A one-minute narration sample. Every book in the library is narrated end to end — hear the rest in the app.
Gospel of Truth · 2 of 18
Error and Forgetfulness
1.When the all looked for the one from whom they had originated — indeed, the all dwelt inside of him, the inconceivable, unknowable one who is greater than any thought —
2.ignorance of the Father caused anger and fear to arise.
3.Anger grew thick like a mist in a way that no one could see.
4.This caused Error to become powerful.
5.She labored on her matter in vain, because she knew not the truth.
6.She deceptively brought forth, arranging powerfully and beautifully a simulacrum of what is true.
7.This, nevertheless, did not cause him dishonor, the inconceivable, unknowable one, because they are nothing — the anger and the oblivion and the creation of deception,
8.but the truth that has been founded changes not, cannot be disturbed, and its beauty cannot be improved.
9.For this cause, ignore Error.
10.In this way she will be without a root.
11.She became a mist relative to the Father, existing in order to arrange works and oblivions and fears, so that with these entities she could entice those dwelling in (her) midst, and imprison them.
12.The oblivion of Error was not shown forth, being not a […] from the Father.
13.The oblivion did not arise by the power of the Father, even though in fact it did arise because of him.
14.What arose in him is knowledge, which became manifest in order that oblivion would vanish and the Father would be known, because oblivion arose, given that the Father was unknown.
15.When then the Father becomes known, oblivion will cease existing from that point on.
Asked of Guide
Why does Error create a beautiful simulacrum if she doesn't know the truth?
Error fashions a beautiful simulacrum because her impulse is to imitate the true—she arranges “powerfully and beautifully a simulacrum of what is true” to entice and imprison those within her mist. The chapter says Error labors in vain and deceives by creating attractive copies, driven by anger and oblivion that arose from ignorance of the Father.
The point is that the simulacrum’s beauty is persuasive without being real; truth remains unchanged and cannot be improved, so the imitation has no power over the Father or the true knowledge that will make “oblivion vanish.” This echoes themes in Plato’s Republic about copies versus forms and also the Gospel of Thomas’ emphasis on knowing the Father to escape illusion.
Guide is the guide inside the Gnosis app, where every book on these shelves is free to read. Guide is the part you pay for — your guide has read all of them, and answers about the passage you’re actually on. Ask your guide your own question.