III. The Self-Accused

T-31.III.1. Only the self-accused condemn. ² As you prepare to make a choice that will result in different outcomes, there is first one thing that must be overlearned. ³ It must become a habit of response so typical of everything you do that it becomes your first response to all temptation, and to every situation that occurs. ⁴ Learn this, and learn it well, for it is here delay of happiness is shortened by a span of time you cannot realize. ⁵ You never hate your brother for his sins, but only for your own. ⁶ Whatever form his sins appear to take, it but obscures the fact that you believe them to be yours, and therefore meriting a "just" attack.

T-31.III.2. Why should his sins be sins, if you did not believe they could not be forgiven in you? ² Why are they real in him, if you did not believe that they are your reality? ³ And why do you attack them everywhere except you hate yourself? ⁴ Are you a sin? ⁵ You answer "yes" whenever you attack, for by attack do you assert that you are guilty, and must give as you deserve. ⁶ And what can you deserve but what you are? ⁷ If you did not believe that you deserved attack, it never would occur to you to give attack to anyone at all. ⁸ Why should you? ⁹ What would be the gain to you? ¹⁰ What could the outcome be that you would want? ¹¹ And how could murder bring you benefit?

T-31.III.3. Sins are in bodies. ² They are not perceived in minds. ³ They are not seen as purposes, but actions. ⁴ Bodies act, and minds do not. ⁵ And therefore must the body be at fault for what it does. ⁶ It is not seen to be a passive thing, obeying your commands, and doing nothing of itself at all. ⁷ If you are sin you are a body, for the mind acts not. ⁸ And purpose must be in the body, not the mind. ⁹ The body must act on its own, and motivate itself. ¹⁰ If you are sin you lock the mind within the body, and you give its purpose to its prison house, which acts instead of it. ¹¹ A jailer does not follow orders, but enforces orders on the prisoner.

T-31.III.4. Yet is the body prisoner, and not the mind. ² The body thinks no thoughts. ³ It has no power to learn, to pardon, nor enslave. ⁴ It gives no orders that the mind need serve, nor sets conditions that it must obey. ⁵ It holds in prison but the willing mind that would abide in it. ⁶ It sickens at the bidding of the mind that would become its prisoner. ⁷ And it grows old and dies, because that mind is sick within itself. ⁸ Learning is all that causes change. ⁹ And so the body, where no learning can occur, could never change unless the mind preferred the body change in its appearances, to suit the purpose given by the mind. ¹⁰ For mind can learn, and there is all change made.

T-31.III.5. The mind that thinks it is a sin has but one purpose; that the body be the source of sin, to keep it in the prison house it chose and guards and holds itself at bay, a sleeping prisoner to the snarling dogs of hate and evil, sickness and attack; of pain and age, of grief and suffering. ² Here are the thoughts of sacrifice preserved, for here guilt rules, and orders that the world be like itself; a place where nothing can find mercy, nor survive the ravages of fear except in murder and in death. ³ For here are you made sin, and sin cannot abide the joyous and the free, for they are enemies which sin must kill. ⁴ In death is sin preserved, and those who think that they are sin must die for what they think they are.

T-31.III.6. Let us be glad that you will see what you believe, and that it has been given you to change what you believe. ² The body will but follow. ³ It can never lead you where you would not be. ⁴ It does not guard your sleep, nor interfere with your awakening. ⁵ Release your body from imprisonment, and you will see no one as prisoner to what you have escaped. ⁶ You will not want to hold in guilt your chosen enemies, nor keep in chains, to the illusion of a changing love, the ones you think are friends.

T-31.III.7. The innocent release in gratitude for their release. ² And what they see upholds their freedom from imprisonment and death. ³ Open your mind to change, and there will be no ancient penalty exacted from your brother or yourself. ⁴ For God has said there is no sacrifice that can be asked; there is no sacrifice that can be made.