Waking Up from Error in the Gospel of Truth

Waking Up from Error in the Gospel of Truth
(c. 800 words)

The Gospel of Truth, a Valentinian text from the Nag Hammadi library, confronts the human condition not as a matter of cosmic warfare or moral failure, but of ignorance. Central to this ignorance is plané (πλάνη) — a Greek term meaning error, deception, or delusion. This word has often been misinterpreted or mystified by later esoteric traditions, which speak of "astral planes" and supposed higher realms of disembodied consciousness. Yet in the original Greek and in the theological framework of this text, plané is not a realm to explore — it is a state to be delivered from.

The Dream of Delusion

In the Gospel of Truth, error is not simply a wrong idea — it is a dense fog that obstructs the knowledge of the Father. The text says:

“This ignorance of the father brought about terror and fear. And terror became dense like a fog, so no one was able to see. Because of this, error became strong. But she worked on her material substance vainly, because she did not know the truth. She assumed a fashioned figure while she was preparing, in power and in beauty, the substitute for truth.” (Gospel of Truth)

Here, error (plané) is personified — a being who works with material things but is completely severed from the Father. Her beauty and strength are deceptive, merely a substitute for truth. She operates vainly, crafting illusions that seem real only to those caught in her fog. She represents the false frameworks that promise knowledge — including mystical notions of non-corporeal planes — but which ultimately offer nothing grounded in the truth of the Father.

A Wakeful Epistemology

The Gospel of Truth does not treat error as a force equal to the Father, but as a byproduct of ignorance:

“For this reason, do not take error too seriously.
Since error had no root, she was in a fog regarding the father.” (Gospel of Truth)

This line is key. Error has no root — no real origin in the Father. She is not eternal. She is not part of the Pleroma. She is, in essence, a dream — an unreal projection, lacking substance. The metaphor continues:

“They were as nothing, this terror and this forgetfulness and this figure of falsehood, whereas established truth is unchanging, unperturbed, and completely beautiful.” (Gospel of Truth)

Truth is not abstract; it is grounded, stable, and beautiful. Error, on the other hand, is a phantasm, a troubled dream born of ignorance.

False Realities and the "Astral Plane" Error

This is where modern esoteric beliefs about the "astral plane" fall into the same deception that the Gospel of Truth warns against. These systems claim access to higher, immaterial planes through meditation, altered states, or even occult practice. But such beliefs are based on plané — wandering into dreamlike delusions.

As you rightly noted, the word plané (Strong’s 4106, Greek: πλάνη) means deception, error, or delusion. It is used throughout ancient literature to describe a mental or spiritual misdirection — not a valid spiritual realm. The "astral plane," then, is not a mystical level of truth, but a construct of error — a false reality for those still asleep.

Awakening to the Knowledge of the Father

The Gospel of Truth presents salvation not as escaping the material body, but as awakening to the truth:

“What, then, is that which he wants such a one to think? ‘I am like the shadows and phantoms of the night.’ When morning comes, this one knows that the fear that had been experienced was nothing.” (Gospel of Truth)

The dream of the night is fear. It includes false visions, confusion, and flight — illusions experienced in darkness. But when morning comes, when the person awakens, the dream is exposed for what it is: nothing.

“Until the moment when they who are passing through all these things—I mean they who have experienced all these confusions—awaken, they see nothing because the dreams were nothing.” (Gospel of Truth)

This is a powerful critique of the so-called mystical or astral experiences that are often paraded as spiritual advancement. The text teaches that these are nothing — meaningless until one wakes up to the true knowledge of the Father.

The Dawn of the Son

The awakening is not self-generated. It is the Spirit that comes in haste, helping the one who lies on the ground to stand:

“The spirit came to this person in haste when the person was awakened. Having given its hand to the one lying prone on the ground, it placed him firmly on his feet, for he had not yet stood up.” (Gospel of Truth)

This is the restoration of the corporeal person — not the escape of the spirit into another plane, but the raising up of the whole human being to stand in knowledge, reality, and presence. It echoes the theme of resurrection: standing again, in the body, fully awake.

The spirit brings knowledge — the true knowledge of the Father and the revelation of His Son. This is the opposite of wandering in astral illusions:

“For when they saw it and listened to it, he permitted them to take a taste of and to smell and to grasp the beloved son.” (Gospel of Truth)

Taste, smell, grasp — these are corporeal experiences. Knowledge is not ethereal. It is embodied. It is real. The dream ends when the Son is encountered in the flesh, when truth is no longer abstract, but experienced fully through the Spirit.

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Conclusion: Waking Up from the Lie

The Gospel of Truth invites its readers to wake up from the illusions of plané — delusion, confusion, and false perception. It warns against taking error seriously, especially when that error masquerades as deeper knowledge. The so-called "astral plane" is one of these deceptions: an imaginative extension of the night’s dream, not a true realm of the Father.

To awaken is to cast off these fantasies like a bad dream and to receive the Spirit who sets us on our feet — to taste, smell, and grasp the Beloved Son in truth. This is not a flight from the body, but the restoration of the whole person.

Blessed is the one who awakens.

Spiritual Gifts and Realm Travel

Spiritual Gifts and Realm Travel

**Spiritual Gifts and Realm Travel: Understanding Mental Ascent and Spiritual Reality**  

Greetings to you, my brothers and sisters in the knowledge of the Father and the Son. Let us now reflect together on the deep mystery of *Spiritual Gifts and Realm Travel*, and understand how these differ from the practices of this world.

**The Kingdom of Light and Its Realms**  

In the Kingdom of Light, there exist many realms — each of a higher order and unique form. Though different in their arrangements, all are united within the Father. Every realm holds its own nature, yet together they reflect the boundless nature of the Begotten Son.  

It is vital for each of us to discern the order of glory to which we belong. Once this is revealed, it is fitting that we walk in it with wisdom. As Paul wrote in **1 Corinthians 15:41-42**, *"There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead."* Each one of us mirrors the Saviour in our unique reflection.  

See now, brethren — the Son is not merely known as a human being, but as the *Son of Man*, whose form surpasses the forms of the Aeons. Even they could not fully comprehend His image, as stated in **The Gospel of Truth**, *“For even they could not comprehend the image to which they saw, but we have the nature and form which is superior to theirs.”*  

It is with great joy that you have received the words of the Begotten One, and continue to grow in understanding.

**Spiritual Gifts as Natural Abilities**  

Many of us were taught that spiritual gifts operate only under specific conditions — that one must be "saved" and that these gifts are given briefly by the will of the Holy Spirit. But, brothers and sisters, let us consider this carefully.  

If a person speaks French fluently, we might naturally assume, *“You must be French.”* But there are those born speaking French, and those who learn it later. So it is with spiritual gifts. Some were born with them, inheriting them as natural abilities from the spiritual realm, while others will awaken and inherit them in time.  

In the higher realms, these gifts — healing, prophecy, discernment — are commonplace. **The Gospel of Truth** says, *“No one truly teaches you anything but only brings back to your remembrance that which you have long forgotten by coming to this world.”*  

Our task is to *“know ourselves”*, for as we do, we reclaim what we have always possessed. As Jesus said in **Luke 17:21**, *“The kingdom of God is within you.”*  

Many are born with these abilities as inheritance, while others will receive them in due time. When both the inheritors and the newly awakened reach spiritual maturity, operating in these abilities will become natural, as it was before entering this world.

**Being Born Again: The True Meaning**  

The phrase *“You must be saved and born again”* has often been misunderstood. It does not mean simply joining a religion, but remembering who you were before the rulers of this world fashioned you into a body of flesh.  

You existed before this world. As **The Gospel of Truth** reminds us, *“You appeared in this world in their physical forms which is the bodies you have now, and was born as a physical being is born, first born a spiritual being then born again as a physical being.”*  

When you use spiritual gifts, you are operating your natural spiritual abilities within a physical world. You rule both over the dead and the living in this realm, participating in both physical and spiritual reality at once.

**Mental Ascent vs. Astral Travel**  

Do not confuse realm travel with astral projection or out-of-body experiences. Out-of-body travel often leads to torment or the domains of the rulers of this world. The Gospel warns that these rulers work to beguile those trapped in forgetfulness.  

Realm travel is entirely different. It is a mental and spiritual ascent, a *return to the region of your origin*. As you ascend, you remember who you are, seeing yourself alive both here and in the spiritual realms. The more you behold yourself in your true dwelling, the more you live in both realms — ruling, not fleeing.

In time, you will physically appear in new places in this world — first in your town, then in other cities, then states, and even countries. You will be known in these places as you are known in your spiritual home. This is the beginning of gnosis, discerning spiritual from physical.

**The Mystery of Being Filled and Being Emptied**  

Learn the mystery of *being filled* and *being emptied*. It is better to be emptied, for the empty vessel can receive fully. As **Philippians 2:7** says of Christ, *“He emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.”* This is our model.

Let us stand always before the face of the eternal Saviour, for in Him we see our eternal nature. The more we behold Him, the more we know ourselves as eternal beings.

Brothers and sisters — remain steadfast. Continue seeking knowledge. The Kingdom is within you, and you are not far from waking up fully.

Greetings to you my brothers and sisters:

Let me remind you of these things: Spiritual Gifts and Realm Travel.

Different Realms

In the Kingdom of light there are many different realms, different in the sense that one is of an higher order, and each order has it's own unique form, but the same seeing that all are within the Father.

One must recognize his or her order of glory and once it is known to you, then one should walk in it.

We all reflect who the Saviour is and our own unique reflection is in him, so my brethren see, that is, know, the saviour is not to be known as a mere human but son of man, who in his true nature supersede the nature and forms of the aeons.

For even they could not comprehend the image to which they saw, but we have the nature and form which is superior to theirs as well, so it is with great joy to see that you have received the words of the Begotten One with great understanding.

Spiritual Gifts

We were taught as children that in order to operate in spiritual gifts, you must be saved and when you do it's only for a short while, because it is by the will of the holy spirit.

Brethren look at that statement again, " you must be saved " if you had a friend and some one came up to you both speaking French, and your friend began to speak french with that person, and once they and your friend have finished speaking to one another, you might say to your friend " you must be French " you speak French very well and fluently.

The same it is with spiritual gifts, like French some were born speaking French while others learned at a later time, do you get me brothers and sisters?

In the spiritual realm these abilities are common place, I have told you that when I went to the worlds of the rulers of this world, that resurrection, and raising one from the dead, was common place with them, that was because, It Is!!

No one truly teaches you any thing but only bring back to your remembrance that which you have long forgotten by coming to this world, for this I continue to say to you, " know yourselves " then you will become known, again most was born with those abilities as an inheritance while others will soon inherit them, so when you both the inheritors and those that inherited reach the spiritual realm living and doing things in the spiritual realms those abilities will be common practice with you all.

And as for that statement " you must be saved and born again " this means you were into being long before the rulers of this world came into existence, you appeared in this world in their physical forms which is the bodied you have now, and was born as a physical being is born, first born a spiritual being then born again

"As " a physical being, and when you operate in your spiritual gifts, you are using your natural spiritual abilities in a physical body in a physical realm or physical world, ruling over both the dead and alive.

Realm travel

Do not confuse realm travel with out of the body travel, one, out of the body travel leads to torment, or to the places of the rulers of this world, this you will know in a short period of time.

Realm travel one goes back to the region of their birth and remembers all things, then sees oneself alive in both places and live in both places physical and spiritual realm, no longer leaving either but ruling in both, the more you see yourselves in the regions of your births the more you travel, in both places, here in this physical world and in the spiritual, you will soon appear physically in other places in this world, first in your neighborhood, then other cities, then states, and afterwards countries, and you be known there as you are known in your home you will see how simple it is,

These are the beginning stages of gnosis, knowing the difference between the spiritual beings from the physical these things will come in time, faster for some none attainable for others, learn the mystery of " being filled " and " being emptied " and why it is better to be emptied!

Again stand before the face of the eternal Saviour, and for Eternity stand before his face, for in him you see your for the eternal beings that you are.

Liberating Gnosis John 8:32

Liberating Gnosis 
or
Liberating Knowledge

**Welcome to Pleroma Pathways apocalyptic and mystic Christianity where we explore esoteric and apocalyptic texts.**


**Liberating Gnosis: Know Thyself**


**“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.” (2 Corinthians 3:17)**


To “know thyself” is both a secular and sacred imperative, a proverb that has echoed through the halls of philosophy and revelation alike. The call to self-knowledge is not mere introspection, but a journey into *Liberating Gnosis* — a divine, experiential knowledge that frees the mind and spirit.


In Biblical and mystical Christian thought, self-knowledge and God-knowledge are not distinct pursuits. They are twin aspects of the same awakening. **“He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going. He knows as one who, having become drunk, has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own.”** (Gospel of Truth)


This gnosis is about awakening from forgetfulness. From this forgetfulness, we return to ourselves and to God — for our origin and destination are the same. The wisdom of Hippolytus affirms this divine return through self-awareness: **“Discover God within thyself, for he has formed thee after his own image.”** (ANF., vol. 5, p. 153)


The Valentinian tradition captures this liberating power of gnosis beautifully: **“But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.”** (Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)


These lines compel us to reckon with our original creation, our present condition, and our destiny in the resurrection. They speak not of speculative theology, but of personal restoration and divine alignment. This restoration begins in self-awareness and culminates in union with the divine.


The *Teachings of Silvanus* echo this same awakening: **“Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created.”** This tripartite being — body, soul, and mind — reflects the image of God and reveals how we are interwoven with divine intention.


Philo of Alexandria also urges us to pursue this self-knowledge: **“Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason.”** (Philo: On the Migration of Abraham)


Philo furthers this vision of inner knowledge governed by divine reason: **“Learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts… who it is who moves those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible… whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe.”** (Philo: On Flight and Finding)


Thus, “know thyself” is not simply ancient Greek wisdom — it is a gospel imperative. Alexander Campbell recognized this harmony: **“‘Know thyself’ was the wisest maxim of the wisest philosophers… ‘Know thyself’ is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation.”** (The Christian Baptist, Vols. 5–6)


Likewise, John Calvin reminds us that: **“Knowledge of ourselves lies, first, in considering what we were given at creation,” and, second, in calling to mind “our miserable condition after Adam’s fall.”** (Institutes I.1.1) Self-knowledge, he teaches, is impossible without divine revelation.


Scripture, again and again, reminds us of our frailty and dependence. **“For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away.”** (James 4:14) **“We will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again.”** (2 Samuel 14:14) **“Like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes… in the evening it is cut down and withers.”** (Psalm 90:5–6)


These verses call us back to humility. As Moses prayed: **“So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”** (Psalm 90:12)


This self-knowledge is not sterile self-awareness, but the recognition of our need for restoration. It points us to the Father through the Son. As the *Gospel of Truth* declares: **“After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the Father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the Father’s face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory.”**


We cannot know God in His fullness, but we can know Him through His image — Jesus Christ. **“Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to comprehend the likeness of this One… You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father… A king is not usually known apart from an image.”** (The Teachings of Silvanus)


Finally, liberating gnosis is summarized in the Gospel’s power: **“That is the gospel of him whom they seek… Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness… He became a fruit of the knowledge of the Father. He did not, however, destroy them because they ate of it. He rather caused those who ate of it to be joyful because of this discovery.”** (Gospel of Truth)


Here, Christ is not just a messenger of knowledge — He *is* the knowledge, the living image of the Father, the path that liberates.


In conclusion, to **know thyself** is to begin the journey toward God. It is not prideful introspection but humble recognition — of our created nature, our fallen condition, and our future hope. Only through Christ — the image of God — can we truly know both ourselves and the One who made us. This is *Liberating Gnosis*.

John 8:32 "Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

In this study we will look at Liberating Gnosis, as we have already noted (in other posts), that gnosis refers to a knowledge which transcending intellectual knowledge. It is experiential knowing a knowledge gleaned from first-hand (personal) experience. This gnosis consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. Gnosis has the effect of liberating the mind 

The Gospel of Truth puts it: 

He who is to have knowledge in this manner knows where he comes from and where he is going. He knows as one who, having become drunk, has turned away from his drunkenness, (and) having returned to himself, has set right what are his own. (Gospel of Truth)

Whence did he come? Whither does he go? The answer to both is God. Here again, genuine self-knowledge is actually knowledge of God, and vice versa. Hippolytus in his "Elucidations" went so far as to proclaim that the maxim "Know thyself" means to "discover God *within* thyself, for he has formed thee after his own image." (ANF., vol. 5, p. 153).

Another Valentinian text the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus states:

78 Until baptism, they say, Fate is real, but after it the astrologists are no longer right. But it is not only the washing that is liberating, but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

From this saying we can conclude that liberating knowledge involves insight of our original nature at creation next our sinful condition after Adam’s fall. What happens after death, how we will be restored what it means to be born again and the resurrection.

A similar saying to the one above from Theodotus is found in the text called the Teachings of Silvanus from the Nag Hammadi Library:

But before everything (else), know your birth. Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created. The body has come into being from the earth with an earthly substance, but the formed, for the sake of the soul, has come into being from the thought of the Divine. The created, however, is the mind, which has come into being in conformity with the image of God. The divine mind has substance from the Divine, but the soul is that which he (God) formed for their own hearts. For I think that it (the soul) exists as wife of that which has come into being in conformity with the image, but matter is the substance of the body, which has come into being from the earth. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

"Know yourself, that is, from what substance you are, or from what race, or from what species. Understand that you have come into being from three races: from the earth, from the formed, and from the created."

This part of the saying from Silvanus seems similar to a few says from Philo of Alexandria:

Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason. (Philo: On the Migration of Abraham)

The body, the soul, reason and external senses in Philo could be connected or related in some respect to the earth, the formed, and the created in The Teachings of Silvanus which stand for the body, the soul, and the mind.

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason is synonymous with the whole person

bodies, souls, external senses, and reason are synonymous with the whole person since the preceding words, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves imply a parallelism between the two expressions.

Philo invites people to explore the realm of sense perception, the reader is invited to know himself and every part of himself and how everything is governed by the invisible mind within the person or by the mind of God within the universe:

"Dwell, therefore," says she, "O my child, with him," not all thy life, but "certain days;" that is to say, learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made, and how it is by nature calculated to energise, and who it is who moves those marvellous things, and pulls the strings, being himself invisible, in an invisible manner, whether it is the mind that is in thee, or the mind of the universe.(Philo: On Flight and Finding)

from these quotations we can see that to "know thyself" is not just a conscious awareness of one's thoughts and emotions but also a insight of our makeup

Know thyself

"Know thyself" was the wisest maxim of the wisest philosophers of the wisest pagan nation of antiquity. "Know thyself" is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation. And while the wisest man of the wisest nation in theology taught as his first maxim that "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom"and while the Saviour of the world taught that "it is eternal life to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ whom he commissioned" both concur in inculcating the excellence and in teaching the utility and importance of self-knowledge (The Christian Baptist, Volumes 5-6 1827-1828 Edited by Alexander Campbell)

but the knowledge of who we were, and what we have become, where we were or where we were placed, whither we hasten, from what we are redeemed, what birth is and what rebirth.  (the Extracts from the Works of Theodotus 78)

According to John Calvin "Knowledge of ourselves lies, first, in considering what we were given at creation," and, second, in calling to mind "our miserable condition after Adam’s fall." Both of these are undiscoverable outside God’s written Word. (Institutes I.1.1)

Such lack of self-examination leads to a lack of self-knowledge, and therefore people drift along through life, making their decisions according to the dictates of their own natural desires. There is a refusal - albeit heavily masked - to take on board the fact that life is so short that all too soon the finality of death will be upon us. “For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appears for a little time, and then vanishes away”. “We will surely die and become like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be gathered up again”. “Like grass which grows up; in the morning it flourishes and grows up; in the evening it is cut down and withers” (James 4:14; 2 Sam. 14:14; Ps. 90:5,6). Moses, a truly thoughtful man, recognised this, and pleaded to God: “So teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Ps. 90:12) Therefore, in view of life’s brevity, we should make our acquisition of true wisdom a number one priority. 

Knowing God

After all these came also the little children, those who possess the knowledge of the father. When they became strong they were taught the aspects of the father’s face. They came to know and they were known. They were glorified and they gave glory. (Gospel of truth)

Now, it is not difficult to know the Creator of all creatures, but it is impossible to comprehend the likeness of this One. For it is difficult not only for men to comprehend God, but it is (also) difficult for every divine being, (both) the angels and the archangels. It is necessary to know God as he is. You cannot know God through anyone except Christ, who has the image of the Father, for this image reveals the true likeness in correspondence to that which is revealed. A king is not usually known apart from an image. (The Teachings of Silvanus)

It is impossible to know God according to his divine nature but we can know God according to his personality and character.

The knowledge of ourselves is impossible apart from the knowledge of God.  

self knowledge can only be understood with the knowledge of God and our sinful nature which comes from the scriptures 

But there we learn self-knowledge in a wholly practical way: from our original state we gratefully learn that “we are ever dependent” on God our Maker for everything; while reflection on our present sinful and wretched state “should truly humble us and overwhelm us with shame.” (Institutes II.1.1)

Liberating Gnosis 

That is the gospel of him whom they seek, which he has revealed to the perfect through the mercies of the father as the hidden mystery, Jesus the anointed.  Through him he enlightened those who were in darkness because of forgetfulness. He enlightened them and gave them a path. And that path is the truth that he taught them.  For this reason error was angry with him, so she persecuted him. She was distressed by him, and she was made powerless. He was nailed to a tree.  He became a fruit of the knowledge of the father. He did not, however, destroy them because they ate of it. He rather caused those who ate of it to be joyful because of this discovery. (Gospel of Truth)

Here Jesus and the gospel are one: it is nailed to the tree in his person. Thought only nailed to a tree, the gospel became a fruit of knowledge, thereby making its tree into a tree of knowledge — but not knowledge of good and evil ( Gen. 2:9) — knowledge of the Father

Know Thyself Biblical or Pagan

know thyself biblical or pagan

**Know Thyself: Biblical or Secular Proverb?

"Know thyself" is widely cited as a Greek philosophical maxim, famously inscribed on the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi and commonly attributed to Socrates or Phemonoe. However, contrary to popular belief, this saying did not originate from pagan philosophy. Rather, its true roots lie in the Hebrew Scriptures. The notion of self-knowledge, as emphasized by Moses and the prophets, long preceded Greek philosophy. The Law of Moses, primarily found in the Torah, predates Greek thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle by centuries. This means that Greek philosophers stole “Know thyself” from the Hebrew Bible.

The early Christian fathers themselves understood this. They believed that the Greek philosophers obtained whatever bits of truth they had from the Hebrew Scriptures. All of this shows that the ancient Greek philosophers must have read the Hebrew Scriptures and taken the phrase "Know yourself" from the Hebrew Scriptures. This was not their discovery. It was a theft—an appropriation of divine wisdom for secular speculation.

One of the clearest expressions of self-knowledge in early Christian texts is found in The Gospel of Thomas, Saying 3:

"[If] those who lead you [say to you, 'See], the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky [will precede you. If they say that] it is under the earth, then the fish of the sea [will enter it, preceding] you. And, the [kingdom of God] is inside of you, [and it is outside of you. Whoever] knows [himself] will discover this. [And when you] come to know yourselves, [you will realize that] you are [sons] of the [living] father. [But if you] will [not] know yourselves, [you dwell] in [poverty] and it is you who are that poverty."

This passage breaks into two parts. The first part concerns the location of the Kingdom, rejecting any purely external understanding. The second part—"Whoever knows [himself] will discover this..."—identifies self-knowledge as the path to discovering that one is a child of the Living Father. This is not a Gnostic idea imported from Greek mystery cults—it is Hebraic wisdom in Christ’s own words, rooted in Scripture.

Despite claims by scholars like Funk and Hoover that the phrase "know yourselves" is a secular proverb, the Greek phrase "γνῶθι σεαυτόν" (gnōthi seauton) actually occurs in the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. This phrase appears in Job 5:27 and Song of Songs 1:8:

Job 5:27 (Brenton Septuagint): "Behold, we have thus sought out these matters; these are what we have heard: but do thou reflect with thyself, if thou hast done anything wrong."

Song of Songs 1:8 (Brenton Septuagint): "If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherd’s tents."

In both passages, the phrase γνῶθι σεαυτόν is clearly present. This proves that the concept of self-knowledge—both linguistically and spiritually—was not born in Delphi but in the Hebrew tradition.

Further evidence is seen in the repeated scriptural exhortation: "Take heed to thyself." This phrase runs through the Torah, Psalms, and Prophets, and continues in the words of Jesus and the apostles. Consider these examples:

Deuteronomy 4:9: "Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen..."

Deuteronomy 11:16: "Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods..."

Luke 21:34: "But pay attention to yourselves that YOUR hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life..." (NWT)

Acts 20:28: "Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock..." (NWT)

1 Timothy 4:16: "Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you." (NWT)

2 John 1:8: "Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought..." (KJ)

Proverbs 4:23: "Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life."

This pattern throughout Scripture reinforces that self-awareness and inner reflection are commanded by God. The Bible is not advocating some vague mystical introspection but a deeply responsible, ethical awareness of our actions, our hearts, and our standing before God.

Philo of Alexandria, a first-century Jewish philosopher, also affirms that the command to "Take heed to thyself" is identical in meaning to "know yourself." In On the Migration of Abraham, Philo writes:

"Know yourself all your life, as Moses teaches us in many passages where he says, 'Take heed to Thyself.'"

He goes on:

"Learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made."

Thus, for Philo, self-knowledge is a call to understand not only the body and the mind, but also to recognize the divine order and purpose behind one's own being. This is a moral and spiritual discipline, not philosophical navel-gazing.

The Apostle Paul shares the same view. In 1 Corinthians 13:9-12, he writes:

"For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. [...] Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known."

Paul acknowledges our limited understanding of our true self now but looks forward to the fullness of knowledge in Christ. This aligns perfectly with "Whoever knows [himself] will discover this" from the Gospel of Thomas.

So when Jesus says the Kingdom is within you and that knowing yourself is the path to discovering it, he is not echoing Plato or Socrates—he is continuing the ancient biblical tradition of Moses, the prophets, and the wisdom literature. He is calling us to pay attention to ourselves, to guard our hearts, and to walk in the knowledge of who we are as children of God.

Know thyself? It's not Greek. It's biblical.

The Gospel of Thomas Saying 3 

(3) Jesus said, "[If] those who lead you [say to you, 'See], the kingdom is in the sky,' then the birds of the sky [will precede you. If they say that] it is under the earth, then the fish of the sea [will enter it, preceding] you. And, the [kingdom of God] is inside of you, [and it is outside of you. Whoever] knows [himself] will discover this. [And when you] come to know yourselves, [you will realize that] you are [sons] of the [living] father. [But if you] will [not] know yourselves, [you dwell] in [poverty] and it is you who are that poverty."
The first part of this saying is about the location of the Kingdom the second part of this saying is about how to find the kingdom by self knowledge:

“Whoever] knows [himself] will discover this. [And when you] come to know yourselves, [you will realize that] you are [sons] of the [living] father. [But if you] will [not] know yourselves, [you dwell] in [poverty] and it is you who are that poverty.” 

Funk and Hoover write: "This phrase ['know yourselves'] is a secular proverb often attributed to Socrates.

it comes from the Temple of Apollo at Delphi "know thyself" is one of the Delphic maxims and was the first of three maxims inscribed in the pronaos (forecourt) of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi according to the Greek writer Pausanias (10.24.1).[1]

Other sources attribute it to Phemonoe, a mythical Greek poetess. In a discussion of moderation and self-awareness, the Roman poet Juvenal quotes the phrase in Greek and states that the precept descended de caelo (from heaven) (Satire 11.27).

However, as I will show below this part of the saying is adapted from the Septuagint translation of the Hebrew Scriptures. I believe that the Lord Jesus adapted this saying from the Hebrew Scriptures the phrases "Take heed to Thyself" "know, thou, for thyself" "If thou know not of thyself" occur many times in both the Hebrew Scriptures and Septuagint.

"Know thyself" was the wisest maxim of the wisest philospher of the wisest pagan nation of antiquity. "Know thyself" is inculcated by all the prophets and Apostles of all the ages of Revelation. And while the wisest man of the wisest nation in theology taught as his first maxim that "the fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom"and while the Saviour of the world taught that "it is eternal life to know the only true God and his son Jesus Christ whom he commissioned" both concur in inculcating the excellence and in teaching the utility and importance of self-knowledge (The Christian Baptist, Volumes 5-6 1827-1828 Edited by Alexander Campbell)

In Greek the phrase "know thyself" is "γνῶθι σεαυτόν" these two Greek words are used in the bible they are given Strong's concordance numbers G1097 G4572 γνῶθι σεαυτόν these two words are used together in the Septuagint (see below)

Septuagint

In Greek the phrase "know thyself" is "γνῶθι σεαυτόν" these two Greek words are used in the Septuagint translation of Job 5:27 and Song of Songs 1:8 

Job 5:27 Lo! As for this, we have searched it out––so, it is, Hear it, and know, thou, for thyself. Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible 

Job 5:27Behold, we have thus sought out these matters; these are what we have heard: but do thou reflect with thyself, if thou hast done anything wrong. (Brenton Septuagint Translation)

So 1:8 If thou know not of thyself, most beautiful among women! get thee forth in the footsteps of the flock, and pasture thy kids by the huts of the shepherds (Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible.)

8  If thou know not thyself, thou fair one among women, go thou forth by the footsteps of the flocks, and feed thy kids by the shepherd’s tents. (Brenton Septuagint Translation)

She should realise of herself where the place of shelter and rest is to be found, for it has been revealed unto her, and there is no need for her to wander blindly.


 {Ge 31:24 Ge 31:29 Ex 10:28 Ex 23:13 Ex 34:12 De 8:11 De 12:13 De 12:19 De 12:30 Cp. 1Sa 19:2 


LXX, Rotherham’s Emphasized Bible, or look at the King James Bible (1611) Ex 10:28 Ex 34:12 De 4:9 De 12:13 De 12:19 De 12:30). 


All of this shows that the ancient Greek philosophers must have read the Hebrew Scriptures and taken the phrase "Know yourself" from the Hebrew Scriptures.

Philo of Alexandria

Philo of Alexandria attributes the phrase "know yourself" or "know thyself" to Moses

Philo of Alexandria defines self knowledge or knowing yourself as "Take heed to Thyself."

Philo On the Migration of Abraham:

know yourself all your life, as Moses teaches us in many passages where he says, "Take heed to Thyself."{4}{#ex 34:12.}

"Dwell, therefore," says she, "O my child, with him," not all thy life, but "certain days;" that is to say, learn to be acquainted with the country of the external senses; know thyself and thy own parts, and what each is, and for what end it was made

Come, and at once abandoning all other things, learn to know yourselves, and tell us plainly what ye yourselves are in respect of your bodies, in respect of your souls, in respect of your external senses, and in respect of your reason

Philo's interpretation to know oneself is neither purely positive (as in Plato we must know ourselves as parts of the divine intelligible) nor purely neative (as in the tragedies we must know our own limitations) but a combination of both aspects we must recognize ourselves as non-being through which shines the true being of the Cause

Take Heed to Thyself

Deut 4:9  Only take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons’ sons;

De 11:16  Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them;

Take heed to Thyself this is another re-occurring phrase throughout Deuteronomy, emphasising the personal responsibility (See Deut. 2:4; 4:9,15,23; 11:16; 12:13,19,30; 27:9.)

"Take heed to yourselves"— A personal instruction to every individual. In similar manner, on following the Lord's ascension into heaven, the apostles urged the people:

"Save yourselves from this untoward generation" (Acts 2:40). Earlier the Lord had

impressed the apostles with the fact of personal responsibility by an exhortation that

reaches down to our day: 'Take heed to yourselves..." (Luke 21:34).

set down in Scripture as an exhortation to all to take heed to their own individual conduct (1 Cor. 10:11).

Prov 4:23  Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it [are] the issues of life.

The Lord Jesus himself in the New Testament use the phrase “Take heed to yourselves” or  "pay attention to yourselves" see: 

Luke 21:34 “But pay attention to yourselves that YOUR hearts never become weighed down with overeating and heavy drinking and anxieties of life, and suddenly that day be instantly upon YOU (NWT)

And so does Paul: Acts 20: 28 Pay attention to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the holy spirit has appointed YOU overseers, to shepherd the congregation of God, which he purchased with the blood of his own [Son]. (NWT)

(1 Timothy 4:16) Pay constant attention to yourself and to your teaching. Stay by these things, for by doing this you will save both yourself and those who listen to you. (NWT)

Tit 2:7  In all things shewing thyself a pattern of good works: in doctrine shewing uncorruptness, gravity, sincerity, (KJ)

And John use the phrase as well: 2Jo 1:8  Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. (KJ)

All of this shows that this part of the saying does not come from Pagan Greek philosophers but from the Hebrew Scriptures and the words of Jesus and the apostles. 

The phrase "Whoever knows [himself] will discover this" this teaching should not be foreign to you if you have been given the eyes to see it. Consider how this passage from Thomas spiritually aligns with what Paul wrote to the Corinthians. (1Cor 13:9)

For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

  

We must come to know our true self. Our true self is not the person of this world, but the one who was born of God. We are spiritually maturing and growing in knowledge of who we are. We may not be clearly seeing our true self (who is Christ) right now, but we will once we come to fully know and be our True self. We are God’s image that must become perfect like our heavenly Father this is our purpose to reflect the identity, character and glory and become the image of Christ, who is the true image of God. We can only do this in Christ where our true self (life) will be kept hidden in Christ Col 3:3, 4. So in this light real poverty is when we do not know our true self in Christ. The use of the term 'poverty' is meant for life outside of true knowledge This is spiritual poverty where our minds are lost in deception and our hearts feel homeless because we have not returned to our Father’s house 1Cor 3:16 6:19 Eph 2:20-22 1Pet 2:5. 

Finally, Jesus says, “you are that poverty” Paul says that nothing good could come from him Rom 7:18 He said that “Paul” had died and Christ now lived in and through him Gal 2:20. Paul knew that his true life was found when he had the spirit of Christ, which is the mind of Christ and not the natural or worldly Paul.

Paul rebuked Corinth for their inability to know whether they had the Christ-man developed within them: "Know ye not...that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?" (1Cor. 3:16). We must reckon ourselves dead to sin (Rom. 6:11). The Greek for "reckon" is that translated "impute" or "count", and which often appears in the surrounding chapters in Romans, speaking of how God "counts" us to be perfect. We must reckon ourselves as God reckons us. 

The Christ-man is first born at baptism, but it is quite possible for it to lie dormant or even die unless it is nurtured. Almost all of us have discovered the presence of our real spiritual man some time after baptism. The spiritual self is begotten by the word, leading to the birth at baptism (2Cor 5:17; James 1:18; 1Pet. 1:23); yet it is the word which makes the " man of God" perfect or mature (2Tim. 3:16,17). Note that the " man of God" here probably refers to our inner spiritual self, rather than just being an epithet for a believer. In this case, 1Tim. 6:11 records Paul speaking to Timothy's spiritual man: " Thou, O man of God, flee these things". "Man of God" was a term used to describe the Old Testament prophets; it is as if Paul is addressing himself to the word-developed man within Timothy. We must likewise relate to the spiritual man within our brethren.

Moreover, this is how we become “sons of the living Father” (compare Thomas 49-50), which is to become like Jesus himself our example. We must have the same faith as Jesus as well as the same self-control just as Jesus needed it to be saved, so do we Heb 5:7, 8 also in the gospel of John it is Jesus who empowered true believers, so #Ec 5:19, 6:2. He gave them the privilege, the liberty, the dignity, which refers to the legitimate entitlement to the position of being called and becoming the sons of God. Israel was once the son and the first-born, #Ex 4:22: but now the adoption of sons to God was open and free to all nations whatever. By believing, undeserving sinners can become full members of God's family.