English Christian Web Book · Public-Domain Edition

The Imitation of Christ

Thomas à Kempis

Cover of an 1880s gift edition of The Imitation of Christ, digitized from the Internet Archive

About this book

The Imitation of Christ (Latin: De Imitatione Christi) is a devotional classic on the inner spiritual life, written in Latin in the Netherlands around 1418–1427 and traditionally attributed to the monk and canon Thomas à Kempis (c. 1380–1471) of the community of the Brothers of the Common Life. Cast in four books of short, meditative chapters, it counsels detachment from worldly vanity, humility, inward conversation with Christ, and frequent devout Communion. After the Bible, it is among the most translated and most widely read books in Christian history.

This UECF.NET web book presents the complete four books and all 114 chapters in William Benham's English translation, first published in the 19th century and long in the public domain. The text is sourced from a scanned edition digitized by the Internet Archive.

Author: Thomas à Kempis (traditionally attributed) · Translated by William Benham (1831–1910)

4 books
114 chapters
63,161 words
≈ 316 min read
English · Public Domain

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Translator's Preface: Thomas à Kempis → About this edition →

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Table of Contents

Book One — Admonitions Profitable for the Spiritual Life

IOf the Imitation of Christ, and of Contempt of the World and All Its Vanities IIOf Thinking Humbly of Oneself IIIOf the Knowledge of Truth IVOf Prudence in Action VOf the Reading of Holy Scripture VIOf Inordinate Affections VIIOf Fleeing from Vain Hope and Pride VIIIOf the Danger of Too Much Familiarity IXOf Obedience and Subjection XOf the Danger of Superfluity of Words XIOf Seeking Peace of Mind, and of Spiritual Progress XIIOf the Uses of Adversity XIIIOf Resisting Temptation XIVOn Avoiding Rash Judgment XVOf Works of Charity XVIOf Bearing with the Faults of Others XVIIOf a Religious Life XVIIIOf the Example of the Holy Fathers XIXOf the Exercises of a Religious Man XXOf the Love of Solitude and Silence XXIOf Compunction of Heart XXIIOn the Contemplation of Human Misery XXIIIOf Meditation upon Death XXIVOf the Judgment and Punishment of the Wicked XXVOf the Zealous Amendment of Our Whole Life

Book Two — Admonitions Concerning the Inner Life

IOf the Inward Life IIOf Lowly Submission IIIOf the Good, Peaceable Man IVOf a Pure Mind and Simple Intention VOf Self-Esteem VIOf the Joy of a Good Conscience VIIOf Loving Jesus above All Things VIIIOf the Intimate Love of Jesus IXOf the Lack of All Comfort XOf Gratitude for the Grace of God XIOf the Fewness of Those Who Love the Cross of Jesus XIIOf the Royal Way of the Holy Cross

Book Three — Of Inward Consolation

IOf the Inward Voice of Christ to the Faithful Soul IIWhat the Truth Saith Inwardly without Noise of Words IIIHow All the Words of God Are to Be Heard with Humility, and How Many Consider Them Not IVHow We Must Walk in Truth and Humility before God VOf the Wonderful Power of the Divine Love VIOf the Proving of the True Lover VIIOf Hiding Our Grace under the Guard of Humility VIIIOf a Low Estimation of Self in the Sight of God IXThat All Things Are to Be Referred to God, as the Final End XThat It Is Sweet to Despise the World and to Serve God XIThat the Desires of the Heart Are to Be Examined and Governed XIIOf the Inward Growth of Patience, and of the Struggle against Evil Desires XIIIOf the Obedience of One in Lowly Subjection after the Example of Jesus Christ XIVOf Meditation upon the Hidden Judgments of God, That We May Not Be Lifted Up because of Our Well-Doing XVHow We Must Stand and Speak, in Everything That We Desire XVIThat True Solace Is to Be Sought in God Alone XVIIThat All Care Is to Be Cast upon God XVIIIThat Temporal Miseries Are to Be Borne Patiently after the Example of Christ XIXOf Bearing Injuries, and Who Shall Be Approved as Truly Patient XXOf Confession of Our Infirmity, and of the Miseries of This Life XXIThat We Must Rest in God above All Goods and Gifts XXIIOf the Recollection of God's Manifold Benefits XXIIIOf Four Things Which Bring Great Peace XXIVOf Avoiding Curious Inquiry into the Life of Another XXVWherein Firm Peace of Heart and True Profit Consist XXVIOf the Exaltation of a Free Spirit, Which Humble Prayer More Deserveth Than Doth Frequent Reading XXVIIThat Personal Love Greatly Hindereth from the Highest Good XXVIIIAgainst the Tongues of Detractors XXIXHow, When Tribulation Cometh, We Must Call upon and Bless God XXXOf Seeking Divine Help and the Confidence of Obtaining Grace XXXIOf the Neglect of Every Creature, That the Creator May Be Found XXXIIOf Self-Denial, and the Casting away All Selfishness XXXIIIOf Instability of the Heart, and of Directing Our Final Intention towards God XXXIVThat to Him Who Loveth, God Is Sweet above All Things and in All Things XXXVThat There Is No Security against Temptation in This Life XXXVIAgainst Vain Judgments of Men XXXVIIOf Pure and Entire Resignation of Self, for the Obtaining Freedom of Heart XXXVIIIOf Good Government in Outward Things, and of Having Recourse to God in Dangers XXXIXThat a Man Must Not Be Overmuch Cast Down When He Falleth into Some Faults XLThat Man Hath No Good in Himself, and Nothing Whereof to Glory XLIOf the Contempt of All Temporal Honour XLIIThat Our Peace Is Not to Be Placed in Men XLIIIAgainst Vain and Worldly Knowledge XLIVOf Not Troubling Ourselves about Outward Things XLVThat We Must Not Believe Everyone, and That We Are Prone to Fall in Our Words XLVIOf Having Confidence in God When Evil Words Are Cast at Us XLVIIThat All Troubles Are to Be Endured for the Sake of Eternal Life XLVIIIOf the Day of Eternity, and of the Straitnesses of This Life XLIXOf the Desire after Eternal Life, and How Great Blessings Are Promised to Those Who Strive LHow a Desolate Man Ought to Commit Himself into the Hands of God LIThat We Must Give Ourselves to Humble Works When We Are Unequal to Those That Are Lofty LIIThat a Man Ought Not to Reckon Himself Worthy of Consolation, but More Worthy of Chastisement LIIIThat the Grace of God Doth Not Join Itself to Those Who Mind Earthly Things LIVOf the Diverse Motions of Nature and Grace LVOf the Corruption of Nature and the Efficacy of Divine Grace LVIThat We Ought to Deny Ourselves, and to Imitate Christ by Means of the Cross LVIIThat a Man Must Not Be Too Much Cast Down, When He Falleth into Some Faults LVIIIOf Deeper Matters, and God's Hidden Judgments, Which Are Not to Be Inquired Into LIXThat All Hope and Trust Is to Be Fixed in God Alone

Book Four — Of the Sacrament of the Altar

—A Devout Exhortation to the Holy CommunionIWith How Great Reverence Christ Must Be Received IIThat the Great Goodness and Charity of God Is Shown to Man in the Sacrament IIIThat It Is Profitable to Communicate Often IVThat Many Good Gifts Are Bestowed upon Those Who Communicate Devoutly VOf the Dignity of This Sacrament, and of the Office of the Priest VIAn Inquiry Concerning Preparation for Communion VIIOf the Examination of Conscience, and Purpose of Amendment VIIIOf the Oblation of Christ upon the Cross, and of Resignation of Self IXThat We Ought to Offer Ourselves and All That Is Ours to God, and to Pray for All XThat Holy Communion Is Not Lightly to Be Omitted XIThat the Body of Christ and the Holy Scriptures Are Most Necessary to a Faithful Soul XIIThat He Who Is about to Communicate with Christ Ought to Prepare Himself with Great Diligence XIIIThat the Devout Soul Ought with the Whole Heart to Yearn after Union with Christ in the Sacrament XIVOf the Fervent Desire of Certain Devout Persons to Receive the Body of Christ XVThat the Grace of Devotion Is Acquired by Humility and Self-Denial XVIThat We Ought to Lay Open Our Necessities to Christ, and to Ask His Grace XVIIOf Fervent Love and Vehement Desire to Receive Christ XVIIIThat a Man Should Not Be a Curious Searcher of the Sacrament, but a Humble Imitator of Christ, Submitting His Sense to Holy Faith

About the author

Thomas à Kempis (born Thomas Hemerken, c. 1380 – 1471) entered the religious community of the Brothers of the Common Life at Deventer as a boy, and in 1406 became a canon regular at the monastery of Mount St. Agnes near Zwolle, where he spent most of his long life copying manuscripts, writing, and directing novices. The Imitation of Christ grew out of that quiet, disciplined life of prayer and transcription. Read the full translator's preface for more on his life and on the authorship of this work.

About this edition

This web edition reproduces William Benham's public-domain English translation of The Imitation of Christ, digitized from a scanned 1880s gift edition held by the University of California and made available by the Internet Archive. See About this Edition for full source and correction notes.

Latest updates

2026 — Published on UECF.NET: all four Books and 114 chapters, full-text search, dark mode and mobile reading.

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