Pistis Sophia

[Doctor Steuss]

Anyone know if there's a good English translation of Pistis Sophia and commentary on the text?

Thanks,

Stu(pid)

[Lamanite]

Anyone know if there's a good English translation of Pistis Sophia and commentary on the text?

Thanks,

Stu(pid)

Nibley does a great job at translating most of it. LMAO. Seriously you can find a great deal of it somewhere in Nibley's stuff.

[Doctor Steuss]

Nibley does a great job at translating most of it. LMAO. Seriously you can find a great deal of it somewhere in Nibley's stuff.

Nothing against Nibley, but I'm kind of hoping for something a bit (not a lot, just a bit) more secular.

[firepatch36]

Nibley does a great job at translating most of it. LMAO. Seriously you can find a great deal of it somewhere in Nibley's stuff.

That was my first thought. I've been wanting to read it for years now because of him, but I haven't ever gotten a copy.

[consiglieri]

As to Nibley, you may be thinking of his production of extracts in the appendix of The Joseph Smith Papyri.

If I recall correctly, his translation of the first verse reads as follows:

You got pistis in my sophia.

Well, you got sophia in my pistis.

Secular enough?

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[cksalmon]

Anyone know if there's a good English translation of Pistis Sophia and commentary on the text?

Thanks,

Stu(pid)

Other than Meade's old translation from the Latin (which you can pick up cheap and new in any number of reprint editions), there's Samael Aun Weor's translation (which has the apparent advantage of having been translated from the original Coptic). It apparently includes "commentary," but perhaps not exactly of the sort you might have in mind. Weor was, well, really, really serious about the whole Gnosticism thing.

I neither own nor endorse this translation. Caveat emptor!

Chris

EDIT: There is also the edition published by Hurtak's Academy for Future Science. I don't know nuthin' about it.

[Doctor Steuss]

Secular enough?

Needs a touch more Harpo, and a little less Groucho.

But, it just might do.

Other than Meade's old translation from the Latin (which you can pick up cheap and new in any number of reprint editions), there's Samael Aun Weor's translation (which has the apparent advantage of having been translated from the original Coptic). It apparently includes "commentary," but perhaps not exactly of the sort you might have in mind. Weor was, well, really, really serious about the whole Gnosticism thing.

I neither own nor endorse this translation. Caveat emptor!

Chris

I imagine any commentary would be helpful (even if it isn't what I'm after). I'm mostly after commentary that mentions texts that express similar ideas, cultural context (if any), etc. But, Iâ??d setter for â??I translated this as monkey, but it could also be chimp.â?

Iâ??ve just decided that I need to get off my rump and get back to my project on esotericism (as well as the potential implications/meaning behind the pet-name â??Sons of Thunderâ?). I guess I donâ??t necessarily need a commentary, but I figured it would make the reading slightly more enjoyable.

(I neither own nor endorse Consiglieri... although I believe I still have a long-term lease)

Thanks brother,

Stu(pendous)

[cksalmon]

Needs a touch more Harpo, and a little less Groucho.

But, it just might do.

I imagine any commentary would be helpful (even if it isn't what I'm after). I'm mostly after commentary that mentions texts that express similar ideas, cultural context (if any), etc. But, I'd setter for "I translated this as monkey, but it could also be chimp."

I've just decided that I need to get off my rump and get back to my project on esotericism (as well as the potential implications/meaning behind the pet-name "Sons of Thunder"). I guess I don't necessarily need a commentary, but I figured it would make the reading slightly more enjoyable.

(I neither own nor endorse Consiglieri... although I believe I still have a long-term lease)

Thanks brother,

Stu(pendous)

See my edit above, Stu. That edition promises copious commentary, though I certainly couldn't speak to its quality.

EDIT: Here's an old interview with Hurtak on PS that might give you a feel for what to expect from him.

[Doctor Steuss]

See my edit above, Stu. That edition promises copious commentary, though I certainly couldn't speak to its quality.

EDIT: Here's an old interview with Hurtak on PS that might give you a feel for what to expect from him.

I'll have to watch the vid later tonight. I went to the AFS home website, and although I'm generally up for reading the stuff they seem to be about (note: "up for reading" is not equivalent with "up for believing"), I think I'll pass on this one.

From their site:

The Academy For Future Science is a non-profit corporation that examines new scientific ideas for the future. Through science and information technology, the world is undergoing major transformations in social, cultural, economic, and environmental dimensions. In the ongoing development of life there is the need to also understand the role of human consciousness and what some thinkers like Roger Penrose entertain as Quantum Mind. The principal goal of the Academy is to provide all people with educational and scientific tools that will help them meet the resulting challenges.

Sounds a bit too Summum for me. Thanks for your help though Chris. I just read some of the "about the author" fun on Weor, and I'm beginning to think I might just go with your first suggestion.

Thanks again Stone-Cold-Solid-Brother-From-Another-Mother

[consiglieri]

On a more serious note, I got a two-volume set of New Testament Apocrypha in paperback last year that I think might have this Pistis thingy in it.

I will try to remember to look tonight when I get home.

Also, I think I will crack open my first edition Joseph Smith Papyri and see what Nibley has in the back.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[thesometimesaint]

I can't vouch for how good it is but it is worth a look.

http://books.google.com/books?id=wsvT7SNna...4&ct=result

[Connolly]

Google returned hits on lots of English versions.

http://www.pistissophia.org/

[Bill Hamblin]

The standard scholarly edition, translation, etc. is

Pistis Sophia (Nag Hammadi Studies , No 9) (Hardcover)

by Carl Schmidt (Editor), Violet Macdermot

Brill 1997

[cksalmon]

Bill Hamblin wrote:

The standard scholarly edition, translation, etc. is

Pistis Sophia (Nag Hammadi Studies , No 9) (Hardcover)

by Carl Schmidt (Editor), Violet Macdermot

Brill 1997

Hey Stu--

Looks like the one to have. But, I bet you can probably get hold of MacDermot's translation without mortgaging your future children for a Brill. I'll look around.

Chris

[Sevenbak]

Anyone know if there's a good English translation of Pistis Sophia and commentary on the text?Thanks,Stu(pid)

I think you can find it here. This is the most comprehensive list of english translations of Apocrypha and extra biblical works I've ever come across. And it looks like it was compiled by a member in Denmark.http://fam-faerch.dk/pseudigrapher/Index.html

I think you can find it here. This is the most comprehensive list of english translations of Apocrypha and extra biblical works I've ever come across. And it looks like it was compiled by a member in Denmark.http://fam-faerch.dk/pseudigrapher/Index.html

Yep, it's there, 3 different books.First book of Pistis Sophia Second Book of PistisSophia

[consiglieri]

Returning and reporting.

I went home last night and checked out my two-volume paperback collection of New Testament Apocrypha, which was edited by some German dude named Schmeelmacher (or something appropriately Teutonic resembling that name).

Unfortunately, it doesn't contain the text of the Pistis Sophia, but just a lot of commentary with a few excerpts.

My memory was correct that there were more extensive exerpts in the appendix of Nibley's The Joseph Smith Papyri.

Neither of these will work for somebody who wants to read the whole thing, though.

I would suggest you go with Herr Hamblin's recommendation.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

[cksalmon]

I would suggest you go with Herr Hamblin's recommendation.

All the Best!

--Consiglieri

He won't be able to find it, unfortunately, Consig--not even from Brill itself, I don't believe. And, even if he could, I'd guess that he might not want to pay the $100-200 price.

cks

[Doctor Steuss]

The standard scholarly edition, translation, etc. is

Pistis Sophia (Nag Hammadi Studies , No 9) (Hardcover)

by Carl Schmidt (Editor), Violet Macdermot

Brill 1997

Thank you Rabbi Hamblin. Unfortunately (as Chris pointed it out) those Brill books are imbued with gold or something. Compound the fact that it is not only Brill, but also out of print, and chances are for the same price I can get an autographed copy of The Words of Joseph Smith.

I might just have to settle for the less-than-uber-fantastic-scholarly edition, and plunk down a couple bones for MacDermot's.

TSS, Sevenbak, and Connolly,

Thank you for your help as well, but it looks like I'll just settle for the older translation Chris suggested (I guess it can't hurt... somehow I've survived with only Lawrence's old translation of Enoch).

Consig,

I haven't read Joseph Smith Papyri (I have thumbed through it a couple of times to look at the pretty pictures though, and boy it looks nice on my bookshelf). Out of pure curiosity (and complete laziness, else I would read it), why does Nibley make reference to Pistis Sophia in the volume?