[The Gospel of Thomas index]
[The Coptic Gospel of Thomas]
[Seven by Nine Squares homepage]
Fragments of Greek Gospel of Thomas
1. Index of Sayings
1
, 2
, 3
, 4
, 5
, 6
, 27
, 28
, 30/77
, 31
, 32
, --
, 36
, 37
2. Commentary
Several fragments of a Greek version of Thomas were found among the
Oxyrhynchys
Papyri in the late 19th century. These fragments consist of the
preamble, and
sayings 1-6, 26-28, 30-32, 36-38, and 39, as well as a saying not
found in the
Coptic version, which follows 32. These fragments are found on
Oxyrhynchus
Papyri 1, 654, and 655. Generally, the sayings are essentially the
same in both
versions. However, the equivalent of saying 30 adds the end of the
Coptic
version's saying 77.
The translation used here is a combination of translations by B.P.
Grenfell
and A.S. Hunt and Bentley Layton.
3. Text Aides
4. Text
These are the secret sayings which were spoken by Jesus the Living
One, and
which Judas, who is called Thomas, wrote down.
He said to them: "Whoever hears these words shall never taste *death*."
[Jesus said]: "Let him who seeks not cease until he finds, and when
he finds he
shall wonder; wondering he shall reign, and reigning shall rest."
Jesus said, "If those who attract 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 under
the earth,' then the fish of the sea will precede you. Rather, the
Kingdom of
God is inside of you, and it is outside of you. [Those who] become
acquainted
with [themselves] will find it; [and when you] become acquainted with
yourselves, [you will understand 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: "Let the old man who is full of days not hesitate to ask
the child
of seven days about the place of life; then he will live. For many
that are
first will be last, and last, first, and they will become a single
one."
Jesus said: "Recognize what is before your face and that which is
hidden from
the you will be revealed to you. For there is nothing hidden which
shall not be
made manifest, nor buried which shall not be raised."
His disciples asked him and said to him, "How do you want us to fast?
And how
shall we pray? And how [shall we] give alms? And what kind of diet
shall we
follow?" Jesus said, "Do not lie, and do not do what you hate, for
all things
are disclosed before truth. For there is nothing hidden which shall
not be
shown forth."
Jesus said: "Unless you fast to the world, you shall in no way find
the Kingdom
of God; and unless you sabbatize the Sabbath, you shall not see the
Father."
Jesus said: "I stood in the midst of the world, and in the flesh I
was seen by
them, and I found all drunken, and I found none among them thirsty.
And my soul
grieved over the souls of men, because they are blind in their heart
and see
not. [...]
Jesus said: "Where there are [two, they are not] without God, and
when there is
one alone, [I say,] I am with him. Raise the stone, and there you
will find me;
cleave the wood, and there I am."
Jesus said: "A prophet is not acceptable in his own country, neither
does a
physician work cures upon those that know him."
Jesus said: "A city built on the top of a high hill and fortified can
neither
fall nor be hid."
Jesus said: "Thou hearest with one ear, [but the other thou has
closed].
Jesus said, "Do not worry from dawn to dusk and from dusk to dawn
about [what
food] you [will] eat, [or] what [clothing] you will wear. [You are
much] better
than the [lilies], which [neither] card nor spin. And for your part,
what [will
you wear] when you have no clothing? Who would add to your stature?
It is he
who will give you your clothing.
His disciples said to him, "When will you be visible to us, and when
shall we
behold you?" He said, "When you strip naked without being ashamed,
and take
your garments and put them under your feet like little children and
tread upon
them, then you will see the child of the Living, and you will not be
afraid."