The Jefferson Bible

The Jefferson Bible
The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth
by Thomas Jefferson
Jefferson's mission was leadership. With no effort on his part, expressions from his lips,
that from other men's would scarcely have attracted notice, became thenceforth axioms, creeds,
and gathering-cries to great masses of his countrymen.
Put into Basic English by the Basic English Institute
J. L. Bauer, B.E.I., 2012

Biographical Note

This is a translation into Basic English, 2012, of a Dover edition, first published in 2006, said to be an unabridged reproduction of a work originally published in 1902 by N. D. Thompson Publishing Co., St. Louis, Chicago, and New York, under the title The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth, Extracted Textually from the Gospel, together with a comparison of the doctrines with those of others." Only the biblical portion has begun translation into Basic at this time, as indicated by black type.

PREFACE

IN 1803, while "overwhelmed with other business," Mr. Jefferson cut from the evangelists such passages as he believed would best present the ethical teaching of Jesus, and "arranged them, on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time or subject? He called it "The Philosophy of Jesus of Nazareth, extracted from the account of his life and doctrines, as given by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John; being an abridgment of the New Testament for the use of the Indians, unembarrassed with matters of fact or faith beyond the level of their comprehension." In a letter to his friend, Mr. Charles Thompson, after describing this work, he said: "If I had time I would add to my little book the Greek, Latin and French texts in columns, side by side." Some time afterwards he carried out the design thus expressed, giving the texts in the four languages, "in a handsome Morocco-bound volume, labeled on the back 'Morals of Jesus.'" This is the volume called "The Jefferson Bible," which is now owned by the Government, and the publication of which has been recently ordered by Congress. While this volume was still in the possession of Mr. Jefferson's oldest grandson, Colonel Thomas Jefferson Randolph, an accurate copy of its table of contents was made, and from that copy the English text is reproduced in the following pages. As a fit introduction to it, a letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, and a comparison of the doctrines of Jesus with those of others, are published, giving perhaps, the fullest expression of his religious views ever made by Mr. Jefferson himself.

Say nothing of my religion. It is known to my God and myself alone. Its evidence before the world is to be sought in my life; if that has been honest and dutiful to society the religion which has regulated it cannot be a bad one. — Thomas Jefferson.

Religious Views of Thomas Jefferson

IN a letter to his daughter, written in 1803, Mr. Jefferson said :
" A promise made to a friend some years ago, but executed only lately, has placed my religious creed on paper. I have thought it just that my family, by possessing this, should be enabled to estimate the libels published against me on this, as on every other possible subject." The " religious creed " to which he referred was a comparison of the doctrines of Jesus with those of others, prepared in fulfillment of a promise made to Dr. Benjamin Rush. This paper, with the letter to Dr. Rush which accompanied it, is a fit introduction to the "Jefferson Bible."

Washington, April 21, 1803.

Dear Sir : In some of the delightful conversations with you, in the evenings of 1798-99, and which served as an anodyne to the afflictions of the crisis through which our country was then laboring, the Christian religion was sometimes our topic ; and I then promised you that one day or other, I would give you my views of it. They are the result of a life of inquiry and reflection, and very different from that Anti-Christian system imputed to me by those who know nothing of my opinions. To the corruptions of Christianity I am indeed opposed ; but not to the genuine precepts of Jesus himself. I am a Christian in the only sense in which he wished any one to be; sincerely attached to his doctrines, in preference to all others; ascribing to himself every human excellence, and believing he never claimed any other. At the short intervals since these conversations, when I could justifiably abstract my mind from public affairs, this subject has been under my contemplation ; but the more I considered it, the more it expanded beyond the measure of either my time or information. In the moment of my late departure from Monticello, I received from Dr. Priestly his little treatise of " Socrates and Jesus Compared ". This being a section of the general view I had taken of the field, it became a subject of reflection while on the road, and unoccupied otherwise. The result was to arrange in my mind a syllabus, or outline, of such an estimate of the comparative merits of Christianity, as I wished to see executed by some one of more leisure and information for the task than myself. This I now send you, as the only discharge of my promise I can probably ever execute. And in confiding it to you, I know it will not be exposed to the malignant perversions of those who make every word from me a text for new misrepresentations and calumnies.
I am moreover averse to the communication of my religious tenets to the public ; because it would countenance the presumption of those who have endeavored to draw them before that tribunal, and to seduce public opinion to erect itself into that inquisition over the rights of conscience which the laws have so justly proscribed. It behooves every man who values liberty of conscience for himself to resist invasions of it in the case of others, or their case may, by change of circumstances, become his own. It behooves him, too, in his own case, to give no example of concession, betraying the right of independent opinion by answering questions of faith, which the laws have left between God and himself.
Accept my affectionate salutations.

* * * * * *

SYLLABUS OF AN ESTIMATE OF THE DOCTRINES OF JESUS,
COMPARED WITH THOSE OF OTHERS

In a comparative view of the ethics of the enlightened nations of antiquity, of the Jews, and of Jesus, no notice should be taken of the corruptions of reason among the ancients, to wit, the idolatry and superstition of the vulgar, nor of the corruptions of Christianity by the learned among its professors. Let a just view be taken of the moral principles inculcated by the most esteemed of the sects of ancient philosophy, or of their individuals ; particularly Pythagoras, Socrates, Epicurus, Cicero, Epictetus, Seneca, Antoninus.

I.
PHILOSOPHERS

1. Their precepts related chiefly to ourselves, and the government of those passions which, unrestrained, would disturb our tranquility of mind. In this branch of philosophy they were really great.
2. In developing our duties to others, they were short and defective. They embraced indeed the circles of kindred and friends, and inculcated patriotism, or the love of country in the aggregate, as a primary obligation : towards our neighbors and countrymen they taught justice, but scarcely viewed them as within the circle of benevolence. Still less have they inculcated peace, charity, and love to our fellow-men, or embraced with benevolence the whole family of mankind.

II.
JEWS

1. Their system was Deism, that is, the belief in one only God ; but their ideas of him and of his attributes were degrading and injurious.
2. Their ethics were not only imperfect, but often irreconcilable with the sound dictates of reason and morality, as they respect intercourse with those around us ; and repulsive and anti—social as respecting other nations. They needed reformation, therefore, in an eminent degree.

III.
JESUS

In this state of things among the Jews, Jesus appeared. His parentage was obscure; his condition poor ; his education null, his natural endowments great, his life correct and innocent. He was meek, benevolent, patient, firm, disinterested, and of the sublimest eloquence. The disadvantages under which his doctrines appear are remarkable.
1. Like Socrates and Epictetus, he wrote nothing himself.
2. But he had not, like them, a Xenophon or an Arrian to write for him. I name not Plato, who only used the name of Socrates to cover the whimsies of his own brain. On the contrary, all the learned of his country, entrenched in its power and riches, were opposed to him, lest his labors should undermine their advantages ; and the committing to writing of his life and doctrines fell on unlettered and ignorant men ; who wrote, too, from memory, and not till long after the transactions had passed.
3. According to the ordinary fate of those who attempt to enlighten and reform mankind, he fell an early victim to the jealousy and combination of the altar and the throne, at about 33 years of age, his reason having not yet attained the maximum of its energy, nor the course of his preaching, which was but of three years at most, presented occasions for developing a complete system of morals.
4. Hence the doctrines which he really delivered were defective, as a whole, and fragments only of what he did deliver have come to us mutilated, misstated, and often unintelligible.
5. They have been still more disfigured by the corruptions of schismatizing followers, who have found an interest in sophisticating and perverting the simple doctrines he taught, by engrafting on them the mysticisms of a Grecian Sophist (Plato), frittering them into subtitles and obscuring them with jargon, until they have caused good men to reject the whole in disgust, and to view Jesus himself as an imposter. Notwithstanding these disadvantages, a system of morals is presented to us which, if filled up in the true style and spirit of the rich fragments he left us, would be the most perfect and sublime that has ever been taught by man. The question of his being a member of the Godhead, or in direct communication with it, claimed for him by some of his followers, and denied by others, is foreign to the present view, which is merely an estimate of the intrinsic merits of his doctrines.
1. He corrected the Deism of the Jews, confirming them in their belief of only one god, and giving them juster notions of his attributes and government.
2. His moral doctrines, relating to kindred and friends, were more pure and perfect than those of the most correct of the philosophers, and greatly more so than those of the Jews ; and they went far beyond both in inculcating universal philanthropy, not only to kindred and friends, to neighbors and countrymen, but to all mankind, gathering all into one family, under the bonds of love, charity, peace, common wants and common aids. A development of this head will evince the peculiar superiority of the system of Jesus over all others.
3. The precepts of philosophy and of the Hebrew code laid hold of action only. He pushed his scrutinies into the heart of man; erected his tribunal in the region of his thought, and purified the waters at the fountain head.
4. He taught emphatically the doctrine of a future state, which was either doubted or disbelieved by the Jews ; and wielded it with efficacy as an important incentive, supplementary to the other motives to moral conduct.

I, too, have made a wee-little book from the same materials (The Gospels) which I call the Philosophy of Jesus. It is a paradigma of his doctrines, made by cutting the texts out of the book and arranging them on the pages of a blank book, in a certain order of time or subject. A more beautiful or precious morsel of ethics I have never seen. It is a document in proof that I am a REAL CHRISTIAN, that is to say, a disciple of the doctrines of Jesus, very different from the Platonists, who call ME infidel and THEMSELVES Christians and preachers of the Gospel, while they draw all their characteristic dogmas from what its author never said nor saw. They have compounded from the heathen mysteries a system beyond the comprehension of man, of which the greater reformer of the vicious ethics and deism of the Jews, were he to return on earth, would not recognize one feature.
—— Jefferson to Mr Charles Thompson.

Basic English is in black.

I.	Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem	Luke 2:1-7
II.	He is Circumcised and Named	Luke 21,30
III.	At Twelve Years of Age	Luke 40, 42-45, 51,52
IV.	John Baptizes in Jordan	Luke 3.1-2 ; Mark 1.4; Matt 3.4-6
V.	Jesus is Baptized at 30 Years of Age	Luke 3.23
VI.	Sends the Traders Out of the Temple	John 2.12-16
VII.	He Baptizes, Goes to Galilee on the Death of John.	John3.22 ; Matt 4.12 ; Mark 6.17-28
VIII.	He Teaches in the Synagogue	Mark 1.21-22
IX.	Explains the Sabbath	Matt 11.1-5, 9-12 ; Mark 2.27; Matt 12.14-15
X.	Call of His Disciples	Luke 6.12-17
XI.	The Sermon on the Mount	Matt 5.1-47, 6.1-34 ; 7.1-20,24-29 ; 12.35-37 ; Luke 6,24-26,34-36,38
XII .	Push to Do Right	Matt 8.1 ; Mark 6.6 ; Matt 11.28-30
XIII.	A Woman Puts Oil on Him	Luke 7.36-46
XIV.	Precepts [Rules of moral conduct]	Mark 3.31-35; Luke 12.1-7. 13-15

Jefferson II, page 33 .

XV.	Parable of the Rich Man	Luke 12.16-21
XVI.	Precepts	Luke 12.22-48, 54-59, 13.1-5
XVII.	Parable of the Fig Tree	Luke 13.6-9
XVIII.	Precepts	Luke 9.37-46, 52-54
XIX .	Parable of the Sower	Matt 13.1-9; Mark 4.10; Matt 13.18-23
XX .	Precepts	Mark 4.21-23
XXI .	Parable of the Tares	Matt 13.24-30, 36-52
XXII .	Precepts	Mark 4.26-34 ; Luke 9.57-62, 5.27-29 ; Mark 2.15-17
XXIII.	Parable of New Wine in Old Bottles	Luke 5.36-39
XXIV.	A Prophet Hath no Honor in his Own Country	Matt 13.53-57
XXV.	Mission Instructions, Return of Apostles	Matt 9.36; Mark 6.7; Matt 10.5--31; Mark 6.12,30
XXVI.	Precepts	John 7.1; Mark 7.1-5,14-24; Matt 18.14,7--35
XXVII.	Parable of the Wicked Servant	Matt 18.23-25
XXVIII.	Mission of the Seventy	Luke 10.1-8, 10-12
XXIX.	The Feast of the Tabernacles	John 6.2-16, 19-26, 32, 43-53
XXX .	The Woman Taken in Adultery	John 8,1-11
XXXI.	To be born blind no proof of Sin	John 9.1-3
XXXII.	The Good Shepherd	John 10.1-5,11-14, 16
XXXIII.	Love God and Thy Neighbour ; Parable of the Samaritan	Luke 10.25-37
XXXIV.	Form of Prayer	Luke 11.1-13
XXXV.	The Sabbath	Luke 14.1-6
Jefferson's Original, III ; page 51
XXXVI.	The Bidden to a Feast	Luke 14.7-24
XXXVII.	Precepts	Luke 14.28-32
XXXVIII.	Parables of the Lost Sheep and Prodigal Son	Luke 15.1-32
XXXIX.	Parable of the Unjust Steward	Luke 16.1-15
XL.	Parable of Lazarus	Luke 16.8-31
XLI.	Precepts to be Always Ready	Luke 17.1-4,7-10,20,26-36
XLII.	Parables of the Widow and Judge, the Pharisee and Publican	Luke 18.1-14
XLIII.	Precepts	Luke 10.38-42 ; Matt 19.1-26
XLIV.	Parable of the Labourers in the Vineyard	Matt 20.1-16
XLV.	Zacchaeus, and the Parable of the Talents	Luke 19.1-28
XLVI.	Goes to Jerusalem and Bethany	Matt 21.1-3,6-8,10 ; John 12.19-24 ; Matt 21.17
XLVII.	The Traders Cast Out from the Temple	Mark 11.12,15-19
XLVIII.	Parable of the Two Sons	Mark 11.27 ; Matt 21.27-31
XLIX.	Parable of the Vineyard and the Husbandmen	Matt 21.33 ; Mark 12.1-9 ; Matt 21.45-46
L.	Parable of the King and the Wedding	Matt 22.1-14
LI.	Tribute, Marriage, Resurrection	Matt 22.15-33
LII.	The Two Commandments	Mark 12.28-31 ; Matt 22.40 ; Mark 12.32-33
LIII.	Precepts, Pride, Hypocrisy, Swearing	Matt 13.1-33
LIV.	The Widow's Mite	Mark 12.41-44
Jefferson's Original, IV, page 73
LV.	Jerusalem and the Day of Judgment	Matt 21-2, 16-21,32-33,36-39,40-44
LVI.	The Faithful and Wise Servant	Matt 24.45-51
LVII.	Parable of the Ten Virgins	Matt 25.1-13
LVIII.	Parable of the Talents	Matt 25.14-30
LIX.	The Day of Judgment	Luke 21.34-36 ; Matt 25.31-46
LX.	A Woman Anonteth Him	Mark 14.1-8
LXI.	Judas Undertakes to Point Out Jesus	Matt 26.16-16
LXII.	Precepts to His Disciples, Washes their Feet Trouble of Mind and Prayer	Matt 26.14-16 ; Luke 22.24-27 ; John 13.2,4-17,21-26,31,34,35 ; more
LXIII.	Judas Conducts the Officers to Jesus	John 18.1-3 ; Matt 26.48-50
LXIV.	He is Arrested and Carried Before Caiaphas, the High Priest and is Condemned	John 18.4-8 ; Matt 26.50-52,55-56 ; Mark 14.51-52 ; more
LXV.	Hs then Carried to Pilate	John 18.28-31, 33-38 ; Luke 23.5 ; Matt 27.13
LXVI.	Who Sends Him to Herod	Luke 13.6-12
LXVII.	Receives Him Back, Scourges and Delivers Him to Execution	Luke 23.13-16; Matt 27.15-23,26
LXVIII.	His Crucifixion, Death and Burial	Matt 27.29-31, 3-8 ; Luke 23.26-32; John 19.17-24 ; Matt 27.39-43; Luke 23.39-41, 34 ; John 19.25-27; Matt 27.46-50, 55-56
LXIX.	His burial	John 19.31-34, 38-42; Matt 27.60
	page 92, end

Start Basic English

THE LIFE AND MORALS of
JESUS OF NAZARETH
__________
I . Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem,
Where Jesus is Born

AND it came about in those days, that there went out an order from Caesar Augustus, that all the world would have a tax. 2. (And this tax was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) 3. And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the town of Nazareth, into Judaea, to the town of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and family of David,) 5. To be put on list with Mary his future wife, who was about to become a mother. 6. And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. 7. And she had her first son, and folding him in linen, she put him to rest in the place where cattle lived; because there was no room for them in the house.

II . He is Circumcised and Named
and they Came back to Nazareth

AND after eight days, the time came for his circumcision, is name was called JESUS. 2. And when they had done all things which were ordered by the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to the town where they were living.

III . At Twelve Years of Age He Goes with
his Parents to Jerusalem and Returns

AND the child grew, and became tall and strong and full of wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. 2. And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem as was their way for the yearly feast. 3. And when the days of the feast came to an end and they were going back, the boy Jesus was still in Jerusalem, but Joseph and his mother had no knowledge of it. 4. But they, in the believe that he was with the company, went a day's journey; and they looked for him among their relations and friends. 5. And seeing that he was not there, they went back to Jerusalem, to make search for him.
6. And after three days they came across him in the Temple, seated among the wise men, giving ear to their words and putting questions to them. 7. And to all whose ears it came were full of wonder at his knowledge and the his answers. 8. And when they saw him they were surprised, and his mother said to him, Son, why have you done this to us ? See, your father and I have been looking for you with sorrow. 9. And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and did as he was ordered : but his mother kept all these words in her heart. 10. And Jesus was increasing in wisdom and in years, and in grace before God and men.

IV . John Baptizes in Jordan

NOW in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being ruler of Judaea, and Herod being king of Galilee, and his brother Philip king of Judaea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the king of Abilene, 2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the waste land. 3. John did baptize in the waste land, and preaching the baptism as a sign if forgiveness of sin for those whose hearts were of repentance for the remission of sins for those whose hearts were changed. 4. And the same John was clothed in camel's hair, and a leathern band about him; and his food was locusts and honey.
5. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the people near Jordan ; 6. And were given baptism of him in Jordan, saying openly of their sins.

V . Jesus is Baptized at 30 Years of Age

THEN Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized of him. 2. And Jesus at this time was about thirty years of age, being (as it seemed) the son of Joseph, the son of Heli.

VI . Sends the Traders Out of the Temple

AFTER this he went down to Capernaum, with his mother, and his brothers, and his disciples, and they were there not many days.
2. And the Jews' Passover was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem ; 3. And found in the Temple those that sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the changers of money sitting : 4. And when he had made a whip of small cords, he put them all out of the Temple, and the sheep, and the oxen ; and sent out the changers' money, and overturning the tables ; 5. And said to them that sold doves, Take these things away ; make not my Fathers house a market.

VII . He Baptizes, but Goes to Galilee on the Death of John

AFTER these things came Jesus and his disciples into the land of Judaea; and there he was with them some time, giving baptism tarried with them, and baptized.
2. Now when it came to his ears that John was put into prison, he went away to Galilee; 3. For Herod himself had sent men out to take John and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her. 4. For John had said to Herod, It is wrong for you to have your brothers wife. 5. And Herodias was bitter against him, and would have put him to death; but she was not able ; 6. For Herod feared John, being conscious that he was an upright and holy man and made observation of him; and hearing him, he did many things, and gave ear to him gladly. 7. And the chance came when Herod on his birthday made a feast to his lords, high captains, and chief men of Galilee; 8. And when the daughter of Herodias came in, and did a dance, and pleased Herod and those that table with him, the king said to the girl, make a request of me whatsoever you will and I will give it to you. 9. And he took an oath, saying to her, Whatsoever is your desire, I will give to you, even half of my kingdom. 10. And she went out, and said to her mother, What is my request to be ? And she said, The head of John the Baptist. 11. And she came in quickly to the king, and said, My desire. asked, saying, I will that you give me by and by on a plate the head of John the Baptist. 12. And the king was very sad ; but because of his oaths, and those who were with him at table,, he would not say 'No' to her. 13. And straight away the king sent out one of his armed men, and gave him an order to come back with the head : and he went and took off John's head in the prison, 14. And he came back with the head on a plate, and gave it to the girl ; and the girl gave it to her mother.

VIII. He Teaches in the Synagogue

AND they came to Capernaum ; and straightway on the Sabbath Day he went into the Synagogue, and gave teaching. 2. And they were full of wonder at his teaching, because he gave it as one that had authority, and not as the scribes.

IX . Explains the Sabbath

AT that time Jesus went on the Sabbath Day through the fields ; and his disciples were in need of food, and made to take the ears of corn, and to eat. 2. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, See, your disciples do that which is not right to do on the Sabbath Day. 3. But he said to them, Have you no knowledge of what David did, when he had need of food, and they that were with him; 4. How he went into the house of God, and took for food the holy bread, which was not right for him to eat, or for those which were with him, but only for the priests ? 5. Or have you not read in the law, how the Sabbath Days is broken by the priests in the Temple and they do no wrong ?
6. And when he went from there into their Synagogue: 7. And, behold, there was a man which had a dead hand. And they put a question to him, saying, Is it right to make a man well on Sabbath Days? so that they might have something against him. 8. And he said unto them, What man is there among you, that will have one sheep, and if it fall into a pit on the Sabbath Day, will he not take a grip on it, and get it out ? 9. How much then is a man better than a sheep ? Therefore it is lawful to do well on the Sabbath Days. 10. And he said to them, The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.
11. Then the Pharisees went out, and made discussion against him, how they might put an end to him. 12. But when Jesus had knowledge of it, he went away from there : and a great number went after him, and he made them all well.

X . Call of His Disciples

AND it came to pass in those days, that he went out into a mountain to pray, and he was all night in prayer to God. 2. And when it was day, he called to him his disciples: and of them he made a selection of twelve, whom he gave the name Apostles; 3. Simon, (whom he also named Peter,) and Andrew his brother, James and John, Philip and Bartholomew, 4. Matthew and Thomas, James the son of Alphaeus, and Simon called Zelotes, 5. And Judas the brother of James, and Judas Iscariot, which was false to him. 6. And he came down with them to a level place, and the band of his disciples, and a great number of people out of all Judaea and Jerusalem, and from the sea coast of Tyre and Sidon, came to give hearing to him, and to be made well from their diseases.

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