§28Interea Demiurgus omnium adhuc nescius, aut si aliquid et ipse per prophetas contionabatur, ne huius quidem operis sui intellegens — diuidunt enim et prophetiale patrocinium in Achamoth, (in) semen, in Demiurgum — ubi aduentum Soteris accepit, propere et ouanter accurrit cum omnibus suis uiribus — centurio de euangelio — et de omnibus inluminatus ab illo etiam spem suam discit, quod successurus sit in locum matris.
Meanwhile, the Demiurge, still ignorant of all things, or if he himself declared something through the prophets, not even understanding this work of his own—for they also divide the prophetic patronage among Achamoth, the seed, and the Demiurge—when he received news of the Savior's arrival, ran forward in haste and triumph with all his forces—the centurion of the Gospel—and having been enlightened by him concerning all things, he also learns his own hope, that he is to succeed to the place of his mother.
ita exinde securus dispensationem mundi huius, uel maxime ecclesiae protegendae nomine, quanto te(mpore) oportuerit * insequitur.
Thus, secure from then on, he continues the administration of this world, especially in the name of protecting the church, for as long as it shall be necessary.
§29Colligam nunc ex disperso ad concludendum, quae de totius generis humani dispositione disserant.
I will now collect from what is dispersed, in order to conclude, what they discuss concerning the disposition of the whole human race.
triformem naturam primordio professi et tamen inunitam in Adam, inde iam diuidunt per singulares generum proprietates, nacti occasionem distinctionis huiusmodi ex posteritate ipsius Adae.
Having claimed a threefold nature in the beginning, which was nevertheless united in Adam, they thenceforth divide it according to the singular properties of the classes, having found an opportunity for this kind of distinction from the posterity of Adam himself.
moralibus quoque differentiis tripertita, Cain et Abel (et) Seth.
It is also tripartite in moral differences: Cain, Abel, and Seth.
(bos) fontes quodammodo generis humani in totidem deriuant argumenta naturae atque sententiae: choicum, saluti degeneratum, ad Cain redigunt, animale, mediae spei deliberatum, ad Abel componunt, spiritale, certae saluti praeiudicatum, in Seth recondunt.
These sources, as it were, of the human race they derive into as many arguments of nature and opinion: the clay-made, degenerated from salvation, they refer to Cain; the animal, destined for a middle hope, they assign to Abel; the spiritual, pre-judged for a certain salvation, they store up in Seth.
sic et animas ipsas duplici proprietate discernunt, bonas et malas, secundum choicum statum ex Cain et animalem ex Abel.
In this way they also distinguish the souls themselves by a double property, good and bad, according to the clay-made state from Cain and the animal from Abel.
spiritalem ex Seth de obuenientia superducunt iam non naturam sed indulgentiam, ut quam Achamoth de superioribus in animas bonas depluat, id est animali censui inscriptas.
The spiritual from Seth they introduce from without as an occurrence, no longer as nature but as a favor, which Achamoth rains down from the regions above upon good souls, that is, those registered in the animal census.
choicum enim genus, id est malas animas, numquam capere salutaria; inmutabilem enim et inreformabilem naturae naturam pronuntiauerunt.
For the clay-made class, that is, the bad souls, can never receive saving things; for they have pronounced the nature of nature to be immutable and unreformable.
id ergo granum seminis spiritalis modicum et paruulum iacitur, sed eruditus huius, (quem) supra diximus, fide augetur atque prouehitur, animaeque hoc ipso ita ceteris praeuerterant, ut Demiurgus tunc ignorans magni eas fecerit.
Therefore, that grain of spiritual seed is sown moderate and tiny, but the one educated in this, whom we mentioned above, is increased and advanced by faith, and by this very thing the souls so far surpassed the rest that the Demiurge, though then ignorant, made much of them.
ex earum enim laterculo et in reges et in sacerdotes allegare consueuerat.
For from their list he was accustomed to enroll both kings and priests.
quae nunc quoque, si plenam atque perfectam notitiam adprehenderint istarum neniarum, naturificatae iam spiritalis condicionis germanitate certam obtinebunt salutem, immo omnimodo debitam.
These also now, if they apprehend the full and perfect knowledge of these sillinesses, will obtain certain salvation, or rather a salvation in every way due to them, by the brotherhood of their now naturalized spiritual condition.
§30Ideoque nec operationes necessarias sibi existimant nec ulla disciplinae munia obseruant, martyrii quoque eludentes necessitatem qua uolunt interpretatione.
And therefore they neither think works necessary for themselves, nor do they observe any duties of discipline, also evading the necessity of martyrdom by whatever interpretation they please.
hanc enim regulam animali semini praestitutam, ut salutem, quam non de priuilegio status possidemus, de suffragio actus elaboremus.
For they say that this rule is preordained for the animal seed, that we should work out salvation, which we do not possess by the privilege of our status, by the suffrage of our conduct.
nobis enim inscriptura huius seminis, qui imperfectae essentiae sumus, quia norimus Theletum, et utique abortui deputamur, quod mater illorum.
For to us, who are of an imperfect essence, there is the registration of this seed, because we know Theletum, and indeed we are deputed to the abortion, as was their mother.
sed nobis quidem uae, si excesserimus in aliquo disciplinae iugum, si obtorpuerimus in operibus sanctitatis atque iustitiae, si confitendum alibi nescio ubi et non sub potestatibus istius saeculi apud tribunalia praesidum optauerimus.
But woe indeed to us, if we should overstep in any way the yoke of discipline, if we should grow numb in the works of holiness and justice, if we should wish to make confession in some other place, I know not where, and not before the tribunals of governors under the powers of this world.
illi uero de passiuitate uitae et diligentia delictorum generositatem suam uindicent, blandiente suis Achamoth. quoniam et ipsa delinquendo profecit.
But let them, while Achamoth flatters her own, vindicate their own nobility by the looseness of their life and their diligence in sins, since she herself also made progress by sinning.
nam et honorandorum coniugiorum supernorum gratia edicitur apud illos meditandum atque celebrandum semper sacramentum \'comiti\', id est feminae, adhaerendi; alioquin degenerem nec legitimum ueritatis, qui deuersatus in mundo non amauerit feminam nec se ei-iunxerit.
For, for the sake of honoring the celestial marriages, it is decreed among them that they must always meditate on and celebrate the sacrament of adhering to the "companion", that is, the woman; otherwise, he who, while staying in the world, has not loved a woman nor joined himself to her, is degenerated and not a legitimate child of truth.
et quid facient spadones, quos uidemus apud illos?
And what will the eunuchs do, whom we see among them?