The Letter of Peter which he sent to Philip
"Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, to Philip, our beloved brother and our fellow
apostle, and (to) the brethren who are with you: greetings!
Now I want you to know, our brother, that we received orders from our Lord and the
Savior of the whole world that we should come together to give instruction and preach in
the salvation which was promised us by our Lord Jesus Christ. But as for you, you were
separate from us, and you did not desire us to come together and to know how we should
organize ourselves in order that we might tell the good news. Therefore would it be
agreeable to you, our brother, to come according to the orders of our God Jesus?"
When Philip had received these (words), and when he had read them, he went to Peter
rejoicing with gladness. Then Peter gathered the others also. They went upon the mountain
which is called "the (mount) olives," the place where they used to gather with
the blessed Christ when he was in the body.
Then, when the apostles had come together, and had thrown themselves upon their knees,
they prayed thus saying, "Father, Father, Father of the light, who possesses the
incorruptions, hear us just as thou hast taken pleasure in thy holy child Jesus Christ.
For he became for us an illuminator in the darkness. Yea hear us!"
And they prayed again another time, saying, "Son of life, Son of immortality, who
is in the light, Son, Christ of immortality, our Redeemer, give us power, for they seek to
kill us!"
Then a great light appeared so that the mountains shone from the sight of him who had
appeared. And a voice called out to them saying, "Listen to my words that I may speak
to you. Why are you asking me? I am Jesus Christ who am with you forever."
Then the apostles answered and said, "Lord, we would like to know the deficiency
of the aeons and their pleroma." And: "How are we detained in this dwelling
place?" Further: "How did we come to this place?" And: "In what manner
shall we depart?" Again: "How do we have the authority of boldness?" And:
"Why do the powers fight against us?"
Then a voice came to them out of the light saying, "It is you yourselves who are
witnesses that I spoke all these things to you. But because of your unbelief I shall speak
again. First of all concerning the deficiency of the aeons, this is the deficiency, when
the disobedience and the foolishness of the mother appeared without the commandment of the
majesty of the Father. She wanted to raise up aeons. And when she spoke, the Arrogant One
followed. And when she left behind a part, the Arrogant One laid hold of it, and it became
a deficiency. This is the deficiency of the aeons. Now when the Arrogant One had taken a
part, he sowed it. And he placed powers over it and authorities. And he enclosed it in the
aeons which are dead. And all the powers of the world rejoiced that they had been
begotten. But they do not know the pre-existent Father, since they are strangers to him.
But this is the one to whom they gave power and whom they served by praising him. But he,
the Arrogant One, became proud on account of the praise of the powers. He became an envier
and he wanted to make an image in the place of an image, and a form in the place of a
form. And he commissioned the powers within his authority to mold mortal bodies. And they
came to be from a misrepresentation, from the semblance which had merged."
"Next concerning the pleroma: I am the one who was sent down in the body because
of the seed which had fallen away. And I came down into their mortal mold. But they did
not recognize me; they were thinking of me that I was a mortal man. And I spoke with him
who belongs to me, and he harkened to me just as you too who harkened today. And I gave
him authority in order that he might enter into the inheritance of his fatherhood. And I
took [...] they were filled [...] in his salvation. And since he was a deficiency, for
this reason he became a pleroma."
"It is because of this that you are being detained, because you belong to me. When
you strip off from yourselves what is corrupted, then you will become illuminators in the
midst of mortal men."
"And this (is the reason) that you will fight against the powers, because they do
not have rest like you, since they do not wish that you be saved."
Then the apostles worshiped again saying, "Lord, tell us: In what way shall we
fight against the archons, since the archons are above us?"
Then a voice called out to them from the appearance saying, "Now you will fight
against them in this way, for the archons are fighting against the inner man. And you are
to fight against them in this way: Come together and teach in the world the salvation with
a promise. And you, gird yourselves with the power of my Father, and let your prayer be
known. And he, the Father, will help you as he has helped you by sending me. Be not
afraid, I am with you forever, as I previously said to you when I was in the body."
Then there came lightning and thunder from heaven, and what appeared to them in that place
was taken up to heaven.
Then the apostles gave thanks to the Lord with every blessing. And they returned to
Jerusalem. And while coming up they spoke with each other on the road concerning the light
which had come. And a remark was made concerning the Lord. It was said, "If he, our
Lord, suffered, then how much (must) we (suffer)?"
Peter answered saying, "He suffered on our behalf, and it is necessary for us too
to suffer because of our smallness." Then a voice came to them saying, "I have
told you many times: it is necessary for you to suffer. It is necessary that they bring
you to synagogues and governors, so that you will suffer. But he who does not suffer and
does not [...] the Father [...] in order that he may [...]."
And the apostles rejoiced greatly and came up to Jerusalem. And they came up to the
temple and gave instruction in salvation in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And they
healed a multitude.
And Peter opened his mouth, he said to his (fellow) disciples, "Did our Lord
Jesus, when he was in the body, show us everything? For he came down. My brothers, listen
to my voice." And he was filled with a holy spirit. He spoke thus: "Our
illuminator, Jesus, came down and was crucified. And he bore a crown of thorns. And he put
on a purple garment. And he was crucified on a tree and he was buried in a tomb. And he
rose from the dead. My brothers, Jesus is a stranger to this suffering. But we are the
ones who have suffered through the transgression of the mother. And because of this, he
did everything like us. For the Lord Jesus, the Son of the immeasurable glory of the
Father, he is the author of our life. My brothers, let us therefore not obey these lawless
ones, and walk in [...]."
[...] Then Peter gathered together the others also, saying, "O, Lord Jesus Christ,
author of our rest, give us a spirit of understanding in order that we also may perform
wonders."
Then Peter and the other apostles saw him, and they were filled with a holy spirit, And
each one performed healings. And they parted in order to preach the Lord Jesus. And they
came together and greeted each other saying, "Amen."
Then Jesus appeared saying to them, "Peace to you all and everyone who believes in
my name. And when you depart, joy be to you and grace and power. And be not afraid;
behold, I am with you forever."
Then the apostles parted from each other into four words in order to preach. And they
went by a power of Jesus, in peace.
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