Hippolytus of Rome, The Refutation of All Heresies

Let, then, those (heretics) pursue these inquiries among themselves, (and let others do so likewise,) if it should prove agreeable to anybody else to investigate (such points. Valentinus) subjoins, however, the following statement: That the trespasses appertaining to the Æons within (the Pleroma) had been corrected; and likewise had been rectified the trespasses appertaining to the Ogdoad, (that is,) Sophia, outside (the Pleroma); and also (the trespasses) appertaining to the Hebdomad (had been rectified). For the Demiurge had been taught by Sophia that He is not Himself God alone, as He imagined, and that except Himself there is not another (Deity). But when taught by Sophia, He was made to recognise the superior (Deity). For He was instructed696 κατηχήθη. Miller’s text has κατήχθη, which is properly corrected by Bunsen into the word as translated above. by her, and initiated and indoctrinated into the great mystery of the Father and of the Æons, and divulged this to none. This is, as he says, what (God) declares to Moses: “I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob; and my name I have not announced to them;”697 Ex. vi. 2, 3. that is, I have not declared the mystery, nor explained who is God, but I have preserved the mystery which I have heard from Sophia in secrecy with myself. When, then, the trespasses of those above had been rectified, it was necessary, according to the same consequence, that the (transgressions) here likewise should obtain rectification. On this account Jesus the Saviour was born of Mary that he might rectify (the trespasses committed) here; as the Christ who, having been projected additionally from above by Nous and Aletheia, had corrected the passions of Sophia—that is, the abortion (who was) outside (the Pleroma). And, again, the Saviour who was born of Mary came to rectify the passions698 Or, “the multitudes.” of the soul. There are therefore, according to these (heretics), three Christs: (the first the) one additionally projected by Nous and Aletheia, along with the Holy Spirit; and (the second) the “Joint Fruit of the Pleroma,” spouse of Sophia, who was outside (the Pleroma). And she herself is likewise styled Holy Spirit, but one inferior to the first (projection). And the third (Christ is) He who was born of Mary for the restoration of this world of ours.

[36] Ταῦτα οὖν ἐκεῖνοι ζητείτωσαν καθ' αὑτοὺς καὶ εἴ τινι ἄλλῳ γενή[σε]ται φίλον ζητεῖν. ἀλλ' ἔτι λέγουσι: διώρθωτο μὲν [οὖν] τὰ κατὰ τοὺς αἰῶνας ἔσω σφάλματα, διώρθωτο δὲ καὶ [τὰ] κατὰ τὴν Ὀγδοάδα_[τουτέστι] τὴν ἔξω Σοφίαν_, διώρθωτο δὲ καὶ [τὰ] κατὰ τὴν Ἑβδομάδα. ἐδιδάχθη γὰρ ὑπὸ τῆς Σοφίας ὁ δημιουργὸς ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὐτὸς θεὸς μόνος, ὡς ἐνόμιζε, «καὶ πλὴν αὐτοῦ ἕτερος οὐκ ἔστιν», ἀλλ' ἔγνω διδαχθεὶς ὑπὸ τῆς Σοφίας τὸν κρείττονα. κατηχ[ή]θη γοῦν ὑπ' αὐτῆς καὶ ἐμυήθη καὶ ἐδιδάχθη τὸ μέγα τοῦ Πατρὸς καὶ τῶν αἰώνων μυστήριον, καὶ ἐξεῖπεν αὐτὸ οὐδενί. τοῦτ' ἔστιν, [ὡς] φησίν, ὃ [ὁ θεὸς] λέγει πρὸς Μωϋσῆν: «ἐγὼ ὁ θεὸς Ἁβραὰμ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰσαὰκ καὶ ὁ θεὸς Ἰακώβ, καὶ τὸ ὄνομα [τοῦ θεοῦ] [μου] οὐκ ἀπήγγειλα αὐτοῖς»: τουτέστιν τὸ μυστήριον οὐκ εἶπα οὐδὲ ἐξηγησάμην τίς ἐστιν ὁ θεός, ἀλλ' ἐφύλαξα παρ' ἐμαυτῷ ἐν ἀποκρύφῳ τὸ μυστήριον ὃ ἤκουσα παρὰ τῆς Σοφίας. Ἔδει οὖν [ἤδη] διωρθωμένων τῶν ἄνω κατὰ τὴν αὐτὴν ἀκολουθίαν καὶ τὰ ἐνθάδε τυχεῖν διορθώσεως. τούτου χάριν ἐγεννήθη Ἰησοῦς ὁ σωτὴρ διὰ τῆς Μαρίας, ἵνα διορθώσεται [τὰ] ἐνθάδε. ὥσπερ [γὰρ] ὁ Χριστός, ὁ ἄνωθεν ἐπιπροβληθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ Νοὸς καὶ τῆς Ἀληθείας, διωρθώσατο τὰ πάθη τῆς ἔξω Σοφίας_τουτέστι τοῦ ἐκτρώματος_, [οὕτως] πάλιν καὶ ὁ διὰ Μαρίας γεγεν[ν]ημένος [Χριστὸς] ὁ σωτὴρ ἦλθε διορθώσασθαι τὰ πάθη τῆς ψυχῆς. εἰσὶν οὖν κ(α)τ' (αὐ)τ(οὺς) τρεῖς Χριστοί: ὁ ἐπιπροβληθεὶς ὑπὸ τ(οῦ Νοὸς) καὶ τῆς Ἀληθείας μετὰ τοῦ ἁγίου Πνεύματος, καὶ ὁ κοινὸς τ(ο)ῦ πληρώματος Καρπὸς Ἰ(ησοῦ)ς, ὁ [σύ]ζυγος τῆς ἔξω Σοφίας_ἥτις καλεῖται καὶ αὐτὴ Πνεῦμα ἅγιον, ὑποδεέστερον [δὲ ὂν] τοῦ πρώτου_, καὶ τρίτος ὁ διὰ Μαρίας γεννηθεὶς εἰς ἐπανόρθωσιν τῆς κτίσεως τῆς καθ' ἡμᾶς.