Saying 68 - The Persecuted Are Blessed

Nag Hammadi Coptic Text

BLATZ (68) Jesus said: Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted, and they will find no place where you have been persecuted.

LAYTON (68) Jesus said, "Blessed are you (plur.) whenever they hate you and persecute you. And wherever they have persecuted you, they will find no place."

DORESSE 72 [68]. Jesus says: "Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted; but they will not find a position in that place to which they shall pursue you!"

 

Funk's Parallels

Luke 6:22-23
Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of mans sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.

Matt 5:10-12
Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

1 Pet 4:12-19
Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christs sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified. But let none of you suffer as a murderer, or as a thief, or as an evildoer, or as a busybody in other mens matters. Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? And if the righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear? Wherefore let them that suffer according to the will of God commit the keeping of their souls to him in well doing, as unto a faithful Creator.

Clem. Alex. Strom. 4.6.41.2
Fortunate are those who are persecuted for my sake, for they will have a place where they will not be persecuted.

 

Scholarly Quotes

Comparing Thomas to Matthew and Luke, Koester finds that the Thomas form is more original:

"The phrase 'and cast out your name as evil on account of the Son of man' is certainly Lukan; it is missing in the parallel passage Matt 5:11. Moreover, the reference to persecution has disappeared in the Lukan redaction of this saying, but is preserved in Matt 5:11."

(Ancient Christian Gospels, p. 89)

Gerd Ludemann writes:

"The meaning [of v. 2] is unclear. Is this talk of the lack of success of the ones who are acting? But in what sense? Perhaps it helps to note that 'place' also appears in other passages of the Gospel of Thomas (4.1; 24.1; 60.6; 64.12) and each time denotes the place of salvation. In that case v. 2 says that the persecutors have forfeited salvation."

(Jesus After 2000 Years, p. 625)

 

Visitor Comments

The will of God is so opposed to the ways of most men that when a follower of Jesus' sayings finds himself persecuted by most men, he can be sure that he is truly doing the will of God on earth.
- John Landers

Do not seek to persecute, or seek to cast your aspersions. The hearts of many men need to be relieved of this impulse. The place where men cast stones from is perilous itself. Look around & listen, you will see how easy it is for dark clouds to gather. Forgiveness is the key, compassionate understanding is the way. Be like Jesus, not like fellow men.
- Owl