Shepherd of Hermas, Chapter 10
Introduction
This entry meets the strict three-criteria standard of the Theosis Library:
- Manuscript scan: The actual folio(s) of Codex Sinaiticus containing this chapter, from the Codex Sinaiticus Project (codexsinaiticus.org). Each section links to the specific folio holding its verses.
- Original text: The Codex Sinaiticus Project's verbatim transcription of the folio shown (uncial letters, lunate sigma, nomina sacra preserved).
- English translation: J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers (1891), public domain, retrieved verbatim from Lightfoot 1891 via earlychristianwritings.com transcription.
Numbering: Chapter 10 in the continuous (Whittaker) numbering used by the Codex Sinaiticus Project is Vision 3, chapter 2 in Lightfoot's traditional division, which the English column follows.
Why this is here: Codex Sinaiticus binds this text after Revelation, alongside the canonical books. Reading it on the same parchment as the Gospels is primary evidence for how a 4th-century Christian community treated it.
How was this verified? (Provenance)
1τι φημι υπηνεκκαν ακουε φηϲιν μαϲτιγαϲ φυλακαϲ θλιψειϲ μεγαλαϲ ταυρουϲ θηρι εινεκεν του ονοματοϲ δια τουτο εκινων εϲτιν τα δεξια μερη του αγιαϲματοϲ και οϲ εαν παθη δια το ονομα · των δε λοιπων τα αρειϲτερα μερη εϲτιν αλλα αμφοτερω και των εκ δεξιω και των αριϲτερων καθημενω τα αυτα δωρα και ε αυτε επαγʼγελιαι μονον εκινοι εκ δεξιων καθηνται και εχουϲιν δοξαν τιναν 2ϲυ δε κατεπιθυμιϲ ϲ κα θιϲαι εκ δεξιων καθηνται και εχου μετ αυτων αλλα τα ϋϲτερηματα ϲου πολλα καθαριϲθηϲη δε απο των υϲτερηματων ϲου και πατεϲ οι μη διψυχουϲταιϲ καθαριϲθηϲοται απο παντων των αμαρτηματω ειϲ ταυτην την ημαιραν 3ταυτα ειπαϲα ηθελεν απελθει πεϲων δε αυτηϲ προϲ τουϲ ποδαϲ ηρωτηϲα αυτην κατα του κυ ϊνα μοι επιδιξη ο επηγγειλατο οραμα · 4η δε παλιν επελαβετο μ(ου) τηϲ χιροϲ και εγιρι με και καθιζει επι το ϲυμψελιο εξ ευωνυμων εκαθεζετο δε και αυτη εκ δεξιων και επαραϲα ραβδο τινα λαμπραν λεγι μοι βλεπιϲ μεγα πραγμα λεγω αυτη κυρια ουδεν βλεπω λεγει μοι ϲυ ϊδου ουχ οραϲ κατεναντι ϲου πυργον μεγαν οικοδομουμενον επι ϋδατων λιθοιϲ τετραγωνοιϲ λαμπροϲ 5εν τετραγωνω δε ωκοδομιτο ο πυργοϲ ϋπο τω εξηκοντα νεανιϲκων των εληλυθοτων μετ αυτηϲ αλλει δε μυριαδεϲ ανδων παρεφερον λιθουϲ οι μεν εκ του βιθου οι δε εκ τηϲ γηϲ και επεδιδουν τοιϲ εξηκοντα νεανιϲκοιϲ εκινοι δε ελαμβανον και οικοδομου
1"What did they suffer?" say I. "Listen," saith she. "Stripes, imprisonments, great tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, for the Name's sake. Therefore to them belongs the right side of the Holiness--to them, and to all who shall suffer for the Name. But for the rest is the left side. Howbeit, to both, to them that sit on the right, and to them that sit on the left, are the same gifts, and the same promises, only they sit on the right and have a certain glory. 2Thou indeed art very desirous to sit on the right with them, but thy shortcomings are many; yet thou shalt be purified from thy shortcomings; yea, and all that are not double-minded shall be purified from all their sins unto this day." 3When she had said this, she wished to depart; but, falling at her feet, I entreated her by the Lord that she would show me the vision which she promised. 4Then she again took me by the hand, and raiseth me, and seateth me on the couch at the left hand, while she herself sat on the right. And lifting up a certain glistening rod, she saith to me, "Seest thou a great thing?" I say to her, "Lady, I see nothing." She saith to me, "Look thou; dost thou not see in front of thee a great tower being builded upon the waters, of glistening square stones?" 5Now the tower was being builded foursquare by the six young men that came with her. And countless other men were bringing stones, some of them from the deep, and others from the land, and were handing them to the six young men. And they took them and builded.
6τουϲ μεν εκ του βυθου λιθουϲ ελκομενουϲ πανταϲ ουτωϲ ετιθεϲαν ειϲ την οικοδομην ηρμοϲμενοι γαρ ηϲαν και ϲυνεφωνουν τη αρμογη μετα τω ετερων λιθων και ουτωϲ εκολλωντο αλʼληλοιϲ ωϲτε την αρμογην αυτην μη φενεϲθε εφενετο δε η οικοδομη του πυργου ωϲ εξ ενοϲ λιθου ωκοδομημενοι 7τουϲ δε ετερουϲ λιθουϲ τουϲ φερομενουϲ απο τηϲ ξηραϲ τουϲ μεν απεβαλλον τουϲ δε ετιθουν ειϲ τη οικοδομην αλλουϲ δε κατεκοπταν και ετιθουν μακραν 8απο του πυργου οι εκιντο και ουκ εχρωντο αυτοιϲ επι την οικοδομην ηϲαν γαρ τινεϲ εξ αυτων εψωριακοτεϲ ετεροι δε ϲχιμαϲ εχοντεϲ · αλλοι δε κεκολοβωμενοι αλʼλοι δε λευκοι και ϲτρογʼγυλοι μη αρμοξοτεϲ ειϲ την οικοδομην · 9εβλεπον δε ετερουϲ λιθουϲ ριπτομενουϲ μακραν απο υ του πυργου και ερχομενουϲ ειϲ το αυτο και μη μενονταϲ εν τη οδω αλλα κυλιομενουϲ ειϲ την ανοδιαν ετερουϲ δε επι πυρ ενπιπτοταϲ εγγυϲ υδατω και μη δυναμενουϲ κυλιϲθηνε ειϲ το ϋδωρ καιπερ θελοντων εκκυλιϲθηναι και ελθι ειϲ το ϋδωρ
6The stones that were dragged from the deep they placed in every case, just as they were, into the building, for they had been shaped, and they fitted in their joining with the other stones; and they adhered so closely one with another that their joining could not possibly be detected; and the building of the tower appeared as if it were built of one stone. 7But of the other stones which were brought from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put into the building; and others they broke in pieces, and threw to a distance from the tower. 8Now many other stones were lying round the tower, and they did not use them for the building; for some of them were mildewed, and others had cracks in them, and others were too short, and others were white and round, and did not fit into the building. 9And I saw other stones thrown to a distance from the tower, and coming to the way, and yet not staying in the way, but rolling to where there was no way; and others falling into the fire and burning there; and others falling near the waters, and yet not able to roll into the water, although they desired to roll and to come to the water.
Cite
Source & Cross-References
- Source text: Codex Sinaiticus folio + transcription (codexsinaiticus.org) + J. B. Lightfoot, The Apostolic Fathers (1891) — view original
- Critical edition: Tischendorf 8th edition (1869) / Codex Sinaiticus transcription
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