Lost scriptures: books that did not make it into the New Testament (6 page)

find me.”

But if spirit came into being because of

39
Jesus said, “The pharisees and the

the body, it is a wonder of wonders. Inscribes have taken the keys of knowledge deed, I am amazed at how this great

(gnosis) and hidden them. They themwealth has made its home in this selves have not entered, nor have they

poverty.”

allowed to enter those who wish to. You,

30
Jesus said, “Where there are three

however, be as wise as serpents and as

gods, they are gods. Where there are two

innocent as doves.”

or one, I am with him.”

40
Jesus said, “A grapevine has been

31
Jesus said, “No prophet is accepted

planted outside of the father, but being

in his own village; no physician heals

unsound, it will be pulled up by its roots

those who know him.”

and destroyed.”

32
Jesus said, “A city being built on a

41
Jesus said, “Whoever has somehigh mountain and fortified cannot fall, thing in his hand will receive more, and

nor can it be hidden.”

whoever has nothing will be deprived of

33
Jesus said, “Preach from your (pl.)

even the little he has.”

housetops that which you (sg.) will hear

42
Jesus said, “Become passers-by.”

in your (sg.) ear. For no one lights a lamp

43
His disciples said to him, “Who are

and puts it under a bushel, nor does he

you, that you should say these things to

put it in a hidden place, but rather he sets

us?”

it on a lampstand so that everyone who

�Jesus said to them,� “You do not

enters and leaves will see its light.”

realize who I am from what I say to you,

34
Jesus said, “If a blind man leads a

but you have become like the Jews, for

blind man, they will both fall into a pit.”

they (either) love the tree and hate its

35
Jesus said, “It is not possible for

fruit (or) love the fruit and hate the tree.”

anyone to enter the house of a strong man

44
Jesus said, “Whoever blasphemes

and take it by force unless he binds his

against the father will be forgiven, and

hands; then he will (be able to) ransack

whoever blasphemes against the son will

his house.”

be forgiven, but whoever blasphemes

36
Jesus said, “Do not be concerned

against the holy spirit will not be forgiven

from morning until evening and from

either on earth or in heaven.”

evening until morning about what you

45
Jesus said, “Grapes are not harwill wear.”

vested from thorns, nor are figs gathered

37
His disciples said, “When will you

from thistles, for they do not produce

become revealed to us and when shall we

fruit. A good man brings forth good from

see you?”

his storehouse; an evil man brings forth

Jesus said, “When you disrobe without

evil things from his evil storehouse,

being ashamed and take up your garwhich is in his heart, and says evil things.

ments and place them under your feet

For out of the abundance of the heart he

like little children and tread on them, then

brings forth evil things.”

[will you see] the son of the living one,

46
Jesus said, “Among those born of

and you will not be afraid.”

women, from Adam until John the Bap

38
Jesus said, “Many times have you

tist, there is no one so superior to John

desired to hear these words which I am

the Baptist that his eyes should not be

24

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

lowered (before him). Yet I have said,

53
His disciples said to him, “Is cirwhichever one of you comes to be a child cumcision beneficial or not?” He said to

will be acquainted with the kingdom and

them, “If it were beneficial, their father

will become superior to John.”

would beget them already circumcised

47
Jesus said, “It is impossible for a

from their mother. Rather, the true cirman to mount two horses or to stretch cumcision in spirit has become comtwo bows. And it is impossible for a pletely profitable.”

servant to serve two masters; otherwise,

54
Jesus said, “Blessed are the poor,

he will honor the one and treat the other

for yours is the kingdom of heaven.”

contemptuously. No man drinks old wine

55
Jesus said, “Whoever does not hate

and immediately desires to drink new

his father and his mother cannot become

wine. And new wine is not put into old

a disciple to me. And whoever does not

wineskins, lest they burst; nor is old wine

hate his brothers and sisters and take up

put into a new wineskin, lest it spoil it.

his cross in my way will not be worthy

An old patch is not sewn into a new

of me.”

garment, because a tear would result.”

56
Jesus said, “Whoever has come to

48
Jesus said, “If two make peace with

understand the world has found (only) a

each other in this one house, they will

corpse, and whoever has found a corpse

say to the mountain, ‘Move away,’ and it

is superior to the world.”

will move away.”

57
Jesus said, “The kingdom of the fa

49
Jesus said, “Blessed are the solitary

ther is like a man who had [good] seed.

and elect, for you will find the kingdom.

His enemy came by night and sowed

For you are from it, and to it you will

weeds among the good seed. The man

return.”

did not allow them to pull up the weeds;

50
Jesus said, “If they say to you,

he said to them, ‘I am afraid that you will

‘Where did you come from?’, say to

go intending to pull up the weeds and

them, ‘We came from the light, the place

pull up the wheat along with them.’ For

where the light came into being on its

on the day of the harvest the weeds will

own accord and established [itself] and

be plainly visible, and they will be pulled

became manifest through their image.’ If

up and burned.”

they say to you, ‘Is it you?’ say, ‘We are

58
Jesus said, “Blessed is the man who

its children, and we are the elect of the

has suffered and found life.”

living father.’ If they ask you, ‘What is

59
Jesus said, “Take heed of the living

the sign of your father in you?’, say to

one while you are alive, lest you die and

them, ‘It is movement and repose.’ ”

seek to see him and be unable to do so.”

51
His disciples said to him, “When

60
�They saw� a Samaritan carrying

will the repose of the dead come about,

a lamb on his way to Judea. He said to

and when will the new world come?”

his disciples, “That man is round about

He said to them, “What you look forthe lamb.”

ward to has already come, but you do not

They said to him, “So that he may kill

recognize it.”

it and eat it.”

52
His disciples said to him, “Twenty

He said to them, “While it is alive, he

four prophets spoke in Israel, and all of

will not eat it, but only when he has killed

them spoke in you.”

it and it has become a corpse.”

He said to them, “You have omitted

They said to him, “He cannot do so

the one living in your presence and have

otherwise.”

spoken (only) of the dead.”

He said to them, “You too, look for a

THE COPTIC GOSPEL OF THOMAS

25

place for yourselves within repose, lest

him, ‘My master invites you.’ He said to

you become a corpse and be eaten.”

him, ‘I have just bought a farm, and I am

61
Jesus said, “Two will rest on a bed:

on my way to collect the rent. I shall not

the one will die, and the other will live.”

be able to come. I ask to be excused.’

Salome said, “Who are you, man, that

The servant returned and said to his masyou . . . have come up on my couch and ter, ‘Those whom you invited to the dineaten from my table?”

ner have asked to be excused.’ The master

Jesus said to her, “I am he who exists

said to his servant, ‘Go outside to the

from the undivided. I was given some of

streets and bring back those whom you

the things of my father.”

happen to meet, so that they may dine.’

� . . . � “I am your disciple.”

Businessmen and merchants [will] not

� . . . � “Therefore I say, if he is deenter the places of my father.”

stroyed he will be filled with light, but if

65
He said, “There was a good man

he is divided, he will be filled with

who owned a vineyard. He leased it to

darkness.”

tenant farmers so that they might work it

62
Jesus said, “It is to those [who are

and he might collect the produce from

worthy of my] mysteries that I tell my

them. He sent his servant so that the

mysteries. Do not let your (sg.) left hand

tenants might give him the produce of the

know what your (sg.) right hand is

vineyard. They seized his servant and

doing.”

beat him, all but killing him. The servant

63
Jesus said, “There was a rich man

went back and told his master. The master

who had much money. He said, ‘I shall

said, ‘Perhaps he did not recognize them.’

put my money to use so that I may sow,

He sent another servant. The tenants beat

reap, plant, and fill my storehouse with

this one as well. Then the owner sent his

produce, with the result that I shall lack

son and said, ‘Perhaps they will show

nothing.’ Such were his intentions, but

respect to my son.’ Because the tenants

that same night he died. Let him who has

knew that it was he who was the heir to

ears hear.”

the vineyard, they seized him and killed

64
Jesus said, “A man had received vishim. Let him who has ears hear.”

itors. And when he had prepared the din

66
Jesus said, “Show me the stone

ner, he sent his servant to invite the

which the builders have rejected. That

guests. He went to the first one and said

one is the cornerstone.”

to him, ‘My master invites you.’ He said,

67
Jesus said, “If one who knows the

‘I have claims against some merchants.

all still feels a personal deficiency, he is

They are coming to me this evening. I

completely deficient.”

must go and give them my orders. I ask

68
Jesus said, “Blessed are you when

to be excused from the dinner.’ He went

you are hated and persecuted. Wherever

to another and said to him, ‘My master

you have been persecuted they will find

has invited you.’ He said to him, ‘I have

no place.”

just bought a house and am required for

69
Jesus said, “Blessed are they who

the day. I shall not have any spare time.’

have been persecuted within themselves.

He went to another and said to him, ‘My

It is they who have truly come to know

master invites you.’ He said to him, ‘My

the father. Blessed are the hungry, for the

friend is going to get married, and I am

belly of him who desires will be filled.”

to prepare the banquet. I shall not be able

70
Jesus said, “That which you have

to come. I ask to be excused from the

will save you if you bring it forth from

dinner.’ He went to another and said to

yourselves. That which you do not have

26

NON-CANONICAL GOSPELS

within you [will] kill you if you do not

you and the breasts which nourished

have it within you.”

you.”

71
Jesus said, “I shall [destroy this]

He said to [her], “Blessed are those

house, and no one will be able to build

who have heard the word of the father

it [ . . . ]”

and have truly kept it. For there will be

72
[A man said] to him, “Tell my

days when you (pl.) will say, ‘Blessed

brothers to divide my father’s possessions

are the womb which has not conceived

with me.”

and the breasts which have not given

He said to him, “O man, who has made