Skip to content
The Imitation of Christà Kempis Thomas

The Imitation of Christ

by OpenStories

Original author: à Kempis Thomas

CompletedPublished Updated

"The Imitation of Christ" by Thomas à Kempis is a Christian devotional book composed between 1418-1427. Divided into four books of spiritual instruction, this medieval text guides readers toward interior spiritual life and withdrawal from worldly concerns. Emphasizing devotion to the Eucharist and practices from the Devotio Moderna movement, it offers detailed counsels on living a contemplative Christian life. After the Bible, it became the most widely read devotional work in Christianity, with over 745 editions printed before 1650.

The Imitation of Christ, by à Kempis Thomas. Republished by OpenStories from Project Gutenberg eBook #1653.

  • 60,472words
  • 114chapters
  • 0stars
  • 0bookmarks
  • 5hits
Start reading

114 Chapters

  1. 1.Front Matter428 words
  2. 2.Chapter I455 words
  3. 3.Chapter II: Of thinking humbly of oneself383 words
  4. 4.Chapter III: Of the knowledge of truth759 words
  5. 5.Chapter IV: Of prudence in action192 words
  6. 6.Chapter V: Of the reading of Holy Scriptures212 words
  7. 7.Chapter VI: Of inordinate affections209 words
  8. 8.Chapter VII: Of fleeing from vain hope and pride454 words
  9. 9.Chapter IX: Of Obedience and Subjection263 words
  10. 10.Chapter X: Of the danger of superfluity of words230 words
  11. 11.Chapter XI: Of seeking peace of mind and of spiritual progress529 words
  12. 12.Chapter XII: Of the uses of adversity208 words
  13. 13.Chapter XIII: Of resisting temptation771 words
  14. 14.Chapter XIV: On avoiding rash judgment246 words
  15. 15.Chapter XV: Of works of charity237 words
  16. 16.Chapter XVI: Of bearing with the faults of others353 words
  17. 17.Chapter XVII: Of a Religious life215 words
  18. 18.Chapter XVIII: Of the example of the holy fathers565 words
  19. 19.Chapter XIX: Of the exercises of a religious man787 words
  20. 20.Chapter XX: Of the love of solitude and silence893 words
  21. 21.Chapter XXI: Of compunction of heart554 words
  22. 22.Chapter XXII: On the contemplation of human misery804 words
  23. 23.Chapter XXIII: Of meditation upon death949 words
  24. 24.Chapter XXIV: Of the judgment and punishment of the wicked937 words
  25. 25.Chapter XXV: Of the zealous amendment of our whole life1,117 words
  26. 26.Chapter I: Of the inward life931 words
  27. 27.Chapter II: Of lowly submission234 words
  28. 28.Chapter III: Of the good, peaceable man381 words
  29. 29.Chapter IV: Of a pure mind and simple intention266 words
  30. 30.Chapter V: Of self-esteem322 words
  31. 31.Chapter VI: Of the joy of a good conscience461 words
  32. 32.Chapter VII: Of loving Jesus above all things323 words
  33. 33.Chapter VIII: Of the intimate love of Jesus618 words
  34. 34.Chapter IX: Of the lack of all comfort923 words
  35. 35.Chapter X: Of gratitude for the Grace of God654 words
  36. 36.Chapter XI: Of the fewness of those who love the Cross of Jesus515 words
  37. 37.Chapter XII: Of the royal way of the Holy Cross1,711 words
  38. 38.Chapter I: Of the inward voice of Christ to the faithful soul254 words
  39. 39.Chapter II: What the truth saith inwardly without noise of words343 words
  40. 40.Chapter III737 words
  41. 41.Chapter IV: How we must walk in truth and humility before God489 words
  42. 42.Chapter V: Of the wonderful power of the Divine Love812 words
  43. 43.Chapter VI: Of the proving of the true lover598 words
  44. 44.Chapter VII: Of hiding our grace under the guard of humility734 words
  45. 45.Chapter VIII: Of a low estimation of self in the sight of God335 words
  46. 46.Chapter IX: That all things are to be referred to God, as the final end320 words
  47. 47.Chapter X: That it is sweet to despise the world and to serve God626 words
  48. 48.Chapter XI: That the desires of the heart are to be examined and governed307 words
  49. 49.Chapter XII498 words
  50. 50.Chapter XIII386 words
  51. 51.Chapter XIV414 words
  52. 52.Chapter XV: How we must stand and speak, in everything that we desire469 words
  53. 53.Chapter XVI: That true solace is to be sought in God alone321 words
  54. 54.Chapter XVII: That all care is to be cast upon God264 words
  55. 55.Chapter XVIII381 words
  56. 56.Chapter XIX: Of bearing injuries, and who shall be approved as truly patient470 words
  57. 57.Chapter XX: Of confession of our infirmity and of the miseries of this life531 words
  1. 58.Chapter XXI: That we must rest in God above all goods and gifts799 words
  2. 59.Chapter XXII: Of the recollection of God’s manifold benefits611 words
  3. 60.Chapter XXIII: Of four things which bring great peace589 words
  4. 61.Chapter XXIV: Of avoiding of curious inquiry into the life of another226 words
  5. 62.Chapter XXV: Wherein firm peace of heart and true profit consist439 words
  6. 63.Chapter XXVI382 words
  7. 64.Chapter XXVII: That personal love greatly hindereth from the highest good521 words
  8. 65.Chapter XXVIII: Against the tongues of detractors151 words
  9. 66.Chapter XXIX: How when tribulation cometh we must call upon and bless God273 words
  10. 67.Chapter XXX: Of seeking divine help, and the confidence of obtaining grace743 words
  11. 68.Chapter XXXI: Of the neglect of every creature, that the Creator may be found565 words
  12. 69.Chapter XXXII: Of self-denial and the casting away all selfishness379 words
  13. 70.Chapter XXXIII: Of instability of the heart, and of directing the aim towards God260 words
  14. 71.Chapter XXXIV: That to him who loveth God is sweet above all things and in all things487 words
  15. 72.Chapter XXXV: That there is no security against temptation in this life387 words
  16. 73.Chapter XXXVI: Against vain judgments of men336 words
  17. 74.Chapter XXXVII386 words
  18. 75.Chapter XXXVIII313 words
  19. 76.Chapter XXXIX: That man must not be immersed in business189 words
  20. 77.Chapter XL: That man hath no good in himself, and nothing whereof to glory558 words
  21. 78.Chapter XLI: Of contempt of all temporal honour159 words
  22. 79.Chapter XLII: That our peace is not to be placed in men291 words
  23. 80.Chapter XLIII: Against vain and worldly knowledge434 words
  24. 81.Chapter XLIV: Of not troubling ourselves about outward things182 words
  25. 82.Chapter XLV733 words
  26. 83.Chapter XLVI: Of having confidence in God when evil words are cast at us671 words
  27. 84.Chapter XLVII: That all troubles are to be endured for the sake of eternal life414 words
  28. 85.Chapter XLVIII: Of the day of eternity and of the straitnesses of this life806 words
  29. 86.Chapter XLIX991 words
  30. 87.Chapter L: How a desolate man ought to commit himself into the hands of God974 words
  31. 88.Chapter LI242 words
  32. 89.Chapter LII523 words
  33. 90.Chapter LIII447 words
  34. 91.Chapter LIV: Of the diverse motions of Nature and of Grace984 words
  35. 92.Chapter LV: Of the corruption of Nature and the efficacy of Divine Grace772 words
  36. 93.Chapter LVI585 words
  37. 94.Chapter LVII446 words
  38. 95.Chapter LVIII1,180 words
  39. 96.Chapter LIX: That all hope and trust is to be fixed in God alone647 words
  40. 97.Chapter I: With how great reverence Christ must be received1,433 words
  41. 98.Chapter II: That the greatness and charity of God is shown to men in the Sacrament757 words
  42. 99.Chapter III: That it is profitable to Communicate often663 words
  43. 100.Chapter IV: That many good gifts are bestowed upon those who Communicate devoutly808 words
  44. 101.Chapter V: Of the dignity of this Sacrament, and of the office of the priest425 words
  45. 102.Chapter VI: An inquiry concerning preparation for Communion118 words
  46. 103.Chapter VII: Of the examination of conscience, and purpose of amendment567 words
  47. 104.Chapter VIII: Of the oblation of Christ upon the cross, and of resignation of self295 words
  48. 105.Chapter IX632 words
  49. 106.Chapter X: That Holy Communion is not lightly to be omitted839 words
  50. 107.Chapter XI1,110 words
  51. 108.Chapter XII568 words
  52. 109.Chapter XIII504 words
  53. 110.Chapter XIV396 words
  54. 111.Chapter XV: That the grace of devotion is acquired by humility and self-denial482 words
  55. 112.Chapter XVI316 words
  56. 113.Chapter XVII: Of fervent love and vehement desire of receiving Christ602 words
  57. 114.Chapter XVIII504 words