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1. MANI, by the providence of God the Father, Apostle of Jesus the Christ:
2. These are healthful words from the perennial and living Source,1 which he who first hears and believes them, then guards what they teach,2 shall never be subject to death but will enjoy eternal and glorious life. Happy indeed may he be deemed who has been initiated in this divine Gnosis,3 whereby he will be liberated and abide in everlasting life!
3. May the peace of the Invisible God and the Knowledge of the Truth be with the holy and most dear brothers who believe in the heavenly Precepts and at the same time fully keep them! May also the Right Hand of Light guard and save you from every evil assault and from the snares of the world! May the pity of the Holy Spirit open the depth of your heart an(1 let you see your soul with your (own) eyes!
4. Dearest brother Patteci, on that whereof thou hast written to me saying that thou desirest to know how the birth of Adam and Eve took place whether were brought about by a word or firstborn from the body, thou shalt be answered as is fitting. For is recorded and reported of these by most in various scriptures and revelations in different ways: so that the truth of this matter as it actually was is unknown to
 almost all peoples, and even to those who have long and much discussed it. For if it had come to them to know clearly about the generation of Adam and Eve, they Would never have been subject to corruption and death.
5. Necessarily then there are many things to be remembered beforehand in order without any ambiguity mystery. Whence, if you please, hear what existed first, before the creation of the world, and' after the conflict was stirred up, so that you may be able to separate the nature of the Light and the Darkness.
 6. Well, then, in the beginning there were these two Substances separated from each other. And a certain God the Father was holding the Empire of the Light eternal in one holy Origin, magnificent in power, true in His very nature, ever rejoicing in His own eternity, containing in Himself Wisdom and the Vital Senses by means of which even He comprehends the twelve Members of His own Light,2 namely the abounding Riches of His own Kingdom. Now in each of His Members are hidden thousands of untold and Immense treasures. This same Father, sovereign in His glory and incomprehensible in vastness, has blessed and glorious Aeons united with Him, to be estimated neither in number nor in extent, with whom the same holy and illustrious Father and Producer lives, nothing existing either poor or weak in His splendid realms. His most glorious realms indeed have been so founded on the bright and blissful Earth½ that they can neither be moved nor ever overturned by anyone.
7.  Now just adjoining one part and side of that bright and holy Earth was the Earth of Darkness, deep and immense in size, wherein dwell fiery bodies, namely the poisonous races.1 Here were infinite darkness emanating from the same Nature, countless with their own offspring. Beyond which there were filthy and muddy waters with their denizens, inside of which terrible and violent winds (prevailed) with their own ruler and the fathers. Next the fiery and corruptible region, with its own leaders and peoples. Finally, at the center, a people full of mist and smoke, wherein was residing the horrible Chief and Leader of all, having around him countless chieftains, of all of whom he himself was mind and source. Now these were the five natures of the pestiferous Earth, while these races inhabiting those five natures were fierce and des-tructive .... (AFE. in PL. 42).

8. Indeed, the Father of the most blessed Light knew the great impurity and ruin which would erupt out of the Darkness to threaten His holy Aeons, unless He opposed (to them) some extraordinary Divinity, outstanding and mighty in strength, by which He could at the same time overcome and destroy the Race of Darkness, on the extinction of which perpetual quietude would be ensured for the inhabitants of the Light. . . . (NB. 42).

9. The Ruler of Darkness.. . with crooked motives spoke to those. . . friends of his, the other Rulers of Darkness. . . who surrounded him: "What does this greatest Light which rises seem like to you? You see how it moves the Pole (of heaven) and overturns most f the Powers this reason it is right you should remit to me as much as you have of the Light in your control to command; thus I shall produce an image of that Great One which has appeared in glory, by which we shall be able to reign, free from the life of darkness (known) hitherto!"
10. After hearing this and long discussing it to-gether, they thought it most proper to concede what they were asked. For they did not hope always to retain that Light, so they found it better to offer it to their Ruler, in no way giving up hope to reign with him when that was done.
11. So then, how they handed over that Light which they held is (now) to be considered. Now this is scattered all through all the divine scriptures and heavenly mysteries: to the wise it is not at all hard to know how it may be put, for it is clearly and openly known by the one who has truly and faithfully wished to understand (it).
12. As the bulk of those who had gathered were of both sexes, namely females and males, he forced them to pair off together; in this coupling some sowed, others were made pregnant. But the offspring were like those who had begotten, being the first(born) receiving most of the parents' strength.
13. Taking these as a royal tribute, their Prince was satisfied and, as we see done even now, the nature of Evil shapes the formation of bodies, taking up power from them, so indeed the aforesaid Prince, accepting (his) friends' offspring with the senses of the parents (and their) prudence, at the same time devoured the light and procreated with them in (the act of) genera-tion. Then, having gained full power from such a food, wherein was not only the strength but rather the cunning and depravity of the parents' savage Race, he called to him his own mate, issued from that same Race to which he belonged.
14. Now having paired with her he sowed among other things the abundance of ills he had swallowed; and he also added something of his own thought and strength, so that her sense might form and describe all those (elements) which he had spread abroad. His partner received these as a soil excellently prepared usually accepts the seed. For in her were built up and hatched the images of all the heavenly and earthly powers, so that she might obtain the likeness of the whole universe which was being formed (NB 46).

15. In fact, the Enemy, who believed he had crucified the Savior, the Father of the Righteous,1 was himself crucified, at the time when one thing was done and another shown. Thus the Ruler of the Darkness was nailed to the Cross and the same with his friends wore a thorny crown and had a purple robe; he also drank the vinegar and the gall, which they imagined a certain one, the Lord, to have drunk. And all that he seemed to bear was (really) inflicted on the leaders of the Darkness, who were also wounded with rods and the lance (FE. 28).

16. Those souls who for love of the world have let themselves wander from their own first bright Nature and have become foes to the holy Light and openly armed themselves to ruin the holy Elements, and have submitted to the Fiery Spirit, and have even by their cruel persecution imprisoned the holy Church and the Elect included in it who observe the heavenly Precepts, will be shut out from the bliss and the glory of the holy World, and because they have let themselves be ruled by Evil,1 they will continue in the same Race of Evil that peaceful Earth and the immortal regions being forbidden them. What then will come to them when they have thus fettered themselves by wicked deeds, so that they are estranged from the life and liberty of the holy Light? They cannot then be received into those peaceful realms, but will be confined in the horrid 'Lump' aforesaid, on which moreover a guard must be set. Whence also the same souls will cling to those things they have loved, being left behind in the same 'Lump' of Darkness, seeking that out for themselves by their own deserts. For they have neither cared to know these coming things, nor withdrawn from the same when time was given (FE. 5).