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repentance and hath renounced the whole world and the whole matter therein and
ceased from the sins of the world, so that ye know truly that he is not play-acting but
longeth truly after God, then turn ye anew, forgive him and receive his repentance,
because the First Mystery is compassionate and merciful-minded; let also that man pass
through and give him the three mysteries together which are in the second space of the
First Mystery.
6. "If that man [then] transgresseth and is in divers sins, from that moment onwards ye are
not to forgive him nor to receive his repentance; but let him be among you as a
stumbling-block and as a transgressor.
7. "For, amēn, I say unto you: Those three mysteries will be witnesses for his last
repentance, and he hath not repentance from this moment onwards. For, amēn, I say
unto you: The soul of that man will not be cast back into the world above from this
moment onwards, but will be in the abodes of the dragon of the outer darkness.
8. "For regarding the souls of such men I have spoken unto you aforetime in a similitude,
saying: 'If thy brother sinneth against thee, bring him over between thee alone and him.
If he hearkeneth unto thee, thou wilt win thy brother; if he hearkeneth not unto thee,
take with thee yet another. If he hearkeneth not unto thee and the other, bring him to
the assembly. If he hearken not unto the others, let him be for you as a transgressor and
as a stumbling-block.'--That is: If he is not usable in the first mystery, give him the
second; and if he is not usable in the second give him the three, assembled together,
which is 'the assembly'; and if he is not usable in the third mystery, let him be for you as
a stumbling-block and as a transgressor.
9. "And the word which I have spoken unto you aforetime: 'So that through two to three
witnesses every word may be established,'--it is this: Those three mysteries will witness
for his last repentance. And amēn, I say unto you: If that man repenteth, no mystery can
forgive him his sins, nor can his repentance be received, nor can he at all be hearkened
to through any mystery, save through the first mystery of the First Mystery and through
the mysteries of the Ineffable. It is these alone which will receive the repentance of that
man and forgive his sins; for those mysteries in sooth are compassionate and merciful-
minded and forgiving at every time."
CHAPTER 106
1. When then the Saviour had said this, John continued again and said to the Saviour: "My
Lord, suppose an exceedingly sinful brother who hath renounced the whole world and
the whole matter therein and all its sins and all its cares, and we shall prove him and
know that he is not in deceit and play-acting but that in uprightness and in truth he
longeth [after God], and we know that he hath become worthy of the mysteries of the