Gospel of Philip

On the bridal chamber, the holy of holies, the image and truth, the trees of paradise, and the perfection of the children of light.

1The bridal chamber is not for the beasts, neither is it for the slaves, neither for the defiled women. But it is for free men and virgins.

2By the Holy Spirit are we born, but we are born again by Christ. In the two we are anointed by the Spirit. And when we were born, we were joined.

3None can see himself either in water or in a mirror without light. Neither again canst thou see in the light without water or mirror. Therefore must one be baptized in the two — in the light and the water. Now the light is the chrism.

4There were three houses of offering in Jerusalem. The one which opened to the west was called the holy. The other, which opened to the south, was called the holy of holy. The third, which opened to the east, was called the holy of the holy of holies, the place where only the high priest entereth.

5Baptism is the holy house. The chrism is the holy of holy. The bridal chamber is the holy of holy of holies. Baptism hath the resurrection joined to the redemption; the redemption is in the bridal chamber. But the bridal chamber is in that which is greater than these — to which thou shalt come. Thou wilt find no like unto its glory.

6They that pray are them that are in Jerusalem. There are some in Jerusalem who pray awaiting the kingdom of the heavens. These are called the holy of the holies, because the veil is rent, and our bridal chamber is none other but the image of the bridal chamber that is above. Therefore its veil was rent from above to below; for it was needful that some from below should ascend.

7The powers see not them that have put on the perfect light, and they cannot detain them. But one shall put on the light in the mystery of the union.

8If the woman had not been separated from the man, she should not die with the man. The separation became the beginning of death. Therefore Christ came, that He might cure the separation of the beginning, and unite the two; and that them which had died in the separation, He might give life and unite them. Now the woman is united unto her husband in the bridal chamber. They that are united in the bridal chamber shall be no more separated.

9Therefore did Eve become separate from Adam, because she was not joined unto him in the bridal chamber.

10The soul of Adam was made by a breath. Its consort is the spirit. That which was given unto him is his mother. Out of his soul was given unto him his spirit, in place of his soul. When he was joined together, he uttered words above the powers. They envied him, and they separated his spiritual companion from him secretly.

11It happeneth that he is hidden in the bridal chamber. So shall it not happen again. Therefore did Eve come forth from Adam, because she was not joined unto him in the bridal chamber.

12Adam came to be from two virgins — from the Spirit, and from the virgin earth. Therefore Christ was born of a virgin, that He might rectify the falling that was in the beginning.

13There are two trees in paradise: one bringeth forth beasts, and the other bringeth forth men. Adam ate of the tree which bringeth forth beasts, and he became a beast, and begat beasts. Therefore the children of Adam revere beasts. The tree, the fruit of which Adam ate, is a tree. Therefore many sons it begat. He ate of it, and the beasts came to exist. Therefore men beget beasts, and beasts beget men. So is it: God created man, and the man created God. So is it in the world. Men make gods, and worship their creations. It were fitting that the gods should worship men!

14Surely as a man's deeds proceed forth, so are they accomplished by the man's powers; therefore they are called powers. They are his works. The children are his works also. Therefore his power dwelleth in his children, but his works are not so. So the man worketh in power, but it is in his children that he beareth fruit. Thou seest that this is so in the example: this is the man of the image, that worketh by his power, but begetteth his children in repose.

15In this world the slaves serve the free. In the kingdom of heaven the free shall serve the slaves; the children of the bridal chamber shall serve the children of marriage. Even thus do the children of the bridal chamber bear one and the same name: rest. Together they have nothing of the other; they have only the contemplation. They are perfect in the form of the contemplation, in the heart that lives.

16Truth came not naked into the world, but came in types and images. The world shall not receive her in any other way. There is a rebirth, and there is the image of the rebirth: it behoveth indeed to be born again through the image. Which is the resurrection? It is the image, that hath risen by means of the image. The bridal chamber is the image; by means of the image must one enter into the truth, that is, the restoration.

17It is fitting not only for them to receive the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, but also that they receive these for themselves. He that receiveth them not, the name also shall be taken away from him. But one receiveth them in the chrism, with the oil of the power of the cross. The apostles call this the right and the left. For thereafter such an one is no more a Christian, but a Christ.

18The Lord did everything in a mystery — a baptism, a chrism, a eucharist, a redemption, and a bridal chamber.

19The Father was in the Son, and the Son was in the Father. Such is the kingdom of heaven.

20Well doth the Lord say: Some have entered into the kingdom of heaven laughing, and they have come out laughing. Yet another saith: A Christian. And again, He saith: A Christ. He that came down with us into the water and we did not know, this it is whom we put on, that we might be made kings.

21He that hath been anointed hath the All. He hath the resurrection, the light, the cross, the Holy Spirit. The Father gave him this in the bridal chamber; he received it.

22The Father was in the Son, and the Son in the Father. He that knoweth himself shall reach Him. He that hath knowledge of himself, who he is and whence he came, shall be received in the kingdom of heaven.

23Whoever shall come to know what is established, knowing whither he is bound, shall return to his place.

24Pearls were brought down from above, even from the Pleroma. They are not given unto them that are not worthy. The pearl is given unto the children of the bridal chamber. They are clothed with light.

25Animal man cannot beget for the bridal chamber. The bridal chamber is for the perfect alone. We must put on the perfect man before we go forth. He that doth so shall not stumble. None shall be able to torment him, even though he is in the world. Even when he goeth forth from the world he hath received the truth in images. The world is the eternal realm — for the eternal realm is the fulness for him.