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 — Codex II
1. I also asked the savior: “Lord, will then all the souls be conducted safely into the pure light?”
2. He answered and said to me: “Great things have arisen in your mind, because it is difficult to explain them to others, with the exception of those who are from the unmoving race.
3. Those on whom the Spirit of life will alight, and whom he will empower, they will be saved and become perfect, and they will be deserving of the Greatness, and in that place, they will be made clean of all evil, as well as participation in evil.
4. Therefore, because they possess no concern other than solely indestructibility, on which they will concentrate from this time on, without wrath, or envy or jealousy, or lust and greed for anything, they will not be troubled by anything except only the condition of fleshly existence, which they will cope with by waiting expectantly for the time when they will be greeted ⟦page 26⟧ by the receivers.
5. These kind, then, are deserving of the indestructible, eternal life, and the election, because they withstand all and endure all, so that they can complete the good and inherit eternal life.”
6. I asked him: “Lord, the souls of those who will not have performed these works, on whom the power ‹and› Spirit of life had descended.”
7. “They will be saved despite this, and they will reform, because the power will descend on all people, because apart from it no one can endure.
8. However, after being born, then, as the Spirit of life increases, and the power arrives and strengthens that soul, no one will be able to lead it astray with evil deeds.
9. However, those on whom the false spirit descends are dragged by him, and are led astray.”
10. I, however, asked: “Lord, when their souls have departed from their flesh, where will they go?”
11. He, however, grinned and said to me:
“The soul, in which the power will grow stronger than the vile spirit — because it is strong and runs away from evil — even by the intervention of the indestructible one, it will be saved and brought up to the repose of the aeons.”
12. I, however, asked: “Lord, but those who were unaware of the one to whom they belong, where will their souls dwell?”
13. He then said to me:
“In those, when the vile spirit ⟦page 27⟧ increased in strength, they went astray; and it weighs down the soul and drags it to evil deeds, and he throws it down into oblivion, and after it departs, it is delivered over to the authorities who originated through the archon, and they fetter it with chains, and throw it into prison, and accompany it until it rouses from oblivion and obtains knowledge, and if in this way it is perfected, it will be saved.”
14. I, however, asked: “Lord, how can the soul grow smaller and return into the natural state of its mother or into the man?”
15. He then rejoiced when I had asked him this, and he said to me: “Truly, you are blessed, because you have come to understand that such a soul will be made to succeed another, in whom the Spirit of life dwells.
16. It will be saved through him.
17. It will not be thrown again into another flesh.”
18. I also asked: “Lord, these who also did know, but who have turned away, where will their souls go?”
19. Then he said to me:
“They will be brought to that place where the angels of destitution go, the place with no repentance, and they will be detained for the day when those who have blasphemed the Spirit will be tormented, and they will be punished with an age-long punishment.”