Controversial Sayings

Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything, not only to please them while they are watching, but with sincerity of heart and fear of the Lord.

Bid slaves to be submissive to their masters and to give satisfaction in every respect; they are not to talk back, nor to pilfer, but to show entire and true fidelity, so that in everything they may adorn the doctrine of God our Savior.

Let all who are under a yoke as bondservants regard their own masters as worthy of all honor, so that the name of God and the teaching may not be reviled.

Those [slaves] who have believing masters must not be disrespectful on the ground that they are brethren; rather they must serve all the better since those who benefit by their service are believers and beloved.

Were you a slave when you were called? Do not let it concern you—but if you can gain your freedom, take the opportunity.

Do not be deceived; neither the immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor robbers will inherit the kingdom of God.

For this reason God gave them up to degrading passions. For their women exchanged natural intercourse for unnatural, and in the same way also the men, giving up natural intercourse with women, were consumed with passion for one another. Men committed…

There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

When the great Tao is lost, there is 'benevolence' and 'righteousness'.

The best ruler is one whose existence is merely known by the people. The next best is one who is loved and praised. The next is one who is feared. The next is one who is despised.

The five colors blind the eye. The five notes deafen the ear. The five tastes dull the palate. Racing and hunting madden the mind. Precious goods keep their owners in fetters.

Do not exalt the talented, so that people will not be contentious. Do not value rare treasures, so that people will not steal. Do not display what is desirable, so that people will not be confused.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish. Too much handling will spoil it.

When the world has the Tao, the swift horses are used for hauling manure. When the world is without the Tao, war horses are bred in the suburbs.

The Sage manages affairs without doing anything, and spreads doctrines without speaking.

He who acts destroys; he who grasps loses.

The sage puts his own person last, and yet it is found in the foremost place; he treats his person as foreign to him, and yet it is preserved.

Fill your bowls to the brim and they will spill. Sharpen your blade to the sharpest and it will soon blunt.

When at the beginning the two spirits came together, one declared life and the other the destruction of life, and how at the end the worst existence shall be to the deceitful, but to the truthful the Best Mind.

In the beginning, these two spiritualities, which are twins, were perceived in a vision by the righteous. The better and the bad have been said to be thought, word, and deed, and between these two the wise have chosen rightly, not the unwise.