1. Although in truth the term sacrifice is altogether meaningless, it does have meaning in the world. 2Like all things in the world, its meaning is temporary and will ultimately fade into the nothingness from which it came when there is no more use for it. 3Now its real meaning is a lesson. 4Like all lessons it is an illusion, for in reality there is nothing to learn. 5Yet this illusion must be replaced by a corrective device; another illusion that replaces the first, so both can finally disappear. 6The first illusion, which must be displaced before another thought system can take hold, is that it is a sacrifice to give up the things of this world. 7What could this be but an illusion, since this world itself is nothing more than that?
2. It takes great learning both to realize and to accept the fact that the world has nothing to give. 2What can the sacrifice of nothing mean? 3It cannot mean that you have less because of it. 4There is no sacrifice in the world’s terms that does not involve the body. 5Think a while about what the world calls sacrifice. 6Power, fame, money, physical pleasure; who is the “hero” to whom all these things belong? 7Could they mean anything except to a body? 8Yet a body cannot evaluate. 9By seeking after such things the mind associates itself with the body, obscuring its Identity and losing sight of what it really is.
3. Once this confusion has occurred, it becomes impossible for the mind to understand that all the “pleasures” of the world are nothing. 2But what a sacrifice,—and it is sacrifice indeed! — all this entails. 3Now has the mind condemned itself to seek without finding; to be forever dissatisfied and discontented; to know not what it really wants to find. 4Who can escape this self-condemnation? 5Only through God’s Word could this be possible. 6For self-condemnation is a decision about identity, and no one doubts what he believes he is. 7He can doubt all things, but never this.
4. God’s teachers can have no regret on giving up the pleasures of the world. 2Is it a sacrifice to give up pain? 3Does an adult resent the giving up of children’s toys? 4Does one whose vision has already glimpsed the face of Christ look back with longing on a slaughter house? 5No one who has escaped the world and all its ills looks back on it with condemnation. 6Yet he must rejoice that he is free of all the sacrifice its values would demand of him. 7To them he sacrifices all his peace. 8To them he sacrifices all his freedom. 9And to possess them must he sacrifice his hope of Heaven and remembrance of his Father’s Love. 10Who in his sane mind chooses nothing as a substitute for everything?
5. What is the real meaning of sacrifice? 2It is the cost of believing in illusions. 3It is the price that must be paid for the denial of truth. 4There is no pleasure of the world that does not demand this, for otherwise the pleasure would be seen as pain, and no one asks for pain if he recognizes it. 5It is the idea of sacrifice that makes him blind. 6He does not see what he is asking for. 7And so he seeks it in a thousand ways and in a thousand places, each time believing it is there, and each time disappointed in the end. 8“Seek but do not find” remains this world’s stern decree, and no one who pursues the world’s goals can do otherwise.
6. You may believe this course requires sacrifice of all you really hold dear. 2In one sense this is true, for you hold dear the things that crucify God’s Son, and it is the course’s aim to set him free. 3But do not be mistaken about what sacrifice means. 4It always means the giving up of what you want. 5And what, O teacher of God, is it that you want? 6You have been called by God, and you have answered. 7Would you now sacrifice that Call? 8Few have heard it as yet, and they can but turn to you. 9There is no other hope in all the world that they can trust. 10There is no other voice in all the world that echoes God’s. 11If you would sacrifice the truth, they stay in hell. 12And if they stay, you will remain with them.
7. Do not forget that sacrifice is total. 2There are no half sacrifices. 3You cannot give up Heaven partially. 4You cannot be a little bit in hell. 5The Word of God has no exceptions. 6It is this that makes it holy and beyond the world. 7It is its holiness that points to God. 8It is its holiness that makes you safe. 9It is denied if you attack any brother for anything. 10For it is here the split with God occurs. 11A split that is impossible. 12A split that cannot happen. 13Yet a split in which you surely will believe, because you have set up a situation that is impossible. 14And in this situation the impossible can seem to happen. 15It seems to happen at the “sacrifice” of truth.
8. Teacher of God, do not forget the meaning of sacrifice, and remember what each decision you make must mean in terms of cost. 2Decide for God, and everything is given you at no cost at all. 3Decide against Him, and you choose nothing, at the expense of the awareness of everything. 4What would you teach? 5Remember only what you would learn. 6For it is here that your concern should be. 7Atonement is for you. 8Your learning claims it and your learning gives it. 9The world contains it not. 10But learn this course and it is yours. 11God holds out His Word to you, for He has need of teachers. 12What other way is there to save His Son?