Shepherd of Hermas, Chapter 25
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 25 in the continuous (Whittaker) numbering used by the Codex Sinaiticus Project is Vision 5, chapter 1 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.
Numbering: Greek verse 0 has no English counterpart under that number. Compare by content.
How was this verified? (Provenance)
0αποκαλυψειϲ ε 1προϲευξαμενου μου εν τω οικω και καθιϲαντοϲ ειϲ την κλινην ειϲηλθεν ανηρ τιϲ ενδοξοϲ τη οψι ϲχηματι ποιμενικω περικιμενοϲ δερμα λευκον και πηραν εχων επι των ωμων και ραβδο ειϲ την χιραν κ(αι) ηϲπαϲατο μαι καγω αντεϲπαϲαμην αυτον 2και ευθυϲ παρεκαθι ϲεν μοι και λεγει μοι απεϲταλην απο του ϲεμνοτατου αγγελου ϊνα μετα ϲου οικηϲω ταϲ λοιπαϲ ημεραϲ τηϲ ζωηϲ ϲου 3εδοξα εγω οτι παρεϲτιν εκπιραζων με και λεγω αυτω ϲυ γαρ τι εγω γαρ φημι γεινωϲκω ω παρεδοθην λεγει μοι ουκ αιπιγεινωϲκειϲ με ου φημη εγω φηϲιν ειμι ο ποιμην ω παρεδοθηϲ 4ετι λαλουντοϲ αυτου ηλλοιωθη η ειδεα αυτου και επεγνων αυτο οτι εκινοϲ ην ω παρεδοθην και ευθυϲ ϲυνεχυθην και φοβοϲ με ελαβεν και ολοϲ ϲυνεκοπη απο τηϲ λυπηϲ οτι ουτωϲ αυτω απεκριθην πονηρωϲ και αφρονωϲ
1As I prayed in the house, and sat on the couch, there entered a man glorious in his visage, in the garb of a shepherd, with a white skin wrapped about him, and with a wallet on his shoulders and a staff in his hand. And he saluted me, and I saluted him in return. 2And he immediately sat down by my side, and he saith unto me, "I was sent by the most holy angel, that I might dwell with thee the remaining days of thy life." 3I thought he came to tempt me, and I say unto him, "Why, who art thou? For I know," say I, "unto whom I was delivered." He saith to me, "Dost thou not recognize me?" "No," I say. "I," saith he, "am the shepherd, unto whom thou wast delivered." 4While he was still speaking, his form was changed, and I recognized him as being the same, to whom I was delivered; and straightway I was confounded, and fear seized me, and I was altogether overwhelmed with distress that I had answered him so wickedly and senselessly.
5ο δε αποκριθειϲ μοι λεγει μη ϲυνχυννου αλλα ϊϲχυροποιου εν τεϲ ελτολαιϲ μου αιϲ ϲοι μελλω εντελλεϲθε απεϲταλην γαρ φηϲιν ϊνα α ειδεϲ προτερον ταυτα ϲοι παλιν διξω αυτα τα καιφαλεα τα οντα υμιν ϲυμφορα · πρωτον παντω ταϲ εντολαϲ μου γραψον και ταϲ παραϲ παραβολαϲ · τα δε ετερα καθωϲ ϲοι διξω ουτωϲ γραψειϲ · δια τουτο φηϲιν εντελλομε ϲοι πρωτο γραψε ταϲ εντολαϲ και παραβολαϲ ϊνα ϋπο χιρα αναγεινωϲκηϲ αυτα και δυνηθηϲ φυλαξε αυταϲ · 6εγραψα ουν ταϲ εντολαϲ και παραποδαϲ καθωϲ ενετιλατο μοι · 7εαν ουν ακουϲαντεϲ αυταϲ φυλαξητε και εν αυταιϲ πορευθηται και εργαϲηϲθαι αυταϲ εν καθαρα καρδια απολημψεϲθε απο του κυ οϲα επηγγειλατο υμιν εαν δε ακουϲαντεϲ μη μετανοηϲηται αλλ ετι προϲθηται τε̣ϲ αμαρτιαιϲ υμω απολημψεϲθαι παρα του κυ τα εναντια ταυτα μοι ουτωϲ εγραψε ο ποιμην ο ενετιλατο ο αγγελοϲ τηϲ μετανοιαϲ ·
5But he answered and said unto me, "Be not confounded, but strengthen thyself in my commandments which I am about to command thee. For I was sent," saith he, "that I might show thee again all the things which thou didst see before, merely the heads which are convenient for you. First of all, write down my commandments and my parables; and the other matters thou shalt write down as I shall show them to thee. The reason why," saith he, "I command thee to write down first the commandments and parables is, that thou mayest read them off-hand, and mayest be able to keep them." 6So I wrote down the commandments and parables, as he commanded me. 7If then, when ye hear them, ye keep them and walk in them, and do them with a pure heart, ye shall receive from the Lord all things that He promised you; but if, when ye hear them, ye do not repent, but still add to your sins, ye shall receive from the Lord the opposite. All these the shepherd, the angel of repentance. commanded me to write.
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
← previous · → next · v cycle view · l back to library