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Sources & method

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The library · Edition and sources

The Secret Book of James

Mark M. Mattison · Translated text

Outside the canon. The Secret Book of James is not in the Bible of any tradition on the Scriptures shelf. It is hosted here as a historical record. The Scriptures shelf →

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Being Filled

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The Savior said, “You’ve received mercy. 3 […] they [haven’t] understood. Don’t you want to be filled? Your hearts are drunk. Don’t you, then, want to be sober? Then be ashamed! From now on, awake or asleep, remember that you’ve seen the Son of Humanity, and have talked to him in person, and have heard him in person.

Woe to those who’ve seen the Son of Humanity! Blessed are those who haven’t seen that man, mingled with him, spoken to him, or heard a thing he’s said. Yours is life! Know, then, that he healed you when you were sick, so that you might reign.

Woe to those who’ve found relief from their sickness, because they’ll relapse into sickness. Blessed are those who haven’t been sick and have found relief before getting sick. Yours is the kingdom of God! So I tell you, be full and leave no space within you empty, because the one who is coming will be able to mock you.”

Then Peter replied, “Three times you’ve told us 4 to be [full, but] we are full.”

In [response the Savior] said,

Quotation in the text

“That’s why I [told] you [‘be full’] – so that you won’t [be lacking. Those who are lacking] won’t [be saved]. It’s good to be full [and] bad [to be lacking]. So just as it’s good for you to be lacking and bad for you to be full, whoever is full is also lacking. One who’s lacking isn’t filled the same way that someone who’s lacking is filled, and anyone who’s full gets everything they need. So it’s right to be lacking while it’s possible to fill you, and to be filled while it’s possible to be lacking, so that you can [fill] yourselves more. So [be] full of the Spirit but lacking in reason, because reason is of the soul – in fact, it is soul.”