[The Gospel of Thomas index]
[Introduction]
[Seven by Nine Squares homepage]
The Coptic Gospel of Thomas
1. Index of Sayings
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2. Text Aides
3. Text
These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which
Didymos
Judas Thomas wrote down.
And He said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will
not
experience *death*."
Jesus said, "Let him who seeks continue seeking until he finds. When
he finds,
he will become troubled. When he becomes troubled, he will be
astonished, and
he will rule over the All."
Jesus said, "If those who lead you say, 'See, the 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 Kingdom is inside of you,
and it is
outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will
become known,
and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living
Father. But
if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you
who are
that poverty."
Jesus said, "The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a small
child seven
days old about the place of life, and he will live. For many who are
first will
become last, and they will become one and the same."
Jesus said, "Recognize what is in your sight, and that which is
hidden from you
will become plain to you. For there is nothing hidden which will not
become
manifest."
His disciples questioned Him and said to Him, "Do you want us to
fast? How
shall we pray? Shall we give alms? What diet shall we observe?"
Jesus said, "Do not tell lies, and do not do what you hate, for all
things are
plain in the sight of Heaven. For nothing hidden will not become
manifest, and
nothing covered will remain without being uncovered."
Jesus said, "Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by
man; and
cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man."
And He said, "The Kingdom is like a wise fisherman who cast his net
into the
sea and drew it up from the sea full of small fish. Among them the
wise
fisherman found a fine large fish. He threw all the small fish back
into the
sea and chose the large fish without difficulty. Whoever has ears to
hear, let
him hear."
Jesus said, "Now the sower went out, took a handful (of seeds), and
scattered
them. Some fell on the road; the birds came and gathered them up.
Others fell
on the rock, did not take rood in the soil, and did not produce ears.
And
others fell on thorns; they choked the seed(s) and worms ate them.
And others
fell on the good soil and produced good fruit: it bore sixty per
measure and a
hundred and twenty per measure."
Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding
it until
it blazes."
Jesus said, "This heaven will pass away, and the one above it will
pass away.
The dead are not alive, and the living will not die. In the days when
you
consumed what is dead, you made it what is alive. When you come to
dwell in the
light, what will you do? On the day when you were one you became two.
But when
you become two, what will you do?"
The disciples said to Jesus, "We know that You will depart from us.
Who is to
be our leader?"
Jesus said to them, "Wherever you are, you are to go to James the
righteous,
for whose sake heaven and earth came into being."
Jesus said to His disciples, "Compare me to someone and tell Me whom
I am
like."
Simon Peter said to Him, "You are like a righteous angel."
Matthew said to Him, "You are like a wise philosopher."
Thomas said to Him, "Master, my mouth is wholly incapable of saying
whom You
are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have
become
intoxicated by the bubbling spring which I have measured out."
And He took him and withdrew and told him three things. When Thomas
returned to
his companions, they asked him, "What did Jesus say to you?"
Thomas said to them, "If I tell you one of the things which he told
me, you
will pick up stones and throw them at me; a fire will come out of the
stones
and burn you up."
Jesus said to them, "If you fast, you will give rise to sin for
yourselves; and
if you pray, you will be condemned; and if you give alms, you will do
harm to
your spirits. When you go into any land and walk about in the
districts, if
they receive you, eat what they will set before you, and heal the
sick among
them. For what goes into your mouth will not defile you, but that
which issues
from your mouth - it is that which will defile you."
Jesus said, "When you see one who was not born of woman, prostrate
yourselves
on your faces and worship him. That one is your Father."
Jesus said, "Men think, perhaps, that it is peace which I have come
to cast
upon the world. They do not know that it is dissension which I have
come to
cast upon the earth: fire, sword, and war. For there will be five in
a house:
three will be against two, and two against three, the father against
the son,
and the son against the father. And they will stand solitary."
Jesus said, "I shall give you what no eye has seen and what no ear
has heard
and what no hand has touched and what has never occurred to the human
mind."
The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us how our end will be."
Jesus said, "Have you discovered, then, the beginning, that you look
for the
end? For where the beginning is, there will the end be. Blessed is he
who will
take his place in the beginning; he will know the end and will not
experience
*death*."
Jesus said, "Blessed is he who came into being before he came into
being. If
you become My disciples and listen to My words, these stones will
minister to
you. For there are five trees for you in Paradise which remain
undisturbed
summer and winter and whose leaves do not fall. Whoever becomes
acquainted with
them will not experience *death*."
The disciples said to Jesus, "Tell us what the Kingdom of Heaven is
like."
He said to them, "It is like a mustard seed, the smallest of all
seeds. But
when it falls on tilled soil, it produces a great plant and becomes a
shelter
for birds of the sky."
Mary said to Jesus, "Whom are Your disciples like?"
He said, "They are like children who have settled in a field which is
not
theirs. When the owners of the field come, they will say, 'Let us
have back our
field.' They (will) undress in their presence in order to let them
have back
their field and give it back to them. Therefore I say to you, if the
owner of a
house knows that the thief is coming, he will begin his vigil before
he comes
and will not let him into his house of his domain to carry away his
goods. You,
then, be on your guard against the world. Arm yourselves with great
strength
lest the robbers find a way to come to you, for the difficulty which
you expect
will (surely) materialize. Let there be among you a man of
understanding. When
the grain ripened, he came quickly with his sickle in his hand and
reaped it.
Whoever has ears to hear, let him hear."
Jesus saw infants being suckled. He said to His disciples, "These
infants being
suckled are like those who enter the Kingdom."
They said to Him, "Shall we then, as children, enter the Kingdom?"
Jesus said to them, "When you make the two one, and when you make the
inside
like the outside and the outside like the inside, and the above like
the below,
and when you make the male and the female one and the same, so that
the male
not be male nor the female female; and when you fashion eyes in the
place of an
eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot,
and a
likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter [the Kingdom]."
Jesus said, "I shall choose you, one out of a thousand, and two out
of ten
thousand, and they shall stand as a single one."
His disciples said to Him, "Show us the place where You are, since it
is
necessary for us to seek it."
He said to them, "Whoever has ears, let him hear. There is light
within a man
of light, and he (or "it") lights up the whole world. If he (or "it")
does not
shine, he (or "it") is darkness."
Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the
pupil of your
eye."
Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brothers eye, but you do not
see the beam
in your own eye. When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you
will see
clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye."
<Jesus said,> "If you do not fast as regards the world, you
will not find
the Kingdom. If you do not observe the Sabbath as a Sabbath, you will
not see
the Father."
Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I
appeared to them
in the flesh. I found all of them intoxicated; I found none of them
thirsty.
And My soul became afflicted for the sons of men, because they are
blind in
their hearts and do not have sight; for empty they came into the
world, and
empty too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are
intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."
Jesus said, "If the flesh came into being because of spirit, it is a
wonder.
But if spirit came into being because of the body, it is a wonder of
wonders.
Indeed, I am amazed at how this great wealth has made its home in
this poverty."
Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there
are two or
one, I am with him."
Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician
heals
those who know him."
Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified
cannot fall,
nor can it be hidden."
Jesus said, "Preach from your housetops that which you will hear in
your ear
{(and) in the other ear}. For no one lights a lamp and puts it under
a bushel,
nor does he put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets it on a
lampstand so
that everyone who enters and leaves will see its light."
Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall
into a pit."
Jesus said, "It is not possible for anyone to enter the house of a
strong man
and take it by force unless he binds his hands; then he will (be able
to)
ransack his house."
Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from
evening
until morning about what you will wear."
His disciples said, "When will You become revealed to us and when
shall we see
You?"
Jesus said, "When you disrobe without being ashamed and take up your
garments
and place them under your feet like little children and tread on
them, then
[will you see] the Son of the Living One, and you will not be afraid"
Jesus said, "Many times have you desired to hear these words which I
am saying
to you, and you have no one else to hear them from. There will be
days when you
look for Me and will not find Me."
Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scribes have taken the keys of
Knowledge and
hidden them. They themselves have not entered, nor have they allowed
to enter
those who wish to. You, however, be as wise as serpents and as
innocent as
doves."
Jesus said, "A grapevine has been planted outside of the Father, but
being
unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed."
Jesus said, "Whoever has something in his hand will receive more, and
whoever
has nothing will be deprived of even the little he has."
Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
His disciples said to him, "Who are You, that You should say these
things to
us?"
<Jesus said to them,> "You do not realize who I am from what I
say to
you, but you have become like the Jews, for they (either) love the
tree and
hate its fruit or love the fruit and hate the tree."
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."
Jesus said, "Grapes are not harvested from thorns, nor are figs
gathered from
thistles, for they do not produce fruit. A good man brings forth good
from his
storehouse; an evil man brings forth evil things from his evil
storehouse,
which is in his heart, and says evil things. For out of the abundance
of the
heart he brings forth evil things."
Jesus said, "Among those born of women, from Adam until John the
Baptist, there
is no one so superior to John the Baptist that his eyes should not be
lowered
(before him). Yet I have said whichever one of you comes to be a
child will be
acquainted with the Kingdom and will become superior to John."
Jesus said, "It is impossible for a man to mount two horses or to
stretch two
bows. And it is impossible for a servant to serve two masters;
otherwise he
will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously. No man drinks
old wine
and immediately desires to drink new wine. And new wine is not put
into old
wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine put into a new wineskin,
lest it
spoil it. An old patch is not sewn onto a new garment, because a tear
would
result."
Jesus said, "If two make peace with each other in this one house,
they will say
to the mountain, 'Move Away,' and it will move away."
Jesus said, "Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you will find
the Kingdom.
For you are from it, and to it you will return."
Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to
them, 'We
came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its
own
accord and established [itself] and became manifest through their
image.' If
they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the
elect of
the Living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father
in you?',
say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"
His disciples said to Him, "When will the repose of the dead come
about, and
when will the new world come?"
He said to them, "What you look forward to has already come, but you
do not
recognize it."
His disciples said to Him, "Twenty-four prophets spoke in Israel, and
all of
them spoke in You."
He said to them, "You have omitted the one living in your presence
and have
spoken (only) of the dead."
His disciples said to Him, "Is circumcision beneficial or not?"
He said to them, "If it were beneficial, their father would beget
them already
circumcised from their mother. Rather, the true circumcision in
spirit has
become completely profitable."
Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of
Heaven."
Jesus said, "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother cannot
become a
disciple to Me. And whoever does not hate his brothers and sisters
and take up
his cross in My way will not be worthy of Me."
Jesus said, "Whoever has come to understand the world has found
(only) a
corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world."
Jesus said, "The Kingdom of the Father is like a man who had [good]
seed. His
enemy came by night and sowed weeds among the good seed. The man did
not allow
them to pull up the weeds; he said to them, 'I am afraid that you
will go
intending to pull up the weeds and pull up the wheat along with
them.' For on
the day of the harvest the weeds will be plainly visible, and they
will be
pulled up and burned."
Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life."
Jesus said, "Take heed of the Living One while you are alive, lest
you die and
seek to see Him and be unable to do so."
<They saw> a Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea. He
said to
his disciples, "(Why does) that man (carry) the lamb around?"
They said to him, "So that he may kill it and eat it."
He said to them, "While it is alive, he will not eat it, but only
when he has
killed it and it has become a corpse."
They said to him, "He cannot do so otherwise."
He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within the
Repose,
lest you become a corpse and be eaten."
Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and other will
live."
Salome said to him, "Who are You, man, that You, as though from the
One, have
come up on my couch and eaten from my table?"
Jesus said to her, "I am He who exists from the Undivided. I was
given some of
the things of my Father."
<Salome said,> "I am Your disciple."
<Jesus said to her,> "Therefore I say, if he is
<undivided>, he
will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled
with
darkness."
Jesus said, "It is to those [who are worthy of My] mysteries that I
tell My
mysteries. Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is
doing."
Jesus said, "There was a rich man who had much money. He said, 'I
shall put my
money to use so that I may sow, reap, plant, and fill my storehouse
with
produce, with the result that I shall lack nothing. Such were his
intentions,
but that same night he died. Let him who has ears hear."
Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had prepared
the dinner,
he sent his servant to invite guests. He went to the first one and
said to him,
"My master invites you.' He said, 'I have claims against some
merchants. They
are coming to me this evening. I must go and give them my orders. I
ask to be
excused from the dinner.' He went to another and said, 'My master has
invited
you.' He said to him, 'I have just bought a house and am required for
the day.
I shall not have any spare time.' He went to another and said to him,
'My
master invites you.' He said to him, 'My friend is going to get
married, and I
am to prepare the banquet. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be
excused
from the dinner.' He went to another and said to him, 'My master
invites you.'
He said to him, 'I have just bought a farm, and I am on my way to
collect the
rent. I shall not be able to come. I ask to be excused.' The servant
returned
and said to his master, 'Those whom you invited to the dinner have
asked to be
excused.' The master said to his servant, 'Go outside to the streets
and bring
back those whom you happen to meet, so that they may dine.'
Businessmen and
merchants will not enter the Places of My Father."
He said, "There was a good man who owned a vineyard. He leased it to
tenant
farmers so that they might work it and he might collect the produce
from them.
He sent his servant so that the tenants might give him the produce of
the
vineyard. They seized his servant and beat him, all but killing him.
The
servant went back and told his master. The master said, 'Perhaps
<they>
did not recognize <him>.' He sent another servant. The tenants
beat this
one as well. Then the owner sent his son and said, 'Perhaps they will
show
respect to my son.' Because the tenants knew that it was he who was
the heir to
the vineyard, they seized him and killed him. Let him who has ears
hear."
Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That
one is
the cornerstone."
Jesus said, "Whoever believes that the All itself is deficient is
(himself)
completely deficient."
Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted.
Wherever you
have been persecuted they will find no Place."
Jesus said, "Blessed are they who have been persecuted within
themselves. It is
they who have truly come to know the Father. Blessed are the hungry,
for the
belly of him who desires will be filled."
Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring
forth will
save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do
not bring
forth will destroy you."
Jesus said, "I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to
rebuild
it."
[A man said] to Him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's
possessions with
me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made Me a divider?"
He turned to His disciples and said to them, "I am not a divider, am
I?"
Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few. Beseech
the Lord,
therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."
He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but
there is
nothing in the cistern."
Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary
who will
enter the bridal chamber."
Jesus said, "The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant who had a
consignment
of merchandise and who discovered a pearl. That merchant was shrewd.
He sold
the merchandise and bought the pearl alone for himself. You too, seek
his
unfailing and enduring treasure where no moth comes near to devour
and no worm
destroys."
Jesus said, "It is I who am the light which is above them all. It is
I who am
the All. From Me did the All come forth, and unto Me did the All
extend. Split
a piece of wood, and I am there. Lift up the stone, and you will find
Me there."
Jesus said, "Why have you come out into the desert? To see a reed
shaken by the
wind? And to see a man clothed in fine garments like your kings and
your great
men? Upon them are the fine [garments], and they are unable to
discern the
truth."
A woman from the crowd said to Him, "Blessed are the womb which bore
You and
the breasts which nourished You."
He said to her, "Blessed are those who have heard the word of the
Father and
have truly kept it. For there will be days when you will say,
'Blessed are the
womb which has not conceived and the breasts which have not given
milk.'"
Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but
he who has
found the body is superior to the world."
Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who
possesses
power renounce it."
Jesus said, "He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who is far
from Me is
far from the Kingdom."
Jesus said, "The images are manifest to man, but the light in them
remains
concealed in the image of the light of the Father. He will become
manifest, but
his image will remain concealed by his light."
Jesus said, "When you see your likeness, you rejoice. But when you
see your
images which came into being before you, and which neither die not
become
manifest, how much you will have to bear!"
Jesus said, "Adam came into being from a great power and a great
wealth, but he
did not become worthy of you. For had he been worthy, [he would] not
[have
experienced] *death*."
Jesus said, "[The foxes have their holes] and the birds have [their]
nests, but
the Son of Man has no place to lay his head and rest."
Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependant upon a body, and
wretched
is the soul that is dependent on these two."
Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you and give
you those
things you (already) have. And you too, give them those things which
you have,
and say to yourselves, 'When will they come and take what is
theirs?'"
Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not
realize that he
who made he inside is the same one who made the outside?"
Jesus said, "Come unto me, for My yoke is easy and My lordship is
mild, and you
will find repose for yourselves."
They said to Him, "Tell us who You are so that we may believe in
You."
He said to them, "You read the face of the sky and of the earth, but
you have
not recognized the one who is before you, and you do not know how to
read this
moment."
Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked Me about in
former
times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but
you do
not enquire after it."
<Jesus said,> "Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they
throw them on
the dung-heap. Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they grind it
[to bits]."
Jesus [said], "He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks] will be
let in."
[Jesus said,] "If you have money, do not lend it at interest, but
give [it] to
one from whom you will not get it back."
Jesus [said], "The Kingdom of the Father is like a certain woman. She
took a
little leaven, [concealed] it in some dough, and made it into large
loaves. Let
him who has ears hear."
Jesus said, "The Kingdom of the [Father] is like a certain woman who
was
carrying a jar full of meal. While she was walking [on] a road, still
some
distance from home, the handle of the jar broke and the meal emptied
out behind
her on the road. She did not realize it; she had noticed no accident.
When she
reached her house, she set the jar down and found it empty."
Jesus said, "The Kingdom of the Father is like a certain man who
wanted to kill
a powerful man. In his own house he drew his sword and stuck it into
the wall
in order to find out whether his hand could carry through. Then he
slew the
powerful man."
The disciples said to Him, "Your brothers and Your mother are
standing
outside."
He said to them, "Those here who do the will of My Father are My
brothers and
My mother. It is they who will enter the Kingdom of My Father."
They showed Jesus a gold coin and said to Him, "Caesar's men demand
taxes from
us."
He said to them, "Give Caesar what belongs to Caesar, give God what
belongs to
God, and give Me what is Mine."
<Jesus said,> "Whoever does not hate his father and his mother
as I do
cannot become a disciple to Me. And whoever does [not] love his
father and his
mother as I do cannot become a [disciple] to Me. For My mother [gave
me
falsehood], but [My] true [Mother] gave me life."
Jesus said, "Woe to the Pharisees, for they are like a dog sleeping
in the
manger of oxen, for neither does he eat nor does he let the oxen
eat."
Jesus said, "Fortunate is the man who knows where the brigands will
enter, so
that he may get up, muster his domain, and arm himself before they
invade."
They said [to Jesus], "Come, let us pray today and let us fast."
Jesus said, "What is the sin that I have committed, or wherein have I
been
defeated? But when the bridegroom leaves the bridal chamber, then let
them fast
and pray."
Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be called
the son of a
harlot."
Jesus said, "When you make the two one, you will become the sons of
man, and
when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will move away."
Jesus said, "The Kingdom is like a shepherd who had a hundred sheep.
One of
them, the largest, went astray. He left the ninety-nine sheep and
looked for
that one until he found it. When he had gone to such trouble, he said
to the
sheep, 'I care for you more than the ninety-nine.'"
Jesus said, "He who will drink from my mouth will become like Me. I
myself
shall become he, and the things that are hidden will become revealed
to him."
Jesus said, "The Kingdom is like a man who had a [hidden] treasure in
his field
without knowing it. And [after] he died, he left it to his son. The
son did not
know (about the treasure). He inherited the field and sold [it]. And
the one
who bought it went plowing and found the treasure. He began to lend
money at
interest to whomever he wished."
Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him
renounce the
world."
Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your
presence. And
one who lives from the Living One will not see *death*." Does not Jesus
say,
"Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the
soul that
depends on the flesh."
His disciples said to Him, "When will the Kingdom come?"
<Jesus said,> "It will not come by waiting for it. It will not
be a
matter of saying 'Here it is' or 'There it is.' Rather, the Kingdom
of the
Father is spread out upon the earth, and men do not see it."
Simon Peter said to Him, "Let Mary leave us, for women are not worthy
of
Life."
Jesus said, "I myself shall lead her in order to make her male, so
that she too
may become a living spirit resembling you males. For every woman who
will make
herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven."
Further Reading