The gospel of Judas Iskariotte
There is a gospel of Judas Iskariotte . This gospel appeared
somewhere in 1978 and is authentically old. 250BC. That is
not the same as authentically from Judas, but he might well be the source. it is gnostic.
It was once translated as an effort from National Geographic.
It is difficult to read into. Much is missing. I was so irreverent as to clean it up and interpolate content through my gnostic knowledge to make it even more readable and accessible.
If you wish you can try to read it. Still the content is difficult
to understand. Whenever you stuck just forget about it.
INTRODUCTION:
INCIPIT The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week three days before he celebrated Passover.
THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS
When Jesus appeared on earth, he performed miracles and great wonders for the salvation of humanity. And since some walked in the way of righteousness, while others walked in their transgressions, the twelve disciples were called.
He began to speak with them about the mysteries beyond the world and what would take place at the end. Often he did not appear to his disciples as himself, but he was found among them as a child.
SCENE 1:
One day he was with his disciples in Judea, and he found them gathered together and seated in pious observance. When he approached his disciples, gathered together and seated and offering a prayer of thanksgiving over the bread, he laughed. The disciples said to him, “Master, why are you laughing at our prayer of thanksgiving? We have done what is right! He answered and said to them, “I am not laughing at you. You are not doing this because of your own will but because it is through this that your god will be praised.” They said, “Master, you are truly the son of our god!” Jesus said to them, “How do you know me? Truly I say to you, no generation of the people that are among you will know me.”
THE DISCIPLES BECOME ANGRY
When his disciples heard this, they commenced getting angry and infuriated and began blaspheming against him in their hearts. When Jesus observed their lack of being, he said to them, “Why has this agitation led you to anger? Your god who is within you and Is, has provoked you to anger within your souls. Let any one of you who is a man among human beings, bring out the perfect human and stand before my face.” But their spirits did not dare to stand before his face, except for Judas Iscariot. He was able to stand before him, but he could not look him in the eyes, and he turned his face away. Judas said to him, “I know who you are and where you have come from. You are from the immortal realm of Barbelo. And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one who has sent you.”
JESUS SPEAKS TO JUDAS PRIVATELY
Knowing that Judas was reflecting upon something that was exalted, Jesus said to him, “Turn away from the others and I shall tell you the mysteries of the kingdom. It is possible for you to reach it, but you will grieve a great deal. For someone else will replace you, in order that the twelve may again come to completion with their god.” Judas said to him, “When will you tell me these things, and when will the great day of light dawn for the generation?” But when he said this, Jesus left him.
SCENE 2:
The next morning, after when this happened, Jesus appeared to his disciples again. They said to him, “Master, where did you go and what did you do when you left us?” Jesus said to them, “I went to another great and holy generation.” His disciples said to him, “Lord, what is the great generation that is superior to us and holier than us, that is not now in these realms?” When Jesus heard this, he laughed and said to them, “Why are you thinking in your hearts about the strong and holy generation? Truly I say to you, no one born from this aeon will understand this, and no host of angels of the luminaries will rule over that generation, and no person of mortal birth can associate with it, because that generation comes from the end which has become the beginning. The generation of people among you, is from the generation of humanity without power, which obey other powers by which they rule.” When his disciples heard this, they each were troubled in spirit. They could not say a word. Another day Jesus came up to them. They said to him, “Master, we have seen you in a vision, for we all have had many fearful dreams ” He said, “That is because you are hiding your face from before me?” They said, “We have seen a great house with a large altar in it, and twelve men—they are the priests, we would say—and your name; and a crowd of people is waiting before that altar, until the priests serve and receive the offerings. We were kept waiting.” Jesus said, “What are they like?” They said, “Some slaughter whole herds of sheep on the altar; some sacrifice their own children, others their wives, in praise and humility with each other; some sleep with men; some are involved in murder; some commit a multitude of sins and deeds of lawlessness. And the men who stand before the altar invoke your name, and in all the deeds of their deficiency, the sacrifices are brought to completion.” After they said this, they were quiet, for they were troubled.
JESUS OFFERS AN ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION OF THE TEMPLE Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Truly I say to you, all the priests who stand before that altar do invoke my name. Again I say to you, my name has been written on this pillar of the generations of the luminaries through the human generations. And they have planted trees without fruit, in my name, in a shameful manner.” Jesus said to them, “Those you have seen receiving the offerings at the altar—they are shaped in your image. That is the god you serve, and you are those twelve men you have seen. The cattle you have seen brought for sacrifice are the many people you lead astray before that altar, you will stand and make use of my name in this way, and generations of the pious will remain loyal to them. After that, another man will stand there from the fornicators, and yet another will stand there from the slayers of children, and another from those who sleep with men, and those who abstain, and the rest of the people of pollution and lawlessness and error, and those who say, ‘We are like angels’; they are the luminaries that bring everything to its dawn. For to the human generations it has been said, ‘Look, God has received your sacrifice from the hands of a priest’—that is, a minister of error. But it is the Lord, the Lord of the universe, who commands, ‘On the last day they will be put to shame.’” Jesus said to them, “Stop sacrificing innocent blood which you have spoiled at the altar. Since those you have seen themselves judge over their luminaries and their angels, and they have already come to their dawn there. So let them be ensnared before you, and let them go back down to Sheol. Stop hiding your face from before me, doing your own ways by your manners, and let me enlighten you.
[—about 15 lines missing—]
One baker cannot feed all creation under the heavens. And so it is to them and also it is to us and to every man. Jesus said to them, “Stop struggling with me. Each of you has his own luminary, and everybody has their many angels.”
—about 17 lines missing—]
in truth the one who has come to set forth the spring to water the tree that caused this aeon to dwell for a time succeeded, but now He has come to water God’s paradise, and water the generation that will last, because that generation will not defile their ways, but will last for all eternity.”
JUDAS ASKS JESUS ABOUT THAT GENERATION AND HUMAN GENERATIONS
Judas said to him, “Rabbi, what kind of fruit does this generation produce?” Jesus said, “It is impossible to sow seed in a rock and harvest its fruit. This is what happens with a defiled generation and what happens with corruptible wisdom, wisdom whose hand has avoided mortal people, that their souls go up to the eternal realms above. Truly I say to you, any angel, even angels without power are able to see this abomination whereto also the holy generations obey.”
Judas said, “And what will the rest of the human generations do?”
Jesus said, “The souls of every human generation will die. When these people, however, have completed the time of the kingdom and the spirit leaves them, their bodies will die but their souls will be alive, and they will be lifted up.” After Jesus said this, he departed.
SCENE 3: Judas recounts a vision and Jesus responds.
Judas said, “Master, as you have listened to all of them, now also listen to me. For I have seen a great vision.” When Jesus heard this, he laughed and said to him, “You thirteenth spirit, why do you try so hard? But speak up, and I shall bear with you.” Judas said to him, “In the vision I saw myself as the twelve were stoning me and persecuting me severely. And I also came to the place where they went all after you. I saw a house, and my eyes could not comprehend its size. Great people were surrounding it, and that house had a roof of greenery, and in the midst of the house was a crowd of people dressed in white. And there were twenty four elders bowing before a throne. And the twelve who went there after you were saying: ‘Master, take me in along with these people.’” Jesus answered and said, “Judas, your luminary has led you astray.” He continued, “No person of mortal birth is worthy to enter the house you have seen, for that place is reserved for the holy. Neither the sun nor the moon will rule there, nor the day, but the holy will abide there always, in the eternal realms with the holy angels. Look, I have explained to you the mysteries of the kingdom and I have taught you about the error of the luminaries; and I explained to you the mystery of the twelve aeons.”
JUDAS ASKS ABOUT HIS OWN FATE
Judas said, “Master, could it be that my seed is under the control of the rulers?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You know, that I told you that this generation has no power. Your rulers execute powers without knowing where their power comes from and you, also you obey. But know that you will grieve much when you see the kingdom and all its generation.” When he heard this, Judas said to him, “What good is it that I have received it? For you have set me apart for that generation.” Jesus answered and said, “You will become the thirteenth, and you will be cursed by the other generations—and after that you will come to rule over them. In the last days they will curse your ascent to the holy generation.”
JESUS TEACHES JUDAS ABOUT COSMOLOGY: THE SPIRIT AND THE SELF-GENERATED
Jesus said, “Come, that I may teach you about secrets that no person has ever seen. For there exists a great and boundless realm, whose extent no generation of angels has seen, in which there is a great illuminating Soul, which no eye of an angel has ever seen, no thought of the heart has ever comprehended, and it was never called by any name. “And a luminous cloud appeared there. He said, ‘Let an angel come into being as my attendant.’ “A great angel, the enlightened divine Self-Generated, emerged from the cloud. Because of him, four other creatures came into being from another cloud, and they became attendants for the angelic Self-Generated. The Self-Generated said, ‘Let light come into being,’ and it came into being the light. And he created the first luminary to reign over him. He said, ‘Let angels come into being to serve him,’ and myriads without number came into being. He said, ‘Let an enlightened aeon come into being,’ and he came into being. He created the second luminary to reign over him, together with myriads of angels without number, to offer service. That is how he created the rest of the seven illuminated aeons. He made them reign over them, and he created for them myriads of angels without number, to assist them.
ADAMAS AND THE LUMINARIES
“Adamas was in the first luminous cloud that no angel has ever seen among all those called ‘God.’ He who was made after the image and after the likeness of this Self-Generated angel. He made the incorruptible generation of Seth appear, then the twelve and finally the twentyfour. He made seventy-two luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit. The seventy-two luminaries themselves made three hundred sixty luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit, that their number should be five for each. “The twelve aeons of the twelve luminaries constitute their father, with six heavens for each aeon, so that there are seventy-two heavens for the seventy-two luminaries, and for each of them five firmaments, for a total of three hundred sixty firmaments. They were given authority and a great host of angels without number, for glory and adoration, and after that also virgin spirits, for glory and adoration of all the aeons and the heavens and their firmaments.
THE COSMOS, CHAOS, AND THE UNDERWORLD
“The multitude of those immortals is called the cosmos— that is, perdition—by the Father and the seventy-two luminaries who are with the Self-Generated and his seventy two aeons. In him the first human appeared with his incorruptible powers. And the aeon that appeared with his generation, the aeon in whom are the cloud of knowledge and the angel, is called Elohim. After that Elohim said, ‘Let twelve angels come into being to rule over chaos and over the underworld.’ And look, from the cloud there appeared an angel whose face flashed with fire and whose appearance was defiled with blood. His name was Nebro, which means ‘rebel’; others call him Yaldabaoth. Another angel, Saklas, also came from the cloud. So Nebro created six angels—as well as Saklas—to be assistants, and these produced twelve angels, with each one receiving his portion in the heavens.
THE RULERS AND ANGELS
‘Let each of you take up a rod and let them rule over the generations, for you must prepare chaos among its angels’: The first is Eth, who is called 'the crucifier'. The second is Harmathoth, who is Satan the tempter. The third is Galila. The fourth is Yobel. The fifth is Adonaios. These are the five who rule over the underworld, and first of all over chaos.
THE CREATION OF HUMANITY
“Then Saklas said to his angels, ‘Let us create a human being after the likeness and after the image.’ They fashioned Adam and his wife Eve, who is called, in the cloud, Zoe. For by this name all the generations seek the man, and each of them calls the woman by these names. Now, Saklas did not command more, except for the purification of the generations. And the ruler said to Adam, ‘You shall live long, with your children.’”
JUDAS ASKS ABOUT THE DESTINY OF ADAM AND HUMANITY
Judas said to Jesus, “What is the long duration of time that the human being will live?” Jesus said, “Why are you wondering about this, that Adam, with his generation, has lived his span of life in the place where he has received his kingdom, with longevity with his ruler?” Judas said to Jesus, “Does the human spirit die?” Jesus said, “This is why God ordered Michael to give the spirits of people to them as a loan, so that they might offer service, but the Great One ordered Gabriel to grant spirits to the great generation with no ruler over it—that is, the spirit and the soul. Those spirits must interact with chaos to overcome trials and become worthy. And many did overcome and they did become worthy.
JESUS DISCUSSES THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED WITH JUDAS AND OTHERS [nearly two lines missing—]
let no spirit that is within you dwell in this manner among the generations of angels. But God caused knowledge to be given to Adam and those with him, so that the kings of chaos and the underworld might not lord it over them.” Judas said to Jesus, “So what will those generations do?” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, for all of them the luminaries bring matters to completion. When Saklas completes the span of time assigned for him, their luminary will appear with the first generations, and they will finish what they said they would do. Then they will commit adultery in my name and slay their children and their luminaries will extinguish and they will die. Then God will not cause their luminary to appear again in the tenth aeon, outside the dominion of chaos and the underworld. This will be accomplished for the sake of my name, and he will make your luminary appear in the thirteenth aeon.” After that Jesus laughed. Judas said, “Master, why are you laughing at us?” Jesus answered and said, “I am not laughing at you but at the error of the luminaries, because these six luminaries of Nebro wander about with these five combatants, and they all will be destroyed along with their creatures.”
JESUS SPEAKS OF THOSE WHO ARE BAPTIZED, AND JUDAS’S BETRAYAL
Judas said to Jesus, “Look, what will those who have been baptized in your name do?” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, this baptism in my name...
[—about nine lines missing—]
Truly I say to you, Judas, those who offer sacrifices to Saklas, will be forgiven, but those who offer sacrifices to Nebro, they are going to perdition. Because they walk in the ways of everything that is evil. “But you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me. Already your horn has been raised, your wrath has been kindled, your luminary has shown brightly, and your heart has been hardened “Truly this is your last act, and you will be hated by the generations”. But then you will grieve much once you see the kingdom, and you will repent because of it and for the sake of the generations. Then your seed will cease to be under the control of the ruler, since he will be destroyed. And then the image of the great generation of Adam will be exalted, for prior to heaven, earth, and the angels, that generation, which is from the eternal realms, exists. Look, you have been told everything. Lift up your eyes and look at the cloud and the light within it and the luminaries surrounding it. The luminary that leads the way is your luminary.” Judas lifted up his eyes and saw the luminous cloud, and he entered it. Those standing on the ground heard a voice coming from the cloud, saying: today a great generation has come into being in the image and likeness of the the enlightened divine Self-Generated.
[—about five lines missing—].
CONCLUSION: JUDAS BETRAYS JESUS
[…] Their high priests murmured because he had gone into the guest room for his prayer. But some scribes were there watching carefully in order to arrest him during the prayer, for they were afraid of the people, since he was regarded by all as a prophet. They approached Judas and said to him, “What are you doing here? You are Jesus’ disciple.” Judas answered them as they wished. And he received some money and handed him over to them. THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS
somewhere in 1978 and is authentically old. 250BC. That is
not the same as authentically from Judas, but he might well be the source. it is gnostic.
It was once translated as an effort from National Geographic.
It is difficult to read into. Much is missing. I was so irreverent as to clean it up and interpolate content through my gnostic knowledge to make it even more readable and accessible.
If you wish you can try to read it. Still the content is difficult
to understand. Whenever you stuck just forget about it.
INTRODUCTION:
INCIPIT The secret account of the revelation that Jesus spoke in conversation with Judas Iscariot during a week three days before he celebrated Passover.
THE EARTHLY MINISTRY OF JESUS
When Jesus appeared on earth, he performed miracles and great wonders for the salvation of humanity. And since some walked in the way of righteousness, while others walked in their transgressions, the twelve disciples were called.
He began to speak with them about the mysteries beyond the world and what would take place at the end. Often he did not appear to his disciples as himself, but he was found among them as a child.
SCENE 1:
One day he was with his disciples in Judea, and he found them gathered together and seated in pious observance. When he approached his disciples, gathered together and seated and offering a prayer of thanksgiving over the bread, he laughed. The disciples said to him, “Master, why are you laughing at our prayer of thanksgiving? We have done what is right! He answered and said to them, “I am not laughing at you. You are not doing this because of your own will but because it is through this that your god will be praised.” They said, “Master, you are truly the son of our god!” Jesus said to them, “How do you know me? Truly I say to you, no generation of the people that are among you will know me.”
THE DISCIPLES BECOME ANGRY
When his disciples heard this, they commenced getting angry and infuriated and began blaspheming against him in their hearts. When Jesus observed their lack of being, he said to them, “Why has this agitation led you to anger? Your god who is within you and Is, has provoked you to anger within your souls. Let any one of you who is a man among human beings, bring out the perfect human and stand before my face.” But their spirits did not dare to stand before his face, except for Judas Iscariot. He was able to stand before him, but he could not look him in the eyes, and he turned his face away. Judas said to him, “I know who you are and where you have come from. You are from the immortal realm of Barbelo. And I am not worthy to utter the name of the one who has sent you.”
JESUS SPEAKS TO JUDAS PRIVATELY
Knowing that Judas was reflecting upon something that was exalted, Jesus said to him, “Turn away from the others and I shall tell you the mysteries of the kingdom. It is possible for you to reach it, but you will grieve a great deal. For someone else will replace you, in order that the twelve may again come to completion with their god.” Judas said to him, “When will you tell me these things, and when will the great day of light dawn for the generation?” But when he said this, Jesus left him.
SCENE 2:
The next morning, after when this happened, Jesus appeared to his disciples again. They said to him, “Master, where did you go and what did you do when you left us?” Jesus said to them, “I went to another great and holy generation.” His disciples said to him, “Lord, what is the great generation that is superior to us and holier than us, that is not now in these realms?” When Jesus heard this, he laughed and said to them, “Why are you thinking in your hearts about the strong and holy generation? Truly I say to you, no one born from this aeon will understand this, and no host of angels of the luminaries will rule over that generation, and no person of mortal birth can associate with it, because that generation comes from the end which has become the beginning. The generation of people among you, is from the generation of humanity without power, which obey other powers by which they rule.” When his disciples heard this, they each were troubled in spirit. They could not say a word. Another day Jesus came up to them. They said to him, “Master, we have seen you in a vision, for we all have had many fearful dreams ” He said, “That is because you are hiding your face from before me?” They said, “We have seen a great house with a large altar in it, and twelve men—they are the priests, we would say—and your name; and a crowd of people is waiting before that altar, until the priests serve and receive the offerings. We were kept waiting.” Jesus said, “What are they like?” They said, “Some slaughter whole herds of sheep on the altar; some sacrifice their own children, others their wives, in praise and humility with each other; some sleep with men; some are involved in murder; some commit a multitude of sins and deeds of lawlessness. And the men who stand before the altar invoke your name, and in all the deeds of their deficiency, the sacrifices are brought to completion.” After they said this, they were quiet, for they were troubled.
JESUS OFFERS AN ALLEGORICAL INTERPRETATION OF THE VISION OF THE TEMPLE Jesus said to them, “Why are you troubled? Truly I say to you, all the priests who stand before that altar do invoke my name. Again I say to you, my name has been written on this pillar of the generations of the luminaries through the human generations. And they have planted trees without fruit, in my name, in a shameful manner.” Jesus said to them, “Those you have seen receiving the offerings at the altar—they are shaped in your image. That is the god you serve, and you are those twelve men you have seen. The cattle you have seen brought for sacrifice are the many people you lead astray before that altar, you will stand and make use of my name in this way, and generations of the pious will remain loyal to them. After that, another man will stand there from the fornicators, and yet another will stand there from the slayers of children, and another from those who sleep with men, and those who abstain, and the rest of the people of pollution and lawlessness and error, and those who say, ‘We are like angels’; they are the luminaries that bring everything to its dawn. For to the human generations it has been said, ‘Look, God has received your sacrifice from the hands of a priest’—that is, a minister of error. But it is the Lord, the Lord of the universe, who commands, ‘On the last day they will be put to shame.’” Jesus said to them, “Stop sacrificing innocent blood which you have spoiled at the altar. Since those you have seen themselves judge over their luminaries and their angels, and they have already come to their dawn there. So let them be ensnared before you, and let them go back down to Sheol. Stop hiding your face from before me, doing your own ways by your manners, and let me enlighten you.
[—about 15 lines missing—]
One baker cannot feed all creation under the heavens. And so it is to them and also it is to us and to every man. Jesus said to them, “Stop struggling with me. Each of you has his own luminary, and everybody has their many angels.”
—about 17 lines missing—]
in truth the one who has come to set forth the spring to water the tree that caused this aeon to dwell for a time succeeded, but now He has come to water God’s paradise, and water the generation that will last, because that generation will not defile their ways, but will last for all eternity.”
JUDAS ASKS JESUS ABOUT THAT GENERATION AND HUMAN GENERATIONS
Judas said to him, “Rabbi, what kind of fruit does this generation produce?” Jesus said, “It is impossible to sow seed in a rock and harvest its fruit. This is what happens with a defiled generation and what happens with corruptible wisdom, wisdom whose hand has avoided mortal people, that their souls go up to the eternal realms above. Truly I say to you, any angel, even angels without power are able to see this abomination whereto also the holy generations obey.”
Judas said, “And what will the rest of the human generations do?”
Jesus said, “The souls of every human generation will die. When these people, however, have completed the time of the kingdom and the spirit leaves them, their bodies will die but their souls will be alive, and they will be lifted up.” After Jesus said this, he departed.
SCENE 3: Judas recounts a vision and Jesus responds.
Judas said, “Master, as you have listened to all of them, now also listen to me. For I have seen a great vision.” When Jesus heard this, he laughed and said to him, “You thirteenth spirit, why do you try so hard? But speak up, and I shall bear with you.” Judas said to him, “In the vision I saw myself as the twelve were stoning me and persecuting me severely. And I also came to the place where they went all after you. I saw a house, and my eyes could not comprehend its size. Great people were surrounding it, and that house had a roof of greenery, and in the midst of the house was a crowd of people dressed in white. And there were twenty four elders bowing before a throne. And the twelve who went there after you were saying: ‘Master, take me in along with these people.’” Jesus answered and said, “Judas, your luminary has led you astray.” He continued, “No person of mortal birth is worthy to enter the house you have seen, for that place is reserved for the holy. Neither the sun nor the moon will rule there, nor the day, but the holy will abide there always, in the eternal realms with the holy angels. Look, I have explained to you the mysteries of the kingdom and I have taught you about the error of the luminaries; and I explained to you the mystery of the twelve aeons.”
JUDAS ASKS ABOUT HIS OWN FATE
Judas said, “Master, could it be that my seed is under the control of the rulers?” Jesus answered and said to him, “You know, that I told you that this generation has no power. Your rulers execute powers without knowing where their power comes from and you, also you obey. But know that you will grieve much when you see the kingdom and all its generation.” When he heard this, Judas said to him, “What good is it that I have received it? For you have set me apart for that generation.” Jesus answered and said, “You will become the thirteenth, and you will be cursed by the other generations—and after that you will come to rule over them. In the last days they will curse your ascent to the holy generation.”
JESUS TEACHES JUDAS ABOUT COSMOLOGY: THE SPIRIT AND THE SELF-GENERATED
Jesus said, “Come, that I may teach you about secrets that no person has ever seen. For there exists a great and boundless realm, whose extent no generation of angels has seen, in which there is a great illuminating Soul, which no eye of an angel has ever seen, no thought of the heart has ever comprehended, and it was never called by any name. “And a luminous cloud appeared there. He said, ‘Let an angel come into being as my attendant.’ “A great angel, the enlightened divine Self-Generated, emerged from the cloud. Because of him, four other creatures came into being from another cloud, and they became attendants for the angelic Self-Generated. The Self-Generated said, ‘Let light come into being,’ and it came into being the light. And he created the first luminary to reign over him. He said, ‘Let angels come into being to serve him,’ and myriads without number came into being. He said, ‘Let an enlightened aeon come into being,’ and he came into being. He created the second luminary to reign over him, together with myriads of angels without number, to offer service. That is how he created the rest of the seven illuminated aeons. He made them reign over them, and he created for them myriads of angels without number, to assist them.
ADAMAS AND THE LUMINARIES
“Adamas was in the first luminous cloud that no angel has ever seen among all those called ‘God.’ He who was made after the image and after the likeness of this Self-Generated angel. He made the incorruptible generation of Seth appear, then the twelve and finally the twentyfour. He made seventy-two luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit. The seventy-two luminaries themselves made three hundred sixty luminaries appear in the incorruptible generation, in accordance with the will of the Spirit, that their number should be five for each. “The twelve aeons of the twelve luminaries constitute their father, with six heavens for each aeon, so that there are seventy-two heavens for the seventy-two luminaries, and for each of them five firmaments, for a total of three hundred sixty firmaments. They were given authority and a great host of angels without number, for glory and adoration, and after that also virgin spirits, for glory and adoration of all the aeons and the heavens and their firmaments.
THE COSMOS, CHAOS, AND THE UNDERWORLD
“The multitude of those immortals is called the cosmos— that is, perdition—by the Father and the seventy-two luminaries who are with the Self-Generated and his seventy two aeons. In him the first human appeared with his incorruptible powers. And the aeon that appeared with his generation, the aeon in whom are the cloud of knowledge and the angel, is called Elohim. After that Elohim said, ‘Let twelve angels come into being to rule over chaos and over the underworld.’ And look, from the cloud there appeared an angel whose face flashed with fire and whose appearance was defiled with blood. His name was Nebro, which means ‘rebel’; others call him Yaldabaoth. Another angel, Saklas, also came from the cloud. So Nebro created six angels—as well as Saklas—to be assistants, and these produced twelve angels, with each one receiving his portion in the heavens.
THE RULERS AND ANGELS
‘Let each of you take up a rod and let them rule over the generations, for you must prepare chaos among its angels’: The first is Eth, who is called 'the crucifier'. The second is Harmathoth, who is Satan the tempter. The third is Galila. The fourth is Yobel. The fifth is Adonaios. These are the five who rule over the underworld, and first of all over chaos.
THE CREATION OF HUMANITY
“Then Saklas said to his angels, ‘Let us create a human being after the likeness and after the image.’ They fashioned Adam and his wife Eve, who is called, in the cloud, Zoe. For by this name all the generations seek the man, and each of them calls the woman by these names. Now, Saklas did not command more, except for the purification of the generations. And the ruler said to Adam, ‘You shall live long, with your children.’”
JUDAS ASKS ABOUT THE DESTINY OF ADAM AND HUMANITY
Judas said to Jesus, “What is the long duration of time that the human being will live?” Jesus said, “Why are you wondering about this, that Adam, with his generation, has lived his span of life in the place where he has received his kingdom, with longevity with his ruler?” Judas said to Jesus, “Does the human spirit die?” Jesus said, “This is why God ordered Michael to give the spirits of people to them as a loan, so that they might offer service, but the Great One ordered Gabriel to grant spirits to the great generation with no ruler over it—that is, the spirit and the soul. Those spirits must interact with chaos to overcome trials and become worthy. And many did overcome and they did become worthy.
JESUS DISCUSSES THE DESTRUCTION OF THE WICKED WITH JUDAS AND OTHERS [nearly two lines missing—]
let no spirit that is within you dwell in this manner among the generations of angels. But God caused knowledge to be given to Adam and those with him, so that the kings of chaos and the underworld might not lord it over them.” Judas said to Jesus, “So what will those generations do?” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, for all of them the luminaries bring matters to completion. When Saklas completes the span of time assigned for him, their luminary will appear with the first generations, and they will finish what they said they would do. Then they will commit adultery in my name and slay their children and their luminaries will extinguish and they will die. Then God will not cause their luminary to appear again in the tenth aeon, outside the dominion of chaos and the underworld. This will be accomplished for the sake of my name, and he will make your luminary appear in the thirteenth aeon.” After that Jesus laughed. Judas said, “Master, why are you laughing at us?” Jesus answered and said, “I am not laughing at you but at the error of the luminaries, because these six luminaries of Nebro wander about with these five combatants, and they all will be destroyed along with their creatures.”
JESUS SPEAKS OF THOSE WHO ARE BAPTIZED, AND JUDAS’S BETRAYAL
Judas said to Jesus, “Look, what will those who have been baptized in your name do?” Jesus said, “Truly I say to you, this baptism in my name...
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Truly I say to you, Judas, those who offer sacrifices to Saklas, will be forgiven, but those who offer sacrifices to Nebro, they are going to perdition. Because they walk in the ways of everything that is evil. “But you will exceed all of them. For you will sacrifice the man that clothes me. Already your horn has been raised, your wrath has been kindled, your luminary has shown brightly, and your heart has been hardened “Truly this is your last act, and you will be hated by the generations”. But then you will grieve much once you see the kingdom, and you will repent because of it and for the sake of the generations. Then your seed will cease to be under the control of the ruler, since he will be destroyed. And then the image of the great generation of Adam will be exalted, for prior to heaven, earth, and the angels, that generation, which is from the eternal realms, exists. Look, you have been told everything. Lift up your eyes and look at the cloud and the light within it and the luminaries surrounding it. The luminary that leads the way is your luminary.” Judas lifted up his eyes and saw the luminous cloud, and he entered it. Those standing on the ground heard a voice coming from the cloud, saying: today a great generation has come into being in the image and likeness of the the enlightened divine Self-Generated.
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CONCLUSION: JUDAS BETRAYS JESUS
[…] Their high priests murmured because he had gone into the guest room for his prayer. But some scribes were there watching carefully in order to arrest him during the prayer, for they were afraid of the people, since he was regarded by all as a prophet. They approached Judas and said to him, “What are you doing here? You are Jesus’ disciple.” Judas answered them as they wished. And he received some money and handed him over to them. THE GOSPEL OF JUDAS
