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The Gospel of Thomas

By Judas Didymos Thomas

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III - Fragments of the Greek Gospel of Thomas

Several fragments of a Greek version of Thomas were found
among the Oxyrhynchys Papyri in the late 19th century. These
fragments consist of the preamble, and sayings 1-6, 26-28, 30-32,
36-38, and 39, as well as a saying not found in the Coptic
version, which follows 32. These fragments are found on
Oxyrhynchus Papyri 1, 654, and 655. Generally, the sayings are
essentially the same in both versions. However, the equivalent of
saying 30 adds the end of the Coptic version's saying 77.
The translation used here is a combination of thranslations
by B.P. Grenfell and A.S. Hunt and Bentley Layton.


These are the secret sayings which were spoken by Jesus the
Living One, and which Judas, who is called Thomas, wrote down"

1) He said to them: "Whoever hears these words shall never taste
death."

2) [Jesus said]: "Let him who seeks not cease until he finds,
and when he finds he shall wonder; wondering he shall reign,
and reigning shall rest."

3) Jesus said, "If those who attract you say, 'See, the Kingdom is
in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they
say to you, 'It is under the earth,' then the fish of the sea will
precede you. Rather, the Kingdom of God is inside of you, and it is
outside of you. [Those who] become acquainted with [themselves]
will find it; [and when you] become acquainted with yourselves, [you
will understand that] it is you who are the sons of the living
Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty
and it is you who are that poverty."

4) Jesus said: "Let the old man who is full of days not
hesitate to ask the child of seven days about the place of life;
then he will live. For many that are first will be last, and
last, first, and they will become a single one."

5) Jesus said: "Recognize what is before your face and that
which is hidden from the you will be revealed to you. For there is
nothing hidden which shall not be made manifest, nor buried which
shall not be raised."

6) His disciples asked him and said to him, "How do you want us
to fast? And how shall we pray? And how [shall we] give alms? And
what kind of diet shall we follow?"
Jesus said, "Do not lie, and do not do what you hate, for all
things are disclosed before truth. For there is nothing hidden
which shall not be shown forth."

27) Jesus said: "Unless you fast to the world, you shall in no
way find the Kingdom of God; and unless you sabbatize the
Sabbath, you shall not see the Father."

28) Jesus said: "I stood in the midst of the world, and in the
flesh I was seen by them, and I found all drunken, and I found
none among them thirsty. And my soul grieved over the souls of men,
because they are blind in their heart and see not. [...]

30/77) Jesus said: "Where there are [two, they are not] without
God, and when there is one alone, [I say,] I am with him. Raise
the stone, and there you will find me; cleave the wood, and there
I am."

31) Jesus said: "A prophet is not acceptable in his own country,
neither does a physician work cures upon those that know him."

32) Jesus said: "A city built on the top of a high hill and
fortified can neither fall nor be hid."

--) Jesus said: "Thou hearest with one ear, [but the other thou
has closed].

36) Jesus said, "Do not worry from dawn to dusk and from dusk to
dawn about [what food] you [will] eat, [or] what [clothing] you
will wear. [You are much] better than the [lilies], which [neither]
card nor spin. And for your part, what [will you wear] when you
have no clothing? Who would add to your stature? It is he who
will give you your clothing.

37) His disciples said to him, "When will you be visible to us,
and when shall we behold you?"
He said, "When you strip naked without being ashamed, and
take your garments and put them under your feet like little
children and tread upon them, then you will see the child of the
Living, and you will not be afraid."