The Last Shall Be First


Blessed Are the Poor

Matt 5:3 Blessed [are] the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.


Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said, Blessed [be ye] poor: for yours is the kingdom of God.


Thom 54:x Jesus said: Blessed are the poor, for yours is the Kingdom of Heaven.


Blessed Are They That Mourn

Matt 5:4 Blessed [are] they that mourn: for they shall be comforted.


Blessed Are Ye That Weep

Luke 6:21b Blessed [are ye] that weep now: for ye shall laugh.


Blessed Are the Meek

Matt 5:5 Blessed [are] the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.


Blessed Are the Hungry

Matt 5:6 Blessed [are] they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled.


Luke 6:21a Blessed [are ye] that hunger now: for ye shall be filled.


Thom 69b:x Blessed are the hungry, for the belly of him who desires will be filled.


Blessed Are the Merciful

Matt 5:7 Blessed [are] the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy.


Blessed Are the Pure in Heart

Matt 5:8 Blessed [are] the pure in heart: for they shall see God.


Blessed Are the Peacemakers

Matt 5:9 Blessed [are] the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.


Blessed Are the Persecuted

Matt 5:10 Blessed [are] they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Matt 5:11 Blessed are ye, when [men] shall revile you, and persecute [you], and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

Matt 5:12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great [is] your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.


Luke 6:22 Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you [from their company], and shall reproach [you], and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake.

Luke 6:23 Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward [is] great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.


Thom 68:x Jesus said: Blessed are you when you are hated and persecuted; and no place will be found there where you have been persecuted.


Blessed is the Man Who Has Suffered

Thom 58:x Jesus said: Blessed is the man who has suffered, he has found the Life.


Blessed Are Those Persecuted in Their Heart

Thom 69a:x Jesus said: Blessed are those who have been persecuted in their heart; these are they who have known the Father in truth.


Woe Unto You

Luke 6:26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation.

Luke 6:25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep.


The Last Shall Be First

Mark 10:31 But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last first.


Matt 19:30 But many [that are] first shall be last; and the last [shall be] first.

Matt 20:16 So the last shall be first, and the first last: for many be called, but few chosen.


Luke 13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.


Thom 4:x Jesus said: The man old in days will not hesitate to ask a little child of seven days about the place of Life, and he will live. For many who are first shall become last and they shall become a single one.


For He That Hath, To Him Shall Be Given

Mark 4:25 For he that hath, to him shall be given: and he that hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he hath.


Matt 25:29 For unto every one that hath shall be given, and he shall have abundance: but from him that hath not shall be taken away even that which he hath.

Matt 13:12 For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.


Luke 8:18 Take heed therefore how ye hear: for whosoever hath, to him shall be given; and whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken even that which he seemeth to have.


Thom 41:x Jesus said: Whoever has in his hand, to him shall be given; and whoever does not have, from him shall be taken even the little that he has.


The Stone That The Builder Refused

Mark 12:10 And have ye not read this scripture; The stone which the builders rejected is become the head of the corner:

Mark 12:11 This was the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?


Matt 21:42 Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes?

Matt 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Matt 21:44 And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.


Luke 20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?

Luke 20:18 Whosoever shall fall upon that stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.


Thom 66:x Jesus said: Show me the stone which the builders have rejected; it is the corner-stone.


Parallels


Pride and Vanity

Narada 64
Pride, vanity, and other vices should be given up.

Mercy and War

Lao Tzu 67
If a man wants to be brave without first being merciful, generous without first being frugal, a leader without first wishing to follow, he is only courting death!
Mercy alone can help you to win a war. Mercy alone can help you to defend your state. For Heaven will come to the rescue of the merciful, and protect him with its mercy.

The Mighty and Great

Lao Tzu 76
When a man is living, he is soft and supple.
When he is dead, he becomes hard and rigid.
When a plant is living, it is soft and tender.
When it is dead, it becomes withered and dry.
Hence, the hard and rigid belongs to the company of the dead:
The soft and supple belongs to the company of the living.
Therefore, a mighty army tends to fall by its own weight,
Just as dry wood is ready for the axe.
The might and great will be laid low;
The humble and weak will be exalted.

The Soft and Weak

Lao Tzu 36

What is in the end to be shrunken,
Begins by being first stretched out.
What is in the end to be weakened,
Begins by being first made strong.
What is in the end to be thrown down,
Begins by being first set on high.
What is in the end to be despoiled,
Begins by being first richly endowed.
Herein is the subtle wisdom of life:
The soft and weak overcomes the hard and strong.

The Weak Overcomes the Strong

Lao Tzu 78
Nothing in the world is softer and weaker than water;
But for attacking the hard and strong, there is nothing like it!
For nothing can take its place.
That the weak overcomes the strong, and the soft overcomes the hard,
This is something known by all, but practised by none.

To Gain by Losing

Lao Tzu 42
Truly, one may gain by losing;
And one may lose by gaining.

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© Copyright 1996 by Joseph Morales