Letter of Peter to Philip: Essential Insights for Believers

Chapter 1

1 Peter, the apostle of Jesus Christ, writes to Philip, my beloved, and my co-apostle, and to the brethren. Greetings. Now, I desire for you to understand, my brother, that we received instructions from our Lord, even the savior of the entire world, that we would assemble together, in order to teach and preach the salvation by means of the Lord, Jesus Christ. You, however, separated yourself from us, and you did not… we have… to preach. If, then, you consider it acceptable, brother, come in accord with the directives of Jesus, our God. Philip received these, and read these, and he gladly went to Peter. Peter then assembled the others. They then went up to the Mount of Olives, where they would formerly assemble together with the blessed Christ in the days when he dwelt in the body. The apostles then assembled together, and knelt, and prayed in the following way: Father, Father, Father of the light, you to whom belong the unpolluted ones, listen to us!… your… in your holy son, Jesus Christ, because for our sake he became a light in the darkness. Verily, listen to us. And they continued…: …deathlessness… listen to us, and grant us strength, because they are hunting for us to murder us! Then a bright light became visible, so that the mountain glowed from the apparition that had become visible. A voice cried out to them, and said: Pay attention to my words, so that I can speak to you, because you have been looking for me. I am Jesus Christ, who will be with you continually.

2 The apostles then responded, and said: Lord, the deficiency of the aeons, as well as their fullness, how do they hold us back in this dwelling-place, and how have we arrived at this place, and how will we depart, and how do we come to have the authority for boldness of speech? Why do the powers battle against us? Then an utterance came out of the light, and said: You yourselves testify to me that I… these things…, but on account of your unfaithfulness, I will answer yet again. Now, then, regarding the deficiency of the aeons, here is the deficiency, which is defiance. The uninformed Mother became manifest, apart from the order of the Great One. From the beginning, he desired to establish aeons, and when she spoke, the proud one appeared. Now, a part was abandoned behind her. The proud one seized it, and a deficiency came to exist. Now, this is the deficiency of the aeons. This was because the proud one took the part, and sowed it, and he established powers and authorities, and restricted it to the mortal aeons, and every power of the world gleeful over their coming to exist. They, however, know not the Father, who exists from the beginning, given that they are aliens to him. Instead, this (proud) one granted them power, and they worshipped and praised him. And the mind of the proud one grew arrogant on account of the praise of the powers, and he became an opponent, and they desired to replace an image with another image and (to replace) a form with another form. With his authority, he directed the powers to shape mortal bodies, and something contemptible resulted from the likeness that had arisen.

3 Now concerning the fulfillment, it is I, even I, who was dispatched into a body for the sake of this seed that had been lost, because it had entered into a mortal mold. They, however, failed to notice me. They imagined I was a mortal. I spoke with the one who is mine, and the one who is mine paid attention to me, that is, you are the one…. You are the one who has paid attention this day, and I granted you authority to come into the inheritance of your father, and I took my own, and the aeons were completed by means of their salvation…, that is, a reduction. On account of this, there is also…. However, regarding your detention, it is because you belong to me. When you remove the flesh from yourselves, then you will become lights among mortals. Then you will battle the powers, because they lack rest, unlike you, given that they do not desire for you to be saved. Then once more the apostles worshipped, and said: Son, instruct us, how shall we battle against the archons, given that they, the archons, are here below? The voice then cried out from the apparition, and said: You now, fight in the following way, because the archons battle against the Inner Man. You, however, fight in the following way: Assemble together and teach salvation to the world, and gird yourselves with the power of my Father, and make known your request, and he, the Father, will assist you, as he assisted you when he sent me. Fear not, I will be with you, as I spoke to you formerly when I dwelt in the body. Then a rumbling and thunder came from heaven, and the one they had seen in the apparition was snatched up from there. The apostles then thanked the Lord with all praises and returned to Jerusalem.

4 While they were going along with each other on the road, they conversed with each other concerning the light that had become visible, and a dispute began concerning the Lord, during which they said: If he, our Lord, died, then how much more will we ourselves? Peter, however, responded, and said: He died for our sake. It is appropriate that we ourselves die for the sake of humanity. A voice then came to them, and said: I’ve told you many times that it is appropriate for you to die and to be dragged into synagogues and in front of governors. It is appropriate for you…, in which… disciples… pray to the Father…, so that he may defend you. The apostles, however, were glad to Jerusalem, and they went up to the temple, in the name of Jesus Christ. He instructed us concerning everything when he dwelt in the body, because he descended. Pay attention to my voice, my brethren, and he was filled with a holy Spirit, and said: Jesus, our light, came, and was crucified, and he wore a crown of thorns, and he donned a purple robe, and he was hanged on a tree, and he was interred in a tomb, and he rose from among the dead. My brethren, Jesus is alien to death. We, however, have died because of the trespass of our Mother, and because of which for our sake he announced everything with a symbolic meaning, given that the Lord Jesus is the Son of the measureless glory of the Father. He is the author of our life. So, my brethren, let us not pay heed… nor walk in the teaching….

5 Peter lifted up his hands to Heaven, and said: Our Lord, Jesus Christ, author of our repose, grant us a spirit of insight, so that we, too, may be able to work miracles! Peter and the apostles then spoke to Jesus, and they were filled with a holy Spirit, and each one of them performed healings, and they departed from each other to declare the blessed Jesus, and they assembled together, greeted each other, and said: Amen. Jesus then became visible, and said: Peace be with you, and glory to those who are faithful in my name. Rise and go. Gladness will be yours, as well as grace with power. Fear not. I will be with you continually. The apostles then departed from each other as they were sent out to preach, and they went with the power of Jesus, with peace.