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The Secret Book of John
Samuel Zinner, edited by Mark M. Mattison; Other Gospels · Translated text
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Chapter 13 — Codex III
1. ⟦page 22⟧ Further, the entire [group of archons], the authorities, bent downward, and they [‹saw› inside the water] the form of the image. [They, therefore, said] to one another other, ‘Let [us create a man] according to the image of God, and according to his likeness,’ and out of themselves and [all] of their powers they created.
2. They molded a form [out of] themselves, and each one of the [powers] created [a soul] from its power. It created from the image that (each one) had seen
3. by mimicking [he who is from] the beginning, [the Perfect Man, and] they said, ‘[Let us call him Adam], so that [his name and] its power [may become] a light [for us],’ and [the powers] commenced from [the image] below:
4. [The first is Divinity, a living] bone; [the second] is [Lord]ship, a living sinew;
5. the third is both Goodness and Fire, a living flesh as well as the complete foundation ⟦page 23⟧ of the body; the fourth [is] Providence, a living marrow;
6. the fifth [is] Kingdom, living [blood];
7. the sixth is [Understanding], living teeth, with [the] entire body;
8. the seventh is Sophia, living hair,
9. and they arranged the entire man, and their angels attended them. From the living entities they had made ready, the authorities created the substance of [the living entities], the [limbs] coordinated with the joints. [The entire body was created, being fitted together by the host] of angels, [which I mentioned] previously.