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 you hate, because everything is uncovered in the end.
Commentary
The question is asked twice in Thomas and answered properly only in saying 14. Here the reply sidesteps ritual altogether in favour of an ethic of transparency — do nothing you would need to hide.
Parallels
Matthew 6:1–18; Gospel of Thomas 14
Sayings on the same themes
- Saying 86 Saying 86: Nowhere to Lay His Head Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the son of man has nowhere to lay his head and rest.
- Saying 13 Saying 13: Compare Me to Something Peter says Jesus is like a righteous messenger, Matthew like a wise philosopher; Thomas says his mouth cannot say what Jesus is…
- Saying 27 Saying 27: Fasting From the World If you do not fast from the world you will not find the kingdom; if you do not keep the sabbath as…
- Saying 58 Saying 58: Blessed Is the One Who Has Toiled Blessed is the person who has worked hard and found life.
- Saying 26 Saying 26: The Speck and the Log You see the speck in your brother's eye but not the log in your own; take out the log first, and then…
- Saying 60 Saying 60: The Samaritan and the Lamb Seeing a Samaritan carrying a lamb to Judea, Jesus observes that the man can only eat it once it is dead and…