Shepherd of Hermas, Chapter 23
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 23 in the continuous (Whittaker) numbering used by the Codex Sinaiticus Project is Vision 4, 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)
1μετα δε το παρελθιν με το θηριον και προελθιν ωϲει ποδαϲ λ υπαντα μοι παρθενοϲ κεκοϲμημενη ωϲ εκ νυμφωνοϲ εκπορευομενη ολη εν λευκοιϲ ϋποδημαϲιν λευκοιϲ κατακεκαλυμμενη εωϲ του μετωπου εν μιτρα δε ην η κατακαλυψειϲ αυτηϲ ειχεν δε ταϲ χιραϲ λευκαϲ 2εγνων εγω εκ τω προτερων οραματων οτι η εκκληϲια εϲτιν και ϊλαρωτεροϲ εγενομη αϲπαζετε με λεγουϲα χερε ϲυ ανπε και εγω αυτην αντεϲπαϲαμην κυρια χεραι 3ποκριθιϲα μοι λεγει ουδε ϲοι απηντηϲεν λεγω αυτη κυρια τηλικουτο θηριον δυναμενον λαουϲ διαφθειρε αλλα τη δυναμι του κυ και τη πολυϲπλαγχια αυτου εξεφυγον αυτα 4καλωϲ εξεφυγεϲ φηϲιν οτι την μεριμναν ϲου επι τον θν επεριψαϲ και την καρδιαν ϲου ηνυξαϲ προϲ τον κν πιϲτευϲαϲ οτι δι ουδενοϲ δυνη ϲωθηναι ει μη δια του αγιου αγγελου και ενδοξου ονοματοϲ δια τουτο απεϲτιλε τον αγʼγελον αυτου τον επι των θηριων οντα ου το ονομα εϲτιν γ θεγει κ(αι) ενεφραξεν το ϲτομα αυτου εινα μη ϲε λοιμανη μεγαλην θλιψιν εκπεφευγαϲ δια την πιϲτι ϲου και οτι τηλικουτο θηριον ϊδων ουκ αιδιψυχηϲαϲ 5υπαγε ουν και εξηγηϲε τοιϲ εκλεκτοιϲ του κυ τα μεγαλια αυτου και ειπε αυτοιϲ οτι το θηριον τουτο τυποϲ εϲτιν θλιψεωϲ τηϲ μελλουϲηϲ τηϲ μεγαληϲ εαν ουν προετοιμαϲηϲθαι και μετανοηϲητε εξ οληϲ καρδιαϲ ϋμων προϲ τον κν δυνηϲηϲθε εκφυγειν αυτην εαν η καρδια ϋμω γενηται καθαρα και αμωμοϲ και ταϲ λοιπαϲ τηϲ ζωηϲ ημαιραϲ ϋμω δουδ̣ευϲητε τω κω αμεμπτωϲ επιριψαντεϲ ταϲ μεριμναϲ υμω επι τον κν και αυτοϲ κατορθωϲι αυταϲ
1Now after I had passed the beast, and had gone forward about thirty feet, behold, there meeteth me a virgin arrayed as if she were going forth from a bridal-chamber all in white and with white sandals, veiled up to her forehead, and her head-covering consisted of a turban, and her hair was white. 2I knew from the former Visions that it was the Church, and I became more cheerful. She saluteth me, saying, "Good morrow, my good man"; and I saluted her in turn, "Lady, good morrow." 3She answered and said unto me, "Did nothing meet thee? "I say unto her, Lady, such a huge beast, that could have destroyed whole peoples: but, by the power of the Lord and by His great mercy, I escaped it." 4"Thou didst escape it well," saith she, "because thou didst cast thy care upon God, and didst open thy heart to the Lord, believing that thou canst be saved by nothing else but by His great and glorious Name. Therefore the Lord sent His angel, which is over the beasts, whose name is Segri, and shut his mouth that it might not hurt thee . Thou hast escaped a great tribulation by reason of thy faith, and because, though thou sawest so huge a beast, thou didst not doubt in thy mind. 5Go therefore, and declare to the elect of the Lord His mighty works, and tell them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation which is to come. If therefore ye prepare yourselves beforehand, and repent (and turn) unto the Lord with your whole heart, ye shall be able to escape it, if your heart be made pure and without blemish, and if for the remaining days of your life ye serve the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will set them straight.
6πιϲτευϲατε τω κω οι διψυχοι οτι παντα δυνατι και αποϲτρεφι τη οργην αυτου αφ υμων και εξαποϲτελλι μαϲτιγαϲ ϋμιν τοιϲ διψυχοιϲ ουαι τοιϲ ακουϲαϲι τα ρηματα ταυτα και παρακουϲαϲι ερετωτερον ην αυτοιϲ το μη γενηθηναι
6Trust ye in the Lord, ye men of doubtful mind, for He can do all things, yea, He both turneth away His wrath from you, and again He sendeth forth His plagues upon you that are of doubtful mind. Woe to them that hear these words and are disobedient; it were better for them that they had not been born."
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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