Irenaeus of Lyons · a new plain-English translation from the original language
[What the kinds of the Gnostics are, and what their opinions are, according to them.] Beyond these, out of the Simonians already mentioned, a multitude of Gnostics has arisen, springing up as if from the earth [the text is defective at this point]. For some of them posit a certain Aeon that never grows old, within a virginal spirit, whom they name Barbelo. There, they say, is a certain unnameable Father, who wished to reveal himself to this very Barbelo. And this Ennoia (Thought), having come forth, stood before him and asked for Prognosis (Foreknowledge) [several words are illegible in the source] ...Barbelo, and gazing upon his greatness and conceiving, was delighted in it, and brought forth a light like to him. This, they say, marks the origin both of light-giving and of the coming-into-being of everything; and the Father, upon seeing this light, anointed it with his own goodness, that it might be made perfect. This they say is Christ, who in turn asked, as they say, that Nous (Mind) be given him as a helper, and he came forth. After this: Prognosis washed herself and stood with Ennoia, that is, Pronoia, and glorified the Invisible One and the perfect Power, Barbelo, because it was through them that she had come forth. And again this Power asked that Aphtharsia (Incorruptibility) be given to her; he consented, and having consented, revealed Aphtharsia, who stood with Ennoia and Prognosis, glorifying the Invisible One and Barbelo, because she too had come forth. And again she asked that Eternal Life be given to her. He consented, and having consented, revealed Eternal Life; and they stood and glorified him and Barbelo, because she too had come forth in the revelation of the invisible God. All these four Aeons — Thought, Foreknowledge, Incorruptibility, Eternal Life — complete the revelation of the Invisible God from whom they proceed. [There follows the first generation of Barbelo, that is, of the first Thought, which the other Aeons then imitate.] And Barbelo looked upon him, and she brought forth a happy Ray of Light. This was not different in greatness from him. For this is the Only-Begotten, the begotten son of the Universe, or Spirit of pure light. And the Invisible Spirit rejoiced over the light that had come forth, which had first revealed itself in the first Power, that is, in his Pronoia, in Barbelo. And he anointed it with his goodness, that it might be made perfect. Father of the Logos. Now pairings are made: of Ennoia and Logos, of Aphtharsia and Christ; and the Aeon Eternal Life is paired with Will (Thelema), and Nous with Prognosis. And these glorified the great Light and Barbelo.
Next, they say that from Ennoia and Logos, Autogenes (the Self-Begotten) was sent forth as a representation of the great Light, and they say he is greatly honored, with all things made subject to him. Aletheia (Truth) was entrusted to him, and there is a pairing of Autogenes and Aletheia. Out of the light that is Christ, together with Incorruptibility, four luminaries, they say, were put forth to attend Autogenes; and again out of Thelema and the Aeon Zoe (Life), four emanations were fashioned to wait upon the four luminaries — these they call Charis (Grace), Thelesis (Volition), Synesis (Understanding), and Phronesis (Prudence). Charis was paired with the great, foremost luminary; this one they reckon the Savior, and they name him Harmogenes. Thelesis was paired with the second — his name is illegible in the source — ...while Phronesis was set beside the fourth, whom they call by the name Eleleth.
With all these things thus established, Autogenes next puts forth the true, perfect man, whom they likewise name Adamas, because neither he nor those from whom he came had been mastered by anything; and he was set apart, together with the first light, from Harmogenes. They say that Perfect Knowledge (Gnosis) was sent forth together with the man from Autogenes and joined to him, and that through her the man came to know him who is above all things; and that unconquerable power was given to him from the virginal spirit, and that in him all things rest and sing hymns to the great Aeon. From this, they say, Mother, Father, and Son were made manifest; and from Anthropos and Gnosis was born a tree, which they also call Gnosis. Then from the first angel who stands beside the Only-Begotten, they say the Holy Spirit was sent forth, whom they also call Sophia and Prunicus (the Lewd One). She, seeing that all the rest had a partner while she alone was without one, sought someone to be joined to; and not finding one, she strained and stretched herself and gazed toward the lower regions, thinking to find a partner there, and, not finding one, she leapt forth in frustration, because she had made this venture without the good will of the Father. Afterward, acting out of simplicity and goodness, she brought forth a work in which there was ignorance and boldness. This work of hers, they say, is the Proarchon (First Ruler), the maker of this created world. They relate that a great power was taken from her by the Mother, and that having been separated from it he fell to the lower regions and made the firmament of heaven, in which they say he dwells. And since he is ignorance itself, he made the powers, angels, firmaments, and all earthly things that are under him. Then, they say, being joined to Self-Will (Authadia), he begot Wickedness and Jealousy; at these things the mother Sophia, grieved, withdrew and retired to the higher regions, and so an Ogdoad came to be counted from below. She, then, having withdrawn, he supposed himself to be alone, and for this reason said: I am a jealous God, and beside me there is none other. Such, then, are the fictions these men tell.