On the Origin of the World 2

1After the natural form of the deathless beings had finished developing out of infinity, a likeness called Sophia emanated from Pistis. She exercised her will and became a created being like the primordial light. Immediately, her will appeared in the likeness of heaven, possessing an incomprehensible size between the deathless beings and the beings that came into existence afterward, resembling [. . .]. She acted as a veil separating humanity from the beings above.

2Now, the aeon of Truth has no external shadow, because the infinite light dwells everywhere within it. Its exterior, however, is a shadow called “Darkness.” From it appeared a host that ruled over the darkness, and the hosts that came into being afterward called the shadow “Infinite Chaos.” From it every kind of divinity sprang upward [. . .] together with the entire place, with the further result that shadow came after the first [] created being. It appeared <inside> the Abyss, originating from the previously mentioned Pistis.

3The shadow then realized that something more powerful than itself existed and became envious. When it had become pregnant through its own will, it immediately gave birth to jealousy. From that day, the law of jealousy prevailing among all the aeons and their worlds has been evident. Now, this jealousy was found to be an aborted fetus with no spirit within it. It came into being as a shadow within an immense watery substance. The bile that had come from the shadow was then thrust into a region of Chaos.

4From that day, a watery substance has been evident, and what sank down within it gushed away while remaining visible within Chaos. As with a woman giving birth to a child, when all her accumulated matter gushes out, so matter came into being from a shadow and was driven away from it, yet it did not leave Chaos.

5The Manifestation of Yaldabaoth

6Instead, matter remained within Chaos, dwelling in one of its regions. After these things had happened, Pistis arrived and appeared above the matter of Chaos, which had been expelled like an aborted fetus, since no spirit dwelled within it, for it was entirely infinite darkness and bottomless water. When Pistis saw what had resulted from her defect, she became troubled. Her distress appeared as a frightful created being that hurried toward her in Chaos. She turned toward it and blew into its face within the Abyss, which lies beneath [] all the heavens. Pistis Sophia then willed that the being without spirit should be formed into a likeness and should rule over matter and all her hosts. For the first time, an androgynous archon resembling a lion appeared from the waters, possessing great authority within himself and not knowing where he had come from.

7As Pistis Sophia watched him moving about in the watery depths, she said to him, “Child, pass over here,” which is the same as yalda-baoth. From that day, the law of articulate speech appeared and extended to the gods, the angels, and humanity. What had come into being through articulate speech was brought to completion by the gods, the angels, and humanity.

8Now, the archon Yaltabaoth was unaware of the power of Pistis. He did not see her face but instead saw in the water the likeness that spoke with him. Because of that voice, he called himself “Yald<ab>aoth.” The perfect ones, however, call him “Ariael,” because he resembled a lion.

9When he had gained authority over matter, Pistis Sophia withdrew upward into her light.