Peter Writes to Philip
1Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, to Philip, our beloved brother, and our co-apostle, as well as the brethren together with you. Greetings. I desire for you to understand, our brother, that we received directives from our Lord, the savior of the entire world, for us to assemble together, in order to teach and preach about the salvation promised to us by our Lord Jesus Christ. You, however, separated yourself from us, and you desired not to assemble together to learn how we could coordinate ourselves, so that we might announce the message. Would it, therefore, be acceptable to you, our brother, to come in accord with the directives of our God, Jesus? When Philip had received and read this, he went to Peter, delighting with glee.
Peter Gathers the Apostles to Pray for Safety
2Peter then assembled the others.
They went to the mountain called Olivet, where formerly they would assemble together with the blessed Christ when he dwelt in the body.
When the apostles were met together, and had fallen to their knees, they prayed as follows, and spoke:
“Father, Father, Father of the light,
you to whom belong the indestructible ones,
listen to us,
just as [you] have been delighted in your holy Son,
Jesus Christ,
because for our sake he has become a light in the darkness.
Verily, listen to us.”
And once more they prayed, and spoke:
“Son of life,
Son of deathlessness,
you who dwell in the light,
Son, Christ of deathlessness,
our redeemer,
grant us strength,
because they are hunting for us to murder us.”
Jesus Appears to the Apostles
3A bright light then became visible, and the mountain glowed because of the sight of the one who had become visible, and a voice cried out to them, and said: “Pay attention to my words, so that I can speak to you. Why are you looking for me? I am Jesus Christ, who abides with you continually.” The apostles responded, and said: “Lord, it would please us to understand the deficiency of the aeons, as well as their fullness, and how we are held back in this dwelling-place. How have we arrived at this place? How will we depart? How do we come to have authority for boldness of speech? Why do the powers battle against us?” A voice from the light then cried out to them, and said: “You are the ones who testify that I have spoken all of these things to you, but on account of your unfaithfulness I will repeat (these things).
The Tyrannical One
4Now, then, regarding [the deficiency] of the aeons, here is the deficiency: When the defiance and thoughtlessness of the Mother became manifest, apart from the order of the Greatness of the Father, she desired to establish aeons. When she spoke, the tyrannical one followed, but when she abandoned a piece, the tyrannical one seized it, and it turned into a deficiency. This is the deficiency of the aeons. When the tyrannical one had taken a piece, he planted it, stationing powers and authorities over it, and he restricted it to inside the mortal aeons. Every cosmic power was gleeful that they had been produced. However, they were ignorant of the pre-existent [Father], given that they are aliens to him. [Instead, this] (tyrannical) one was granted power, and they worshipped him and praised him. Now the mind of the tyrannical one grew arrogant on account of the praise of the powers. He became an opponent and desired to replace an image [with another image] and to replace a form with another form. Now, he delegated the powers under his authority to shape mortal bodies, and they came to exist out of a disparity of the likeness that had been produced.
The Incarnation of Jesus Christ
5Now, concerning the fullness, it is I, [even] I, who was dispatched down into the body for the sake of this seed that had been lost, and I descended to their mortal mold. They, however, failed to notice me, imagining me to be a mortal person. I spoke with the one who is mine, and he paid attention to me, just like you, too, who have paid attention this day. I granted him authority to come into the inheritance of his fatherhood, and I took [him] [...] filled [...] by means of his salvation. Given that he was deficiency, he turned into fullness.
Battling the Powers
6However, regarding your detention, it is because you belong to me. When you remove from yourselves what is destructible, then you will become lights among mortals. Regarding your battle against the powers, it results from their lacking rest, unlike yourselves, given that they do not desire for you to be saved.” Then once more the apostles worshipped, and said: “Lord, instruct us, how shall we battle with the archons, given that the archons are superior to us?” A voice then cried out to them from the apparition, and said: “You have to war against them in the following way, because the archons war against the Inner Man. You have to war against them in the following way: Assemble together and teach salvation accompanied with a promise to the world, and gird yourselves with the power of my Father, and make known your request, and he, the Father, will assist you, as he assisted you when he sent me. [Fear] not, [I will be with you continually], as I spoke to you formerly when I dwelt in the body.” Then lightning and thunder came from heaven, and the one they had seen in the apparition in that place was snatched to heaven.
Suffering and Death
7The apostles then thanked the Lord with all praises and returned to Jerusalem.
While they were going down (the mountain, heading towards Jerusalem) on the road, they conversed concerning the light that had become visible, and a dispute began concerning the Lord, during which they said: “If he, our Lord, suffered, how much more (will) we?”
Peter responded, and said: “He suffered for our sake, and we will have to suffer, too, on account of our being small.”
A voice then came to them, and said: “I informed you many times that you will have to suffer.
You will have to be dragged to synagogues and in front of governors, which will cause you to suffer.
He, however, who will not suffer, he, too, [will] not [... my] Father [...], so that he can [...].”
The apostles, however, were very glad, and went up to Jerusalem, going up to the temple, and teaching salvation in the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, and they healed [a] multitude.
Peter, however, began speaking, and said to his disciples: “When our Lord Jesus dwelt in the body, he told us everything, because he himself had descended.
My brethren, pay attention to my voice.”
He was filled with a holy Spirit, and spoke in the following way:
“Our light, Jesus, [de]scended,
and was crucified,
and he wore a crown of thorns,
and he donned a purple robe,
and he was hanged on a tree,
and he was interred in a tomb,
and he rose from among the dead.
My brethren, Jesus is an alien to such suffering as this.
We, however, are those who have suffered on account of the trespass of the Mother.
This is why he announced everything with a symbolic meaning when he was among us.
The Lord Jesus, Son of the measureless glory of the Father, is the author of our life.
My brethren, let us pay no attention to these Godless ones, nor walk in [...].”
The Apostles Set Out
8Peter [then] assembled [the others], and said: “[Our Lord], Jesus Christ, author of our repose, grant us a spirit of insight, so that we, too, may be able to work miracles!” Peter and the other apostles then saw [him], and they were filled with a holy Spirit, and each one of them performed healings, and they departed to declare the Lord Jesus, and they assembled together, greeted each other, and said: “Amen.” Jesus then became visible, and said to them: “Peace be with [all] of you, and with all who are faithful in my name. When you leave, however, gladness, grace, and power will be yours. Fear not. Behold, I will be with you continually.” The apostles then departed from each other into four messages to preach, and they went with the power of Jesus, with peace.