The library · Edition and sources
The Secret Book of John
Samuel Zinner, edited by Mark M. Mattison; Other Gospels · Translated text
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Chapter 18 — Berlin Codex
1. I, however, asked: “Christ, will the souls of everyone continue living in the pure light?”
2. He said to me: “You have opened up a contemplation of great things of the kind that are difficult to explain to others, with the exception ⟦page 65⟧ of those who originate from that unmoving race.
3. Those on whom the Spirit of life is soon to alight, after they have joined together with the power, they will be saved, they will become perfect, and they will deserve to enter these great lights, because there they will deserve to be purified of all evil, and the temptations of evil,
4. given that they devote themselves to nothing else but this indestructible assembly, and they will certainly fix their attention on it, without wrath, or envy, or fear, or lust, or pleasure. They are not troubled by any of these, not even by a single one of them, except only the flesh, ⟦page 66⟧ while they put it to use, looking forward with expectation to when they will be brought forth and received by those who receive
5. into the excellence of eternal, indestructible life and the election, withstanding all, and enduring all, so that they will finish the contest and inherit eternal life.”
6. I asked: “Christ, if they will not have performed these things, what will the souls do to be similarly saved, those into whom the power and the Spirit of life had entered?”
7. He said to me: ⟦page 67⟧ “Those into whom that spirit enters will in any scenario live and will be delivered out of evil, because the power enters into everyone, because without it they would be unable to stand.
8. However, after it is born, the Spirit of life will then be carried to it. In this way, when this strong Spirit of life has arrived, it strengthens the power, that is, the soul, and it strays not into evil.
9. However, those into whom the false spirit enter‹s are› compelled by him and ‹are› led astray.”
10. I, however, asked: “Christ, when their souls ⟦page 68⟧ have departed from their flesh, where will they go?”
11. He, however, grinned and said:
“To a place of the soul, which is the power that has grown far more excellent than the false spirit. This is strong, and it runs away from evil deeds, and by means of the indestructible providential care, it will be saved and brought up to the repose of the aeons.”
12. I, however, asked: “Christ, those who did not know the All, what are their souls, or where will they go?”
13. He said to me:
“Over these a false spirit increased in strength ⟦page 69⟧ when they faltered, and in this way he weighs down their soul, compels it to evil deeds, and throws it into oblivion. In this way, after it becomes naked, he delivers it over to the authorities who came into existence from the archon. They once again throw them into fetters and accompany them until they are rescued from oblivion, and it obtains knowledge, and in this way is perfected and saved.”
14. I, however, asked: “Christ, how does the soul grow smaller and smaller and return into the natural state of the mother or into the man?”
15. He, however, rejoiced when I had asked him this, and he said: ⟦page 70⟧ “Blessed are you for understanding. For this cause, then, they are given over to the other, in whom dwells the Spirit of life.
16. By means of following and obeying through him, it will be saved.
17. In fact, it will no longer enter into flesh.”
18. I asked him: “Christ, but those who did know, but who have turned away, where will their souls go?”
19. He said to me:
“They will go to the place where the angels of destitution will retreat, to whom repentance does not come. They will be detained for the day when all those who have blasphemed the holy Spirit will be punished. They will be ⟦page 71⟧ tormented with an age-long punishment.”