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The Gospels of Thomas and Mary and the Secret Book of James
Early Christian (2nd century) · tr. Mark M. Mattison · 2020s · 10,791 words
Three early Christian gospels outside the Bible in plain modern English: the 114 sayings of Thomas, Mary Magdalene’s vision, and James’s secret teaching from the risen Jesus.
Opening
The Gospel of Thomas · Prologue and Sayings 1–20
The following translation has been committed to the public domain and may be freely copied and used, changed or unchanged, for any purpose. It is based on the Coptic text of Nag Hammadi Codex II, 2. For information about the surviving manuscripts of the Gospel of Thomas, see the Manuscript Information page. For additional information about the translation, see the introduction to the PDF version.
For some reflections on the potential meaning and significance of Thomas' Gospel for us today, see my book, The Gospel of Thomas: A New Translation for Spiritual Seekers. Note that Luminescence, L.L.C. earns commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
Symbols
[ ] Gap in the text
( ) Editorial insertion
/ \ Editorial correction of a scribal error
Prologue
These are the hidden sayings that the living Jesus spoke and Didymos Judas Thomas wrote down.
Saying 1: True Meaning
And he said, "Whoever discovers the meaning of these sayings won't taste death."
Saying 2: Seek and Find
Jesus said, "Whoever seeks shouldn't stop until they find. When they find, they'll be disturbed. When they're disturbed, they'll be […] amazed, and reign over the All."
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Contents
- The Gospel of Thomas · Prologue and Sayings 1–20
- The Gospel of Thomas · Sayings 21–40
- The Gospel of Thomas · Sayings 41–60
- The Gospel of Thomas · Sayings 61–80
- The Gospel of Thomas · Sayings 81–100
- The Gospel of Thomas · Sayings 101–114
- The Gospel of Mary
- The Secret Book of James