Hermas - Selections



FIRST BOOK: VISIONS





FIRST VISION



CHAPTER I
1.1. He who had brought me up, sold me to one Rhode in Rome. Many years after this I recognised her, and I began to love her as a sister. Some time after, I saw her bathe in the river Tiber; and I gave her my hand, and drew her out of the river. The sight of her beauty made me think with myself, “I should be a happy man if I could but get a wife as beautiful and good as she is.” This was the only thought that passed through me: this and nothing more.	^1.1 Ὁ θρέψας με πέπρακέν με Ρόδῃ τινὶ εἰς Ρώμην· μετὰ πολλὰ ἔτη ταύτην ^1.2 ἀνεγνωρισάμην καὶ ἠρξάμην αὐτὴν ἀγαπᾶν ὡς ἀδελφήν. μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ λουομένην εἰς τὸν ποταμὸν τὸν Τίβεριν εἶδον καὶ ἐπέδωκα αὐτῇ τὴν χεῖρα καὶ ἐξήγαγον αὐτὴν ἐκ τοῦ ποταμοῦ. ταύτης οὖν ἰδὼν τὸ κάλλος διελογιζόμην ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου λέγων· Μακάριος ἤμην εἰ τοιαύτην γυναῖκα εἶχον καὶ τῷ ^1.3 κάλλει καὶ τῷ τρόπῳ. μόνον τοῦτο ἐβουλευσάμην͵ ἕτερον δὲ οὐδέν.
A short time after this, as I was walking on my road to the villages, and magnifying the creatures of God, and thinking how magnificent, and beautiful, and powerful they are, I fell asleep. And the Spirit carried me away, and took me through a pathless place, through which a man could not travel, for it was situated in the midst of rocks; it was rugged and impassible on account of water. Having passed over this river, I came to a plain. I then bent down on my knees, and began to pray to the Lord and to confess my sins.	μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ πορευομένου μου εἰς Κούμας καὶ δοξάζοντος τὰς κτίσεις τοῦ θεοῦ͵ ὡς μεγάλαι καὶ ἐκπρεπεῖς καὶ δυναταί εἰσιν͵ περιπατῶν ἀφύπνωσα. καὶ πνεῦμά με ἔλαβεν καὶ ἀπήνεγκέν με δι΄ ἀνοδίας τινός͵ δι΄ ἧς ἄνθρωπος οὐκ ἐδύνατο ὁδεῦσαι· ἦν δὲ ὁ τόπος κρημνώδης καὶ ἀπερρηγὼς ἀπὸ τῶν ὑδά των. διαβὰς οὖν τὸν ποταμὸν ἐκεῖνον ἦλθον εἰς τὰ ὁμαλά͵ καὶ τιθῶ τὰ γόνατα καὶ ἠρξάμην προσεύχεσθαι τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ ἐξομολογεῖσθαί μου τὰς ἁμαρτίας.
Innermost thoughts must be pure	[Even in times of persecution]
1.4.And as I prayed, the heavens were opened, and I see the woman whom I had desired saluting me from the sky, and saying, “Hail, Hermas!” And looking up to her, I said, “Lady, what doest you here?” And she answered me, “I have been taken up here to accuse you of your sins before the Lord.” “Lady,” said I, “are you to be the subject of my accusation?” “No,” said she; “but hear the words which I am going to speak to you. God, who dwells in the heavens, and made out of nothing the things that exist, and multiplied and increased them on account of His holy Church, is angry with you for having sinned against me.” I answered her, “Lady, have I sinned against you? How? or when spoke I an unseemly word to you? Did I not always think of you as a lady? Did I not always respect you as a sister? Why do you falsely accuse me of this wickedness and impurity?” With a smile she replied to me, “The desire of wickedness arose within your heart. Is it not your opinion that a righteous man commits sin when an evil desire arises in his heart? There is sin in such a case, and the sin is great,” said she;	^1.4 προσευχομένου δέ μου ἠνοίγη ὁ οὐρανός͵ καὶ βλέπω τὴν γυναῖκα ἐκείνην ἣν ἐπεθύμησα ἀσπαζομένην με ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ͵ λέγουσαν· Ἑρμᾶ͵ χαῖρε. ^1.5 βλέψας δὲ εἰς αὐτὴν λέγω αὐτῇ· Κυρία͵ τί σὺ ὧδε ποιεῖς; ἡ δὲ ἀπεκρίθη μοι· ^1.6 Ἀνελήμφθην ἵνα σου τὰς ἁμαρτίας ἐλέγξω πρὸς τὸν κύριον. λέγω αὐτῇ· Νῦν σύ μου ἔλεγχος εἶ; Οὔ͵ φησίν͵ ἀλλὰ ἄκουσον τὰ ῥήματα ἅ σοι μέλλω λέγειν. ὁ θεὸς ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς κατοικῶν καὶ κτίσας ἐκ τοῦ μὴ ὄντος τὰ ὄντα καὶ πληθύνας καὶ αὐξήσας ἕνεκεν τῆς ἁγίας ἐκκλησίας αὐτοῦ ὀργίζεταί ^1.7 σοι ὅτι ἥμαρτες εἰς ἐμέ. ἀποκριθεὶς αὐτῇ λέγω· Εἰς σὲ ἥμαρτον; ποίῳ τρόπῳ; ἢ πότε σοι αἰσχρὸν ῥῆμα ἐλάλησα; οὐ πάντοτέ σε ὡς θεὰν ἡγησά μην; οὐ πάντοτέ σε ἐνετράπην ὡς ἀδελφήν; τί μου καταψεύδῃ͵ ὦ γύναι͵ τα ^1.8 πονηρὰ ταῦτα καὶ ἀκάθαρτα; γελάσασά μοι λέγει· Ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀνέβη ἡ ἐπιθυμία τῆς πονηρίας. ἢ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι ἀνδρὶ δικαίῳ πονηρὸν πρᾶγμα εἶναι ἐὰν ἀναβῇ αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἡ πονηρὰ ἐπιθυμία; ἁμαρτία γέ ἐστιν καὶ μεγάλη͵ φησίν.
“for the thoughts of a righteous man should be righteous. For by thinking righteously his character is established in the heavens, and he has the Lord merciful to him in every business. But those who entertain wicked thoughts in their minds are bringing upon themselves death and captivity; and especially is this the case with those who set their affections on this world, and glory in their riches, and look not forward to the blessings of the life to come. For many will their regrets be; for they have no hope, but have despaired of themselves and their life.	ὁ γὰρ δίκαιος ἀνὴρ δίκαια βουλεύεται. ἐν τῷ οὖν δίκαια βουλεύεσθαι αὐτὸν κατορθοῦται ἡ δόξα αὐτοῦ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς καὶ εὐ κατάλλακτον ἔχει τὸν κύριον ἐν παντὶ πράγματι αὐτοῦ. οἱ δὲ πονηρὰ βου λευόμενοι ἐν ταῖς καρδίαις αὐτῶν θάνατον καὶ αἰχμαλωτισμὸν ἑαυτοῖς ἐπισπῶνται͵ μάλιστα οἱ τὸν αἰῶνα τοῦτον περιποιούμενοι καὶ γαυριῶντες ^1.9 ἐν τῷ πλούτῳ αὐτῶν καὶ μὴ ἀντεχόμενοι τῶν ἀγαθῶν τῶν μελλόντων. μετα νοήσουσιν αἱ ψυχαὶ αὐτῶν͵ οἵτινες οὐκ ἔχουσιν ἐλπίδα͵ ἀλλὰ ἑαυτοὺς ἀπε γνώκασιν καὶ τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν.
But do you pray to God, and He will heal your sins, and the sins of your whole house, and of all the saints.”	ἀλλὰ σὺ προσεύχου πρὸς τὸν θεόν͵ καὶ ἰάσεται τὰ ἁμαρτήματά σου καὶ ὅλου τοῦ οἴκου σου καὶ πάντων τῶν ἁγίων.


How Desires become Thoughts
CHAPTER 2.
2.1. After she had spoken these words, the heavens were shut. I was overwhelmed with sorrow and fear, and said to myself, “If this sin is assigned to me, how can I be saved, or how shall I propitiate God in regard to my sins, which are of the grossest character? With what words shall I ask the Lord to be merciful to me? While I was thinking over these things, and discussing them in my mind, I saw opposite to me a chair, white, made of white wool, of great size. And there came up an old woman, arrayed in a splendid robe, and with a book in her hand; and she sat down alone, and saluted me, “Hail, Hermas!” And in sadness and tears I said to her, “Lady, hail!” And she said to me, “Why are you downcast, Hermas? for you were wont to be patient and temperate, and always smiling. Why are you so gloomy, and not cheerful?	^2.1 Μετὰ τὸ λαλῆσαι αὐτὴν τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἐκλείσθησαν οἱ οὐρανοί· κἀγὼ ὅλος ἤμην πεφρικὼς καὶ λυπούμενος. ἔλεγον δὲ ἐν ἐμαυτῷ· Εἰ αὕτη μοι ἡ ἁμαρτία ἀναγράφεται͵ πῶς δυνήσομαι σωθῆναι; ἢ πῶς ἐξιλάσομαι τὸν θεὸν περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν μου τῶν τελείων; ἢ ποίοις ῥήμασιν ἐρωτήσω τὸν κύριον ^2.2 ἵνα ἱλατεύσηταί μοι; ταῦτά μου συμβουλευομένου καὶ διακρίνοντος ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ μου βλέπω κατέναντί μου καθέδραν λευκὴν ἐξ ἐρίων χιονίνων γεγονυῖαν μεγάλην· καὶ ἦλθεν γυνὴ πρεσβῦτις ἐν ἱματισμῷ λαμπροτάτῳ͵ ἔχουσα βιβλίον εἰς τὰς χεῖρας͵ καὶ ἐκάθισεν μόνη καὶ ἀσπάζεταί με· Ἑρμᾶ͵ χαῖρε. ^2.3 κἀγὼ λυπούμενος καὶ κλαίων εἶπον· Κυρία͵ χαῖρε. καὶ εἶπέν μοι· Τί στυγνός͵ Ἑρμᾶ; ὁ μακρόθυμος͵ ὁ ἀστομάχητος͵ ὁ πάντοτε γελῶν͵ τί οὕτως κατηφὴς τῇ ἰδέᾳ καὶ οὐχ ἱλαρός;
I answered her and said, “O Lady, I have been reproached by a very good woman, who says that I sinned against her.” And she said, “Far be such a deed from a servant of God.	κἀγὼ εἶπον αὐτῇ· Ὑπὸ γυναικὸς ἀγαθωτάτης ^2.4 λεγούσης μοι ὅτι ἥμαρτον εἰς αὐτήν. ἡ δὲ ἔφη· Μηδαμῶς ἐπὶ τὸν δοῦλον τοῦ θεοῦ τὸ πρᾶγμα τοῦτο.
But perhaps [something] arose from your heart concerning her. Such a wish, in the case of the servants of God, produces sin.	ἀλλὰ πάντως ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀνέβη περὶ αὐτῆς. ἔστιν μὲν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ ἡ τοιαύτη βουλὴ ἁμαρτίαν ἐπιφέρουσα·
Necessary Interior Virtues
For it is a wicked and horrible wish in a very holy and already well-tried spirit to desire an evil deed; and especially for Hermas,	πονηρὰ γὰρ βουλὴ καὶ ἔκπληκτος εἰς πάνσεμνον πνεῦμα καὶ ἤδη δεδοκιμασμένον͵ ἐὰν ἐπιθυμήσῃ πονηρὸν ἔργον͵ καὶ μάλιστα Ἑρμᾶς
who is chaste who abstains from all wicked desire, and is full of all simplicity, and of great guilelessness.	ὁ ἐγκρατής͵ ὁ ἀπεχόμενος πάσης ἐπιθυμίας πονηρᾶς καὶ πλήρης πάσης ἁπλότητος καὶ ἀκακίας μεγάλης.



SECOND VISION	^8.1 Ὅρασις β



CHAPTER 4.
[...] 8.1 Now [on another occasion] a revelation was given to me, my brethren, while I slept, by a young man of handsome appearance, who said to me, “Who do you think that old woman is from whom you received the book?” And I said, “The Sibyl.” “You are in a mistake,” says he; “it is not the Sibyl.” “Who is it then?” say I. And he said, “It is the Church.” And I said to him, “Why then is she an old woman? “Because,” said he, “she was created first of all. On this account is she old. And for her sake the world was made.”	^8.1 Ἀπεκαλύφθη δέ μοι͵ ἀδελφοί͵ κοιμωμένῳ ὑπὸ νεανίσκου εὐειδεστάτου λέγοντός μοι· Τὴν πρεσβυτέραν͵ παρ΄ ἧς ἔλαβες τὸ βιβλίδιον͵ τίνα δοκεῖς εἶναι; ἐγώ φημι· Τὴν Σίβυλλαν. Πλανᾶσαι͵ φησίν͵ οὐκ ἔστιν. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν; φημί. Ἡ Ἐκκλησία͵ φησίν. εἶπον αὐτῷ· Διατί οὖν πρεσβυτέρα; Ὅτι͵ φησίν͵ πάντων πρώτη ἐκτίσθη· διὰ τοῦτο πρεσβυτέρα͵ καὶ διὰ ^8.2 ταύτην ὁ κόσμος κατηρτίσθη.



THIRD VISION	^9.1 Ὅρασις γ



CHAPTER 1.
[...] 9.5. But on coming back to myself and calling to mind the glory of God, I took courage, bent my knees, and again confessed my sins to God as I had done before. Whereupon the old woman approached, accompanied by six young men whom I had also seen before; and she stood behind me, and listened to me, as I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord. And touching me she said, “Hermas, cease praying continually for your sins; pray for righteousness, that you may have a portion of it immediately in your house.” On this, she took me up by the hand, and brought me to the seat, and said to the young men, “Go and build.”	^9.5 [...] ἐν ἐμαυτῷ οὖν γενόμενος καὶ μνησθεὶς τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ λαβὼν θάρσος͵ θεὶς τὰ γόνατα ἐξωμολογούμην τῷ κυρίῳ πάλιν τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου ὡς καὶ πρότε ^9.6 ρον. ἡ δὲ ἦλθεν μετὰ νεανίσκων ἕξ͵ οὓς καὶ πρότερον ἑωράκειν͵ καὶ ἐπε στάθη μοι καὶ κατηκροᾶτο προσευχομένου καὶ ἐξομολογουμένου τῷ κυρίῳ τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου. καὶ ἁψαμένη μου λέγει· Ἑρμᾶ͵ παῦσαι περὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν σου πάντα ἐρωτῶν· ἐρώτα καὶ περὶ δικαιοσύνης ἵνα λάβῃς μέρος τι ^9.7 ἐξ αὐτῆς εἰς τὸν οἶκόν σου. καὶ ἐξεγείρει με τῆς χειρὸς καὶ ἄγει με πρὸς ^9.8 τὸ συμψέλιον͵ καὶ λέγει τοῖς νεανίσκοις· Ὑπάγετε καὶ οἰκοδομεῖτε.
When the young men had gone and we were alone, she said to me, “Sit here.” I say to her, “Lady, ‘permit my elders to be seated first.”	καὶ μετὰ τὸ ἀναχωρῆσαι τοὺς νεανίσκους καὶ μόνων ἡμῶν γεγονότων λέγει μοι· Κάθισον ὧδε. λέγω αὐτῇ· Κυρία͵ ἄφες τοὺς πρεσβυτέρους πρῶτον καθίσαι.
The Supererogation of Martyrdom
9.9. “Do what I bid you,” said she; “sit down.” When I would have sat down on her right, she did not permit me, but with her hand beckoned to me to sit down on the left. While I was thinking about this, and feeling vexed that she did not let me sit on the right, she said, “Are you vexed, Hermas? The place to the right is for others who have already pleased God, and have suffered for His name’s sake; and you have yet much to accomplish before you can sit with them. But abide as you now do in your simplicity, and you will sit with them, and with all who do their deeds and bear what they have borne.”	^9.9 Ὅ σοι λέγω͵ φησίν͵ κάθισον. θέλοντος οὖν μου καθίσαι εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη οὐκ εἴασέν με͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐννεύει μοι τῇ χειρὶ ἵνα εἰς τὰ ἀριστερὰ μέρη καθίσω. διαλογιζομένου μου οὖν καὶ λυπουμένου ὅτι οὐκ εἴασέν με εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη καθίσαι͵ λέγει μοι· Λυπῇ͵ Ἑρμᾶ; ὁ εἰς τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τόπος ἄλ λων ἐστίν͵ τῶν ἤδη εὐαρεστηκότων τῷ θεῷ καὶ παθόντων εἵνεκα τοῦ ὀνόμα τος· σοὶ δὲ πολλὰ λείπει ἵνα μετ΄ αὐτῶν καθίσῃς· ἀλλὰ ὡς ἐμμένεις τῇ ἁπλότητί σου͵ μεῖνον͵ καὶ καθιῇ μετ΄ αὐτῶν καὶ ὅσοι ἐὰν ἐργάσωνται τὰ ἐκείνων ἔργα καὶ ὑπενέγκωσιν ἃ καὶ ἐκεῖνοι ὑπήνεγκαν.


CHAPTER 2.
10.1. “What have they borne?” said I. “Listen,” said she: “scourges, prisons, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, for God’s name’s sake. On this account is assigned to them the division of sanctification on the right hand, and to every one who shall suffer for God’s name: to the rest is assigned the division on the left. But both for those who sit on the right, and those who sit on the left, there are the same gifts and promises; only those sit on the right, and have some glory. You then are eager to sit on the right with them, but your shortcomings are many. But you will be cleansed from your shortcomings; and all who are not given to doubts shall be cleansed from all their iniquities up till this day.” Saying this, she wished to go away. But falling down at her feet, I begged her by the Lord that she would show me the vision which she had promised to show me. And then she again took hold of me by the hand, and raised me, and made me sit on the seat to the left; and lifting up a splendid rod, she said to me, “Do you see something great?” And I say, “Lady, I see nothing.” She said to me, “Lo! do you not see opposite to you a great tower, built upon the waters, of splendid square stones?” For the tower was built square by those six young men who had come with her. [...]	^10.1 Τί͵ φημί͵ ὑπήνεγκαν; Ἄκουε͵ φησίν· μάστιγας͵ φυλακάς͵ θλίψεις μεγά λας͵ σταυρούς͵ θηρία εἵνεκεν τοῦ ὀνόματος· διὰ τοῦτο ἐκείνων ἐστὶν τὰ δεξιὰ μέρη τοῦ ἁγιάσματος͵ καὶ ὃς ἐὰν πάθῃ διὰ τὸ ὄνομα· τῶν δὲ λοιπῶν τὰ ἀρι στερὰ μέρη ἐστίν. ἀλλὰ ἀμφοτέρων͵ καὶ τῶν ἐκ δεξιῶν καὶ τῶν ἀριστερῶν καθημένων͵ τὰ αὐτὰ δῶρα καὶ αἱ αὐταὶ ἐπαγγελίαι· μόνον ἐκεῖνοι ἐκ ^10.2 δεξιῶν κάθηνται καὶ ἔχουσιν δόξαν τινά. σὺ δὲ κατεπιθυμεῖς καθίσαι ἐκ δεξιῶν μετ΄ αὐτῶν͵ ἀλλὰ τὰ ὑστερήματά σου πολλά· καθαρισθήσῃ δὲ ἀπὸ τῶν ὑστερημάτων σου· καὶ πάντες δὲ οἱ μὴ διψυχοῦντες καθαρισθή ^10.3 σονται ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ἁμαρτημάτων εἰς ταύτην τὴν ἡμέραν. ταῦτα εἴ πασα ἤθελεν ἀπελθεῖν· πεσὼν δὲ αὐτῆς πρὸς τοὺς πόδας ἠρώτησα αὐτὴν ^10.4 κατὰ τοῦ κυρίου ἵνα μοι ἐπιδείξῃ ὃ ἐπηγγείλατο ὅραμα. ἡ δὲ πάλιν ἐπελά βετό μου τῆς χειρὸς καὶ ἐγείρει με καὶ καθίζει ἐπὶ τὸ συμψέλιον ἐξ εὐωνύ μων· ἐκαθέζετο δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ ἐκ δεξιῶν. καὶ ἐπάρασα ῥάβδον τινὰ λαμπρὰν λέγει μοι· Βλέπεις μέγα πρᾶγμα; λέγω αὐτῇ· Κυρία͵ οὐδὲν βλέπω. λέγει μοι· Σύ͵ ἰδοὺ οὐχ ὁρᾷς κατέναντί σου πύργον μέγαν οἰκοδομούμενον ἐπὶ ^10.5 ὑδάτων λίθοις τετραγώνοις λαμπροῖς; ἐν τετραγώνῳ δὲ ᾠκοδομεῖτο ὁ πύρ γος ὑπὸ τῶν ἓξ νεανίσκων τῶν ἐληλυθότων μετ΄ αὐτῆς·


Seven Virtues
CHAPTER 8.
16.1. When then I ceased asking in regard to all these matters, she said to me, “Do you wish to see anything else?” And as I was extremely eager to see something more, my countenance beamed with joy. She looked towards me with a smile, and said, “Do you see seven women around the tower?” “I do, Lady,” said I. “This tower,” said she, “is supported by them according to the precept of the Lord. Listen now to their functions[:]	^16.1 Ὅτε οὖν ἐπαυσάμην ἐρωτῶν αὐτὴν περὶ πάντων τούτων͵ λέγει μοι· Θέλεις ἄλλο ἰδεῖν; κατεπίθυμος ὢν τοῦ θεάσασθαι περιχαρὴς ἐγενόμην ^16.2 τοῦ ἰδεῖν. ἐμβλέψασά μοι ὑπεμειδίασεν καὶ λέγει μοι· Βλέπεις ἑπτὰ γυναῖκας κύκλῳ τοῦ πύργου; Βλέπω͵ φημί͵ κυρία. Ὁ πύργος οὗτος ὑπὸ ^16.3 τούτων βαστάζεται κατ΄ ἐπιταγὴν τοῦ κυρίου. ἄκουε νῦν τὰς ἐνεργείας αὐτῶν.
[1] The first of them, who is clasping her hands, is called Faith. Through her the elect of God are saved. [2] Another, who has her garments tucked up and acts with vigour, is called Self-restraint. She is the daughter of Faith. Whoever then follows her will become happy in his life, because he will restrain himself from all evil works, believing that, if he restrain himself from all evil desire, he will inherit eternal life.”	ἡ μὲν πρώτη αὐτῶν͵ ἡ κρατοῦσα τὰς χεῖρας͵ Πίστις καλεῖται· διὰ ^16.4 ταύτης σώζονται οἱ ἐκλεκτοὶ τοῦ θεοῦ. δὲ ἑτέρα͵ ἡ περιεζωσμένη καὶ ἀνδριζομένη͵ Ἐγκράτεια καλεῖται· αὕτη θυγάτηρ ἐστὶν τῆς Πίστεως. ὃς ἂν οὖν ἀκολουθήσῃ αὐτῇ͵ μακάριος γίνεται ἐν τῇ ζωῇ αὐτοῦ͵ ὅτι πάντων τῶν πονηρῶν ἔργων ἀφέξεται͵ πιστεύων ὅτι ἐὰν ἀφέξεται πάσης ἐπιθυμίας ^16.5 πονηρᾶς͵ κληρονομήσει ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
“But the others,” said I, “O Lady, who are they?” And she said to me, “They are daughters of each other.	Αἱ δὲ ἕτεραι͵ κυρία͵ τίνες εἰσίν; Θυγατέρες ἀλλήλων εἰσίν·
[3] One of them is called Simplicity, [4] another Guilelessness, [5] another Chastity, [6] another Intelligence, [7] another Love.	καλοῦνται δὲ ἡ μὲν Ἁπλότης͵ ἡ δὲ Ἐπιστήμη͵ ἡ δὲ Ἀκακία͵ ἡ δὲ Σεμνότης͵ ἡ δὲ Ἀγάπη.
When then you do all the works of their mother, you will be able to live.” “I should like to know,” said I, “O Lady, what power each one of them possesses.”	ὅταν οὖν τὰ ἔργα τῆς μητρὸς ^16.6 αὐτῶν πάντα ποιήσῃς͵ δύνασαι ζῆσαι. ῎Ηθελον͵ φημί͵ γνῶναι͵ κυρία͵ τίς ^16.7 τίνα δύναμιν ἔχει αὐτῶν.
“Hear,” she said, “what power they have. Their powers are regulated by each other, and follow each other in the order of their birth.	Ἄκουε͵ φησίν͵ τὰς δυνάμεις ἃς ἔχουσιν. κρατοῦνται δὲ ἀπ΄ ἀλλήλων αἱ δυνάμεις αὐτῶν καὶ ἀκολουθοῦσιν ἀλλήλαις͵ καθὼς καὶ γεγεννημέναι εἰσίν.
For from [1] Faith arises [2] Self-restraint; from Self-restraint, [3] Simplicity; from Simplicity, [4] Guilelessness; from Guilelessness, [5] Chastity; from Chastity, [6] Intelligence; and from Intelligence, [7] Love.	ἐκ τῆς Πίστεως γεννᾶται Ἐγκράτεια͵ ἐκ τῆς Ἐγκρατείας Ἁπλότης͵ ἐκ τῆς Ἁπλότητος Ἀκακία͵ ἐκ τῆς Ἀκακίας Σεμνότης͵ ἐκ τῆς Σεμνότητος Ἐπιστήμη͵ ἐκ τῆς Ἐπιστήμης Ἀγάπη.
The deeds, then, of these are pure, and chaste, and divine. Whoever devotes himself to these, and is able to hold fast by their works, shall have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God.” [...]	τούτων οὖν τὰ ^16.8 ἔργα ἁγνὰ καὶ σεμνὰ καὶ θεῖά ἐστιν. ὃς ἂν οὖν δουλεύσῃ ταύταις καὶ ἰσχύσῃ κρατῆσαι τῶν ἔργων αὐτῶν͵ ἐν τῷ πύργῳ ἕξει τὴν κατοίκησιν μετὰ ^16.9 τῶν ἁγίων τοῦ θεοῦ.



Three Different Forms Allegories of Spiritual	of the Church Progress
CHAPTER 10.
18.2. [...] And as she was going, I asked her to reveal to me the meaning of the three forms in which she appeared to me. In reply she said to me: “With regard to them, you must ask another to reveal their meaning to you.”	^18.2ὑπάγουσαν δὲ αὐτὴν ἠρώτων ἵνα μοι ἀποκαλύψῃ περὶ τῶν τριῶν μορφῶν ἐν αἷς μοι ἐνεφανίσθη. ἀπο κριθεῖσά μοι λέγει· Περὶ τούτων ἕτερον δεῖ σε ἐπερωτῆσαι ἵνα σοι ἀπο καλυφθῇ.
For she had appeared to me, brethren[:]	^18.3ὤφθη δέ μοι͵ ἀδελφοί͵
[1] in the first vision the previous year under the form of an exceedingly old woman, sitting in a chair.	τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ ὁράσει τῇ περυσινῇ λίαν πρεσβυτέρα καὶ ἐν καθέδρᾳ καθημένη.
[2] In the second vision her face was youthful, but her skin and hair betokened age, and she stood while she spoke to me. She was also more joyful than on the first occasion.	^18.4τῇ δὲ ἑτέρᾳ ὁράσει τὴν μὲν ὄψιν νεωτέραν εἶχεν͵ τὴν δὲ σάρκα καὶ τὰς τρίχας πρεσβυτέρας͵ καὶ ἑστηκυῖά μοι ἐλάλει. ἱλαρωτέρα δὲ ἦν ἢ τὸ πρότερον.
[3] But in the third vision she was entirely youthful and exquisitely beautiful, except only that she had the hair of an old woman; but her face beamed with joy, and she sat on a seat	^18.5τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ ὁράσει ὅλη νεωτέρα καὶ κάλλει ἐκπρεπεστάτη͵ μόνας δὲ τὰς τρίχας πρεσβυτέρας εἶχεν· ἱλαρὰ δὲ εἰς τέλος ἦν καὶ ἐπὶ συμψελίου καθημένη.
18.6. Now I was exceeding sad in regard to these appearances, for I longed much to know what the visions meant. Then I see the old woman in a vision of the night saying unto me: “Every prayer should be accompanied with humility: fast, therefore, and you will obtain from the Lord what you beg.” I fasted therefore for one day.	^18.6 περὶ τούτων περίλυπος ἤμην λίαν τοῦ γνῶναί με τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν ταύτην. καὶ βλέπω τὴν πρεσβυτέραν ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτὸς λέγουσάν μοι· Πᾶσα ἐρώτησις ταπεινοφροσύνης χρῄζει· νήστευσον οὖν͵ καὶ λήμψῃ ὃ αἰτεῖς ^18.7 παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου. ἐνήστευσα οὖν μίαν ἡμέραν͵


CHAPTER 11.
19.1. [A young man appeared to me,] “Hear then,” said he, “with regard to the three forms, concerning which you are inquiring. Why in the first vision did she appear to you as an old woman seated on a chair? Because your spirit is now old and withered up, and has lost its power in consequence of your infirmities and doubts. For, like elderly men who have no hope of renewing their strength, and expect nothing but their last sleep, so you, weakened by worldly occupations, have given yourselves up to sloth, and have not cast your cares upon the Lord. Your spirit therefore is broken, and you have grown old in your sorrows.” “I should like then to know, sir, why she sat on a chair?” He answered, “Because every weak person sits on a chair on account of his weakness, that his weakness may be sustained. Lo! you have the form of the first vision.	^19.1,² Ἄκουε͵ φησίν͵ περὶ τῶν μορφῶν ὧν ἐπιζητεῖς. τῇ μὲν πρώτῃ ὁράσει διατί πρεσβυτέρα ὤφθη σοι καὶ ἐπὶ καθέδραν καθημένη; ὅτι τὸ πνεῦμα ὑμῶν πρεσβύτερον καὶ ἤδη μεμαραμμένον καὶ μὴ ἔχον δύναμιν ἀπὸ τῶν μαλακιῶν ^19.3 ὑμῶν καὶ διψυχιῶν. ὥσπερ γὰρ οἱ πρεσβύτεροι͵ μηκέτι ἔχοντες ἐλπίδα τοῦ ἀνανεῶσαι͵ οὐδὲν ἄλλο προσδοκῶσιν εἰ μὴ τὴν κοίμησιν αὐτῶν͵ οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς μαλακισθέντες ἀπὸ τῶν βιωτικῶν πραγμάτων παρεδώκατε ἑαυ τοὺς εἰς τὰς ἀκηδίας καὶ οὐκ ἐπερίψατε ἑαυτῶν τὰς μερίμνας ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον· ^19.4 ἀλλὰ ἐθραύσθη ὑμῶν ἡ διάνοια͵ καὶ ἐπαλαιώθητε ταῖς λύπαις ὑμῶν. Διατί οὖν ἐν καθέδρᾳ ἐκάθητο͵ ἤθελον γνῶναι͵ κύριε. Ὅτι πᾶς ἀσθενὴς εἰς καθέ δραν καθέζεται διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν αὐτοῦ͵ ἵνα συνκρατηθῇ ἡ ἀσθένεια τοῦ σώματος αὐτοῦ. ἔχεις τὸν τύπον τῆς πρώτης ὁράσεως.


CHAPTER 12.
20.1. “Now in the second vision you saw her standing with a youthful countenance, and more joyful than before; still she had the skin and hair of an aged woman. Hear,” said he, “this parable also. When one becomes somewhat old, he despairs of himself on account of his weakness and poverty, and looks forward to nothing but the last day of his life. Then suddenly an inheritance is left him: and hearing of this, he rises up, and becoming exceeding joyful, he puts on strength. And now he no longer reclines, but stands up; and his spirit, already destroyed by his previous actions, is renewed, and he no longer sits, but acts with vigour. So happened it with you on hearing the revelation which God gave you. For the Lord had compassion on you, and renewed your spirit, and you laid aside your infirmities. Vigor arose within you, and you grew strong in faith; and the Lord, seeing your strength, rejoiced. On this account He showed you the building of the tower; and He will show you other things, if you continue at peace with each other with all your heart.	^20.1 Τῇ δὲ δευτέρᾳ ὁράσει εἶδες αὐτὴν ἑστηκυῖαν καὶ τὴν ὄψιν νεωτέραν ἔχου σαν καὶ ἱλαρωτέραν παρὰ τὸ πρότερον͵ τὴν δὲ σάρκα καὶ τὰς τρίχας πρεσ ^20.2 βυτέρας. ἄκουε͵ φησίν͵ καὶ ταύτην τὴν παραβολήν. ὅταν πρεσβύτερός τις͵ ἤδη ἀφηλπικὼς ἑαυτὸν διὰ τὴν ἀσθένειαν αὐτοῦ καὶ τὴν πτωχότητα͵ οὐδὲν ἕτερον προσδέχεται εἰ μὴ τὴν ἐσχάτην ἡμέραν τῆς ζωῆς αὐτοῦ· εἶτα ἐξαίφ νης κατελείφθη αὐτῷ κληρονομία͵ ἀκούσας δὲ ἐξηγέρθη καὶ περιχαρὴς γενόμενος ἐνεδύσατο τὴν ἰσχύν͵ καὶ οὐκέτι ἀνάκειται͵ ἀλλὰ ἕστηκεν͵ καὶ ἀνανεοῦται αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἤδη ἐφθαρμένον ἀπὸ τῶν προτέρων αὐτοῦ πράξεων͵ καὶ οὐκέτι κάθηται͵ ἀλλὰ ἀνδρίζεται· οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς͵ ἀκού ^20.3 σαντες τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν͵ ἣν ὑμῖν ὁ κύριος ἀπεκάλυψεν͵ ὅτι ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐφ΄ ὑμᾶς καὶ ἀνενεώσατο τὰ πνεύματα ὑμῶν͵ καὶ ἀπέθεσθε τὰς μαλακίας ὑμῶν͵ καὶ προσῆλθεν ὑμῖν ἰσχυρότης καὶ ἐνεδυναμώθητε ἐν τῇ πίστει͵ καὶ ἰδὼν ὁ κύριος τὴν ἰσχυροποίησιν ὑμῶν ἐχάρη· καὶ διὰ τοῦτο ἐδήλωσεν ὑμῖν τὴν οἰκοδομὴν τοῦ πύργου͵ καὶ ἕτερα δηλώσει͵ ἐὰν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας εἰ ρηνεύετε ἐν ἑαυτοῖς.


CHAPTER 13.
21.1. “Now, in the third vision, you saw her still younger, and she was noble and joyful, and her shape was beautiful. For, just as when some good news comes suddenly to one who is sad, immediately he forgets his former sorrows, and looks for nothing else than the good news which he has heard, and for the future is made strong for good, and his spirit is renewed on account of the joy which he has received; so you also have received the renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things. As to your seeing her sitting on a seat, that means that her position is one of strength, for a seat has four feet and stands firmly. For the world also is kept together by means of four elements. Those, therefore, who repent completely and with the whole heart, will become young and firmly established. You now have the revelation completely given you? Make no further demands for revelations. If anything ought to be revealed, it will be revealed to you.”	^21.1 Τῇ δὲ τρίτῃ ὁράσει εἶδες αὐτὴν νεωτέραν καὶ καλὴν καὶ ἱλαρὰν καὶ κα ^21.2 λὴν τὴν μορφὴν αὐτῆς· ὡς ἐὰν γάρ τινι λυπουμένῳ ἔλθῃ ἀγγελία ἀγαθή τις͵ εὐθὺς ἐπελάθετο τῶν προτέρων λυπῶν καὶ οὐδὲν ἄλλο προσδέχεται εἰ μὴ τὴν ἀγγελίαν ἣν ἤκουσεν͵ καὶ ἰσχυροποιεῖται λοιπὸν εἰς τὸ ἀγαθόν͵ καὶ ἀνανεοῦται αὐτοῦ τὸ πνεῦμα διὰ τὴν χαρὰν ἣν ἔλαβεν· οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ἀνανέω ^21.3 σιν εἰλήφατε τῶν πνευμάτων ὑμῶν ἰδόντες ταῦτα τὰ ἀγαθά. καὶ ὅτι ἐπὶ συμψελίου εἶδες καθημένην͵ ἰσχυρὰ ἡ θέσις· ὅτι τέσσαρας πόδας ἔχει τὸ συμψέλιον καὶ ἰσχυρῶς ἕστηκεν· καὶ γὰρ ὁ κόσμος διὰ τεσσάρων στοι ^21.4 χείων κρατεῖται. οἱ οὖν μετανοήσαντες ὁλοτελῶς νέοι ἔσονται καὶ τε θεμελιωμένοι͵ οἱ ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας μετανοήσαντες. ἀπέχεις ὁλοτελῆ τὴν ἀποκάλυψιν· μηκέτι μηδὲν αἰτήσεις περὶ ἀποκαλύψεως· ἐάν τι δὲ δέῃ͵ ἀπο καλυφθήσεταί σοι.



SECOND BOOK: COMMAND	MENTS




A Single Reconciliation [only!]	for Serious Sin

04_commandment
FOURTH COMMANDMENT	29 Ἐντολὴ δ



CHAPTER 1.
29.1. “I charge you,” said he, “to guard your chastity, and let no thought enter your heart of another man’s wife, or of fornication, or of similar iniquities; for by doing this you commit a great sin. But if you always remember your own wife, you will never sin. For if this thought enter your heart, then you will sin; and if, in like manner, you think other wicked thoughts, you commit sin.	Ἐντέλλομαί σοι͵ φησίν͵ φυλάσσειν τὴν ἁγνείαν͵ καὶ μὴ ἀναβαινέτω σου ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν περὶ γυναικὸς ἀλλοτρίας ἢ περὶ πορνείας τινος ἢ περὶ τοιούτων τινῶν ὁμοιωμάτων πονηρῶν. τοῦτο γὰρ ποιῶν μεγάλην ἁμαρ τίαν ἐργάζῃ. τῆς δὲ σῆς μνημονεύων πάντοτε γυναικὸς οὐδέποτε δι αμαρτήσεις. ^29.2 ἐὰν γὰρ αὕτη ἡ ἐνθύμησις ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ͵ δι αμαρτήσεις͵ καὶ ἐὰν ἕτερα οὕτως πονηρά͵ ἁμαρτίαν ἐργάζῃ.
For this thought is great sin in a servant of God. But if any one commit this wicked deed, he works death for himself.	ἡ γὰρ ἐνθύμησις αὕτη θεοῦ δούλῳ ἁμαρτία μεγάλη ἐστίν· ἐὰν δέ τις ἐργάσηται τὸ ἔργον τὸ πονηρὸν τοῦτο͵ θάνατον ἑαυτῷ κατεργάζεται.
29.3. Attend, therefore, and refrain from this thought; for where purity dwells, there iniquity ought not to enter the heart of a righteous man.” I said to him, “Sir, permit me to ask you a few questions.” “Say on,” said he. And I said to him, “Sir, if any one has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he detect her in adultery, does the man sin if he continue to live with her?” And he said to me, “As long as he remains ignorant of her sin, the husband commits no transgression in living with her. But if the husband know that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman does not repent, but persists in her fornication, and yet the husband continues to live with her, he also is guilty of her crime, and a sharer in her adultery.”	^29.3βλέπε οὖν σύ· ἀπέχου ἀπὸ τῆς ἐνθυμήσεως ταύτης· ὅπου γὰρ σεμνότης κατοικεῖ͵ ἐκεῖ ἀνομία ^29.4 οὐκ ὀφείλει ἀναβαίνειν ἐπὶ καρδίαν ἀνδρὸς δικαίου. λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ ἐπίτρεψόν μοι ὀλίγα ἐπερωτῆσαί σε. Λέγε͵ φησίν. Κύριε͵ φημί͵ εἰ γυναῖκα ἔχῃ τις πιστὴν ἐν κυρίῳ καὶ ταύτην εὕρῃ ἐν μοιχείᾳ τινί͵ ἆρα ἁμαρτάνει ^29.5 ὁ ἀνὴρ συνζῶν μετ΄ αὐτῆς; Ἄχρι τῆς ἀγνοίας͵ φησίν͵ οὐχ ἁμαρτάνει· ἐὰν δὲ γνοῖ ὁ ἀνὴρ τὴν ἁμαρτίαν αὐτῆς͵ καὶ μὴ μετανοήσῃ ἡ γυνή͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐπι μένῃ τῇ πορνείᾳ αὐτῆς͵ καὶ συνζῇ ὁ ἀνὴρ μετ΄ αὐτῆς͵ ἔνοχος γίνεται τῆς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῆς καὶ κοινωνὸς τῆς μοιχείας αὐτῆς.
29.6. And I said to him, “What then, sir, is the husband to do, if his wife continue in her vicious practices?” And he said, “The husband should put her away, and remain by himself. But if he put his wife away and marry another, he also commits adultery.” And I said to him, “What if the woman put away should repent, and wish to return to her husband: shall she not be taken back by her husband?”	^29.6 Τί οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ποιήσῃ ὁ ἀνήρ͵ ἐὰν ἐπιμείνῃ τῷ πάθει τούτῳ ἡ γυνή; Ἀπολυσάτω͵ φησίν͵ αὐτήν͵ καὶ ὁ ἀνὴρ ἐφ΄ ἑαυτῷ μενέτω· ἐὰν δὲ ἀπολύσας τὴν γυναῖκα ἑτέραν ^29.7 γαμήσῃ͵ καὶ αὐτὸς μοιχᾶται. Ἐὰν οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ μετὰ τὸ ἀπολυθῆναι τὴν γυναῖκα μετανοήσῃ ἡ γυνὴ καὶ θελήσῃ ἐπὶ τὸν ἑαυτῆς ἄνδρα ὑπο στρέψαι͵ οὐ παραδεχθήσεται;
29.8. And he said to me, “Assuredly. If the husband do not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself; for he ought to take back the sinner who has repented. But not frequently. For there is but one repentance to the servants of God.	^29.8 Καὶ μήν͵ φησίν͵ ἐὰν μὴ παραδέξηται αὐτὴν ὁ ἀνήρ͵ ἁμαρτάνει καὶ μεγάλην ἁμαρτίαν ἑαυτῷ ἐπισπᾶται͵ ἀλλὰ δεῖ παραδεχθῆναι τὸν ἡμαρτηκότα καὶ μετανοοῦντα· μὴ ἐπὶ πολὺ δέ· τοῖς γὰρ δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ μετάνοιά ἐστιν μία.
Thus in order that the divorced wife may repent, the husband ought not to marry another when his wife has been put away. In this matter man and woman are to be treated exactly in the same way.	διὰ τὴν μετάνοιαν οὖν οὐκ ὀφείλει γαμεῖν ὁ ἀνήρ. αὕτη ἡ πρᾶξις ἐπὶ γυναικὶ καὶ ἀνδρὶ κεῖται.
29.9. Moreover, adultery is committed not only by those who pollute their flesh, but by those who imitate the heathen in their actions.” [...]	^29.9οὐ μόνον͵ φησίν͵ μοιχεία ἐστίν͵ ἐάν τις τὴν σάρκα αὐτοῦ μιάνῃ͵ ἀλλὰ καὶ ὃς ἂν τὰ ὁμοιώματα ποιῇ τοῖς ἔθνεσιν͵ μοιχᾶται.


CHAPTER 2.
30.2. [...] And he answered and said unto me, “I am set over repentance, and I give understanding to all who repent. Do you not think,” he said, “that it is great wisdom to repent? for repentance is great wisdom. For he who has sinned understands that he acted wickedly in the sight of the Lord, and remembers the actions he has done, and he repents, and no longer acts wickedly, but does good munificently, and humbles and torments his soul because he has sinned. You see, therefore, that repentance is great wisdom.” [...]	[...] ^30.2 ἀποκριθείς μοι λέγει· Ἐγώ͵ φησίν͵ ἐπὶ τῆς μετανοίας εἰμὶ καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς μετανοοῦσιν σύνεσιν δίδωμι. ἢ οὐ δοκεῖ σοι͵ φησίν͵ αὐτὸ τοῦτο τὸ μετανοῆσαι σύνεσιν εἶναι; τὸ μετανοῆσαι͵ φησίν͵ σύνεσίς ἐστιν μεγάλη. συνίει γὰρ ὁ ἁμαρτήσας ὅτι πεποίηκεν τὸ πονηρὸν ἔμπροσθεν τοῦ κυρίου καὶ ἀναβαίνει ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ ἡ πρᾶξις ἣν ἔπραξεν͵ καὶ μετανοεῖ καὶ οὐκέτι ἐργάζεται τὸ πονηρόν͵ ἀλλὰ τὸ ἀγαθὸν πολυτελῶς ἐργάζεται͵ καὶ ταπεινοῖ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ βασανίζει͵ ὅτι ἥμαρτεν. βλέπεις οὖν ὅτι ἡ μετάνοια σύνεσίς ἐστιν μεγάλη͵ [...]


CHAPTER 3.
31.1. And I said to him, “I should like to continue my questions.” “Speak on,” said he. And I said, “I heard, sir, some teachers maintain that there is no other repentance than that which takes place, when we descended into the water and received remission of our former sins.” He said to me, “That was sound doctrine which you heard; for that is really the case. For he who has received remission of his sins ought not to sin any more, but to live in purity.	^31.1 Ἔτι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ προσθήσω τοῦ ἐπερωτῆσαι. Λέγε͵ φησίν. ῎Ηκουσα͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ παρά τινων διδασκάλων͵ ὅτι ἑτέρα μετάνοια οὐκ ἔστιν εἰ μὴ ἐκείνη͵ ὅτε εἰς ὕδωρ κατέβημεν καὶ ἐλάβομεν ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν ἡμῶν τῶν ^31.2 προτέρων. λέγει μοι· Καλῶς ἤκουσας· οὕτω γὰρ ἔχει. ἔδει γὰρ τὸν εἰλη φότα ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν μηκέτι ἁμαρτάνειν͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐν ἁγνείᾳ κατοικεῖν.
31.3. Since, however, you inquire diligently into all things, I will point this also out to you, not as giving occasion for error to those who are to believe, or have lately believed, in the Lord. For those who have now believed, and those who are to believe, have not repentance for their sins; but they have remission of their previous sins. For to those who have been called before these days, the Lord has set repentance. For the Lord, knowing the heart, and foreknowing all things, knew the weakness of men and the manifold wiles of the devil, that he would inflict some evil on the servants of God, and would act wickedly towards them.	^31.3ἐπεὶ δὲ πάντα ἐξακριβάζῃ͵ καὶ τοῦτό σοι δηλώσω͵ μὴ διδοὺς ἀφορμὴν τοῖς μέλλουσι πιστεύειν ἢ τοῖς νῦν πιστεύσασιν εἰς τὸν κύριον. οἱ γὰρ νῦν πιστεύ σαντες ἢ μέλλοντες πιστεύειν μετάνοιαν ἁμαρτιῶν οὐκ ἔχουσιν͵ ἄφεσιν δὲ ^31.4 ἔχουσι τῶν προτέρων ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. τοῖς οὖν κληθεῖσι πρὸ τούτων τῶν ἡμερῶν ἔθηκεν ὁ κύριος μετάνοιαν. καρδιογνώστης γὰρ ὢν ὁ κύριος καὶ πάντα προγινώσκων ἔγνω τὴν ἀσθένειαν τῶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ τὴν πολυπλοκίαν τοῦ διαβόλου͵ ὅτι ποιήσει τι κακὸν τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ πονηρεύσεται εἰς αὐτούς.
31.5. The Lord, therefore, being greatly compassionate, has had compassion on the work of His hand, and has set repentance *[metanoia]* for them; and He has entrusted to me power over this repentance.	^31.5 πολύσπλαγχνος οὖν [ὢν] ὁ κύριος ἐσπλαγχνίσθη ἐπὶ τὴν ποίησιν αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔθηκεν τὴν μετάνοιαν ταύτην͵ καὶ ἐμοὶ ἡ ἐξουσία τῆς μετανοίας ^31.6 ταύτης ἐδόθη.
31.6 And therefore I say to you, that if any one is tempted by the devil, and sins after that great and holy calling. in which the Lord has called His people to everlasting life, he has opportunity to repent but once.	ἀλλὰ ἐγώ σοι λέγω͵ φησί· μετὰ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐκείνην τὴν μεγάλην καὶ σεμνὴν ἐάν τις ἐκπειρασθεὶς ὑπὸ τοῦ διαβόλου ἁμαρτήσῃ͵ μίαν μετάνοιαν ἔχει·
But if he should sin frequently after this, and then repent, to such a man his repentance will be of no avail; for with difficulty will he live.” And I said, “Sir, I feel that life has come back to me in listening attentively to these commandments; for I know that I shall be saved, if in future I sin no more.” And he said, “You will be saved, you and all who keep these commandments.”	ἐὰν δὲ ὑπὸ χεῖρα ἁμαρτάνῃ καὶ μετανοήσῃ͵ ἀσύμφορόν ἐστι ^31.7 τῷ ἀνθρώπῳ τῷ τοιούτῳ· δυσκόλως γὰρ ζήσεται. λέγω αὐτῷ· Ἐζωο ποιήθην ταῦτα παρὰ σοῦ ἀκούσας οὕτως ἀκριβῶς· οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι͵ ἐὰν μηκέτι προσθήσω ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις μου͵ σωθήσομαι. Σωθήσῃ͵ φησίν͵ καὶ πάντες ὅσοι ἐὰν ταῦτα ποιήσωσιν.


06_commandment
SIXTH COMMANDMENT	35 Ἐντολὴ ς



The Two Paths
CHAPTER 1.
35.1. “I gave you,” he said, “directions in the first commandment to attend to faith, and fear, and self-restraint.” “Even so, sir,” said I. And he said, “Now I wish to show you the powers of these, that you may know what power each possesses. For their powers are double, and have relation alike to the righteous and the unrighteous. Trust, therefore, the righteous, but put no trust in the unrighteous. For the path of righteousness is straight, but that of unrighteousness is crooked. But walk in the straight and even way, and mind not the crooked.	Ἐνετειλάμην σοι͵ φησίν͵ ἐν τῇ πρώτῃ ἐντολῇ ἵνα φυλάξῃς τὴν πίστιν καὶ τὸν φόβον καὶ τὴν ἐγκράτειαν. Ναί͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Ἀλλὰ νῦν θέλω σοι͵ φησίν͵ δηλῶσαι καὶ τὰς δυνάμεις αὐτῶν͵ ἵνα νοήσῃς τίς αὐτῶν τίνα δύναμιν ἔχει καὶ ἐνέργειαν. διπλαῖ γάρ εἰσιν αἱ ἐνέργειαι αὐτῶν· κεῖνται οὖν ἐπὶ δικαίῳ καὶ ^35.2 ἀδίκῳ· σὺ οὖν πίστευε τῷ δικαίῳ͵ τῷ δὲ ἀδίκῳ μὴ πιστεύσῃς· τὸ γὰρ δίκαιον ὀρθὴν ὁδὸν ἔχει͵ τὸ δὲ ἄδικον στρεβλήν. ἀλλὰ σὺ τῇ ὀρθῇ ὁδῷ πορεύου καὶ ὁμαλῇ͵ τὴν δὲ στρεβλὴν ἔασον.
35.3.For the crooked path has no roads, but has many pathless places and stumbling-blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It is injurious to those who walk therein. But they who walk in the straight road walk evenly without stumbling, because it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is better to walk in this road.” “I wish to go by this road,” said I. “You will go by it,” said he; “and whoever turns to the Lord with all his heart will walk in it.”	^35.3ἡ γὰρ στρεβλὴ ὁδὸς τρίβους οὐκ ἔχει͵ ἀλλ΄ ἀνοδίας καὶ προσκόμματα πολλά͵ καὶ τραχεῖά ἐστι καὶ ἀκανθώδης. ^35.4 βλαβερὰ οὖν ἐστι τοῖς ἐν αὐτῇ πορευομένοις. οἱ δὲ τῇ ὀρθῇ ὁδῷ πορευό μενοι ὁμαλῶς περιπατοῦσι καὶ ἀπροσκόπως· οὔτε γὰρ τραχεῖά ἐστιν οὔτε ^35.5 ἀκανθώδης. βλέπεις οὖν ὅτι συμφορώτερόν ἐστι ταύτῃ τῇ ὁδῷ πορεύε σθαι. Ἀρέσκει μοι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ ταύτῃ τῇ ὁδῷ πορεύεσθαι. Πορεύσῃ͵ φησί͵ καὶ ὃς ἂν ἐξ ὅλης καρδίας ἐπιστρέψῃ πρὸς κύριον͵ πορεύσεται ἐν αὐτῇ.


Two Angels in Each Heart
CHAPTER 2.
36.1. “Hear now,” said he, “in regard to faith. There are two angels with[in each] person--one of righteousness, and the other of evil.” And I said to him, “How, sir, am I to know the powers of these, for both angels dwell with me?” “Hear,” said he, and “understand them. The angel of righteousness is gentle and modest, meek and peaceful. When, therefore, he ascends into your heart, forthwith he talks to you of righteousness, purity, chastity, contentment, and of every righteous deed and glorious virtue. When all these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works.	^36.1 Ἄκουε νῦν͵ φησί͵ περὶ τῆς πίστεως. δύο εἰσὶν ἄγγελοι μετὰ τοῦ ἀνθρώπου͵ εἷς τῆς δικαιοσύνης καὶ εἷς τῆς πονηρίας. ^36.2 Πῶς οὖν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ γνώσομαι τὰς αὐτῶν ἐνεργείας͵ ὅτι ἀμφότεροι ἄγγελοι μετ΄ ἐμοῦ κατοικοῦσιν; ^36.3 Ἄκουε͵ φησί͵ καὶ συνιεῖς αὐτάς. ὁ μὲν τῆς δικαιοσύνης ἄγγελος τρυφερός ἐστι καὶ αἰσχυντηρὸς καὶ πραῢς καὶ ἡσύχιος. ὅταν οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ͵ εὐθέως λαλεῖ μετὰ σοῦ περὶ δικαιοσύνης͵ περὶ ἁγνείας͵ περὶ σεμνότητος καὶ περὶ αὐταρκείας καὶ περὶ παντὸς ἔργου δικαίου καὶ περὶ πάσης ἀρετῆς ἐνδόξου. ταῦτα πάντα ὅταν εἰς τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ͵ γίνωσκε ὅτι ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς δικαιοσύνης μετὰ σοῦ ἐστι. ταῦτα οὖν ἐστι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης. τούτῳ οὖν πίστευε καὶ τοῖς ἔργοις αὐτοῦ.
6.5.Look now at the works of the angel of evil. First, he is wrathful, and bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil, and ruin the servants of God. When, then, he ascends into your heart, know him by his works.”	^36.4ὅρα νῦν καὶ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας τὰ ἔργα. πρῶτον πάντων ὀξύχολός ἐστι͵ καὶ πικρὸς καὶ ἄφρων͵ καὶ τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά͵ κατα στρέφοντα τοὺς δούλους τοῦ θεοῦ· ὅταν οὖν οὗτος ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ͵ γνῶθι αὐτὸν ἀπὸ τῶν ἔργων αὐτοῦ.
Discerning the Two Angels
36.5. And I said to him, “How, sir, I shall perceive him, I do not know.” “Hear and understand” said he. “When anger comes upon you, or harshness, know that he is in you; and you will know this to be the case also, when you are attacked by a longing after many transactions, and the richest delicacies, and drunken revels, and divers luxuries, and things improper, and by a yearning for women, and by overreaching, and pride, and blustering, and by whatever is like to these. When these ascend into your heart, know that the angel of iniquity is in you. Now that you know his works, depart from him, and in no respect trust him, because his deeds are evil, and unprofitable to the servants of God.	^36.5 Πῶς͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ νοήσω αὐτόν͵ οὐκ ἐπίσταμαι. Ἄκουε͵ φησίν. ὅταν ὀξυχολία σοί τις προσπέσῃ ἢ πικρία͵ γίνωσκε ὅτι αὐτός ἐστιν ἐν σοί· εἶτα ἐπιθυμία πράξεων πολλῶν καὶ πολυ τέλειαι ἐδεσμάτων πολλῶν καὶ μεθυσμάτων καὶ κραιπαλῶν πολλῶν καὶ ποικίλων τρυφῶν καὶ οὐ δεόντων͵ καὶ ἐπιθυμίαι γυναικῶν καὶ πλεονεξία καὶ ὑπερηφανία πολλή τις καὶ ἀλαζονεία͵ καὶ ὅσα τούτοις παραπλήσιά ἐστι καὶ ὅμοια. ταῦτα οὖν ὅταν ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν σου ἀναβῇ͵ γίνωσκε ὅτι ὁ ἄγγελος ^36.6 τῆς πονηρίας ἐστὶν ἐν σοί. σὺ οὖν ἐπιγνοὺς τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ ἀπόστα ἀπ΄ αὐτοῦ καὶ μηδὲν αὐτῷ πίστευε͵ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα αὐτοῦ πονηρά εἰσι καὶ ἀσύμφορα τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ.
These, then, are the actions of both angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness; but depart from the angel of iniquity, because his instruction is bad in every deed. For though a man be most faithful, and the thought of this angel ascend into his heart, that man or woman must sin. On the other hand, be a man or woman ever so bad, yet, if the works of the angel of righteousness ascend into his or her heart, he or she must do something good. You see, therefore, that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, but to bid farewell to the angel of iniquity.	ἔχεις οὖν ἀμφοτέρων τῶν ἀγγέλων τὰς ἐνεργείας· ^36.7 σύνιε αὐτὰς καὶ πίστευε τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης· ἀπὸ δὲ τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας ἀπόστηθι͵ ὅτι ἡ διδαχὴ αὐτοῦ πονηρά ἐστι παντὶ ἔργῳ· ἐὰν γὰρ ᾖ τις πιστότατος ἀνήρ͵ καὶ ἡ ἐνθύμησις τοῦ ἀγγέλου τούτου ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ͵ δεῖ τὸν ἄνδρα ἐκεῖνον ἢ τὴν γυναῖκα ἐξαμαρτῆσαί τι. ^36.8 ἐὰν δὲ πάλιν πονηρότατός τις ᾖ ἀνὴρ ἢ γυνή͵ καὶ ἀναβῇ ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν αὐτοῦ τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης͵ ἐξ ἀνάγκης δεῖ αὐτὸν ἀγαθόν ^36.9 τι ποιῆσαι. βλέπεις οὖν͵ φησίν͵ ὅτι καλόν ἐστι τῷ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς δικαιοσύνης
“This commandment exhibits the deeds of faith, that you may trust the works of the angel of righteousness, and doing them you may live to God. But believe the works of the angel of iniquity are hard. If you refuse to do them, you will live to God.”	^36.10 ἀκολουθεῖν͵ τῷ δὲ ἀγγέλῳ τῆς πονηρίας ἀποτάξασθαι. τὰ μὲν περὶ τῆς πίστεως αὕτη ἡ ἐντολὴ δηλοῖ͵ ἵνα τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς δικαιοσύνης πιστεύσῃς͵ καὶ ἐργασάμενος αὐτὰ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ. πίστευε δὲ ὅτι τὰ ἔργα τοῦ ἀγγέλου τῆς πονηρίας χαλεπά ἐστι· μὴ ἐργαζόμενος οὖν αὐτὰ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ.


THIRD BOOK: PARABLES




5_Parable
FIFTH PARABLE	⁵⁴t.¹ ¹Ἄλλη παραβολὴ ε¹



Useless Fasting
CHAPTER I.
54.1. While fasting and sitting on a certain mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all His dealings with me, I saw the Shepherd sitting down beside me, and saying, “Why have you come here early in the morning?” “Because, sir,” I answered, “I have a station.” “What is a station?” he asked. “I am fasting, sir,” I replied. “What is this fasting,” he continued, “which you are observing?” “As I have been accustomed, sir,” I reply, “so I fast.”	Νηστεύοντός μου καὶ καθημένου εἰς ὄρος τι εὐχαριστῶν τῷ κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν μετ΄ ἐμοῦ͵ βλέπω τὸν ποιμένα παρακαθήμενόν μοι καὶ λέγοντά [μοι τοι]αῦτα· Τί ὀρθρινὸς ὧδε ἐλήλυθας; Ὅτι͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ στα ^54.2 τίωνα ἔχω. Τί͵ φησίν͵ ἐστὶν στατίων; Νηστεύω͵ φημί͵ κύριε. Νηστεία δέ͵ φησίν͵ τί ἐστιν αὕτη͵ ἣν νηστεύετε; Ὡς εἰώθειν͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ οὕτω νη στεύω.
54.3. “You do not know,” he says, “how to fast unto the Lord: this useless fasting which you observe to Him is of no value.” “Why, sir,” I answered, “do you say this?” “I say to you,” he continued, “that the fasting which you think you observe is not a fasting. But I will teach you what is a full and acceptable fasting to the Lord. Listen,” he continued: “God does not desire such an empty fasting. For fasting to God in this way you will do nothing for a righteous life; but offer to God a fasting of the following kind:	^54.3 Οὐκ οἴδατε͵ φησίν͵ νηστεύειν τῷ θεῷ͵ οὐδέ ἐστιν νηστεία αὕτη ἡ ἀνωφελής͵ ἣν νηστεύετε αὐτῷ. Διατί͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ τοῦτο λέγεις; Λέγω͵ φησίν͵ ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη νηστεία ἣν δοκεῖτε νηστεύειν· ἀλλ΄ ἐγώ σε διδάξω τί ἐστιν νηστεία δεκτὴ καὶ πλήρης τῷ κυρίῳ. Ναί͵ φημί͵ κύριε͵ μακάριόν ^54.4 με ποιήσεις ἐὰν γνῶ τὴν νηστείαν τὴν δεκτὴν τῷ θεῷ. Ἄκουε͵ φησίν. ὁ θεὸς οὐ βούλεται τοιαύτην νηστείαν ματαίαν· οὕτω γὰρ νηστεύων τῷ θεῷ οὐδὲν ἐργάζῃ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ. νήστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ νηστείαν τοιαύτην·
54.5. [1] Do no evil in your life, [2] rather, serve the Lord with a pure heart: [3] keep His commandments, walking in His precepts, [4] and let no evil desire arise in your heart; [5] and believe in God.	^54.5 μηδὲν πονηρεύσῃ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου͵ ἀλλὰ δούλευσον τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ͵ τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ πορευόμενος ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ μηδεμία ἐπιθυμία πονηρὰ ἀναβήτω ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· πίστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι͵
If you do these things, and fear Him, and abstain from every evil thing, you will live unto God; and if you do these things, you will keep a great fast, and one acceptable before God.	ἐὰν ταῦτα ἐργάσῃ καὶ φοβηθῇς αὐτὸν καὶ ἐγκρατεύσῃ ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος͵ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ· ταῦτα δὲ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ͵ μεγάλην νηστείαν τελεῖς καὶ δεκτὴν τῷ κυρίῳ.


Parable of the Vineyard	[on Fasting]
CHAPTER II.
55.1. “Hear the Parable which I am about to narrate to you relative to fasting. A certain man had a field and many slaves, and he planted a certain part of the field with a vineyard, and selecting a faithful and beloved and much valued slave, he called him to him, and said, ‘Take this vineyard which I have planted, and stake it until I come, and do nothing else to the vineyard; and attend to this order of mine, and you shall receive your freedom from me.’ And the master of the slave departed to a foreign country. And when he was gone, the slave took and staked the vineyard; and when he had finished the staking of the vines, he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds.	^55.1,² Ἄκουε τὴν παραβολήν͵ ἣν μέλλω σοι λέγειν͵ ἀνήκουσαν τῇ νηστείᾳ. εἶχέν τις ἀγρὸν καὶ δούλους πολλούς͵ καὶ εἰς μέρος τι τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπε λῶνα· ἐκλεξάμενος οὖν δοῦλόν τινα πιστότατον καὶ εὐάρεστον αὐτῷ͵ ἀπο δημῶν προσεκαλέσατο αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Λάβε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα τοῦτον͵ ὃν ἐφύτευσα͵ καὶ χαράκωσον αὐτὸν ἕως ἔρχομαι͵ καὶ ἕτερον δὲ μὴ ποιήσῃς τῷ ἀμπελῶνι· καὶ ταύτην μου τὴν ἐντολὴν φύλαξον͵ καὶ ἐλεύθερος ἔσῃ παρ΄ ^55.3 ἐμοί. ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ δούλου εἰς τὴν ἀποδημίαν. ἐξελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν ὁ δοῦλος καὶ ἐχαράκωσε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. καὶ τελέσας τὴν χαρά κωσιν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος εἶδε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα βοτανῶν πλήρη ὄντα.
55.4. He then reflected, saying, ‘I have kept this order of my master: I will dig up the rest of this vineyard, and it will be more beautiful when dug up; and being free of weeds, it will yield more fruit, not being choked by them.’ He took, therefore, and dug up the vineyard, and rooted out all the weeds that were in it.	^55.4 ἐν ἑαυτῷ οὖν ἐλογίσατο λέγων· Ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ κυρίου τετέλεκα· σκάψω λοιπὸν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα τοῦτον͵ καὶ ἔσται εὐπρεπέστερος ἐσκαμμένος͵ καὶ βοτάνας μὴ ἔχων δώσει καρπὸν πλείονα͵ μὴ πνιγόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν βοτανῶν. λαβὼν ἔσκαψε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ πάσας τὰς βοτάνας τὰς οὔσας ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι ἐξέτιλλε.
And that vineyard became very beautiful and fruitful, having no weeds to choke it.	καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἀμπελὼν ἐκεῖνος εὐπρεπέστατος καὶ εὐθαλής͵ μὴ ἔχων βοτάνας τὰς πνιγούσας αὐτόν.
55.5. And after a certain time the master of the slave and of the field returned, and entered into the vineyard. And seeing that the vines were suitably supported on stakes, and the ground, moreover, dug up, and all the weeds rooted out, and the vines fruitful, he was greatly pleased with the work of his slave. And calling his beloved son who was his heir, and his friends who were his councillors, he told them what orders he had given his slave, and what he had found performed. And they rejoiced along with the slave at the testimony which his master bore to him. And he said to them, ‘I promised this slave freedom if he obeyed the command which I gave him; and he has kept my command, and done besides a good work to the vineyard, and has pleased me exceedingly. In return, therefore, for the work which he has done, I wish to make him co-heir with my son, because, having good thoughts, he did not neglect them, but carried them out.’	^55.5μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ ἦλθεν ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ τοῦ δούλου καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα κεχαρακωμένον εὐπρεπῶς͵ ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐσκαμμένον καὶ πάσας τὰς βοτάνας ἐκτετιλμένας καὶ εὐθαλεῖς οὔσας τὰς ἀμπέλους͵ ἐχάρη λίαν ἐπὶ ^55.6 τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ δούλου. προσκαλεσάμενος οὖν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀγαπητόν͵ ὃν εἶχε κληρονόμον͵ καὶ τοὺς φίλους͵ οὓς εἶχε συμβούλους͵ λέγει αὐτοῖς͵ ὅσα ἐνετείλατο τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ͵ καὶ ὅσα εὗρε γεγονότα. κἀκεῖνοι συνεχάρησαν ^55.7 τῷ δούλῳ ἐπὶ τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ ᾗ ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ δεσπότης. καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ τῷ δούλῳ τούτῳ ἐλευθερίαν ἐπηγγειλάμην͵ ἐάν μου τὴν ἐντολὴν φυλάξῃ͵ ἣν ἐνετειλάμην αὐτῷ· ἐφύλαξε δέ μου τὴν ἐντολὴν καὶ προσέθηκε τῷ ἀμπελῶνι ἔργον καλόν͵ καὶ ἐμοὶ λίαν ἤρεσεν. ἀντὶ τούτου οὖν τοῦ ἔργου οὗ εἰργάσατο θέλω αὐτὸν συγκληρονόμον τῷ υἱῷ μου ποιῆσαι͵ ὅτι τὸ καλὸν φρονήσας οὐ παρενεθυμήθη͵ ἀλλ΄ ἐτέλεσεν αὐτό.
55.8. With this resolution of the master his son and friends were well pleased, viz., that the slave should be co-heir with the son. After a few days the master made a feast, and sent to his slave many dishes from his table. And the slave receiving the dishes that were sent him from his master, took of them what was sufficient for himself, and distributed the rest among his fellow-slaves. And his fellow-slaves rejoiced to receive the dishes, and began to pray for him, that he might find still greater favour with his master for having so treated them.	^55.8ταύτῃ τῇ γνώμῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ δεσπότου συνηυδόκησεν αὐτῷ͵ ἵνα συγκληρονόμος γένηται ὁ δοῦλος τῷ υἱῷ. ^55.9μετὰ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας δεῖπνον ἐποίησεν ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτῷ ἐδέσματα ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου πολλά. λαβὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος τὰ ἐδέσματα τὰ πεμφθέντα αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσπότου αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀρκοῦντα αὐτῷ ^55.10 ἦρε͵ τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τοῖς συνδούλοις αὐτοῦ διέδωκεν. οἱ δὲ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ λαβόντες τὰ ἐδέσματα ἐχάρησαν καὶ ἤρξαντο καὶ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ͵ ἵνα μείζονα χάριν εὕρῃ παρὰ τῷ δεσπότῃ͵ ὅτι οὕτως ἐχρήσατο αὐτοῖς.
55.11. His master heard all these things that were done, and was again greatly pleased with his conduct. And the master again calling; together his friends and his son, reported to them the slave’s proceeding with regard to the dishes which he had sent him. And they were still more satisfied that the slave should become co-heir with his son.”	^55.11 ταῦτα πάντα τὰ γεγονότα ὁ δεσπότης αὐτοῦ ἤκουσεν καὶ πάλιν λίαν ἐχάρη ἐπὶ τῇ πράξει αὐτοῦ. συνκαλέσας πάλιν πάντας τοὺς φίλους ὁ δεσπότης καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ δούλου͵ ἣν ἔπραξεν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐδέσμασιν οἷς ἔλαβεν· οἱ δὲ ἔτι μᾶλλον συνευδόκησαν γενέσθαι τὸν δοῦλον συνκληρονόμον τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ.


Theology of Supererogation
CHAPTER III.
56.1. I said to him, “Sir, I do not see the meaning of these Parables, nor am I able to comprehend them, unless you explain them to me.” “I will explain them all to you,” he said, “and whatever I shall mention in the course of our conversations I will show you.	^56.1 Λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ ἐγὼ ταύτας τὰς παραβολὰς οὐ γινώσκω οὐδὲ δύναμαι ^56.2 νοῆσαι αὐτάς͵ ἐὰν μή μοι ἐπιλύσῃς αὐτάς. Πάντα σοι ἐπιλύσω͵ φησίν͵ καὶ ὅσα ἂν λαλήσω μετὰ σοῦ͵ δείξω σοι.
Keep the commandments of the Lord, and you will be approved, and inscribed amongst the number of those who observe His commands. And if you do any good beyond what is commanded by God, you will gain for yourself more abundant glory, and will be more honored by God than you would otherwise be. If, therefore, in keeping the commandments of God, you do, in addition, these services, you will have joy if you observe them according to my command.”	τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ κυρίου φύλασσε καὶ ἔσῃ εὐάρεστος αὐτῷ καὶ ἐνγραφήσῃ εἰς ἀριθμὸν τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ. ^56.3 ἐὰν δέ τι ἀγαθοῦ ποιήσῃς ἐκτὸς τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ θεοῦ͵ σεαυτῷ περιποιήσῃ δόξαν περισσοτέραν καὶ ἔσῃ ἐνδοξότερος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ οὗ ἔμελλες εἶναι. ἐὰν οὖν φυλάσσων τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ προσθῇς καὶ τὰς λειτουργίας ταύτας͵ χαρήσῃ͵ ἐὰν τηρήσῃς αὐτὰς κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἐντολήν.
56.4. I said to him, “Sir, whatsoever you enjoin upon me I will observe, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he replied, “because you have such a desire for doing good; and I will be with all those,” he added, “who have such a desire. This fasting,” he continued, “is very good, provided the commandments of the Lord be observed. Thus, then, shall you observe the fasting which you intend to keep. 56.6.	^56.4 λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε͵ ὃ ἐάν μοι ἐντείλῃ͵ φυλάξω αὐτό· οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι σὺ μετ΄ ἐμοῦ εἶ. Ἔσομαι͵ φησί͵ μετὰ σοῦ͵ ὅτι τοιαύτην προθυμίαν ἔχεις τῆς ἀγαθοποιήσεως καὶ μετὰ ^56.5 πάντων δὲ ἔσομαι ὅσοι ἐάν͵ φησί͵ τὴν αὐτὴν προθυμίαν ἔχωσιν. ἡ νηστεία͵ φησίν͵ αὕτη͵ τηρουμένων τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ κυρίου͵ λίαν καλή ἐστιν. οὕτως οὖν φυλάξεις τὴν νηστείαν·
[1] First of all, be on your guard against every evil word, and every evil desire, and purify your heart from all the vanities of this world. If you guard against these things, your fasting will be perfect.	^56.6 πρῶτον πάντων φύλαξαι ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος πονηροῦ καὶ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας πονηρᾶς καὶ καθάρισόν σου τὴν καρδίαν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ματαιωμάτων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου. ἐὰν ταῦτα φυλάξῃς͵ ἔσται ^56.7 αὕτη ἡ νηστεία τελεία.
[2] And you will do also as follows. Having fulfilled what is written, in the day on which you fast you will taste nothing but bread and water;	οὕτω δὲ ποιήσεις· συντελέσας τὰ προγεγραμμένα͵ ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ νηστεύεις μηδὲν γεύσῃ εἰ μὴ ἄρτον καὶ ὕδωρ͵
[3] and having reckoned up the cost of the food of that day which you intended to eat, you will give [that amount of money] to a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in want,	καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων σου ὧν ἔμελλες τρώγειν συνοψίσας τὴν ποσότητα τῆς δαπάνης ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἔμελλες ποιεῖν͵ ἀποθέμενος δώσεις αὐτὸ χήρᾳ ἢ ὀρφανῷ ἢ ὑστερουμένῳ͵
[4] and thus you will exhibit humility of mind, [5] so that he who has received benefit from your humility may fill his own soul, and pray for you to the Lord.	καὶ οὕτω ταπεινοφρονήσεις͵ ἵνα ἐκ τῆς ταπεινοφρο σύνης σου ὁ εἰληφὼς ἐμπλήσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ εὔξηται περὶ σοῦ πρὸς τὸν κύριον.
56.8. If you observe fasting, as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God, and this fasting will be written down; and the service thus performed is noble, and sacred, and acceptable to the Lord. These things, therefore, shall you thus observe with your children, and all your house, and in observing them you will be blessed; and as many as hear these words and observe them shall be blessed; and whatsoever they ask of the Lord they shall receive.”	^56.8ἐὰν οὖν οὕτω τελέσῃς τὴν νηστείαν͵ ὥς σοι ἐντέλλομαι͵ ἔσται ἡ θυσία σου δεκτὴ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἔνγραφος ἔσται ἡ νηστεία αὕτη͵ καὶ ἡ λειτουργία οὕτως ἐργαζομένη καλὴ καὶ ἱλαρά ἐστι καὶ εὐπρόσδεκτος τῷ ^56.9 κυρίῳ. ταῦτα οὕτως τηρήσεις σὺ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων σου καὶ ὅλου τοῦ οἴκου σου· τηρήσας δὲ αὐτὰ μακάριος ἔσῃ· καὶ ὅσοι ἐὰν ἀκούσαντες αὐτὰ τηρήσωσι͵ μακάριοι ἔσονται͵ καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου λήμψονται.

xcxxcxxc F ” “ This Webpage was created for a workshop held at Saint Andrew's Abbey, Valyermo, California in 1990....x.... ’ “”.

English: Roberts-Donaldson translation. Greek: “Pastor” ser. Die apostolischen Väter I. Der Hirt des Hermas Akademie-Verlag (Berlin, 1967) pp. 1-98

FIRST VISION

SECOND VISION

THIRD VISION

FOURTH COMMANDMENT

29 Ἐντολὴ δ

SIXTH COMMANDMENT

35 Ἐντολὴ ς