to be, and he will come to be. The might of man is not seen, but it dwells in what is concealed. Consequently, he is lord of the animals that are mightier than him, that are mighty in accord with what is seen and what is concealed. Furthermore, this one imparts to them endurance, but if man removes himself from them, they will kill each other, and they will bite each other, and they will devour each other because they found no food. Now, however, they have found food, because man has tilled the earth. If someone descends into the water and ascends without obtaining anything, and says, “I am a Christian,” he possesses the name on loan at interest. However, if he obtains the holy Spirit, he possesses the gift of the name. He who has obtained a gift will not have it removed from him. He, however, who has borrowed at interest, it will be extorted from him. This is the way it is for us when someone comes into existence inside a symbolic image. [The] symbolic image of marriage [is] great, because [apart from] it the world would [not] have [come into existence], because [the c]ontinuance of th[e wor]ld [are] [hu]mans.⁠c However, the arrangement [... the] marriage. Contemplate [sexual union ...] defiled because it possesses [...] power. Its image dwells with [defilement]. [The forms] of unclean spirits include males and females. The males are those that unite with the souls that are of female form, and the females are those who mingle with those of male form. This results from the need to mingle. Further, no one can avoid their embraces if he does not obtain a male power as well as a female one, this being the bridegroom and the bride, and one obtains (this) from the symbolical bridal chamber. Whenever the ignorant women catch sight of a man remaining alone, they jump on him, and fool around with him, and defile him. This is the manner also of ignorant men: When they catch sight of a beautiful woman remaining alone, they seduce her and compel her, desiring to defile her. If, however, they catch sight of a husband and his wife remaining with each other, the women cannot gain access to the husband, nor can the men gain access to the wife. In this way, if the image and the angel unite with each another, no one will be able to risk gaining access to the [man] or the woman. He who departs from the world, and who can be held back no longer for having been in the world, it is evident that he is superior to the desire of the [... as well as] the dread. He is lord over [...], he has surpassed jealousy. If [...] comes, he will be held back. [He] will be strangled, and how will [he] be able to evade the [great powers ...]? How will he be able to [...]? Some there are who [say]: “We are faithful,” so as to [...] [an unclean spirit] and a demon, because if they possessed the holy Spirit, no unclean spirit would unite with them. Fear not the flesh, nor love it. If you fear it, it will control you. If you love it, it will gulp you down and immobilize you, and it will either be found in this world, or in the resurrection, or in the middle places. May I not be found in them. Good exists in this world, and evil exists as well. Its good things are not good, and its evil things are not evil. However, evil will exist after this world. It will be truly evil, called the middle: It is death. While we dwell in this world we must obtain for ourselves the resurrection, in order that when we remove the flesh from ourselves we will be found in rest, and not wander in the middle, given that many err on the path, because it is good to depart from the world before a person transgresses. Some neither desire, nor can they, but there are others for whom, even if they desired, it would be profitless for them, because they failed to act. Is desire the reason they are sinners? Yet what if they do not even desire? Righteousness would be concealed from both of them, and (the reason) is not the desire, and it is not the act. Someone who was apostolic beheld [in a] vision some who were captive inside a burning house, and [being] held with burning [...], being cast [...] from the flames [...] them in [...], [...] and they were informed [... possible] for them to be rescued [...] [...] they did not desire to, and they obtained [...] vengeance, which is called “the [outer] darkness,” because it [...].