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 7
1. When Sabaoth, the son of Yaldabaoth, had heard the voice of Pistis, he sang praises to her, and he denounced his father [and mother] ⟦page 104⟧ at the bidding of Pistis, and he praised her on account of her having taught them concerning the deathless man and his light.
2. Pistis Sophia next pointed her finger and poured onto him some of the light from her (own) light, as a denunciation of his father.
3. When Sabaoth had been illuminated, he obtained great authority against all the hosts of Chaos.
4. From that day, he has been called “Lord of Hosts.”
5. He despised his father, the Darkness, and his mother, the Abyss, and hated his sister, the thought of the Primal Parent, who had moved back and forth over the waters, and on account of his light, all of the authorities of Chaos grew jealous of him, and when they had become troubled, they waged a great war in the seven heavens.
6. When Pistis Sophia then had witnessed the war, from her light she sent out seven archangels to Sabaoth.
7. They bore him up to the seventh heaven.
8. They stood in front of him as attendants.
9. She furthermore sent to him three additional archangels, and established for him the kingdom that is over everyone, in order that he could dwell over the twelve gods of Chaos.
10. Now, when Sabaoth had taken over the dwelling-place of rest as recompense for his repentance, Pistis gave him her daughter Zoe as well, together with great authority, in order that she could teach him concerning everything that exists in the eighth heaven, and because he possessed authority, before all else he constructed a palace for himself.
11. It is immense, magnificent, seven times larger than all those that exist in the seven heavens, and in front of ⟦page 105⟧ his palace he created a throne, which was immense, and which stood on a four-faced chariot called “Cherubin.”
12. The Cherubin possess eight shapes on each of the four corners: lion forms, and calf forms, and human forms, and eagle forms, in order that all the forms have a sum of sixty-four forms, and there are seven archangels who stand in front of it.
13. He is the eighth, and he possesses authority.
14. All the forms have the sum of seventy-two.
15. Additionally, from this chariot the seventy-two gods derived (their) shape, in order that they could rule over the seventy-two languages of the nations, and at that throne he additionally created serpent-like angels, called “Seraphin,” which glorify him always.