La biblioteca de Nag Hammadi

Asclepio 21-29
Traducido por James Brashler, Peter A. Dirkse y Douglas M. Parrott

"Y si usted (Asclepio) desea ver la realidad de este misterio, entonces debería ver la maravillosa
representación de la relación sexual que tiene lugar entre el hombre y la mujer. Porque cuando el semen
alcanza el clímax, salta. momento, la hembra recibe la fuerza del macho; el macho, por su parte, recibe la
fuerza de la hembra, mientras que el semen lo hace.

"Por lo tanto, el misterio de la relación sexual se realiza en secreto, para que los dos sexos no se deshonren
frente a muchos que no experimentan esa realidad. Para cada uno de ellos (los sexos) contribuye su (propio
papel) engendrar. Porque si sucede en presencia de aquellos que no entienden la realidad, (es) ridículo e
increíble, y, además, son misterios sagrados, tanto de palabras como de hechos, porque no solo no se les
escucha, sino que también No se ven.

"Por lo tanto, tales personas (los incrédulos) son blasfemos. Son ateos e impíos. Pero los otros no son
muchos; más bien, los piadosos que son contados son pocos. Por lo tanto, la maldad permanece entre (los)
muchos, ya que aprende sobre las cosas lo que está ordenado no existe entre ellos. Porque el conocimiento
de las cosas que están ordenadas es verdaderamente la curación de las pasiones del asunto. Por lo tanto, el
aprendizaje es algo derivado del conocimiento.

"Pero si hay ignorancia, y el aprendizaje no existe en el alma del hombre, (entonces) las pasiones incurables
persisten en él (el alma). Y el mal adicional viene con ellas (las pasiones), en forma de una llaga incurable Y
la llaga constantemente roe el alma, y a través de ella el alma produce gusanos del mal y apesta. Pero Dios
no es la causa de estas cosas, ya que envió a los hombres conocimiento y aprendizaje.

"Trismegisto, ¿los envió solo a los hombres?"

"Sí, Asclepio, se los envió a ellos solos. Y es apropiado que te digamos por qué solo a los hombres les
otorgó conocimiento y aprendizaje, la asignación de su bien.

"¡Y ahora escucha! Dios y el Padre, incluso el Señor, crearon al hombre después de los dioses, y él lo sacó de
la región de la materia. Dado que la materia está involucrada en la creación del hombre, de [...], las pasiones
están en él. Por lo tanto, fluyen continuamente sobre su cuerpo, ya que esta criatura viviente no habría
existido de otra manera, excepto que había tomado esta comida, ya que es mortal. También es inevitable
que los deseos inoportunos, que son dañinos, moren en él. Para los dioses, desde que nacieron de una
materia pura, no necesitan aprendizaje ni conocimiento. Porque la inmortalidad de los dioses es aprendizaje
y conocimiento, ya que nacieron de la materia pura. Es (inmortalidad ) asumió para ellos la posición de
conocimiento y aprendizaje.Por necesidad, él (Dios) estableció un límite para el hombre;lo colocó en
aprendizaje y conocimiento.

"Concerning these things (learning and knowledge) which we have mentioned from the beginning, he (God)
perfected them in order that by means of these things he might restrain passions and evils, according to his
will. He brought his (man's) mortal existence into immortality; he (man) became good (and) immortal, just as
I have said. For he (God) created (a) two-fold nature for him: the immortal and the mortal.

"And it happened this way because of the will of God that men be better than the gods, since, indeed, the
gods are immortal, but men alone are both immortal and mortal. Therefore, man has become akin to the
gods, and they know the affairs of each other with certainty. The gods know the things of men, and men
know the things of the gods. And I am speaking about men, Asclepius, who have attained learning and
knowledge. But (about) those who are more vain than these, it is not fitting that we say anything base, since
we are divine and are introducing holy matters.

"Since we have entered the matter of the communion between the gods and men, know, Asclepius, that in
which man can be strong! For just as the Father, the Lord of the universe, creates gods, in this very way man
too, this mortal, earthly, living creature, the one who is not like God, also himself creates gods. Not only does
he strengthen, but he is also strengthened. Not only is he god, but he also creates gods. Are you astonished,
Asclepius? Are you yourself another disbeliever like the many?"

"Trismegistus, I agree with the words (spoken) to me. And I believe you as you speak. But I have also been
astonished at the discourse about this. And I have decided that man is blessed, since he has enjoyed this
great power."

"And that which is greater than all these things, Asclepius, is worthy of admiration. Now it is clear to us
concerning the race of the gods, and we confess it along with everyone else, that it (the race of the gods)
has come into being out of a pure matter. And their bodies are heads only. But that which men create is the
likeness of the gods. They (the gods) are from the farthest part of the matter, and it (the object created by
men) is from the outer (part) of the being of men. Not only are they (what men created) heads, but (they are)
also all the other members of the body, and according to their likeness. Just as God has willed that the inner
man be created according to his image, in the very same way, man on earth creates gods according to his
likeness."

"Trismegistus, you are not talking about idols, are you?"

"Asclepius, you yourself are talking about idols. You see that again, you yourself, Asclepius, are also a
disbeliever of the discourse. You say about those who have soul and breadth, that they are idols - these who
bring about these great events. You are saying about these who give prophecies that they are idols - these
who give men sickness and healing that [...] them.

"Or are you ignorant, Asclepius, that Egypt is (the) image of heaven? Moreover, it is the dwelling place of
heaven and all the forces that are in heaven. If it is proper for us to speak the truth, our land is (the) temple
of the world. And it is proper for you not to be ignorant that a time will come in it (our land, when) Egyptians
will seem to have served the divinity in vain, and all their activity in their religion will be despised. For all
divinity will leave Egypt, and will flee upward to heaven. And Egypt will be widowed; it will be abandoned by
the gods. For foreigners will come into Egypt, and they will rule it. Egypt! Moreover, Egyptians will be
prohibited from worshipping God. Furthermore, they will come into the ultimate punishment, especially
whoever among them is found worshipping (and) honoring God.

"And in that day, the country that was more pious than all countries will become impious. No longer will it be
full of temples, but it will be full of tombs. Neither will it be full of gods, but (it will be full of) corpses. Egypt!
Egypt will become like the fables. And your religious objects will be [...] the marvelous things, and [...], and if
your words are stones and are wonderful. And the barbarian will be better than you, Egyptian, in his religion,
whether (he is) a Scythian, or the Hindus, or some other of this sort.

"And what is this that I say about the Egyptian? For they (the Egyptians) will not abandon Egypt. For (in) the
time (when) the gods have abandoned the land of Egypt, and have fled upward to heaven, then all Egyptians
will die. And Egypt will be made a desert by the gods and the Egyptians. And as for you, River, there will be a
day when you will flow with blood more than water. And dead bodies will be (stacked) higher than the dams.
And he who is dead will not be mourned as much as he who is alive. Indeed, the latter will be known as an
Egyptian on account of his language in the second period (of time). - Asclepius, why are you weeping? - He
will seem like (a) foreigner in regard to his customs. Divine Egypt will suffer evils greater than these. Egypt -
lover of God, and the dwelling place of the gods, school of religion - will become an example of impiousness.

"And in that day, the world will not be marveled at, [...] and immortality, nor will it be worshiped [...], since we
say that it is not good [...]. It has become neither a single thing nor a vision. But it is in danger of becoming a
burden to all men. Therefore, it will be despised - the beautiful world of God, the incomparable work, the
energy that possesses goodness, the man-formed vision. Darkness will be preferred to light, and death will
be preferred to life. No one will gaze into heaven. And the pious man will be counted as insane, and the
impious man will be honored as wise. The man who is afraid will be considered as strong. And the good
man will be punished like a criminal.

"And concerning the soul, and the things of the soul, and the things of immortality, along with the rest of
what I have said to you, Tat, Asclepius, and Ammon - not only will they be considered ridiculous, but they will
also be thought of as vanity. But believe me (when I say) that people of this kind will be endangered by the
ultimate danger to their soul. And a new law will be established ... (2 lines missing) ... they will ... (line
missing) ... good. The wicked angels will remain among men, (and) be with them, (and) lead them into
wicked things recklessly, as well as into atheism, wars, and plunderings, by teaching them things contrary to
nature.
"In those days, the earth will not be stable, and men will not sail the sea, nor will they know the stars in
heaven. Every sacred voice of the word of God will be silenced, and the air will be diseased. Such is the
senility of the world: atheism, dishonor, and the disregard of noble words.

"And when these things had happened, Asclepius, then the Lord, the Father and god from the only first god,
the creator, when he looked upon the things that happened, established his design, which is good, against
the disorder. He took away error, and cut off evil. Sometimes, he submerged it in a great flood; at other times,
he burned it in a searing fire; and at still other times, he crushed it in wars and plagues, until he brought ... (4
lines missing) ... of the work. And this is the birth of the world.

"The restoration of the nature of the pious ones who are good will take place in a period of time that never
had a beginning. For the will of God has no beginning, even as his nature, which is his will (has no
beginning). For the nature of God is will. And his will is the good."

"Trismegistus, is purpose, then, (the same as) will?"

"Yes, Asclepius, since will is (included) in counsel. For <he> (God) does not will what he has from deficiency.
Since he is complete in every part, he wills what he (already) fully has. And he has every good. And what he
wills, he wills. And he has the good that he wills. Therefore, he has everything. And God wills what he wills.
And the good world is an image of the Good One."

"Trismegistus, is the world good?"

"Asclepius, it is good, as I shall teach you. For just as ... (2 lines missing) ... of soul and life [...] of the world
[...] come forth in matter, those that are good, the change of the climate, and beauty, and the ripening of the
fruits, and the things similar to all these. Because of this, God has control over the heights of heaven. He is
in every place, and he looks out over every place. And (in) his place there is neither heaven nor star. And he is
free from (the) body.

"Now the creator has control in the place that is between the earth and heaven. He is called 'Zeus', that is,
'Life'. Plutonius Zeus is lord over the earth and sea. And he does not possess the nourishment for all mortal
living creatures, for (it is) Kore who bears the fruit. These forces always are powerful in the circle of the
earth, but those of others are always from Him-who-is.

"And the lords of the earth will withdraw themselves. And they will establish themselves in a city that is in a
corner of Egypt and that will be built toward the setting of the sun. Every man will go into it, whether they
come on the sea or on the shore."

"Trismegistus, where will these be settled now?"

"Asclepius, in the great city that is on the Libyan mountain ... (2 lines missing) ... it frightens [...] as a great
evil, in ignorance of the matter. For death occurs, which is the dissolution of the labors of the body, and the
number (of the body), when it (death) completes the number of the body. For the number is the union of the
body. Now the body dies when it is not able to support the man. And this is death: the dissolution of the body
and the destruction of the sensation of the body. And it is not necessary to be afraid of this, nor because of
this, but because of what is not known, and is disbelieved (is one afraid)."

"But what is not known, or is disbelieved?"

"Listen, Asclepius! There is a great demon. The great God has appointed him to be overseer or judge over
the souls of men. And God has placed him in the middle of the air, between earth and heaven. Now when the
soul comes forth from (the) body, it is necessary that it meet this daimon. Immediately, he (the daimon) will
surround this one (masc.), and he will examine him in regard to the character that he has developed in his
life. And if he finds that he piously performed all of his actions for which he came into the world, this
(daimon) will allow him ... (1 line missing) ... turn him [...]. But if he sees [...] in this one [...] he brought his life
into evil deeds, he grasps him, as he flees upward, and throws him down, so that he is suspended between
heaven and earth, and is punished with a great punishment. And he will be deprived of his hope, and will be
in great pain.

"And that soul has been put neither on the earth nor in heaven, but it has come into the open sea of the air of
the world, the place where there is a great fire, and crystal water, and furrows of fire, and a great upheaval.
The bodies are tormented (in) various (ways). Sometimes they are cast down into the fire, in order that it
may destroy them. Now, I will not say that this is the death of the soul, for it has been delivered from evil, but
it is a death sentence.

"Asclepius, it is necessary to believe these things and to fear them, in order that we might not encounter
them. For unbelievers are impious, and commit sin. Afterwards, they will be compelled to believe, and they
will not hear by word of mouth only, but will experience the reality itself. For they kept believing that they
would not endure these things. Nor only ... (1 line missing). First, Asclepius, all those of the earth die, and
those who are of the body cease [...] of evil [...] with these of this sort. For those who are here are not like
those who are there. So with the daimons who [...] men, they despite [...] there. Thus, it is not the same. But
truly, the gods who are here will punish more whoever has hidden it here every day."

"Trismegistus, what is the character of the iniquity that is there?"

"Now you think, Asclepius, that when one takes something in a temple, he is impious. For that kind of a
person is a thief and a bandit. And this matter concerns gods and men. But do not compare those here with
those of the other place. Now I want to speak this discourse to you confidentially; no part of it will be
believed. For the souls that are filled with much evil will not come and go in the air, but they will be put in the
places of the daimons, which are filled with pain, (and) which are always filled with blood and slaughter, and
their food, which is weeping, mourning, and groaning."

"Trismegistus, who are these (daimons)?"

"Asclepius, they are the ones who are called 'stranglers', and those who roll souls down on the dirt, and those
who scourge them, and those who cast into the water, and those who cast into the fire, and those who bring
about the pains and calamities of men. For such as these are not from a divine soul, nor from a rational soul
of man. Rather, they are from the terrible evil."

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