Thank you so much for sharing this. Gnostic content is fascinating!

The highest are the pneumatics (from pneuma, “spirit”), referred to in the extracts above as “spiritual”. These people contain sparks of the light of the Pleroma. They are thus by the very nature of their being not of this world at all, belonging instead to the Pleroma, the realm of the True God. The pneumatics are ultimately destined to return to the Pleroma, and thus are assured of salvation no matter what happens. They are the elite of the human race.

The second category of people are the psychics–from psyche, which can mean, depending on the context, “soul” or “life”. In this context, “natural” might be the best translation. In the extracts above, the term is variously translated “animal” or simply transliterated as “psychic” (which in this context does not mean having paranormal powers, but being merely akin to natural life). The psychics are intermediate. They may, through evil living, be damned. This consists of either a hell-like existence or outright destruction–the sources aren’t clear. If they live a life of purity they are saved, either attaining to the Pleroma, or to a slightly lower but still blissful state–once more, the sources are unclear.

The lowest category of humans are the hylics, from hyle, “matter”, referred to above as “material”. Unlike the pneumatics, the hylics lack a spark of the Light. Unlike the psychics, the hylics are unable to choose for the true good by following the light. The hylics are understood to be material in all respects–their only concern is for food, sex, and material pleasures.