The Gospel of ThomasTranslated by Stephen Patterson and Marvin Meyer (from Robert J. Miller, ed., The Complete Gospels: Annotated Scholars Version. Polebridge Press, 1992, 1994) A classic expression of early Gnostic thinking, which views Jesus in a mystical, disincarnate light, at some distance from his portrayal in the canonical Gospels. The text is among those discovered in Nag Hammadi (Egypt) in December 1945, in one of a group of texts called the Nag Hammadi library. The Gospel of Thomas was found among a collection of fifty-two writings that also included gospels claiming to have been written by Jesus' disciple Philip. When the Christian leaders formally recognised the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), these Gnotic works were set aside as misleading and were later seen as heretical. |
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1. And he said, "Whoever discovers the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death." 2. Jesus said, "Those who seek should not stop seeking until they find. When they find, they will be disturbed. When they are disturbed, they will marvel, and will reign over all. [And after they have reigned they will rest.]" 3. Jesus said, "If your leaders say to you, 'Look, the (Father's) kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the (Father's) kingdom is within you and it is outside you. 4. Jesus said, "The person old in days won't hesitate to ask a little child seven days old about the place of life, and that person will live. For many of the first will be last, and will become a single one." 5. Jesus said, "Know what is in front of your face, and what is hidden from you will be disclosed to you. 6. His disciples asked him and said to him, "Do you want us to fast? How should we pray? Should we give to charity? What diet should we observe?" 7. Jesus said, "Lucky is the lion that the human will eat, so that the lion becomes human. And foul is the human that the lion will eat, and the lion still will become human." 8. And he said, "The person is like a wise fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up from the sea full of little fish. Among them the wise fisherman discovered a fine large fish. He threw all the little fish back into the sea, and easily chose the large fish. Anyone here with two good ears had better listen!" 9. Jesus said, "Look, the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and scattered (them). Some fell on the road, and the birds came and gathered them. Others fell on rock, and they didn't take root in the soil and didn't produce heads of grain. Others fell on thorns, and they choked the seeds and worms ate them. And others fell on good soil, and it produced a good crop: it yielded sixty per measure and one hundred twenty per measure." 10. Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and look, I'm guarding it until it blazes." 11. Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will pass away. 12. The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that you are going to leave us. Who will be our leader?" 13. Jesus said to his disciples, "Compare me to something and tell me what I am like." 14. Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will bring sin upon yourselves, and if you pray, you will be condemned, and if you give to charity, you will harm your spirits. 15. Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, fall on your faces and worship. That one is your Father." 16. Jesus said, "Perhaps people think that I have come to cast peace upon the world. They do not know that I have come to cast conflicts upon the earth: fire, sword, war. 17. Jesus said, "I will give you what no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, what no hand has touched, what has not arisen in the human heart." 18. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us, how will our end come?" 19. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the one who came into being before coming into being. 20. The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what Heaven's kingdom is like." 21. Mary said to Jesus, "What are your disciples like?" 22. Jesus saw some babies nursing. He said to his disciples, "These nursing babies are like those who enter the (Father's) kingdom." 23. Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one." 24. His disciples said, "Show us the place where you are, for we must seek it." 25. Jesus said, "Love your friends like your own soul, protect them like the pupil of your eye." 26. Jesus said, "You see the sliver in your friend's eye, but you don't see the timber in your own eye. When you take the timber out of your own eye, then you will see well enough to remove the sliver from your friend's eye." 27. "If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the (Father's) kingdom. If you do not observe the sabbath as a sabbath you will not see the Father." 28. Jesus said, "I took my stand in the midst of the world, and in flesh I appeared to them. I found them all drunk, and I did not find any of them thirsty. My soul ached for the children of humanity, because they are blind in their hearts and do not see, for they came into the world empty, and they also seek to depart from the world empty. 29. Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, that is a marvel, but if spirit came into being because of the body, that is a marvel of marvels. 30. Jesus said, "Where there are three deities, they are divine. Where there are two or one, I am with that one." 31. Jesus said, "No prophet is welcome on his home turf; doctors don't cure those who know them." 32. Jesus said, "A city built on a high hill and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden." 33. Jesus said, "What you will hear in your ear, in the other ear proclaim from your rooftops. 34. Jesus said, "If a blind person leads a blind person, both of them will fall into a hole." 35. Jesus said, "One can't enter a strong person's house and take it by force without tying his hands. Then one can loot his house." 36. Jesus said, "Do not fret, from morning to evening and from evening to morning, [about your food--what you're going to eat, or about your clothing--] what you are going to wear. [You're much better than the lilies, which neither card nor spin. 37. His disciples said, "When will you appear to us, and when will we see you?" 38. Jesus said, "Often you have desired to hear these sayings that I am speaking to you, and you have no one else from whom to hear them. There will be days when you will seek me and you will not find me." 39. Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scholars have taken the keys of knowledge and have hidden them. They have not entered nor have they allowed those who want to enter to do so. 40. Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted apart from the Father. Since it is not strong, it will be pulled up by its root and will perish." 41. Jesus said, "Whoever has something in hand will be given more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little they have." 42. Jesus said, "Be passersby." 43. His disciples said to him, "Who are you to say these things to us?" 44. Jesus said, "Whoever blasphemes against the Father will be forgiven, and whoever blasphemes against the son will be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes against the holy spirit will not be forgiven, either on earth or in heaven." 45. Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorn trees, nor are figs gathered from thistles, for they yield no fruit. 46. Jesus said, "From Adam to John the Baptist, among those born of women, no one is so much greater than John the Baptist that his eyes should not be averted. 47. Jesus said, "A person cannot mount two horses or bend two bows. 48. Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in a single house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move from here!' and it will move." 49. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who are alone and chosen, for you will find the kingdom. For you have come from it, and you will return there again." 50. Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where have you come from?' say to them, 'We have come from the light, from the place where the light came into being by itself, established [itself], and appeared in their image.' 51. His disciples said to him, "When will the rest for the dead take place, and when will the new world come?" 52. His disciples said to him, "Twenty-four prophets have spoken in Israel, and they all spoke of you." 53. His disciples said to him, "Is circumcision useful or not?" 54. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the poor, for to you belongs Heaven's kingdom." 55. Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate father and mother cannot be my disciple, and whoever does not hate brothers and sisters, and carry the cross as I do, will not be worthy of me." 56. Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the world has discovered a carcass, and whoever has discovered a carcass, of that person the world is not worthy." 57 Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a person who has [good] seed. His enemy came during the night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The person did not let the workers pull up the weeds, but said to them, 'No, otherwise you might go to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with them.' For on the day of the harvest the weeds will be conspicuous, and will be pulled up and burned." 58. Jesus said, "Congratulations to the person who has toiled and has found life." 59. Jesus said, "Look to the living one as long as you live, otherwise you might die and then try to see the living one, and you will be unable to see." 60. He saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb and going to Judea. He said to his disciples, "that person ... around the lamb." They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it." He said to them, "He will not eat it while it is alive, but only after he has killed it and it has become a carcass." 61. Jesus said, "Two will recline on a couch; one will die, one will live." 62. Jesus said, "I disclose my mysteries to those [who are worthy] of [my] mysteries. 63 Jesus said, "There was a rich person who had a great deal of money. He said, 'I shall invest my money so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouses with produce, that I may lack nothing.' These were the things he was thinking in his heart, but that very night he died. Anyone here with two ears had better listen!" 64. Jesus said, "A person was receiving guests. When he had prepared the dinner, he sent his slave to invite the guests. 65. He said, "A [...] person owned a vineyard and rented it to some farmers, so they could work it and he could collect its crop from them. He sent his slave so the farmers would give him the vineyard's crop. They grabbed him, beat him, and almost killed him, and the slave returned and told his master. His master said, 'Perhaps he didn't know them.' He sent another slave, and the farmers beat that one as well. Then the master sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they'll show my son some respect.' Because the farmers knew that he was the heir to the vineyard, they grabbed him and killed him. Anyone here with two ears had better listen!" 66. Jesus said, "Show me the stone that the builders rejected: that is the keystone." 67. Jesus said, "Those who know all, but are lacking in themselves, are utterly lacking." 68. Jesus said, "Congratulations to you when you are hated and persecuted; and no place will be found, wherever you have been persecuted." 69. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who have been persecuted in their hearts: they are the ones who have truly come to know the Father. 70. Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you have will save you. If you do not have that within you, what you do not have within you [will] kill you." 71. Jesus said, "I will destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to build it [...]." 72. A [person said] to him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me." 73. Jesus said, "The crop is huge but the workers are few, so beg the harvest boss to dispatch workers to the fields." 74. He said, "Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the well." 75. Jesus said, "There are many standing at the door, but those who are alone will enter the bridal suite." 76. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a merchant who had a supply of merchandise and found a pearl. That merchant was prudent; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself. 77. Jesus said, "I am the light that is over all things. I am all: from me all came forth, and to me all attained. 78. Jesus said, "Why have you come out to the countryside? To see a reed shaken by the wind? And to see a person dressed in soft clothes, [like your] rulers and your powerful ones? They are dressed in soft clothes, and they cannot understand truth." 79. A woman in the crowd said to him, "Lucky are the womb that bore you and the breasts that fed you." 80. Jesus said, "Whoever has come to know the world has discovered the body, and whoever has discovered the body, of that one the world is not worthy." 81. Jesus said, "Let one who has become wealthy reign, and let one who has power renounce <it>." 82. Jesus said, "Whoever is near me is near the fire, and whoever is far from me is far from the (Father's) kingdom." 83. Jesus said, "Images are visible to people, but the light within them is hidden in the image of the Father's light. He will be disclosed, but his image is hidden by his light." 84. Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you are happy. But when you see your images that came into being before you and that neither die nor become visible, how much you will have to bear!" 85. Jesus said, "Adam came from great power and great wealth, but he was not worthy of you. For had he been worthy, [he would] not [have tasted] death." 86. Jesus said, "[Foxes have] their dens and birds have their nests, but human beings have no place to lay down and rest." 87. Jesus said, "How miserable is the body that depends on a body, and how miserable is the soul that depends on these two." 88. Jesus said, "The messengers and the prophets will come to you and give you what belongs to you. You, in turn, give them what you have, and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what belongs to them?'" 89. Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Don't you understand that the one who made the inside is also the one who made the outside?" 90. Jesus said, "Come to me, for my yoke is comfortable and my lordship is gentle, and you will find rest for yourselves." 91. They said to him, "Tell us who you are so that we may believe in you." 92. Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. 93. "Don't give what is holy to dogs, for they might throw them upon the manure pile. Don't throw pearls [to] pigs, or they might ... it [...]." 94. Jesus [said], "One who seeks will find, and for [one who knocks] it will be opened." 95. [Jesus said], "If you have money, don't lend it at interest. Rather, give [it] to someone from whom you won't get it back." 96. Jesus [said], "The Father's kingdom is like [a] woman. She took a little leaven, [hid] it in dough, and made it into large loaves of bread. Anyone here with two ears had better listen!" 97. Jesus said, "The [Father's] kingdom is like a woman who was carrying a [jar] full of meal. While she was walking along [a] distant road, the handle of the jar broke and the meal spilled behind her [along] the road. She didn't know it; she hadn't noticed a problem. When she reached her house, she put the jar down and discovered that it was empty." 98. Jesus said, "The Father's kingdom is like a person who wanted to kill someone powerful. While still at home he drew his sword and thrust it into the wall to find out whether his hand would go in. Then he killed the powerful one." 99. The disciples said to him, "Your brothers and your mother are standing outside." 100. They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to him, "The Roman emperor's people demand taxes from us." 101. "Whoever does not hate [father] and mother as I do cannot be my [disciple], and whoever does [not] love [father and] mother as I do cannot be my [disciple]. For my mother [...], but my true [mother] gave me life." 102. Jesus said, "Damn the Pharisees! They are like a dog sleeping in the cattle manger: the dog neither eats nor [lets] the cattle eat." 103. Jesus said, "Congratulations to those who know where the rebels are going to attack. [They] can get going, collect their imperial resources, and be prepared before the rebels arrive." 104. They said to Jesus, "Come, let us pray today, and let us fast." 105. Jesus said, "Whoever knows the father and the mother will be called the child of a whore." 106. Jesus said, "When you make the two into one, you will become children of Adam, and when you say, 'Mountain, move from here!' it will move." 107. Jesus said, "The (Father's) kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep. One of them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine and looked for the one until he found it. After he had toiled, he said to the sheep, 'I love you more than the ninety-nine.'" 108. Jesus said, "Whoever drinks from my mouth will become like me; I myself shall become that person, and the hidden things will be revealed to him." 109. Jesus said, "The (Father's) kingdom is like a person who had a treasure hidden in his field but did not know it. And [when] he died he left it to his [son]. The son [did] not know about it either. He took over the field and sold it. The buyer went plowing, [discovered] the treasure, and began to lend money at interest to whomever he wished." 110. Jesus said, "Let one who has found the world, and has become wealthy, renounce the world." 111. Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will roll up in your presence, and whoever is living from the living one will not see death." 112. Jesus said, "Damn the flesh that depends on the soul. Damn the soul that depends on the flesh." 113. His disciples said to him, "When will the kingdom come?" 114. Simon Peter said to them, "Make Mary leave us, for females don't deserve life. |