The Dance of Jesus

[The following is a Gnostic text taken from the Acts of John, applied to paper around 130AD]

Glory to Thee, Father!
(And we going round in a ring answered him)
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Word (Logos)!
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Grace (Charis)!
Amen!
Glory to Thee, Spirit!
Glory to Thee, Holy One!
Glory to Thy Glory!
Amen!
We praise Thee, O Father;
We give Thanks to Thee, O Light;
In Whom Darkness dwells not!
Amen!
For what we give thanks, I say:
I would be saved; and I would save.
Amen!
I would be loosed; and I would loose.
Amen!
I would be wounded; and I would wound.
[or pierced, or dissolved and would pierce or dissolve]
Amen!
I would be begotten; and I would beget.
Amen!
I would eat; and I would be eaten
Amen!
I would hear; and I would be heard.
Amen!
I would be understood; being all understanding.
Amen!
I would be washed; and I would wash.
Amen!

(Grace leadeth the dance.)

I would pipe; dance ye all.
Amen!
I would play a dirge; lament ye all.
Amen!
The one Ogdoad plays with us.
Amen!
The Twelfth Number above leadeth the dance.
Amen!
All whose nature is to dance.
Amen!
Who danceth not, knows not what is being done.
Amen!
I would flee; and I would stay.
Amen!
I would adorn; and I would be adorned.
Amen!
I would be atoned; and I would atone.
Amen!
I have not dwelling; and I have dwellings.
Amen!
I have no place; and I have places.
Amen!
I have no temple; and I have temples.
Amen!
I am a lamp to thee who seest Me.
Amen!
I am a mirror to thee who understandest Me.
Amen!
I am a door to thee who knockest at Me
Amen!
I am a way to thee a wayfarer.
Amen!

Now answer to My dancing!
See thyself in Me who speak;
And seeing what I do,
Keep silence on My Mysteries.
Understand, by dancing, what I do;
For thine is the Passion of Man
That I am to suffer.
Thou couldst not at all be conscious 
of what thou doest suffer,
Were I not sent as thy Word by the Father.
Seeing what I suffer,
Thou sawest Me as suffering;
And seeing, thou didst not stand,
But wast moved wholly,
Moved to be wise.
Thou hast Me for a couch; rest thou upon me.
Who I am thou shalt know when I depart.
What now I am seem to be, that I am not.
Thou shalt see when thou comest.
If thou hadst known how to suffer,
Thou would'st have power not to suffer.
Know how to suffer, and thou hast power not to suffer.

That which thou knowest not, I Myself will teach thee.
I am thy God, not the Betrayer’s.
I would be kept in time with holy souls.
In Me know thou the Word of Wisdom.
Say thou to Me again:
Glory to Thee, Father!
Glory to Thee, Word!
Glory to Thee, Holy Spirit!

But as for Me, if thou wouldst know what I was:
In a word I am the Word who did dance all things,
 and was not shamed at all
‘Twas I who leaped and danced.
But do thou understand all, and, understanding, say:
Glory to Thee, Father!
Amen!

(And having danced these things with us, Beloved,
 the Lord went forth. 
 And we, as though beside ourselves, 
or awakened out of sleep,
 fled each our several ways.)