The descent and the call
John H. Sieber / John D. Turner (composite, abridged) · Public domain / scholarly composite. Reproduced for educational and religious commentary.
1When I had been instructed in all of this, then I came down. And the angel said to me, Zostrianos, you must descend. And I came down to the world.
2I cried out to those who were asleep, saying: O ye, ye living souls, who are dead in sleep — wake up. Look at the call that has come from the place of the Father. He has stretched out his hand. The face of the great glorious One has appeared to you.
3Why are you sleeping? Why do you go on dying? Why do you give yourselves over to your bodies? Why do you allow your souls to be polluted? Stand up. Receive the holy water of life. Take the holy seal — the seal that brings the soul out of every region.
4Be in the calmness, the serenity. Strip off your old garments. Put on the new. Save yourselves from the gathering powers. Come to the Place where every kind of disorder comes to an end. Where the perfect Father is, there is rest.
5Such are the words of Zostrianos. He gave them to his disciples. And his disciples handed them on. And the testimony was preserved.