The descent of the Saviour through the powers
Roger A. Bullard / Joseph A. Gibbons (composite) · Public domain / scholarly composite. Reproduced for educational and religious commentary.
1I, Yeshua the Christ, the Son of Man, exalted above the heavens — I speak peace to you, for I came to fulfil the will of my Father.
2I came down to the world. I came to my own. I worked among them. I revealed myself to those who knew me. I clothed myself with a body that was not my own; I came in a body that I had taken from the holy generation.
3When I went up, the rulers thought I was their christ. They were ignorant. They did not know me; but I knew them. They thought they would punish me; they did not punish me. They thought they had nailed me; they had not. I was not the one whom they nailed.
4Another, who was Simon, bore the cross on his shoulders. Another was the one upon whom they put the crown of thorns. But I was rejoicing in the height over the wealth of the rulers and the offspring of their error, of their empty glory. And I was laughing at their ignorance.
5I was not afflicted at all. Those there were punishing me. Yet I did not die in reality, but in appearance — that I might not be put to shame by them. For my death — which they think happened — happened to them in their error, since they nailed their man unto their death.