---
title: "Pistis Sophia"
author: "Anonymous (Gnostic)"
translator: "G. R. S. Mead"
languages: [en]
shelf: "Hermetica & Gnostics"
section: 33 of 132
url: https://scriptura.si/works/pistis-sophia-mead/33/
cite: "Anonymous (Gnostic), tr. G. R. S. Mead, Pistis Sophia, section 33. Scriptura (scriptura.si), https://scriptura.si/works/pistis-sophia-mead/33/"
---

# Pistis Sophia

*Anonymous (Gnostic), tr. G. R. S. Mead*

The risen Jesus teaches his disciples the fall and rescue of Sophia, in Mead's 1921 translation.

## 33. First Book · Chapter 51

Source: https://scriptura.si/works/pistis-sophia-mead/33/ · cite a paragraph as https://scriptura.si/works/pistis-sophia-mead/33/#p-N

[¶0] It came to pass, when Jesus had finished saying these words unto his disciples, that he said unto them: "Who is sober among you, let him proclaim their solution."

[¶1] James came forward, kissed the breast of Jesus and said: "My Lord, thy spirit hath sobered me, and I am ready to proclaim their solution. Concerning them indeed thy power hath prophesied aforetime through David in the thirty-fourth Psalm, saying thus concerning the ninth repentance of Pistis Sophia:

[¶2] "'1. Give sentence, O Lord, on them who do me injustice, and fight against them who fight against me.

[¶3] "'2. Lay hand on weapon and shield and stand up to help me.

[¶4] "'3. Draw forth a sword and conceal it [sic] from my oppressors. Say unto my soul: I am thy salvation.

[¶5] "'4. Let them be put to shame and abashed who strive after my soul; let them fall back and be put to shame who imagine evil against me.

[¶6] "'5. Let them be as chaff before the wind, and let the angel of the Lord pursue after them.

[¶7] "'6. Let their way be darkness and slippery, and let the angel of the Lord oppress them.

[¶8] "'7. For without cause have they hid a snare for me for their own spoiling, and they have mocked at my soul in vain.

[¶9] "'8. Let a snare come upon them which they know not, and let the net which they have hid for me, catch them, and let them fall into this snare.

[¶10] "'9. But my soul will exult in the Lord and rejoice in its salvation.

[¶11] "'10. All my bones shall say: O Lord, who can be like unto thee?--thou who settest free the wretched from the hand of him who is stronger than him; and thou savest a wretched and poor [one] from the hands of them who spoil him.

[¶12] "11. Unjust witnesses came forward and have asked me that which I knew not.

[¶13] "'12. They have requited me evil for good and childlessness for my soul.

[¶14] "13. But when they molested me, I clothed me in a sack and humbled my soul with fasting, and my prayer will return into my breast.

[¶15] "'14. I was pleasing unto thee, as unto my neighbour and as unto my brother; and I humbled myself as one in mourning and as one who is sad.

[¶16] "'15. They have rejoiced over me, and they are put to shame. Scourges have gathered themselves together against me and I knew not; they were cut off and were troubled.

[¶17] "'16. They have brought me to trial and mocked me with mocking; they have ground their teeth against me.

[¶18] "'17. O Lord, when wilt thou look upon me? Restore again my soul from their evil works and save my only one from the hands of the lions.

[¶19] "'18. I will confess to thee, O Lord, in the great assembly, and I will sing praises to thee in the midst of a countless people.

[¶20] "'19. Let not them who unjustly treat me as a foe, rejoice over me, who hate me without a cause and wink with their eyes.

[¶21] "'20. For indeed they discourse with me with words of peace, though they plot wrath with craft.

[¶22] "'21. They opened their chops wide against me and said: Well indeed, our eyes have filled our sight with him.

[¶23] "'22. Thou hast seen, O Lord. Keep not silence, O Lord, withdraw not thyself from me.

[¶24] "'23. Arise, O Lord, and give heed to my vindication, give heed to my vengeance, my God and my Lord.

[¶25] "'24. Judge me, O Lord, according to thy justice; let them not rejoice over me, my God.

[¶26] "'25. And let them not say: Well done, our soul. Let them not say: We have consumed him.

[¶27] "'26. Let them be put to shame and be scorned, who rejoice at my mischance. Let them be clothed with shame and disgrace who speak boastingly against me.

[¶28] "'27. Let them who desire my justification, exult and rejoice and let them who desire the peace of his slave, say: May the Lord be great and arise.

[¶29] "'28. My tongue will exult over thy justification and over thy honour all the day long.'"