Esoteric Gnosis Library Judaic Texts

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The Gospel of Judas

Public-domain translation by Mark M. Mattison, copied from gospels.net.

Introduction

This is the secret message of judgment Jesus spoke with Judas Iscariot over a period of eight days, three days before he celebrated Passover.

When he appeared on earth, he did signs and great wonders for the salvation of humanity. Some walked in the way of righteousness, but others walked in their transgression, so the twelve disciples were called. He started to tell them about the mysteries beyond the world and what would happen at the end. Often he didn't reveal himself to his disciples, but you'd find him in their midst as a child.

Jesus Criticizes the Disciples

One day he was with his disciples in Judea. He found them sitting together practicing their piety. When he came up to his disciples sitting together praying over the bread, he laughed.

The disciples said to him, "Master, why are you laughing at our prayer? What have we done? This is what's right."

He answered and said to them, "I'm not laughing at you. You're not doing this because you want to, but because through this your God will be praised."

They said, "Master, you are the Son of our God!"

Jesus said to them, "How do you know me? Truly I say to you, no generation of the people among you will know me."

When his disciples heard this, they started to get angry and furious and started to curse him in their hearts.

But when Jesus noticed their ignorance, he said to them, "Why are you letting your anger trouble you? Has your God within you and his stars become angry with your souls? If any of you is strong enough among humans to bring out the perfect Humanity, stand up and face me."

All of them said, "We're strong enough." But their spirits weren't brave enough to stand before him, except Judas Iscariot. He was able to stand before him, but he couldn't look him in the eye, so he looked away.

Judas said to him, "I know who you are and where you've come from. You've come from the immortal realm of Barbelo, and I'm not worthy to utter the name of the one who's sent you."

Another Generation

The next morning, he appeared to his disciples. And they said to him, "Master, where did you go and what did you do when you left us?"

Jesus said to them, "I went to another great and holy generation."

His disciples said to him, "Lord, what great generation is better and holier than us, that's not in these realms?"

Now when Jesus heard this, he laughed. He said to them, "Why are you wondering in your hearts about the strong and holy generation? Truly I say to you, no one born of this realm will see that generation; no army of angels from the stars will rule over it; and no person of mortal birth will be able to join it."

The Disciples' Vision

Another day Jesus came up to them. They said to him, "Master, we've seen you in a dream, because we had great dreams last night."

And they said: "We saw a great house, with a great altar in it, and twelve people, we'd say they were priests, and a name. And a crowd of people was waiting at the altar."

They described fasting, sacrifice, violence, and impurity around the altar. Jesus said to them, "You're the ones receiving the offerings on the altar you've seen. That's the God you serve, and you're the twelve people you've seen."

He said to them, "Stop sacrificing animals... On the last day, they'll be found guilty."

Jesus and Judas

Jesus left with Judas Iscariot and spoke to him privately about mysteries of the kingdom, about what is corruptible and what endures, and about the destiny of generations.

Judas said to him, "Master, just as you've listened to all of them, now listen to me too, because I've seen a great vision."

He described being stoned by the twelve and seeing a vast house with a roof of greenery, and asked to be admitted.

Jesus answered that the place was reserved for the holy, beyond sun and moon, and that Judas had been shown mysteries of the realms and stars.

Jesus Reveals the Cosmic Mysteries

Jesus spoke of a great and boundless realm, an invisible Spirit, a luminous cloud, and emanations of angels and luminaries.

He described Adamas, Seth, incorruptible generations, heavens, firmaments, and rulers over Chaos and Hades.

He spoke of Nebro (also called Yaldabaoth), Saklas, and subordinate angels; of Adam and Eve; and of mortal and incorruptible destinies.

Judas asked, "Does the human spirit die?"

Jesus replied that souls of mortal generations die, but those of the great incorruptible generation live and are taken up.

The Betrayal

Jesus said to Judas that he would become the thirteenth and be cursed by other generations, yet would do more than all of them because he would "sacrifice the human who bears me."

He told Judas to lift up his eyes and see the luminous cloud and the star that leads the way.

Judas looked up and saw the luminous cloud, and he entered it. Those standing on the ground heard a voice from the cloud.

After this, religious authorities sought to arrest Jesus. They approached Judas and asked, "What are you doing here? Aren't you Jesus' disciple?"

Then he answered them as they wished. Then Judas received some money and handed him over to them.

Source: gospels.net/judas (translation noted there as public domain).

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