This translation is by David Brakke and is intended for the use of his students.
Jesus’ appearances on earth When he appeared on earth, he performed signs and great wonders for the salvation of humanity. And as some people were [walking] in the way of righteousness and others were walking in their transgression, twelve disciples were called.
He began to speak with them about the mysteries that are above the universe
and the things that will happen at the end.
Frequently he does not appear to his disciples,
but you find him as a child among them.
Knowing Jesus
He came to his disciples in Judea one day and found them seated, gathered, and training for piety. When he [came upon] his disciples 34 gathered, seated, and offering thanksgiving over the bread, he laughed.
The disciples said to him, “Teacher, why are you laughing at our prayer of thanksgiving? What did we do? [This] is what’s right.”
He answered and said to them, “I’m not laughing at you—you don’t do this by your own will. Rather, by this your god receives praise.”
They said, “Teacher, It is you [ . . . ] the son of our god.”
Jesus said to them, “How do [you] know me? Truly I say to you, no race from the people among you will know me.”
When his disciples heard this, they began to get irritated and angry and to blaspheme against him in their heart. But when Jesus saw their foolishness, [he said] to them, “Why has agitation brought anger (to you)? Your god who is within you and [his . . . ] 35 have become irritated, along with your souls. Let whoever is [strong] among you people represent the perfect human being and stand before my face.”
And they all said, “We are strong!” But their spirit did not dare to stand before him—except for Judas Iscariot.
He was able to stand before him, but he could not look him in the eyes. Instead, he turned his face away.
Judas said to him, “I know who you are and where you have come from. You have come from the immortal aeon of the Barbēlō.
But as for the one who sent you, I am not worthy to say his name.”
Jesus, knowing that he was thinking about the rest of the exalted matters as well, said to him, “Separate from them, and I will tell you the mysteries of the kingdom, not so that you will go there,
but so that you will be much grieved. 36 For someone else will take your place, so that the twelve [elements] might be complete in their god.”
And Judas said to him, “When will you tell me these things?
And (when) will the great day of light dawn for the [ . . . ] race?”
But when he had said this, Jesus left him. The strong and holy race.
When morning came, he appeared to his disciples, and they said to him, “Teacher, where did you go? What do you do after you have left us?”
Jesus said to them, “I went to another great and holy race.”
His disciples said to him, “Lord, what is the great race that is more exalted and holier than we but not now in these aeons?”
When Jesus heard these things, he laughed and said to them, “Why are you thinking in your heart about the strong and holy race?
37 Truly I say to you, no offspring [of] this aeon will see that race,
nor will any angelic army of the stars rule over that race, nor will any mortal human offspring be able to go with it. For that race does not come from [this aeon] that came into being, [ . . . ] the race of the human beings that are among them,
but it is from the race of Those Great People. [ . . . ] the powerful authorities that [ . . . ] nor any power [ . . . ] , those by which you rule.”
When his disciples heard these things, they were disturbed in their spirit, each one, and they were at a loss for words.
The disciples’ vision
On another day Jesus came to them, and they said to him, “Teacher, we saw you in a vision,
for we saw great dreams in [this] night that passed.”
He said, “Why have you [ . . . ] hid yourselves?”
38 For their part, [they said, “We] saw a great house
that we say are priests, and a name. A multitude was devoting themselves to that altar until the priests [finished presenting] the offerings. We too were devoting ourselves.” Jesus [said,] “What kind [ . . . ]?
And they said, “[Some] fast for two weeks; others sacrifice their own children, others their wives, as they bless and are humble to one another; others sleep with males; others work at slaughtering;
others perform a multitude of sins and lawless deeds.
And the men who stand [beside] the altar
invoke your [name]. 39 And because they are engaged in all the labors of their sacrifice, that altar is full.” After they had said these things, they fell silent because they were disturbed.
Jesus said to them, “Why have you become disturbed? Truly I say to you, all the priests that stand beside that altar invoke my name. And even more, I say to you that they have written my name upon the [ . . . ] of the races of the stars through the races of the human beings, and in my name
they shamefully have planted fruitless trees.”
Jesus said to them, “It is you who present the sacrifices at that altar that you saw. That is the god you serve,
and you are the twelve men whom you saw. The cattle that are brought in are the sacrifices that you saw, that is, the multitude that you lead astray 40 upon that altar.
and the races of the pious will devote themselves to him. Next another man will stand in attendance upon [the fornicators], and another will stand in attendance upon the killers of children,
and another upon those who sleep with men, those who fast, and the rest of impurity, lawlessness, and error,
and those who say, ‘We are equal to angels.’
And they are the stars that bring everything to completion.
For it has been said to the races of the human beings, ‘Look, God has received your sacrifice from the hands of a priest’—that is, the deacon of error. But it is the Lord
who commands who is lord over all things. On the last day they will be put to shame.”
41 Jesus said [to them,] “Stop sacrificing animals, which you have lifted up on the altar. Because they are over your stars and your angels, having previously come to completion there, consider them of no use, and let [ . . . ] be manifest to you.”
His disciples [said, “Master,] purify us of the [ . . . ] that we have done by the deceit of the angels.”
Jesus said, “It is impossible [ . . . ] them [ . . . ] nor can a fountain extinguish the [ . . . ] of the entire inhabited world, nor can a spring in a [city] satisfy all the races,
except the great one that is destined. And a single lamp will not illumine all the aeons, except the second generation, nor can a baker feed the entire creation 42 under [heaven].”
And [when the disciples heard these things,] they said to him, “Master, help us, and save us!”
Jesus said to them, “Stop contending with me. Each of you has his own star, and [ . . . ] of the stars will [ . . . ] what is his. It is not to the corruptible race that I was sent, but to the strong and incorruptible race. For no enemy has ruled [over] that race,
nor any of the stars. Truly I say to you (pl.), the fiery pillar will fall suddenly, and that generation will not move [ . . . ] star(s).”
The race that will endure
And when Jesus had said these things, he left and [took] Judas Iscariot with him and said to him, “The water [ . . . ] of the high mountain, that from [ . . . ] 43 [“. . . ] that has not come [ . . . ] the spring of the tree of [ . . . time] of this aeon [ . . . ] after a time [ . . . ] rather, he has come to water God’s paradise and the race that will endure,
for he will not defile the [conduct] of that race, but [ . . . ] forever.”
Judas said to him, “Rabbi, what fruit does this race possess?”
Jesus said, “As for every human race, their souls will die, but as for them, when the time of the kingdom has been completed and the spirit separates from them, their bodies will die, but their souls will live and be taken
up.”
Judas said, “And so what will the remaining race of the human beings do?”
Jesus said, “It’s impossible 44 to sow seed on [rock] and get their fruit. So too [ . . . ] the defiled race and corruptible wisdom. [ . . . ] the hand that created mortal human beings, and their souls go up to the aeons on high.
Truly I say to you (pl.), [no ruler] or angel or power will be able to see those [places] that [this great] holy race will see.”
After Jesus said these things, he departed.
Judas’s vision
Judas said, “Teacher, just as you have listened to all of them, listen now to me as well. For I have seen a great vision.”
But when Jesus heard, he laughed and said to him, “Why are you training yourself, you thirteenth demon?
But speak, and I will put up with you.”
Judas said to him, “I saw myself in the vision, with the twelve disciple stoning me and 45 persecuting [me severely.] And I came also to the place where [ . . . ] after you. I saw [a house . . . ], and my eyes could not [comprehend] its size. Great people surrounded it, and that house had a roof of greenery. And within the house a [multitude . . . ]. Teacher, take me in along with those people.”
[Jesus] answered and said, “Your star has led you astray, Judas, because no mortal human offspring is worthy to enter the house that you saw. For it is that place that is kept for the holy ones,
the place where neither the sun nor the moon will rule, nor the day, but they will stand at rest always in the aeon with the holy angels.
Look, I have told you the mysteries of the kingdom, 46 and I have taught you about the error of the stars, and [ . . . ] send [ . . . ] upon the twelve aeons.”
Judas said, “Teacher, could it be that my seed is subject to the rulers?”
Jesus answered, “Come, and I will [ . . . ] you [ . . . ] but you will grieve much when you see the kingdom and its entire race.”
When Judas heard these things, he said, “What advantage have I received because you have separated me from that race?”
Jesus answered and said, “You will become the thirteenth, and you will be cursed by the rest of the races, and you will be ruling over them.
In the last days they you, so that you might not go on high 47 to the holy race.”
II. JESUS’ REVELATION TO JUDAS T
he great and infinite aeon and the great Invisible Spirit
Jesus said: “[Come,] and I will teach you about the [ . . . ] that no human being will see. For there exists a great and infinite aeon, the extent of which no angelic race has seen. [In] it is the great Invisible Spirit,
which no angelic eye has seen nor inner thought comprehended and which has not been called by any name. And a luminous
cloud appeared there. The self-originate and his four attendants “And he (the Invisible Spirit) said, ‘Let an angel
come into being as my attendant.’ And a great angel, the self-originate, the god of light, came forth from the cloud. And for his sake four angels
came into being from another cloud, and they came into being for the attendance of the angelic self-originate.
Adamas and additional aeons of light
“And 48 the self-originate said,
Let [Adamas] come into being.’
And [the emanation] came into being, and he [created] the first luminary
to rule over it.
And he said, ‘Let angels come into being to serve [it].
’ And innumerable [myriads] came into being.
“And he said, ‘[Let] a luminous aeon come into being.’ And it came into being, and he created the second luminary to rule over it, along with innumerable angelic myriads serving.
“And this is how he created the rest of the aeons of light, and he established (luminaries) to rule over them, and he created innumerable angelic myriads for their service.
The incorruptible race of Seth and the luminaries, heavens, and firmaments
“And Adamas was dwelling in the first cloud of light,
which no angel among all those called divine has seen.
And he 49 [ . . . ] that [ . . . ] the image [ . . . ] and according to the likeness of [these] angel[s]. He caused the incorruptible [race] of Seth to appear [ . . . ] the twelve [ . . . ] the 24 [ . . . ] By the will of the spirit, he caused 72 luminaries to appear in the incorruptible race. By the will of the spirit, the 72 luminaries for their part caused 360 luminaries to appear in the incorruptible race, so that their number might be five for each.
“Their parent is the twelve aeons
of the twelve luminaries, and for each heaven there are six aeons, so that there might be 72 heavens for the 72 luminaries. And for each 50 [of them] there are [five] firmaments, [so that there might be] 360 [firmaments.] As for them, they were given authority and an innumerable angelic military [greatness] for glory and service, and [also] virgin spirits
for glory and service to all the aeons and the heavens and their firmaments.
The corruptible universe: Nebrō and the rulers
“The multitude of those immortals is called ‘universe’—that is, ‘ruin’—by the parent and the 72 luminaries that are with the self-originate and his 72 aeons, the place where the first human being
appeared with his incorruptible powers. And the aeon that appeared with its race, the one in which there is the cloud
of acquaintance and the angel, is called 51 Ēl[ēlēth (?)
. . . ] “Afterwards [ Ēlēlēth (?) ] said, ‘Let twelve angels come into being
to rule over the chaos and [Hades].’ And look, from the cloud there appeared an angel whose face poured forth fire and whose likeness was defiled with blood. He has [a] name, Nebrō, which has been interpreted as ‘apostate,’
but others say ‘Ialdabaōth.’ And another angel came forth from the cloud as well: Saklas. Nebrō created six angels
with Saklas for attendance, and these produced twelve angels in the heavens, and each one received a portion in the heavens.
“And the twelve rulers, along with the twelve angels, said, ‘Let each one of you 52 [ . . . ] race [ . . . five] angels.’
The first is Seth, who is called ‘Christ.’
The second is Harmathōth, who [ . . . ].
The third is Galila.
The fourth is Iōbēl.
The fifth is Adōnaios.
These are the five that ruled over Hades and beforehand over chaos.
The origin of human beings
“Next Saklas said to his angels,
‘Let us create a human being according to the likeness and according to the image
’ (Gen. 1:26). Then they formed Adam
and his wife Eve.
But she is called in the cloud ‘Life’ (Zōē), for it is in this name that all the races seek him, and each one of them calls her by their names.
“But Saklas did not 53 command [ . . . ] produce, except [ . . . ] in the generations [ . . . ] which [ . . . ]
“And the [angel] said to him, ‘Your life will be for a finite time, along with your children.’”
And Judas said to Jesus, “What is the longest that a human being might live?”
Jesus said, “Why are you amazed that Adam and his race received a limited time? It is in this place that he received his kingdom for a limited time with his ruler.”
Judas said to Jesus, “Does the human spirit die?”
Jesus said, “Thus god ordered Mikhaēl to lend the spirits of the human
beings to them so that they might serve. But the great one commanded Gabriēl to give the spirits to the great undominated race—
the spirit along with the soul. Therefore, the rest of the souls 54 [ . . . ] mountain [ . . . ] light [ . . . ] seek the spirit within you (pl.), which you have caused to dwell in this flesh among the races of the angels. But god caused acquaintance to be [given] to Adam and those with him, in order that the kings of chaos
and Hades
might not rule over them.”
Human beings and their stars
And Judas said to Jesus, “What, then, will those races do?”
Jesus said, “Truly I say to you (pl.), it is the stars that bring completion upon all these things. When Saklas completes the time that has been assigned to him, their star will come with the races, and what has been said will be brought to completion.
Next, they will fornicate in my name and kill their children,
55 and [ . . . ] the aeons, bringing their races that attend them to Saklas. And next [..]rael will come, bringing the twelve tribes of Israel from [ . . . ], and all the races will serve Saklas, [also] sinning in my name, and your (sg.) star will rule over the thirteenth aeon.” But next Jesus laughed.
[Judas] said, “Teacher, why [are you laughing at us?”] [Jesus] answered [and said,] “I am laughing not at you (pl.), but at the error of the stars, because these six stars go astray with these five combatants, and they all will be destroyed
with their creations.”
And Judas said to Jesus, “What will those who have been baptized in your name do?”
Jesus said, “Truly I say [to you (sg.)], this baptism 56 [ . . . in] my name[ . . . ] will destroy the entire race of Adam, the earthly man. Tomorrow the one who bears me will be tortured. Truly I [say] to you (pl.), no hand of a mortal human being [will] sin against me. Truly [I] say to you, Judas, those who offer sacrifice to Saklas [ . . . ] god
[ . . . ]
[About 3 lines are missing here.]
[ . . . ] everything that is evil. But you will exceed them all, for you will sacrifice the human being who bears me.
Already your horn has been raised,
and your anger has been filled,
and your star has passed by,
and your heart has prevailed.
57 “Truly [I say to you,] your [ . . . the thrones] of the aeon have been [defeated,] and the kings have become weak, and the races of the angels have grieved, and the evil ones [ . . . ] the ruler is destroyed.
And next, the [place] of the great race of Adam will be exalted, for prior to heaven,
earth, and the angels, that generation exists through the aeons.
Conclusion of the revelation
“Look, you have been told everything. Look up, and see the cloud and the light within it and the stars surrounding it. And the star that leads the way is your star.”
And Judas looked up and saw the luminous cloud, and he
(Jesus) entered it. Those standing on the ground heard a voice coming from the cloud, saying, 58 [“ . . . the] great race [ . . . ] image [ . . .” ] And Judas no longer saw Jesus.
III. JUDAS HANDS JESUS OVER
Outside the upper room
And at once there was a disturbance among the Jews, more than [ . . . and] their high priests grumbled because [ . . . ] had gone into the guest room for his prayer. But some of the scribes were there watching closely so that they might seize him during the prayer. For they were afraid of the people because they all held him to be a prophet.
And they approached Judas and said to him, “What are you doing here? You are Jesus’ disciple.”
For his part, he answered them as they wished. And Judas took money and handed him over to them.