Saying 14: Fasting Brings Sin
Fasting brings sin, prayer brings condemnation, almsgiving harms the spirit; go into any land, eat what is put before you, heal the sick. What goes into the mouth will not defile you — what comes out will.
Commentary
The full answer to the question asked in saying 6, and the most anti-ritual passage in the book. It sits awkwardly with sayings 27 and 104, which speak positively of fasting — evidence that Thomas is a compilation rather than a single author’s essay.
Parallels
Luke 10:8–9; Mark 7:15; Matthew 15:11
Sayings on the same themes
- Saying 101 Saying 101: My True Mother Gave Me Life Whoever does not hate father and mother as I do cannot be my disciple; whoever does not love father and mother as…
- Saying 6 Saying 6: On Fasting, Prayer and Almsgiving The disciples ask how to fast, pray, give alms and eat; the answer is to stop lying and to stop doing what…
- Saying 23 Saying 23: One From a Thousand I will choose you, one from a thousand and two from ten thousand, and they will stand as a single one.
- Saying 36 Saying 36: Do Not Worry About Clothing Do not fret from morning to evening and evening to morning about what you will wear.
- Saying 80 Saying 80: Whoever Has Found the Body Whoever has come to know the world has found the body, and whoever has found the body is worth more than the…
- Saying 103 Saying 103: Knowing Where the Robbers Will Enter Blessed is the one who knows where the robbers are going to break in: he can get up, gather his forces and…