From the dawn of written knowledge, passed down to a multitude of generations, the topic of death is scarce, far and wide. No one actively thinks about it or talk about it very often or try to find out about it, except for a selected few. This widely unknown zone of knowledge is not accessible in any conventional way, and quite acceptable, for we as humans like to experience, rather than being taught or told what something is.
For this matter of fact, since no one can ultimately say they have been to the other side of the mirror so to speak (die, live in death and come back), then it is mostly ignored, put aside and remain unexplored by the majority. Even though it is widely considered far fetched that anyone would even believe a person who claims to have been there and back, it is not "impossible".
It is an inevitable part of our existence as humans, and no matter how much longer we extend our lifetimes, eventually, we will pass away and remain only as memories or an effect of another person's memory. We cry when someone dies, we are afraid to die, and avoid this aspect of life at all costs, and even spend fortunes of money to prolong this physical existence.
For people who at least have some knowledge from books or their own NDE (Near Death Experiences), life is more than just a length of time to "be the best you can be". Life is no longer a burden or situation to get out of. Because now, instead of looking at the mirror, you can look "from" the mirror.
Fortunately, this is only for those that are serious about the "beyond physical" experience, and not for skeptics trying to "prove" someone wrong. You can most definitely get "trapped" or make a "permanent" leap to the other world if you are careless enough to not know where you are going, how to survive possible problems, an how to get back if you are not already trapped. And usually, this alone will scare away those who are lazy and inconsistent with their spiritual activities.
Being as general as I can on this posting, I will only say that death is not something to be scared of or mourn about. This existence is purely a trip for intelligence and experience gathering, rather than a "joy ride". Everyone of us came here with absolutely no physical possessions, yet when our time comes to leave, we try to hold on to everything that we came here and experienced and got attached to. Nothing is going to change the fact that you WILL eventually pass away from your physical body, and enter the next plane of existence or "being".
Much like you choose your path to a destination from many roads, is the same way the spiritual world works, except, this time, you do not have the limitation of a body, you will only have your intelligence, consciousness and mind power. By mind power, I do not mean your "head brain" but rather the magnetic energy force surrounding one's entire body that collects consciousness and other important information.
When someone dies, we should be happy that they have completed their chosen journey and have transcended, or will return if needed. When it is our time to go, we should embrace the present, and look towards the bright future ahead, beyond our lowly physical experience.
Unfortunately for millions, their church and other dogmas will already dictate where they are going, and they will go down that tunnel to the dictated mind trap that is set for them beyond this world.
Just remember that EVERYTHING and EVERYONE in this world that is immediately in your daily lives are seeking your attention. It is up to you whether you will give your attention freely, or choose who, what and why you will direct your attention and energy in a certain direction...
Friday, September 9, 2016
Friday, September 2, 2016
When you're defeated...
For many people, there's this belief that an invisible force of "Bad Luck" lurks around. This force is believed to make success for some by leaving them alone. For others, this force is responsible for the failures of others who it decides to stay with for a while.
To the untrained mind, this will seem totally logical when it faces adversity. The mind will follow anything that makes logical sense and seem more likely to be truth rather than a lie. So following down this "assumed" road of "I have bad luck", the mind logically creates negative assumptions going forward when something undesirable happens.
Unknowingly to the subject of this "spell", they create their own misfortunes, as the mind does not distinguish between good/bad, wrong/right, etc. It simply amplifies what we hold in our conscious minds and transfers the strongest emotional attachments to the subconscious, thus attracting the same in the physical realm.
In lay man's terms, those passionate beliefs that we have "bad luck" when something bad happens, or "Nothing too good lasts for long", then that is what will be our future going forward. If you wake up, take a shower, decide to brush your teeth and there is little or no toothpaste left, do you stop and curse and be mad, or use whatever is left by cutting the tube open and making a note to get a new tube of toothpaste when you leave work or start your day? This simple example is so powerful you will stop to wonder back at all those bad days you had.
When you start out your day, the rest of the day is depended on your strongest emotional mood in the morning. If you are mad, angry or just grumpy, that is what you will continually attract until your mind and emotional mood change, whether you are a male or female. If you feel unworthy, trashy, poor, rich, healthy, sick, or any other internal emotional feeling, you will be surprised at how much this influences your day.
So next time you think you have "Bad Luck", change your mood, train of thought, and talk to someone who will cheer you up, make you laugh, or talk to a stranger and make their and your day and see how much it impacts your day going forward.
To the untrained mind, this will seem totally logical when it faces adversity. The mind will follow anything that makes logical sense and seem more likely to be truth rather than a lie. So following down this "assumed" road of "I have bad luck", the mind logically creates negative assumptions going forward when something undesirable happens.
Unknowingly to the subject of this "spell", they create their own misfortunes, as the mind does not distinguish between good/bad, wrong/right, etc. It simply amplifies what we hold in our conscious minds and transfers the strongest emotional attachments to the subconscious, thus attracting the same in the physical realm.
In lay man's terms, those passionate beliefs that we have "bad luck" when something bad happens, or "Nothing too good lasts for long", then that is what will be our future going forward. If you wake up, take a shower, decide to brush your teeth and there is little or no toothpaste left, do you stop and curse and be mad, or use whatever is left by cutting the tube open and making a note to get a new tube of toothpaste when you leave work or start your day? This simple example is so powerful you will stop to wonder back at all those bad days you had.
When you start out your day, the rest of the day is depended on your strongest emotional mood in the morning. If you are mad, angry or just grumpy, that is what you will continually attract until your mind and emotional mood change, whether you are a male or female. If you feel unworthy, trashy, poor, rich, healthy, sick, or any other internal emotional feeling, you will be surprised at how much this influences your day.
So next time you think you have "Bad Luck", change your mood, train of thought, and talk to someone who will cheer you up, make you laugh, or talk to a stranger and make their and your day and see how much it impacts your day going forward.
Friday, August 26, 2016
Knowledge vs Wisdom
Very scarcely now-a-days do we every come across the word wisdom, yet knowledge is widely available.
Knowledge: According to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knowledge - Knowledge means:
1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.
2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.
4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance: He had knowledge of her good fortune.
6. something that is or may be known; information: He sought knowledge of her activities.
7. the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
8. the sum of what is known: Knowledge of the true situation is limited.
9. Archaic . sexual intercourse. Compare carnal knowledge.
–adjective
10. creating, involving, using, or disseminating special knowledge or information: A computer expert can always find a good job in the knowledge industry.
—Idiom
11. to one's knowledge, according to the information available to one: To my knowledge he hasn't been here before.
Wisdom: according to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wisdom - Wisdom Means:
1. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.
3. wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
4. a wise act or saying.
5. ( initial capital letter ) Douay Bible . Wisdom of Solomon.
The above definitions are not the end all, be all, however it is generally accepted that these constitute what the words mean overall.
Now, if you take notice that knowledge is simply what is a "fact", or what is accepted as "fact". It is acquired from a wide array of various sources and readily available by simply viewing, experiencing or from learning. While on the other hand, Wisdom, as pointed out in #1 of the definitions, is more that simply gaining knowledge, but actually doing something with it, making it more refined, of a higher "quality" than simply just getting something in one form and keeping it that way.
For example, you can get a book and just read it and understand what it says, or you could read the book and build a boat from the instructions learned, then from that new ability, you can give wisdom to someone else who is embarking on the same journey and advise them on the pitfalls, shortcuts, and other experience you may have gained along the way of building this boat.
Wisdom is NOT in much abundance in any society. Especially very highly organized and refined wisdom is kept in close circles and shared with only those who would be able to appreciate this important data and use it at its full potential.
So next time you gain some knowledge, it may be wise to look into how you could use that knowledge to your advantage in some way. Dont just store all that information in your memory with no apparent use for it. We are "information hogs" by nature, and although this can be a good thing, it is also a bad things when we cannot decide for our selves what is important knowledge and what can be expanded upon as wisdom.
Knowledge: According to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/knowledge - Knowledge means:
1. acquaintance with facts, truths, or principles, as from study or investigation; general erudition: knowledge of many things.
2. familiarity or conversance, as with a particular subject or branch of learning: A knowledge of accounting was necessary for the job.
3. acquaintance or familiarity gained by sight, experience, or report: a knowledge of human nature.
4. the fact or state of knowing; the perception of fact or truth; clear and certain mental apprehension.
5. awareness, as of a fact or circumstance: He had knowledge of her good fortune.
6. something that is or may be known; information: He sought knowledge of her activities.
7. the body of truths or facts accumulated in the course of time.
8. the sum of what is known: Knowledge of the true situation is limited.
9. Archaic . sexual intercourse. Compare carnal knowledge.
–adjective
10. creating, involving, using, or disseminating special knowledge or information: A computer expert can always find a good job in the knowledge industry.
—Idiom
11. to one's knowledge, according to the information available to one: To my knowledge he hasn't been here before.
Wisdom: according to http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/wisdom - Wisdom Means:
1. the quality or state of being wise; knowledge of what is true or right coupled with just judgment as to action; sagacity, discernment, or insight.
2. scholarly knowledge or learning: the wisdom of the schools.
3. wise sayings or teachings; precepts.
4. a wise act or saying.
5. ( initial capital letter ) Douay Bible . Wisdom of Solomon.
The above definitions are not the end all, be all, however it is generally accepted that these constitute what the words mean overall.
Now, if you take notice that knowledge is simply what is a "fact", or what is accepted as "fact". It is acquired from a wide array of various sources and readily available by simply viewing, experiencing or from learning. While on the other hand, Wisdom, as pointed out in #1 of the definitions, is more that simply gaining knowledge, but actually doing something with it, making it more refined, of a higher "quality" than simply just getting something in one form and keeping it that way.
For example, you can get a book and just read it and understand what it says, or you could read the book and build a boat from the instructions learned, then from that new ability, you can give wisdom to someone else who is embarking on the same journey and advise them on the pitfalls, shortcuts, and other experience you may have gained along the way of building this boat.
Wisdom is NOT in much abundance in any society. Especially very highly organized and refined wisdom is kept in close circles and shared with only those who would be able to appreciate this important data and use it at its full potential.
So next time you gain some knowledge, it may be wise to look into how you could use that knowledge to your advantage in some way. Dont just store all that information in your memory with no apparent use for it. We are "information hogs" by nature, and although this can be a good thing, it is also a bad things when we cannot decide for our selves what is important knowledge and what can be expanded upon as wisdom.
Friday, August 19, 2016
Why make goals, plans or final destinations?
Quite a few months back, I had a conversation with a very disorganized and spontaneous woman. She seemed to think that life is alot more fun when she is just a get up and go person, someone who makes plans on the go, and always have 2-5 backup plans if plan A fails. I was very curious as to why someone would behave in such a chaotic manner towards their daily, monthly and yearly life, just did not compute on my end, as I am a very organized person.
She explained that she used to be somewhat organized and her "friends" often told her to loosen up and be more accommodating. She found it hard but once she let go, she found that things worked out for the better more times than not in the end. So I asked her how often did her plans work out, and she said about 30% of the time. So I asked her if this was a good odds to keep in such a rudimentary manner concerning her well being and acceptance of her friends. She said that with her plan b-c-d-e and so forth, can come in handy when people cancel plans, she forgets to do something, is late, and so forth. So I asked if she meant that she has an excuse for anything that might come up or just to keep busy if her plans got cancelled, and she essentially said yes.
After such a conversation, I realize that some of us more intelligent people take our knowledge and insight for granted and usually do not share it with others who are less inclined. Rightfully so, because most people without a certain level of thinking (intelligence), will usually not want to hear that someone is smarter than them, or look into why an answer or suggestion might help them without being overly defensive.
The person essentially asked me the same questions they were asked before they changed into a spontaneously energized aimless drone. I explained that my views on life and my future are decisions I make myself, as a result of analysis and reanalysis of information, experience, insight and foresight of what has been and what I look forward to. I was fortunate enough to have been into computers since 1999, merely a year after I came to New York. I was so curious that I have learned things on my own, that still help me to this day, and also able to teach others in my profession some of these self taught techniques I have learnt along the way. I have confirmed for myself, that if you do not have a specific goal, something to look forward to, then you will NEVER reach anywhere. You will become someone "chasing ghosts".
Our minds are made up in such a way that we need a "full circle" of information in order to make sense of anything. That is why 95% of movies are based on a chronological or reversed-chronological order of events, making a story. Something with a beginning and an end. Something with a subject, body and ending like a letter. Without this basic connection, we get bored, annoyed, frustrated, and essentially unmotivated to do many things.
When we set goals, we allow the mind to work in such a way, that it aligns our life around getting to that goal. If you tell your mind you want to be on a road to success, that's exactly what you will get, a road to success always ahead of you, never reaching it. If you tell your mind that you want to start a business in 1 year, and you keep that in focus as you go through your days, weeks, months and eventually the year, you will see how many things come into perspective and opportunities that presents themselves in front of you for the choosing. Just like a Jigsaw Puzzle, you must choose the right parts to complete the puzzle.
She explained that she used to be somewhat organized and her "friends" often told her to loosen up and be more accommodating. She found it hard but once she let go, she found that things worked out for the better more times than not in the end. So I asked her how often did her plans work out, and she said about 30% of the time. So I asked her if this was a good odds to keep in such a rudimentary manner concerning her well being and acceptance of her friends. She said that with her plan b-c-d-e and so forth, can come in handy when people cancel plans, she forgets to do something, is late, and so forth. So I asked if she meant that she has an excuse for anything that might come up or just to keep busy if her plans got cancelled, and she essentially said yes.
After such a conversation, I realize that some of us more intelligent people take our knowledge and insight for granted and usually do not share it with others who are less inclined. Rightfully so, because most people without a certain level of thinking (intelligence), will usually not want to hear that someone is smarter than them, or look into why an answer or suggestion might help them without being overly defensive.
The person essentially asked me the same questions they were asked before they changed into a spontaneously energized aimless drone. I explained that my views on life and my future are decisions I make myself, as a result of analysis and reanalysis of information, experience, insight and foresight of what has been and what I look forward to. I was fortunate enough to have been into computers since 1999, merely a year after I came to New York. I was so curious that I have learned things on my own, that still help me to this day, and also able to teach others in my profession some of these self taught techniques I have learnt along the way. I have confirmed for myself, that if you do not have a specific goal, something to look forward to, then you will NEVER reach anywhere. You will become someone "chasing ghosts".
Our minds are made up in such a way that we need a "full circle" of information in order to make sense of anything. That is why 95% of movies are based on a chronological or reversed-chronological order of events, making a story. Something with a beginning and an end. Something with a subject, body and ending like a letter. Without this basic connection, we get bored, annoyed, frustrated, and essentially unmotivated to do many things.
When we set goals, we allow the mind to work in such a way, that it aligns our life around getting to that goal. If you tell your mind you want to be on a road to success, that's exactly what you will get, a road to success always ahead of you, never reaching it. If you tell your mind that you want to start a business in 1 year, and you keep that in focus as you go through your days, weeks, months and eventually the year, you will see how many things come into perspective and opportunities that presents themselves in front of you for the choosing. Just like a Jigsaw Puzzle, you must choose the right parts to complete the puzzle.
Friday, August 12, 2016
Spirituality vs Religion
Before I say anything in this public arena, I will say this is all my opinion and anything I say or disclose here is strictly for entertainment purposes. Those who wish to read and comprehend my standpoint in their own way, are welcome to do so, as well as those who wish to share their criticism of my views, as I love an intellectual challenge or ability to possibly enhance my viewpoint. So this is My Opinion, again, and not intended to offend or put down any particular established religion in any way, shape or form.
Religion
I choose to start on religion because this is in order of how I broke out of the dogmatic beliefs that were taught to my ancestors, all the way up to the present "family" traditions. It is my understanding that most of the western world, including Jamaica is "Christian" in nature, and I was within this pool growing up. As a child growing up in a Christian home in Jamaica, you are either forced go to go church (or brought along), stay at home with other "Non Believers" if your family do not care much about church, or you are enticed with candies, cookies and other goodies children are drawn to. The fact is that once you are drawn into the church by one or many methods, you are indoctrinated from a very young age and most people do not even realize what is happening.
Growing up, I wondered who Jesus was, who god was, and who the many mentioned people in the bible were and how they relate to our present lives. One thing i noticed is that the brain is always in search of answers. If you feed the brain something logical that it can assert as truth, it no longer searches, unless something in the future conflicts with the present definition of truth on a specific topic or item you stored earlier. In this case, it replaces the old definition with the new fact or truth it has now realized.
The problem for me, was believing that all these characters in this book was alive, and did all the things and said all the things that are in the bible. I was made to remember entire verses and sections of the bible that are still embedded in my psyche and can be drawn upon at will, which I think is amazing. However, there was no real controversy as to the accuracy of the bible.
There were no similar works available to read or try to understand. Interestingly, I am able to comprehend the language in which the bible is written. Even though it is in English, the way the bible is written is complex and derailing in some cases. Keeping things in context becomes work for the mind that seems to be a bigger task for some to put together and follow. I never paid this any attention at a young age, but as I grew, and became more aware of my surroundings, beliefs and the things that influence my way of thinking, I became increasingly curious about life.
In Jamaica, there are not many people in the differences of religious beliefs, since the country is almost all Christian, so if there are people, your chances of running into someone who don’t believe in the societal norm, is very slim. My research into similarly complex documents/books only took flight when I left Jamaica in 1998 and started high school in New York.
Upon my first realization that the bible is flawed brought my belief system horrifically crashing down and I felt as if the earth moved from beneath my feet. I continued my research and found that the bible was not what it was intended to be when it was first written. In fact, it is not a complete document, even if you found the original "Bible". This I will touch on later. However, I found books that are only mythical in reference in Jamaica. Such as the Apocrypha, The Macabees (not what many have been lead to believe), and many other works, such as The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. I was shocked that they removed all references to female prophets and authors from the bible and the positive message they were writing. In essence, I dug deeper and deeper and wondered why this was suppressed and other more profound works were included in the current edition of the bible "The King James Version" or "The New King James Version" KJV or NKJV.
My research for the truth led me to untold depths of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment beyond what I feel comfortable disclosing here. I still was not satisfied with why all this deception of the masses of people who do not research or do not have the tools to access the information that should be a choice and not a mandatory road down to blissfulness. As I came to understand, and this may shock most Christians, the bible is not meant to be a Religious Document, IN MY OPINION. With that said, it is also not meant to be a Historical Document, IN MY OPINION. Also, for those who wish to maintain the standpoint that this book was written by the "Hand of God" or "Inspired Men of God" truly do not know what this really means.
The depth of the information conveyed in what is in today's bible, is so much removed from the truth, that a basic conveying of information would not suffice your curiosity of why this is so and how this ties into our very disturbing past. It is without a doubt that there are people and entities on this planet that have access to information about us that we are made to forget, and focus more on distractions that are to our demise and unknowing acceptance of total destruction. The church is a interesting institution to say the least. For those unaware of the other side of the church, they should sit back and analyze the facts of the situation.
#1: it is strictly forbidden to question the bible or the authority of the church.
#2: it is encouraged to bring in all your children to the church and recruit others to come in and be "saved".
#3: believers and those with a good heart will go to "heaven".
#4: NON-Believers will burn in hell forever and ever.
#5: Obey the 10 commandments given to Moses on the mountain.
#6: At the age of basic reasoning, a child is told that Santa Clause is not real.
#7: Freedom of sexuality is an abomination and only Marriage is recognized as pure and holy in the eyes of "God".
#8: All can enter the church and be saved, but being able to afford luxuries of life are an abomination and a "rich man will never enter the kingdom of heaven".
#9: God gave man free will. This list can go on and on and on, but the above is sufficient.
Now, let’s look at these "rules" from the highest point downwards. If we are granted free will, then why are we not allowed to gain wealth and consequently happiness with the ability to travel freely and experience other cultures and people? This, at the very basic of reasoning, seems to be an oppressive rule that is translated into total nonsense. It seems at least to want to put people in the mindset of being stagnant, docile and keep your passion for positivity and growth to a bare minimum. In other words, be comfortable with being where you are and staying there.
If we have free will, why is sex before marriage looked down upon as an abomination and unacceptable in the church? First of all, I have NEVER, in my 10 years of being forced into thechurch, heard "GOD" talk to me. If "God" truly gave us free will, there would be no "Boundaries" or "Licenses" needed to do what is already within the realm of "Free Will". It is an oxymoron to say you have free will, but do as I say about these matters. it is absolutely absurd. Marriage has taken a 180* turn in the wrong direction. Many people, millions, turn to marriage and get a license for comfort and commitment, yet its original intentions were purely different and spiritually sound. Freedom of sexuality is something no government can really suppress unless the people buy into their propaganda. Obviously no society wants prostitutes and other obscenities in a public venue, however if one decides to do whatever they want privately, making this a criminal act is putting humanity in a class of animals that need to be regulated.
If Santa Clause is not real, why are children taught about this story from birth to age 7-13? As I said before, it is absolutely devastating to the psyche when it accepts something as fact and then realize it is in fact false or untruth, it now has to go back and replace that memory, stored are of your consciousness and make itself incorporate with your current reality. Why is this fundamental icon of the "Christmas" holiday so significant all over the world? Is this a lie in itself or is there some truth to it? This question I cannot answer here without a more lengthy explanation than what this "Note" already is, but for the sake of truth, Santa Clause is only a symbolism for the most profound experience one may be able to experience as a human being. I may cover this later on in another note about the Christmas presents and why it is so significant. Obey the 10 Commandments. Now, as we all know, there are situations where these seemingly simple commandments should be mostly basic and fundamental, but all depends on the situation and interaction with another person. Like if someone is about to kill you and you have the chance to kill them first, I do not know many people who would stand in the face of danger. If someone is starving to death and genuinely cannot get any food or shelter, stealing a crop or food may be justifiable, etc.
If a religion claims that God is "Compassionate" and "Caring", yet, if you don't "Obey" him, and "serve" him, you will "BURN in hell forever and ever". Does anyone ever think about this contradiction? It is purely a scare tactic to keep the sheep of the religion in check and not deviate outside of the "faith". There is NO MAN or WOMAN walking the face of this earth that can say they have been to "Heaven" or seen someone go to "Hell". However, the disturbing fact is that fear is a driving force that keeps a lot of people doing what the fear bringer wants them to do. Fear is simply lies or something false appearing real or true. God, I do not believe, is both good and bad, it is the intentions and decisions of man/woman that create this duality and oxymoron of duplicities to justify their actions and inner desires.
Recruiting is something associated with an army or cult. Almost everyone is familiar with the churches and different religions within their geographical area. I do not believe that people should be persuaded or forced to join a religion like Christians and 7 day Adventists do, as well as parents doing with children. Everyone should choose to either join voluntarily or take their on path to spiritual realization. Religion in its purest form, whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism, etc, should lead back to the same source. The same way we can start out anywhere in the world and end up in a totally different place.
Finally, if I cannot question my reality, religion if I have any, and my beliefs, then how much of a free will is that? Why would I want to be imprisoned intentionally and not be able to decipher messages and meanings for myself? Why do I need a pastor telling me what the bible says when i can get one and read for myself? This is the fundamental reason we are humans. To seek out and understand our humanity and our surroundings For Ourselves! Everyone has a choice to either lead or to be led, and you reading this have the same option afforded to all humans, what will it be?
In closing on the subject of religion, I believe it has become a dogmatic system of control by government and religious leaders to take away our basic free will and impose sanctions on our basic human rights as security mechanisms to supposedly make our lives better.
I am a spiritual being of no religious connection.
Spirituality
On my path to seek the truth as it concerns my true nature, I have come to the conclusion that I am spiritual as it concerns a belief. I choose not to associate myself with a system of religion as I believe it is corrupt and toxic beyond basic repair. The assumed power and authority of the church is in complete contradiction to its teachings, as per the shear volume of money involved in this business institution. Based on my quest for knowledge and finding about my true self and myself beyond my human capacity in this physical realm, a social institution is not somewhere I would even visit to embrace my spiritual nature.
Knowledge is power, is a very false statement. Knowledge is perfection, and perfection does not change or move, therefore, Knowledge is only potential power. If knowledge is used to do some work or action, then it can be power or transferred to someone else or something else for use of its power. To this end, one has to be careful how they use power and knowledge. You can never know the definite impact of your actions, once it is in motion, as the nature of our reality is to constantly change and reinvent matter, energy and potential energy.
I rather have direct communication and Gnosis with GOD rather than have someone else tell me what this is. With my current results, I now see why natural Entheogens such as consciousness enhancing plants and chemicals are made illegal, and grouped with other destructive, man-made concussions of various elements and call everything drugs. However, I do agree on one point that the government makes, drugs are dangerous. If one does not have the consciousness and foresight before diving head first into this realm of consciousness, it can truly be harmful. However, plants are our life sustainers and the only thing that can give us insight to the "God Consciousness" we are all seeking subconsciously as humans. We all strive for better, and some of us feel like giving up every single day, because we do not have a reference point to point to, we do not know how to direct our focus to what we truly want, and for that reason, most of us who get into church, is in there searching for this basic truth and basic path that has been taken from us as a human race.
Life is a battery that will run out and we ALL know this, so why do we hang on? Some say "Make the best out of this life while you still can", others say "God put us here to serve him", others say "We just born, live our lives and die" and others do research and try to find out external means to leave the planet or find a way to go somewhere else. I am not condemning anyone for their beliefs or their quest for knowledge or the truth, but I don't follow most dogmas and traditions of what people think is the definitive truth.
My definition of spirituality is "Knowing God for One's Own Self".
I cannot tell you directly how to do this, only you can search for the path to spiritual and physical happiness. If you stop searching for knowledge, then you can no longer learn how to grow and achieve higher consciousness.
Religion
I choose to start on religion because this is in order of how I broke out of the dogmatic beliefs that were taught to my ancestors, all the way up to the present "family" traditions. It is my understanding that most of the western world, including Jamaica is "Christian" in nature, and I was within this pool growing up. As a child growing up in a Christian home in Jamaica, you are either forced go to go church (or brought along), stay at home with other "Non Believers" if your family do not care much about church, or you are enticed with candies, cookies and other goodies children are drawn to. The fact is that once you are drawn into the church by one or many methods, you are indoctrinated from a very young age and most people do not even realize what is happening.
Growing up, I wondered who Jesus was, who god was, and who the many mentioned people in the bible were and how they relate to our present lives. One thing i noticed is that the brain is always in search of answers. If you feed the brain something logical that it can assert as truth, it no longer searches, unless something in the future conflicts with the present definition of truth on a specific topic or item you stored earlier. In this case, it replaces the old definition with the new fact or truth it has now realized.
The problem for me, was believing that all these characters in this book was alive, and did all the things and said all the things that are in the bible. I was made to remember entire verses and sections of the bible that are still embedded in my psyche and can be drawn upon at will, which I think is amazing. However, there was no real controversy as to the accuracy of the bible.
There were no similar works available to read or try to understand. Interestingly, I am able to comprehend the language in which the bible is written. Even though it is in English, the way the bible is written is complex and derailing in some cases. Keeping things in context becomes work for the mind that seems to be a bigger task for some to put together and follow. I never paid this any attention at a young age, but as I grew, and became more aware of my surroundings, beliefs and the things that influence my way of thinking, I became increasingly curious about life.
In Jamaica, there are not many people in the differences of religious beliefs, since the country is almost all Christian, so if there are people, your chances of running into someone who don’t believe in the societal norm, is very slim. My research into similarly complex documents/books only took flight when I left Jamaica in 1998 and started high school in New York.
Upon my first realization that the bible is flawed brought my belief system horrifically crashing down and I felt as if the earth moved from beneath my feet. I continued my research and found that the bible was not what it was intended to be when it was first written. In fact, it is not a complete document, even if you found the original "Bible". This I will touch on later. However, I found books that are only mythical in reference in Jamaica. Such as the Apocrypha, The Macabees (not what many have been lead to believe), and many other works, such as The Gospel of Mary Magdalene. I was shocked that they removed all references to female prophets and authors from the bible and the positive message they were writing. In essence, I dug deeper and deeper and wondered why this was suppressed and other more profound works were included in the current edition of the bible "The King James Version" or "The New King James Version" KJV or NKJV.
My research for the truth led me to untold depths of knowledge and spiritual enlightenment beyond what I feel comfortable disclosing here. I still was not satisfied with why all this deception of the masses of people who do not research or do not have the tools to access the information that should be a choice and not a mandatory road down to blissfulness. As I came to understand, and this may shock most Christians, the bible is not meant to be a Religious Document, IN MY OPINION. With that said, it is also not meant to be a Historical Document, IN MY OPINION. Also, for those who wish to maintain the standpoint that this book was written by the "Hand of God" or "Inspired Men of God" truly do not know what this really means.
The depth of the information conveyed in what is in today's bible, is so much removed from the truth, that a basic conveying of information would not suffice your curiosity of why this is so and how this ties into our very disturbing past. It is without a doubt that there are people and entities on this planet that have access to information about us that we are made to forget, and focus more on distractions that are to our demise and unknowing acceptance of total destruction. The church is a interesting institution to say the least. For those unaware of the other side of the church, they should sit back and analyze the facts of the situation.
#1: it is strictly forbidden to question the bible or the authority of the church.
#2: it is encouraged to bring in all your children to the church and recruit others to come in and be "saved".
#3: believers and those with a good heart will go to "heaven".
#4: NON-Believers will burn in hell forever and ever.
#5: Obey the 10 commandments given to Moses on the mountain.
#6: At the age of basic reasoning, a child is told that Santa Clause is not real.
#7: Freedom of sexuality is an abomination and only Marriage is recognized as pure and holy in the eyes of "God".
#8: All can enter the church and be saved, but being able to afford luxuries of life are an abomination and a "rich man will never enter the kingdom of heaven".
#9: God gave man free will. This list can go on and on and on, but the above is sufficient.
Now, let’s look at these "rules" from the highest point downwards. If we are granted free will, then why are we not allowed to gain wealth and consequently happiness with the ability to travel freely and experience other cultures and people? This, at the very basic of reasoning, seems to be an oppressive rule that is translated into total nonsense. It seems at least to want to put people in the mindset of being stagnant, docile and keep your passion for positivity and growth to a bare minimum. In other words, be comfortable with being where you are and staying there.
If we have free will, why is sex before marriage looked down upon as an abomination and unacceptable in the church? First of all, I have NEVER, in my 10 years of being forced into thechurch, heard "GOD" talk to me. If "God" truly gave us free will, there would be no "Boundaries" or "Licenses" needed to do what is already within the realm of "Free Will". It is an oxymoron to say you have free will, but do as I say about these matters. it is absolutely absurd. Marriage has taken a 180* turn in the wrong direction. Many people, millions, turn to marriage and get a license for comfort and commitment, yet its original intentions were purely different and spiritually sound. Freedom of sexuality is something no government can really suppress unless the people buy into their propaganda. Obviously no society wants prostitutes and other obscenities in a public venue, however if one decides to do whatever they want privately, making this a criminal act is putting humanity in a class of animals that need to be regulated.
If Santa Clause is not real, why are children taught about this story from birth to age 7-13? As I said before, it is absolutely devastating to the psyche when it accepts something as fact and then realize it is in fact false or untruth, it now has to go back and replace that memory, stored are of your consciousness and make itself incorporate with your current reality. Why is this fundamental icon of the "Christmas" holiday so significant all over the world? Is this a lie in itself or is there some truth to it? This question I cannot answer here without a more lengthy explanation than what this "Note" already is, but for the sake of truth, Santa Clause is only a symbolism for the most profound experience one may be able to experience as a human being. I may cover this later on in another note about the Christmas presents and why it is so significant. Obey the 10 Commandments. Now, as we all know, there are situations where these seemingly simple commandments should be mostly basic and fundamental, but all depends on the situation and interaction with another person. Like if someone is about to kill you and you have the chance to kill them first, I do not know many people who would stand in the face of danger. If someone is starving to death and genuinely cannot get any food or shelter, stealing a crop or food may be justifiable, etc.
If a religion claims that God is "Compassionate" and "Caring", yet, if you don't "Obey" him, and "serve" him, you will "BURN in hell forever and ever". Does anyone ever think about this contradiction? It is purely a scare tactic to keep the sheep of the religion in check and not deviate outside of the "faith". There is NO MAN or WOMAN walking the face of this earth that can say they have been to "Heaven" or seen someone go to "Hell". However, the disturbing fact is that fear is a driving force that keeps a lot of people doing what the fear bringer wants them to do. Fear is simply lies or something false appearing real or true. God, I do not believe, is both good and bad, it is the intentions and decisions of man/woman that create this duality and oxymoron of duplicities to justify their actions and inner desires.
Recruiting is something associated with an army or cult. Almost everyone is familiar with the churches and different religions within their geographical area. I do not believe that people should be persuaded or forced to join a religion like Christians and 7 day Adventists do, as well as parents doing with children. Everyone should choose to either join voluntarily or take their on path to spiritual realization. Religion in its purest form, whether it be Christianity, Judaism, Catholicism, etc, should lead back to the same source. The same way we can start out anywhere in the world and end up in a totally different place.
Finally, if I cannot question my reality, religion if I have any, and my beliefs, then how much of a free will is that? Why would I want to be imprisoned intentionally and not be able to decipher messages and meanings for myself? Why do I need a pastor telling me what the bible says when i can get one and read for myself? This is the fundamental reason we are humans. To seek out and understand our humanity and our surroundings For Ourselves! Everyone has a choice to either lead or to be led, and you reading this have the same option afforded to all humans, what will it be?
In closing on the subject of religion, I believe it has become a dogmatic system of control by government and religious leaders to take away our basic free will and impose sanctions on our basic human rights as security mechanisms to supposedly make our lives better.
I am a spiritual being of no religious connection.
Spirituality
On my path to seek the truth as it concerns my true nature, I have come to the conclusion that I am spiritual as it concerns a belief. I choose not to associate myself with a system of religion as I believe it is corrupt and toxic beyond basic repair. The assumed power and authority of the church is in complete contradiction to its teachings, as per the shear volume of money involved in this business institution. Based on my quest for knowledge and finding about my true self and myself beyond my human capacity in this physical realm, a social institution is not somewhere I would even visit to embrace my spiritual nature.
Knowledge is power, is a very false statement. Knowledge is perfection, and perfection does not change or move, therefore, Knowledge is only potential power. If knowledge is used to do some work or action, then it can be power or transferred to someone else or something else for use of its power. To this end, one has to be careful how they use power and knowledge. You can never know the definite impact of your actions, once it is in motion, as the nature of our reality is to constantly change and reinvent matter, energy and potential energy.
I rather have direct communication and Gnosis with GOD rather than have someone else tell me what this is. With my current results, I now see why natural Entheogens such as consciousness enhancing plants and chemicals are made illegal, and grouped with other destructive, man-made concussions of various elements and call everything drugs. However, I do agree on one point that the government makes, drugs are dangerous. If one does not have the consciousness and foresight before diving head first into this realm of consciousness, it can truly be harmful. However, plants are our life sustainers and the only thing that can give us insight to the "God Consciousness" we are all seeking subconsciously as humans. We all strive for better, and some of us feel like giving up every single day, because we do not have a reference point to point to, we do not know how to direct our focus to what we truly want, and for that reason, most of us who get into church, is in there searching for this basic truth and basic path that has been taken from us as a human race.
Life is a battery that will run out and we ALL know this, so why do we hang on? Some say "Make the best out of this life while you still can", others say "God put us here to serve him", others say "We just born, live our lives and die" and others do research and try to find out external means to leave the planet or find a way to go somewhere else. I am not condemning anyone for their beliefs or their quest for knowledge or the truth, but I don't follow most dogmas and traditions of what people think is the definitive truth.
My definition of spirituality is "Knowing God for One's Own Self".
I cannot tell you directly how to do this, only you can search for the path to spiritual and physical happiness. If you stop searching for knowledge, then you can no longer learn how to grow and achieve higher consciousness.
Friday, August 5, 2016
Take small steps to your goal, then look back and see that you made a big leap!
Take small steps to your goal, then look back and see that you made a big leap!
Many of us just wish to live a normal life and be able to take care of our loved
ones or our families. However, it seems that such is a luxury rather than a normality in today's economic climate. Some of us also wish to live at an above normal rate, in order to guarantee a happy and prosperous life for our self and our future, as well as our children. We have seen just about every scam and lucrative business go down the drain, from Enron, to small businesses struggling to stay open. So it is logical to say, that hard work alone will not bring us riches or a happy life, if anything, hard work is not a guarantee to anything, as you can still get fired, and if you have a loan, you can still lose your business. So what exactly is it that keeps successful businesses afloat, successful people making a steady income, and others happy with what they have? it is simply, their state of mind and ability to be persistent on a given goal. The easiest thing to do is give up. In any situation, and whether it be a good or bad situation, we have to make a choice the same way, to continue, or give up, or give up to continue. Might seem simple, but it is really that simple. We know all the formulas and rules to not be successful, yet very little on the road to success. A famous quote from one of my favorite books, Think and grow rich, "The ladder of success is never crowded at the top".
I've had what I call extreme success with my goals and I can definitely attribute such success to being exposed to various books, audio books and an open mind. One example I will use, is a goal I set from my last year of college that materialized in front of my eyes.
When I was in my last year of college, I took a course called "Systems Analysis and Design". This course was very interesting to me, as the male side of my family is very business oriented. We love planning, outlining and making things happen or making things work. We touched on a topic of what a Systems Analyst does and how it helps the other core people in various projects come together and achieve a specific goal. I've been fixing computers since high school, and that has been my passion, and I envisioned both of these coming together, making an interesting career for me. Since that class, that's all that's been in my head.
After Graduation, I went to Jamaica for 2 weeks, and I only thought about this goal 1 day and saw myself actually going to work with my briefcase in the morning. I got back from my vacation and and immediately worked on my resume intensely. I wanted to be different, so I searched for about 12-15 jobs and found out the specific key words they were seeking in a candidate and included them in my resume, as well as making sure my resume was over 1 page, without too much redundant stuff. in 2 weeks I had a job, as a Desktop Support Technician, Level II. I was promised a permanent position within 2-3 months, and in the 5th month, I was told there was a hiring freeze (November 2008). At that point, I made a choice to focus my attention to finding a new job, more geared towards my satisfaction and not to the sake of just having a job. I set the terms of my employment and minimum salary rate I would take, and within 3 weeks, I was offered the opportunity to interview over the phone. I was given a 2nd phone interview a day later and then an in person interview 2 days later. I was so confident, it was as if I knew I had the job and was gearing up myself to start. I started as a Corporate IT Analyst 3 days later, and currently in that position today.
Now look back at the starting point and see how I reached my goal. It is obvious some goals may require more effort and dedication, but it is still possible.
No one can make you do anything, it is you who make the choice to do or not do to it.
As Morpheus would say in "The Matrix", "Free Your Mind" and then make the jump!
Many of us just wish to live a normal life and be able to take care of our loved
ones or our families. However, it seems that such is a luxury rather than a normality in today's economic climate. Some of us also wish to live at an above normal rate, in order to guarantee a happy and prosperous life for our self and our future, as well as our children. We have seen just about every scam and lucrative business go down the drain, from Enron, to small businesses struggling to stay open. So it is logical to say, that hard work alone will not bring us riches or a happy life, if anything, hard work is not a guarantee to anything, as you can still get fired, and if you have a loan, you can still lose your business. So what exactly is it that keeps successful businesses afloat, successful people making a steady income, and others happy with what they have? it is simply, their state of mind and ability to be persistent on a given goal. The easiest thing to do is give up. In any situation, and whether it be a good or bad situation, we have to make a choice the same way, to continue, or give up, or give up to continue. Might seem simple, but it is really that simple. We know all the formulas and rules to not be successful, yet very little on the road to success. A famous quote from one of my favorite books, Think and grow rich, "The ladder of success is never crowded at the top".
I've had what I call extreme success with my goals and I can definitely attribute such success to being exposed to various books, audio books and an open mind. One example I will use, is a goal I set from my last year of college that materialized in front of my eyes.
When I was in my last year of college, I took a course called "Systems Analysis and Design". This course was very interesting to me, as the male side of my family is very business oriented. We love planning, outlining and making things happen or making things work. We touched on a topic of what a Systems Analyst does and how it helps the other core people in various projects come together and achieve a specific goal. I've been fixing computers since high school, and that has been my passion, and I envisioned both of these coming together, making an interesting career for me. Since that class, that's all that's been in my head.
After Graduation, I went to Jamaica for 2 weeks, and I only thought about this goal 1 day and saw myself actually going to work with my briefcase in the morning. I got back from my vacation and and immediately worked on my resume intensely. I wanted to be different, so I searched for about 12-15 jobs and found out the specific key words they were seeking in a candidate and included them in my resume, as well as making sure my resume was over 1 page, without too much redundant stuff. in 2 weeks I had a job, as a Desktop Support Technician, Level II. I was promised a permanent position within 2-3 months, and in the 5th month, I was told there was a hiring freeze (November 2008). At that point, I made a choice to focus my attention to finding a new job, more geared towards my satisfaction and not to the sake of just having a job. I set the terms of my employment and minimum salary rate I would take, and within 3 weeks, I was offered the opportunity to interview over the phone. I was given a 2nd phone interview a day later and then an in person interview 2 days later. I was so confident, it was as if I knew I had the job and was gearing up myself to start. I started as a Corporate IT Analyst 3 days later, and currently in that position today.
Now look back at the starting point and see how I reached my goal. It is obvious some goals may require more effort and dedication, but it is still possible.
No one can make you do anything, it is you who make the choice to do or not do to it.
As Morpheus would say in "The Matrix", "Free Your Mind" and then make the jump!
Friday, July 29, 2016
The Choice of Mental Degradation
It seems some people do not realize the basic powers and downfalls of their own mind as well as the minds of others around them. You always have a choice, whether it is to get out of bed, take a shower in the morning, brush your teeth, or go to school or work on any given day. No one can truly force you to do something, unless they take you or your body parts and do it themselves, you always have a choice to say yes or no, or to do or not to do something.
The same concept goes for the mind, it can be malleable or docile, made to hate or love, be happy or sad (in conjunction with your "Heart Brain"). There are thousands of both beautiful and not so beautiful women (and men) who suffer from the mental abuse and verbal humiliation of their partners. Most from the outside will always say "Well why don't you leave him/her, stand up for yourself, fight, you can always find a better man/woman" yet they can never truly understand why these people stay in dead end relationships.
Without knowing the working principles that govern the human mind, people on the outside will always have suggestions and sometimes positive ways one can get out of a situation, however, it is never that simple. Verbal attacks on someone is like planes bombing an unarmed village, not much they can do to fight back at the moment. However, there is always a solution to a problem, and it takes the person in the situation to find that solution and make the decision to empower and better themselves.
Someone under verbal and mental attacks did not just jump into such a situation; it took gradual submission and acceptance of the situation surrounding them. Over time, the self esteem, drive, stimulation, independence and power of that person is stripped away little by little until there is little or none left to use effectively. The mind is mended into believing what the attacker is saying, because we always "Learn" by repetition, whether it is good or not for us, we still learn by repetition.
So, in the case of a woman being verbally abused by a man, she will eventually believe what this man is telling her. For example, if a man is telling her "Look at you, you're a fat pig, if you ever left here nobody would want you". Even if this woman is skinny, the mind is so powerfully stricken and bent; that it will believe this lie, and act accordingly, which in this situation would be for the woman to remain where she is, because it is better than being alone. This woman will become self conscious and afraid of men looking at her, because she believes they are thinking she is fat and possibly ugly, even if she is gorgeous. The same goes for men, no matter how strong they may look on the outside, we are all vulnerable to this, if and only if we allow ourselves to be taught these things by others.
So next time you see someone who is abused and in a situation that is seemingly unbearable, just remember that it is not you who needs to believe that it is bad for their mental and physical health, it is the person in the situation that needs to see what it is doing to them. It is that person in the situation that needs to want a change and make a plan to achieving that gradual change. Understanding a problem is the first step to creating a solution. No one can make choices for us, no matter how it may seem like this in some situations; it is always us that must make the decisions affecting us. We can always accept, reject, do or don't, for anything that requires our input or action.
More often than not, people who insult or degrade others have insecurity issues as well. They use their demanding and often demeaning attitude to intimidate others so they can have someone to prey on when they are not feeling up to snuff, or to get a "high". Someone with a strong mental foundation do not need others to be their doormat or insult rag, they will have already have in their possession, the drive, intelligence and articulation needed to proceed and complete any goal, or overcome any challenge ahead.
Either way, it is an issue whether you are the protagonist or the victim...
The same concept goes for the mind, it can be malleable or docile, made to hate or love, be happy or sad (in conjunction with your "Heart Brain"). There are thousands of both beautiful and not so beautiful women (and men) who suffer from the mental abuse and verbal humiliation of their partners. Most from the outside will always say "Well why don't you leave him/her, stand up for yourself, fight, you can always find a better man/woman" yet they can never truly understand why these people stay in dead end relationships.
Without knowing the working principles that govern the human mind, people on the outside will always have suggestions and sometimes positive ways one can get out of a situation, however, it is never that simple. Verbal attacks on someone is like planes bombing an unarmed village, not much they can do to fight back at the moment. However, there is always a solution to a problem, and it takes the person in the situation to find that solution and make the decision to empower and better themselves.
Someone under verbal and mental attacks did not just jump into such a situation; it took gradual submission and acceptance of the situation surrounding them. Over time, the self esteem, drive, stimulation, independence and power of that person is stripped away little by little until there is little or none left to use effectively. The mind is mended into believing what the attacker is saying, because we always "Learn" by repetition, whether it is good or not for us, we still learn by repetition.
So, in the case of a woman being verbally abused by a man, she will eventually believe what this man is telling her. For example, if a man is telling her "Look at you, you're a fat pig, if you ever left here nobody would want you". Even if this woman is skinny, the mind is so powerfully stricken and bent; that it will believe this lie, and act accordingly, which in this situation would be for the woman to remain where she is, because it is better than being alone. This woman will become self conscious and afraid of men looking at her, because she believes they are thinking she is fat and possibly ugly, even if she is gorgeous. The same goes for men, no matter how strong they may look on the outside, we are all vulnerable to this, if and only if we allow ourselves to be taught these things by others.
So next time you see someone who is abused and in a situation that is seemingly unbearable, just remember that it is not you who needs to believe that it is bad for their mental and physical health, it is the person in the situation that needs to see what it is doing to them. It is that person in the situation that needs to want a change and make a plan to achieving that gradual change. Understanding a problem is the first step to creating a solution. No one can make choices for us, no matter how it may seem like this in some situations; it is always us that must make the decisions affecting us. We can always accept, reject, do or don't, for anything that requires our input or action.
More often than not, people who insult or degrade others have insecurity issues as well. They use their demanding and often demeaning attitude to intimidate others so they can have someone to prey on when they are not feeling up to snuff, or to get a "high". Someone with a strong mental foundation do not need others to be their doormat or insult rag, they will have already have in their possession, the drive, intelligence and articulation needed to proceed and complete any goal, or overcome any challenge ahead.
Either way, it is an issue whether you are the protagonist or the victim...
Friday, July 15, 2016
Egypt and Revolution...The Rise of We The People...
Many people are surprised, some are scared, and some are just giving their attention to the latest news about the uproar, revolution and successful movement to push the ruling dictator out of power in Egypt. However, the most important fact, is that most people truly do not know how significant this is or how it truly happened.
Lets take this apart in large chunks, as dissection by tiny parts will render any reader bored and tired of reading. The first thing is to understand that this is a very old empire. It is still one of the oldest settled civilizations on the planet, next to Iraq and other middle eastern countries. The country itself is a mix of largely poor and a small percentage consisting of middle class, to very few wealthy.
I do have some experience with the culture of Egypt. During my trip there in November 2010, I realized that the food, culture and people are much like that of my homeland, Jamaica, West Indies. As far as the culture, I was surprised that they were able to make our world famous Jerk Chicken, Jerk Pork, Curry Chicken and many other foods only local to Jamaica and is actually a signature food recognized by many people. The one difference I see is that the Egyptian people in Cairo and Alexandria are not as bold as someone in Jamaica. This I do understand, is a result of the cultural upbringing.
Now we can look at how this revolution was possible. The first thing is that people in Egypt are more community based, rather than in America where no one really knows anyone around them within a 2 mile radius. If someone is mistreated and others can relate to that person, the word can quickly spread to many villages, towns and cities quickly. These people share information, hardships and many other common issues. This is called a "Group Mind".
Now lets go to the internet for a minute. Last December W!kileaks revealed documents that showed how their government is corrupted and carried out secret dealings as well as other illegal acts. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351656/Egypt-protests-WikiLeaks-cable-reveals-US-supported-ElBaradei.html
Being that this is not a predominantly rich or middle class nation, they are not particularly affected by the media such as television and radio broadcasts, as it affects people in more developed nations. This is a great benefit when it comes to taking action. Why? because you do not have the news telling you one thing all the time making you believe it. You are able to think and articulate for yourself any information presented to you. Furthermore, considering that this is one of the world's richest tourist nations, and the people are living in poverty, that is more than enough to demand change.
The shock to people around the world is that they have forgotten that "We The People" are the ones that put governments and dictators into power. "We the People" are the ones who put governments in power and give them the iron fist to rule with "JUSTICE". So if "We the People" decide that the government is not working in their best interest, then "We the People" can demand that this leader and his regime/cabinet/office holders, step down immediately. If "We the People" stick together and do something like marching, stopping services, and proceed towards government location and keep proceeding ahead seriously, then the government have no choice but to step down. If the military strikes back, then the people will be more than willing to destroy both the military and the government in one shot. The military of any country is never as strong as the combined force of its people. Furthermore, when a government turns on its own people, then it is no longer a government, it is now a threat to the livelihood of the source of its power, and must end in extermination.
So when "We the People" have combined the group minds of all the other smaller groups of "We the People" into one large "We the people", not only does it become an unstoppable force, but in neighboring nation countries, this very powerful togetherness will spread and even more nations will see the fall of oppressive governments.
Look up the 100 Monkey Theory for more information on why governments try to discredit the findings.
Check out news from close countries to Egypt, you will realize they are also marching and protesting:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/41528425/ns/world_news-south_and_central_asia/
http://apnews.myway.com/article/20110211/D9LAIKV80.html
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2011-02/11/c_13727865.htm
When a large mass of people come together with one goal in mind, there is NOTHING that can stop them, except an atomic bomb or war declared by the government upon its people.
The only problem is that Egypt is not a very intelligent nation overall, so the proposed leaders that will run for office may not be in the best interest of the people, but never the less, will be better than the initial government that was overthrown.
If the people demand, the people will get, unquestionably!
Friday, July 8, 2016
Time is our friend...
If I told you that time was not real, the first thing you would probably say or think is that I'm losing it. Everyone follows this "assumed" notion that time exists and collaboratively plan and do everything around this imagination. You are now probably wondering what I'm talking about. So, let me give you a simple example.
If you were given sleeping gas, and when you awoke, you were on a remote island with other people who seemingly were gassed as well, the first thing you would want to check is if anyone remembered anything, what day and time it is. As time went by, you would wonder where you are, if you will ever return to a larger civilization, and whether you will die on the island. later on, you will stop thinking about where you are and worry about surviving, and there will be someone who is always marking off the days they have been there. Soon later, no one cares for time because you have nothing to reference time to, no deadlines to meet, no place to truly go, apart from the places you have built to survive and to interact with the people who are there with you in a peaceful manner.
Now some may not agree with the above statement, and I totally agree with you, because not everyone's brain is wired the same way. You will find objections to some points, yet you cannot truly not see the scenario as valid, and some of us just do not have the imaginative power required to see the above example.
The point above demonstrates that sooner or later, all we truly will care about is living and interacting with one another again. Time is an illusion, and we were given these borders of perception to keep us from thinking outside our little bubble. We know that previous to reading this note, we were not thinking about this scenario or time itself (or coincidentally some may have). We know that we thought about something a short while ago, we know we are reading now, and we know we will get up and go to bed soon. These are things we know from experience, not because time is moving, but rather that we are experiencing further our ability to know more, experience more, and through all these, gain wisdom with which to predict and make the future.
Those who have hears, let them hear, those who have eyes, let them see.
So simple, yet so hard to digest and make into action such brilliance.
Leon F. B.
If you were given sleeping gas, and when you awoke, you were on a remote island with other people who seemingly were gassed as well, the first thing you would want to check is if anyone remembered anything, what day and time it is. As time went by, you would wonder where you are, if you will ever return to a larger civilization, and whether you will die on the island. later on, you will stop thinking about where you are and worry about surviving, and there will be someone who is always marking off the days they have been there. Soon later, no one cares for time because you have nothing to reference time to, no deadlines to meet, no place to truly go, apart from the places you have built to survive and to interact with the people who are there with you in a peaceful manner.
Now some may not agree with the above statement, and I totally agree with you, because not everyone's brain is wired the same way. You will find objections to some points, yet you cannot truly not see the scenario as valid, and some of us just do not have the imaginative power required to see the above example.
The point above demonstrates that sooner or later, all we truly will care about is living and interacting with one another again. Time is an illusion, and we were given these borders of perception to keep us from thinking outside our little bubble. We know that previous to reading this note, we were not thinking about this scenario or time itself (or coincidentally some may have). We know that we thought about something a short while ago, we know we are reading now, and we know we will get up and go to bed soon. These are things we know from experience, not because time is moving, but rather that we are experiencing further our ability to know more, experience more, and through all these, gain wisdom with which to predict and make the future.
Those who have hears, let them hear, those who have eyes, let them see.
So simple, yet so hard to digest and make into action such brilliance.
Leon F. B.
Friday, July 1, 2016
The Truth is The Only Constant!
From my own experience, insight and understanding of life and the different connecting points that we call our "days" and "Years", it is no secret that the truth is absolute. Just as we know that an orange can never be blue, unless genetically altered, in which case, it is now a questionable fruit. The truth cannot be anything else, it is what it is, a constant within a changing realm.
When we are young, most of us come across the fact that we can tell a "lie" in order to substitute the satisfaction of a good outcome from a cornered situation, such as the situation of taking candy from a store, and eating it before getting caught, and say you never took it. The evidence will be on your tongue, as all candies usually have a color that is left on your tongue for a few hours. As we evolve, and we increasingly become more aware of situations, our mind is more equip to handle more complex "lies". However, this creates an unseen problem for most. As the mind grows, it retains a memory bank, regardless of whether the experience is true or a lie. For a person who is a Chronic Liar, the truth and the "Lie" become intermingled and soon become a working part of the person's brain. No matter how simple a situation is, if that person's mind thinks there is any threat at all, of an uncomfortable outcome, a lie is immediately created to patch that outcome so the odds of a favorable outcome is now increased. The problem is that now there is a corrupted memory bank that serves as a reference point for future analysis of situations, environments, conversations and memory.
We all heard of the saying at some point "You must bend when it is young", and although it slips past many of us, it is a very profound statement. Because if this "negative energy" continues throughout a young person's life into adulthood, that person will not be someone that many people will trust, or be relied on for anything. And in turn, will not have trustworthy friends to gain any additional knowledge or support from.
Why does this matter? Well, if you need some advice, or help, or support in a time of crisis, in need of help making a decision, need insight from a person not affected by a situation you are in, it will be very hard. Often times, just like giving someone a paper you have just written, to look it over, they will find errors that you cannot see, because you are "in" the paper and cannot look from outside unless you put that paper down and re-read it some days later, and even then, you will miss some errors.
Be true to yourself, and make strong your decisions, for no matter how far you run, or how deep you hide, there are lessons in life that we cannot avoid, we must learn them and advance to another stage in our personal evolution. When we face a situation such as punishment or embarrassment, it is a lesson in itself that if not learned, will repeat itself as many times as necessary until you "get it" and evolve. So the next time you think about lying to avoid an argument, avoid an uncomfortable outcome or decision, just remember that it is only for the better of your entire being, that you face your fears, adversaries and situations in order to become a better, stronger, person, spirit and essence of humanity.
Leon F. B.
When we are young, most of us come across the fact that we can tell a "lie" in order to substitute the satisfaction of a good outcome from a cornered situation, such as the situation of taking candy from a store, and eating it before getting caught, and say you never took it. The evidence will be on your tongue, as all candies usually have a color that is left on your tongue for a few hours. As we evolve, and we increasingly become more aware of situations, our mind is more equip to handle more complex "lies". However, this creates an unseen problem for most. As the mind grows, it retains a memory bank, regardless of whether the experience is true or a lie. For a person who is a Chronic Liar, the truth and the "Lie" become intermingled and soon become a working part of the person's brain. No matter how simple a situation is, if that person's mind thinks there is any threat at all, of an uncomfortable outcome, a lie is immediately created to patch that outcome so the odds of a favorable outcome is now increased. The problem is that now there is a corrupted memory bank that serves as a reference point for future analysis of situations, environments, conversations and memory.
We all heard of the saying at some point "You must bend when it is young", and although it slips past many of us, it is a very profound statement. Because if this "negative energy" continues throughout a young person's life into adulthood, that person will not be someone that many people will trust, or be relied on for anything. And in turn, will not have trustworthy friends to gain any additional knowledge or support from.
Why does this matter? Well, if you need some advice, or help, or support in a time of crisis, in need of help making a decision, need insight from a person not affected by a situation you are in, it will be very hard. Often times, just like giving someone a paper you have just written, to look it over, they will find errors that you cannot see, because you are "in" the paper and cannot look from outside unless you put that paper down and re-read it some days later, and even then, you will miss some errors.
Be true to yourself, and make strong your decisions, for no matter how far you run, or how deep you hide, there are lessons in life that we cannot avoid, we must learn them and advance to another stage in our personal evolution. When we face a situation such as punishment or embarrassment, it is a lesson in itself that if not learned, will repeat itself as many times as necessary until you "get it" and evolve. So the next time you think about lying to avoid an argument, avoid an uncomfortable outcome or decision, just remember that it is only for the better of your entire being, that you face your fears, adversaries and situations in order to become a better, stronger, person, spirit and essence of humanity.
Leon F. B.
Friday, June 24, 2016
Why is it hard to let go?
As you no doubt have figured out, human interactions are rather fragile. They extend to so much more than merely talking, seeing, touching and feelings invoked inside. Just about every person values interaction from some form of like being. It's self evident even in society as a whole. For example, as a form of punishment, we isolate law-breakers to serve "Time" away from the population as a whole. Ever wonder what purpose that serves?
Our relationship with the people in our homes, around us, the ones we form friendships with, the ones we don't like too much, and even the ones we do not yet now, play a very important role. Specifically, I will only address the question "Why is it hard to let go."
Parents, Close-Friends, Girlfriends, Boyfriends, Husbands, Wives...what do relationships all have in common?
When we first "mesh" with someone, we evaluate their posture, tone of voice, as well as what exactly we like about them. If someone were to ask you "what do you like about your best friend?", it would take you little time to formulate an elaborate answer to this question. However, if someone were to ask, "What if your best friend were to move to another country and you lost contact with them, how would you feel?" You would probably consider this question cruel, evil, despicable, or just something horrible to think about. Yet, it is a possible reality, but not one often prepared for.
Every close relationship has an invisible energy attracting field that goes widely unnoticed. This field is built through interaction, trust and gratitude. When these three elements are combined, they form an intertwining spiritual bond. The bond is not easily severed/broken, for it is meant to last a lifetime. This bond makes deep rooting memories, historical pointers, and may even drive one to insanity.
When a close-relationship ends, no matter what a person may tell the outside world, they feel an unpleasant feeling inside, that can last for months, or even years. This change in reality often bring people to bitterness, stalking, crying, self-hatred, or even suicide. One may feel a void inside that is seemingly unmendable, a feeling of being un-earthed from a comfort zone of happiness to a desolate place. The depressed and abandoned feeling outweighs the good memories almost all the time, unless one person felt a heavy burden is lifted from them.
For this reason, breakups are hard. This is the reason it is so hard to let go. A spiritual bond is not easily broken, and if you have ever found yourself back with an EX no matter how much you try, or still loving your parents no matter how bad they have treated you, or find yourself moping around in depression after losing a friend, now you know what is pulling at your very spirit.
Our relationship with the people in our homes, around us, the ones we form friendships with, the ones we don't like too much, and even the ones we do not yet now, play a very important role. Specifically, I will only address the question "Why is it hard to let go."
Parents, Close-Friends, Girlfriends, Boyfriends, Husbands, Wives...what do relationships all have in common?
When we first "mesh" with someone, we evaluate their posture, tone of voice, as well as what exactly we like about them. If someone were to ask you "what do you like about your best friend?", it would take you little time to formulate an elaborate answer to this question. However, if someone were to ask, "What if your best friend were to move to another country and you lost contact with them, how would you feel?" You would probably consider this question cruel, evil, despicable, or just something horrible to think about. Yet, it is a possible reality, but not one often prepared for.
Every close relationship has an invisible energy attracting field that goes widely unnoticed. This field is built through interaction, trust and gratitude. When these three elements are combined, they form an intertwining spiritual bond. The bond is not easily severed/broken, for it is meant to last a lifetime. This bond makes deep rooting memories, historical pointers, and may even drive one to insanity.
When a close-relationship ends, no matter what a person may tell the outside world, they feel an unpleasant feeling inside, that can last for months, or even years. This change in reality often bring people to bitterness, stalking, crying, self-hatred, or even suicide. One may feel a void inside that is seemingly unmendable, a feeling of being un-earthed from a comfort zone of happiness to a desolate place. The depressed and abandoned feeling outweighs the good memories almost all the time, unless one person felt a heavy burden is lifted from them.
For this reason, breakups are hard. This is the reason it is so hard to let go. A spiritual bond is not easily broken, and if you have ever found yourself back with an EX no matter how much you try, or still loving your parents no matter how bad they have treated you, or find yourself moping around in depression after losing a friend, now you know what is pulling at your very spirit.
Friday, June 17, 2016
Hard Times, Road Blocks, Envious Foes, Brick Wall... Why?
There was once a time, when grown ups would tell little children that they can be whatever they want to be. They would say "Anything is possible, just think about it, and you can be the president if you want to." These lessons are often taught by parents believing that schooling and proper upbringing will allow a child to accomplish great achievements in their lifetime, in turn, making the parents proud. But we all know that does not always work out the way our parents hoped.From young adulthood onward, we face great difficulties, road blocks, and many obstacles in just about any endeavor we choose to embark on. We try to figure out why good things dont last very long, or long enough without further challenges to keep things together. From brain-wrecking school-work, difficulty finding a job, or just someone envious of what you have and try to sabotage your whole operation. We try to define this phenomenon as bad luck, a curse, life is f_cked up, everyone hates me, and the like.
Interestingly, we almost never see a positive side to anything we consider generally negative. Tell me, do you ever think failing a class or losing your job was the best thing for you, or a good thing at all? I believe you answer is a resounding NO!
Well, if your answer is NO, then you may find the information from this point on to be at least a bit useful going forward.
You don't need science to tell you the wind is blowing. We all know that the wind exists and it is invisible. The same way we all know we have faced difficult times in the past and will face challenges in the future. But...why do we need to face challenges? What purpose does it serve? Why can't it all be easy?
We will answer these questions with reality around us. Just like a person who is out of shape and decides to go to the gym, we all must face challenges to be where we want to be. Even if you decide you want to get fat, it takes a certain amount of will power to reach your goal. It is the concrete decisions we make with full confidence and emotional firmness that truly make a difference in our lives. Once you make a definite decision, the universe will begin to reorganize the elements around you to make sure the obstacles you overcome, fully prepares you for your destination.
Now think about a great obstacle in your past, and think about how overcoming that obstacle allowed you to achieve some other goal. If you quit, you will never see the destination you chose. The same way you must do homework, take tests, and a final exam in every grade of school, it is the same way you must overcome the tests (obstacles) that the universe places in your way, so you can be ready for your chosen reward. If you believe within your core that you are cursed, having bad luck, or any other negative connotation, the universe will not discriminate. Energy is energy, it can never be destroyed or created, it can only be used, invoked and harnessed to bring about change. Only you can doom yourself to failure.
So next time you're wondering why someone is hating on you, think about what they're envious of. When you face a roadblock, think about your destination and why you want to get there. When you face confusion and despair, think about clarity and why your lesson will make you happier in the future. The duality of our existence is ever visible, invisibly. Hard times are usually the indicator of the small road left to make your dream a reality.
Its up to you to see, or remain blind to what is inevitably real.
Friday, June 10, 2016
THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS
THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS
Translations by: Thomas O. Lambdin (Coptic version)
B.P Grenfell & A.S. Hunt (Greek Fragments)
Bentley Layton (Greek Fragments)
Commentary by: Craig Schenk
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I: Commentary
The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of traditional Sayings (logoi) of Jesus. It is attributed to Didymos Judas Thomas, the "Doubting Thomas" of the canonical Gospels, and according to many
early traditions, the twin brother of Jesus ("didymos" means "twin" in Greek).
We have two versions of the Gospel of Thomas today. The first was discovered in the late 1800's among the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, and consists of fragments of a Greek version, which has
been dated to c. 200. The second is a complete version, in Coptic, from Codex II of the Nag Hammadi finds. Thomas was probably first written in Greek (or possibly even Syriac or Aramaic) sometime between the mid 1st and 2nd centuries.
There has been much speculation on the relationship of Thomas to the canonical Gospels. Many Sayings in Thomas have parallels with the New Testament Sayings, especially those found in the synoptic Gospels. This leads many to believe that Thomas was also based on the so-called "Q" Document, along with Matthew, Luke, and Mark. Indeed, some have speculated that Thomas may in fact be "Q". Unlike the synoptic Gospels, and like "Q", the Gospel of Thomas has no narrative connecting the various Sayings. In form, it is simply a list of 114 Sayings, in no particular order. Comparison with New Testament parallels show that Thomas contains either more primitive versions of the Sayings, or developments of more primitive versions. Either way, Thomas seems to preserve earlier traditions about Jesus than the New Testament.
Although it is not possible to attribute the Gospel of Thomas to any particular sect, it is clearly Gnostic in nature. As the preamble indicates, these are "secret sayings", and are intended to be esoteric in nature. The Sayings are not intended to be interpreted literally, as their New Testament parallels often are, but to be interpreted symbolically, as attested by Saying #1. While a literal interpretation may make sense, only by understanding the deeper meanings of the Sayings can one truly understand them. Thus in Saying #114, it is to be understood that "male" symbolizes the pneumatic (spiritual, or Gnostic) Christians, and "female" symbolizes the psychic (unenlightened,
or orthodox) Christians, rather than actually referring to males and females. Keep in mind that true understanding of this text was meant to come from PERSONAL contact with the Divine, inspiration from within.
I will now present translations of both the Greek and Coptic versions of the Gospel of Thomas. Of the 114 Sayings in the complete work, and all of the fragments of the Greek text. Also, the Greek version contains one Saying not found in the Coptic version, which comes between Sayings 32 and 33 of the Coptic version. I will enter the Coptic version first, as it is more complete, followed by the Greek version. After both translations, I've provided a listing of New Testament parallels for all 114 sayings for easier comparison.
Note that for the Coptic version, I use the standard NHL translation, except for saying 70, where I have substituted the translation found in Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels", as it
seems a better translation.
Peace & Enlightenment be yours!
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IA: Editorial Symbols
I have followed the Nag Hammadi Library standard for typographical symbols in this file. Text contained within [square brackets] indicates a damaged portion of the manuscript where the translators have attempted a reconstruction. Text within (parentheses) indicates comments or text added by the translator for clarification purposes. Text within
indicates a scribal error (spelling, grammatical, etc) in the original, where the translator has made a correction. Text within {funky brackets} indicates superfluous text added by the scribe.
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II: Coptic Gospel of Thomas
P) These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.
1) And He said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."
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."
3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."
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."
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."
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."
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."
8) And He said, "The Kingdom 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."
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 the 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."
10) Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes."
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?"
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."
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 whom You are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated by 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."
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 in 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."
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."
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 come 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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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 back their field and 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 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."
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; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter [the Kingdom]."
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."
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 (or "it") lights up the whole world. If he (or "it") does not shine, he (or "it") is darkness."
25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."
26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brothers 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."
27) "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."
28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in the flesh. I found all of them 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 too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."
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."
30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods.
Where there are two or one, I am with him."
31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him."
32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."
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."
34) Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit."
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."
36) Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear."
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 [will you see] the Son of the
Living One, and you will not be afraid"
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 look for Me and will not find
Me."
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."
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."
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."
42) Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
43) His disciples said to him, "Who are You, that You should say these things to us?"
"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."
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."
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 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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
50) Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established [itself] and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the Living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father inyou?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"
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."
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."
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."
54) Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven."
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."
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."
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."
58) Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life."
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."
60) 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 so otherwise."
He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within the Repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."
61) Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and other will live."
Salome said to him, "Who are You, man, that You, as though from the One, 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."
"I am Your disciple."
"Therefore I say, if he is , he will be filled with light, but if he is divided, he will be filled with darkness."
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."
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 that same night he died. Let him who has ears hear."
64) Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite 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, '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."
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 did not recognize .' 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."
66) Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the cornerstone."
67) Jesus said, "Whoever believes that the All itself is deficient is (himself) completely deficient."
68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no Place."
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."
70) Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."
71) Jesus said, "I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to rebuild it."
72) [A man said] to Him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made Me a divider?"
He turned to His disciples and said to them, "I am not a divider, am I?"
73) Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few.
Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."
74) He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern."
75) Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."
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."
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."
78) Jesus said, "Why have you come out into 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."
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.'"
80) Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world."
81) Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who possesses power renounce it."
82) Jesus said, "He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who is far from Me is far from the Kingdom."
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."
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 not become manifest, how much you will have to bear!"
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."
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."
87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two."
88) Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you and give 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?'"
89) Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not realize that he who made he inside is the same one who made the outside?"
90) Jesus said, "Come unto me, for My yoke is easy and My lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves."
91) They said to Him, "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 is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment."
92) Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked Me about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not enquire after it."
93) "Do not give what is holy to dogs, lest they throw them on the dung-heap. Do not throw the pearls to swine, lest they grind it [to bits]."
94) Jesus [said], "He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks] will be let in."
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."
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."
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 empty."
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."
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."
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."
101) "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."
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."
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."
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."
105) Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot."
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."
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 sheep 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.'"
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 become revealed to him."
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."
110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world."
111) Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence. And one who lives from the Living One will not see death." Does not Jesus say, "Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh."
113) His disciples said to Him, "When will the Kingdom come?"
"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."
114) Simon Peter said to Him, "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."
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III: Fragments of 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.
P) 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."
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IV: Canonical Comparisons of Thomas Sayings
I have grouped the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas into 5 categories. Sayings that are variants of or close parallels to canonical passages (22 of these), sayings that appear more remotely parallel or similar in some way (28), sayings which contain parts parallel to several unconnected passages (13), sayings parallel to non-canonical traditions of Jesus (only 1 of these), and those with no apparent parallels (50!!).
Due to space limitations, I have decided only to cite passages, and you can go through and compare them using any Bible. I haven't attempted to make any comparisons to the various Apocryphal or other Christian and Gnostic texts.
A: Variants/Close Parallels
---------------------------
9: Mt13:3-8, Mk4:3-8, Lk8:5-8
10: Lk12:49
16: Mt10:34-36, Lk12:51-53
20: Mt13:31-32, Mk4:30-32, Lk13:18-19
26: Mt7:3-5, Lk6:41-42
34: Mt15:14, Lk6:39
35: Mt12:29, Mk3:27, Lk11:21-22
41: Mt25:29, Lk19:26
45: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46
46: Mt11:11, Lk7:28
54: Mt5:3, Lk6:20
64: Mt22:3-9, Lk14:16-24
65: Mt21:33-39, Mk12:1-8, Lk20:9-15
66: Mt21:42, Mk12:10, Lk20:17; Psalm118:22
73: Mt9:37-38, Lk10:2
86: Mt8:20, Lk9:58
89: Lk11:39-40
93: Mt7:6
94: Mt7:7-8, Lk11:9-10
100: Mk12:13-17, Lk20:22-25
103: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
107: Mt18:12-13, Lk15:3-7
B: Remote Parallels
-------------------
1: Jn8:51
3: Lk17:21
5: Mt10:26, Lk10:2
8: Mt13:47-48
17: 1Cor2:9; Isiah64:4
30: Mt18:20
31: Mk6:4, Lk4:23-24, Jn4:44
32: Mt5:14
36: Mt6:25, Lk12:22
40: Mt15:13
44: Mt12:32, Mk3:28-29, Lk12:10
48: Mt18:19, Mk11:23-24
57: Mt13:24-30
58: Mt11:28
59: Jn7:34, Jn13:33
63: Lk12:16-21
68: Mt5:11, Lk6:22
71: Mk14:58
72: Lk12:13-15
75: Mt22:14
78: Mt11:7-9, Lk7:24-26
90: Mt11:28-30
95: Lk6:34-35, Lk14:12-14
96: Mt13:33, Lk13:20-21
99: Mt12:46-50, Mk3:31-35
101: Mt10:37, Lk14:26
109: Mt13:44
113: Lk17:20-21
C: Multiple Parallels
---------------------
14a: no parallels
14b: Lk10:8-9
14c: Mt15:11, Mk7:15
21a: no parallels
21b: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
21c: Mk4:26-29
22a: Mt18:3, Lk18:17
22b: Mt5:29-30, Mk9:43-48
24a: Jn13:36
24b: Mt6:22-23, Lk11:34-36
33a: Mt10:27
33b: Mt5:15, Mk4:21, Lk8:16, Lk11:33
39a: Lk11:52
39b: Mt10:16
43a: Jn8:25
43b: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46(?)
55a: Lk14:26
55b: Mt10:37
62a: Mt13:11, Mk4:11, Lk8:10
62b: Mt6:3
69a: Mt5:8 (cf. Thomas saying 68)
69b: Mt5:6, Lk6:21
76a: Mt13:45-46
76b: Mt6:20, Lk12:33
79a: Lk11:27-28
79b: Lk23:29
91a: Jn9:36
91b: Lk12:54-56
D: Non-Canonical Parallels
--------------------------
42: Some stands of Islamic tradition attribute this saying to Jesus.
E: No Parallels
---------------
All the following sayings have no parallels in the Bible or other non-Gnostic traditions:
2 23 51 77 98
4 25 52 80 102
6 27 53 81 104
7 28 56 82 105
11 29 60 84 106
12 37 61 85 108
13 38 67 87 110
15 47 70 88 111
18 49 73 92 112
19 50 74 97 114
THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS
Commentary & Typing by Craig Schenk
6/17/92
Made available to the net by
Paul Halsall
Translations by: Thomas O. Lambdin (Coptic version)
B.P Grenfell & A.S. Hunt (Greek Fragments)
Bentley Layton (Greek Fragments)
Commentary by: Craig Schenk
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I: Commentary
The Gospel of Thomas is a collection of traditional Sayings (logoi) of Jesus. It is attributed to Didymos Judas Thomas, the "Doubting Thomas" of the canonical Gospels, and according to many
early traditions, the twin brother of Jesus ("didymos" means "twin" in Greek).
We have two versions of the Gospel of Thomas today. The first was discovered in the late 1800's among the Oxyrhynchus Papyri, and consists of fragments of a Greek version, which has
been dated to c. 200. The second is a complete version, in Coptic, from Codex II of the Nag Hammadi finds. Thomas was probably first written in Greek (or possibly even Syriac or Aramaic) sometime between the mid 1st and 2nd centuries.
There has been much speculation on the relationship of Thomas to the canonical Gospels. Many Sayings in Thomas have parallels with the New Testament Sayings, especially those found in the synoptic Gospels. This leads many to believe that Thomas was also based on the so-called "Q" Document, along with Matthew, Luke, and Mark. Indeed, some have speculated that Thomas may in fact be "Q". Unlike the synoptic Gospels, and like "Q", the Gospel of Thomas has no narrative connecting the various Sayings. In form, it is simply a list of 114 Sayings, in no particular order. Comparison with New Testament parallels show that Thomas contains either more primitive versions of the Sayings, or developments of more primitive versions. Either way, Thomas seems to preserve earlier traditions about Jesus than the New Testament.
Although it is not possible to attribute the Gospel of Thomas to any particular sect, it is clearly Gnostic in nature. As the preamble indicates, these are "secret sayings", and are intended to be esoteric in nature. The Sayings are not intended to be interpreted literally, as their New Testament parallels often are, but to be interpreted symbolically, as attested by Saying #1. While a literal interpretation may make sense, only by understanding the deeper meanings of the Sayings can one truly understand them. Thus in Saying #114, it is to be understood that "male" symbolizes the pneumatic (spiritual, or Gnostic) Christians, and "female" symbolizes the psychic (unenlightened,
or orthodox) Christians, rather than actually referring to males and females. Keep in mind that true understanding of this text was meant to come from PERSONAL contact with the Divine, inspiration from within.
I will now present translations of both the Greek and Coptic versions of the Gospel of Thomas. Of the 114 Sayings in the complete work, and all of the fragments of the Greek text. Also, the Greek version contains one Saying not found in the Coptic version, which comes between Sayings 32 and 33 of the Coptic version. I will enter the Coptic version first, as it is more complete, followed by the Greek version. After both translations, I've provided a listing of New Testament parallels for all 114 sayings for easier comparison.
Note that for the Coptic version, I use the standard NHL translation, except for saying 70, where I have substituted the translation found in Elaine Pagels' "The Gnostic Gospels", as it
seems a better translation.
Peace & Enlightenment be yours!
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IA: Editorial Symbols
I have followed the Nag Hammadi Library standard for typographical symbols in this file. Text contained within [square brackets] indicates a damaged portion of the manuscript where the translators have attempted a reconstruction. Text within (parentheses) indicates comments or text added by the translator for clarification purposes. Text within
indicates a scribal error (spelling, grammatical, etc) in the original, where the translator has made a correction. Text within {funky brackets} indicates superfluous text added by the scribe.
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II: Coptic Gospel of Thomas
P) These are the secret sayings which the living Jesus spoke and which Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.
1) And He said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not experience death."
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."
3) Jesus said, "If those who lead you say, 'See, the Kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky will precede you. If they say to you, 'It is in the sea,' then the fish will precede you. Rather, the Kingdom is inside of you, and it is outside of you. When you come to know yourselves, then you will become known, and you will realize that it is you who are the sons of the living Father. But if you will not know yourselves, you dwell in poverty and it is you who are that poverty."
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."
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."
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."
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."
8) And He said, "The Kingdom 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."
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 the 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."
10) Jesus said, "I have cast fire upon the world, and see, I am guarding it until it blazes."
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?"
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."
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 whom You are like."
Jesus said, "I am not your master. Because you have drunk, you have become intoxicated by 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."
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 in 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."
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."
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 come 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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
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 back their field and 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 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."
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; and when you fashion eyes in the place of an eye, and a hand in place of a hand, and a foot in place of a foot, and a likeness in place of a likeness; then will you enter [the Kingdom]."
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."
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 (or "it") lights up the whole world. If he (or "it") does not shine, he (or "it") is darkness."
25) Jesus said, "Love your brother like your soul, guard him like the pupil of your eye."
26) Jesus said, "You see the mote in your brothers 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."
27)
28) Jesus said, "I took my place in the midst of the world, and I appeared to them in the flesh. I found all of them 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 too they seek to leave the world. But for the moment they are intoxicated. When they shake off their wine, then they will repent."
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."
30) Jesus said, "Where there are three gods, they are gods.
Where there are two or one, I am with him."
31) Jesus said, "No prophet is accepted in his own village; no physician heals those who know him."
32) Jesus said, "A city being built on a high mountain and fortified cannot fall, nor can it be hidden."
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."
34) Jesus said, "If a blind man leads a blind man, they will both fall into a pit."
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."
36) Jesus said, "Do not be concerned from morning until evening and from evening until morning about what you will wear."
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 [will you see] the Son of the
Living One, and you will not be afraid"
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 look for Me and will not find
Me."
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."
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."
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."
42) Jesus said, "Become passers-by."
43) His disciples said to him, "Who are You, that You should say these things to us?"
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."
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 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."
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."
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."
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."
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."
50) Jesus said, "If they say to you, 'Where did you come from?', say to them, 'We came from the light, the place where the light came into being on its own accord and established [itself] and became manifest through their image.' If they say to you, 'Is it you?', say, 'We are its children, we are the elect of the Living Father.' If they ask you, 'What is the sign of your father inyou?', say to them, 'It is movement and repose.'"
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."
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."
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."
54) Jesus said, "Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven."
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."
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."
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."
58) Jesus said, "Blessed is the man who has suffered and found life."
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."
60)
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 so otherwise."
He said to them, "You too, look for a place for yourself within the Repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten."
61) Jesus said, "Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and other will live."
Salome said to him, "Who are You, man, that You, as though from the One, 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."
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."
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 that same night he died. Let him who has ears hear."
64) Jesus said, "A man had received visitors. And when he had prepared the dinner, he sent his servant to invite 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, '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."
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
66) Jesus said, "Show me the stone which the builders have rejected. That one is the cornerstone."
67) Jesus said, "Whoever believes that the All itself is deficient is (himself) completely deficient."
68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted. Wherever you have been persecuted they will find no Place."
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."
70) Jesus said, "If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you."
71) Jesus said, "I shall destroy [this] house, and no one will be able to rebuild it."
72) [A man said] to Him, "Tell my brothers to divide my father's possessions with me."
He said to him, "O man, who has made Me a divider?"
He turned to His disciples and said to them, "I am not a divider, am I?"
73) Jesus said, "The harvest is great but the laborers are few.
Beseech the Lord, therefore, to send out laborers to the harvest."
74) He said, "O Lord, there are many around the drinking trough, but there is nothing in the cistern."
75) Jesus said, "Many are standing at the door, but it is the solitary who will enter the bridal chamber."
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."
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."
78) Jesus said, "Why have you come out into 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."
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.'"
80) Jesus said, "He who has recognized the world has found the body, but he who has found the body is superior to the world."
81) Jesus said, "Let him who has grown rich be king, and let him who possesses power renounce it."
82) Jesus said, "He who is near Me is near the fire, and he who is far from Me is far from the Kingdom."
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."
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 not become manifest, how much you will have to bear!"
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."
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."
87) Jesus said, "Wretched is the body that is dependent upon a body, and wretched is the soul that is dependent on these two."
88) Jesus said, "The angels and the prophets will come to you and give 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?'"
89) Jesus said, "Why do you wash the outside of the cup? Do you not realize that he who made he inside is the same one who made the outside?"
90) Jesus said, "Come unto me, for My yoke is easy and My lordship is mild, and you will find repose for yourselves."
91) They said to Him, "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 is before you, and you do not know how to read this moment."
92) Jesus said, "Seek and you will find. Yet, what you asked Me about in former times and which I did not tell you then, now I do desire to tell, but you do not enquire after it."
93)
94) Jesus [said], "He who seeks will find, and [he who knocks] will be let in."
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."
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."
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 empty."
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."
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."
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."
101)
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."
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."
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."
105) Jesus said, "He who knows the father and the mother will be called the son of a harlot."
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."
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 sheep 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.'"
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 become revealed to him."
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."
110) Jesus said, "Whoever finds the world and becomes rich, let him renounce the world."
111) Jesus said, "The heavens and the earth will be rolled up in your presence. And one who lives from the Living One will not see death." Does not Jesus say, "Whoever finds himself is superior to the world?"
112) Jesus said, "Woe to the flesh that depends on the soul; woe to the soul that depends on the flesh."
113) His disciples said to Him, "When will the Kingdom come?"
114) Simon Peter said to Him, "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."
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III: Fragments of 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.
P) 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."
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IV: Canonical Comparisons of Thomas Sayings
I have grouped the sayings in the Gospel of Thomas into 5 categories. Sayings that are variants of or close parallels to canonical passages (22 of these), sayings that appear more remotely parallel or similar in some way (28), sayings which contain parts parallel to several unconnected passages (13), sayings parallel to non-canonical traditions of Jesus (only 1 of these), and those with no apparent parallels (50!!).
Due to space limitations, I have decided only to cite passages, and you can go through and compare them using any Bible. I haven't attempted to make any comparisons to the various Apocryphal or other Christian and Gnostic texts.
A: Variants/Close Parallels
---------------------------
9: Mt13:3-8, Mk4:3-8, Lk8:5-8
10: Lk12:49
16: Mt10:34-36, Lk12:51-53
20: Mt13:31-32, Mk4:30-32, Lk13:18-19
26: Mt7:3-5, Lk6:41-42
34: Mt15:14, Lk6:39
35: Mt12:29, Mk3:27, Lk11:21-22
41: Mt25:29, Lk19:26
45: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46
46: Mt11:11, Lk7:28
54: Mt5:3, Lk6:20
64: Mt22:3-9, Lk14:16-24
65: Mt21:33-39, Mk12:1-8, Lk20:9-15
66: Mt21:42, Mk12:10, Lk20:17; Psalm118:22
73: Mt9:37-38, Lk10:2
86: Mt8:20, Lk9:58
89: Lk11:39-40
93: Mt7:6
94: Mt7:7-8, Lk11:9-10
100: Mk12:13-17, Lk20:22-25
103: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
107: Mt18:12-13, Lk15:3-7
B: Remote Parallels
-------------------
1: Jn8:51
3: Lk17:21
5: Mt10:26, Lk10:2
8: Mt13:47-48
17: 1Cor2:9; Isiah64:4
30: Mt18:20
31: Mk6:4, Lk4:23-24, Jn4:44
32: Mt5:14
36: Mt6:25, Lk12:22
40: Mt15:13
44: Mt12:32, Mk3:28-29, Lk12:10
48: Mt18:19, Mk11:23-24
57: Mt13:24-30
58: Mt11:28
59: Jn7:34, Jn13:33
63: Lk12:16-21
68: Mt5:11, Lk6:22
71: Mk14:58
72: Lk12:13-15
75: Mt22:14
78: Mt11:7-9, Lk7:24-26
90: Mt11:28-30
95: Lk6:34-35, Lk14:12-14
96: Mt13:33, Lk13:20-21
99: Mt12:46-50, Mk3:31-35
101: Mt10:37, Lk14:26
109: Mt13:44
113: Lk17:20-21
C: Multiple Parallels
---------------------
14a: no parallels
14b: Lk10:8-9
14c: Mt15:11, Mk7:15
21a: no parallels
21b: Mt24:43, Lk12:39
21c: Mk4:26-29
22a: Mt18:3, Lk18:17
22b: Mt5:29-30, Mk9:43-48
24a: Jn13:36
24b: Mt6:22-23, Lk11:34-36
33a: Mt10:27
33b: Mt5:15, Mk4:21, Lk8:16, Lk11:33
39a: Lk11:52
39b: Mt10:16
43a: Jn8:25
43b: Mt7:16-20, Lk6:43-46(?)
55a: Lk14:26
55b: Mt10:37
62a: Mt13:11, Mk4:11, Lk8:10
62b: Mt6:3
69a: Mt5:8 (cf. Thomas saying 68)
69b: Mt5:6, Lk6:21
76a: Mt13:45-46
76b: Mt6:20, Lk12:33
79a: Lk11:27-28
79b: Lk23:29
91a: Jn9:36
91b: Lk12:54-56
D: Non-Canonical Parallels
--------------------------
42: Some stands of Islamic tradition attribute this saying to Jesus.
E: No Parallels
---------------
All the following sayings have no parallels in the Bible or other non-Gnostic traditions:
2 23 51 77 98
4 25 52 80 102
6 27 53 81 104
7 28 56 82 105
11 29 60 84 106
12 37 61 85 108
13 38 67 87 110
15 47 70 88 111
18 49 73 92 112
19 50 74 97 114
THE GOSPEL OF THOMAS
Commentary & Typing by Craig Schenk
6/17/92
Made available to the net by
Paul Halsall
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