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Nag Hammadi

The books of the Nag Hammadi Library

The Apocryphon of James

Apoc of James :1   “James writes to […]thos: Peace [be with you from] Peace, [love from] Love, [grace from] Grace, [faith] from Faith, life from Holy Life!”

Apoc of James :2   “Since you asked that I send you a secret book which was revealed to me and Peter by the Lord, I could not turn you away or gainsay () you; but I have written it in the Hebrew alphabet and sent it to you, and you alone.  But since you are a minister of the salvation of the saints, endeavor earnestly and take care not to rehearse this text to many – this that the Savior did not wish to tell to all of us, his twelve disciples.  But blessed will they be who will be saved through the faith of this discourse.”

Apoc of James :3   “I also sent you, ten months ago, another secret book which the Savior had revealed to me. Under the circumstances, however, I regard that one as revealed to me, James; but this one […].”

Apoc of James :4   “Now when the twelve disciples were all sitting together and recalling what the Savior had said to each one of them, whether in secret or openly, and [setting it in order] in books – but I was writing that which was in [my book] – lo, the Savior appeared, [after] he had departed from us, and we had waited for him.  And after five hundred and fifty days since he had risen from the dead, we said to him, “Have you departed and removed yourself from us?”

Apoc of James :5   “But Jesus said, “No, but I shall go to the place from whence I came.  If you wish to come with me, come!”

Apoc of James :6   “They all answered and said, “If you bid us, we come.”

Apoc of James :7   “He said, “Verily I say unto you, no one will ever enter the kingdom of heaven at my bidding, but (only) because you yourselves are full.  Leave James and Peter to me that I may fill them.”  And having called these two he drew them aside and bade the rest occupy themselves with that which they were about.

Apoc of James :8   “The Savior said, “You have received mercy […]. Do you not, then, desire to be filled?  And your heart is drunken; do you not, then, desire to be sober?  Therefore be ashamed! Henceforth, waking or sleeping, remember that you have seen the Son of Man, and spoken with him in person, and listened to him in person.  Woe to those who have seen the son of man; blessed will they be who have not seen the man, and they who have not consorted with him, and they who have not spoken with him, and they who have not listened to anything from him: yours is life!  Know, then, that he healed you when you were ill that you might reign.  Woe to those who have found relief from their illness, for they will relapse into illness.  Blessed will they be who have not been ill, and have known relief before falling ill: yours is the kingdom of God.  Therefore I say to you, become full and leave no space within you empty, for he who is coming can mock you.”

Apoc of James :9   “Then Peter replied, “Lo, three times you have told us, ‘Become filled’; [but] we are full.”

Apoc of James :10   “[The Savior answered] and said, “[For this cause I have said] to you, ‘[Become filled]’ that [you] may not [be in want.  They who are in want], however, will not [be saved].  For it is good to be full, and bad to be in want.  Hence, just as it is good that you (sing.) be in want and, conversely, bad that you be full, so he who is full is in want, and he who is in want does not become full as he who is in want becomes full, and he who has been filled, in turn, attains due perfection.  Therefore you must be in want while it is possible to fill you (pl.), and be full while it is possible for you to be in want, so that you may be able [to fill] yourselves the more.  Hence become full of the Spirit, but be in want of reason, for it is reason; the soul, in turn, is soul.”

Apoc of James :11   “But I answered and said to him, “Lord, we can obey you if you wish, for we have forsaken our fathers and our mothers and our villages and followed you.  Grant us not to be tempted by the devil, the evil one.”

Apoc of James :12   “The Lord answered and said, “What is your merit if you do the will of the Father and it is not given to you from him as a gift while you are tempted by Satan?  But if you are oppressed by Satan and persecuted and you do his (the Father’s) will, I [say] that he will love you, and make you equal with me, and reckon [you] to become beloved through his providence by your own choice.  So will you not cease loving the flesh and being afraid of sufferings?  Or do you not know that you have yet to be abused and to be accused unjustly; and have yet to be shut up in prison, and condemned unlawfully, and crucified <without> reason, and buried <shamefully>, as (was) I myself, by the evil one?  Do you dare to spare the flesh, you for whom the Spirit is an encircling wall?  If you consider how long the world existed <before> you, and how long it will exist after you, you will find that your life is one single day and your sufferings one single hour.  For the good will not enter into the world.  Scorn death, therefore, and take thought for life!  Remember my crucifixion and my death, and you will live!”

Apoc of James :13   “But I answered and said to him, “Lord, do not mention to us the crucifixion and death, for they are far from you.”

Apoc of James :14   “The Lord answered and said, “Verily I say unto you, none will be saved unless they believe in my crucifixion.  But those who have believed in my crucifixion, theirs is the kingdom of God.  Therefore become seekers for death, like the dead who seek for life, for that which they seek is revealed to them.  And what is there to trouble them?  As for you, when you examine death, it will teach you election.  Verily I say unto you, none of those who fear death will be saved; for the kingdom of God belongs to those who put themselves to death.  Become better than I; make yourselves like the son of the Holy Spirit!”

Apoc of James :15   “Then I asked him, “Lord, how shall we be able to prophesy to those who request us to prophesy to them?  For there are many who ask us, and look to us to hear an oracle from us.”

Apoc of James :16   “The Lord answered and said, “Do you not know that the head of prophesy was cut off with John?”

Apoc of James :17   “But I said, “Lord, can it be possible to remove the head of prophecy?”

Apoc of James :18   “The Lord said to me, “When you come to know what ‘head’ means, and that prophecy issues from the head, (then) understand the meaning of ‘Its head was removed.’  At first I spoke to you in parables and you did not understand; now I speak to you openly, and you (still) do not perceive.  Yet it was you who served me as a parable in parables, and as that which is open in the (words) that are open.”

Apoc of James :19   “Hasten to be saved without being urged! Instead, be eager of your own accord and, if possible, arrive even before me, for thus the Father will love you.”

Apoc of James :20   “Come to hate hypocrisy and the evil thought; for it is the thought that gives birth to hypocrisy; but hypocrisy is far from truth.”

Apoc of James :21   “Do not allow the kingdom of heaven to wither; for it is like a palm shoot whose fruit has poured down around it. It put forth leaves, and after they had sprouted they caused the pith to dry up.  So it is also with the fruit which had grown from this single root; when it had been picked (?), fruit was borne by many (?).  It (the root) was certainly good, (and) if it were possible to produce the new plants now, you (sing.) would find it(?)”

Apoc of James :22   “Since I have already been glorified in this fashion, why do you (pl.) hold me back in my eagerness to go?  For after the [end] you have compelled me to stay with you another eighteen days for the sake of the parables.  It was enough for some <to listen> to the teaching and understand ‘The Shepherds’ and ‘The Seed’ and ‘The Building’ and ‘The Lamps of the Virgins’ and ‘The Wage of the Workmen’ and ‘The Didrachmae’ and ‘The Woman.’

Apoc of James :23   “Become earnest about the word!  For as to the word, its first part is faith, the second, love, the third, works; for from these comes life.  For the word is like a grain of wheat: when someone had sown it, he had faith in it; and when it had sprouted, he loved it because he had seen many grains in place of one.  And when he had worked, he was saved because he had prepared it for food, (and) again he left (some) to sow.  So also can you yourselves receive the kingdom of heaven; unless you receive this through knowledge, you will not be able to find it.”

Apoc of James :24   “Therefore I say to you, be sober; do not be deceived!  And many times have I said to you all together, and also to you alone, James, have I said, be saved!  And I have commanded you (sing.) to follow me, and I have taught you what to say before the archons.  Observe that I have descended and have spoken and undergone tribulation and carried off my crown after saving you (pl.). For I came down to dwell with you so that you in turn might dwell with me. And, finding your houses unceiled, I have made my abode in the houses that could receive me at the time of my descent.”

Apoc of James :25   “Therefore trust in me, my brethren; understand what the great light is.  The Father has no need of me, for a father does not need a son; but it is the son who needs the father.  To him I go, for the Father of the Son has no need of you.”

Apoc of James :26   “Hearken to the word; understand knowledge; love life, and no one will persecute you, nor will anyone oppress you, other than you yourselves.”

Apoc of James :27   “O you wretches; O you unfortunates; O you pretenders to the truth; O you falsifiers of knowledge; O you sinners against the Spirit: can you still bear to listen when it behooved you to speak from the first?  Can you still bear to sleep, when it behooved you to be awake from the first, so that the kingdom of heaven might receive you?  Verily I say unto you, it is easier for a pure one to fall into defilement, and for a man of light to fall into darkness, than for you to reign or not reign.”

Apoc of James :28   “I remembered your tears and your mourning and your anguish; they are far behind us.  But now, you who are outside of the Father’s inheritance, weep where it is necessary, and mourn and preach what is good, as the Son is ascending as he should. Verily I say to you, had I been sent to those who listen to me, and had I spoken with them, I would never have come down to earth.  So, then, be ashamed before (?) them now!”

Apoc of James :29   “Behold, I shall depart from you and go away, and do not wish to remain with you any longer, just as you yourselves have not wished it.  Now, therefore, follow me quickly.  This is why I say to you, for your sakes I came down.  You are the beloved; you are they who will be the cause of life in many.  Invoke the Father, implore God often, and he will give to you.  Blessed is he who has seen you with Him when He was proclaimed among the angels, and glorified among the saints; yours is life.  Rejoice and be glad as sons of God.  Keep (his) will that you may be saved; accept reproof from me and save yourselves. I intercede on your behalf with the Father, and he will forgive you much.”

Apoc of James :30   “And when we had heard these words, we became glad, for we had been grieved at the words we have mentioned before. But when he saw us rejoicing, he said, “Woe to you, you who lack an advocate!  Woe to you, you who stand in need of grace!  Blessed will they be who have spoken out and obtained grace for themselves.  Liken yourselves to foreigners; of what sort are they in the eyes of your city?  Why are you disturbed when you cast yourselves away of your own accord and separate yourselves from your city?  Why do you abandon your dwelling place of your own accord, making it ready for those who want to dwell in it?  O you outcasts and fugitives: woe to you, for you will be caught!  Or do you perhaps think that the Father is a lover of mankind, or that he is won over without prayers, or that he grants remission to one on another’s behalf, or that he bears with one who asks? – For he knows the desire and also what it is that the flesh needs! – (Or do you think) that it is not this (flesh) that desires the soul?  For without the soul the body does not sin, just as the soul is not saved without spirit.  But if the soul is saved (when it is) without evil, and the spirit is also saved, then the body becomes free from sin.  For it is the spirit that quickens the soul, but the body that kills it; that is, it is it (the soul) which kills itself.  Verily I say unto you, he will not forgive the soul the sin by any means, nor the flesh the guilt; for none of those who have worn the flesh will be saved.  For do you think that many have found the kingdom of heaven?  Blessed is he who has seen himself as a fourth one in heaven!”

Apoc of James :31   “When we heard these words, we were distressed. But when he saw that we were distressed, he said, “For this cause I tell you this, that you may know yourselves.  For the kingdom of heaven is like an ear of grain after it had sprouted in a field.  And when it had ripened, it scattered its fruit and again filled the field with ears for another year.  You also: hasten to reap an ear of life for yourselves that you may be filled with the kingdom!”

Apoc of James :32   “And as long as I am with you, give heed to me and obey me; but when I depart from you, remember me.  And remember me because I was with you (and) you did not know me.  Blessed will they be who have known me; woe to those who have heard and have not believed.  Blessed will they be who have not seen yet [have believed].

Apoc of James :33   “And once more I prevail upon you, for I am revealed to you building a house which is of great value to you since you find shelter beneath it, just as it will be able to stand by your neighbors’ house when it threatens to fall.  Verily I say unto you, woe to those for whose sakes I was sent down to this place; blessed will they be who ascend to the Father.  Once more I reprove you, you who are: become like those who are not, that you may be with those who are not.”

Apoc of James :34   “Do not make the kingdom of heaven a desert within you.  Do not be proud because of the light that illumines, but be to yourselves as I myself am to you.  For your sakes I have placed myself under the curse, that you may be saved.”

Apoc of James :35   “But Peter replied to these words and said, “Sometimes you urge us on to the kingdom of heaven, and then again you turn us back, Lord; sometimes you persuade and draw us to faith and promise us life, and then again you cast us forth from the kingdom of heaven.”

Apoc of James :36   “But the Lord answered and said to us, “I have given you (pl.) faith many times; moreover, I have revealed myself to you (sing.), James, and you (pl.) have not known me.  Now again I see you (pl.) rejoicing many times; and when you are elated at the promise of life, are you yet sad, and do you grieve when you are instructed in the kingdom?  But you, through faith [and] knowledge, have received life. Therefore, disdain the rejection when you hear it, but when you hear the promise, rejoice the more.  Verily I say unto you, he who will receive life and believe in the kingdom will never leave it, not even if the Father wishes to banish him.”

Apoc of James :37   “These are the things that I shall tell you so far; now, however, I shall ascend to the place from whence I came. But you, when I was eager to go, have cast me out, and instead of accompanying me, you have pursued me.  But pay heed to the glory that awaits me and, having opened your heart, listen to the hymns that await me up in the heavens; for today I must take (my place at) the right hand of the Father.  But I have said (my) last word to you, and I shall depart from you, for a chariot of spirit has borne me aloft, and from this moment on I shall strip myself that I may clothe myself.  But give heed: blessed are they who have proclaimed the Son before his descent that, when I have come, I might ascend again). Thrice blessed are they who [were] proclaimed by the Son before they came to be, that you might have a portion among them.”

Apoc of James :38   Having said these words, he departed. But we bent (our) knee(s), I and Peter, and gave thanks and sent our heart(s) upward to heaven.  We heard with our ears, and saw with our eyes, the noise of wars and a trumpet blare and a great turmoil.”

Apoc of James :39   “And when we had passed beyond that place, we sent our mind(s) farther upward and saw with our eyes and heard with our ears hymns and angelic benedictions and angelic rejoicing. And heavenly majesties were singing praises, and we too rejoiced.”

Apoc of James :40   “After this again we wished to send our spirit upward to the Majesty, and after ascending we were not permitted to see or hear anything, for the other disciples called us and asked us, “What did you hear from the Master?  And what did he say to you?  And where has he gone?”

Apoc of James :41   “But we answered them, “He has ascended, and he has given us pledge and promised life to us all and revealed to us children who are to come after us, after bidding [us] love them, as we would be, [saved] for their sakes.”

Apoc of James :42   “And when they heard (this), they indeed believed the revelation, but were displeased about those to be born. And so, not wishing to arouse their resentment, I sent each one to another place.  But I myself went up to Jerusalem, praying that I might obtain a portion among the beloved, who will appear.”

Apoc of James :43   “And I pray that the beginning may come from you, for thus I shall be capable of salvation, since they will be enlightened through me, by my faith – and through another light that is better than mine, for I would that mine be the lesser. Endeavor earnestly, then, to make yourself like them and I pray that you may obtain a portion among them.  For apart from the persons I have mentioned, the Savior did not give us the revelation. For their sake we proclaim indeed, a portion among those for whom the proclamation was made, those whom the Lord has made his children.”

“For the earnest expectation of the creation waits for the manifestation of the children of God.”

Romans 8:19

The Apocryphon of James Read More »

The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles

Acts of Peter :1   “[…] which […] purpose [… after …] us […] apostles […].  We sailed […] of the body. [Others] were not anxious in [their hearts].  And in our hearts, we were united.  We agreed to fulfill the ministry to which the Lord appointed us.  And we made a covenant with each other.”

Acts of Peter :2   “We went down to the sea at an opportune moment, which came to us from the Lord.  We found a ship moored at the shore ready to embark, and we spoke with the sailors of the ship about our coming aboard with them.  They showed great kindliness toward us as was ordained by the Lord.  And after we had embarked, we sailed a day and a night.  After that, a wind came up behind the ship and brought us to a small city in the midst of the sea.”

Acts of Peter :3   “And I, Peter, inquired about the name of this city from residents who were standing on the dock.  [A man] among [them] answered [saying, “The name] of this [city is Habitation, that is], Foundation […] endurance.”  And the leader [among them … holding] the palm branch at the edge of [the dock].  And after we had gone ashore [with the] baggage, I [went] into [the] city, to seek [advice] about lodging.”

Acts of Peter :4   “A man came out wearing a cloth bound around his waist, and a gold belt girded [it].  Also a napkin was tied over [his] chest, extending over his shoulders and covering his head and his arms.”

Acts of Peter :5   “I was staring at the man, because he was beautiful in his form and stature.  There were four parts of his body which I saw: the tops of his feet, and a part of his chest, and the palm of his hand, and his visage.  These things I was able to see.  A book cover like (those of) my books was in his left hand.  A staff of styrax wood was in his right hand.  His voice was resounding as he slowly spoke, crying out in the city, “Pearls!  Pearls!”

<Jesus said,> “Do not give what is holy to the 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 :93 & Matthew 7:6

Acts of Peter :6   “I, indeed, thought he was a man [of] that city. I said to him “My brother and my friend!”  [He answered] me, [then, saying, “Rightly] did you say, ‘[My brother and] my friend.’ What is it you [seek] from me?” I said to him, “[I ask] you [about] lodging for me [and the] brothers also, because we are strangers here.” He said [to] me, “For this reason have I myself just said, ‘My brother and my friend,’  because I also am a fellow stranger like you.”

Acts of Peter :7   “And having said these things, he cried out, “Pearls!  Pearls!” The rich men of that city heard his voice.  They came out of their hidden storerooms.  And some were looking out from the storerooms of their houses. Others looked out from their upper windows.  And they did not see (that they could gain) anything from him, because there was no pouch on his back, nor bundle inside his cloth  and napkin.  And because of their disdain they did not even acknowledge him.  He for his part, did not reveal himself to them.  They returned to their storerooms, saying, “This man is mocking us.”

Acts of Peter :8   “And the poor [of that city] heard [his voice, and they came to] the man [who sells pearls.  They said, “We] beseech you to [show us a] pearl [so that we may], then, [see] it with our (own) eyes.  For we are [poor].  And we do not have this price to pay for it.  But [allow us] to say to our friends that [we saw] a pearl with our (own) eyes.”  He answered, saying to them, “If it is possible, come to my city, so that I may not only show it before your (very) eyes, but give it to you for nothing.”

Acts of Peter :9   “And indeed they, the poor of that city, heard and said, “Since we are beggars, we surely know that a man does not give a pearl to a beggar, but (it is) bread and money that is usually received.  Now then, the kindness which we want to receive from you (is) that you show us the pearl before our eyes. And we will say to our friends proudly that we saw a pearl with our (own) eyes”, because it is not found among the poor, especially such beggars (as these).  He answered (and) said to them, “If it is possible, you yourselves come to my city, so that I may not only show you it, but give it to you for nothing.”  The poor and the beggars rejoiced because of the man [who gives for] nothing.”

Acts of Peter :10   “[The men asked Peter] about the hardships. Peter answered [that it was impossible to tell] those things that he had heard about the hardships of [the] way, because [interpreters were] difficult […] in their ministry.”

Acts of Peter :11   “He said to the man who sells this pearl, “I want to know your name and the hardships of the way to your city because we are strangers and servants of God. It is necessary for us to spread the word of God in every city harmoniously.”  He answered and said, “If you seek my name, Lithargoel is my name, the interpretation of which is, the light, gazelle-like(?) stone.”  (“gazelle” in Hebrew is #6643, “splendor/splendid” in the sense of “prominent” – Grk #3037, lithos; “stone” + #696, argos: “shining”) =>  shining stone of God

Acts of Peter :12   “And also (concerning) the road to the city, which you asked me about, I will tell you about it.  No man is able to go on that road, except one who has forsaken everything that he has and has fasted daily from stage to stage.  For many are the robbers and wild beasts on that road.  The one who carries bread with him on the road, the black dogs kill because of the bread. The one who carries a costly garment of the world with him, the robbers kill [because of the] garment.  [The one who carries] water [with him, the wolves kill because of the water], since they were thirsty [for] it. [The one who] is anxious about [meat] and green vegetables, the lions eat because of the meat.  [If] he evades the lions, the bulls devour him because of the green vegetables.”

Acts of Peter :13   “When he had said [these] things to me, I sighed within myself saying, “[Great] hardships are on the road! If only Jesus would give us power to walk it!”  He looked at me since my face was sad, and I sighed.  He said to me, “Why do you sigh, if you, indeed, know this name ‘Jesus’ and believe him?  He is a great power for giving strength.  For I too believe in the Father who sent him.”

Acts of Peter :14   “I replied, asking him, “What is the name of the place to which you go, your city?”  He said to me, “This is the name of my city, ‘Nine Gates.’  Let us praise God as we are mindful that the tenth is the head.” After this I went away from him in peace.”

Acts of Peter :15   “As I was about to go and call my friends, I saw waves and large high walls surrounding the bounds of the city.  I marveled at the great things I saw. I saw an old man sitting and I asked him if the name of the city was really [Habitation].  He […], “[Habitation …].”  He said to me, “[You speak] truly, for we [inhabit] here because [we] endure.”

Acts of Peter :16   “[I responded], saying, “Justly […] have men named it […], because (by) everyone [who] endures his trial, cities are inhabited; and a precious kingdom comes from them, because they endure in the midst of the apostasies and the difficulties of the storms.  So that in this way, the city of everyone who endures the burden of his yoke of faith will be inhabited, and he will be included in the kingdom of heaven.”

Acts of Peter :17   “I hurried and went and called my friends so that we might go to the city which he, Lithargoel, appointed for us.  In a bond of faith we forsook everything as he had said (to do).  We evaded the robbers, because they did not find their garments with us.  We evaded the wolves, because they did not find the water with us for which they thirsted.  We evaded the lions, because they did not find the desire for meat with us.  [We evaded the bulls … they did not find] green vegetables.”

Acts of Peter :18   “A great joy [came upon] us [and a] peaceful carefreeness [like that of] our Lord. We [rested ourselves] in front of the gate, [and] we talked with each other [about that] which is not a distraction of this [world].  Rather we continued in contemplation of the faith.”

Acts of Peter :19   “As we discussed the robbers on the road, whom we evaded, behold Lithargoel, having changed, came out to us.  He had the appearance of a physician, since an unguent box was under his arm, and a young disciple was following him, carrying a pouch full of medicine.  We did not recognize him.”

Acts of Peter :20   “Peter responded and said to him, “We want you to do us a favor, because we are strangers, and take us to the house of Lithargoel before evening comes.”  He said, “In uprightness of heart I will show it to you.  But I am amazed at how you knew this good man.  For he has not revealed himself to every man, because he himself is the son of a great king.  Rest yourselves a little so that I may go and heal this man and come (back).”  He hurried and came (back) quickly.”

Acts of Peter :21   “He said to Peter, “Peter!”  And Peter was frightened, for how did he know that his name was Peter?  Peter responded to the Savior, “How do you know me, for you called my name?”  Lithargoel answered, “I want to ask you who gave the name Peter to you?” He said to him, “It was Jesus Christ, the son of the living God.  He gave this name to me.”  He answered and said, “It is I!  Recognize me, Peter.” He loosened his garment, which clothed him, the one into which he had changed himself because of us, revealing to us in truth that it was he.”

Acts of Peter :22   “We prostrated ourselves on the ground and worshipped him.  We comprised eleven disciples.  He stretched forth his hand and caused us to stand.  We spoke with him humbly.  Our heads were bowed down in unworthiness as we said, “What you wish we will do.  But give us power to do what you wish at all times.”

Acts of Peter :23   “He gave them the unguent box and the pouch that was in the hand of the young disciple.  He commanded them like this, saying, “Go into [the] city from which you came, which is called Habitation.  Continue in endurance as you teach all those who have believed in my name, because I have endured in hardships of the faith. I will give you your reward. To the poor of that city give what they need in order to live until I give them what is better, which I told you that I will give you for nothing.”

Acts of Peter :24   “Peter answered and said to him, “Lord, you have taught us to forsake the world and everything in it. We have renounced them for your sake.  What we are concerned about (now) is the food for a single day.  Where will we be able to find the needs that you ask us to provide for the poor?”

Acts of Peter :25   “The Lord answered and said,  “O Peter, it was necessary that you understand the parable that I told you!  Do you not understand that my name, which you teach, surpasses all riches, and the wisdom of God surpasses gold, and silver, and precious stone(s)?”

Acts of Peter :26   “He gave them the pouch of medicine and said, “Heal all the sick of the city who believe [in] my name.” Peter was afraid [to] reply to him for the second time.  He signaled to the one who was beside him, who was John: “You talk this time.”  John answered and said, “Lord, before you we are afraid to say many words. But it is you who asks us to practice this skill. We have not been taught to be physicians. How then will we know how to heal bodies as you have told us?”

Acts of Peter :27   “He answered him, “Rightly have you spoken, John, for I know that the physicians of this world heal what belongs to the world.  The physicians of souls, however, heal the heart.  Heal the bodies first, therefore, so that through the real powers of healing for their bodies, without medicine of the world, they may believe in you, that you have power to heal the illnesses of the heart also.”

Acts of Peter :28   “The rich men of the city, however, those who did not see fit even to acknowledge me, but who reveled in their wealth and pride, with such as these, therefore, do not dine in [their] house nor be friends with them, lest their partiality influence you. For many in the churches have shown partiality to the rich, because they also are sinful, and they give occasion for others to do (likewise).  But judge them with uprightness, so that your ministry may be glorified, and (so that) I too, and my name, may be glorified in the churches.”  The disciples answered and said, “Yes, truly this is what is fitting to do.”

Acts of Peter :29   “They prostrated themselves on the ground and worshipped him.  He caused them to stand and departed from them in peace.  Amen.”

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The Gospel According to Thomas

From the Nag Hammadi Library in English

These are the secret words which the Living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote.

Thom :1   “And he said, “Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death.”

Thom :2   “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.”

Thom :3   “Jesus said, “If those who lead you say to you, ‘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 if you who are that poverty.”  (Herm Tri 2:50)

Thom :4   “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.”

Thom :5   “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.”

Thom :6   “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.”

Thom :7   “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.”

Thom :8   “And He said, “The man 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.”

Thom :9   “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 rock, did not take root 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.”

Thom :10   “Jesus said, “I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes.”

Thom :11   “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?”

Thom :12   “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.”

Thom :13   “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 who you are like.”   Jesus said, “I am not your master.  Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated from 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.”

Thom :14   “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 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.”

Thom :15   “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.”

Thom :16   “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 comer 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.”

Thom :17   “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.”

Thom :18   “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.”

Thom :19   “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.”

Thom :20   “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.”

Thom :21   “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 their field and to 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 dig through 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.”

Thom :22   “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 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].”

Thom :23   “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.”

Thom :24   “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 lights up the whole world.  If he does not shine, he is darkness.”

Thom :25   “Jesus said, “Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye.”

Thom :26   “Jesus said, “You see the mote in your brother’s 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.”

Thom :27   “<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.”

Thom :28   “Jesus said, “I took My place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in the flesh.  I found them all 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 they seek to leave the world.  But for a moment they are intoxicated.  When they shake off their wine, they will repent.”

Thom :29   “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.”

Thom :30   “Jesus said, “Where there are three gods, they are gods.  Where there are two or one, I am with him.”

Thom :31   “Jesus said, “No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him.”

Thom :32   “Jesus said, “A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden.”

Thom :33   “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.”

Thom :34   “Jesus said, “If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit.”

Thom :35   “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.”

Thom :36   “Jesus said, “Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear.”

Thom :37   “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 [you will see] the Son of the Living One, and you will not be afraid.”

Thom :38   “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 will look for me and will not find me.”

Thom :39   “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.”

Thom :40   “Jesus said, “A grapevine has been planted outside of the Father, but being unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots and destroyed.”

Thom :41   “Jesus said, “Whoever has something in his hand will receive more, and whoever has nothing will be deprived of even the little he has.”

Thom :42   “Jesus said, “Become passers-by.”

Thom :43   “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.”

Thom :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.”

Thom :45   “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 things 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.”

Thom :46   “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.”

Thom :47   “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.”

Thom :48   “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.”

Thom :49   “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.”

Thom :50   “Jesus said, “If they say to you, ‘Where did you come from?’, then 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, and 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.’“

Thom :51   “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.”

Thom :52   “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.”

Thom :53   “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.”

Thom :54   “Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.”

Thom :55   “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.”

Thom :56   “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.”

Thom :57   “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.”

Thom :58   “Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life.”

Thom :59   “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.”

Thom :60   “<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 otherwise.”   He said to them, “You too, look for a place for yourselves within Repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten.”

Thom :61   “Jesus said, “Two will rest on a bed; the one will die, and other will live.” Salome said, “who are you, man, that you, as though from the One, (or: as <whose son>, that you) 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.”

Thom :62   “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.”

Thom :63   “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 the same night he died.  Let him who has ears hear.”

Thom :64   “Jesus said, “A man had received visitors.  And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite the 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 to him, ‘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.”

Thom :65   “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.”

Thom :66   “Jesus said, “Show me the stone which the builders rejected.  That one is the cornerstone.”

Thom :67   “Jesus said, “Whoever believes that the All itself is deficient is (himself) completely deficient.”

Thom :68   “Jesus said, “Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted.  Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no Place.”

Thom :69   “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.”

Thom :70   “Jesus said, “That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves.  That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you.”

Thom :71   “Jesus said, “I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to rebuild it.”

Thom :72   “[A man said] to him, “Tell my brothers to divide my father’s possessions with me.”   He said to him, “O man, who made Me a divider?”   He turned to his disciples and said to them, “I am not a divider, am I?”

Thom :73   “Jesus said, “The harvest is great but the laborers are few.  Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest.”

Thom :74   “He said, “O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern.”

Thom :75   “Jesus said, “Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber.”

Thom :76   “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.”

Thom :77   “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.”

Thom :78   “Jesus said, “Why have you come out to 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.”

Thom :79   “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.’“

Thom :80   “Jesus said, “He who recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world.”

Thom :81   “Jesus said, “Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who possesses power renounce it.”

Thom :82   “Jesus said, “He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who is far from Me is far from the Kingdom.”

Thom :83   “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.”

Thom :84   “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 nor become manifest, how much you will have to bear!”

Thom :85   “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.”

Thom :86   “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.”

Thom :87   “Jesus said, “Wretched is the body that is dependent upon the body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two.”

Thom :88   “Jesus said, “The angels and the prophets will come to you and give to 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.”

Thom :89   “Jesus said, “Why do you wash the outside of the cup?  Do you not realize that he who made the inside is the same one who made the outside?”

Thom :90   “Jesus said, “Come unto me, for My yoke is easy and My lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves.”

Thom :91   “They said to Hem, “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 (or: that which) is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment.”

Thom :92   “Jesus said, “Seek and you will find.  Yet you asked Me about former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not inquire after it.”

Thom :93   “<Jesus said,> “Do not give what is holy to the dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap.  Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they grind it [to bits].”

Thom :94   “Jesus [said], “He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks] will be let in.”

Thom :95   “[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.”

Thom :96   “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.”

Thom :97   “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 was empty.”

Thom :98   “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.”

Thom :99   “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.”

Thom :100   “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.”

Thom :101   “<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.”

Thom :102   “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.”

Thom :103   “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.”

Thom :104   “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.”

Thom :105   “Jesus said, “He who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot.”

Thom :106   “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.”

Thom :107   “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 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.’“

Thom :108   “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 be revealed to him.”

Thom :109   “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.”

Thom :110   “Jesus said, “Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world.”

Thom :111   “Jesus said, “The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence.  And the one who lives from the Living One will not see death.”  Does not Jesus say, “Whoever finds himself is superior to the world”?

Thom :112   “Jesus said, “Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh.”

Thom :113   “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.”

Thom :114   “Simon Peter said to them, “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.”

The Gospel According to Thomas Read More »

The Gospel of Mary

From the Nag Hammadi Library in English

Gospel of Mary :1   “[…] (pp. 1‑6 missing) will matter then be [destroyed] or not?” The Savior said, “All natures, all formations, all creatures exist in and with one another, and they will be resolved again into their own roots.  For the nature of matter is resolved into (the roots of) its nature alone. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

Gospel of Mary :2   “Peter said to him, “Since you have explained everything to us, tell us this also: What is the sin of the world?” The Savior said, “There is no sin, but it is you who make sin when you do the things that are like the nature of adultery, which is called sin. That is why the Good came into your midst, to the essence of every nature, in order to restore it to its root.” Then he continued and said, “That is why you [become sick] and die, for […] of the one who […. He who] understands, let him understand. [Matter gave birth to] a passion that has no equal, which proceeded from (something) contrary to nature.  Then there arises a disturbance in the whole body. That is why I said to you, ‘Be of good courage,’ and if you are discouraged, (be) encouraged in the presence of the different forms of nature. He who has ears to hear let him hear.”

Gospel of Mary :3   “When the blessed one had said this, he greeted them all, saying, “Peace be with you.  Receive my peace to yourselves.  Beware that no one lead you astray, saying, ‘Lo here!’ or ‘Lo there!’ For the Son of Man is within you. Follow after him! Those who seek him will find him.  Go then and preach the gospel of the kingdom.  Do not lay down any rules beyond what I appointed for you, and do not give a law like the lawgiver lest you be constrained by it.”  When he had said this, he departed.”

Gospel of Mary :4   “But they were grieved.  They wept greatly, saying, “How shall we go to the Gentiles and preach the gospel of the kingdom of the Son Of Man?  If they did not spare him, how will they spare us?”  Then Mary stood up, greeted them all, and said to her brethren, “Do not weep and do not grieve nor be irresolute, for his grace will be entirely with you and will protect you. But rather let praise his greatness, for he has prepared us (and) made us into men. When Mary said this, she turned their hearts to the Good, and they began to discuss the words of the [Savior].”

Gospel of Mary :5   “Peter said to Mary, “Sister, we know that the Savior loved you more than the rest of women.  Tell us the words of the Savior which you remember – which you know (but) we do not nor have we heard them.”  Mary answered and said,  “What is hidden from you I will proclaim to you.”  And she began to speak to them these words: “I,” she said, “I saw the Lord in a vision and I said to him, Lord, I saw you today in a vision.’ He answered and said to me, ‘Blessed are you, that you did not waver at the sight of me.  For where the mind is, there is the treasure.’ I said to him, ‘Lord, now does he who sees the vision see it <through> the soul <or> through the spirit?’ The Savior answered and said, ‘He does not see through the soul ‘ nor through the spirit, but the mind which [is] between the two – that is [what] sees the vision and it is […].” (pp. 11‑14 missing)

Gospel of Mary :6   “[…] it.  And desire said, ‘I did not see you descending, but now I see you ascending.  Why do you lie, since you belong to me?’ The soul answered and said, I saw you.  You did not see me nor recognize me. I served you as a garment, and you did not know me.’ When it had said this, it went away rejoicing greatly.”

Gospel of Mary :7   “Again it came to the third power, which is called ignorance.  [It (the power)] questioned the soul, saying, ‘Where are you going?  In wickedness are you bound. But you are bound; do not judge!’ And the soul said, ‘Why do you judge me, although I have not judged?  I was bound, though I have not bound.  I was not recognized. But I have recognized that the All is being dissolved, both the earthly (things) and the heavenly.”

Gospel of Mary :8   “When the soul had overcome the third power, it went upwards and saw the fourth power, (which) took seven forms.  The first form is darkness, the second desire, the third ignorance, the fourth is the excitement of death, the fifth is the kingdom of the flesh, the sixth is the foolish wisdom of flesh, the seventh is the wrathful wisdom.  These are the seven [powers] of wrath.  They ask the soul, ‘Whence do you come, slayer of men, or where are you going, conqueror of space?’ The soul answered ‘ and said, ‘What binds me has been slain, and what turns me about has been overcome, and my desire has been ended, and ignorance has died.  In a [world] I was released from a world, [and] in a type from a heavenly type, and (from) the fetter of oblivion which is transient. From this time on will I attain to the rest of the time, of the season, of the aeon, in silence.”

Gospel of Mary :9   “When Mary had said this, she fell silent, since it was to this point that the Savior had spoken with her.  But Andrew answered and said to the brethren, “Say what you (wish to) say about what she has said. I at least do not believe that the Savior said this.  For certainly these teachings are strange ideas.”  Peter answered and spoke concerning these same things. He questioned them about the Savior: “Did he really speak privately with a woman (and) not openly to us?  Are we to turn about and all listen to her?  Did he prefer her to us?”

Gospel of Mary :10   “Then Mary wept and said to Peter, “My brother Peter, what do you think?  Do you think that I thought this up myself in my heart, or that I am lying about the Savior?”  Levi answered and said to Peter, “Peter, you have always been hot-tempered. Now I see you contending against the woman like the adversaries. But if the Savior made her worthy, who are you indeed to reject her?  Surely the Savior knows her very well.  That is why he loved her more than us. Rather let us be ashamed and put on the perfect man, and separate as he commanded us and preach the gospel, not laying down any other rule or other law beyond what the Savior said.”  When […] and they began to go forth to proclaim and to preach.”

The Gospel of Mary Read More »

The Gospel of Philip

From the Nag Hammadi Library in English

Philip :1   “A Hebrew makes another Hebrew and such a person is called “proselyte” (convert).  But a convert does not make another convert. Some both exist just as they are and make others like themselves, while others simply exist.”

Philip :2   “The slave seeks only to be free, but he does not hope to acquire the estate of his master.  But the son is not only a son but lays claim to the inheritance of the father.  Those who are heirs to the dead are themselves dead, and they inherit the dead.  Those who are heirs to what is living are alive, and they are heirs to both what is living and the dead.  The dead are heirs to nothing.  For how can he who is dead inherit?  If he who is dead inherits what is living he will not die, but he who is dead will live even more.” 

Philip :3   “A Gentile does not die, for he has never lived in order that he may die.  He who has believed in the truth has found life,  and this one is in danger of dying, for he is alive.  Ever since Christ came the world is created, the cities adorned, the dead carried out.  When we were Hebrews we were orphans and had only our mother, but when we became Christians we had both father and mother.” 

Philip :4   “Those who sow in winter reap in summer.  The winter is the world, the summer the other aeon.  Let us sow in the world that we may reap in the summer.  Because of this it is fitting for us not to pray in the winter.  Summer follows winter.  But if any man reap in winter he will not actually reap but only pluck out, since this sort of thing will not provide [him] a harvest.  It is not only [now] that the fruit will [not] come forth, but also on the Sabbath [his field] is barren.”

Philip :5   “Christ came to ransom some, to save others, to redeem others.  He ransomed those who were strangers and made them his own.  And he set his own apart, those whom he gave as a pledge in his will.  It was not only when he appeared that he voluntarily laid down his life, but he voluntarily laid down his life from the very day the world came into being.  Then he came forth in order to take it, since it had been given as a pledge.  It fell into the hands of robbers and was taken captive, but he saved it.  He redeemed the good people in the world as well as the evil.”

Philip :6   “Light and darkness, life and death, right and left, are brothers of one another.  They are inseparable.  Because of this neither are the good good, nor the evil evil, nor is life life, nor death death.  For this reason each one will dissolve into its original nature.  But those who are exalted above the world are indissoluble, eternal.”

Philip :7   “Names given to worldly things are very deceptive, for they divert our thoughts from what is correct to what is incorrect.  Thus one who hears the word “God” does not perceive what is correct, but perceives what is incorrect.  So also with “the Father” and “the Son” and “the Holy Spirit” and “life” and “light” and “resurrection” and “the Church” and all the rest— people do not perceive what is correct but they perceive what is incorrect, [unless] they have come to know what is correct.  The [names which are heard] are in the world [to deceive.  If they] were in the aeon, they would at no time be used as names in the world.  Nor were they set among worldly things.  They have an end in the aeon.”

Philip :8   “One single name is not uttered in the world, the name which the Father gave to the Son, the name above all things: the name of the Father.  For the Son would not become Father unless he wears the name of the Father.  Those who have this name know it, but they do not speak it.  But those who do not have it do not know it.”

Philip :9   “But truth brought names into existence in the world because it is not possible to teach it without names.  Truth is one single thing and it is also many things for our sakes who learn this one thing in love through many things.  The powers wanted to deceive man, since they saw that he had a kinship with those that are truly good.  They took the name of those that are good and gave it to those that are not good, so that through the names they might deceive him and bind them to those that are not good.  And afterward, if they do them a favor, they will be made to remove them from those that are not good and place them among those that are good.  These things they knew, for they wanted to take the free man and make him a slave to them forever.” 

Philip :10   “These are powers which [contend against] man, not wishing him to be [saved], in order that they may […].  For if man is [saved, there will not] be any sacrifices […] and animals will not be offered to the powers.  The [very ones] who […] the animals are they who sacrifice to them.  They were indeed offering them up alive, but when they offered them up they died.  As for man, they offered him up to God dead, and he lived.”

Philip :11   “Before Christ came there was no bread in the world, just as paradise, the place where Adam was, had many trees to nourish the animals but no wheat to sustain man.   Man used to feed like the animals, but when Christ came, the perfect man, he brought bread from heaven in order that man might be nourished with the food of man.  The powers thought that it was by their own power and will that they were doing what they did, but the  Holy Spirit in secret was accomplishing everything through them as it wished.  Truth, which existed since the beginning, is sown everywhere.  And many see it as it is sown, but few are they who see it as it is reaped.”

Philip :12   “Some said, “Mary conceived by the Holy Spirit.”  They are in error.  They do not know what they are saying.  When did a woman ever conceive by a woman?  Mary is the virgin whom no power defiled.  She is a great anathema to the Hebrews, who are the apostles and [the] apostolic men.  This virgin whom no power defiled […] the powers defile themselves.  And the Lord [would] not have said “My [Father who is in] heaven”(Mathew 16:17) unless [he] had had another father, but he would have said simply “My Father]”.

Philip :13   “The Lord said to the disciples, “[Bring out] from every (other) house.  Bring into the house of the Father.  But do not take (anything) in the house of the Father nor carry it off.”

Philip :14   “Jesus” is a hidden name,  “Christ” is a revealed name.  For this reason “Jesus” does not exist in any (other) language, but his name is always “Jesus,” as he is called.  “Christ” is also his name: in Syriac it is “Messiah,” in Greek it is “Christ.”  Certainly all the others have it according to their own language.  “The Nazarene” is he who reveals what is hidden.  Christ has everything in himself, whether man or angel or mystery, and the Father.”

Philip :15   “Those who say that the Lord died first and (then) rose up are in error, for he rose up first and (then) died.  If one does not first attain the resurrection will he not die?  As God lives, he would be (already) <dead>.”

Philip :16   “No one will hide a large valuable object in something large, but many a time one has tossed countless thousands into a thing worth a penny.  Compare the soul.  It is a precious thing (and) it came to be in a contemptible body.”

Philip :17   “Some are afraid lest they rise naked.  Because of this they wish to rise in the flesh, and [they] do not know that it is those who wear the [flesh] who are naked.  [It is] those who […] to unclothe themselves who are not naked.  “Flesh [and blood shall] not [be able] to inherit the kingdom [of God]” (1 Corinthians 15:50).  What is this which will not inherit?  This which is on us.  But what is this very thing which will inherit?  It is that which belongs to Jesus and his blood.  Because of this he said, “He who shall not eat my flesh and drink my blood has not life in him” (John 6:53).  What is it?  His flesh is the word, and his blood is the Holy Spirit.  He who has received these has food and he has drink and clothing.  I find fault with the others who say that it will not rise.  Then both of them are at fault.  You say that the flesh will not rise.  But tell me what will rise, that we may honor you. You say the spirit in the flesh, and it is also this light in the flesh (But) this too is a matter which is in the flesh, for whatever you shall, say, you say nothing outside the flesh.  It is necessary to rise in the flesh, since everything exists in it.  In this world those who put on garments are better than the garments.  In the kingdom of heaven the garments are better than those who have put them on.”

Philip :18   “It is through water and fire that the whole place is purified — the visible by the visible, the hidden by the hidden.  There are some things hidden through those visible.  There is water in water, there is fire in a chrism. 

Philip :19   “Jesus took them all by stealth, for he did not reveal himself in the manner [in which] he was, but it was in the manner in which [they would] be able to see him that he revealed himself.  He revealed himself to [them all.  He revealed himself] to the great as great.  He [revealed himself] to the small as small.  He [revealed himself to the] angels as an angel, and to men as a man.  Because of this his word hid itself from everyone.  Some indeed saw him, thinking that they were seeing themselves, but when he appeared to his disciples in glory on the mount he was not small.  He became great, but he made the disciples great, that they might be able to see him in his greatness.”

Philip :20   “He said on that day in the Thanksgiving, “You who have joined the perfect, the light, with the Holy Spirit, unite the angels with us also, the images.”  Do not despise the lamb, for without it it is not possible to see the king.  No one will be able to go in to the king if he is naked.”

Philip :21   “The heavenly man has many more sons than the earthly man.  If the sons of Adam are many, although they die, how much more the sons of the perfect man, they who do not die but are always begotten.  The father makes a son, and the son has not the power to beget, but the son gets brothers for himself, not sons .  All who are begotten in the world are begotten in a natural way, and the others in a spiritual way.  [Those who] are begotten by him [cry out] from that place to the (perfect) man [because they  are nourished] on the promise [concerning] the heavenly place. …] from the mouth, [because if] the word has gone out from the that place it would be nourished from the mouth and it would become perfect.  For it is by a kiss that the perfect conceive and give  birth.  For this reason we also kiss one another.  We receive conception from the grace which is in each other.”

Philip :22   “There were three who always walked with the Lord:  Mary his mother and her sister and Magdalene, the one who was called his companion.  His sister and his mother and his companion were each a Mary.” 

Philip :23   “The Father” and “the Son” are single names, “the Holy Spirit” is a double name.  For they are everywhere: They are above, they are below;  they are in the concealed, they are in the revealed: The Holy Spirit is in the revealed: it is in the concealed: it is above.”

Philip :24   “The saints are served by evil powers, for they are blinded by the Holy Spirit into thinking that they are serving an (ordinary) man whenever they do (something) for the saints.  Because of this a disciple asked the Lord one day for something of this world.  He said to him, “Ask your mother and she will give  you of the things which are another’s.”

Philip :25   “The apostles said to the disciples, “May our whole offering obtain salt.”  They called [Sophia] “salt.”  Without it no offering [is] acceptable.  But Sophia is barren, [without] child.  For this reason she is called “a trace of salt.”  [But] where they will be in their own way, the Holy Spirit [will (also) be, and] her children are many.” 

Philip :26   “What the father possesses belongs to the son, and the son himself, so long as he is small is not entrusted with what is his.  But when he becomes a man his father gives him all that he possesses.”

Philip :27   “Those who have gone astray, whom the Spirit (itself) begets, usually go astray also because of the Spirit.  Thus, by this one and the same breath, the fire blazes and is put out.”

Philip :28   “Echamoth is one thing and Echmoth another.  Echamoth is Wisdom simply, but Echmoth is the Wisdom of death which is {the Wisdom of death which is} the one which knows death, which is called “the little Wisdom.”

Philip :29   “There are domestic animals, like the bull and the ass and others of this kind.  Others are wild and live apart in the deserts.  Man ploughs the field by means of the domestic animals, and from this he feeds (both) himself and the animals, whether tame or wild.  Compare the perfect man.  It is through powers which are submissive that he ploughs, preparing for everything to come into being.  For it is because of this that the whole place stands, whether the good or the evil, the right and the left.  The Holy Spirit shepherds every one and rules [all] the powers, the “tame” ones and the “wild” ones, as well as those which are unique.  For indeed he [gathers them (and)] shuts them in, in order that [these, even if they] wish, will not be able [to escape].”

Philip :30   “[He who] has been created is [beautiful and] you would find his sons noble creations.  If he was not created but begotten, you would find that his seed was noble.  But now he was created (and) he begot.  What nobility is this?  First adultery came into being, afterward murder.  And he was begotten in adultery, for he was the child of the serpent.  So he became a murderer, just like his father, and he killed his brother.  Indeed every act of sexual intercourse which has occurred between those unlike one another is adultery.”

Philip :31   “God is a dyer.  As the good dyes, which are called “true,” dissolve with the things dyed in them, so it is with those whom God has dyed.  Since his dyes are immortal, they are immortal by means of his colors.  Now God dips what he dips in water.”

Philip :32   “It is not possible for anyone to see anything of the things that actually exist unless he becomes like them.  This is not the way with man in the world:  he sees the sun without being a sun; and he sees the heaven and the earth and all other things, but he is not these things.  This is quite in keeping with the truth.  But you (sing.) saw something of that place and you became those things.  You saw the Spirit, you became spirit.  You saw Christ, you became Christ.  You saw [the Father, you] shall become Father.  So [in this place] you see everything and [do] not [see] yourself, but [in that place] you do see yourself–and what you see you shall [become].”

Philip :33   “Faith receives, love gives.  [No one will be able to receive] without faith.  No one will be able to give without love.  Because of this, in order that we may indeed receive, we believe, but it is so that we may love and give, since if one does not give in love, he has no profit from what he has given.  He who has received the Lord is still a Hebrew.”

Philip :34   “The apostles who were before us had these names for him:  “Jesus, the Nazarene, Messiah,” that is “Jesus, the Nazarene, the Christ.”  The last name is “Christ,” the first is “Jesus,” that in the middle is “the Nazarene.”  “Messiah” has two meanings, both “the Christ” and “the measured.”  “Jesus” in Hebrew is “the redemption.”  “Nazara” is “the truth.”  “The Nazarene,” then, is “the truth.”  “Christ” has been measured.  “The Nazarene,” and “Jesus” are they who have been measured.”

Philip :35   “When the pearl is cast down into the mud it does not become greatly despised, nor if it is anointed with balsam oil will it become more precious.  But it always has value in the eyes of its owner.  Compare the sons of God, wherever they may be.  They still have value in the eyes of their Father.”

Philip :36   “If you say, “I am a Jew,” not one will be moved.  If you say, “I am a Roman.” no one will be disturbed.  If you say, “I am a Greek, a barbarian, a slave, [a] free man,” no one will tremble.  [If] you [say], “I am a Christian,” the [world] will tremble.  Would that I [may receive] a name like that!  This is the person whom the [powers] will not be able to endure [when they hear] his name.”

Philip :37   “God is a man-eater.  For this reason men are [sacrificed] to him.  Before men were sacrificed animals were being sacrificed, since those to whom they were sacrificed were not gods.”

Philip :38   Glass decanters and earthenware jugs are both made by means of fire.  But if glass decanters break they are done over, for they came into being through a breath.  If earthenware jugs break, however, they are destroyed, for they came into being without breath.

Philip :39   An ass which turns a millstone did a hundred miles walking.  When it was loosed it found that it was still at the same place.  There are men who make many journeys, but make no progress towards a destination.  When evening came upon them. they saw neither city nor village, neither creation nor nature, power nor angel.  In vain have the wretches labored.

Philip :40   The eucharist is Jesus.  For he is called in Syriac “Pharisatha,” which is “the one who is spread out,” for Jesus came crucifying the world. 

Philip :41   The Lord went into the dye works of Levi.  He took seventy-two different colors and threw them into the vat.  He took them out all white.  And he said, “Even so has the Son of Man come [as] a dyer.” 

Philip :42   As for the Wisdom who is called  “the barren,” she is the mother [of the] angels.  And the companion of the [Savior is] Mary Magdalene.  [But Christ loved] her more than [all] the disciples [and used to] kiss her [often] on her [mouth].  The rest of [the disciples were offended] by it [and expressed disapproval].  They said to him, “Why do you love her more than all of us?”  The Savior answered and said to them, “Why do I not love you like her?”  When a blind man and one who sees are both together in darkness, they are no different from one another.  When the light comes, then he who sees will see the light, and he who is blind will remain in darkness.

Philip :43   The Lord said, “Blessed is he who is before he came into being.  For he who is, has been and shall be.”

Philip :44   The superiority of man is not obvious to the eye, but lies in what is hidden from view.  Consequently he has mastery over the animals which are stronger than he is and great in terms of the obvious and the hidden.  This enables them to survive.  But if man is separated from them, they slay one another and bite one another.  They ate one another because they did not find any food.  But now they have found food because man tilled the soil.

Philip :45   If one go down into the water and come up without having received anything and says “I am a Christian,” he has borrowed the name at interest.  But if he receive the Holy Spirit, he has the name as a gift.  He who has received a gift does not have to give it back, but of him who has borrowed it at interest, payment is demanded.  This is the way [it happens to one] when one experiences a mystery.

Philip :46   Great is the mystery of marriage!  For [without] it the world would [not have existed].  Now the existence of [the world depends on man], and the existence [of man on marriage].  think of the [undefiled relationship], for it possesses [a great] power.  Its image consists of a [defilement of] the form.

Philip :47   As for the unclean [spirits], there are males among them and there are females.  The males are they which unite with the souls which inhabit a female form, but the females are they which are mingled with those in a male form, through one who was disobedient.  And none shall be unable to escape them, since they detain him if he does not receive a male power or a female power– the bridegroom and the bride.–One receives them from the mirrored bridal chamber.  When the wanton women see a male sitting alone, they leap down on him and play with him and defile him.  So also the lecherous men, when they see a beautiful woman sitting alone, they persuade her and compel her, wishing to defile her.  But if they see the man and his wife sitting beside one another, the female cannot come in to the man, nor can the male come in to the woman.  So if the image and the angel are united with one another, neither can any venture to go in to the man or the woman.

Philip :48   He who comes out of the world can no longer be detained, because he was in the world.  It is evident that he is above desire […] and fear.  He is master over [nature].  He is superior to envy.  If [any one else] comes, they seize him and throttle [him].  And how will [this one] be able to escape the [great grasping] powers?  How will he be able to [hide from them?  Often] some [come and say], “We are faithful.” in order that [they may be able to escape the unclean spirits] and the demons.  For if they had the Holy Spirit, no unclean spirit would cleave to them,  Fear not the flesh nor love it.  If you fear it, it will gain mastery over you.  If you love it, it will swallow and paralyze you.

Philip :49   Either he will be in this world or in the resurrection or in the places in the middle.  God forbid that I be found in them!  In this world there is good and evil.  Its good is not good, and its evil not evil.  But there is evil after this world which is truly evil–what is called “the Middle.”  It is death.  While we are in this world it is fitting for us to acquire the resurrection for ourselves, so that when we strip off the flesh we may be found in rest and not walk in the Middle.  For many go astray on the way.  For it is good to come forth from the world before one has sinned.

Philip :50   Some neither desire (to sin) nor are able (to sin).  Others (even) if they desire (to sin), are not better off for not having done it, for [this] desire makes them sinners.  But (even) if some do not desire (to sin), righteousness will be concealed from them both– the desire-not and the do-not.

Philip :51   An apostolic man in a vision saw some people shut up in a house of fire and bound with fiery [chains], lying in flaming [ointment].  They possessed […].  [They answered], “They did not desire it.  They received [this place as] punishment, what is called the [outer] darkness, because he is [thrown out (into it).”

Philip :52   It is from water and fire that the soul and the spirit came into being.  It is from water and fire and light that the son of the bridal chamber (came into being).  The fire is the chrism, the light is the fire.  I am not referring to that fire which has no form, but to the other fire whose form is white, which is bright and beautiful, and which  gives beauty. 

Philip :53   Truth did not come into the world naked, but it came in types and images.  One will not receive truth in any other way.  There is a rebirth and an image of rebirth.  It is certainly necessary that they should be born again through the image.  What is the resurrection?  The image must rise again through the image.  The <bridegroom> and the image must enter through the image into the truth:  this is the restoration.  It is appropriate that those who do have it not only acquire the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, but that they have acquired it on their own.  If one does not acquire the name for himself, the name (Christian) will also be taken from him.  But one receives them in the aromatic unction of the power of the cross.  This power the apostles called “the right and the left.”  For this person is no longer a Christian but a Christ.

Philip :54   The Lord [did] everything in a mystery, a baptism and a chrism and a eucharist and a redemption and a bridal chamber.

Philip :55   [The Lord] said, “I came to make [the things below] like the things [above, and the things] outside like those [inside.  I came to unite] them in that place.  [He revealed himself in] this place through types and images.  Those who say “There is a heavenly man and there is one above him,” are wrong.  For he who is revealed in heaven is that heavenly man, and the one who is called “the one who is below”; he to whom the hidden belongs is that one who is above him.  For it is good that they should say, “The inner and the outer, with what is outside the outer.”  Because of this the Lord called destruction “the outer darkness”:  there is not another outside of it.  He said, “My Father who is in secret.”  He said, “Go into your chamber and shut the door behind you, and pray to your Father who is in secret” (Matthew 6:6), the one who is within them all.  But that which is within them all is the fullness.  Beyond it there is nothing else within it.  This is that of which they say, “That which is above them.”

Philip :56   Before Christ some came from a place they were no longer able to enter, and they went where they were no longer able to come out.  Then Christ came.  Those who went in he brought out, and those who went out he brought in.

Philip :57   When Eve was still in Adam death did not exist.  When she was separated from him death came into being.  If he again becomes complete and attains his former self, death will be no more.

Philip :58   “My God, my God, why, O Lord, have you forsaken me?” (Mark 15:34 and parallels), It was on the cross that he said these words, for it was there that he was divided.

Philip :59   [Everyone] who has been begotten through him who [destroys did not emanate] from God.

Philip :60   The [Lord rose] from the dead.  [He became as he used] to be, but now [his body was] perfect.  [He did indeed possess] flesh, but this [flesh] is true flesh.  [Our flesh] is not true, but [we possess] only on image of the true.

Philip :61   A bridal chamber is not for the animals, nor is it for the slaves, nor for the defiled women; but it is for the free men and virgins. 

Philip :62   Through the Holy Spirit we are indeed begotten again, but we are begotten through Christ in the two.  We are anointed though the Spirit.  When we were begotten we were united.  None shall be able to see himself either in water or in a mirror without light.  Nor again will you be able to see in light without water or mirror.  For this reason it is fitting to baptize in the two, in the light and the water.  Now the light is the chrism.

Philip :63   There were three buildings specifically for sacrifice in Jerusalem.  The one facing west was called “the Holy.”  Another facing south was called “the Holy of the Holy.”  The third facing east was called “the Holy of the Holies,” the place where only the high priest enters.  Baptism is “the Holy” building.  Redemption is “the Holy of the Holy.”  “The Holy of the Holies” is the bridal chamber.  Baptism includes the resurrection [and the] redemption; the redemption (takes place) in the bridal chamber.  But the bridal chamber is in that which is superior to [it and the others, because] you will not find [anything like] it.  [Those who are familiar with it] are those who pray in “the Holy” in Jerusalem, awaiting [the kingdom of heaven].  These are called “the Holy of the Holies,” [because before the] veil was rent [we had no] other bridal chamber except the image [of the bridal chamber which is] above.  Because of this its veil was rent from top to bottom.  For it was fitting for some from below to go upward.

Philip :64   The powers do not see those who are clothed in the perfect light, and consequently are not able to detain them.  One will clothe himself in this light sacramentally in the union.

Philip :65   If the woman had not separated from the man, she would not die with the man.  His separation became the beginning of death.  Because of this Christ came to repair the separation which was from the beginning and again unite the two, and to give life to those who died as a result of the separation and unite them.  But the woman is united to her husband in the bridal chamber.  Indeed those who have united in the bridal chamber will no longer be separated.  Thus Eve separated from Adam because she was never united with him in the bridal chamber.

Philip :66   The soul of Adam came onto being by means of a breath, which is a synonym for [Spirit].  The spirit given him is his mother,  His soul was replaced by a [spirit].  When he was united (to the spirit), [he spoke] words incomprehensible to the powers.  They envied him [because they were separated from the] spiritual union.  […] hidden […].  This [separation] afforded them the opportunity [to fashion] for themselves [the symbolic] bridal chamber so that [men would be defiled].

Philip :67   Jesus revealed [himself at the] Jordan: it was the [fullness of the kingdom] of heaven.  He who [was begotten] before everything was begotten anew.  He [who was] once [anointed] was anointed anew.  He who was redeemed in turn redeemed (others).

Philip :68   Is it permitted to utter a mystery?  The Father of everything united with the virgin who came down, and a fire shone for him on that day.  He appeared in the great bridal chamber.  Therefore, his body came into being on that very day.  It left the bridal chamber as one who came into being from the bridegroom and the bride.  So Jesus established everything in it through these.  It is fitting for each of the disciples to enter into his rest. 

Philip :69   Adam came into being from two virgins, from the Spirit and from the virgin earth.  Christ, therefore, was born from a virgin to rectify the fall which occurred in the beginning.

Philip :70   There are two trees growing in Paradise.  The one bears [animals], the other bears men.  Adam [ate] from the tree which bore animals.  He became an animal and he brought forth animals.  For this reason the children of Adam worship [animals].  The tree [whose] fruit [Adam ate] is [the tree of knowledge.  That] is why [sins] increased.  [If he] ate the [fruit of the other tree, that is to say, the] fruit of the [tree of life, the one which] bears men, [then the gods would] worship man.  [For in the beginning]  God created man.  [But now men] create God.  That is the way it is in the world–men make gods and worship their creation.  It would be fitting for the gods to worship men!

Philip :71   Surely what a man accomplishes depends on his abilities.  We even refer to one’s accomplishments as “abilities”.  Among his accomplishments are his children.  They originate in a moment of ease.  Thus his abilities determine what he may accomplish, but this ease is clearly evident in the children.  You will find that this applies directly to the image.  Here is that man made after the image accomplishing things with his physical strength, but producing his children with ease.

Philip :72   In this world the slaves serve the free.  In the kingdom of heaven the free will minister to the slaves: the children of the bridal chamber will minister to the children of the marriage.  The children of the bridal chamber have [just one] name.  Together they [share] rest.  They need take no (other) form [because they have] contemplation, [comprehending by insight].  They are numerous [because they do not put their treasure] in the things [below, which are despised, but] in the glories which [are above, though they did] not (yet) [know] them.

Philip :73   “Those [who will be baptized go] down into the water.  [But Christ, by coming] out (of the water), will consecrate it, [so that] they who have [received baptism] in his name [may be perfect].  For he said, “[Thus] we should fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).

Philip :74   “Those who say they will die first and then rise are in error.  If they do not first receive the resurrection while they live, when they die they will receive nothing.  So also when speaking about baptism they say, “Baptism is a great thing,” because if people receive it they will live.”

Philip :75   Philip the apostle said, “Joseph the carpenter planted a garden because he needed wood for his trade.  It was he who made the cross from the trees which he planted.  His own offspring hung on that which he planted.  His offspring was Jesus and the planting was the cross.  But the tree of life is in the middle of the garden.  However, it is from the olive tree that we get the chrism, and from the chrism, the resurrection.

Philip :76   This world is a corpse-eater.  All the things eaten in it themselves die also.  Truth is a life-eater.  Therefore no one nourished by [truth] will die.  It was from that place that Jesus came and brought food.  To those who so desired he gave [life, that] they might not die. 

Philip :77   “God planted a garden.  Man was put into the garden.  There were many trees there for him, and man lived in this place with the blessing and in the image of God.  The things which are in it I will eat as I wish.  This garden is the place where they will say to me, “O man, eat this or do not eat that, just as you wish.”  This is the place where I will eat all things,  since the tree of knowledge is there.  That one killed Adam, but here the tree of knowledge made men alive.  The law was the tree.  It has power to give the knowledge of good and evil.  It neither removed him from evil, nor did it set him in the good, but it created death for those who ate of it.  For when he said, “Eat this, do not eat that,” it became the beginning of death.”

Philip :78    “The chrism is superior to baptism, for it is from the word “chrism” that we have been called “Christians,” certainly not because of the word “baptism.”  And it is because of the chrism that “the Christ” has his name,  For the Father anointed the Son, and the Son anointed the apostles, and the apostles anointed us.  He who has been anointed possesses everything.  He possesses the resurrection, the light, the cross, the Holy Spirit.  The Father gave him this in the bridal chamber; he merely accepted (the gift).  The Father was in the Son and the Son in the Father.  This is [the] kingdom of heaven.”

Philip :79   The Lord said it well:  “Some have entered the kingdom of heaven laughing and they have come out.”  [They do not remain there–the] one because he is [not] a Christian, [the other because he regrets (his action)] afterward.  And as soon as [Christ went down into] the water he came [out laughing at] everything (of this world), [not] because [he considers it] a trifle, but [because he is full of] contempt for it.  He who [wants to enter] the kingdom of [heaven will attain it].  If he despises [everything (of this world)] and scorns it as a trifle, [he will come] out laughing.  So it is also with the bread and the cup and the oil, even though there is another one superior to these.

Philip :80   The world came about through a mistake.  For he who created it wanted to create it imperishable and immortal.  He fell short of attaining his desire.  For the world never was imperishable, nor for that matter, was he who made the world.  For things are not imperishable, but sons are.  Nothing will be able to receive imperishability if it does not first become a son.  But he who has not the ability to receive, how much more will he be unable to give?

Philip :81   The cup of prayer contains wine and water, since it is appointed as the type of the blood for which thanks is given.  And it is full of the Holy Spirit, and it belongs to the wholly perfect man.  When we drink this, we shall receive for ourselves the perfect man.  The living water is a body.  It is necessary that we put on the living man.  Therefore, when he is about to go down into the water, he unclothes himself, in order that he may put on the living man. 

Philip :82   A horse sires a horse, a man begets man, a god brings forth a god.  Compare [the] bridegroom and the bride.  [Their children] were conceived in the [bridal chamber].  No Jew [was ever born] to Greek parents [as long as the world] has existed.  And [as a] Christian [people], we [ourselves do not descend] from the Jews.  [There was] another [people and] these [blessed ones] are referred to as “the chosen people of [the living God]” and “the true man” and “the Son of man” and “the seed of the son of man.”  In the world it is called “this true people.”  Where they are, there are the sons of the bridal chamber.

Philip :83   Whereas in this world the union is one of husband with wife–a case of strength complemented by weakness– in the aeon the form of the union is different, although we refer to them by the same names.  There are other names, however; they are superior to every name that is named and are stronger than the strong.  For where there is a show of strength, there those who excel in strength appear.  These are not separate things, but both of them are this one single thing.  This is the one which will not be able to rise above the heart of flesh. 

Philip :84   Is it not necessary for all those who possess everything to know themselves?  Some indeed, if they do not know themselves, will not enjoy what they possess.  But those who have come to know themselves will enjoy their possessions.

Philip :85   Not only will they be unable to detain the perfect man, but they will not be able to see him, for a person to acquire this quality except by putting on the perfect light [and] becoming perfect oneself.  [Every] one who has [put this] on will enter [the kingdom].  This is the perfect [light, and it is necessary] that we [by all means] become [perfect men] before we leave [the world].  He who has received everything [and has not rid himself] of these places will [not] be able [to share in] that place, but will [go to the Middle] as imperfect.  Only Jesus knows the end of this person.

Philip :86   The priest is completely holy, down to his very body.  For if he has taken the bread, will he consecrate it?  Or the cup or anything else that he gets, does he consecrate them?  Then how will he not consecrate the body also? 

Philip :87   By perfecting the water of baptism, Jesus emptied it of death.  Thus we do go down into the water, but we do not go down into death in order that we may not be poured out into the spirit of the world.  When that spirit blows, it brings the winter.  When the Holy Spirit breathes, the summer comes. 

Philip :88   He who has knowledge of the truth is a free man, but the free man does not sin, for “he who sins is the slave of sin” (John 8:34).  Truth is the mother, knowledge the father.  Those who think that sinning does not apply to them are called “free” by the world.  Knowledge of the truth merely makes such people arrogant, which is what the words “it makes them free” mean.  It even gives them a sense of superiority over the whole world.  But “love builds up” (1 Corinthians 8:1).  In fact, he who is really free through knowledge is a slave because of love for those who have not yet been able to attain to the freedom of knowledge.  Knowledge makes them capable of becoming free.  Love [never calls] something its own, [and yet] it may actually possess [that very thing].  It never [says “This is mine”] or “That is mine,”[but “All these] are yours.” Spiritual love is wine and fragrance.  All those who anoint themselves with it take pleasure in it.  While those who are anointed are present, those nearby also profit (from the fragrance).  If those anointed with ointment withdraw from them and leave, then those not anointed, who merely stand nearby, still remain in their bad odor.  The Samaritan gave nothing but wine and oil to the wounded man.  It is nothing other than the ointment.  It healed the wounds, for “love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8).

Philip :89   The children a woman bears resemble the man who loves her.  If her husband loves her, then they resemble her husband.  If it is an adulterer, then they resemble the adulterer.  Frequently, if a woman sleeps with her husband out of necessity, while her heart is with the adulterer with whom she usually has intercourse, the child she will bear is born resembling the adulterer.  Now you who live together with the Son of God, love not the world, but love the Lord, in order that those you will bring forth may  not resemble the world, but may resemble the Lord. 

Philip :90   The human being has intercourse with the human being.  The horse has intercourse with the horse, the ass with the ass.  Members of a race usually have associated with those of like race.  So spirit mingles with spirit, and thought consorts with thought, and [light] shares [with light.  If you (sing.)] are born a human being, it is [the human being] who will love you.  If you become [a spirit], it is the spirit which will be joined to you.  If you become thought, it is thought which will mingle with you.  If you become light, it is the light which will share with you.  If you become one of those who belong above, it is those who belong above who will rest in you.  If you become horse or ass or bull or dog or sheep or another of the animals which are outside or below, then neither human being nor spirit nor thought nor those who belong within will be able to rest in you, and you have no part in them. 

Philip :91   He who is a slave against his will, will be able to become free.  He who has become free by the favor of his master and has sold himself into slavery will no longer be able to be free. 

Philip :92   Farming in the world requires the cooperation of four essential elements.  A harvest is gathered into the barn only as a result of the natural action of water, earth, wind, and light.  God’s farming likewise has four elements–faith, hope, love, and knowledge.  Faith is our earth, that in which we take root.  [And] hope is the water through which we are nourished.  Love i+s the wind through which we grow.  Knowledge then is the light through which we [ripen].  Grace exists in [four ways: it is] earthborn; it is [heavenly; it comes from] the highest heaven; and [it resides] in [truth]. 

Philip :93   Blessed is the one who on no occasion caused a soul distress.  That person if Jesus Christ.  He came to the whole place and did not burden anyone.  Therefore, blessed is the one who is like this, because he is a perfect man.  This indeed is the Word.  Tell us about it since it is difficult to define.  How shall we be able to accomplish such a great thing?  How will he give everyone comfort?  Above all, it is not proper to cause anyone distress–whether the person is great or small, unbeliever or believer–and then give comfort only to those who take satisfaction in good deeds.  Some find it advantageous to give comfort to the one who has fared well.  He who does good deeds cannot give comfort to such people, for it goes against his will.  He is unable to cause distress, however since he does not afflict them.  To be sure, the one who fares well sometimes causes people distress– not that he intends to do so; rather it is their own wickedness which is responsible for their distress.  He who possesses the qualities (of the perfect man) rejoices in the good.  Some, however, are terribly distressed by all this.

Philip :94   There was a householder who had every conceivable thing, be it son or slave or cattle or dog or pig or corn [or] barley or chaff or grass or castor oil or meat and acorn.  [Now he was] a sensible fellow and he knew what the food of each one was.  He [himself] served the children bread [and meat].  He served the slaves castor oil [and] meal.  And [he threw barley] and chaff and grass to the cattle.  He threw bones to [the] dogs, and to the pigs he threw acorns and scraps of bread.  Compare the disciple of God:  if he is a sensible fellow he understands what discipleship is all about.  The bodily forms will not deceive him, but he will look at the condition of the soul of each one and speak with him.  There are many animals in the world which are in human form.  When he identifies them, to the swine he will throw acorns, to the cattle he will throw barley and chaff and grass, to the dogs he will throw bones.  To the slaves he will give only the elementary lessons, to the children he will give the complete instruction. 

Philip :95   There is the Son of man and there is the son of the Son of man.  The Lord is the Son of man, and the son of the Son of man is he who is created through the Son of man.  The Son of man received from God the capacity to create.  He also has the ability to beget.  He who has received the ability to create is a creature.  He who has received the ability to beget is an offspring.  He who creates cannot beget.  He who begets also has power to create.  Now they say, “He who creates begets.”  But his so-called “offspring” is merely a creature.  [Therefore] his children are not offspring but [creatures].  He who creates works openly and he himself is visible.  He who begets, begets in [private] and he himself is hidden, [since he is superior to every] image.  He who creates [creates] openly.  But one who begets [begets] children in private.  No [one will be able] to know when [the husband] and the wife have intercourse with one another except the two of them.  Indeed marriage in the world is a mystery for those who have taken a wife.  If there is a hidden quality to the marriage of defilement, how much more is the undefiled marriage a true mystery!  It is not fleshly but pure.  It belongs not to desire but to the will.  It belongs not to the darkness or the night but to the day and the light.  If a marriage is open to the public, it has become prostitution, and the bride plays the harlot not only when she in impregnated by another man but even if she slips out of her bedroom and is seen.  Let her show herself only to her father and her mother and to the friend of the bridegroom and the sons of the bridegroom.  These are permitted to enter every day into the bridal chamber.  But let the others yearn just to listen to her voice and to enjoy her ointment, and let them feed from the crumbs that fall from the table, like the dogs.  Bridegrooms and brides belong to the bridal chamber.  No one shall be able to see the bridegroom with the bride unless [one become] one. 

Philip :96   When Abraham [rejoiced] that he was to see what he was to see, [he circumcised] the flesh of the foreskin, teaching us that it is proper to destroy the flesh. 

Philip :97   [Most things] in the world, as long as their [inner parts] are hidden, stand upright and live.  [If they are revealed] they die, as is illustrated by the visible man:  [as long as] the intestines of the man are hidden, the man is alive; when his intestines are exposed and come out of him, the man will die.  So also with the tree: while its root is hidden it sprouts and grows.  If its root is exposed, the tree dries up.  So it is with every birth that is in the world, not only with the revealed but with the hidden.  For so long as the root of wickedness is hidden, it is strong.  But when it is recognized it is dissolved.  When it is revealed it perishes.  That is why the word says, “Already the ax is laid at the root of the trees” (Matthew 3:10).  It will not merely cut– what is cut sprouts again–but the ax penetrates deeply until it brings up the root.  Jesus pulled out the root of the whole place, while others did it only partially.  As for ourselves, let each one of us dig down after the root of evil which is within one, and let one pluck it out of one’s heart from the root.  It will be plucked out if we recognize it.  But if we are ignorant of it, it takes root in us and produces its fruit in our heart.  It masters us.  We are its slaves.  It takes us captive, to make us do what we do [not] want; and what we do want we do [not] do.  It is powerful because we have not recognized it.  While it exists it is active.  Ignorance is the mother of [all evil].  Ignorance will eventuate in [death, because] those that come from [ignorance] neither were nor [are] nor shall be.  [But those who are in the truth] will be perfect when all the truth is revealed.  For truth is like ignorance:  while it is hidden it rests in itself, but when it is revealed and is recognized, it is praised inasmuch as it is stronger than ignorance and error.  It gives freedom.  The word said, “If you know the truth, the truth will make you free” (John 8:32).  Ignorance is a slave.  Knowledge is freedom.  If we know the truth, we shall find the fruits of the truth within us.  If we are joined to it, it will bring our fulfillment. 

Philip :98   At the present time we have the manifest things of creation.  We say, “The strong are they who are held in high regard.  And the obscure are the weak who are despised.”  Contrast the manifest things of truth:  they are weak and despised, while the hidden things are strong and held in high regard.  The mysteries of truth are revealed, though in type and image.  The bridal chamber, however, remains hidden.  It is the holy in the holy.  The veil at first concealed how God controlled the creation, but when the veil is rent and things inside are revealed, this house will be left desolate, or rather will be [destroyed].  But the whole inferior Godhead will not flee [from] these places into the Holies [of the] Holies, for it will not be able to mix with the unmixed [light] and the [flawless] fullness, but will be under the wings of the Cross [and under] its arms.  This ark will be [its] salvation when the flood of water surges over them.  If some belong to the order of the priesthood they will be able to go within the veil with the high priest.  For this reason the veil was not rent at the top only, since it would have been open only to those above; nor was it rent at the bottom only, since it would have been revealed only to those below. 

Philip :99   But it was rent from top to bottom.  Those above opened to us who are below, in order that we may go in to the secret of the truth.  This truly is what is held in high regard, since it is strong!  But we shall go in there by means of lowly types and forms of weakness.  They are lowly indeed when compared with the perfect glory.  There is glory which surpasses glory.  There is power which surpasses power. Therefore the perfect things have opened to us, together with the hidden things of truth.  The Holies of the Holies were revealed, and the bridal chamber invited us in. 

Philip :100   As long as it is hidden, wickedness is indeed ineffectual, but it has not been removed from the midst of the seed of the Holy Spirit.  They are slaves of evil.  But when it is revealed, then the perfect light will flow out on every one.  And all those who are in it will [receive the chrism].  Then the slaves will be free [and] the captives ransomed.  “[Every]  plant [which] my father who is in heaven [has not] planted [will be] plucked out” (Matthew 15:13).  Those who are separated will be united [and will be filled.  Every one who will [enter] the bridal chamber will kindle the [light], for [it burns] just as in the marriages which are [observed, though they] happen at night.  That fire [burns] only at night and is put out.  But the mysteries of this marriage  are perfected rather in the day and the light.  Neither that day nor its light ever sets.  If anyone does not receive it while he is in these places, he will not be able to receive it in the other place.  He who will receive that light will not be seen, nor can he be detained.  And none shall be able to torment a person like this even while he dwells in the world.  And again when he leaves the world he has already received the truth in the images.  The world has become the aeon, for the aeon is fullness for him.  This is the way it is: it is revealed to him alone, not hidden in the darkness and the night, but hidden in a perfect day and a holy light.

The Gospel of Philip Read More »

The Gospel of Truth

From the Nag Hammadi Library in English

Gospel of Truth :1   “The gospel of truth is a joy for those who have received from the Father of truth the gift of knowing him, through the power of the Word that came forth from the pleroma – the one who is in the thought and the mind of the Father, that is, the one who is addressed as the Savior, (that) being the name of the work he is to perform for the redemption of those who were ignorant of the Father, while the name [of] the gospel is the proclamation of hope, being discovery for those who search for him.”

Gospel of Truth :2   “Indeed the all went about searching for the one from whom it (pl.) had come forth, and the all was inside of him, the incomprehensible, inconceivable one who is superior to every thought. Ignorance of the Father brought about anguish and terror.  And the anguish grew solid like a fog so that no one was able to see.  For this reason error became powerful; it fashioned its own matter foolishly, not having known the truth.  It set about making a creature, with (all its) might preparing, in beauty, the substitute for the truth.”

Gospel of Truth :3   “This was not, then, a humiliation for him, the incomprehensible, inconceivable one, for they were nothing – the anguish and the oblivion and the creature of lying – while the established truth is immutable, imperturbable, perfect in beauty. For this reason, despise error.”

Gospel of Truth :4   “Being thus without any root, it fell into a fog regarding the Father, while it was involved in preparing works and oblivions and terrors in order that by means of these it might entice those of the middle and capture them.  The oblivion of error was not revealed.  It is not a […] under the Father.  Oblivion did not come into existence under the Father, although it did indeed come into existence because of him.  But what comes into existence in him is knowledge, which appeared in order that oblivion might vanish and the Father might be known.  Since oblivion came into existence because the Father was not known, then if the Father comes to be known, oblivion will not exist from that moment on.”

Gospel of Truth :5   “This <is> the gospel of the one who is searched for, which <was> revealed to those who are perfect through the mercies of the Father – the hidden mystery, Jesus, the Christ. Through it he enlightened those who were in darkness.  Out of oblivion he enlightened them, he showed (them) a way.  And the way is the truth which he taught them.”

Gospel of Truth :6   “For this reason error grew angry at him, persecuted him, was distressed at him, (and) was brought to naught. He was nailed to a tree; he became a fruit of the knowledge of the Father, which did not, however, become destructive because it <was> eaten, but to those who ate it, it gave (cause) to become glad in the discovery.  For he discovered them in himself, and they discovered him in themselves, the incomprehensible, inconceivable one, the Father, the perfect one, the one who made the all, while the all is within him and the all has need of him, since he retained its (pl.) perfection within himself which he did not give to the all.  The Father was not jealous.  What jealousy indeed (could there be) between himself and his members?  For if the aeon had thus [received] their [perfection], they could not have come […] the Father, since he retained their perfection within himself, granting it to them as a return to him and a knowledge unique in perfection. It is he who fashioned the all, and the all is within him and the all had need of him.”

Gospel of Truth :7   “As in the case of one of whom some are ignorant, who wishes to have them know him and love him, so – for what did the all have need of if not knowledge regarding the Father? – he became a guide, restful and leisurely.  He went into the midst of the schools (and) he spoke the word as a teacher.  There came the wise men – in their own estimation – putting him to the test.  But he confounded them because they were foolish. They hated him because they were not really wise.”

Gospel of Truth :8   “After all these, there came the little children also, those to whom the knowledge of the Father belongs.  Having been strengthened, they learned about the impressions of the Father.  They knew, they were known; they were glorified, they glorified.  There was revealed in their heart the living book of the living – the one written in the thought and the mind [of the] Father, and which from before the foundation of the all was within the incomprehensible (parts) of him – that (book) which no one was able to take since it is reserved for the one who will take it and will be slain.  No one could have appeared among those who believed in salvation unless that book had intervened.  For this reason the merciful one, the faithful one, Jesus, was patient in accepting sufferings until he took that book, since he knows that his death is life for many.”

Gospel of Truth :9   “Just as there lies hidden in a will, before it <is> opened, the fortune of the deceased master of the house, so (it is) with the all, which lay hidden while the Father of the all was invisible, the one who is from himself, from whom all spaces come forth.  For this reason Jesus appeared; he put on that book; he was nailed to a tree; he published the edict of the Father on the cross. O such great teaching!  He draws himself down to death though life eternal clothes him.  Having stripped himself of the perishable rags, he put on imperishability, which no one can possibly take away from him.  Having entered the empty spaces of terrors, he passed through those who were stripped naked by oblivion, being knowledge and perfection, proclaiming the things that are in the heart of the [Father] in order to […] teach those who will receive teaching.”

Gospel of Truth :10   “But those who are to receive teaching [are] the living who are inscribed in the book of the living. They receive teaching about themselves. They receive it (pl.) from the Father, turning again to him.  Since the perfection of the all is in the Father, it is necessary for the all to ascend to him.  Then, if one has knowledge, he receives what are his own and draws them to himself. For he who is ignorant is in need, and what he lacks is great since he lacks that which will make him perfect. Since the perfection of the all is in the Father and it is necessary for the all to ascend to him and for each one to receive what are his own, he enrolled them in advance, having prepared them to give to those who came forth from him.”

Gospel of Truth :11   “Those whose name he knew in advance were called at the end, so that one who has knowledge is the one whose name the Father has uttered.  For he whose name has not been spoken is ignorant.  Indeed, how is one to hear if his name has not been called?  For he who is ignorant until the end is a creature of oblivion, and he will vanish along with it.  If not, how is it that these miserable ones have no name, (how is it that) they do not have the call?  Therefore if one has knowledge, he is from above. If he is called, he hears, he answers, and he turns to him who is calling him, and ascends to him. And he knows in what manner he is called.  Having knowledge, he does the will of the one who called him, he wishes to be pleasing to him, he receives rest.”

Gospel of Truth :12   “Each one’s name comes to him.  He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going.  He knows as one who having become drunk has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own.  He has brought many back from error.  He has gone before them to their places, from which they had moved away when they received error, on account of the depth of the one who encircles all spaces while there is none that encircles him.  It was a great wonder that they were in the Father, not knowing him, and (that) they were able to come forth by themselves, since they were unable to comprehend or to know the one in whom they were. If his will had not thus emerged from him – for he revealed it in view of a knowledge in which all its emanations concur.”

Gospel of Truth :13   “This is the knowledge of the living book which he revealed to the aeons to the last of its [letters], revealing how they are not vowels nor are they consonants, so that one might read them and think of something foolish, but they are letters of the truth which they alone speak who know them.  Each letter is a complete <thought> like a complete book, since they are letters written by the Unity, the Father having written them for the aeons in order that by means of his letters they should know the Father.  His wisdom contemplates the Word, his teaching utters it, his knowledge has revealed <it>.  His forbearance is a crown upon it, his gladness is in harmony with it, his glory has exalted it, his image has revealed it, his repose has received it into itself, his love has made a body over it, his fidelity has embraced it.  In this way the Word of the Father goes forth in the all, as the fruit [of] his heart and an impression of his will.  But it supports the all; it chooses it (pl.) and also receives the impression of the all, purifying it (pl.), bringing it (pl.) back into the Father, into the Mother, Jesus of the infiniteness of gentleness.”

Gospel of Truth :14   “The Father reveals his bosom -now his bosom is the Holy Spirit.  He reveals what is hidden of him – what is hidden of him is his Son – so that through the mercies of the Father the aeons may know him and cease laboring in search of the Father, resting there in him, knowing that this is rest.  Having filled the deficiency, he abolished the form – the form of it is the world, that in which he served.  For the place where there is envy and strife is a deficiency, but the place where (there is) Unity is a perfection. Since the deficiency came into being because the Father was not known, therefore when the Father is known, from that moment on the deficiency will no longer exist.  As with the ignorance of a person, when he comes to have knowledge his ignorance vanishes of itself, as the darkness vanishes when light appears, so also the deficiency vanishes in the perfection.  So from that moment on the form is not apparent, but it will vanish in the fusion of Unity, for now their works lie scattered. In time Unity will perfect the spaces. It is within Unity that each one will attain himself; within knowledge he will purify himself from multiplicity into Unity, consuming matter within himself like fire, and darkness by light, death by life.”

Gospel of Truth :15   “If indeed these things have happened to each one of us, then we must see to it above all that the house will be holy and silent for the Unity.  (It is) as in the case of some people who moved out of dwellings where there were jars that in spots were not good.  They would break them, and the master of the house does not suffer loss.  Rather <he> is glad because in place of the bad jars there are full ones which are made perfect. For such is the judgment which has come from above. It has passed judgment on everyone; it is a drawn sword, with two edges, cutting on either side.  When the Word came into the midst, the one that is within the heart of those who utter it – it is not a sound alone but it became a body – a great disturbance took place among the jars because some had been emptied, others filled; that is, some had been supplied, others poured out, some had been purified, still others broken up.  All the spaces were shaken and disturbed because they had no order nor stability.  Error was upset, not knowing what to do; it was grieved, in mourning, afflicting itself because it knew nothing.  When knowledge drew near it – this is the downfall of (error) and all its emanations – error is empty, having nothing inside.”

Gospel of Truth :16   “Truth came into the midst; all its emanations knew it.  They greeted the Father in truth with a perfect power that joins them with the Father.  For everyone loves the truth because the truth is the mouth of the Father; his tongue is the Holy Spirit.  He who is joined to the truth is joined to the Father’s mouth by his tongue, whenever he is to receive the Holy Spirit.  This is the manifestation of the Father and his revelation to his aeons: he manifested what was hidden of him; he explained it.  For who contains if not the Father alone?  All the spaces are his emanations.  They have known that they came forth from him like children who are from a grown man.  They knew that they had not yet received form nor yet received a name, each one of which the Father begets.  Then when they receive form by his knowledge, though truly within him, they do not know him.  But the Father is perfect, knowing every space within him. If he wishes, he manifests whomever he wishes by giving him form and giving him a name, and he gives a name to him and brings it about that those come into existence who before they come into existence are ignorant of him who fashioned them.”

Gospel of Truth :17   “I do not say, then, that they are nothing (at all) who have not yet come into existence, but they are in him who will wish that they come into existence when he wishes, like the time that is to come.  Before all things appear, he knows what he will produce.  But the fruit which is not yet manifest knows nothing, nor does it do anything.  Thus also every space which is itself in the Father is from the one who exists, who established it from what does not exist.  For he who has no root has no fruit either, but though he thinks to himself, “I have come into being,” yet  he will perish by himself.  For this reason, he who did not exist at all will never come into existence.  What, then, did he wish him to think of himself?  This:  “I have come into being like the shadows and phantoms of the night.”  When the light shines on the terror which that person had experienced, he knows that it is nothing.”

Gospel of Truth :18   “Thus they were ignorant of the Father, he being the one whom they did not see.  Since it was terror and disturbance and instability and doubt and division, there were many illusions at work by means of these, and (there were) empty fictions, as if they were sunk in sleep and found themselves in disturbing dreams.  Either (there is) a place to which they are fleeing, or without strength they come (from) having chased after others, or they are involved in striking blows, or they are receiving blows themselves, or they have fallen from high places, or they take off into the air though they do not even have wings.  Again, sometimes (it is as) if people were murdering them, though there is no one even pursuing them, or they themselves are killing their neighbors, for they have been stained with their blood.  When those who are going through all these things wake up, they see nothing, they who were in the midst of all these disturbances, for they are nothing.  Such is the way of those who have cast ignorance aside from them like sleep, not esteeming it as anything, nor do they esteem its works as solid things either, but they leave them behind like a dream in the night. The knowledge of the Father they value as the dawn.  This is the way each one has acted, as though asleep at the time when he was ignorant.  And this is the way he has come to knowledge, as if he had awakened.  {And} Good for the man who will come to and awaken.  And blessed is he who has opened the eyes of the blind.  And the Spirit ran after him, hastening from waking him up.  Having extended his hand to him who lay upon the ground, he set him up on his feet, for he had not yet risen.  He gave them the means of knowing as the knowledge of the Father and the revelation of his Son.”

Gospel of Truth :19   “For when they had seen him and had heard him, he granted them to taste him and to smell him and to touch the beloved Son.  When he had appeared instructing them about the Father, the incomprehensible one, when he had breathed into them what is in the mind, doing his will, when many had received the light, they turned to him.  For the material ones were strangers and did not see his likeness and had not known him.  For he came by means of fleshly appearance while nothing blocked his course because it was incorruptibility (and) irresistibility.  Again, speaking new things, still speaking about what is in the heart of the Father, he brought forth the flawless word.  Light spoke through his mouth, and his voice gave birth to life.  He gave them thought and understanding and mercy and salvation and the powerful spirit from the infiniteness and the gentleness of the Father.  He made punishments and tortures cease, for it was they which were leading astray from his face some who were in need of mercy, in error and in bonds; and with power he destroyed them and confounded them with knowledge.  He became a way for those who were lost and knowledge for those who were ignorant, a discovery for those who were searching, and a support for those who were wavering, immaculateness for those who were defiled.”

Gospel of Truth :20   “He is the shepherd who left behind the ninety nine sheep which were not lost.  He went searching for the one which was lost.  He rejoiced when he found it, for 99 is a number that is in the left hand which holds it.  But when the one is found, the entire number passes to the right (hand).  Thus (it is with) him who lacks the one; that is, the entire right which draws what was deficient and takes it from the left-hand side and brings (it) to the right, and thus the number becomes 100.  It is the sign of the one who is in their sound; it is the Father.  Even on the Sabbath, he labored for the sheep which he found fallen into the pit. He gave life to the sheep, having brought it Up from the pit in order that you might know interiorly you – the sons of interior knowledge – what is the Sabbath, on which it is not fitting for salvation to be idle, in order that you may speak from the day from above, which has no night, and from the light which does not sink because it is perfect. Say, then, from the heart that you are the perfect day and in you dwells the light that does not fail.”

Gospel of Truth :21   “Speak of the truth with those who search for it, and (of) knowledge to those who have committed sin in their error.  Make firm the foot of those who have stumbled and stretch out your hands to those who are ill.  Feed those who are hungry and give repose to those who are weary, and raise up those who wish to rise, and awaken those who sleep.  For you are the understanding that is drawn forth.  If strength acts thus, it becomes even stronger.  Be concerned with yourselves; do not be concerned with other things which you have rejected from yourselves.  Do not return to what you have vomited to eat it.  Do not be moths, do not be worms, for you have already cast it off.  Do not become a (dwelling) place for the devil, for you have already destroyed him.  Do not strengthen (those who are) obstacles to you who are collapsing, as though (you were) a support (for them).  For the unjust one is someone to treat ill rather than the just one.  For the former does his works as an unjust person; the latter as a righteous person does his works among others. So you, do the will of the Father, for you are from him.”

Gospel of Truth :22   “For the Father is gentle and in his will there are good things.  He took cognizance of the things that are yours that you might find rest in them. For by the fruits does one take cognizance of the things that are yours because the children of the Father are his fragrance, for they are from the grace of his countenance.  For this reason the Father loves his fragrance and manifests it in every place, and if it mixes with matter he gives his fragrance to the light and in his repose he causes it to surpass every form (and) every sound.  For it is not the ears that smell the fragrance, but (it is) the breath that has the sense of smell and attracts the fragrance to itself and is submerged in the fragrance of the Father.  It shelters it, then, takes it to the place where it came from, the first fragrance which is grown cold.  It is something in a psychic form, being like cold water which has […], which is on earth that is not solid, of which those who see it think it is earth; afterwards it dissolves again.  If a breath draws it, it gets hot. The fragrances therefore that are cold are from the division.  For this reason [faith] came; it did away with the division, and it brought the warm pleroma of love in order that the cold should not come again but there should be the unity of perfect thought.”

Gospel of Truth :23   “This <is> the word of the gospel of the discovery of the pleroma, for those who await the salvation which is coming from on high.  While their hope which they are waiting for is waiting – they whose image is light with no shadow in it – then at that time the pleroma is about to come.  The deficiency of matter has not arisen through the limitlessness of the Father, who is about to bring the time of the deficiency, although no one could say that the incorruptible one will come in this way.  But the depth of the Father was multiplied and the thought of error did not exist with him.  It is a thing that falls, it is a thing that easily stands upright (again) in the discovery of him who has come to him whom he shall bring back.  For the bringing back is called repentance.”

Gospel of Truth :24   “For this reason incorruptibility breathed forth; it pursued the one who had sinned in order that he might rest. For forgiveness is what remains for the light in the deficiency, the word of the pleroma.  For the physician runs to the place where a sickness is because that is his will that is in him.  He who has a deficiency, then, does not hide it, because one has what the other lacks.  So with the pleroma, which has no deficiency; it fills up his deficiency – (it is) that which he provided for filling up what he lacks, in order that therefore he might receive the grace. When he was deficient he did not have the grace.  That is why there was diminution existing in the place where there is no grace.  When that which was diminished was received, he revealed what he lacked, as a pleroma; that is the discovery of the light of truth which rose upon him because it is immutable.”

Gospel of Truth :25   “That is why Christ was spoken of in their midst, so that those who were disturbed might receive a bringing back, and he might anoint them with the ointment.  The ointment is the mercy of the Father who will have mercy on them.  But those whom he has anointed are the ones who have become perfect.  For full jars are the ones that are usually anointed.  But when the anointing of one (jar) is dissolved, it is emptied, and the reason for there being a deficiency is the thing through which its ointment goes.  For at that time a breath draws it, one by the power of the one with it. But from him who has no deficiency no seal is removed, nor is anything emptied.  But what he lacks the perfect Father fills again. He is good.  He knows his plantings because it is he who planted them in his paradise.  Now his paradise is his place of rest.”

Gospel of Truth :26   “This is the perfection in the thought of the Father, and these are the words of his meditation.  Each one of his words is the work of his one will in the revelation of his Word. While they were still in the depth of his thought, the Word which was first to come forth revealed them along with a mind that speaks the one Word in silent grace.  It (masc.) was called thought since they were in it (fem.) before being revealed.  It came about, then, that it was first to come forth at the time that was pleasing to the will of him who willed.  And the will is what the Father rests in and is pleased with.  Nothing happens without him, nor does anything happen without the will of the Father, but his will is incomprehensible. His trace is the will, and no one will know it, nor is it possible for one to scrutinize it in order to grasp it.  But when he wills, what he wills is this – even if the sight does not please them in any way – before God (it is) the will, the Father.  For he knows the beginning of all of them and their end.  For at their end he will question them directly (?).  Now the end is receiving knowledge about the one who is hidden, and this is the Father, from whom the beginning came forth, to whom all will return who have come forth from him.  And they have appeared for the glory and the joy of his name.”

Gospel of Truth :27   “Now the name of the Father is the Son. It is he who first gave a name to the one who came forth from him, who was himself, and he begot him as a son.  He gave him his name which belonged to him; he is the one to whom belongs all that exists around him, the Father.  His is the name; his is the Son.  It is possible for him to be seen.  But the name is invisible because it alone is the mystery of the invisible which comes to ears that are completely filled with it. For indeed the Father’s name is not spoken, but it is apparent through a Son.”

Gospel of Truth :28   “In this way, then, the name is a great thing. Who therefore will be able to utter a name for him, the great name, except him alone to whom the name belongs and the sons of the name in whom rested the name of the Father, (who) in turn themselves rested in his name?  Since the Father is unengendered, he alone is the one who begot a name for himself before he brought forth the aeons in order that the name of the Father should be over their head as lord, that is, the name in truth, which is firm in his command through perfect power.  For the name is not from (mere) words, nor does his name consist of appellations, but it is invisible.  He gave a name to himself since he sees himself, he alone having the power to give himself a name.  For he who does not exist has no name.  For what name is given to him who does not exist?  But the one who exists, exists also with his name, and he knows himself.  And to give himself a name is (the prerogative of) the Father.  The Son is his name.  He did not therefore hide it in the work, but the Son existed; he alone was given the name.  The name therefore is that of the Father, as the name of the Father is the Son.  Where indeed would mercy find a name except with the Father?”

Gospel of Truth :29   “But no doubt one will say to his neighbor, “Who is it who will give a name to him who existed before himself, as if offspring did not receive a name from those who begot them?” First, then, it is fitting for us to reflect on this matter: what is the name?  It is the name in truth; it is not therefore the name from the father, for it is the one which is the proper name.  Therefore he did not receive the name on loan as (do) others, according to the form in which each one is to be produced.  But this is the proper name.  There is no one else who gave it to him.  But he is unnameable, indescribable, until the time when he who is perfect spoke of himself.  And it is he who has the power to speak his name and to see it.

Gospel of Truth :30   “When therefore it pleased him that his name which is uttered should be his Son, and he gave the name to him, that is, him who came forth from the depth, he spoke about his secret things, knowing that the Father is a being without evil.  For that very reason he brought him forth in order to speak about the place and his resting-place from which he had come forth, and to glorify the pleroma, the greatness of his name and the gentleness of the Father.  About the place each one came from he will speak, and to the region where he received his essential being he will hasten to return again, and to be taken from that place – the place where he stood  receiving a taste from that place and receiving nourishment, receiving growth.  And his own resting-place is his pleroma.”

Gospel of Truth :31   “Therefore all the emanations of the Father are pleromas, and the root of all his emanations is in the one who made them all grow up in himself.  He assigned them their destinies.  Each one then is apparent in order that through their own thought […]. For the place to which they send their thought, that place (is) their root, which takes them up in all the heights to the Father.  They possess his head which is rest for them and they hold on close to him, as though to say that they have participated in his face by means of kisses.  But they do not appear in this way, for they did not surpass themselves nor lack the glory of the Father nor think of him as small nor that he is harsh nor that he is wrathful, but a being without evil, imperturbable, gentle, knowing all spaces before they have come into existence, and having no need to be instructed.”

Gospel of Truth :32   “This is the manner of those who possess (something) from above of the immeasurable greatness, as they stretch out after the one alone and the perfect one, the one who is there for them.  And they do not go down to Hades nor have they envy nor groaning nor death within them, but they rest in him who is at rest, not striving nor being involved in the search for truth.  But they themselves are the truth; and the Father is within them and they are in the Father, being perfect, being undivided in the truly good one, being in no way deficient in anything, but they are set at rest, refreshed in the Spirit.  And they will heed their root.  They will be concerned with those (things) in which he will find his root and not suffer loss to his soul. This is the place of the blessed; this is their place.”

Gospel of Truth :33   “For the rest, then, may they know, in their places, that it is not fitting for me, having come to be in the resting-place, to speak of anything else.  But it is in it that shall come to be, to be concerned at all times with the Father of the all and the true brothers, those upon whom the love of the Father is poured out and in whose midst there is no lack of him.  They are the ones who appear in truth since they exist in true and eternal life and speak of the light which is perfect and filled with the seed of the Father, and which is in his heart and in the pleroma, while his Spirit rejoices in it and glorifies the one in whom it existed because he is good.  And his children are perfect and worthy of his name, for he is the Father: it is children of this kind that he loves.”

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