Shepherd of Hermas, Chapter 18
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 18 in the continuous (Whittaker) numbering used by the Codex Sinaiticus Project is Vision 3, chapter 10 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)
1οτε ουν επαυϲατο μετ εμου λαλουϲα ηλθον οι εξ νεανιϲκοι οι οικοδομουντεϲ και απηνεγκαν αυτη προϲ τον πυργον και αλλοι τεϲϲαρεϲ ηραν το ϲυμψελιον και απηνεγκα και αυτο προϲ το πυργον · τουτω προϲωπον ουκ ϊδον οτι απεϲτραμμενοι ηϲαν · 2ϋπαγουϲαν αυτη ηρωτων ϊνα μοι αποκαλυψη περι τω τριων μορφων εν εϲ μοι ενεφανηϲθη αποκριθιϲα μοι λεγει περι τουτων ετερον δι ϲαι επερωτηϲαι ϊνα ϲοι αποκαλυφθη 3ωφθη δε μοι αδελφη τη με πρωτη οραϲι τη περϲυνη λιαν πρεϲβυτερα και εν καθεδρα καθημενη 4τη δε ετερα οραϲι την με οψιν νεωτεραν ειχεν την δε ϲαρκα και ταϲ τριχαϲ πρεϲβυτερα και εϲτηκυρια μοι ελαλει ϊλαρωτερα δε ην το προϲωπον 5τη δε τριτη οραϲι ολη νεωτερα και καλλι εκπρεπεϲτατη μοναϲ δε ταϲ τριχαϲ πρεϲβυτεραϲ ειχεν ϊλαρα δε ειϲ τελοϲ ην και επι ϲυμψελιου καθημενη
1When then she ceased speaking with me, the six young men, who were building, came, and took her away to the tower, and other four lifted the couch, and took it also away to the tower. I saw not the face of these, for they were turned away. 2And, as she went, I asked her to reveal to me concerning the three forms, in which she had appeared to me. She answered and said to me; "As concerning these things thou must ask another, that they may be revealed to thee." 3Now she was seen of me, brethren, in my first vision of last year, as a very aged woman and seated on a chair. 4In the second vision her face was youthful, but her flesh and her hair were aged, and she spake to me standing; and she was more gladsome than before. 5But in the third vision she was altogether youthful and of exceeding great beauty, and her hair alone was aged; and she was gladsome exceedingly and seated on a couch. Touching these things I was very greatly anxious to learn this revelation.
6περι τουτων περιλουποϲ ημην λιαν του γνωνε με τη αποκαλυψιν ταυ̣την και βλεπω τη πρεϲβυτεραν εν οραματι τηϲ νυκτοϲ λεγουϲαν μοι παϲαν μοι παϲα > ερωτηϲειϲ ταπινοφροϲυνηϲ χρηζει νηϲτευϲον ουν και λημψη ο αιτιϲ παρα του κυ 7ενηϲτευϲα ουν μιαν ημεραν αυτη τη νυκτι μοι ωφθη νεανιϲκοϲ και λεγι μοι οτι ϲυ ϋπο χιρα αιτιϲαι αποκαλυψειϲ εν δεηϲει βλεπε μηποτε πολλα ετουμενοϲ βλαψηϲ ϲου την ϲαρκα 8μητι δυνη ϊϲχυροτερα αποκαλυψειϲ ων εωρακαϲ ϊδειν 9αποκριθειϲ αυτω λεγω κε τουτο μονο αιτουμαι περι τω τριων μορφων τηϲ πρεϲβυτεραϲ ϊνα αποκαλυψειϲ ολοτεληϲ γενηται αποκριθειϲ μοι λεγει μεχρι τιν αϲυνετοι εϲτε αλλ αι διψυχιαι ϋμων αϲυνετουϲ ϋμαϲ ποιουϲιν και το μη εχι την αρδιαν ϋμω προϲ τον κν 10αποκριθειϲ αυτω παλιν ειπον αλλ απο ϲου κε ακριβεϲτερον αυτα γνωϲομεθα
6And I see the aged woman in a vision of the night, saying to me, "Every enquiry needs humility. Fast therefore, and thou shalt receive what thou askest from the Lord." 7So I fasted one day; and that very night there appeared unto me a young man, and he saith to me, "Seeing that thou askest me revelations offhand with entreaty, take heed lest by thy much asking thou injure thy flesh. 8Sufficient for thee are these revelations. Canst thou see mightier revelations than those thou hast seen?" 9I say unto him in reply, "Sir, this one thing alone I ask, concerning the three forms of the aged woman, that a complete revelation may be vouchsafed me." He saith to me in answer, How long are ye without understanding? It is your double-mindedness that maketh you of no understanding, and because your heart is not set towards the Lord." 10I answered and said unto him again, "From thee, Sir, we shall learn the matters more accurately."
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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