Shepherd of Hermas, Chapter 93
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 93 in the continuous (Whittaker) numbering used by the Codex Sinaiticus Project is Similitude 9, chapter 16 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)
1ετι φημι κε δηλωϲον τι φηϲιν επιζητιϲ διατι φημι κε ο̣ι λιθοι εκ του βυθου ανεβηϲαν κ(αι) ειϲ την οικοδομη ετεθηϲαν του πυργου πεφορεκοτεϲ τα πνα ταυτα · 2αναγκην̣ φη̣ϲιν̣ ε̣ι βαϲιλιαν του κυ εαν μη την νεκρωϲι̣ν̣ αποτεθικειϲα τ̣ηϲ πρωτηϲ ζωηϲ αυτων 3ελαβον ου και ουτοι οι κεκοιμημενοι την ϲφαγιδα του υιου του θυ και ειϲηλθον ειϲ την βαϲιλιαν του ϋϊου του θυ πρειν γαρ φορεϲε τον ανον το ονομα του ϋϊου του θυ νεκροϲ εϲτιν οταν δε λαβη την ϲφραγιδαν αποτιθετε την νεκρωϲιν και αναλαμβαν̣ι την ζωην 4η ϲφραγιϲ ουν το̣ ϋδωρ εϲτιν ειϲ το ϋδωρ καταβενουϲιν νεκροι και αναβενουϲιν ζωντεϲ κακινοιϲ ουν εκ̣η̣ρυχθη η ϲφραγιϲ αυτη και εχρηϲατο αυτη ϊνα ειϲελθωϲιν ειϲ την βαϲιλιαν του θυ · 5διατι ουν φημι κε οι μ λιθοι μετ αυτων ανεβηϲαν εκ του βυθου ηδη εϲχηκοτεϲ την ϲφραγιδα · επι ι φηϲιν ουτοι αποϲτολοι και διδαϲκαλοι οι κηρυξαντεϲ το ονομα του ϋϊου του θυ κοιμηθεντεϲ εν τη δυναμι και τη πιϲτι του ϋϊου του θυ κ(αι) τοιϲ προκεκοιμημενοιϲ και εδω
1"Show me still further, Sir," say I. "What desirest thou to know besides?" saith he. "Wherefore, Sir," say I, "did the stones come up from the deep, and wherefore were they placed into the building, though they bore these spirits?" 2"It was necessary for them," saith he, "to rise up through water, that they might be made alive; for otherwise they could not enter into the kingdom of God, except they had put aside the deadness of their [former] life. 3So these likewise that had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God and entered into the kingdom of God. For before a man," saith he, "has borne the name of [the Son of] God, he is dead; but when he has received the seal, he layeth aside his deadness, and resumeth life. 4The seal then is the water: so they go down into the water dead, and they come up alive. "thus to them also this seal was preached, and they availed themselves of it that they might enter into the kingdom of God." 5"Wherefore, Sir," say I, "did the forty stones also come up with them from the deep, though they had already received the seal?" "Because," saith he, "these, the apostles and the teachers who preached the name of the Son of God, after they had fallen asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached also to them that had fallen asleep before them, and themselves gave unto them the seal of the preaching.
6μετ αυτων ειϲ το ϋδωρ και παλιν ανεβηϲαν αλʼλ ουτοι ζωντεϲ κατεβηϲαν και παλιν ανεβηϲαν ουτοι δε οι προκεκοιμημενοι νεκροι κατεβηϲαν ζωντεϲ δε ανεβηϲαν 7δια τουτω τ ουν εζωοποιηθηϲαν και επεγνωϲαν το ονομα του ϋϊου του θυ δια τουτο και ϲυναβηϲα μετ αυτων και ηρμοϲαν ειϲ τη οικοδομην του πυργου και αλατομητοι ϲυνωκοδομηθηϲαν και εν μεγαλη αγνια εν δικαιοϲυνη γαρ εκοιμηθηϲαν · μονον δε την ϲφραγιδα̣ ταυτην ουκ ειϲχον εχιϲ ουν κ(αι) την τουτων επιλυϲιν
6Therefore they went down with them into the water, and came up again. But these went down alive [and again came up alive]; whereas the others that had fallen asleep before them went down dead and came up alive. 7So by their means they were quickened into life, and came to the full knowledge of the name of the Son of God. For this cause also they came up with them, and were fitted with them into the building of the tower and were builded with them, without being shaped; for they fell asleep in righteousness and in great purity. Only they had not this seal. Thou hast then the interpretation of these things also." "I have, Sir," say I.
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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