Gospel of Truth

The gospel as the joy of those who have received from the Father the grace of knowing Him through the Word; the great forgetfulness, the fog of error, and the coming of the Word.

1The gospel of truth is joy unto them that have received from the Father of truth the grace of knowing Him by means of the Word, even Him that hath come forth from the fulness.

2He which is in the thought and the mind of the Father — that is, He whom they call the Saviour — for that is the name of the work which He must perform for the redemption of them that knew not the Father.

3Now the name of the gospel is the manifestation of hope, since it is a finding for them that seek Him.

4Inasmuch as the All sought after Him, even Him from whom it came forth — and the All was within Him, He whom no man can grasp, He whom no man can comprehend, who is greater than all thought.

5Such ignorance of the Father gave forth anguish and terror; and the anguish became dense like a fog, that no man could see.

6For this cause error grew strong; she wrought her matter in vainness, since she knew not the truth. She set herself to fashion creation, preparing in power and beauty a substitute for the truth.

7And this was no humbling for Him, the unsearchable, the incomprehensible — for the anguish, the forgetfulness, and the figure of falsehood were as nothing, while the truth which is steadfast is unchangeable, undisturbed, and not to be adorned.

8Therefore, despise error. Forasmuch as she had no root, she was within a fog with regard to the Father, while she made ready works and forgetfulnesses and terrors, that by these she might allure them of the middle and might capture them.

9Forgetfulness of error was not revealed. It is not a thing of the Father. Forgetfulness came not into being from the Father, even if it came into being on account of Him. But what cometh into being in Him is knowledge — that which appeared, that the forgetfulness might be undone, and that they might know the Father.

10Since forgetfulness came into being because the Father was not known — when, therefore, the Father is known, from that moment forward forgetfulness shall no more be.

11This is the gospel of Him whom they seek; that gospel which He hath revealed unto them that are perfect, by the mercies of the Father, the hidden mystery, even Jesus the Christ.

12Through Him He enlightened them that were in darkness on account of forgetfulness. He enlightened them, and gave them a way; and the way is the truth which He taught them.

13For this cause error was wroth against Him; she persecuted Him. She was distressed by Him; she was put to nought. He was nailed unto a tree. He became the fruit of the knowledge of the Father.

14And it brought not destruction because they did eat thereof. Rather, unto them that did eat of it, it gave to find themselves; and to Him it gave to find them in Himself.

15He, the incomprehensible, the inconceivable, even the Father, the perfect One who created the All — in Him is the All; the All hath need of Him, since He kept its perfection within Himself, the perfection which He had not given unto the All.

16The Father was not jealous; for what jealousy might there be between Him and His members? For if this aeon had received its perfection in such manner, they had not been able to come unto the Father — He that keepeth their perfection within Himself, giving it unto them as a return unto Him, and as knowledge perfectly unique.

17He it is that ordered the All; in Him is the All; the All hath need of Him.

18Even as it is with a man who is unknown, but men desire to know him and to love him; so it is — for what need had the All, save the knowledge of the Father?

19He hath become a guide, in repose and in leisure. In their midst He stepped forth; He spake the Word as a teacher, and they came unto Him, the wise according to their own thinking. They tested Him; but He confounded them, in that they were vain, and they hated Him because they were not truly wise.

20After all these came also the little children, even unto whom belongeth the knowledge of the Father. When they had been confirmed and had learned the aspects of the countenance of the Father, they have known, and they were known. They were glorified, and they have given glory.

21There came forth in their hearts the living book of the living, even that which was written in the thought and the mind of the Father, which from the foundation of the All abode in His incomprehensibleness — that book which none could take, since it remaineth for him to take it that shall be slain.

22None of them which believe in salvation could be revealed, so long as that book had not appeared. For this cause the merciful and faithful one, even Jesus, was patient: He suffered them to take this book, since He knew that His death is life for many.