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Book of Thomas the Contender

The Book of Thomas the Contender is a Gnostic text presenting a dialogue between the risen Jesus and Judas Thomas, emphasizing asceticism and the quest for knowledge.|||Coptic text in Nag Hammadi Codex II.|||Composed in the 3rd century CE.|||Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.|||Presents a dialogue between the risen Jesus and Judas Thomas, emphasizing the importance of asceticism, self-knowledge, and the quest for divine knowledge. Important for understanding Gnostic ethics and pedagogy.|||Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.|||Turner, J. D. " The Book of Thomas the Contender." In The Nag Hammadi Library in English.|||Turner, J. D. The Book of Thomas the Contender. Scholars Press, 1975.|||Book of Thomas the Contender — Gnostic Society|https://gnosis.org/naghamm/bookthomas.html|Full translation with introduction.;; Early Christian Writings — Book of Thomas|https://www.earlychristianwritings.com/bookthomas.html|Indexed text and scholarly resources.|||" And the Savior said to Thomas: If you do not know yourself, you will dwell in poverty." — Book of Thomas the Contender (paraphrase)

Collection: Gnostic Literature Canon: varies

Canon Status

Not canonical in any tradition. Gnostic in orientation.

Date & Provenance

Composed in the 3rd century CE.

Language & Manuscripts

Coptic text in Nag Hammadi Codex II.

Why It Matters for Study

Presents a dialogue between the risen Jesus and Judas Thomas, emphasizing the importance of asceticism, self-knowledge, and the quest for divine knowledge. Important for understanding Gnostic ethics and pedagogy.

" And the Savior said to Thomas: If you do not know yourself, you will dwell in poverty." — Book of Thomas the Contender (paraphrase)

Read the Text & External Resources

Public-domain translations and scholarly databases where the text can be read online or downloaded.

External links open in a new tab. Sources are chosen for public-domain or open-access availability; always verify edition and translation when citing in academic work.

Further Reading

Robinson, J. M., ed. The Nag Hammadi Library in English. Harper & Row, 1988.
Turner, J. D. " The Book of Thomas the Contender." In The Nag Hammadi Library in English.
Turner, J. D. The Book of Thomas the Contender. Scholars Press, 1975.