Gospel of Mary
Mary recounts the soul's ascent through the four powers — Darkness, Desire, Ignorance, and Wrath in its seven forms.
1And after the soul hath answered the first power, said Mary, she ascendeth and cometh unto the second power. And the second power is Desire.
2And Desire saith unto her: I beheld thee not descending; but now I behold thee ascending. Wherefore liest thou, since thou belongest unto me?
3And the soul answereth, and saith: I beheld thee. Thou hast not beheld me; thou hast not known me. Thou tookest me for a garment; thou hast not recognized me.
4And when she had said these things, she went forth, rejoicing greatly.
5And she came unto the third power, even Ignorance. And Ignorance questioned the soul, saying: Whither goest thou? In wickedness wast thou bound. Indeed, thou wast bound. Judge not, therefore.
6And the soul said: Wherefore dost thou judge me, when I have not judged? I was bound, but I myself bound nothing. I was not recognized; but I myself have known that the All is being dissolved — both the things which are earthly and those which are heavenly.
7And when the soul had brought the third power to nought, she went upward. And she beheld the fourth power, which had seven forms.
8The first form is Darkness. The second is Desire. The third is Ignorance. The fourth is the Excitement of Death. The fifth is the Kingdom of the Flesh. The sixth is the Foolish Wisdom of the Flesh. The seventh is the Wrathful Wisdom.
9These are the seven powers of Wrath. They question the soul: Whence comest thou, slayer of men? Whither goest thou, conqueror of space?
10The soul answereth, and saith: That which bound me hath been slain; and that which surrounded me hath been overcome; and my desire is finished; and Ignorance hath died.
11In an aeon was I loosed from a world, and in a type from a type that is above. From this hour shall I attain the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence.
12When Mary had said these things, she was silent — for it was even so far as the Saviour had spoken with her.
13But Andrew answered, and said unto the brethren: Speak, what ye have to say in regard to that which she hath said. For I, for my part, do not believe that the Saviour said this. Surely these doctrines are of strange opinions.
14And Peter answered, and spake concerning these same things. And he asked them concerning the Saviour: Did He, then, speak privately with a woman, in preference to us, and not openly? Are we to turn about, and all hearken unto her? Hath He preferred her over us?
15Then Mary wept, and said unto Peter: My brother Peter, what dost thou suppose? Dost thou suppose that I have devised this in mine heart, of myself, or that I am uttering a falsehood concerning the Saviour?
