The Pearl Beyond Price 

The one thing of infinite and eternal value is not of this world. You must “sell” this world to buy it. Yet this world is really worth nothing, so its a great deal.

Seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and all things shall be added unto you

“Attaining the kingdom of God is like the way of the merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he finds the one pearl of great price, sells all that he has and buys it.”

“Or like the way of the fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up full of small fish. But among them he found a fine large fish, which the wise fisherman chose without difficulty, and threw all the small fish back into the sea.”

“Or like the way of a man who finds treasure hidden in a field, and for his joy over it sells all that he has and buys that field. You, too, seek God’s unfailing and enduring treasure, which no moth comes near to devour and no worm can destroy.”

“So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be my disciple.” - Luke 14:33

“Yet lackest thou one thing: sell all that thou hast, and distribute unto the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, follow me.” - Luke 18:22

Jesus said, “The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant who had a consignment of merchandise and discovered a pearl. That merchant was shrewd; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself. So also with you, seek his treasure that is unfailing, that is enduring, where no moth comes to eat and no worm destroys.” - Gospel of Thomas 76

Jesus said, “There was a rich man who had a great deal of money… He died suddenly one night without having found time to enjoy it. This is what happens to those who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich toward God.” - Gospel of Thomas 63

Store up Treasures in Heaven

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rustc destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Matthew 6:19-21

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. - Luke 12:32–34

what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

Matthew 16:26 “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Mark 8:36–37 “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”

Luke 9:25 “For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?”

None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever: That he should still live for ever, and not see corruption. - Psalm 49:7–9

מִכָּל־מִשְׁמָר נְצֹר לִבֶּךָ כִּי־מִמֶּנּוּ תּוֹצְאוֹת חַיִּים “More than all guarding, guard your heart, for from it are the wellsprings of life.” - Proverbs 4:23

Jesus said, “Whoever has found the world and become wealthy, let him renounce the world.” - The Gospel of Thomas, 110

ⲡⲉϫⲉ ⲓ̅ⲥ̅ ϫⲉ ⲡⲉⲧⲁϥϩⲉ ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ ⲁⲩⲱ ⲁϥⲣ̅ⲣⲙⲙⲁⲟ ⲙⲁⲣⲉϥⲁⲣⲛⲁ ⲙ̅ⲡⲕⲟⲥⲙⲟⲥ Literal word-for-word: Said Jesus: “The-one-who found the-world and he-became-rich, let-him renounce the-world.”

Jesus said, “Whoever has come to know the world has found a corpse, and the person who has found a corpse, of him the world is not worthy.” - The Gospel of Thomas, 56

A Course in Miracles

11 And now there is a vague, unanswered question, not yet “explained.” ²What is this precious thing, this priceless pearl, this hidden secret treasure to be wrested in righteous wrath from this most treacherous and cunning enemy? ³It must be what you want and never found. [CE T-23.III.11:1-3]

• T-8.VI.5:1–4 “The treasure you seek is within you. Nothing external has any value at all. The Atonement is the only gift that is truly valuable, because it is the only gift that is real.”
• T-12.VI.4:1–3 “The pearl of great price is the recognition that the world is worthless. You have sold everything else for nothing, and now you are ready to buy the truth.”
• T-15.III.2:1–2 “Would you trade the Kingdom for a little toy? The ego offers you the world in exchange for your soul. But the world is nothing, and the Kingdom is everything.”
• W-pI.133.9–10 (Lesson 133 – “I will not value what is valueless”) “You cannot keep a toy and have the Kingdom. You must choose.”

T-22.I.1–2

“The holy relationship is the expression of the holy instant in living in this world. … And here is the pearl of great price you thought you threw away.”

T-20.IV.1–2

“You are asked to give up the nothingness for the everything, and it cannot be a sacrifice. … The ‘pearl of great price’ is offered you. Do not ask yourselves if it is worth more than what you have. It is.”

T-12.VI.4

“You have replaced your knowledge with an illusion so vast, so completely incredible, that the mere idea that truth may still be yours seems preposterous.

T-13.VIII.4

“What God has willed for you is yours. He has given His treasure and it abides in you. Your brother is your treasure.”

Early Church Fathers & Christian mystics

• Clement of Alexandria, Who is the Rich Man That Shall Be Saved? 13 “Sell all that thou hast… means: cast away the riches of the mind, the opinions and desires that belong to this world… and thou shalt find the true treasure, the knowledge of God.”
• Meister Eckhart, Sermon 52 “The soul must abandon all things and sell everything it possesses in order to buy the one thing needful, which is God.”
• St. John of the Cross, Ascent of Mount Carmel 1.13.11 “To reach satisfaction in all, desire satisfaction in nothing… To come to possess all, desire the possession of nothing.”

• Gospel of Philip 104 “The pearl that is cast into the mud does not become despised, nor if it is anointed with balsam oil will it become more precious. But it always has value in the eyes of its owner. So it is with the children of God: wherever they may be, they still have value in the eyes of their Father.”
• Hymn of the Pearl (Acts of Thomas 108–113) The entire long poem about the prince who descends into Egypt, forgets his royal identity, is awakened by a letter from the Father, casts off the filthy garment of the world, and returns to reclaim the Pearl of Gnosis — the most extended early Christian allegory of the “Pearl of Great Price.”

Rūmī, Mathnawī III, 1950–1960 “Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment… Sell all you have, become bankrupt before God, and He will give you the pearl that has no price.”

“Our pearl is born of the sea of the world, yet is not of this world… He who finds it sells all he has in joy and buys the field.” - Aurora Consurgens (attributed to Thomas Aquinas, manuscript c. 1410)

He that loveth his life shall lose it; he that hateth his life in this world shall keep it unto life eternal. - John 12:25

He that seeks shall not cease until he finds; and when he finds, he shall marvel; and having marvelled he shall reign; and reigning he shall rest. - Gospel of the Hebrews

The Discourse of the Pearl & the Treasure

(All(?) related gospel sayings merged.)

Attaining the kingdom of God is like the way of the merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he finds the one pearl of great price, sells all that he has and buys it. The kingdom of the Father is like a merchant who had a consignment of merchandise and discovered a pearl. That merchant was shrewd; he sold the merchandise and bought the single pearl for himself. Or like the way of a man who finds treasure hidden in a field, and for his joy over it sells all that he has and buys that field. Or like the way of the fisherman who cast his net into the sea and drew it up full of small fish. But among them he found a fine large fish, which the wise fisherman chose without difficulty, and threw all the small fish back into the sea.

You, too, seek God’s unfailing and enduring treasure, which no moth comes near to devour and no worm can destroy. Seek his treasure that is unfailing, that is enduring, where no moth comes to eat and no worm destroys.

Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. Provide yourselves with purses that will not wear out, an inexhaustible treasure in heaven. Store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. You still lack one thing. If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me. So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

There was a rich man who had a great deal of money. He died suddenly one night without having found time to enjoy it. This is what happens to those who store up treasure for themselves but are not rich toward God. Whoever has found the world and become wealthy, let him renounce the world. Whoever has come to know the world has found a corpse, and the person who has found a corpse, of him the world is not worthy.

If you do not fast from the world, you will not find the kingdom. Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul? For what does it profit a man if he gains the whole world and loses or forfeits himself?

Peter asked: “We have left everything and followed you. What then will we have?” Truly, I say to you, in the new world, when the Son of Man will sit on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands, for my name’s sake, will receive a hundredfold and will inherit eternal life.

The pearl that is cast into the mud does not become despised, nor if it is anointed with balsam oil will it become more precious. But it always has value in the eyes of its owner. So it is with the children of God: wherever they may be, they still have value in the eyes of their Father.

What would you give in exchange for your soul?