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The

Gospel
According to

T homas

An English Version by
Eaon Walkker
The Gospel of Thomas

T
1 hese are the secret words that the living Jesus spoke and Judas
Tomas wrote down.
He said that whoever hears these words, and understands them,
wont taste death!

2 The seekers shouldnt stop seeking


Until they find,
When they find,
Theyll be troubled,
When theyre troubled
Theyll be amazed,
When theyre amazed
Theyll rule over everything,
And when theyve ruled
Then theyll rest.

3 If they tell you: Look! The Kingdoms in the sky,


Then the birds will get there before you do.
If they tell you: Its in the sea,
Then the fish will get there first!
But Im telling you,
The Kingdoms inside you.
Whoever knows themselves will be known,
And theyll know theyre the children of the Living Father.
But, if you dont know yourselves,
Your lives will be impoverished.

4 An old man wont hesitate to ask a child seven days old where to find life
And hell live.
Many that are on top now will end up on the bottom.
And the ones at the bottom will be on top.
But, in the end,
Theyll be one.

1
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Know whats right before your eyes, 5


And whats hidden from you will be revealed,
Theres nothing hidden that wont be revealed.

His disciples asked him: 6a


Do you want us to fast?
How should we pray?
Should we give alms?
What rules should we follow when eating?

And Jesus answered: 14


If you fast, youll make yourselves do wrong,
If you pray, youll be condemned,
If you give alms, youll do harm to your spirits.

Wherever you go, wherever people welcome you,


Eat whatever they give you, and heal their sick.
Its not what goes into your mouth that corrupts you,
Its what comes out of it!

Dont lie, dont do things you really hate doing, 6b


Because nothings hidden from Heaven.
Theres nothing hidden that wont be revealed.
Theres nothing covered that wont be uncovered.

Blessed is the lion that a person eats, 7


Because the beast becomes human.
But cursed is the person that a lion eats,
Because the human becomes beast.

The Kingdoms like a fisherman 8


Who threw his net into the sea,
And pulled it up full of small fish.
Among them he found a good, large fish.
So he threw all the little fish back into the sea,
And kept the large fish without hesitation.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

2
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

9 The Kingdoms like a farmer


Who went out to plant seeds.
He picked up a handful of seeds and scattered them.
Some fell on the road and birds came and ate them.
Some fell on rocky soil, and couldnt put down roots.
And some fell among thorns; and the thorns choked them.
But others fell on good soil, and a good crop grew up there.

10 Ive set the Earth on fire,


And Ill keep watch till it blazes.
82 Whoevers near me,
Is near the fire,
Whoevers far from me,
Is far from the Kingdom.

11 This heaven will pass away.


The one above it will pass away.
The dead arent alive.
The living wont die.
Back when you were eating dead things;
You were making them alive.
When you come in the light,
What will you do?
Back when you were united,
You became divided.
But when youve become divided,
Whatll you do?

12 Jesus followers asked him: We know youll leave us.


Wholl be our teacher then?
And Jesus answered:
Wherever you end up, turn to Jacob the Just,
For whose sake heaven and earth came into being.

3
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Jesus asked his followers: 13


Compare me to someonetell me who Im like.
Simon Cepha said: Youre like a righteous angel.
And Mathias said: Youre like a great philosopher.
But Tomas said: Rabbi, my mouth wont let me say who youre like.
And Jesus said: Im not your teacher.
Youve drunk from the bubbling spring
That Ive measured out,
And become intoxicated.
And Jesus took him aside and spoke three words to him.
When Tomas came back to the others, they asked him:
What did he say to you?
And Tomas answered:
If I tell you even one word that he said to me,
Youll pick up rocks and throw them at me.
Then a fire will come out of the rocks and incinerate you.

When you see the One who was not born, 15


Throw yourselves face down and worship Him.
He is your Father.

Perhaps people think Ive come 16


To bring peace on earth.
They dont know that Ive come
To divide the world with conflict.
Therell be five people in a house,
And theyll fight.
Three against two
Two against three.
Father against son
Son against father.
Mother against daughter
Daughter against mother.
But, in the end,
Theyll be one.

4
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

17 Ill give you what no eye has seen,


What no ear has heard,
What no hand has touched,
What has never entered the human heart.

18 Jesus followers asked him: Tell us how well end up.


He said: Youve discovered the beginning then,
That you wonder about the end?
Wherever the beginning is,
Thats where the end is.
Blessed is the one who stands in the beginning.
That one will know the end, and not taste death.

19 Blessed is one who was before he came into being.


Whoever follows me,
Whoever heeds my words,
Even the stones will tend to them.
There are five trees in Paradise that dont change,
In summer or winter, their leaves dont fall.
Whoever knows them will not taste death.

20 Jesus followers asked him: Tell us what the Kingdoms like.


And he answered:
The Kingdoms like a mustard-seed
That a man took and tossed into his garden.
Its the smallest of all seeds,
But when it fell on the tilled earth, it grew into a tree,
And the birds came and rested in its branches.

21 Maryam asked Jesus: What are your followers like?


And he answered:
Theyre like little children
In a field thats not theirs.
When the owners of the field return,
Theyll say: Give us back our land.
And theyll strip naked in front of the owners,
To give them back the land.

5
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

If a homeowner knows a thiefs coming, 21a


Hell keep watch before the thief comes.
He wont let the thief in to steal his things.
You then, arm yourselves,
Be on guard against the world,
So the thieves cant find a way in,
Because, if you give them a chancetheyll take it.
May at least one of you understand!

The Kingdoms like a man 21b


Who threw seed on the ground.
He went to sleep at night,
And when he woke up,
The seed had sprouted and grown,
He had no idea how the earth producesseemingly all by itself
First a stalk, then a bud, and then a head of grain.
But when the crop was ripe, he came quicklySickle in hand
And cut it down.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

Jesus saw some infants nursing, and he told his followers: 22


Its people like these children wholl get into the Kingdom.
And they asked him:
So, if were like childrenwell get into the Kingdom?
And Jesus said:
When you make two into One,
When you make the inside like the outside
When you make the male and the female One,
Neither male nor female.
When you make new eyes in the place of an old eye,
A new hand in place of an old hand,
A new foot in place of an old foot,
A new form in place of an old form.
When you do these things,
Then youll enter the kingdom.

6
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

23 Ill choose you,


One out of a thousand,
Two out of ten thousand,
And youll all stand as one.

24 His followers asked Jesus:


Teach us about the place youve arrived at, because we need
to get there.
And he told them:
Theres a light in a person of light.
It gives light to the whole world.
But if that light fails,
Theres only darkness.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

25 Love your brother and your sister like your own self,
Watch over them like the apple of your eye.
If youve seen your brother, or your sister,
Youve seen your God.

26 You see the splinters in you brothers and sisters eyes,


But not the plank in your own eye.
When you take the plank out of your own eye,
Youll be able to see to take the splinters from your brothers
and sisters eyes.

27 If you dont abstain from the world,


You wont find the Kingdom;
If you dont observe the Sabbath day as Sabbath,
You wont see the Father.

7
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

I stood in the middle of the world. 28


Appearing to them in the flesh.
I found them all drunk.
None of them thirsty.
And I grieved for humanity,
Theyre hearts are blind and dont see.
How they came into the world empty,
Planning to leave it the same way.
But now theyre drunk.
Maybe when they sober up,
Theyll change their minds.

If the flesh grew out of the spirit, 29


Its a wonder.
But if the spirits grown out of the flesh,
Its the wonder of wonders.
As for me, I wonder how this great wealth
Settled in this poverty.

Where there are two or three, 30


Theyre far from God.
Where theres only one,
Im with that one.
Im always with you,
Until the end of the world.
Chop a piece of wood,
Im there.
Pick up a rock,
Youll find me there too.

No prophets acceptable in his hometown. 31


A doctor cant cure those who know him.

A fortified city, built on a high mountain, cant be taken, 32


It cant be hidden either.

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GOSPEL OF THOMAS

33 What you hear whispered in your ear,


Shout from the rooftops!
No one lights a lamp,
Then hides it under a basket.
You put it on the table,
So everyone can see the light.

34 If a blind person leads another blind person,


Theyll both end up in a ditch.

35 No one can go into strong persons house and rob it,


Unless they tie the strong person up first.
Then they can rob the house.

36 Dont worry from morning to evening,


Or from evening to morning.
About the food youll need to eat,
Or the clothes youll need to wear.
When you have no clothes,
Whatll you wear then?

37 Jesus followers asked: When will you be revealed to us?


When will we see you?
And he answered:
When you take off your clothes of shame,
When, child-like, you drop them and step over them,
Youll see the Son of the Living One,
And not be afraid.

37a Salom asked Jesus: How long will people die?


Jesus answered: As long as theyre born.
Salom said: So I did well not to have children.
And Jesus answered: Eat any food, except the one with the bitter taste.

38 Many times youve wanted to hear what Ive got to say.


And theres no one else youll hear it from!
The day will come when youll look for me,
But you wont find me!

9
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

The Perushim and the Sofrim have received the keys of knowledge, 39a
But theyve hidden them.
They dont enter, and they wont let anyone else in either.
Theyre like a dog sleeping in the cattles feeding trough. 102
He doesnt eat, and he wont let the cattle eat.
Damn them!
As for you; be wiser than serpents, more innocent than doves. 39b

A vine was planted far from the Father. 40


Therefore its unsound.
Itll be uprooted and destroyed.

To someone who has more, 41


More will be given,
To someone who has only a little,
Even that little will be taken away.

The worlds just a bridge, 42


Walk over it.
Dont make it your home,
Be visitors, passing through.

Jesus followers asked him: Who are you, to tell us such things? 43
And he answered:
From all Ive told you, you dont understand who I am?
Have you become like the Judeans?
Who love the tree
But hate the fruit,
Who love the fruit
But hate the tree.

Whoever speaks against the Father 44


Will be forgiven,
Whoever speaks against the Son
Will also be forgiven,
But whoever speaks against the Spirit,
Will never be forgiven,
Not on Earth, or in Heaven.

10
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

45 No one gathers grapes from thorns,


No one plucks figs from thistles,
They dont give fruit.
Good things come from a good heart.
Bad things come from a bad heart.
A bad man says bad things because
Hes filled his heart with bad things.
Whats in his heart
Pours out of his mouth.

46 From Adam to Johanan the Bather,


No one is greater than Johanan.
All should bow before him.
Butlike Ive told youany one of you
Who becomes like a child
Will know the Kingdom
And be greater than Johanan.

47 You cant ride two horses.


You cant draw two bows.
No servant can serve two masters.
Hell honor the one and insult the other.
You dont drink old wine,
Then want new wine.
Youll say: The old wine is better.
You dont pour new wine into old skins
Theyll burst.
You dont pour old wine into new skins
Itll spoil.
You dont sew an old patch on a new garment
Itll tear.

48 If just two people in a house make peace with each other,


Theyll say to a mountain: Move!
And itll move.

11
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Blessed are you, whove chosen to be one, 49


Youll find the Kingdom.
You came from there.
Youll return there.

If they ask you: Where have you come from? Tell them: 50
Weve come from the light,
From where the light came into being
By its own volition,
From where it stood,
Where it was made manifest,
Through their image.
If they ask you: Who are you? Tell them:
Were the childrenand the chosenof the Living Father.
If they ask you: What is the sign of your Father in you? Tell them
Its a motionand a rest.

His followers asked him: When will the dead find rest? 51
When will the new world come?
Jesus answered:
What youre waiting for has already happened,
But you dont realize it.

His followers said: 52


Twenty-four prophets spoke in Israel,
And they all spoke about you.
Jesus said:
Youve neglected the one thats alive right in front of you,
And spoken only about the dead.

Jesus followers asked him: Does circumcision do us any good or not? 53


And he answered:
If it did you any good, your Father would bring you out your mother
already circumcised.

Blessed are the poor, because the Fathers Kingdom is yours. 54

12
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

57 The Kingdoms like a man who had good seeds,


His enemy came at night, and mixed weeds with them.
Now the man didnt let his servants pull up the weeds.
He told them: Perhaps youll go to pull up the weeds,
And pull up the wheat with it.
At harvest time the weeds will be easy to see,
Then we can pull them up and burn them!

58 Blessed is the one whos suffered;


That persons found Life.

59 Listen to the Living One,


While youre alive,
So when you die,
And look for Him
Youll be able to see Him.

60 On his way to Judea, Jesus saw a Shomroni carrying a lamb,


And he asked his followers: Why is he carrying that lamb?
And they answered: So he can kill it and eat it.
Jesus said: As long as its alive he wont eat it,
But if he kills it and it becomes a corpse
Otherwise, he wont be able to eat it, said his followers.
And Jesus said:
You too, look inside of yourselves for a place to rest,
Dont become corpses and get eaten.

61 Two will lie on a bed.


One will die, the other will live.

Salom said to Jesus:


Who are you, Rabbi? Whos your father?
The way you lie on my couch and eat from my table.
Jesus answered:
Im the one who comes from the One.
Ive been given some of the things of my Father.
And Salom said: Im your servant.

13
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Jesus answered: Thats why I say:


Anyone whos whole,
Will be filled with light,
Anyone whos divided,
Will be filled with darkness.

I tell my mysteries to those who are worthy of my mysteries. 62


Dont let your left hand know what your right hand is doing.

There was a rich man, who said: 63


Ill use my money to sow and reap and plant,
To fill my barns with food, so Ill never need anything.
Thats what he thought, but that night he died.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

A man had guests, and when hed had the dinner prepared, 64
He sent his servant to call the guests.
The servant came to the first guest, and said: My master calls you.
And the guest answered: Im owed money by some merchants.
Theyre coming over this evening and I have to go and give them
directions.
I must ask to be excused.
The servant went to another guest, and said: My master calls you.
And the guest answered: Ive bought a house and Ive been called away
for the day.
I wont have time.
The servant went to another guest, and said: My master calls you.
And the guest answered: My friends getting married.
I have to host the reception. I wont be able to come.
I must ask to be excused.
The servant went to another guest, and said: My master calls you.
And the guest answered: Ive bought a village. I have to go and collect
the rent.
I wont be able to come. I must ask to be excused.
The servant came back, and told his master:
The ones you called to dinner have asked to be excused.
And the master told him:
Go out on the street. Bring whoever you find to dinner.

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GOSPEL OF THOMAS

The buyers and the merchants wont get into my Fathers Kingdom.

65 A rich man owned a vineyard.


He rented it to some farmers so they could work it,
And he could collect rent from them.
He sent his servant, so the farmers could give him the rent,
But they grabbed the servant, beat him, and all but killed him.
The servant returned and told his master what happened.
The master said: Perhaps they didnt recognize him.
So he sent another servant, but the farmers beat him as well.
Finally the master sent his son, saying: Perhaps theyll respect my son.
But the farmers knew that he was the heir to the vineyard,
So they grabbed him, and killed him.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

66 See the stone the builders didnt want?


Its become the cornerstone.

67 Those who know everything,


But dont know themselves,
Know nothing.

68 Blessed are you when they hate you, and persecute you.
No one will find rest in the place where they persecuted you.

69 Blessed are those whove been persecuted.


In their hearts, theyve truly known the Father.

Blessed are those who hunger


So they can fill the belly of someone in need.

70 When you let out whats inside you,


What you let out will save you.
If you dont let out whats inside you,
What you dont let out will destroy you.

71 I will destroy this house,


And no one will be able to rebuild it.

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GOSPEL OF THOMAS

A man said to Jesus: Rabbi, talk to my brothers, 72


Tell them to divide our inheritance with me.
But Jesus said to him: Who made me a divider?
He turned to his followers and said: Im not a divider, am I?

The harvest is large, but the workers are few. 73


So ask the foreman to send workers to the field.
There are many standing around the well, 74
But theres nothing in the well.
There are many standing at the door, 75
But the ones who are whole will enter the bridal chamber.

The Kingdoms like a merchant who had a load of goods and found a 76
pearl.
This merchant was wise; he sold the goods, and bought the pearl.
You too, should look for that treasure,
That doesnt perish,
That no moth eats,
That no worm destroys.

When a pearls dropped in mudits no less valuable. 76a


If its painted with balsamits no more valuable.
It always has the same value.
Likewise, children of God, wherever you are,
Youre still valuable to the Father.

No one hides something valuable in something valuable. 76b


You hide it in something worthless.
So it is with the soul. Its the most valuable thing,
But its hidden in a worthless body.

Im the light thats over everything. 77


And I am everything.
Everything comes from me,
And everythings come to me.

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GOSPEL OF THOMAS

78 Why did you come out here todayto see a reed shaken by the wind?
To see a man dressed in fine clothes, like your kings and your leaders?
Yes, theyre dressed in fine clothes, but they cant understand the truth!

79 A woman in the crowd said to Jesus: Blessed is the womb that bore you,
And the breasts that fed you.
And he told her:
Blessed are those whove heard the word of the Father and truly kept it.
Because therell be days when youll say:
Blessed are the wombs that never conceived,
The breasts that never gave milk.

80 Whoevers known the world,


Has only known a corpse,
Whoevers recognized that corpse,
The world doesnt deserve them.

110 Whoevers found the world, and become rich,


Let them renounce the world!
81 Whoevers become rich, and become King,
Let them renounce the world!
Whoevers become King, and has power,
Let them renounce the world!

83 Forms are visible to people, but the light inside them,


The light thats the manifestation of the Fathers lightis hidden.
It will be revealed,
84 But the form hides the light.
When you see your formsyoure happy.
But when you see your true forms,
That came into being before you,
That never die, yet are never seen,
How much will you be able to stand?

17
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Adam came into being 85


From great power,
From great wealth.
Yet he was not worthy of you.
If hed been worthy,
Hed never have tasted death.

Foxes have their holes, 86


Birds have theirs nest,
But a human being has no place
To lay their head and rest.

Wretched is the body that depends on another body. 87


Wretched is the soul that depends on either of them.

The messengers will come to youand the prophets. 88


Theyll give you what belongs to you.
In return, give them what you have, and ask yourselves:
When will they come and take whats theirs?

Why do you only wash the outside of the cup? 89


Dont you understand?
The one who made the outside,
Made the inside too.

Come to me, 90
My yokes easy,
My burdens light,
Youll find rest.

Jesus followers said to him: Tell us who you are, so we can believe in 91
you.
Jesus answered:
You study the Earth and the sky,
But you dont recognize whos standing in front of you,
You dont realize what this moment means!

18
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

92a Just look! Youll find what youre looking for!


Just knock! The door will open for you!
94 Anyone who looks will find what theyre looking for.
Anyone who knocks will find the door open.

92b All the things you asked me about before,


That I didnt tell you,
I want to tell you now,
But youre not asking.

93 You dont throw pearls to pigs,


Theyll just end up on the dung heap.
So dont give holy things to dogs,
Theyll just trample them underfoot
And turn around and bite you.

95 If you have money, dont lend at interest.


Give it to someone you wont get it back from.

96 The Kingdoms like a woman who took some leaven and hid it in some
dough,
Till it was all leavened, and she made large loaves of bread from it.
Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!

97 The Kingdoms like a woman carrying a jar full of flour and


walking a long way.
The handle on the jar broke and the flour poured out behind her on the
road.
She didnt know her loss until she got home, put down the jar
And found it empty.

98 The Kingdoms like a man who wanted to kill a strong man.


He drew his sword at home and drove it into a wall,
To see if his hand would be strong enough.
Then he killed the strong man.

19
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

The Kingdoms like a date-palm shoot whose fruit has fallen down 98a
around it.
It blossoms, but when it blossoms,
It gives no more fruit.
So it is with the fruit gathered by many.

The Kingdoms like a head of grain that blossoms in a field. 98b


When it ripens, it scatters its fruit and, in turn,
Fills the field with grain for another season.

If the sun shines on weeds, theyll flourish, and choke a grapevine. 98c
But if the grapevine flourishes, it blocks the weeds sun.
And itll inherit all the land its growing on.
Dominating everywhere it casts its shadow.
As it grows, itll dominate the entire field,
Making the farmer very happy.
Because it would have been a lot of work for him to rip up the weeds,
But the grapevine did it for him.

Jesus followers told him: Your brothers and your mother are standing 99
outside.
He answered: These people herewho do the will of my Father,
Theyre my brothers, my sisters, and my mother.
Theyre the ones wholl get into my Fathers Kingdom.
Anyone who comes to me and doesnt hate his father and mother 55
like me cant follow me.
Anyone who comes to me and doesnt hate his brothers and sisters
like me doesnt deserve me.
Anyone who doesnt hate his father and mother 101
like me cant follow me.
Yet anyone who doesnt love his Father and Mother
like me cant follow me.
Because my mother gave me death,
But my True Motherthe Holy Spiritgave me life!

20
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

100 Jesus followers told him: Csars men want us to pay taxes.
Should we pay them or not?
Jesus said:
Give Csar whats Csars,
Give God whats Gods,
And give me whats mine.

103 Its a lucky man who knows when the robbers are coming.
He can prepare, gather his men and arm himself before they come.

104 Jesus followers said to him: Come, let us pray today and fast.
But Jesus said:
What have I done wrong?
Howve I been beaten?
When the bridegroom comes from the bridal chamber,
Then let everyone fast and pray.

105 Whoever knows the Father and the Mother will be called a son of a
whore.

106 When you make two into one,


Youll be children of Adam.
When you say, Mountain, move!
Itll move.

107 The Kingdoms like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep, and one of
them got lost.
So the shepherd left the ninety-nine, went into the mountains,
And looked for the lost one until he found it.
And when he had found it, he said, I love you more than the ninety-
nine.

108 Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me,


And Ill become them,
And the hidden thing will be revealed to them.

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GOSPEL OF THOMAS

The Kingdoms like a man who had a treasure hidden on his land that he 109
didnt know about.
He died and left the land to his son, who didnt know about the treasure
either.
The son took the field and sold it, and when the man who bought it
came to plough,
He found the treasure, and began to lend money at interest to anyone he
wanted.

The Heavens and the Earth will be rolled up before your eyes, 111
But whoever lives in the Living One wont see death.
Whoever finds themselves,
The worlds not worthy of them.

Damn the flesh that depends on the soul! 112


Damn the soul that depends on the flesh!

Jesus followers asked him: When will the Kingdom come? 113
He answered:
The Kingdom wont come from you looking for it,
Or from people saying: Look, its here! or, Look, there it is!
The Fathers Kingdoms spread out on the earth, but no one sees it!

22
Notes

1 secret words -meant only for the spiritually advanced who could appreciate them?
Judas Tomas Traditionally, Jesus twin brother (Tomas = twin).
whoever hears these words, and understands them Greek has hears these words, Coptic
has learns the meaning of (i.e. understands). Wherever possible where the Greek and the
Coptic differ, Ive attempted to combine the two versions (e.g. Sayings 2 and 4).
wont taste death i.e. will find (the) Life, or Eternal (spiritual?) Life.
2 Omitting Jesus said at the beginning of this, and the rest of the sayings, unless it forms
part of a dialogue.
When theyre amazedTheyll rule over everything, And when theyve ruledThen theyll
rest. The last line is from the Greek fragments, Coptic has When theyre amazedtheyll rule
over everything (or All). All, (or everthing) appears a few times in Thomas, but so does the
reference to rest the sigh of relief at the end of this mortal life, or of a spiritual journey to self-
knowledge (gnosis)?
3 Your lives will be impoverished. Lit. Youll live in poverty, and youll be poverty.
4 Adding Many that are on top now will end up on the bottom. (lit. that are now first will
be last) &c. from the Greek of Mark. Coptic has instead, theyll become one which is com-
bined with But, in the end, copied from saying 16. The text refers several times to the idea of
becoming one, or whole, or undivided. The state of unity transcending what Buber called
the I-You a distinction that is, in Thomas, the greatest of errors.
6 Combining Saying 14 with Saying 6, whose questions it answers. Following the rules
wont help you if you hate every minute of it. Youll just resent your religion, whereas if you grow
spiritually, you wont need to avoid things in order to be detached from them.
7 Reversing beast (lit. lion) and human in the last sentence, as is demanded by the
sense. We can accept our animal nature, but shouldnt be consumed by it?
8 Adding, The Kingdoms like The Coptic has, A man is like
9 Adding, The Kingdoms like The Coptic has Look, a farmer Both these sayings are
typical Parables of the type found in the Canonical Gospels, but without the usual opening,
here supplied. It may simply be that the author of Thomas used an early version of these saying
where the usual opening hadnt been added yet. Or the text we have may simply be corrupt, or
mistranslated from Greek into Coptic.
Coptic has, And some fell among thorns; and the thorns choked them; and the worms ate
them, But others fell on good soil, and a good crop grew up there, yielding some, sixty bushels,
and some a hundred and twenty. The italicized lines have been omitted for the sake of the

23
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

verse.
10 Combining Sayings 10 and 82.
11 united lit. one. divided lit. two.
12 Jacob Traditionally, Jesus brother. Here giving the name in its Aramaic form, pro-
nounced Yakov (In Greek, it becomes Iames, and in English James).
13 Simon Cepha The Aramaic word for Rock, pronounced Kefa (In Greek, rock is
Petros, which became, in English, Peter). Simon would be pronounced Shimon.
Rabbi Giving the Hebrew word for teacher in place of the Coptics Master.
Corresponding to the word teacher in the next line.
and spoke three words to him. One suggestion is that the three words Jesus spoke were:
ahyh ashr ahyh meaning IAM-WHO-IAM. The same Hebrew words that God said to
Moses from the burning bush (i.e. Jesus identifies himself with God, which would be considered
blasphemy and, therefore, punishable by stoning.
16 Adding the mother vs. daughter from the Greek of Luke.
20 Adding some words from the Greek of Luke.
21 Maryam The Aramaic version of the Hebrew Miriam. It becomes the Greek and
Latin Maria, and the English Mary.
Theyll be naked in front of them. In Thomas, nakedness is seen, either as:
-A symbol of transcending earthly desire, (cf. Saying 37s and arent ashamed) or,
-A symbol of throwing off the earthly body, and freeing the soul from its clothing.
21B The Kingdoms like a man who threw seed on the ground. &c. The Coptic is missing
all but the last lines (But when the crop was ripe, he came quicklysickle in handand cut it
down. Whoever has ears to hear withlisten!). The rest is added from the Greek of Luke.
22 Omitting a few words and altering the wording slightly, according to the quotation of this
verse (in Greek) in the (so-called) second epistle of Clement of Rome (2 Clement 12:2).
Adding the word new which I believe is implicit.
24 Rearranging this verse slightly.
25 Adding If youve seen your brother etc. from quotations by Clement of Alexandria
(Miscellanea, 1:19) and Tertullain, (On Prayer, 26)
Adding the words sister and sisters.
29 great wealth i.e. the spirit. this poverty i.e. the body
30 Where there are two or three i.e. Where people are divided, adding two or from
the Greek of Matthew.
Where theres only one i.e. Where theyre united.
Here the Coptic version seriously alters the Greek, reading, Where there are three gods,
they are gods, where there are two or one, I am with him.
Adding, And Im always with them, until the end of the world from the Greek of Matthew.
Chop a piece of woodIm there. Pick up a rockYoull find me there too. These lines are

24
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

placed here, where they


are in the Greek fragments. The Coptic places them after Saying 77.
35 rob it taken from the Greek of Mark. The Coptic has take it by force.
36 About the food youll need to eat taken from the Greek fragments, as is When you
have no clothes, Whatll you wear then?
The Greek fragments also add, Youre more important than the lilies, that dont weave or
sew after the clothes youll need to wear probably from Matthew, and Who can extend
your life? -Thats the one wholl clothe you.
37 clothes of shame from a quotation of this verse by Clement of Alexandria. Coptic has,
take off your cloths are arent ashamed. Clements quotation begins with the Saying given
as 37A and end with the second part of Saying 22, When you make two into One, When you
make the inside like the outside &c.
39 Combining Sayings 39 with Saying 102, which continues it.
Perushim usually rendered in the Greek form Pharisees.
Sofrim usually translated Scribes.
Adapting wiser than serpents, more innocent than doves. from The Gospel According
to the Hebrews, as quoted in MS 1424 of Matthew. The Coptic has wise as serpentsinnocent
as doves.
40 Coptic lacks therefore in the second line.
42 The first half of this verse is adapted from an Arabic inscription (c. 1601 C.E.) from India,
quoted in The Sayings of Jesus by Guy Davenport and Benjamin Urrutia (Washington,
Counterpoint Publishing, 1996). The Coptic has only Be visitors! or, as its usually rendered,
Be Passers-by!
43 Judeans Usually translated Jews, the word Judean in ancient times referred to:
An inhabitant of the Roman province of Judea,
Someone ethnically, or by religion, a Jew.
Only with the first meaning could it have been spoken of in the third person by Jesus, since
he was, ethnically, and by religion, a Jew, but from Galilee. Of course, thats assuming the saying
is authentic.
45 Bad things come from a bad heart. Using the word bad in place of the usual evil
with its implication of something defective, not necessarily corrupt.
Adding the last line from the Greek of Luke.
46 Johannan giving the name in its Aramaic form, pronounced, Yokhannan.
47 Adding, Theyll say, The old is better, from the Greek of Luke.
52 Twenty-four prophets i.e. The twenty-four books (in Hebrew) of the Tanakh.
53 your Father or your father.
The Coptic adds, But the true circumcision-in spirit-has been proven to profit you.
54 The Fathers Kingdom The Coptic has Kingdom of Heaven.

25
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

55 Moving Saying 55 to follow Saying 99.


56 Omitting this Saying, which is the same as saying 80.
58 life or, the Life.
60 Shomroni usually rendered in the Greek form, Samaritan.
61 The One or, the whole or, the undivided.
66 Psalm 188, verse 22
67 Or, Those who have everything, But have nothing inside, Have nothing.
74 Coptic begins this saying with He said: Lord not Jesus said prompting some to
believe these sayings are a dialogue with either the preceding saying, or the following saying.
76A Adding this Saying, and the next one, from The Gospel of Phillip, found in the same
Codex as Thomas.
77 Everything or The All.
78 shaken in the wind= lacking conviction
soft clothes etc. in contrast to Johannan, who Jesus is speaking of in Luke when his says
these words.
81 Combining Sayings 81 and 110, with some conjecture.
110: Whoevers found the world and become rich, let them renounce the world
81: Whoevers become rich, [let them] become King. Whoever has power, let them
renounce it.
83 A form in the Platonic sense of an intangible ideal?
86 human being The Coptic reads Son of Man an over-literal rendering of the
Aramaic Bar-Nasha, meaning a person (i.e. a human being) or this person (i.e. I).
90 Taking burden from the Greek of John. The Coptic reads, Lordship.
Cf. Sirach 51:26-7
92 Combining Sayings 92 and 94
93 The Coptic text is defective here, the missing lines have been added from the Greek of
Matthew.
96 till it was all leavened added from the Greek of Matthew.
98A Adding this Saying, and the next one, from The Secret Book of James, found in the
same Codex as The Gospel of Thomas.
98C Adding this Saying from The Book of Thomas the Contender, found in the same Codex
as The Gospel of Thomas.
99 Combining Sayings 55, 99 and 101
55 The Coptic adds, and take up his cross, after brothers and sisters. Omitted as an
anachronism, since these Sayings are attributed to the living Jesus -unless one accepts that the
Cross preoccupied Jesus throughout his earthly life.
101 Adding Holy Spirit after my True Mother, as in The Gospel of the Hebrews (my
mother, the Holy Spirit), quoted by Origen, (On John, 2.12) This line is a reconstruction, the

26
GOSPEL OF THOMAS

Coptic is defective, lacking several words.


107 Adding into the mountains from the Greek of Matthew.
111 Coptic joins the first two lines to the last with because, doesnt Jesus say:
114 Coptic adds Saying 114, believed my many scholars to be an addition to the text, even
in its Coptic version:
Simon Cepha said:
Make Maryam leave us, for women are not worthy of Life.
And Jesus said:
Look, Ill teach her,
I can make her male,
And she can become a living spirit too,
Just like you men.
Every woman who makes herself man will enter into the kingdom.
Note that many scholars think that the male here symbolizes the Gnostic Christians, and
female symbolizes the Orthodox, unenlightened Christians, rather than actually referring to
males and females, but it also relates to a common theme throughout Thomas, namely, tran-
scending the differences and distinctions between individuals. Cf. Sayings 22 and 106.

27
The Gospel According to
St. Thomas
These are the secret words that Jesus that liveth spake, and 10 Jesus said, I have set a fire upon the earth, and
Judas, the same is called Thomas, wrote them down. behold I guard it until it be kindled.
11 Jesus said, This heaven shall pass away, and that
1 And he said, Whosoever heareth these words, the which is above it shall pass away; and they that are
same shall not taste of death. dead are not alive and they that live shall not die. In
2 Jesus said, Let not him that seeketh cease seeking the days when you were eating that which is dead, you
until he hath found; and when he hath found he will were making it alive. When you come in the light,
be troubled, and if he be troubled, he shall marvel; and what will ye do? On the day when you were one, you
having marvelled he shall reign; and having reigned became two. But when ye have become two, what will
he shall rest. you do?
3 Jesus said, If the rulers say unto you: Behold, the 12 The disciples said unto Jesus, We know that thou
Kingdom is in the heavens, then the fowls of the air wilt go from us. Who is he that shall be great over us?
shall be before you. If they say unto you: It is in the And Jesus said unto them, In the place to which ye are
sea, then the fish of the sea shall be before you. But I come, you shall go to James the Just, for whose sake
say unto you, the Kingdom is within you and it is heaven and earth came into being.
without. Whosoever knoweth himself, the same shall 13 Jesus said unto his disciples, Make a comparison to
be known, and shall you know ye are the sons of the me, and tell me whom I am like. And Simon Peter
Father that liveth. But if ye know not yourselves, then said unto him, Thou art like unto a righteous angel.
shall you abide in poverty and you shall be poverty. And Matthew said unto him, Thou art like unto a wise
4 Jesus said, The man full of days shall hesitate not to man of understanding. And Thomas said unto him:
ask a child of seven days about the place of life, and Master, my mouth will no wise suffer that I say whom
the same shall live. For many that are first shall be last, thou art like. And Jesus said unto him, I am not thy
and they shall become a single one. teacher, because thou hast drunk, and thou hast
5 Jesus said, Know what is before thy face, and what is become drunk, from the bubbling spring which I have
hidden from thee shall be revealed unto thee; For measured out. And Jesus took him and withdrew and
there is nothing hid that shall not be made manifest. spake unto him three words. And when Thomas came
6 His disciples asked him and said unto him: Wilt thou back unto his companions, they asked, and said unto
that we fast? And how shall we pray? Shall we give him, What did he say unto thee? And Tomas
alms? And what rules shall we observe in eating? And answered, and said unto them, If I tell ye but one of
Jesus answered, and said, Be not false; and that which the words that he spake unto me, you will take up
you hate, do not. For all things are revealed before stones and throw them at me; then shall a fire come
heaven. For there is nothing hidden which shall not forth from out of the stones and consume you.
be manifest, and there is nothing covered which shall 14 Jesus said unto them, If you fast, you will beget a sin
not be revealed. for yourselves; and if you pray, you will be condemned;
7 Jesus said, Blessed is the lion which the man shall and if you give alms, you will do an evil to your spirits.
eat, for the lion becometh man; and cursed is the man If you go into any land and travel in its regions, and if
whom the lion shall eat, for the lion becometh man. they receive you, eat whatsoever they set before you,
8 And Jesus said, Man is like unto a wise fisherman, and heal the sick among them. For not that which
who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the goeth into the mouth defileth you, but that which
sea full of small fish. Amongst them the wise cometh forth out of the mouth, that is what defileth
fisherman found a large good fish. He threw down all you.
the small fish into the sea, and he chose the large fish 15 Jesus said, When you see him who was not born of
without trouble. He that hath ears to hear, let him woman, throw yourselves down upon your face and
hear. worship him. He is your Father.
9 Jesus said, Behold, there went out a sower to sow: he 16 Jesus said, Perhaps men think that I am come to
filled his hand and he cast. And it came to pass, as he cast peace upon the world, and know not that I am
sowed, some fell by the way side and the fowls came come to cast divisions upon the earth, fire, sword, war.
and devoured it up. And some fell on stony ground, For there shall be five in a house; there shall be three
and it had no root down to the earth nor any ear up to against two, and two against three, the father against
heaven. And others fell among thorns; and the thorns the son and the son against the father, and they shall
grew up, and choked it, and the worm ate it. And stand alone.
other fell on good ground, and did yield good fruit 17 Jesus said, I shall grant unto you that which eye
unto heaven, some sixty and some an hundred and hath not seen, nor ear hath heard, nor hand hath
twenty. touched, nor which hath entered into the heart of
man.
18 The disciples said unto Jesus, Tell us how our end 24 The disciples said unto Jesus, Teach us concerning
shall be. Jesus said, Have you then discovered the the place where thou art, for it is necessary for us to
beginning, that ye seek after the end? For where the seek after it. And he said unto them, He that hath
beginning is, there shall the end be. Blessed is he who ears, let him hear. There is a light within a man of
shall stand in the beginning, and he shall know the light, the same giveth light unto the whole world. If it
end and shall not taste of death. giveth not light, there is darkness.
19 Jesus said, Blessed is he who was before he came 25 Jesus said, Love thy brother as thy soul; keep him as
into being. Whosoever becometh my disciples and the apple of thine eye.
heaken unto my words, the same shall these stones 26 Jesus said, Thou beholdest the mote that is in thy
minister unto. There are five trees in Paradise which brother's eye; but considerest not thou the beam
move not in summer or in winter, and the leaves which is in thine own eye. When thou dost cast out
thereof falleth not. Him that knoweth these shall not the beam from thine own eye, then shalt thou see to
taste of death. cast out the mote from thy brother's eye.
20 The disciples said unto Jesus, Tell us what the 27 Jesus said, If you fast not from the world, you will
kingdom of Heaven is like. And he said unto them, It not find the kingdom; if you keep not the Sabbath as
is like unto a grain of mustard-seed, smaller than all Sabbath, you will not see the Father.
seeds; But when it falleth upon the earth which is 28 Jesus said, I stood in the midst of the world, and I
tilled, it shooteth out a great branch, and becometh a appeared to them in flesh. I found them all drunk, I
shelter for the fowls of the air. found none among them thirsting; and my soul was
21 Mary said unto Jesus, Whom are thy disciples like? afflicted for the sons of men, for they are blind in their
And he answered, and said, They are like little heart and they do not see. For empty came they into
children dwelling in a field which is not theirs. When the world, seeking also to depart empty from the
the owners of the field come, they shall say: Yield up world. But now they are drunk. When they have
to us our field. They are naked before them, to yield it thrown off their wine, then will they repent.
up to them and to give them back their field. 29 Jesus said, If the flesh hath come into being because
Therefore, I say unto you, If the master of the house of the spirit, it is a marvel; but if the spirit hath come
knoweth that the thief is coming, he will keep watch into being because of the flesh, it is a marvel of
before he comes, and will not let him dig into his marvels. But as for me, I marvel at this, how this great
house of his kingdom to carry off his vessels. You, wealth hath settled in this poverty.
then, be watchful over against the world. Gird up your 30 Jesus said, Where there are three they are without
loins with great strength, that the brigands may not God; where there is but one, I am with him.
find a way to come at you, since the advantage for 31 Jesus said, No prophet is accepted in his village; a
which you look they will find. May there be among physician does not heal those who know him.
you a man of understanding! And he said, If a man 32 Jesus said, A city that is built on a high mountain
should cast seed into the ground; And should sleep, and fortified cannot fall, nor can it remain hidden.
and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and 33 Jesus said, What thou shalt hear in thine ear,
grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth proclaim to the other ear on your roof-tops. For no
forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after man lights a lamp and sets it under a bushel, nor does
that the full corn in the ear. But when the fruit is he put it in a hidden place; but he sets it upon the
brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, lamp-stand, that all who go in and come out may see
because the harvest is come. He that hath ears to hear, its light.
let him hear. 34 Jesus said, If a blind man leadeth a blind man, both
22 Jesus saw some infants at the breast. He said unto shall fall into a pit.
his disciples, These little ones at the breast are like 35 Jesus said, No man can enter into a strong man's
those who enter into the kingdom. They said unto house and take it by force, except he will first bind his
him, If we then be children, shall we enter the hands; then he will plunder his house.
kingdom? And Jesus said unto them, When you make 36 Jesus said, Take no thought from morning to
the two one, and when you make the inside as the evening, nor from evening to morning, for your
outside, and the outside as the inside, and the upper raiment, what ye shall put on. And ye, when have no
side as the lower; And when you make the male and raiment, what shall ye put on? Who can add to your
the female into one, that the male be not male and stature? The same shall give you your raiment.
the female be not female, When you make eyes in the 37 His disciples said, On what day wilt thou be
place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a revealed us, and on what day shall we see thee? And
foot in place of a foot, an image in place of an image, Jesus said, When you unclothe yourselves and are not
then shall ye enter the kingdom. ashamed, and take your garments and lay them
23 Jesus said, I shall choose you, one out of a beneath your feet like little children, and tread upon
thousand, and two out of ten thousand, and they shall them, then shall ye see the Son of Him that liveth,
stand as a single one. and ye shall not fear.
38 Jesus said, Many times have you desired to hear them, We are his sons, and we are the elect of Father
these words which I speak unto you, and you have that liveth. If they ask you: What is the sign of your
none other from whom to hear them. Days will come Father in you? tell them, It is a motion and a repose.
when ye shall seek after me, and ye shall find me not. 51 His disciples said unto him, On what day will the
39 Jesus said, The Pharisees and the Scribes have repose of the dead come into being? And on what day
received the keys of knowledge; and they have hidden will the new world come? And he said unto them,
them. They did enter not in, and them that wish to That which ye await hath come, but ye know it not.
enter in they suffer not. And you, Be ye as wise as 52 His disciples said unto him, Twenty-four prophets
serpents and as innocent as doves. spake in Israel, and they all spake in thee. He said
40 Jesus said, A vine was planted apart from the unto them, Ye have neglected him that is alive before
Father, and since it is not established it shall be pulled you, and have spoken of the dead.
up by its roots and destroyed. 53 His disciples asked, and said unto Jesus, Doth
41 Jesus said, Him that hath in his hand, to him more circumcision profit us, or doth it profit us not? And
shall be given; and him that hath not, from him shall He, answering, said unto them, Did it profit ye, the
be taken even the little he hath. Father would beget all from their mother circumcised.
42 Jesus said, Become visitors. But the true circumcision in spirit hath been proven to
43 His disciples said unto him: Who art thou, that profit ye.
thou shouldst say these things to us? And Jesus said 54 Jesus said, Blessed are the poor, for yours is the
unto them, From what I say unto you, ye understand kingdom of Heaven.
not that I am. Have ye become as the Jews; for they do 55 Jesus said, He who shall not hate his father and his
love the tree and hate the fruit thereof, or they do love mother cannot be my disciple, and he who does not
the fruit but hate the tree. hate his brethren and his sisters and take up his cross
44 Jesus said, He that shall blaspheme against the like me shall not be worthy of me.
Father, he shall be forgiven, and he that shall 56 Jesus said, He that hath known the world, the same
blaspheme against the Son, also shall he be forgiven; hath found a corpse, And he that hath found a corpse,
But he that shall blaspheme against the Holy Spirit, him the world is not worthy of.
he shall never be forgiven, neither on earth nor in 57 Jesus said, The kingdom of the Father is like unto a
heaven. man who had good seed. His enemy came by night,
45 Jesus said, They do not gather grapes from thorns, and sowed a weed among the good seed. The man did
no pluck figs from camel-thistles; they do not yield not allow them to pull up the weed. He said unto
fruit. A righteous man bringeth forth that which is them, Lest perhaps you go to pull up the weed, and
good from his treasure; a bad man bringeth forth that pull up the wheat with it. For on the day of harvest the
which is evil from his evil treasure, The same is in his weeds will be manifest; they will be pulled up and
heart, and he saith evil things; for out of the burned.
abundance of his heart he bringeth forth evil. 58 Jesus said, Blessed is the man that hath suffered; the
46 Jesus said, From Adam unto John the Baptist, none same hath found life.
born of woman is greater than John the Baptist, that 59 Jesus said, Look ye upon the one that liveth for so
his eyes shall not be humbled. But I have said, He long as ye shall live, that ye may not die and seek to
among you who shall become as a child shall know the see him, and be unable to see.
kingdom, the same shall be greater than John. 60 They saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb going into
47 Jesus said, No man can ride two horses, nor draw Judaea. And he said unto his disciples, Wherefore
two bows. No servant can serve two masters; or he will doth he carry the lamb? And they said unto him, That
honour the one and insult the other. No man having he may slay it and eat thereof. And he said unto them,
drunk old wine straightway desireth new wine. And So long as it is alive he shall not eat it, but if he slay it
new wine is not poured into old skins, lest they burst, and it becometh a corpse. And they said, Otherwise,
nor is old wine poured into new skins, lest it spoil. An he shall be unable to do it. He said unto them, Ye also,
old patch is not sewn into a new garment, for a rent seek for yourselves a place within for rest, lest you
will come. become a corpse and be eaten.
48 Jesus said, If two make peace with one another in 61 Jesus said, Two shall rest upon a bed; one shall die,
this house, they shall say to the mountain, Be thou the other shall live. Salom said, Who art thou; O
moved. And it shall be moved. man? And whose son? Thou hast mounted my bed,
49 Jesus said, Blessed are the solitary and the elect, for and eaten from my table. Jesus said unto her, I am he
you shall find the kingdom; for you came forth thence, who is from that which is whole; to me was given of
and shall go there again. the things of my Father. And Salome said, I am thy
50 Jesus said, If they say unto you: Whence have you disciple. And Jesus said unto her, Therefore I say,
come? say unto them, We have come from the light, when it is whole it will be filled with light, but when it
The place where the light came into being through is divided it will be filled with darkness.
itself alone. It stood, and it revealed itself in their
image. If they say unto you, Who are you? say unto
62 Jesus said, It is to them that are worthy of my bring not forth that which is within you, that which
mysteries that I tell my mysteries. What thy right hand you do not have in you will kill you.
shall do, let not thy left hand know. 71 Jesus said, I will destroy this house, and none shall
63 Jesus said, There was a rich man which had an able to build it again.
abundance of possessions. And he said, I shall make 72 A man said unto him, Speak to my brethren, that
use of my possessions that I may sow and reap and they may divide my father's possessions with me. He
plant, and fill my barns with fruit, that I may have said unto him, O man, who didst make me a divider?
need of nothing. These were his thoughts in his heart. He turned to his disciples and said unto them, I am
And in that night he died. He that hath ears, let him not a divider, am I?
hear. 73 Jesus said, The harvest indeed is great, but the
64 Jesus said, A man had guests, and when he had labourers are few; but pray the Lord, that he send forth
prepared the dinner he sent his servant to summon the labourers into the harvest.
guests. He came to the first; he said unto him, My 74 He said, Lord, there are many about the well, but
master summons thee. He said, I have money with no one in the well.
some merchants. They are coming to me in the 75 Jesus said, There are many standing at the door, but
evening. I will go and give them orders. I pray to be the solitary are they who shall enter the bridal
excused from he dinner. He went to another; he said chamber.
unto him, My master hath summoned thee. He said 76 Jesus said, The kingdom of the Father is like unto a
unto him: I have bought a house, and they ask me for merchant was who had a load of goods and found a
a day. I shall not have time. He came to another; he pearl. That merchant was wise. He sold the load, and
aid to him, My master summons thee. He said unto bought for himself the pearl alone. You also, seek after
him: My friend is about to be married, and I am to his treasure which does not perish but endures, where
hold a dinner. I shall not be able to come. I pray to be moth does not enter to devour, nor does worm destroy.
excused from the dinner. He went to another; he said 77 Jesus said, I am the light that is over them all. I am
unto him, My master summons thee. He said him, I the all; the all hath come forth from me, and the all
have bought a village; I go to collect the rent. I shall hath attained unto me. Cleave a piece of wood; I am
not be able to come. I pray to be excused. The servant there. Raise up the stone, and ye shall find me there.
came, he said unto his master, Those whom thou didst 78 Jesus said, Why came ye forth into the field? To see
summon to the dinner have excused themselves. And reed shaken by the wind? And to see a man clothed in
the master said unto his servant, Go out to the roads. soft raiment? Behold, your kings and your great men
Bring those whom thou shall find, that they may dine. are they who are clothed in soft raiment, and they
The buyers and the merchants shall not enter the shall not be able to know the truth.
places of my Father. 79 A woman in the crowd said unto him, Blessed is
65 He said, A good man had a vineyard. He gave it to the womb which bore thee, and the breasts which
husbandmen that they might work it, and he receive nourished thee. And he said unto her, Blessed are they
its fruit their hand. He sent his servant, that the who have heard the word of the Father and have kept
husbandmen might give him the fruit of the vineyard. it in truth. For there shall be days when you will say,
They seized his servant, they beat him, and all but Blessed is that womb which hath not conceived, and
killed him. The servant came, and told his master. His those breasts which have not given suck.
master said, Perhaps they did not know him. He sent 80 Jesus said, Him that hath known the world hath
another servant; the husbandmen beat the other also. known the body, and he who hath found the body, the
Then the master sent his son. He said, Perhaps they world is not worthy of him.
will reverence my son. Those husbandmen, since they 81 Jesus said, He who hath become rich, let him
knew that he was the heir the vineyard, they seized become king, and he who hath power let him deny.
him and killed him. He that hath ears, let him hear. 82 Jesus said, He who is near to me is near the fire, and
66 Jesus said, Teach me concerning this stone which he who is far from me is far from the kingdom.
the builders rejected; it is the corner-stone. 83 Jesus said, The images are revealed to the man, and
67 Jesus said, He who knoweth the All but fails to the light which is in them is hidden in the image of
know himself lacks everything. the light of the Father. He shall be revealed, and his
68 Jesus said, Blessed are you when they hate you, and image is hidden by his light.
persecute you, and do not find a place in the spot 84 Jesus said, When you see your likeness, you rejoice;
where they persecuted you. but when you see your images which came into being
69 Jesus said, Blessed are they who have been before you -- they neither die nor are made manifest --
persecuted in their heart; these are they who have how much will you bear?
known the Father in truth. Blessed are they that 85 Jesus said, Adam came into being out of a great
hunger, for the belly of him that desires shall be filled. power and a great wealth, and yet he was not worthy
70 Jesus said, When you bring forth that which is of you. For if he had been worthy, he would not have
within you, that which you have will save you. If ye tasted of death.
86 Jesus said, The foxes have their holes and the fowls are Caesars, and to God the things that are Gods, and
have their nests, but the Son of Man hath no place to to me the things that are mine.
lay his head and rest. 101 Jesus said He who shall not hate his father and:
87 Jesus said, Wretched is the body which depends mother like me cannot be my disciple, and he who
upon a body, and wretched is the soul which depends shall not love his father and his mother like me
on these two. cannot be my disciple; for my mother gave me death
88 Jesus said, The angels come to you, and the but my true mother gave me life.
prophets, and they shall give you what belongs to you; 102 Jesus said, Woe to them, the Pharisees. For they
And you also, render unto them that which is in your are like unto a dog sleeping in the manger of the
hands, and say unto yourselves, On what day shall cattle; for he neither eats, nor does he let the cattle
they come and take that which is theirs? eat.
89 Jesus said, Why do you wash the outside of the cup? 103 Jesus said, Blessed is the man who knoweth in
Knoweth ye not that Him that made the inside is also what part the robbers are coming, that he may rise and
Him that made the outside? gather his house and gird up his loins before they come
90 Jesus said, Come unto me, for easy is my yoke and in.
gentle is my lordship, and you shall find rest for 104 They said unto Jesus, Come, let us this day pray
yourselves. and fast. And Jesus said, What then is the sin that I
91 They said unto him, Tell us who thou art, that we have done, or wherein have I been vanquished? When
may believe in thee. He said unto them, You test the the bridegroom comes forth from the bridal chamber,
face of Heaven and the Earth, and him that is before then let them fast and pray.
you, you know not, and you know not how to test this 105 Jesus said, He who shall know father and mother
moment. shall be called the son of a harlot.
92 Jesus said, Seek, and ye shall find; but those things 106 Jesus said, When you make the two one, you shall
concerning which ye asked me in those days, I did not become sons of man, and when you say, Mountain, be
then tell you. Now I wish to tell them, and ye seek not thou moved, it shall be moved.
after them. 107 Jesus said, The kingdom is like unto a shepherd
93 Jesus said, Give not that which is holy unto the who had an hundred sheep. And one of them, the
dogs, lest they cast them on the dung- heap; neither biggest, was gone astray. He did leave the ninety and
cast ye your pearls before the swine lest they trample nine, and sought after the one till he found it. And
them under their feet. when he had found it, he said unto the sheep: I rejoice
94 Jesus said, He that seeketh shall find, and in thee more than the ninety and nine.
whosoever doth knock, to him it shall be opened. 108 Jesus said, Him that shall drink from my mouth
95 Jesus said, If you have money, do not lend at shall become like unto me; I myself shall become he,
interest, but render it unto him from whom you shall and the hidden thing shall be revealed unto him.
not receive it back. 109 Jesus said, The kingdom is like unto a man that
96 Jesus said, The kingdom of the Father is like unto a had treasure hid in his field about which he knew not;
woman who hid leaven in a measure of meal; then she and he died and it passed unto his son. The son also
made large loaves of it. He that hath ears, let him did know not. He took that field and sold it. The man
hear. who bought it came to plough, and found the treasure.
97 Jesus said, The kingdom of the Father is like unto a And he began to lend money at interest to
woman; carrying a jar full of meal and walking a long whomsoever he chose.
way. The handle the jar broke; the meal poured out 110 Jesus said, Him that hath found the world and
behind her on the road. She was unaware, she knew become rich, let him deny the world.
not her loss. When she came into her house, she put 111 Jesus said, The heavens and the earth shall be
down the jar and did find it empty. rolled up before your face, and he that liveth in the
98 Jesus said, The kingdom of the Father is like unto a One that liveth shall neither see death. Doth not Jesus
man who wanted to kill a great man. He drew the say, He who shall find himself, of him the world is not
sword in his house and drove it into the wall, that he worthy.
might know that his hand would be strong. Then he 112 Jesus said, Woe to the flesh which depends upon
slew the great man. the soul; woe to the soul which depends upon the
99 The disciples said unto him, Thy brethren and thy flesh.
mother are standing outside. He said unto them, 113 His disciples said unto him, On what day will the
These here that do the will of my Father, these are my kingdom come? And he answered them and said, It
brethren and my mother; these are they who shall cometh not with observation. Neither shall they say,
enter into the kingdom of my Father. Lo, here! or, Lo, there! For the kingdom of the
They showed Jesus a gold piece and said unto him: Father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not
They that belong to Caesar demand tribute from us. see it.
He said unto them: Render to Caesar the things that 114 Simon Peter said unto them: Let Mary go forth
from among us, for women are not worthy of the life.
And Jesus answered him, and said, Behold, I shall lead every woman who makes herself man shall enter into
her, that I may make her male, that she also may the kingdom of heaven.
become a spirit that liveth, like unto you men. For

This saying is not found in the present Gospel. It is recorded in the Gospel According to Phillip.

115 Jesus said, When the pearl be cast down into the its value always. Likewise, wherever the sons of God
mud, it becometh not despised, nor if it be anointed may be, still ye have value in the eyes of the Father.
with balsam shall it become more precious. But it hath

These sayings are likewise not found in the present Gospel. They are recorded in the Secret Book of John.

116 Jesus said, The kingdom is like unto a date palm 117 Jesus said, The kingdom is like unto a corn of
shoot whose fruit hast fallen down about it. It showeth wheat, which did blossom in a field. When it had
forth blossoms, and when they are blossomed, its ripened, it did scatter its fruit and, in turn, fill the field
fruitfulness drieth up. So it is also with the fruit with grain for another season.
gathered by many.

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