Sacred Texts · The Tao Te Ching

The Tao Te Ching and the Way of Jesus

The Tao Te Ching speaks of a Way beyond all naming, of water that serves by seeking the low place, and of a strength hidden in weakness. Again and again its instinct runs close to the words of Jesus, who called himself the Way and washed his followers’ feet. This page reproduces 11 of its chapters in the public-domain Legge translation, each with a clearly-labelled Christian comparison. Read the sources, and see for yourself.

Translation: James Legge (1891), The Tâo Teh King, Sacred Books of the East vol. XXXIX, public domain, via Project Gutenberg (ebook 216). Reproduced in full and in context; chapter 1 and the chapter count (81 chapters) validated against the source before publishing. Legge’s round brackets are his own clarifying insertions.

11 chapters that point toward Christ

• Tao Te Ching 1“The Tao that can be trodden is not the enduring and unchanging Tao. The name that can be named is not the enduring and unchanging name. (Conceived of as) having no name, it is the …”Read + Christian comparison (The Way beyond naming) →
• Tao Te Ching 7“Heaven is long-enduring and earth continues long. The reason why heaven and earth are able to endure and continue thus long is because they do not live of, or for, themselves. This…”Read + Christian comparison (Putting oneself last) →
• Tao Te Ching 8“The highest excellence is like (that of) water. The excellence of water appears in its benefiting all things, and in its occupying, without striving (to the contrary), the low plac…”Read + Christian comparison (Water and the low place) →
• Tao Te Ching 22“The partial becomes complete; the crooked, straight; the empty, full; the worn out, new. He whose (desires) are few gets them; he whose (desires) are many goes astray. Therefore th…”Read + Christian comparison (He who humbles himself) →
• Tao Te Ching 34“All-pervading is the Great Tao! It may be found on the left hand and on the right. All things depend on it for their production, which it gives to them, not one refusing obedience …”Read + Christian comparison (Sustains all, lords over none) →
• Tao Te Ching 63“(It is the way of the Tao) to act without (thinking of) acting; to conduct affairs without (feeling the) trouble of them; to taste without discerning any flavour; to consider what …”Read + Christian comparison (Repay injury with kindness) →
• Tao Te Ching 66“That whereby the rivers and seas are able to receive the homage and tribute of all the valley streams, is their skill in being lower than they;--it is thus that they are the kings …”Read + Christian comparison (Leading by being lowest) →
• Tao Te Ching 67“All the world says that, while my Tao is great, it yet appears to be inferior (to other systems of teaching). Now it is just its greatness that makes it seem to be inferior. If it …”Read + Christian comparison (The three treasures) →
• Tao Te Ching 76“Man at his birth is supple and weak; at his death, firm and strong. (So it is with) all things. Trees and plants, in their early growth, are soft and brittle; at their death, dry a…”Read + Christian comparison (The living are soft) →
• Tao Te Ching 78“There is nothing in the world more soft and weak than water, and yet for attacking things that are firm and strong there is nothing that can take precedence of it;--for there is no…”Read + Christian comparison (Weakness overcomes strength) →
• Tao Te Ching 81“Sincere words are not fine; fine words are not sincere. Those who are skilled (in the Tao) do not dispute (about it); the disputatious are not skilled in it. Those who know (the Ta…”Read + Christian comparison (The way that only gives) →

Frequently asked questions

What is the Tao Te Ching?

The Tao Te Ching is an 81-chapter classic attributed to Laozi, the foundational text of Taoism, on the Tao (the Way), humility, water, and strength hidden in weakness. This page indexes only the chapters that carry a genuine, clearly-labelled comparison to the teaching of Jesus.

What translation is used?

James Legge's 1891 translation from the Sacred Books of the East, which is in the public domain, sourced from Project Gutenberg. The chapters are reproduced in full and in context; chapter 1 and the 81-chapter count were validated against the source before publishing. Legge's round brackets are his own clarifying insertions.

Does Living Bread change the meaning of the Tao Te Ching?

No. We reproduce each chapter accurately and describe its meaning within Taoism fairly. Any comparison to Christian belief is clearly labelled as a Christian comparison, never presented as the Tao Te Ching's own meaning.