The Sentences of Sextus
(157) [. . .] is a sign of ignorance.
(158/159) Love the truth, and the lie use like poison.
(160) May the right time precede your words.
(161/162) Speak when it is not proper to be silent, but speak concerning the things you know only then when it is fitting.
(163a) The untimely word is characteristic of an evil mind. When it is proper to act, do not use a word.
(164) Do not wish to speak first in the midst of a crowd. While it is a skill to speak, it is also a skill to be silent.
(165) It is better for you to be defeated while speaking the truth, than to be victorious through deceit. He who is victorious through deceit is defeated by the truth. Untrue words are a characteristic of evil persons. There has to be a great crisis before the lie is necessary. When there is someone, while you speak the truth, even if you lie there is no sin. Do not deceive anyone, especially him who needs advice.
(166) Faithful is he who is first with all good works.
(167) Wisdom leads the soul to the place of God.
(168) There is no kinsman of the truth except wisdom.
(169) It is not possible for a believing nature to become fond of lying.
(170) A fearful and slavish nature will not be able to partake in faith.
(171) When you are faithful, what it is fitting to say is not of greater value than the hearing. When you are with believing persons, desire to listen rather than to speak.
(172) A pleasure-loving man is useless in everything.
(173) When there is no accounting of sin, do not speak in anything (which is) from God.
(174) The sins of those who are ignorant are the shame of those who have taught them.
(175) Those on account of whom the name of God is blasphemed are dead before God.
(176) A wise man is a doer of good works after God.
(177) May your life confirm your words before those who hear.
(178) What it is not right to do, do not even consider doing it.
(179) What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either.
(180) What it is shameful to do, is also [. . .].
(pp. 17-26 are missing)
(307/308) He is a wise man who commends God to men, and God thinks more highly of the wise man than his own works.
(309) After God, no one is as free as the wise man.
(310) Everything God possesses, the wise man has also.
(311/312) The wise man shares in the kingdom of God; an evil man does not want the foreknowledge of God to come to pass.
(313) An evil soul flees from God.
(314) Everything bad is the enemy of God.
(315) What thinks in you, say with your mind that it is man.
(316) Where your thought is, there is your goodness.
(317) Do not seek goodness in flesh.
(318) He who does not harm the soul neither does so to man.
(319) After God, honor a wise man, since he is the servant of God.
(320) To make the body of your soul a burden is pride, but to be able to restrain it gently when it is necessary, is blessedness.
(321) Do not become guilty of your own death. Do not be angry at him who will take you out of the body and kill you.
(322) If someone brings the wise man out of the body wickedly, he rather does what is good for him, for he has been released from bonds.
(323) The fear of death grieves man because of the ignorance of the soul.
(324) It were better for you had the man-killing sword not come into being; but when it comes, say with your mind that it does not exist.
(325/326) Someone who says "I believe," even if he spends a long time pretending, he will not prevail, but he will fall; as your heart is, so will be your life. A godly heart produces a blessed life.
(327) He who will plot evil against another, he is the first [. . .].
(328) Let not an ungrateful man cause you to cease to do good.
(329) Do not say with your mind that these things which were asked, and you gave immediately, are more valuable than the receiver.
(330) You will use great property, if you give to the needy willingly.
(331) Persuade a senseless brother not to be senseless; if he is mad, protect him.
(332/334) Strive eagerly to be victorious over every man in prudence; maintain self-sufficiency.
(333) You cannot receive understanding unless you know first that you possess it. In everything there is again this sentence.
(335) The members of the body are a burden to those who do not use them.
(336) It is better to serve others than to make others serve you.
(337) He whom God will not bring out of the body, let him not burden himself.
(338) Not only do not hold an opinion which does not benefit the needy, but also do not listen to it.
(339) He who gives something without respect commits an outrage. [. . .].
(340) If you take on the guardianship of orphans, you will be the father of many children and you will be beloved of God.
(341) He whom you serve because of honor, you have served for a wage.
(342) If you have given that which honors you [. . .], you have given not to man, but you have given for your own pleasure.
(343/344) Do not provoke the anger of a mob. Know, then, what is fitting for the fortunate man to do.
(345) It is better to die than to darken the soul because of the immoderation of the belly.
(346) Say with your mind that the body is the garment of your soul: keep it, therefore, pure since it is innocent.
(347) Whatever the soul will do while it is in the body, it has as witnesses when it goes into judgment.
(348/349) Unclean demons do lay claim to a polluted soul; a faithful and good soul, evil demons will not be able to hinder in the way of God.
(350) Do not give the word of God to everyone.
(351) For those who are corrupted by glory it is not assuring to hear about God.
(352/353) It is not a small danger for us to speak the truth about God; do not say anything about God before you have learned from God.
(354/356) Do not speak with a godless person about God; if you are polluted on account of impure works, do not speak about God.
(357) The true word about God is the word of God.
(355) Speak concerning the word about God as if you were saying it in the presence of God.
(358) If first your mind is persuaded that you have been god-loving, then speak to whomever you wish about God.
(359) May your pious works precede every word about God.
(360) Do not wish to speak with a crowd about God.
(361) Be more sparing with a word about God than about a soul.
(362) It is better to dispose of a soul than to discard at random a word about God.
(363) You conceive the body of a god-loving man, but you will not be able to rule over his speech. The lion also rules over the body of the wise man; also the tyrant rules over it alone.
(364) If a tyrant threatens you, then, especially, remember God.
(365) He who speaks the word of God to those for whom it is not lawful, he is the betrayer of God.
(366) It is better for you to be silent about the word of God, than to speak recklessly.
(367/368) He who speaks lies about God is lying to God; a man who does not have anything truthful to say about God is abandoned by God.
(369) It is not possible for you to know God when you do not worship him.
(370) A man who does evil to someone will not be able to worship God.
(371) The love of man is the beginning of godliness.
(372) He who takes care of men while praying for all of them - this is the truth of God.
(373/374) It is God`s business to save whom he wants; on the other hand, it is the business of the pious man to beseech God to save everyone.
(375) When you pray for something and it happens to you through God, then say with your mind that you have [. . .].
(376) A man who is worthy of God, he is God among men, and he is the son of God. Both the great one exists and he who is next to the great one exists.
(377/378) It is better for man to be without anything than to have many things while not giving to the needy; so also you, if you pray to God, he will not give to you.
(379) If you, from your whole heart, give your bread to the hungry, the gift is small, but the willingness is great with God.
(380) He who thinks that no one is in the presence of God, he is not humble towards God.
(381) He who makes his mind like unto God as far as he is able, he is the one who honors God greatly.
(382) God does not need anything, but he rejoices over those who give to the needy.
(383) The faithful do not speak many words, but their works are numerous.
(384) It is a faithful person fond of learning who is the worker of the truth.
(385) Adjust [. . .] the calamities, in order that [. . .].
(386) If you do not do evil to anyone, you will not be afraid of anyone.
(387) The tyrant will not be able to take away happiness.
(388) What is right to do, do it willingly.
(389) What is not right to do, do not do it in any way. Promise everything rather than to say "I am wise".
(390) What you do well, say with your mind that it is God who does it.
(391) No man who looks down upon the earth and upon tables is wise.
(392) The philosopher who is an outer body, he is not the one to whom it is fitting to pay respect, but the philosopher according to the inner man.
(393) Guard yourself from lying; there is he who deceives and there is he who is deceived.
(394/395) Know who God is, and know who is the one who thinks in you; a good man is the good work of God.
(396) They are miserable because of whom the word is blasphemed.
(397) Death will not be able to destroy [. . .].
(pp. 35-end are missing)
(158/159) Love the truth, and the lie use like poison.
(160) May the right time precede your words.
(161/162) Speak when it is not proper to be silent, but speak concerning the things you know only then when it is fitting.
(163a) The untimely word is characteristic of an evil mind. When it is proper to act, do not use a word.
(164) Do not wish to speak first in the midst of a crowd. While it is a skill to speak, it is also a skill to be silent.
(165) It is better for you to be defeated while speaking the truth, than to be victorious through deceit. He who is victorious through deceit is defeated by the truth. Untrue words are a characteristic of evil persons. There has to be a great crisis before the lie is necessary. When there is someone, while you speak the truth, even if you lie there is no sin. Do not deceive anyone, especially him who needs advice.
(166) Faithful is he who is first with all good works.
(167) Wisdom leads the soul to the place of God.
(168) There is no kinsman of the truth except wisdom.
(169) It is not possible for a believing nature to become fond of lying.
(170) A fearful and slavish nature will not be able to partake in faith.
(171) When you are faithful, what it is fitting to say is not of greater value than the hearing. When you are with believing persons, desire to listen rather than to speak.
(172) A pleasure-loving man is useless in everything.
(173) When there is no accounting of sin, do not speak in anything (which is) from God.
(174) The sins of those who are ignorant are the shame of those who have taught them.
(175) Those on account of whom the name of God is blasphemed are dead before God.
(176) A wise man is a doer of good works after God.
(177) May your life confirm your words before those who hear.
(178) What it is not right to do, do not even consider doing it.
(179) What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either.
(180) What it is shameful to do, is also [. . .].
(pp. 17-26 are missing)
(307/308) He is a wise man who commends God to men, and God thinks more highly of the wise man than his own works.
(309) After God, no one is as free as the wise man.
(310) Everything God possesses, the wise man has also.
(311/312) The wise man shares in the kingdom of God; an evil man does not want the foreknowledge of God to come to pass.
(313) An evil soul flees from God.
(314) Everything bad is the enemy of God.
(315) What thinks in you, say with your mind that it is man.
(316) Where your thought is, there is your goodness.
(317) Do not seek goodness in flesh.
(318) He who does not harm the soul neither does so to man.
(319) After God, honor a wise man, since he is the servant of God.
(320) To make the body of your soul a burden is pride, but to be able to restrain it gently when it is necessary, is blessedness.
(321) Do not become guilty of your own death. Do not be angry at him who will take you out of the body and kill you.
(322) If someone brings the wise man out of the body wickedly, he rather does what is good for him, for he has been released from bonds.
(323) The fear of death grieves man because of the ignorance of the soul.
(324) It were better for you had the man-killing sword not come into being; but when it comes, say with your mind that it does not exist.
(325/326) Someone who says "I believe," even if he spends a long time pretending, he will not prevail, but he will fall; as your heart is, so will be your life. A godly heart produces a blessed life.
(327) He who will plot evil against another, he is the first [. . .].
(328) Let not an ungrateful man cause you to cease to do good.
(329) Do not say with your mind that these things which were asked, and you gave immediately, are more valuable than the receiver.
(330) You will use great property, if you give to the needy willingly.
(331) Persuade a senseless brother not to be senseless; if he is mad, protect him.
(332/334) Strive eagerly to be victorious over every man in prudence; maintain self-sufficiency.
(333) You cannot receive understanding unless you know first that you possess it. In everything there is again this sentence.
(335) The members of the body are a burden to those who do not use them.
(336) It is better to serve others than to make others serve you.
(337) He whom God will not bring out of the body, let him not burden himself.
(338) Not only do not hold an opinion which does not benefit the needy, but also do not listen to it.
(339) He who gives something without respect commits an outrage. [. . .].
(340) If you take on the guardianship of orphans, you will be the father of many children and you will be beloved of God.
(341) He whom you serve because of honor, you have served for a wage.
(342) If you have given that which honors you [. . .], you have given not to man, but you have given for your own pleasure.
(343/344) Do not provoke the anger of a mob. Know, then, what is fitting for the fortunate man to do.
(345) It is better to die than to darken the soul because of the immoderation of the belly.
(346) Say with your mind that the body is the garment of your soul: keep it, therefore, pure since it is innocent.
(347) Whatever the soul will do while it is in the body, it has as witnesses when it goes into judgment.
(348/349) Unclean demons do lay claim to a polluted soul; a faithful and good soul, evil demons will not be able to hinder in the way of God.
(350) Do not give the word of God to everyone.
(351) For those who are corrupted by glory it is not assuring to hear about God.
(352/353) It is not a small danger for us to speak the truth about God; do not say anything about God before you have learned from God.
(354/356) Do not speak with a godless person about God; if you are polluted on account of impure works, do not speak about God.
(357) The true word about God is the word of God.
(355) Speak concerning the word about God as if you were saying it in the presence of God.
(358) If first your mind is persuaded that you have been god-loving, then speak to whomever you wish about God.
(359) May your pious works precede every word about God.
(360) Do not wish to speak with a crowd about God.
(361) Be more sparing with a word about God than about a soul.
(362) It is better to dispose of a soul than to discard at random a word about God.
(363) You conceive the body of a god-loving man, but you will not be able to rule over his speech. The lion also rules over the body of the wise man; also the tyrant rules over it alone.
(364) If a tyrant threatens you, then, especially, remember God.
(365) He who speaks the word of God to those for whom it is not lawful, he is the betrayer of God.
(366) It is better for you to be silent about the word of God, than to speak recklessly.
(367/368) He who speaks lies about God is lying to God; a man who does not have anything truthful to say about God is abandoned by God.
(369) It is not possible for you to know God when you do not worship him.
(370) A man who does evil to someone will not be able to worship God.
(371) The love of man is the beginning of godliness.
(372) He who takes care of men while praying for all of them - this is the truth of God.
(373/374) It is God`s business to save whom he wants; on the other hand, it is the business of the pious man to beseech God to save everyone.
(375) When you pray for something and it happens to you through God, then say with your mind that you have [. . .].
(376) A man who is worthy of God, he is God among men, and he is the son of God. Both the great one exists and he who is next to the great one exists.
(377/378) It is better for man to be without anything than to have many things while not giving to the needy; so also you, if you pray to God, he will not give to you.
(379) If you, from your whole heart, give your bread to the hungry, the gift is small, but the willingness is great with God.
(380) He who thinks that no one is in the presence of God, he is not humble towards God.
(381) He who makes his mind like unto God as far as he is able, he is the one who honors God greatly.
(382) God does not need anything, but he rejoices over those who give to the needy.
(383) The faithful do not speak many words, but their works are numerous.
(384) It is a faithful person fond of learning who is the worker of the truth.
(385) Adjust [. . .] the calamities, in order that [. . .].
(386) If you do not do evil to anyone, you will not be afraid of anyone.
(387) The tyrant will not be able to take away happiness.
(388) What is right to do, do it willingly.
(389) What is not right to do, do not do it in any way. Promise everything rather than to say "I am wise".
(390) What you do well, say with your mind that it is God who does it.
(391) No man who looks down upon the earth and upon tables is wise.
(392) The philosopher who is an outer body, he is not the one to whom it is fitting to pay respect, but the philosopher according to the inner man.
(393) Guard yourself from lying; there is he who deceives and there is he who is deceived.
(394/395) Know who God is, and know who is the one who thinks in you; a good man is the good work of God.
(396) They are miserable because of whom the word is blasphemed.
(397) Death will not be able to destroy [. . .].
(pp. 35-end are missing)
The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles
[. . .] which [. . .] purpose [. . . after . . .] us [. . .] apostles [. . .]. We sailed [. . .] of the body. Others were not anxious in their hearts. And in our hearts, we were united. We agreed to fulfill the ministry to which the Lord appointed us. And we made a covenant with each other.
We went down to the sea at an opportune moment, which came to us from the Lord. We found a ship moored at the shore ready to embark, and we spoke with the sailors of the ship about our coming aboard with them. They showed great kindliness toward us as was ordained by the Lord. And after we had embarked, we sailed a day and a night. After that, a wind came up behind the ship and brought us to a small city in the midst of the sea.
And I, Peter, inquired about the name of this city from residents who were standing on the dock. A man among them answered, saying, "The name of this city is Habitation, that is, Foundation [. . .] endurance." And the leader among them holding the palm branch at the edge of the dock. And after we had gone ashore with the baggage, I went into the city, to seek advice about lodging.
A man came out wearing a cloth bound around his waist, and a gold belt girded it. Also a napkin was tied over his chest, extending over his shoulders and covering his head and his hands.
I was staring at the man, because he was beautiful in his form and stature. There were four parts of his body that I saw: the soles of his feet and a part of his chest and the palms of his hands and his visage. These things I was able to see. A book cover like those of my books was in his left hand. A staff of styrax wood was in his right hand. His voice was resounding as he slowly spoke, crying out in the city, "Pearls! Pearls!"
I, indeed, thought he was a man of that city. I said to him, "My brother and my friend!" He answered me, then, saying, "Rightly did you say, 'My brother and my friend.' What is it you seek from me?" I said to him, "I ask you about lodging for me and the brothers also, because we are strangers here." He said to me, "For this reason have I myself just said, 'My brother and my friend,' because I also am a fellow stranger like you."
And having said these things, he cried out, "Pearls! Pearls!" The rich men of that city heard his voice. They came out of their hidden storerooms. And some were looking out from the storerooms of their houses. Others looked out from their upper windows. And they did not see that they could gain anything from him, because there was no pouch on his back nor bundle inside his cloth and napkin. And because of their disdain they did not even acknowledge him. He, for his part, did not reveal himself to them. They returned to their storerooms, saying, "This man is mocking us."
And the poor of that city heard his voice, and they came to the man who sells this pearl. They said, "Please take the trouble to show us the pearl so that we may, then, see it with our own eyes. For we are the poor. And we do not have this [. . .] price to pay for it. But show us that we might say to our friends that we saw a pearl with our own eyes." He answered, saying to them, "If it is possible, come to my city, so that I may not only show it before your very eyes, but give it to you for nothing."
And indeed they, the poor of that city, heard and said, "Since we are beggars, we surely know that a man does not give a pearl to a beggar, but it is bread and money that is usually received. Now then, the kindness which we want to receive from you is that you show us the pearl before our eyes. And we will say to our friends proudly that we saw a pearl with our own eyes" - because it is not found among the poor, especially such beggars as these. He answered and said to them, "If it is possible, you yourselves come to my city, so that I may not only show you it, but give it to you for nothing." The poor and the beggars rejoiced because of the man who gives for nothing.
The men asked Peter about the hardships. Peter answered and told those things that he had heard about the hardships of the way. Because they are interpreters of the hardships in their ministry.
He said to the man who sells this pearl, "I want to know your name and the hardships of the way to your city because we are strangers and servants of God. It is necessary for us to spread the word of God in every city harmoniously." He answered and said, "If you seek my name, Lithargoel is my name, the interpretation of which is, the light, gazelle-like stone.
"And also concerning the road to the city, which you asked me about, I will tell you about it. No man is able to go on that road, except one who has forsaken everything that he has and has fasted daily from stage to stage. For many are the robbers and wild beasts on that road. The one who carries bread with him on the road, the black dogs kill because of the bread. The one who carries a costly garment of the world with him, the robbers kill because of the garment. The one who carries water with him, the wolves kill because of the water, since they were thirsty for it. The one who is anxious about meat and green vegetables, the lions eat because of the meat. If he evades the lions, the bulls devour him because of the green vegetables."
When he had said these things to me, I sighed within myself, saying, "Great hardships are on the road! If only Jesus would give us power to walk it!" He looked at me since my face was sad, and I sighed. He said to me, "Why do you sigh, if you, indeed, know this name "Jesus" and believe him? He is a great power for giving strength. For I too believe in the Father who sent him."
I replied, asking him, "What is the name of the place to which you go, your city?" He said to me, "This is the name of my city, 'Nine Gates.' Let us praise God as we are mindful that the tenth is the head." After this I went away from him in peace.
As I was about to go and call my friends, I saw waves and large high walls surrounding the bounds of the city. I marveled at the great things I saw. I saw an old man sitting and I asked him if the name of the city was really Habitation. He [. . .], "Habitation [. . .]." He said to me, "You speak truly, for we inhabit here because we endure."
I responded, saying, "Justly [. . .] have men named it [. . .], because by everyone who endures his trials, cities are inhabited, and a precious kingdom comes from them, because they endure in the midst of the apostasies and the difficulties of the storms. So that in this way, the city of everyone who endures the burden of his yoke of faith will be inhabited, and he will be included in the kingdom of heaven."
I hurried and went and called my friends so that we might go to the city that he, Lithargoel, appointed for us. In a bond of faith we forsook everything as he had said to do. We evaded the robbers, because they did not find their garments with us. We evaded the wolves, because they did not find the water with us for which they thirsted. We evaded the lions, because they did not find the desire for meat with us. We evaded the bulls [. . .] they did not find green vegetables.
A great joy came upon us and a peaceful carefreeness like that of our Lord. We rested ourselves in front of the gate, and we talked with each other about that which is not a distraction of this world. Rather we continued in contemplation of the faith.
As we discussed the robbers on the road, whom we evaded, behold Lithargoel, having changed, came out to us. He had the appearance of a physician, since an unguent box was under his arm, and a young disciple was following him carrying a pouch full of medicine. We did not recognize him.
Peter responded and said to him, "We want you to do us a favor, because we are strangers, and take us to the house of Lithargoel before evening comes." He said, "In uprightness of heart I will show it to you. But I am amazed at how you knew this good man. For he does not reveal himself to every man, because he himself is the son of a great king. Rest yourselves a little so that I may go and heal this man and come back." He hurried and came back quickly.
He said to Peter, "Peter!" And Peter was frightened, for how did he know that his name was Peter? Peter responded to the Savior, "How do you know me, for you called my name?" Lithargoel answered, "I want to ask you who gave the name Peter to you?" He said to him, "It was Jesus Christ, the son of the living God. He gave this name to me." He answered and said, "It is I! Recognize me, Peter." He loosened the garment, which clothed him - the one into which he had changed himself because of us - revealing to us in truth that it was he.
We prostrated ourselves on the ground and worshiped him. We comprised eleven disciples. He stretched forth his hand and caused us to stand. We spoke with him humbly. Our heads were bowed down in unworthiness as we said, "What you wish we will do. But give us power to do what you wish at all times."
He gave them the unguent box and the pouch that was in the hand of the young disciple. He commanded them like this, saying, "Go into the city from which you came, which is called Habitation. Continue in endurance as you teach all those who have believed in my name, because I have endured in hardships of the faith. I will give you your reward. To the poor of that city give what they need in order to live until I give them what is better, which I told you that I will give you for nothing."
Peter answered and said to him, "Lord, you have taught us to forsake the world and everything in it. We have renounced them for your sake. What we are concerned about now is the food for a single day. Where will we be able to find the needs that you ask us to provide for the poor?"
The Lord answered and said, "O Peter, it was necessary that you understand the parable that I told you! Do you not understand that my name, which you teach, surpasses all riches, and the wisdom of God surpasses gold, and silver and precious stones?"
He gave them the pouch of medicine and said, "Heal all the sick of the city who believe in my name." Peter was afraid to reply to him for the second time. He signaled to the one who was beside him, who was John: "You talk this time." John answered and said, "Lord, before you we are afraid to say many words. But it is you who asks us to practice this skill. We have not been taught to be physicians. How then will we know how to heal bodies as you have told us?"
He answered them, "Rightly have you spoken, John, for I know that the physicians of this world heal what belongs to the world. The physicians of souls, however, heal the heart. Heal the bodies first, therefore, so that through the real powers of healing for their bodies, without medicine of the world, they may believe in you, that you have power to heal the illnesses of the heart also.
"The rich men of the city, however, those who did not see fit even to acknowledge me, but who reveled in their wealth and pride - with such as these, therefore, do not dine in their houses nor be friends with them, lest their partiality influence you. For many in the churches have shown partiality to the rich, because they also are sinful, and they give occasion for others to sin. But judge them with uprightness, so that your ministry may be glorified, and that my name also, may be glorified in the churches." The disciples answered and said, "Yes, truly this is what is fitting to do."
They prostrated themselves on the ground and worshiped him. He caused them to stand and departed from them in peace. Amen.
The Acts of Peter and the Twelve Apostles
Ptolemy's Letter to Flora
This is a word for word quotation of Ptolemy's letter, preserved by Epiphanius in his work Against Heresies, 33.3.1 - 33.7.10. It relates the Gnostic view of the Law of Moses, and the situation of the Demiurge relative to this law. (The translation presented here is unfortunately inferior to the fine modern translation provided by Bentley Layton in The Gnostic Scriptures.)
The Law was ordained through Moses, my dear sister Flora, has not been understood by many persons, who have accurate knowledge neither of him who ordained it nor of its commandments. I think that this will be perfectly clear to you when you have learned the contradictory opinions about it.
Some say that it is legislation given by God the Father; others, taking the contrary course, maintain stubbornly that it was ordained by the opposite, the Devil who causes destruction, just as they attribute the fashioning of the world to him, saying that he is the Father and maker of this universe. Both are completely in error; they refute each other and neither has reached the truth of the matter.
For it is evident that the Law was not ordained by the perfect God the Father, for it is secondary, being imperfect and in need of completion by another, containing commandments alien to the nature and thought of such a God.
On the other hand, one cannot impute the Law to the injustice of the opposite, God, for it is opposed to injustice. Such persons do not comprehend what was said by the Savior. For a house or city divided against itself cannot stand, declared our Savior. Furthermore, the apostle says that creation of the world is due to him, for Everything was made through him and apart from him nothing was made. Thus he takes away in advance the baseless wisdom of the false accusers, and shows that the creation is not due to a God who corrupts but to the one who is just and hates evil. Only unintelligent men have this idea, men who do not recognize the providence of the creator and have blinded not only the eye of the soul but also of the body.
From what has been said, it is evident that these persons entirely miss the truth; each of the two groups has experienced this, the first because they do not know the God of justice, the second because they do not know the Father of all, who alone was revealed by him who alone came. It remains for us who have been counted worthy of the knowledge of both these to provide you with an accurate explanation of the nature of the Law and the legislator by whom it was ordained. We shall draw the proofs of what we say from the words of the Savior, which alone can lead us without error to the comprehension of reality.
First, you must learn that the entire Law contained in the Pentateuch of Moses was not ordained by one legislator - I mean, not by God alone, some commandments are Moses', and some were given by other men. The words of the Savior teach us this triple division. The first part must be attributed to God alone, and his legislation; the second to Moses - not in the sense that God legislates through him, but in the sense that Moses gave some legislation under the influence of his own ideas; and the third to the elders of the people, who seem to have ordained some commandments of their own at the beginning. You will now learn how the truth of this theory is proved by the words of the Savior.
In some discussion with those who dispute with the Savior about divorce, which was permitted in the Law, he said Because of your hard-heartedness Moses permitted a man to divorce his wife; from the beginning it was not so; for God made this marriage, and what the Lord joined together, man must not separate. In this way he shows there is a Law of God, which prohibits the divorce of a wife from a husband, and another law, that of Moses, which permits the breaking of this yoke because of hard-heartedness. In fact, Moses lays down legislation contrary to that of God; for joining is contrary to not joining.
But if we examine the intention of Moses in giving this legislation, it will be seen that he did not give it arbitrarily or of his own accord, but by the necessity because of the weakness of those for whom the legislation was given. Since they were unable to keep the intention of God, according to which it was not lawful for them to reject their wives, with whom some of them disliked to live, and therefore were in the danger of turning to greater injustice and thence to destruction, Moses wanted to remove the cause of dislike, which was placing them in jeopardy of destruction. Therefore because of the critical circumstances, choosing a lesser evil in place of a greater, he ordained, on his own accord, a second law, that of divorce, so that if they could not observe the first, they might keep this and not turn to unjust and evil actions, through which complete destruction would be the result for them. This was his intention when he gave legislation contrary to that of God. Therefore it is indisputable that here the law of Moses is different from the Law of God, even if we have demonstrated the fact from only one example.
The Savior also makes plain the fact that there are some traditions of the elders interwoven in the Law. For God,he says, Said, Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, But you , he says addressing the elders, [. . .] have declared as a gift to God, that by which you have nullified the Law of God through the tradition of your elders. Isaiah also proclaimed this, saying, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching precepts which are the commandments of men.
Therefore it is obvious that the whole Law is divided into three parts; we find in it the legislation of Moses, of the elders, and of God himself. This division of the entire Law, as made by us, has brought to light what is true in it.
This part, the Law of God himself, is in turn divided into three parts: the pure legislation not mixed with evil, which properly called Law, which the Savior came not to destroy but to complete -- for what he completed was not alien to him but needed completion, for it did not possess perfection; next the legislation interwoven with the inferiority and injustice, which the Savior destroyed because it was alien to his nature; and finally, the legislation which is allegorical and symbolic, an image of what is spiritual and transcendent, which the Saviour transferred from the perceptible and phenomenal to the spiritual and invisible.
The Law of God, pure and not mixed with inferiority, is the Decalogue, those ten sayings engraved on two tables, forbidding things not to be done and enjoining things to be done. These contains pure but imperfect legislation and required the completion made by the Savior.
There is also the law interwoven with injustice, laid down for vengeance and the requital of previous injuries, ordaining that an eye should be cut out for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and that a murder should be avenged by a murderer. The person who is the second one to be unjust is no less unjust than the first; he simply changes the order of events while performing the same action. Admittedly, this commandment was a just one and still is just, because of the weakness of those for whom the legislation was made so they would not transgress the pure law. But it is alien to the nature and goodness of the Father of all. No doubt it was appropriate to the circumstances, or even necessary; for he who does not want one murder committed, saying, You shall not kill and then commanded a murder to be repaid by another murder, has given a second law which enjoins two murders although he had forbidden one. This fact proves that he was unsuspectingly the victim of necessity.
This is why, when his son came, he destroyed this part of the law while admitting that it came from God. He counts this part of the law as in the old religion, not only in other passages but also where he said, God said, He who curses father or mother shall surely die.
Finally, there is the exemplary part, ordained in the image of the spiritual and transcendent matters, I mean the part dealing with offerings and circumcision and the sabbath and fasting and Passover and unleavened bread and other similar matters.
Since all these things are images and symbols, when the truth was made manifest they were translated to another meaning. In their phenomenal appearance and their literal application they were destroyed, but in their spiritual meaning they were restored; the names remained the same but the content was changed. Thus the Savior commanded us to make offerings not of irrational animals or of the incense of this worldly sort, but of spiritual praise and glorification and thanksgiving and of sharing and well-doing with our neighbors. He wanted us to be circumcised, not in regard to our physical foreskin but in regard to our spiritual heart; to keep the Sabbath, for he wishes us to be idle in regard to evil works; to fast, not in physical fasting but in spiritual, in which there is abstinence from everything evil.
Among us external fasting is also observed, since it can be advantageous to the soul if it is done reasonably, not for imitating others or from habit or because of a special day appointed for this purpose. It is also observed so that those who are not yet able to keep the true fast may have a reminder of it from the external fast. Similarly, Paul the apostle shows that the Passover and the unleavened bread are images when he says, Christ our passover has been sacrificed, in order that you may be unleavened bread, not containing leaven; by leaven he here means evil; but may be a new lump.
Thus the Law of God itself is obviously divided into three parts. The first was completed by the Savior, for the commandment, You shall not kill , You shall not commit adultery, you shall not swear falsely are included in the forbidding of anger, desire and swearing. The second part was entirely destroyed, for An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth interwoven in with injustice, was destroyed by the Savior through its opposite. Opposites cancel out, For I say to you, do not resist the evil man, but if anyone strikes you, turn the other cheek to him.
Finally, there is the part translated and changed from the literal to the spiritual, this symbolic legislation which is an image of transcendent things. For the images and symbols which represent other things were good as long as the Truth has not come; but since the Truth has come, we must perform the actions of the Truth, not those of the image.
The disciples of the Savior and the Apostle Paul showed that this theory is true, speaking of the part dealing with images, as we have already said, in mentioning The passover for us and the Unleavened bread; for the law interwoven with injustice when he says that the law of commandments in ordinances were destroyed; and of that not mixed with anything inferior when he says that The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. I think I have shown you sufficiently, as well as one can in brief compass, the addition of human legislation in the Law and the triple division of the Law of God itself.
It remains for us to say who this God is who ordained the Law; but I think this too has been shown you in what we have already said, if you have listened to it attentively.
For if the Law was not ordained by the perfect God himself, as we have already taught you, nor by the devil, a statement one cannot possibly make, the legislator must be some one other than these two. In fact, he is the Demiurge and maker of this universe and everything in it; and because he is essentially different from these two and is between them, he is rightly given the name, intermediate.
And if the perfect God is good by nature, in fact he is, for our Savior declared that there is only a single good God, his Father whom he manifested; and if the one who is the opposite nature is evil and wicked, characterized by injustice; then the one situated between the two is neither good nor evil or unjust, but can properly be called just, since he is the arbitrator of the justice which is his.
On the one hand, this god will be inferior to the perfect God and the lower than his justice, since he is generated and not ungenerated -- there is only one ungenerated Father, from whom are all things, since all things depend on him in their own ways. On the other hand, he will be greater and more powerful than the adversary, by nature, since he has a substance of either of them. The substance of the adversary is corruption and darkness, for he is material and complex, while the substance of the ungenerated Father of all is incorruption and self-existent light, simple and homogeneous. The substance of the latter produced a double power, while the Savior is an image of the greater one.
And now, do not let this trouble you for the present in your desire to learn how from one first principle of all, simple, and acknowledged by us and believed by us, ungenerated and incorruptible and good, were constituted these natures of corruption and the Middle, which are different substances, although it is characteristic of the good to generate and produce things which are like itself and have the same substance.
For, if God permit, you will later learn about their origin and generation, when you are judged worthy of the apostolic tradition which we too have received by succession. We too are able to prove all our points by the teaching of the Savior.
In making these brief statements to you, my sister Flora, I have not grown weary; and while I have treated the subject with brevity, I have also discussed it sufficiently. These points will be of great benefit to you in the future, if like fair and good ground you have received fertile seeds and go on to show forth their fruit.
The Law was ordained through Moses, my dear sister Flora, has not been understood by many persons, who have accurate knowledge neither of him who ordained it nor of its commandments. I think that this will be perfectly clear to you when you have learned the contradictory opinions about it.
Some say that it is legislation given by God the Father; others, taking the contrary course, maintain stubbornly that it was ordained by the opposite, the Devil who causes destruction, just as they attribute the fashioning of the world to him, saying that he is the Father and maker of this universe. Both are completely in error; they refute each other and neither has reached the truth of the matter.
For it is evident that the Law was not ordained by the perfect God the Father, for it is secondary, being imperfect and in need of completion by another, containing commandments alien to the nature and thought of such a God.
On the other hand, one cannot impute the Law to the injustice of the opposite, God, for it is opposed to injustice. Such persons do not comprehend what was said by the Savior. For a house or city divided against itself cannot stand, declared our Savior. Furthermore, the apostle says that creation of the world is due to him, for Everything was made through him and apart from him nothing was made. Thus he takes away in advance the baseless wisdom of the false accusers, and shows that the creation is not due to a God who corrupts but to the one who is just and hates evil. Only unintelligent men have this idea, men who do not recognize the providence of the creator and have blinded not only the eye of the soul but also of the body.
From what has been said, it is evident that these persons entirely miss the truth; each of the two groups has experienced this, the first because they do not know the God of justice, the second because they do not know the Father of all, who alone was revealed by him who alone came. It remains for us who have been counted worthy of the knowledge of both these to provide you with an accurate explanation of the nature of the Law and the legislator by whom it was ordained. We shall draw the proofs of what we say from the words of the Savior, which alone can lead us without error to the comprehension of reality.
First, you must learn that the entire Law contained in the Pentateuch of Moses was not ordained by one legislator - I mean, not by God alone, some commandments are Moses', and some were given by other men. The words of the Savior teach us this triple division. The first part must be attributed to God alone, and his legislation; the second to Moses - not in the sense that God legislates through him, but in the sense that Moses gave some legislation under the influence of his own ideas; and the third to the elders of the people, who seem to have ordained some commandments of their own at the beginning. You will now learn how the truth of this theory is proved by the words of the Savior.
In some discussion with those who dispute with the Savior about divorce, which was permitted in the Law, he said Because of your hard-heartedness Moses permitted a man to divorce his wife; from the beginning it was not so; for God made this marriage, and what the Lord joined together, man must not separate. In this way he shows there is a Law of God, which prohibits the divorce of a wife from a husband, and another law, that of Moses, which permits the breaking of this yoke because of hard-heartedness. In fact, Moses lays down legislation contrary to that of God; for joining is contrary to not joining.
But if we examine the intention of Moses in giving this legislation, it will be seen that he did not give it arbitrarily or of his own accord, but by the necessity because of the weakness of those for whom the legislation was given. Since they were unable to keep the intention of God, according to which it was not lawful for them to reject their wives, with whom some of them disliked to live, and therefore were in the danger of turning to greater injustice and thence to destruction, Moses wanted to remove the cause of dislike, which was placing them in jeopardy of destruction. Therefore because of the critical circumstances, choosing a lesser evil in place of a greater, he ordained, on his own accord, a second law, that of divorce, so that if they could not observe the first, they might keep this and not turn to unjust and evil actions, through which complete destruction would be the result for them. This was his intention when he gave legislation contrary to that of God. Therefore it is indisputable that here the law of Moses is different from the Law of God, even if we have demonstrated the fact from only one example.
The Savior also makes plain the fact that there are some traditions of the elders interwoven in the Law. For God,he says, Said, Honor your father and your mother, that it may be well with you, But you , he says addressing the elders, [. . .] have declared as a gift to God, that by which you have nullified the Law of God through the tradition of your elders. Isaiah also proclaimed this, saying, This people honors me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me, teaching precepts which are the commandments of men.
Therefore it is obvious that the whole Law is divided into three parts; we find in it the legislation of Moses, of the elders, and of God himself. This division of the entire Law, as made by us, has brought to light what is true in it.
This part, the Law of God himself, is in turn divided into three parts: the pure legislation not mixed with evil, which properly called Law, which the Savior came not to destroy but to complete -- for what he completed was not alien to him but needed completion, for it did not possess perfection; next the legislation interwoven with the inferiority and injustice, which the Savior destroyed because it was alien to his nature; and finally, the legislation which is allegorical and symbolic, an image of what is spiritual and transcendent, which the Saviour transferred from the perceptible and phenomenal to the spiritual and invisible.
The Law of God, pure and not mixed with inferiority, is the Decalogue, those ten sayings engraved on two tables, forbidding things not to be done and enjoining things to be done. These contains pure but imperfect legislation and required the completion made by the Savior.
There is also the law interwoven with injustice, laid down for vengeance and the requital of previous injuries, ordaining that an eye should be cut out for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, and that a murder should be avenged by a murderer. The person who is the second one to be unjust is no less unjust than the first; he simply changes the order of events while performing the same action. Admittedly, this commandment was a just one and still is just, because of the weakness of those for whom the legislation was made so they would not transgress the pure law. But it is alien to the nature and goodness of the Father of all. No doubt it was appropriate to the circumstances, or even necessary; for he who does not want one murder committed, saying, You shall not kill and then commanded a murder to be repaid by another murder, has given a second law which enjoins two murders although he had forbidden one. This fact proves that he was unsuspectingly the victim of necessity.
This is why, when his son came, he destroyed this part of the law while admitting that it came from God. He counts this part of the law as in the old religion, not only in other passages but also where he said, God said, He who curses father or mother shall surely die.
Finally, there is the exemplary part, ordained in the image of the spiritual and transcendent matters, I mean the part dealing with offerings and circumcision and the sabbath and fasting and Passover and unleavened bread and other similar matters.
Since all these things are images and symbols, when the truth was made manifest they were translated to another meaning. In their phenomenal appearance and their literal application they were destroyed, but in their spiritual meaning they were restored; the names remained the same but the content was changed. Thus the Savior commanded us to make offerings not of irrational animals or of the incense of this worldly sort, but of spiritual praise and glorification and thanksgiving and of sharing and well-doing with our neighbors. He wanted us to be circumcised, not in regard to our physical foreskin but in regard to our spiritual heart; to keep the Sabbath, for he wishes us to be idle in regard to evil works; to fast, not in physical fasting but in spiritual, in which there is abstinence from everything evil.
Among us external fasting is also observed, since it can be advantageous to the soul if it is done reasonably, not for imitating others or from habit or because of a special day appointed for this purpose. It is also observed so that those who are not yet able to keep the true fast may have a reminder of it from the external fast. Similarly, Paul the apostle shows that the Passover and the unleavened bread are images when he says, Christ our passover has been sacrificed, in order that you may be unleavened bread, not containing leaven; by leaven he here means evil; but may be a new lump.
Thus the Law of God itself is obviously divided into three parts. The first was completed by the Savior, for the commandment, You shall not kill , You shall not commit adultery, you shall not swear falsely are included in the forbidding of anger, desire and swearing. The second part was entirely destroyed, for An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth interwoven in with injustice, was destroyed by the Savior through its opposite. Opposites cancel out, For I say to you, do not resist the evil man, but if anyone strikes you, turn the other cheek to him.
Finally, there is the part translated and changed from the literal to the spiritual, this symbolic legislation which is an image of transcendent things. For the images and symbols which represent other things were good as long as the Truth has not come; but since the Truth has come, we must perform the actions of the Truth, not those of the image.
The disciples of the Savior and the Apostle Paul showed that this theory is true, speaking of the part dealing with images, as we have already said, in mentioning The passover for us and the Unleavened bread; for the law interwoven with injustice when he says that the law of commandments in ordinances were destroyed; and of that not mixed with anything inferior when he says that The law is holy, and the commandment is holy and just and good. I think I have shown you sufficiently, as well as one can in brief compass, the addition of human legislation in the Law and the triple division of the Law of God itself.
It remains for us to say who this God is who ordained the Law; but I think this too has been shown you in what we have already said, if you have listened to it attentively.
For if the Law was not ordained by the perfect God himself, as we have already taught you, nor by the devil, a statement one cannot possibly make, the legislator must be some one other than these two. In fact, he is the Demiurge and maker of this universe and everything in it; and because he is essentially different from these two and is between them, he is rightly given the name, intermediate.
And if the perfect God is good by nature, in fact he is, for our Savior declared that there is only a single good God, his Father whom he manifested; and if the one who is the opposite nature is evil and wicked, characterized by injustice; then the one situated between the two is neither good nor evil or unjust, but can properly be called just, since he is the arbitrator of the justice which is his.
On the one hand, this god will be inferior to the perfect God and the lower than his justice, since he is generated and not ungenerated -- there is only one ungenerated Father, from whom are all things, since all things depend on him in their own ways. On the other hand, he will be greater and more powerful than the adversary, by nature, since he has a substance of either of them. The substance of the adversary is corruption and darkness, for he is material and complex, while the substance of the ungenerated Father of all is incorruption and self-existent light, simple and homogeneous. The substance of the latter produced a double power, while the Savior is an image of the greater one.
And now, do not let this trouble you for the present in your desire to learn how from one first principle of all, simple, and acknowledged by us and believed by us, ungenerated and incorruptible and good, were constituted these natures of corruption and the Middle, which are different substances, although it is characteristic of the good to generate and produce things which are like itself and have the same substance.
For, if God permit, you will later learn about their origin and generation, when you are judged worthy of the apostolic tradition which we too have received by succession. We too are able to prove all our points by the teaching of the Savior.
In making these brief statements to you, my sister Flora, I have not grown weary; and while I have treated the subject with brevity, I have also discussed it sufficiently. These points will be of great benefit to you in the future, if like fair and good ground you have received fertile seeds and go on to show forth their fruit.
The Gospel of Thomas Fragments from Oxyrhynchus
Prologue and Saying 1 (pOxy 654.1-5)
These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Judas who is also Thomas recorded. And he said, "Whoever finds the interpretation of these sayings will not taste death."
Saying 2 (pOxy. 654.5-9)
Jesus said, "Let the one seeking not stop seeking until he finds. And when he finds he will marvel, and marveling he will reign, and reigning he will rest.”
Saying 3 (pOxy. 654.9-21)
Jesus said, "If those pulling you say to you, 'Look, the kingdom is in the sky,' the birds of the sky will go before you. Or if they say that it is beneath the ground, the fish of the sea will go in, preceding you. And the kingdom of God is within you and outside you. Whoever knows himself will find this and when you know yourselves you will know that you are children of the living father. But if you will not know yourselves, you are in poverty and you are the poverty."
Saying 4 (pOxy. 654.21-27)
Jesus said, "A person old in days will not hesitate to ask a child seven days old about his place in life and he will live. For many of the first will be last and many of the last will be first and they will become one."
Saying 5 (pOxy. 654.27-31)
Jesus said, "Know what is in front of your face and what has been hidden from you will be revealed to you. For there is nothing hidden that will not be made clear and nothing buried that will not be raised."
Saying 6 (pOxy. 654.32-40)
His disciples questioned him and said, "How should we fast and how should we pray, and how should we do charitable deeds a]nd what food law should we observe?" Jesus said, "Do not lie and that which you hate, do not do because everything is evident before the truth. For there is nothing hidden that will not be made clear."
Saying 7? (pOxy. 654.40-42)
blessed is [. . .]
Saying 24? (pOxy. 655d.1-5)
it is [. . .] light [. . .] world [. . .] it is [. . .].
Saying 26 (pOxy. 1.1-4)
"[. . .] and then you will see clearly to cast out the speck that is in your brother’s eye."
Saying 27 (pOxy. 1.4-11)
Jesus said, "If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the kingdom of God. And if you do not keep the sabbath a sabbath, you will not see the father."
Saying 28 (pOxy. 1.11-21)
Jesus said, "I stood in the midst of the world and in the flesh I appeared to them. I found everyone drunk and none thirsty among them. My soul worries about the children of humanity because they are blind in their hearts and they do not see."
Saying 29 (pOxy. 1.22)
"[. . .] he dwells in this poverty."
Saying 30 + 77b (pOxy. 1.23-30)
Jesus said, "Where there are three they are without God. And where there is only one, I say, I am with him. Lift the stone and there you will find me. Split the wood and I am there."
Saying 31 (pOxy. 1.30-35)
Jesus said, "A prophet is not acceptable in his homeland. Nor does a physician perform healings for those who know him."
Saying 32 (pOxy. 1.36-41)
Jesus said, "A city that has been built and established on the summit of a high mountain can neither fall nor be hidden."
Saying 33 (pOxy. 1.41-42)
Jesus said, “What you hear in your one ear [. . .]."
Saying 36 (pOxy. 655i.1-17)
Jesus said, "Do not worry from early until late nor from evening until morning. Worry neither for your food, what you will eat, nor for your clothes, what you will wear. You are much greater than the lilies which neither card nor spin. When you have no clothing, what do you wear? Who can add to your time of life? He it is who will give you your clothing."
Saying 37 (pOxy. 655i.17-23)
His disciples said to him, "When will you be visible to us? And when will we see you?" He said, "When you undress and are not ashamed."
Saying 39 (pOxy. 655ii.11-23)
Jesus said, "The Pharisees and the scribes took the keys of knowledge. They hid them. They did not go in, nor did they allow those trying to go in to do so. You, however, be wise as snakes and innocent as doves."