Back in 2022, I posted the “Book of Allogenes” translation as it appeared in the Critical Edition of the Gospel of Judas publication. Since the release of that book, more fragments of the text made its way back to scholars. For those unfamiliar with the handling of the codex (Tchacos) that contained these texts before scholars got a hold of them, it was an absolute shit show. The story of the codex appearing on the antiquities market and through subsequential buyers is quite the tale. This has been told through documentaries and books. It is a miracle that the codex even survived to the quality that it did. That being said, this extended version of the “Book of Allogenes” features a section at the end that deals with toll houses! Since I am doing various posts on the subject, what better way to introduce this “new” section of the text. I am using the Mark M. Mattison translation of it which you can read in full HERE.

What was printed in the original translation was sort of a retelling of the temptation story from the Gospel of Matthew where Satan tempts Christ (though he is referred to as Allogenes in this version). Refer to my original post. Where my original post ended, we will pick up:

Verily, Lord, come to my assistance,
because [I] know not [. . .],
forever and ever.”

As I was uttering this, behold! A cloud of light encompassed [me]. I was unable to look at the brightness surrounding it, because it shone so intensely.

I then heard an utterance come out of the cloud and the light, and it spread its light on me, saying: “O Stranger, the sound of your prayer has been accepted, and I have been dispatched to you here in this place in order to declare the message to you before you leave [this place], so that you will [know . . .] become manifest [. . . body] loosens [. . .] the [spirit . . . above].

After deflecting off Satan, Allogenes calls upon the Father and he gets a response with a cloud of light shining down upon him.

The Ascent of the Stranger

“Now, when you depart, [you] will enter into the power of the first authority, who is (called) Power of Lust, and he will compel you, even question you, saying: ‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’ However, for your part, respond: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon,’ and he will release you.

If you followed my other toll house posts, this is starting to look similar. In the Gospel of Mary, Lust is the second toll house rather than the first.

“You will then enter into the power of the second authority, who is (called) Power of Darkness, [and he] will compel [you], and he will : ‘To which place [are you going, O Stranger?]’ For your part, however, respond: [‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father], who is [superior to every mighty] aeon.’

[“And he will release you, and you] will enter into the power of the third authority, called Ignorance. He will compel you, and say to you: ‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’ For your part, however, respond to him: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. With respect to myself, I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon.’

Notice the response that Allogenes gives to the archon guarding each toll house. “He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. With respect to myself, I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon.” Memorize those lines. You may need them in the life here after. I do want to note that Ignorance is also the third toll house in the Gospel of Mary.

“He will then release you, and you will enter into the power of the fourth authority, who is (called) Searching for Death. He will say to you: [‘To which place are you going, O Stranger?’] [For your part, however, respond: ‘He who compels me has been killed, and I have been liberated. I ascend to my Father, who is superior to every mighty aeon.’

“And he will release you, and you will enter into the power of the fifth] authority, [the one (called)] Kingdom of Flesh, [and he will] say to you: ‘To which place are] you [going], O Stranger?’ For your part, however, [respond to] him: ‘He who [compels] me has been [killed], and I have been liberated. [Now], therefore, I ascend [to my Father], who is superior [to every mighty] aeon.’

[“And he will] release you, [and you will enter into the power] of the sixth [authority], who is (called) Foolish Doctrine of [Flesh, and] he will say to you: ‘To which place [are you going], O Stranger?’ [For your part], however, respond to him: ‘He who compels me [has been killed, and] I [have been lib]erated. [I ascend to my Father], [who is superior to every mighty aeon,’ and he will release you].

This is the final toll house mentioned as the rest of the text falls into a fragmentary mess. I will present them below for completion sakes. With these toll house / archon powers section added to the text, it definitely makes the “temptation” narrative feel like the first main test for Allogenes. Seems like a cakewalk after the initial confrontation with Satan.

[“. . .] in [. . .], and you will [ascend] above [these] angel[s . . .]. [. . .] tens of thousands of [holy] angels [. . . tens of thousands of] angels [. . .].

Be not faint-hearted [. . .].
Be strong [. . . O Stran]ger [. . .].
Fear not [. . .], which was remarked [. . .].”

Lafayette College Fragment

[“. . .] you [. . .] their [. . .] a mighty [. . .] will asc[end . . .]. [. . .] angels [. . .] it can be [. . . say]ing that [. . .] God [. . .].”

CT, 4

[“. . . O Str]ang[er. . .”] he dispatched [. . .], so that they could [. . . the] judgment.

Peace [be to the person] who copied them [and to whoever will] fulfill them.

More toll house posts to come!

Featured photo is from a fresco of the tollhouses that is at the Rila Monastery in Bulgaria.

bP