Gospel of TruthGnostic / Alternative Early ChristianAlternative Early ChristianCoptic translation of Greek traditionsShareGospel of Truth 10Mark M. Mattison - EnglishMoreVersion - 1 availableMark M. MattisonLanguageEnglishEspañol‹Gospel of Truth 1Gospel of Truth 2Gospel of Truth 3Gospel of Truth 4Gospel of Truth 5Gospel of Truth 6Gospel of Truth 7Gospel of Truth 8Gospel of Truth 9Gospel of Truth 10Gospel of Truth 11Gospel of Truth 12Gospel of Truth 13›Gospel of Truth: The Parable of the SheepGospel of Truth 10ListenPlay this chapter in spoken English.Save chapterListen to chapter1He’s the shepherd who left behind the ninety- nine sheep which weren’t lost. He went and searched for the one which was lost. He rejoiced when he found it, because ninety-nine is a number expressed with the left hand. However, when the one is found, the numerical sum moves to the right hand. In this way, what needs the one – that is, the whole right hand – draws what it needs, takes it from the left hand, and moves it to the right, so the number becomes one hundred. This is a symbol of the sound of these numbers; this is the Father. 2Even on the Sabbath, he worked for the sheep which he found fallen in the pit. He saved the life of the sheep, having brought it up from the pit, so that you may know in your hearts – you’re children of the knowledge of the heart – what is the Sabbath, on which it isn’t right for salvation to be idle, so that you may speak of the day which is above, which has no night, and of the light that doesn’t set, because it’s complete. Speak then from the heart, because you’re the completed day, and the light that doesn’t cease dwells within you. Speak of the Truth with those who search for it, and of knowledge with those who’ve sinned in their Error. 3Doing the Father’s Will 4Strengthen the feet of those who stumble, and reach out to those who are sick. Feed those who are hungry, and give rest to those who are weary. Raise up those who want to arise, and awaken those who sleep, because you’re the understanding that’s unsheathed. If strength is like this, it becomes stronger. 5Be concerned about yourselves. Don’t be concerned about other things which you’ve rejected from yourselves. Don’t return to eat your vomit. Don’t be eaten by worms, because you’ve already shaken it off. Don’t become a dwelling-place for the devil, because you’ve already brought him to naught. Don’t strengthen your obstacles which are collapsing, as though you’re a support. For the lawless one is nothing, to be treated more harshly than the just, doing his works among others. 6Do then the Father’s will, because you’re from him. For the Father is sweet, and goodness is in his will. He knows what’s yours, that you may find rest in them. For by the fruits they know what’s yours, because the children of the Father are his fragrance, since they’re from the grace of his expression. Because of this, the Father loves his fragrance, and reveals it in every place. And when it mixes with matter, it gives his fragrance to the light, and in tranquility he causes it to rise above every form and every sound. For it’s not the ears that smell the fragrance, but it’s the Spirit that smells, and draws the fragrance to itself, and sinks down into the Father’s fragrance. He shelters it, then, and takes it to the place from which it came, from the first fragrance which has grown cold. It’s something in a soul-endowed delusion, like cold water sunk into loose earth. Those who see it think that it’s just earth. Afterwards, it dissolves again. If a breath draws it, it becomes warm. So the fragrances which are cold are from the division. Because of this, faith came. 7It dissolved the division, and it brought the fullness that’s warm with love, so that the cold may not return, but rather the unitary thought of completion. ‹Previous chapterGospel of Truth 9Next chapterGospel of Truth 11›Similar passagesBy tradition and source labelFind similarCompare selectedCompare with similarAsk Deep ThoughtSelect passages to search for parallels.Tap any verse to select it, then compare selected passages or ask Deep Thought. Translation committed to the public domain by Mark M. Mattison