Laws in the Gospel of Thomas

The Gospel of Thomas is from Nag Hammadi Codex II, 2. The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of traditional sayings (logoi) of Jesus, attributed to Didymos Judas Thomas, the "Doubting Thomas" of the canonical Gospels. The Coptic version of Thomas, from Codex II, 2, was probably written between 150-200 A.D. We have used Thomas O. Lambdin's translation.

Helmut Koester writes: "The influence of Gnostic theology is clearly present in the Gospel of Thomas, though it is not possible to ascribe the work to any particular school or sect. The collected saying are designated as 'the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke.' Thus the collection tends to be more esoteric: the key to understanding is the interpretation or secret meanings of the sayings, for 'whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death.'" – The Nag Hammadi Library

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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]. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

When you cast the beam out of your own eye, then you will see clearly to cast the mote from your brother's eye. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Christ said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods. Where there are two or one, I am with him." – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Be as wise as serpents and as innocent as doves. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Whichever one of you comes to be a child will be acquainted with the Kingdom. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

It is impossible for a servant to serve two masters; otherwise he will honor the one and treat the other contemptuously. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

If two make peace with each other in this one house, they will say to the mountain, 'Move away,' and it will move away. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Blessed are the solitary and elect, for you will find the Kingdom; for you are from it, and to it you will return. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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.'" – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Whoever has come to understand the world has found (only) a corpse, and whoever has found a corpse is superior to the world. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Take heed of the Living One while you are alive, lest you die and seek to see Him and be unable to do so. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Christ is he who exists from the Undivided. If a man is undivided, he will be filled with Light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Christ 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." – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Whoever believes that the All itself is deficient is (himself) completely deficient. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no Place. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Blessed are they who have been persecuted within themselves. It is they who have truly come to know the Father. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Seek unfailing and enduring treasure where no moth comes near to devour and no worm destroys. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Christ 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." – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Let him who possesses power renounce it. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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! – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Come unto me, for my yoke is easy and my lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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 inquire after it. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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]. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks] will be let in. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

When you make the two one, you will become the sons of man, and when you say, 'Mountain, move away,' it will move away. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Whoever finds himself is superior to the world. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

The Kingdom 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. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

Every woman who will make herself male will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. – Gospel of Thomas, Codex II, 2

• Back
• Next