The library · Edition and sources
On the Origin of the World
Samuel Zinner, edited by Mark M. Mattison; Other Gospels · Translated text
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Chapter 5
1. Seven androgynous entities became manifest in Chaos.
2. They possess their masculine names as well as their feminine names:
3. The feminine name is Pronoia, Sambathas, which means “week,” and his son is named Yao, his feminine name being Rulership.
4. Sabaoth, his feminine name is Divinity.
5. Adonaios, his feminine name is Kingship.
6. Elaios, his feminine name is Jealousy.
7. Oraios, his feminine name is Wealth, and Astaphaios, his [feminine] name ⟦page 102⟧ is Sophia.
8. These are the seven forces pertaining to the seven heavens of Chaos, and they were born as androgynous entities, congruent with the deathless structure that existed before them, in accord with the desire of Pistis, namely, that the likeness of what had existed from the beginning would rule until the end.
9. You will discover the power these names exert, as well as the force of the male entities, in the (book) The Archangelic (Nature) of the Prophet Moses, and that of the names of the female entities in the First Book of Noraia.
10. Now, the Primal Parent Yaldabaoth, given that he possessed great authorities, created heavens for each one of his offspring by means of verbal articulation, creating them good, as dwelling-places, and in each of the heavens he created great glories, seven times as excellent.
11. Thrones, and palaces, and temples, as well as chariots and virginal spirits (all the way) up to an unseen one, and their glories, each one possessing these in its (respective) heaven: mighty hosts of gods, and lords, and angels, and archangels, myriads without number, in order that they would serve.
12. The narration of these events you will find in an exact description in the First Narration of Oraia.
13. And they were finished, as far as from this heaven up to the sixth heaven, which is that of Sophia.
14. This heaven and earth were assailed by the mischief-maker who dwelt below all of them, and the six heavens trembled fiercely, because the hosts of Chaos knew who had assailed the heaven located beneath them, and when Pistis became aware of the fracture caused by the mischief-maker, she sent out her spirit and tied him and thrust him down into Tartaros.
15. [From that day], the heaven, together with ⟦page 103⟧ its earth, has established itself by means of Sophia, the daughter of Yaldabaoth, she who dwells below all of them.