Serving Two Masters

(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.

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 in you?’, 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 saw a Samaritan carrying a lamb on his way to Judea. He said to his disciples, “That man is round about the lamb.” 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 repose, lest you become a corpse and be eaten.”

(61) Jesus said, “Two will rest on a bed: the one will die, and the other will live.” Salome said, “Who are you, man, that you … 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 destroyed, 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 the 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 to him, ‘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 he did not recognize them.’ 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, “If one who knows the all still feels a personal deficiency, he is 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, “That which you have will save you if you bring it forth from yourselves. That which you do not have within you will kill you if you do not have it within you.”

(71) Jesus said, “I shall destroy this house, and no one will be able to build it […].”