These
are they that heard the word, and would be baptized unto the name of
the Lord. They fell near the waters and yet could not roll into the
water.
AD 160 APOSTOLIC FATHERS (trans. and ed., J.
B. Lightfoot)
Receiving Pay
See the ELECT as separate paper
A 2nd-century Christian writing that is one of the works representing the
Apostolic Fathers, Greek Christian writers of the late 1st and early 2nd
centuries. The author,
Hermas, is known only through the autobiographical details given in
the Shepherd.
1:1 VISION ONE. AGAINST FILTHY AND PROUD THOUGHTS, AND THE CARELESSNESS
OF HERMAS IN CHASTISING HIS SONS
First Words
1:2 The master, who reared me, had sold me to
one Rhoda in Rome.
1:3 After many years, I met her again, and began to
love her as a sister.
1:4 After a certain time I saw her
bathing in
the river Tiber;
1:5 and I gave her my hand, and led her out of
the river.
1:6 So, seeing her beauty, I reasoned in my
heart, saying, ` Happy were I, if I had such an one to wife both in
beauty and in character'.
1:7 I merely reflected on this and nothing
more.
1:8 After a certain time, as I was journeying
to Cumae, and glorifying God's creatures for their greatness and
splendour and power, as I walked I fell asleep.
1:9 And a
Spirit took me, and bore me away
through a pathless tract, through which no man could pass:
1:10 for the place was precipitous, and broken
into clefts by reason of the waters.
1:11 When then I had crossed the river, I came
into the level country, and knelt down, and began to pray to the Lord
and to confess my sins.
1:12 Now, while I prayed, the heaven was
opened, and I see the lady, whom I had desired, greeting me from
heaven, saying, `Good morrow, Hermas'.
1:13 And, looking at her, I said to her, `Lady,
what doest thou here'?
1:14 Then she answered me, `I was taken up,
that I might convict thee of thy sins before the Lord'.
1:15 I said to her, `Dost thou now convict
me'?
1:16 `Nay, not so', said she, `but hear the
words, that I shall say to thee.
1:17 God, Who dwelleth in the heavens, and
created out of nothing the things which are, and increased and
multiplied them for His holy Church's
sake, is wroth with thee, for that thou
didst sin against me'.
1:18 I answered her and said, `Sin, against
thee?
1:19 In what way?
1:20 Did I ever speak an unseemly word unto
thee?
1:21 Did I not always regard thee as a
goddess?
1:22 Did I not always respect thee as a
sister?
1:23 How couldst thou falsely charge me, lady,
with such villainy and uncleanness ?`
1:24 Laughing she saith unto me, `The desire
after evil entered into thine heart.
1:25 Nay, thinkest thou not that it is an evil
deed for a righteous man, if the evil desire should enter into his
heart?
1:26 It is indeed a sin and a great one too',
saith she;
1:27 `for the righteous man entertaineth
righteous purposes.
1:28 While then, his purposes are righteous,
his repute stands stedfast in the heavens, and he finds the Lord
easily propitiated in all that he does.
1:29 But they that entertain evil purposes in
their hearts, bring upon themselves death and captivity,
1:30 especially they that claim for themselves this present world, and boast in
its riches, and cleave not to the good
things that are to come.
1:31 Their souls shall rue it, seeing that they
have no hope, but have abandoned themselves and their life.
2:1 AS soon as she had spoken these words the
heavens were shut;
2:2 myself, `If
this sin is recorded against me, how can I be saved?
2:3 Or how shall I propitiate God for my sins
which are full-blown?
2:4 Or with what words shall I entreat the Lord
that He may be propitious unto me?`
2:5 While I was advising and discussing these
matters in my heart,
2:6 I see before me a great white chair of
snow-white wool and there came an aged lady in glistening raiment,
having a book in her hands,
2:7 and she sat down alone, and she saluted me,
` Good morrow, Hermas'.
2:8 Then I grieved and weeping, said, `Good
morrow, lady'.
2:9 And she said to me, `Why so gloomy, Hermas,
thou that art patient and good-tempered, and art always
smiling?
2:10 Why so downcast in thy looks, and far from
cheerful'?
2:11 And I said to her, ` Because of an
excellent lady's saying that I had sinned against her'.
2:12 Then she said, `Far be this thing from the
servant of God ! Nevertheless the thought did enter into thy heart
concerning her.
2:13 Now to the servants of God such a purpose
bringeth sin.
2:14 For it is an evil and mad purpose to
overtake a devout spirit that hath been already approved,
2:15 that it should desire an evil deed, and
especially if it be Hermas the temperate, who abstaineth from every
evil desire, and is full of all simplicity and of great
guilelessness.
3:1 `Yet it is not for this that God is wroth
with thee, but that thou mayest convert thy family, that hath done
wrong against the Lord and against you their parents.
3:2 But out of fondness for thy children thou
didst not admonish thy family, but didst suffer it to become
fearfully corrupt.
3:3 Therefore the Lord is wroth with
thee.
3:4 But He will
heal all thy past sins, which have been
committed in thy family;
3:5 for by reason
of their sins and iniquities thou hast
been corrupted by the affairs of this world.
3:6 But the great mercy of the Lord had pity on
thee and thy family, and will strengthen thee, and establish thee in
His glory.
3:7 Only be not thou careless, but take
courage, and strengthen thy family.
3:8 For as the smith hammering his work
conquers the task which he wills,
so also doth righteous discourse repeated daily conquer all
evil.
3:9 Cease not therefore to reprove thy
children;
3:10 for I know that if they shall
repent with all their heart, they shall
be written
in the books of life with the saints'.
3:11 After these words of hers had ceased, she
saith unto me, `Wilt thou listen to me as I read'?
3:12 Then say I, `Yes, lady'.
3:13 She saith to me, `Be attentive, and hear
the glories of God'.
3:14 I listened with attention and with wonder
to that which I had no power to remember;
3:15 for all the words were terrible, such as
man cannot bear.
Last Words
3:16 The last words however I remembered, for
they were suitable for us and gentle.
3:17 `Behold, the God of Hosts, Who by His
invisible and mighty power and by His great wisdom created the
world,
3:18 and by His glorious purpose clothed His
creation with comeliness,
3:19 and by His strong word fixed the
heaven,
3:20 and founded the earth upon the waters and
by His own wisdom and providence formed His Holy Church, which also He
blessed-behold,
3:21 He removeth the heavens and the mountains
and the hills and the seas,
3:22 and all things are made level for
His elect,
[see 4.4]
3:23 that He may fulfil to them the
promise
which He promised with great glory and rejoicing, if so be that they shall
keep the ordinances of God, which they received, with great
faith'.
4:1 When then she finished reading and arose
from her chair, there came four young men, and they took away the
chair, and departed towards the East.
4:2 Then she calleth me unto her, and she
touched my breast, and saith to me, `Did my reading please
thee?`
4:3 And I say unto her, `Lady, these last words
please me, but the former were difficult and hard'.
4:4 Then she spake to me, saying, `
These last words are for the
righteous,
}
but the former are for the heathen and the
rebellious'.
4:5 While she yet spake with me, two men
appeared, and took her by the arms, and they departed, whither the
chair also had gone towards the East.
5:1 VISION TWO. AGAIN, OF HIS NEGLECT IN CHASTISING HIS TALKATIVE WIFE
AND HIS LUSTFUL SONS, AND OF HIS CHARACTER.
5:2 and I called to mind my last year's vision
as I walked;
5:3 and again a Spirit taketh me, and
carrieth me away to the same place as last year. (Vision)
5:4 When then I arrived at the place, I fell
upon my knees, and began to pray to the Lord, and to glorify His
name, for that he counted me
worthy, and made known unto me
my former sins.
5:5 But after I had risen up from prayer, I
behold before me the aged lady, whom also I had seen last year,
walking and reading a little book.
5:6 And she saith to me, `Canst thou report
these things to the
elect of God'?
5:7 I say unto her, `Lady, I cannot recollect
so much;
5:8 but give me the little book, that I may
copy it'.
5:9 `Take it', saith she, `and be sure and
return it to me'.
5:10 I took it, and retiring to a certain spot
in the country I copied it letter for letter:
5:11 for I could not make out the
syllables.
5:12 When then I had finished the letters of
the book, suddenly the book was snatched out of my hand;
6:1 Now after fifteen days, when I had fasted
and entreated the Lord earnestly, the knowledge of the writing was
revealed to me.
6:2 And this is what was written:
6:3 the Lord, and have betrayed their parents
through great wickedness, yea, they have got the name of betrayers of
parents, and yet they did not profit by their betrayal;
6:4 and they still further added to their sins
wanton deeds and reckless wickedness;
6:5 and so the measure of their transgressions
was filled up.
6:6 But make these words known to all thy
children, and to thy wife who shall be as thy sister;
6:7 for she too refraineth not from using her
tongue, wherewith she doeth evil.
6:8 But, when she hears these words, she will
refrain, and will find mercy.
6:9 After that thou hast made known unto them
All these words,
6:10 which the Master commanded me that they
should be revealed unto thee, then all their sins which they sinned
aforetime are forgiven to them;
6:11 yea, and to all the saints that have
sinned unto this day,
if they repent with their whole
heart, and remove double-mindedness
from their heart.
6:12 For the Master sware by His own glory, as
concerning His elect;
6:13 that if, now that this day has
been set as a limit,
sin shall hereafter be committed,
they shall not find
salvation;
6:14 for repentance for the righteous hath an
end;
6:15 the days of repentance are accomplished
for all the saints;
6:16 whereas for the Gentiles there is
repentance
until the last day.
6:17 Thou shalt therefore say unto the rulers
of the Church, that they direct their paths in righteousness, that
they may receive in full the promises with abundant glory.
6:18 Ye therefore that work righteousness be
stedfast, and be not double-minded, that ye may have admission with
the holy angels.
6:19 Blessed are ye, as many as endure
patiently the great tribulation that cometh, and as many as shall not
deny their life.
6:20 For the Lord sware concerning His Son,
that those who denied their Lord should be rejected from their life,
even they that are now about to deny Him in the coming days;
7:1 `But do thou, Hermas, no longer bear a
grudge against thy children, neither suffer thy sister to have her
way,
7:2 so that they with a righteous chastisement,
unless thou bear a grudge against them thyself.
7:3 The bearing of a grudge worketh
death.
7:4 But thou, Hermas, hast had great
tribulations of thine own, by reason of the transgressions of thy
family, because thou hadst no care for them.
7:5 For thou wast neglectful of them, and wast
mixed up with thine evil transactions.
7:6 But herein is
thy salvation,
in that thou didst not depart from
the living God, and in thy simplicity and thy great
continence.
7:7 These have saved thee, if thou abidest therein;
7:8 and they save all who do such things, and
walk in guilelessness and simplicity.
7:9 These men prevail over all wickedness, and
continue unto life eternal.
7:10 Blessed are all they that work righteousness.
7:11 They shall never be destroyed.
7:12 But thou shalt say to Maximus, "Behold
tribulation cometh (upon thee), if thou think fit to deny a second
time.
7:13 The Lord is
nigh unto them that turn unto Him, as
it is written in Eldad and Modat, who prophesied to the people in the
wilderness."'
8:1 Now, brethren, a revelation was made unto
me in my sleep by a youth of exceeding fair form,
8:2 who said to me, `Whom thinkest thou the
aged woman, from whom thou receivedst the book, to be'?
8:3 I say, `The Sibyl'.
8:4 `Thou art wrong', saith be, `she is
not'.
8:5 `Who then is she'?
8:6 I say.
8:7 `The Church', saith he.
8:8 I said unto him, `Wherefore then is she
aged'?
8:9 `Because', saith he, `she was created
before all things;
8:10 therefore is she aged;
8:11 and for her sake the world was
framed'.
8:12 And afterwards I saw a vision in n)y
house.
8:13 The aged woman came, and asked me, if I
had already given the book to the elders.
8:14 I said that I had not given it.
8:15 `Thou hast done well', she said, `for I
have words to add.
8:16 When then I shall have finished all the
words, it shall be made known by thy means to all the elect. [God invites or eKLEKTOs all. Those who
accept the invitation are the ELECTED.]
8:17 Thou shalt therefore write two little
books, and shalt send one to Clement, and one to Grapte. [These are the elect because they
obeyed]
8:18 So Clement shall send to the
foreign cities, for this is his duty;
8:19 while Grapte shall instruct the
widows and
the orphans.
Men and women in the Christian Church:
The early Christians and
perhaps diaspora Jews before them were probably adapting the Jewish
custom of the veiling of women in daily life to the Greco-Roman
environment. Consequently, since women did not go veiled in daily
life in the Greco-Roman world, the Christians restricted the custom
to worship situations, the one time they felt it to be essential, and
hence to the privacy of their own gatherings. It is possible that the
role of women in service in the Christian community is another
adaptation, because our evidence for the degree of active service for
women comes from Gentile, not Palestinian or Jewish-Christian,
environments. Many have held that this indicates that Gentiles and
Jewish-Christians approached this area differently and, hence, that
the approach of the Gentile Christians represents an adaptation to
their environment.(15)
15. Leipoldt, pp. 147-155,
among others, subscribes to this view. However, evidence such as that
of 1 Cor 9:5, and the role of the woman Grapte
in The Shepherd of
Hermas may be taken as
contradicting such a position. 1 Cor 9:5 indicates that women
travelled, and possibly worked with, the Twelve, as well as with
Paul. Grapte's role in Hernias (which is normally seen as a
Judeo-Christian work) points to a similar conclusion. See Chapter
Five on women as missionary workers for a related issue.
It is suggested tht Grapte was
a "deaconess" and therefore a widow in that she instructed the widows
and orphans.
9:1 VISION THREE. CONCERNING THE BUILDING OF THE TRIUMPHANT CHURCH, AND
THE VARIOUS CLASSES OF REPROBATE MEN.
9:2 fasting often, and entreating the Lord to
declare unto me the revelation which He promised to show me by the
mouth of the aged woman,
9:3 that very night the aged woman was seen of
me,
9:4 and she said to me, `Seeing that thou art
so importunate and eager to know all things, come into the country
where thou abidest,
9:5 and about the fifth hour I will appear, and
will show thee what thou oughtest to see'.
9:6 I asked her, saying, `Lady, to what part of
the country ?
9:7 ` Where thou wilt', saith she.
9:8 I selected a beautiful and retired
spot;
9:9 but before I spoke to her and named the
spot, she saith to me, `I will come, whither thou willest'.
9:10 I went then, brethren, into the country,
and I counted up the hours, and came to the place where I appointed
her to come,
9:11 and I see an ivory couch placed there, and
on the couch there lay a linen cushion, and on the cushion was spread
a coverlet of fine linen of flax.
10:1 When I saw these things so ordered, and no
one in the place,
10:2 I was amazed, and a fit of trembling
seized me, and my hair stood on end and a fit of shuddering came upon
me, because I was alone.
10:3 When then I recovered myself, and
remembered the glory of God, and took courage, I knelt down and
confessed my sins to the Lord once more, as I had done on the former
occasion.
11:1 Then she came with six young men, the same
whom I had seen before, and she stood by me, and listened attentively
to me, as I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord.
11:2 And she touched me, and said:
11:3 `Hermas, make an end of constantly
entreating for thy sins;
11:4 entreat also for righteousness, that thou
mayest take some part forthwith to thy family'.
11:5 Then she raiseth me by the hand, and
leadeth me to the couch, and saith to the young men, `Go ye, and
build'.
11:6 And after the young men had retired and we
were left alone, she saith to me, `Sit down here'.
11:7 I say to her, `Lady, let the elders sit
down first'.
11:8 `Do as I bid thee', saith she, `sit
down'.
11:9 When then I wanted to sit down on the
right side, she would not allow me, but beckoned me with her hand
that I should sit on the left side.
11:10 As then I was musing thereon, and was sad
because she would not permit me to sit on the right side, she saith
to me, `Art thou sad, Hermas?
11:11 The place on the right side is for
others, even for those who have already been well-pleasing to God,
and have suffered for the Name's sake.
11:12 But thou lackest much that thou shouldest
sit with them;
11:13 but as thou abidest in thy simplicity,
even so continue, and thou shalt sit with them, thou and as many as
shall have done their deeds, and have suffered what they
suffered'.
12:1 `What did they suffer'?
12:2 say I.
12:3 `Listen', saith she.
12:4 `Stripes, imprisonments, great
tribulations, crosses, wild beasts, for the Name's sake.
12:5 Therefore to them belongs the right side
of the Holiness-to them, and to all who shall suffer for the
Name.
12:6 But for the rest is the left side.
12:7 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.
12:8 Thou indeed art very desirous to sit on
the right with them, but thy shortcomings are many;
12:9 yet thou shalt be purified from thy
shortcomings;
13:1 When she had said this, she wished to
depart;
13:2 but, falling at vision which she
promised.
13:3 Then 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.
13:4 And lifting up a certain glistening rod,
she saith to me, `Seest thou a great thing'?
13:5 I say to her, ` Lady, I see
nothing'.
13:6 She saith to me, `Look thou;
13:7 dost thou not see in front of thee a great
tower being builded upon the waters, of glistening square
stones'?
13:8 Now the tower was being builded foursquare
by the six young men that came with her.
13:9 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.
13:10 And they took them and builded.
13:11 The stones that were dragged from the
deep they placed in every case,
13:12 just as they were, into the building, for
they had been shaped, and they fitted in their joining with the other
stones;
13:13 and they adhered so closely one with
another that their joining could not possibly be detected;
13:14 and the building of the tower appeared as
if it were built of one stone.
13:15 But of the other stones which were
brought from the dry land, some they threw away, and some they put
into the building;
13:16 and others they broke in pieces, and
threw to a distance from the tower.
13:17 Now many other stones were lying round
the tower, and they did not use them for the building;
13:18 for some of them were mildewed, and
others had cracks ill them, and others were too short, and others
were white and round, and did not fit into the building.
13:19 And 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;
13:20 and others falling into the fire and
burning there;
14:1 When she had shown me these things, she
wished to hurry these things, and yet not to know what the things
mean'?
14:2 She answered and said unto me, `Thou art
an over-curious fellow, in desiring to know all that concerns the
tower'.
14:3 `Yea, lady', I said, `that I may announce
it to any brethren, and that they [may be the more gladdened and]
when they hear [these things] may know the Lord in great
glory'.
14:4 `Then said she, `Many shall hear;
14:5 but when they hear, some of them shall be
glad, and others shall weep.
14:6 Yet even these latter, if they hear and
repent, shall likewise be glad.
14:7 Hear thou therefore the parables of the
tower;
14:8 for I will reveal all things unto
thee.
14:9 And trouble me no more about
revelation;
14:10 for these revelations have an end, seeing
that they have been completed.
14:11 Nevertheless thou wilt not cease asking
for revelations;
14:12 for thou art shameless.
15:1 `The tower, which thou seest building, is
myself, the Church, which was seen of thee both now and
aforetime.
15:2 Ask, therefore, what thou willest
concerning the tower, and I will reveal it unto thee, that thou
mayest rejoice with the saints'.
15:3 I say unto her, Lady, since thou didst
hold me worthy once for all, that thou shouldest reveal all things to
me, reveal them'.
15:4 Then she saith to me, `Whatsoever is
possible to be revealed to thee, shall be revealed.
15:5 Only let thy heart be with God, and doubt
not in thy mind about that which thou seest'.
15:6 I asked her, `Wherefore is the tower
builded upon waters, lady'?
15:7 `I told thee so before', said she, `and
indeed thou dost enquire diligently.
15:8 So by thy enquiry thou discoverest the
truth.
15:9 Hear then why the tower is builded upon
waters;
15:10 it is because your life is saved and
shall be saved by water.
16:1 I answered and said unto her,
16:2 `Lady, this thing is great and `These are
the holy angels of GOD, that were created first of all, unto whom the
Lord delivered all His creation to increase and to build it, and to
be masters of all creation.
16:3 By their hands therefore the building of
the tower will be accomplished'.
16:4 `And who are the others who are bringing
the stones'?
16:5 `They also are holy angels of God;
16:6 but these six are superior to them.
16:7 The building
of the tower then shall be
accomplished, and all alike shall rejoice in the (completed) circle
of the tower, and shall glorify God that the building of the tower
was accomplished'.
16:8 I enquired of her, saying, ` Lady, I could
wish to know concerning the end of the
stones, and their power, of what kind
it is'.
16:9 She answered and said unto me, `It is not
that thou of all men art especially
worthy that it should be revealed to
thee;
16:10 for there are others before thee, and
better than thou art, unto whom these visions ought to have been
revealed.
16:11 But that the name of God may be
glorified,
16:12 it hath been revealed to thee, and shall
be revealed, for the sake of the doubtful-minded, who
question in their hearts whether these things are so or not.
16:13 Tell them that all these things are true,
and that there is nothing beside the truth, but that all are
stedfast, and valid, and established on a firm foundation.
Meaning of the Stones
17:1 `Hear now concerning the stones that go to
the building.
17:2 The stones that are squared and white, and
that fit together in their joints,
17:3 these are the apostles and
bishops
and teachers and deacons,
17:4 who walked after the holiness of
God,
17:5 and exercised their office of
bishop and teacher and deacon in purity and sanctity for
the elect of God, some of them already
fallen on sleep, and others still living.
17:6 And because they always agreed with one
another, they both had peace among themselves and listened one to
another.
17:7 Therefore their joinings fit together in
the building of the tower'.
The Morter
17:8 `But they that are dragged from the deep,
and placed in the building, and that fit together in their joinings
with the other stones that are already builded in, who are
they'?
17:9 `These are they that suffered for the name
of the Lord'.
17:10 `But the other stones that are brought
from the dry land, I would fain know who these are, lady'.
17:11 She said, `Those that go to the building,
and yet are not hewn, these the Lord hath approved
because they walked in the
uprightness of the Lord,
and rightly performed His commandments'.
17:12 `But they that are brought and placed in
the building, who are they'?
17:13 `They are young in the faith, and
faithful;
17:14 but they are warned by the angels to do
good, because wickedness was found in them'.
The Lost Stones
17:15 `But those whom they rejected and threw away,
who are they'?
17:16 `These have sinned, and desire to repent,
therefore they were not cast to a great distance from the tower,
because they will be useful for the building, if they repent.
17:17 They then that shall repent, if they
repent, will be strong in the faith, if they repent now while the
tower is building.
17:18 But if the building shall be finished,
they have no more any place, but shall be castaways.
The Non-Elect
18:1 But wouldst thou know about them that are
broken in pieces, and cast away far from the tower?
18:2 These are the sons of wickedness was
absent from them.
18:3 Therefore they have not salvation, for
they are not useful for building by
reason of their wickednesses.
18:4 Therefore they were broken up and thrown
far away by reason of the wrath of the Lord, for they excited Him to
wrath.
18:5 But the rest whom thou hast seen lying in
great numbers, not going to the building, of these they that are
mildewed
are they that knew the truth, but did not abide in it, nor cleave to
the saints.
19:1 `But they that have the cracks, who are
they'?
19:2 `These are they at peace among
themselves;
19:3 who have an appearance of peace, but when
they depart from one another, their wickednesses abide in their
hearts.
19:4 These are the cracks which the stones
have.
19:5 But they that are broken off short, these
have believed, and have their greater part in righteousness, but have
some parts of lawlessness;
20:1 `But the white and round stones, which did
not fit into the building, who are they, lady'?
20:2 She answered and said to me, ` How
understandest nothing?
20:3 These are they that have faith, but have
also riches of this world.
20:4 When tribulation cometh, they deny their
Lord by reason of their riches and their business affairs'.
20:5 And I answered and said unto her, `When
then, lady, will they be useful for the building ?`
20:6 `When', she replied, `their wealth, which
leadeth their souls astray, shall be cut away, then will they be
useful for God.
20:7 For just as the round stone, unless it be
cut away, and lose some portion of itself, cannot become
square,
20:8 so also they that are rich in this world,
unless their riches be cut away, cannot become useful to the
lord.
20:9 Learn first from thyself.
20:10 When thou hadst riches, thou wast
useless;
20:11 but now thou art useful and profitable
unto life.
21:1 `But the other stones which thou sawest
cast far away from the tower and falling into the way and rolling out
of the way into believed,
21:2 but by reason of their double heart they
abandon their true way.
21:3 Thus thinking that they can find a better
way, they go astray and are sore distressed, as they walk about in
the regions where there is no way.
21:4 But they that fall into the fire and are
burned,
21:5 these are they that finally rebelled from the living God,
21:6 and it no more entered into their hearts
to repent
by reason of the lusts of their wantonness and of the
wickednesses which they wrought.
21:7 But the others, which fall near the waters
and yet cannot roll into the water, wouldest thou know who are they?
21:8 These are they that
heard the
word, and would be baptized unto the name of
the Lord.
Didache
9:5 And let none
eat or drink of your Eucharist
........... but such as have been baptized into the name of the Lord,
........... for of a truth the Lord hath said
concerning this,
........... Give not that which is holy unto
dogs.
21:9 Then, when they call to
their remembrance the purity of the truth,
they change their minds, and go
back again after their evil desires'.
21:10 So she finished the explanation of the
tower.
21:11 Still importunate, I asked her further,
whether for all these stones that were rejected and would not fit
into the building of the tower there was repentance, and they had a
place in this tower.
21:12 `They can repent', she said, `but they
cannot be fitted into this tower.
21:13 Yet they shall be fitted into another place much more
humble, but not until they have
undergone torments, and have fulfilled the days of their sins.
21:14 And they shall be changed for this
reason, because they participated it, the Righteous Word;
21:15 and then shall it befall them to be
relieved from their torments, if the evil deeds, that they have done,
come into their heart;
22:1 When then I ceased asking her concerning
all these things, desirous of beholding, I was greatly rejoiced that
I should see it.
22:2 She looked upon me, and smiled, and she
saith to me, `Seest thou seven women round the tower'?
22:3 `I see them, lady', say I.
22:4 `This tower is supported by them by
commandment of the Lord.
22:5 Hear now their employments.
22:6 The first of them, the woman
with the strong hands, is called Faith;
22:7 through her are saved the elect of God.
22:8 And the second, that is girded about and
looketh like a man, is called Continence;
22:9 she is the daughter of Faith.
22:10 Whosoever
then shall follow her, becometh happy
in his life, for he shall refrain from all evil deeds, believing
that, if he refrain from every evil desire, he shall inherit eternal
life'.
22:11 `And the others, lady, who be
they'?
22:12 `They are daughters one of the
other.
22:13 The name of the one is Simplicity, of the next,
knowledge,
of the next, Guilelessness, of the
next, Reverence, of the next, Love.
22:14 When then thou shalt do all the works of
their mother, thou canst live'.
22:15 `I would fain know, lady', I say, `what
power each of them possesseth'.
22:16 `Listen then', saith she, `to the powers
which they have.
22:17 Their powers are mastered each by the
other, and they follow each other, in the order in which they were
born.
22:18 From Faith is born Continence, from
Continence Simplicity, from Simplicity Guilelessness, from
Guilelessness Reverence, from Reverence knowledge, from knowledge
Love.
22:19 Their works then are pure and reverent
and divine.
22:20 Whosoever therefore shall serve these
women, and shall have strength to master their works, shall have his
dwelling in the tower with the saints of God'.
22:21 Then I asked her concerning the seasons,
whether the consummation is even now.
22:22 But she cried aloud, saying, ` Foolish
man, seest thou not that the tower is still a-building?
22:23 Whensoever therefore the tower shall be
finished building, the end cometh;
22:24 but it shall be built up quickly.
22:25 Ask me no more questions:
22:26 this reminder is sufficient for you and
for the saints,
and is the renewal of your spirits.
22:27 But it was not revealed to thyself alone,
but in order that thou mightest show these things unto all.
22:28 After three days-for thou must understand
first,
22:29 and I charge thee, Hermas, first with
these words, which I am about to speak to thee-(I charge thee to)
tell all these things into the ears of the saints,
22:30 that hearing them and doing them they may
be purified from their wickednesses, and thyself also with
them.
23:1 `Hear me, my children.
23:2 I brought you up in much simplicity and
guilelessness and reverence,
23:3 through the mercy of the Lord, Who
instilled righteousness into you, that ye might be justified and
sanctified from all wickedness and all crookedness.
23:4 But ye will not to cease from your
wickedness.
23:5 Now then hear me and be at peace among
your, selves, and have regard one to another, and assist one
another,
23:6 and do not partake of the creatures of God
alone in abundance, but share them also with those that are in
want.
23:7 For some men through their much eating
bring weakness on the flesh, and injure their flesh:
23:8 whereas the flesh of those who have nought
to eat is injured by their not having sufficient nourishment, and
their body is ruined.
23:9 This exclusiveness therefore is hurtful to
you that have and do not share with them that are in want.
23:10 Look ye to the judgment that
cometh.
23:11 Ye then that have more than enough, seek
out them that are hungry, while the tower is still unfinished;
23:12 for after the tower is finished, ye will
desire to do good, and will find no place for it.
23:13 Look ye therefore, ye that exult in your
wealth,
23:14 lest they that are in want shall moan,
and their moaning shall go up unto the Lord, and ye with your
[abundance of) good things be shut outside the door of the
tower.
23:15 Now therefore I say unto you that are
rulers of the Church, and that occupy the chief seats;
23:16 be not ye like unto the sorcerers.
23:17 The sorcerers indeed carry their drugs in boxes,
23:18 but ye carry your drug and your poison in
your heart Ye are case-hardened,
23:19 and ye will not cleanse your hearts and
mix your wisdom together in a clean heart, that ye may obtain mercy
from the Great King.
23:20 Look ye therefore, children, lest these
divisions of yours deprive you of your life.
23:21 How is it that ye wish to instruct the
elect of
the Lord, while ye yourselves have no instruction?
23:22 Instruct one another therefore, and have
peace among yourselves, that I also may stand gladsome before the
Father, and give an account concerning you all to your Lord'.
24:1 When 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.
24:2 I saw not the face of these, for they were
turned away.
24:3 And, as she went, I asked her to reveal to
me concerning the three forms, in which she had appeared to
me.
24:4 She answered and said to me;
24:5 `As concerning these things thou must ask
another, that they may be revealed to thee'.
24:6 Now she was seen of me, brethren, in my
first vision of last year, as a very aged woman and seated on a
chair.
24:7 In the second vision her face was
youthful, but her flesh and her hair were aged, and she spake to me
standing;
24:8 and she was more gladsome than
before.
24:9 But in the third vision she was altogether
youthful and of exceeding great beauty, and her hair alone was
aged;
24:10 and she was gladsome exceedingly and
seated on a couch.
24:11 Touching these things I was very greatly
anxious to learn this revelation.
24:12 And I see the aged woman in a vision of
the night, saying to me, `Every enquiry needs humility.
24:13 Fast therefore, and thou shalt receive
what thou askest from the Lord'.
24:14 So I fasted one day;
24:15 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.
24:16 Sufficient for thee are these
revelations.
24:17 Canst thou see mightier revelations than
those thou hast seen'?
24:18 I 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'.
24:19 He saith to me in answer, `How long are
ye without understanding?
24:20 It is your double-mindedness that maketh
you of no understanding, and because your heart is not set towards
the Lord'.
25:1 `Listen', saith he, `concerning the three
forms, of which thou enquirest.
25:2 In the first vision wherefore did she
appear to aged, and already decayed, and had no power by reason of
your infirmities and acts of double-mindedness.
25:3 For as aged people, having no longer hope
of renewing their youth, expect nothing else but to fall
asleep,
25:4 so ye also, being weakened with the
affairs of this world, gave yourselves over to repining, and cast not
your cares on the Lord;
25:5 but your
spirit was broken, and ye were aged by
your sorrows'.
25:6 ` Wherefore then she was seated on a
chair, I would fain know, Sir'.
25:7 `Because every weak person sits on a chair
by reason of his weakness, that the weakness of his body may be
supported.
26:1 `But in the second vision thou sawest her
standing, and with her countenance more youthful and more gladsome
than before;
26:2 saith he.
26:3 `Imagine an old man, who has now lost all
hope of himself by reason of his weakness and his poverty, and
expecteth nothing else save the last day of his life.
26:4 Suddenly an inheritance is left
him.
26:5 He heareth the news, riseth up and full of
joy clothes himself with strength, and no longer lieth down, but
standeth up,
26:6 and his
spirit, which was now broken by reason
of his former circumstances, is renewed again, and he no longer
sitteth, but taketh courage;
26:7 so also was it with you, when ye heard the
revelation which the Lord revealed unto you.
26:8 For He had compassion on you, and
renewed your spirits,
26:9 and ye laid aside your maladies, and strength
came to you, and ye were made powerful in the faith, and the Lord
rejoiced to see you put on your strength.
26:10 And therefore He showed you the building
of the tower;
27:1 `But in the third vision ye saw her
younger and fair and cometh some piece of good tidings,
27:2 immediately he forgetteth his former
sorrows,
27:3 and admitteth nothing but the tidings
which he hath heard, and is strengthened thenceforth unto that which
is good, and his spirit is
renewed by reason of the joy which he
hath received;
27:4 so also ye have received a renewal of your spirits by
seeing these good things.
27:5 And whereas thou sawest her seated on a
couch, the position is a firm one;
27:6 for the couch has four feet and standeth
firmly;
27:7 for the world too is upheld by means of
four elements.
27:8 They then that have fully repented shall
be young again, and founded firmly, seeing that they have repented
with their whole heart.
27:9 There thou hast the revelation entire and
complete.
28:1 VISION FOUR CONCERNING THE TRIAL AND TRIBULATION THAT ARE TO COME
UPON MEN.
The fourth vision which I saw, brethren, twenty
days after tribulation.
28:2 I was going into the country by the
Campanian Way.
28:3 From the high road, it is about ten
stades;
28:4 and the place is easy for
travelling.
28:5 While then I am walking alone,
28:6 I entreat the Lord that He will accomplish
the revelations and the visions which He showed me through His holy
Church,
28:7 that He may strengthen me and may give
repentance to His servants which have stumbled,
28:8 that His great and glorious Name may be
glorified, for that He held me worthy that He should show me His
marvels.
28:9 And as I gave glory and thanksgiving to
Him, there answered me as it were the sound of a voice, ` Be not of
doubtful mind Hermas'.
28:10 I began to question in myself and to say,
How can I be of doubtful mind, seeing that I am so firmly founded by
the Lord, and have seen glorious things'?
28:11 And I went on a little, brethren, and
behold, I see a cloud of dust rising as it were to heaven, and I
began t> say within myself, `Can it be that cattle are coming, and
raising a cloud of dust ?`
28:12 for it was just about a stade from
me.
28:13 As the cloud of dust waxed greater and
greater, I suspected that it was something supernatural.
28:14 Then the sun shone out a little, and
behold, I see a huge beast like some sea-monster, and from its mouth
fiery locusts issued forth.
28:15 And the beast was about a hundred feet in
length, and its head was as it were of pottery.
28:16 And I began to weep, and to entreat the
Lord that He would rescue me from it.
28:17 And I remembered the word which I had
heard, `Be not of doubtful mind, Hermas'.
28:18 Having therefore, brethren, put on the
faith of the Lord and called to mind the mighty works that He had
taught me, I took courage and gave myself up to the beast.
28:19 Now the beast was coming on with such a
rush, that it might have ruined a city.
28:20 I come near it, and, huge monster as it
was, it stretcheth itself on the ground, and merely put forth its
tongue, and stirred not at all until I had passed by it.
28:21 And the beast had on its head four
colours;
29:1 Now after I had passed the beast,
29:2 and had gone forward about thirty feet,
behold, there meeteth me a virgin arrayed as if she sandals, veiled
up to her forehead, and her head-covering consisted of a turban, and
her hair was white.
29:3 I knew from the former visions that it was
the Church, and I became more cheerful.
29:4 She saluteth me, saying, `Good morrow, my
good man';
29:5 and I saluted her in turn, ` Lady, good
morrow'.
29:6 She answered and said unto me, `Did
nothing meet thee?
29:7 ` I say unto her, Lady, such a huge beast,
that could have destroyed whole peoples :
29:8 but, by the power of the Lord and by His
great mercy, I escaped it'.
29:9 `Thou didst escape it well', saith
she,
29:10 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.
29:11 Therefore the Lord sent His angel, which
is over the beasts, whose name is Segri,
and shut its mouth, that it might
not hurt thee.
29:12 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.
29:13 Go 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.
29:14 If therefore ye prepare yourselves beforehand,
29:15 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.
29:16 Cast your cares upon the Lord and He will
set them straight.
29:17 Trust 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.
29:18 Woe to them that hear these words and are
disobedient;
30:1 I asked her concerning the four colours,
which the beast had upon its head.
30:2 Then she answered me and said, `Again thou
art me what these things are'.
30:3 `Listen', said she;
30:4 `the black is this world in which ye
dwell;
30:5 and the fire and blood colour showeth that
this world must perish by blood and fire;
30:6 and the golden part are ye that have
escaped from this world.
30:7 For as the gold is tested hy the fire and
is made useful, so ye also [that dwell in it] are being tested in
yourselves.
30:8 Ye then that abide and pass through the
fire will be purified by it.
30:9 For as the gold loses its dross, so ye
also shall cast away all sorrow and tribulation, and shall be
purified, and shall be useful for the building of the tower.
30:10 But the white portion is the coming age,
in which the elect of God shall dwell;
30:11 because the elect of God shall be
without spot and pure unto life eternal.
30:12 Wherefore cease not thou to speak in
the ears of the saints.
30:13 Ye have now the symbolism also of the
tribulation which is coming in power.
30:14 But if ye be willing, it shall be
nought.
30:15 Remember ye the things that are written
beforehand'.
30:16 With these words she departed, and I saw
not in what direction she departed;
30:17 for a noise was made;
31:1 REVELATION FIVE.
31:2 As I prayed in the house, and sat on the
couch,
31:3 there entered a skin wrapped about him,
and with a wallet on his shoulders and a staff in his hand.
31:4 And he saluted me, and I saluted him in
return.
31:5 And 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'.
31:6 I thought he came to tempt me, and I say
unto him, `Why, who art thou?
31:7 For I know', say I, `unto whom I was
delivered'.
31:8 He saith to me, `Dost thou not recognise
me'?
31:9 `No', I say.
31:10 `I', saith he, `am the shepherd, unto
whom thou wast delivered'.
31:11 While he was still speaking, his form was
changed, and I recognised him as being the same, to whom I was
delivered;
31:12 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.
FIFTH VISION
CONCERNING THE COMMANDMENTS.
31:13 But he answered and said unto me, `Be not
confounded, but strengthen thyself in my commandments which I am
about to command thee.
31:14 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.
31:15 First of all, write down my commandments
and my parables;
31:16 and the other matters thou shalt write
down as I shall show them to thee.
31:17 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'.
31:18 So I wrote down the commandments and
parables, as he commanded me.
31:19 If 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;
31:20 but if, when ye hear them, ye do not
repent, but still add to your sins, ye shall receive from the Lord
the opposite.
32:1 MANDATE THE FIRST. ON FAITH IN GOD.
32:2 First of all, believe that God is
One,
32:3 even He Who created all non-existence into
being, Who comprehendeth all things, being alone
incomprehensible.
32:4 Believe Him therefore, and fear Him, and
in this fear be continent.
32:5 Keep these things,
32:6 and thou shall cast off all wickedness
from thyself, and shall clothe thyself with every excellence of
righteousness, and shall live unto God, if thou keep this
commandment.
33:1 MANDATE THE SECOND. ON AVOIDING EVIL-SPEAKING, AND ON GIVING ALMS IN
SIMPLICITY.
33:2 He saith to me;
33:3 `Keep simplicity and be guileless, and
thou shall be as little children, that know not the wickedness which
destroyeth the life of men.
33:4 First of all, speak evil of no man,
neither take pleasure in listening to a slanderer.
33:5 Otherwise thou that hearest too shalt be
responsible for the sin of him that speaketh the evil, if thou
believest the slander, which thou hearest;
33:6 for in believing it thou thyself also wilt
have a grudge against thy brother.
33:7 So then shalt thou be responsible for the
sin of him that speaketh the evil.
33:8 Slander is evil;
33:9 it is a restless demon, never at peace,
but always having its home among factions.
33:10 Refrain from it therefore, and thou shalt
have success at all times with all men.
33:11 But clothe thyself in reverence, wherein
is no evil stumbling-block, but all things are smooth and
gladsome.
33:12 Work that which is good,
33:13 and of thy labours, which God giveth
thee, give to all that are in want freely, not questioning to whom
thou shall give, and to whom thou shall not give.
33:14 Give to all;
33:15 for to all God desireth that there should
be given of His own bounties.
33:16 They then that receive shall render an
account to God why they received it, and to what end;
33:17 for they that receive in distress shall
not be judged, but they that receive by false pretence shall pay the
penalty.
33:18 He then that giveth is guiltless;
33:19 for as he received from the Lord the
ministration to perform it, he hath performed it in sincerity, by
making no distinction to whom to give or not to give.
33:20 This ministration then, when sincerely
performed, becomes glorious in the sight of God.
33:21 He therefore that ministereth thus
sincerely shall live unto God.
33:22 `Therefore keep this commandment, as I
have told thee, that thine own repentance and that of thy household
may be found to be sincere, and [thy] heart pure and
undefiled'.
34:1 MANDATE THE THIRD. ON AVOIDING FALSEHOOD, AND ON THE REPENTANCE OF HERMAS
FOR HIS DISSIMULATION.
34:2 Again he saith to me;
34:3 `Love truth, and let nothing but
truth proceed out of thy
mouth,
that the Spirit
which God made to dwell in this flesh, may be
found true in the sight of all men;
34:4 and thus shall the Lord, Who dwelleth in
thee, be glorified;
34:5 for the Lord is true in every word, and
with Him there is no falsehood.
34:6 They therefore that speak lies set the
Lord at nought, and become robbers of the Lord, for they do not
deliver up to Him the deposit which they received.
34:7 For they received of Him a spirit free from
lies.
34:8 This if they shall return a
lying spirit, they have defiled the commandment of the Lord and have
become robbers'.
34:9 When then I heard these things, I wept
bitterly.
34:10 But seeing me weep he saith, `Why weepest
thou ?`
34:11 `Because, Sir', say I, `I know not if I
can be saved'.
34:12 `Why so'?
34:13 saith he.
34:14 `Because, Sir', I say, `never in my life
spake I a true word, but I always lived deceitfully with all men and
dressed up my falsehood as truth before all men;
34:15 and no man ever contradicted me, but
confidence was placed in my word.
34:16 How then, Sir', say I, `can I live,
seeing that I have done these things'?
34:17 `Your supposition', he saith, `is right
and true,
34:18 for it behoved thee as a servant of God
to walk in truth, and no complicity
with evil should abide with the Spirit
of truth, nor bring grief
to the Spirit which is holy and
true'.
34:19 `Never, Sir', say I, `heard I clearly
words such as these'.
34:20 `Now then', saith he, `thou
hearest.
34:21 Guard them, that the former falsehoods
also which thou spakest in thy business affairs may themselves become
credible, now that these are found true;
34:22 for they too can become
trustworthy.
34:23 If thou keep these things,
34:24 and from henceforward speak nothing but
truth,
34:25 thou shalt be able to secure life for
thyself And whosoever shall hear this command, and abstain from
falsehood, that most pernicious habit, shall live unto God'.
35:1 MANDATE THE FOURTH. ON PUTTING ONE'S WIFE AWAY FOR ADULTERY.
35:2 `I charge thee', saith he, `to keep
purity,
35:3 and let not a thought enter into thy heart
concerning another's wife, or concerning fornication or concerning
any such like evil deeds;
35:4 for in so doing thou committest a great
sin.
35:5 But remember thine own wife always, and
thou shalt never go wrong.
35:6 For should this desire enter into thine
heart, thou wilt go wrong, and should any other as evil as this, thou
committest sit,.
35:7 For this desire in a servant of God is a
great sin;
35:8 and if any man doeth this evil deed, he
worketh out death for himself Look to it therefore.
35:9 Abstain from this desire;
35:10 for, Mere holiness dwelleth, there
lawlessness ought not to enter into the heart of a righteous
man'.
35:11 I say to him, `Sir, permit me to ask thee
a few more questions'.
35:12 `Say on', saith he.
35:13 `Sir', say I, `if a man who has a wife
that is faithful in the Lord detect her in adultery, doth the husband
sin in living with her'?
35:14 `So long as he is ignorant', saith he,
`he sinneth not;
35:15 but if the husband know of her sin, and
the wife repent not, but continue in her fornication, and her husband
live with her, he makes himself responsible for her sin and an
accomplice in her adultery'.
35:16 `What then, Sir', say I, `shall the
husband do, if the wife continue in this case'?
35:17 `Let him divorce her', saith he, `and let
the husband abide alone:
35:18 but if after divorcing his wife he shall
marry another, he likewise committeth adultery'.
35:19 `If then, Sir', say I, `after the wife is
divorced, she repent and desire to return to her own husband, shall
she not be received'?
35:20 `Certainly', saith he, `if the husband
receiveth her not, he sinneth and bringeth great sin upon
himself;
35:21 nay, one who hath sinned and repented
must be received, yet not often;
35:22 for there is but one repentance for the
servants of God.
35:23 For the sake of her repentance therefore
the husband ought not to marry.
35:24 This is the manner of acting enjoined on
husband and wife.
35:25 Not only', saith he, `is it adultery, if
a man pollute his flesh, but whosoever doeth things like unto the
heathen committeth adultery.
35:26 If therefore in such deeds as these
likewise a man continue and repent not, keep away from him, and live
not with him.
35:27 Otherwise, thou also art a partaker of
his sin.
35:28 For this cause ye were enjoined to remain
single, whether husband or wife;
35:29 for in such cases repentance is
possible.
35:30 I', said he, `am not giving an excuse
that this matter should be concluded thus, but to the end that the
sinner should sin no more.
35:31 But as concerning his former sin, there
is One who is able to give healing;
36:1 I asked him again, saying, `Seeing that
the Lord held me worthy that thou shouldest always dwell with me,
suffer me still to made dense by my former deeds.
36:2 Make me to understand, for I am very
foolish, and I apprehend absolutely nothing'.
36:3 He answered and said unto me, `I', saith
he, `preside over repentance, and I give understanding to all who
repent.
36:4 Nay, thinkest thou not', saith he, `that
this very act of repentance is understanding?
36:5 To repent is great understanding', saith
he.
36:6 `For the man that hath sinned
understandeth that he hath done evil before the Lord,
36:7 and the deed which he hath done entereth
into his heart, and he repenteth, and doeth no more evil, but doeth
good lavishly, and humbleth his own soul and putteth it to torture
because it sinned.
36:8 Thou seest then that repentance is great
understanding'.
36:9 `It is on this account therefore, Sir',
say I, `that I enquire everything accurately of thee;
36:10 first, because I am a sinner;
36:11 secondly, because I know not what deeds I
must do that I may live, for my sins are many and various'.
36:12 `Thou shalt live', saith he, `if thou
keep my commandments and walk in them;
37:1 `I will still proceed, Sir', say I, `to
ask a further question'.
37:2 `Speak on', saith he.
37:3 `I have heard, Sir', say I, `from took
place when we went down into the water and obtained remission of our
former sins'.
37:4 He saith to me;
37:5 `Thou hast well heard;
37:6 for so it is.
37:7 For he that hath received remission of
sins ought no longer to sin, but to dwell in purity.
37:8 But, since thou enquirest all things
accurately,
37:9 I will declare unto thee this also, so as
to give no excuse to those who shall hereafter believe or those who
have already believed, on the Lord.
37:10 For they that have already believed, or
shall hereafter believe, have not repentance for sins, but have only
remission of their former sins.
37:11 To those then that were called before
these days the Lord has appointed repentance.
37:12 For the Lord, being a discerner of hearts
and foreknowing all things,
37:13 perceived the weakness of men and the
manifold wiles of the devil, how that he will be doing some mischief
to the servants of God, and will deal wickedly with them.
37:14 The Lord then, being very compassionate,
had pity on His handiwork, and appointeth this (opportunity' of)
repentance, and to me was given the authority over this
repentance.
37:15 But I say unto you', saith he, `if after
this great and holy calling any one, being tempted of the devil,
shall commit sin, he hath only one (opportunity of)
repentance.
37:16 But if he sin off-hand and repent,
repentance is unprofitable for such a man;
37:17 for he shall live with
difficulty'.
37:18 I say unto him, `I was quickened into
life again, when I heard these things from thee so precisely.
37:19 For I know that, if I shall add no more
to my sins, I shall be saved'.
38:1 I asked him again, saying, `Sir, since
once thou dost bear with me, declare unto me this further matter
also'.
38:2 `Say on', saith and one of them marry,
doth the one that marrieth sin'?
38:3 `He sinneth not', saith he, `but if he
remain single, he investeth himself with more exceeding honour and
with great glory before the Lord;
38:4 yet even if he should marry, he sinneth
not.
38:5 Preserve purity and holiness therefore,
and thou shalt live unto God.
38:6 All these things, which I speak and shall
hereafter speak unto thee, guard from this time forward, from the day
when thou vast committed unto me, and I will dwell in thy
house.
38:7 But for thy former transgressions there
shall be remission, if thou keepest my commandments.
39:1 MANDATE THE FIFTH. OF SADNESS OF HEART, AND OF PATIENCE.
39:2 thou shalt have the mastery over all evil
deeds, and shalt work all righteousness.
39:3 For if thou art long-suffering,
39:4 the Holy
Spirit that abideth in thee
shall be pure,
39:5 not being darkened by
another
evil spirit,
"Again--Some will
say, What does the
expression Holy Spirit mean? Well, in scripture it stands first for God
the Holy Spirit, and
secondly for the holy mind or spirit
of a
believer--for
illustration, take Peter's words to Ananias, "Why has Satan tempted
you to lie to the Holy Spirit; you have not lied to men, but to God,"
(the Holy Spirit.) And the Saviour says, How much more will your
heavenly Father give a holy
spirit (as it should be translated) to those that ask him.
Again--Praying in a
holy spirit.
Again--Paul says he approved himself God's servant "by knowledge, by
long sufferings, by kindness, by a holy spirit'" by a mind innocent of the love of gain, or commerce, or
sensuality
"Now then the
expression stands for both God the Holy Spirit, and for a believer's spirit made holy by
him. . Walter Scott
39:6 but dwelling in a large room shall rejoice
and be glad with the vessel in which he dwelleth, and shall serve God
with much cheerfulness, having prosperity in himself.
39:7 But if any angry temper approach,
forthwith the Holy Spirit, being
delicate,
is straitened, not having [the) place clear, and seeketh to retire
from the place;
39:8 for he is being choked by the
evil spirit, and has no room to minister unto the Lord, as he
desireth,
being polluted by angry
temper.
39:9 For the Lord dwelleth in long-suffering,
but the devil in angry
temper.
39:10 Thus that both the spirits then
should be dwelling together is inconvenient and evil for that man in
whom they dwell.
39:11 For if you take a little wormwood, and
pour it into a jar of honey, is not the whole of the honey spoiled,
and all that honey ruined by a very small quantity of
wormwood?
39:12 For it destroyeth the sweetness of the
honey, and it no longer hath the same attraction for the owner,
because it is rendered bitter and hath lost its use.
39:13 But if the wormwood be not put into the
honey, the honey is found sweet and becomes useful to its
owner.
39:14 Thou seest [then) that long-suffering is
very sweet, beyond the sweetness of honey, and is useful to the Lord,
and He dwelleth in it.
39:15 But angry temper is bitter and
useless.
39:16 If then angry temper be mixed with
long-suffering, long-suffering is polluted and the man's intercession
is no longer useful to God'.
39:17 `I would fain know, Sir', say I, `the
working of angry temper, that I may guard myself from it'.
39:18 `Yea, verily', saith he, `if thou guard
not thyself from it-thou and thy family-thou hast lost all thy
hope.
39:19 But guard thyself from it;
39:20 for I am with thee.
39:21 Yea, and all men shall hold aloof from
it, as many as have repenteth with their whole heart.
39:22 For I will be with them and will preserve
them;
40:1 `Hear now', saith he, `the working of
angry temper, how evil it is,
40:2 and how it subverteth the servants of God
by its own working, lead astray them that are full in the faith, nor
can it work upon them, because the power of the Lord is with
them;
40:3 but them that are empty and double-minded
it leadeth astray.
40:4 For when it seeth such men in prosperity
it insinuates itself into the heart of the man,
40:5 and for no cause whatever the man or the
woman is embittered on account of worldly matters,
40:6 either about meats, or some triviality, or
about some friend, or about giving or receiving, or about follies of
this kind.
40:7 For all these things are foolish and vain
and senseless and inexpedient for the servants of God.
40:8 But long-suffering is great and
strong,
40:9 and has a mighty and vigorous power, and
is prosperous in great enlargement, gladsome, exultant, free from
care, glorifying the Lord at every season, having no bitterness in
itself, remaining always gentle and tranquil.
40:10 This long-suffering therefore dwelleth
with those whose faith is perfect.
40:11 But angry
temper is in the first place foolish,
fickle and senseless;
40:12 then from foolishness is engendered
bitterness, and from bitterness wrath, and from wrath anger, and from
anger spite;
40:13 then spite being composed of all these
evil elements becometh a great sin and incurable.
40:14 For when all
these spirits dwell in one
vessel,
where the Holy Spirit also
dwelleth, that vessel cannot contain them, but overfloweth.
40:15 The delicate
spirit therefore,
40:16 as not being accustomed to dwell with-an
evil spirit nor with harshness, departeth from a man of that kind,
and seeketh to dwell with gentleness and tranquillity.
40:17 Then, when it hath removed from that man,
in whom it dwells,
40:18 that man becometh emptied of the
righteous spirit,
40:19 and henceforward, being filled with the
evil spirits, he is unstable in all his actions,
40:20 being dragged about hither and thither by
the evil spirits, and is altogether blinded and bereft of his good
intent.
40:21 Thus then it happeneth to all persons of
angry temper.
40:22 Refrain therefore from angry temper, the
most evil of evil spirits.
40:23 But clothe thyself in long-suffering, and
resist angry temper and bitterness, and thou shalt be found in
company with the holiness which is beloved of the Lord.
40:24 See then that thou never neglect this
commandment;
40:25 for if thou master this commandment, thou
shalt be able likewise to keep the remaining commandments, which I am
about to give thee.
40:26 Be strong in them and endowed with
power;
41:1 MANDATE THE SIXTH. HOW TO RECOGNISE THE TWO
SPIRITS ATTENDANT ON EACH MAN, AND HOW
TO DISTINGUISH THE SUGGESTIONS OF THE ONE FROM THOSE OF THE
OTHER.
41:2 `I charged thee', saith he,
41:3 `in my first commandment to guard saith
he, `I wish to show thee their powers also, that thou mayest
understand what is the power and effect of each one of them.
41:4 For their effects are twofold.
41:5 Now they are prescribed alike to the
righteous and the unrighteous.
41:6 Do thou therefore trust righteousness, but
trust not unrighteousness;
41:7 for the way of righteousness is straight,
but the way of unrighteousness is crooked.
41:8 But walk thou in the straight [and level]
path, and leave the crooked one alone.
41:9 For the crooked way has no tracks, but
only pathlessness and many stumbling-stones, and is rough and
thorny.
41:10 So it is therefore harmful to those who
walk in it.
41:11 But those who walk in the straight way
walk on the level and without stumbling :
41:12 for it is neither rough nor
thorny.
41:13 Thou seest then that it is more expedient
to walk in this way'.
41:14 `I am pleased, Sir', say I, `to walk in
this way'.
42:1 `Hear now', saith he, `concerning
faith.
42:2 There are two then, Sir', say I, `shall I
know their workings, seeing that both angels dwell with me'?
42:3 `Hear', saith he, `and understand their
workings.
42:4 The angel of righteousness is delicate and
bashful and gentle and tranquil.
42:5 When then this one enters into thy
heart,
42:6 forthwith he speaketh with thee of
righteousness, of purity, of holiness, and of contentment, of every
righteous deed and of every glorious virtue.
42:7 When all these things enter into thy
heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with thee.
42:8 [These then are the works of the angel of
righteousness.]
42:9 Trust him therefore and his works.
42:10 Now see the works of the angel of
wickedness also.
42:11 First of all, he is quick-tempered and
bitter and senseless, and his works are evil, overthrowing the
servants of God.
42:12 Whenever then he entereth into thy heart,
know him by his works'.
42:13 `How I shall discern him, Sir', I reply,
`I know not'.
42:14 `Listen', saith he.
42:15 `When a fit of angry temper or bitterness
comes upon thee, know that he is in thee.
42:16 Then the desire of much business and the
costliness of many viands and drinking bouts and of many drunken fits
and of various luxuries which are unseemly,
42:17 and the desire of women, and avarice, and
haughtiness and boastfulness,
42:18 and whatsoever things are akin and like
to these-when then these things enter into thy heart, know that the
angel of wickedness is with thee.
42:19 Do thou therefore, recognising his works,
stand aloof from him, and trust him in nothing, for his works are
evil and inexpedient for the servants of God.
42:20 Here then thou hast the workings of both
the angels.
42:21 Understand them, and trust the angel of
righteousness.
42:22 But from the angel of wickedness stand
aloof, for his teaching is evil in every matter;
42:23 for though one be a man of faith, and the
desire of this angel enter into his heart, that man, or that woman,
must commit some sin.
42:24 And if again a man or a woman be
exceedingly wicked, and the works of the angel of righteousness come
into that man's heart, he must of necessity do something good.
42:25 Thou seest then', saith he, `that it is
good to follow the angel of righteousness, and to bid farewell to the
angel of wickedness.
42:26 This commandment declareth what
concerneth faith,, that thou mayest trust the works of the angel of
righteousness, and doing them mayest live unto God.
42:27 But believe that the works of the angel
of wickedness are difficult;
43:1 MANDATE THE SEVENTH. ON FEARING GOD, AND NOT FEARING THE DEVIL.
43:2 `Fear the Lord', saith he, `and keep His
commandments.
43:3 So deed, and thy doing shall be
incomparable.
43:4 For whilst thou fearest the Lord, thou
shalt do all things well.
43:5 But this is the fear wherewith thou
oughtest to be afraid, and thou shalt be saved.
43:6 But fear not the devil;
43:7 for, if thou fear the Lord, thou shalt be
master over the devil, for there is no power in him.
43:8 [For] in whom is no power, neither is
there fear of him;
43:9 but in whom power is glorious, of him is
fear likewise.
43:10 For every one that hath power hath fear,
whereas he that hath no power is despised of all.
43:11 But fear thou the works of the devil, for
they are evil.
43:12 While then thou fearest the Lord, thou
wilt fear the works of the devil, and wilt not do them, but abstain
from them.
43:13 Fear therefore is of two kinds.
43:14 If thou desire to do evil, fear the Lord,
and thou shalt not do it.
43:15 If again thou desire to do good, fear the
Lord and thou shalt do it.
43:16 Therefore the fear of the Lord is
powerful and great and glorious.
43:17 Fear the Lord then, and thou shalt live
unto Him;
43:18 yea, and as many of them that keep His
commandments as shall fear Him, shall live unto God'.
43:19 ` Wherefore, Sir', say I, didst thou say
concerning those that keep His commandments, "They shall live unto
God"'?
43:20 ` Because', saith he, `every creature
feareth the Lord, but not every one keepeth His commandments.
43:21 Those then that fear Him and keep His
commandments, they have life unto God;
44:1 MANDATE THE EIGHTH. WE OUGHT TO SHUN THAT WHICH IS EVIL, AND DO THAT WHICH
IS GOOD.
44:2 `I told thee', saith he, `that the
creatures of God are twofold;
44:3 be temperate, but in other things it is
not right'.
44:4 `Make known unto me, Sir', say I, `in what
things it is right to be temperate, and in what things it is not
right'.
44:5 `Listen', saith he.
44:6 `Be temperate as to what is evil, and do
it not;
44:7 but be not temperate as to what is good,
but do it.
44:8 For if thou be temperate as to what is
good, so as not to do it, thou committest a great sin;
44:9 but if thou be temperate as to what is
evil, so as not to do it, thou doest great righteousness.
44:10 Be temperate therefore in abstaining from
all wickedness, and do that which is good'.
44:11 `What kinds of wickedness, Sir', say I,
`are they from which we must be temperate and abstain'?
44:12 `Listen', saith he;
44:13 `from adultery and fornication,
44:14 from the lawlessness of drunkenness, from
wicked luxury,
44:15 from many viands and the costliness of
riches, and vaunting and haughtiness and pride, and from falsehood
and evil-speaking and hypocrisy, malice and all blasphemy.
44:16 These works are the most wicked of all in
the life of men.
44:17 From these works therefore the servant of
God must be temperate and abstain;
44:18 for he that is not temperate so as to
abstain from these cannot live unto God.
44:19 Listen then to what follows upon
these'.
44:20 ` Why, are there still other evil deeds,
Sir'?
44:21 say I.
44:22 `Aye, saith he, `there are many, from
which the servant of God must be temperate and abstain;
44:23 theft, falsehood, deprivation, false
witness, avarice, evil desire, deceit, vain-glory, boastfulness, and
whatsoever things are like unto these.
44:24 Thinkest thou not that these things are
wrong, yea, very wrong', [saith he,] `for the servants of God?
44:25 In all these things he that serveth God
must exercise temperance.
44:26 Be thou temperate, therefore, and refrain
from all these things, that thou mayest live unto God, and be
enrolled among those who exercise self-restraint in them.
44:27 These then are the things from which thou
shouldest restrain thyself Now hear', saith he, `the things, in which
thou shouldest not exercise self-restraint, but do them.
44:28 Exercise no self-restraint in that which
is good, but do it'.
44:29 `Sir', say I, `show me the power of the
good also, that I may walk in them and serve them, that doing them it
may be possible for me to be saved'.
44:30 `Hear', saith he, `the works of the good
likewise, which thou must do, and towards which thou must exercise no
self-restraint.
44:31 First of all, there is faith, fear of the
Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, patience;
44:32 nothing is better than these it, the life
of men.
44:33 If a man keep these, and exercise not
self-restraint from them, he becomes blessed in his life.
44:34 Hear now what follow upon these;
44:35 to minister to widows, to visit the
orphans and the needy,
44:36 to ransom the servants of God from their
afflictions,
44:37 to be hospitable (for in hospitality
benevolence from time to time has a place),
44:38 to resist no man, to be tranquil, to show
yourself more submissive than all men,
44:39 to reverence the aged, to practise
righteousness, to observe brotherly feeling,
44:40 to endure injury, to be long-suffering,
to bear no grudge,
44:41 to exhort those who are sick at soul, not
to cast away those that have stumbled from the faith,
44:42 but to convert them and to put courage
into them, to reprove sinners, not to oppress debtors and indigent
persons, and whatsoever actions are like these.
44:43 Do these things', saith he, `seem to thee
to be good'?
44:44 `Why, what, Sir', say I, `can be better
than these ?`
44:45 `Then walk in them', saith he, `and
abstain not from them, and thou shalt live unto God.
44:46 Keep this commandment therefore.
44:47 If thou do good and abstain not from it,
thou shalt live unto God;
44:48 yea, and all shall live unto God who act
so.
44:49 And again if thou do not evil, and
abstain from it, thou shalt live unto God;
44:50 yea, and all shall live unto God, who
shall keep these commandments, and walk in them'.
45:1 MANDATE THE NINTH. PRAYER MUST BE MADE TO GOD WITHOUT CEASING AND WITH
UNWAVERING CONFIDENCE.
45:2 He saith to me;
45:3 Remove from thyself a doubtful mind and
doubt not at all whether to ask of God, saying within thyself, " How
can I ask a thing of the Lord and receive it, seeing that I have
committed so many sins against Him?"
45:4 Reason not thus, but turn to the Lord with
thy whole heart,
45:5 and ask of Him, nothing wavering, and thou
shalt know His exceeding compassion, that He will surely not abandon
thee, but will fulfil the petition of thy soul.
45:6 For God is not as men who bear a grudge,
but Himself is without malice and hath compassion on His
creatures.
45:7 Do thou therefore cleanse thy heart from
all the vanities of this life, and from the things mentioned
before;
45:8 and ask of the Lord, and thou shalt
receive all things, and shalt lack nothing of all thy petitions, if
thou ask of the Lord nothing wavering.
45:9 But if thou waver in thy heart, thou shalt
surely receive none of thy petitions.
45:10 For they that waver towards God, these
are the doubtful-minded, and they never obtain any of their
petitions.
45:11 But they that are complete in the faith
make all their petitions trusting in the Lord, and they receive,
because they ask without wavering, nothing doubting;
45:12 for every doubtful-minded man,
if he repent not, shall hardly be saved.
45:13 Cleanse therefore thy heart from
doubtful-mindedness, and put on faith, for it is strong, and trust
God that thou wilt receive all thy petitions which thou
askest;
45:14 and if after asking anything of the Lord,
thou receive thy petition somewhat tardily, be not of doubtful mind
because thou didst not receive the petition of thy soul at
once.
45:15 For assuredly it is by reason of some
temptation or some transgression, of which thou art ignorant, that
thou receivest thy petition so tardily.
45:16 Do thou therefore cease not to make thy
soul's petition, and thou shalt receive it.
45:17 But if thou grow weary, and doubt as thou
askest, blame thyself and not Him that giveth unto thee.
45:18 See to this doubtful-mindedness;
45:19 for it is evil and senseless, and
uprooteth many from the faith, yea, even very faithful and strong
men.
45:20 For indeed this doubtful-mindedness is a
daughter of the devil, and worketh great wickedness against the
servants of God.
45:21 Therefore despise doubtful-mindedness and
gain the mastery over it in everything, clothing thyself with faith
which is strong and powerful.
45:22 For faith promiseth all things,
accomplisheth all things;
45:23 but doubtful-mindedness, as having no
confidence in itself, fails in all the works which it doeth.
45:24 Thou seest then', saith he, `that faith
is from above from the Lord, and hath great power;
45:25 but doubtful-mindedness as an
earthly spirit from the devil, and hath no power.
45:26 Do thou therefore serve that faith which
hath power, and hold aloof from the doubtful-mindedness which hath no
power;
45:27 and thou shalt live unto God;
45:28 yea, and all those shall live unto God
who are so minded'.
46:1 MANDATE THE TENTH. OF GRIEF, AND NOT GRIEVING THE SPIRIT OF GOD WHICH IS IN
US.
46:2 `Put away sorrow from thyself', saith he,
`for she is the sister of doubtful-mindedness and of angry
temper'.
46:3 ` How, Sir', say I, `is she the sister of
these?
46:4 For angry temper seems to me to be one
thing, doubtful-mindedness another, sorrow another'.
46:5 `Thou art a foolish fellow', saith
he,
46:6 `[and] perceivest not that sorrow is more
evil than
all the spirits,
46:7 and is most fatal to the servants of God,
and beyond all the spirits destroys a man, and crushes out the
Holy Spirit, and yet again saves it'.
46:8 `I, Sir', say I, `am without
understanding, and I understand not these parables.
46:9 For how it can crush out and again save, I
do not comprehend'.
46:10 `Listen', saith he.
46:11 Those who have never investigated
concerning the truth,
46:12 nor enquired concerning the deity,
46:13 but have merely believed,
46:14 and have been mixed up in business
affairs and riches and heathen friendships,
46:15 and many other affairs of this world-as
many, I say, as devote themselves to these things, comprehend not the
parables of the deity;
46:16 for they are darkened by these actions,
and are corrupted and become barren.
46:17 As good vineyards,
46:18 when they are treated with neglect, are
made barren by the thorns and weeds of various kinds,
46:19 so men who after they have believed fall
into these many occupations which were mentioned before, lose their
understanding and comprehend nothing at all concerning
righteousness;
46:20 for if they hear concerning the deity and
truth, their mind is absorbed in their occupations, and they perceive
nothing at all.
46:21 But they that have the fear of
God,
46:22 and investigate concerning deity and
truth, and direct their heart towards the Lord, perceive and
understand everything that is said to them more quickly,
46:23 because they have the fear of the Lord in
themselves;
46:24 for where the Lord dwelleth, there too is
great understanding.
46:25 Cleave therefore unto the Lord, and thou
shalt understand and perceive all things.
47:1 `Hear now, senseless man', saith he, `how
sorrow crusheth out the Holy
Spirit, and again saveth it.
47:2 When the man of doubtful mind sets his
hand to any action, and fails in it owing to his
doubtful-mindedness,
grief at this entereth into the
man, and grieveth the Holy Spirit, and
crusheth it out.
47:3 Then again when angry temper cleaveth to a
man concerning any matter,
47:4 and he is much embittered, again sorrow
entereth into the heart of the man that was ill-tempered, and he is
grieved at the deed which he hath done, and repenteth that he did
evil.
47:5 This sadness therefore seemeth to bring
salvation, because he repented at having done the evil.
47:6 So both the operations sadden the Spirit;
47:7 first, the doubtful mind saddens the
Spirit,
because it succeeded not in its business, and the angry temper again,
because it did what was evil.
47:8 Thus both are saddening to the
Holy Spirit, the doubtful mind and the angry temper.
47:9 Put away therefore from thyself sadness,
and afflict not the Holy Spirit that dwelleth in thee, lest haply He intercede with God
[against thee], and depart from thee.
47:10 For the Spirit of God, that was
given unto this flesh, endureth not sadness neither
constraint.
48:1 `Therefore clothe thyself in
cheerfulness, which hath favour with God always, and is acceptable
to Him, and rejoice in it.
48:2 For every cheerful man worketh good, and
thinketh good, and despiseth sadness;
48:3 but the sad man is always committing
sin.
48:4 In the first place he committeth sin,
because he grieveth the Holy Spirit,
which was given to the man being a
cheerful spirit;
48:5 and in the second place, by grieving the
Holy Spirit he doeth lawlessness, in that he doth not intercede with
neither confess unto God.
48:6 For the intercession of a sad man hath
never at any time power to ascend to the altar of God'.
48:7 `Wherefore', say I, ` doth not the
intercession of him that is saddened ascend to the altar'?
48:8 `Because', saith he, `sadness is seated at
his heart.
48:9 Thus sadness mingled with the intercession
doth not suffer the intercession to ascend pure to the altar.
48:10 For as vinegar when mingled with `vine in
the same (vessel) hath not the same pleasant taste,
so likewise sadness mingled with the
Holy
Spirit hath not the same intercession.
48:11 Therefore cleanse thyself from this
wicked sadness, and thou shalt live unto God;
48:12 yea, and all they shall live unto God,
who shall cast away sadness from themselves and clothe themselves in
all cheerfulness'.
49:1 MANDATE THE ELEVENTH. THE SPIRIT AND PROPHETS TO BE TRIED BY THEIR WORKS; ALSO
OF THE TWO KINDS OF SPIRIT.
49:2 He shewed me men seated on a couch, and
another man seated on a chair.
49:3 And he saith to me, `Seest thou those that
are seated on the couch ?`
49:4 `I see them, Sir', say I.
49:5 `These', saith he, `are faithful,
49:6 but he that sitteth on the chair is a
false prophet who destroyeth the mind of the servants of God-I mean,
of the doubtful-minded, not of the faithful.
49:7 These doubtful-minded ones then come to
him as to a soothsayer and enquire of him what shall befall them.
49:8 And he, the false prophet, having no power
of a divine Spirit in himself, speaketh with them according to their
enquiries [and according to the lusts of their wickedness],
49:9 and filleth
their souls as they themselves
wish.
49:10 For being empty himself he
giveth empty answers to empty enquirers;
49:11 for whatever enquiry may be made of him,
he answereth according to the emptiness
of the man.
49:12 But he speaketh also some true words for the
devil filleth him with his own
spirit, if so be he shall be able to
break down some of the righteous.
49:13 So many therefore as are strong in the
faith of the Lord, clothed with the truth, cleave not to
such spirits, but hold aloof from them;
49:14 but as many as are doubters and
frequently change their minds, practise soothsaying like the
Gentiles, and bring upon themselves greater sin by their idolatries.
49:15 For he that consulteth a false prophet on
any matter is an idolater and emptied of the truth, and
senseless.
49:16 For no
Spirit given of God needeth to be
consulted;
49:17 but, having the power of deity, speaketh
all things of itself, because it is from above, even from the power
of the divine Spirit.
49:18 But the spirit which is consulted, and
speaketh according to the desires of men, is earthly and fickle,
having no power;
49:19 and it speaketh not at all, unless it be
consulted'.
49:20 ` How then, Sir', say I, ` shall a man
know who
of them is a prophet, and who a false
prophet'?
49:21 `Hear', saith he, `concerning both the
prophets;
49:22 and, as I shall tell thee, so shalt thou
test the prophet and the false prophet.
49:23 By his life test the man that hath the
divine Spirit.
49:24 In the first place, he that hath the
[divine] Spirit, which is from above,
49:25 is gentle and tranquil and
humble-minded,
49:26 and abstaineth from all wickedness and
vain desire of this present
world,
49:27 and holdeth himself inferior to all men,
and giveth no answer to any man when enquired of, nor speaketh in
solitude (for neither doth the Holy Spirit speak when a man wisheth
Him to speak);
49:28 but the man speaketh then when God
wisheth him to speak.
49:29 When then the man who hath the divine
Spirit cometh into an assembly of righteous men, who have faith in a
divine Spirit,
49:30 and intercession is made to God by the
gathering of those men,
49:31 then the angel of the prophetic spirit,
who is attached to him, filleth the man, and the man, being filled
with the Holy Spirit, speaketh to the multitude, according as the
Lord willeth.
49:32 In this way then the
Spirit of the deity shall be manifest.
49:33 `This then is the greatness of the power
as touching the Spirit of the deity of the Lord.
49:34 Hear now', saith he, concerning the
earthly
and vain
spirit, which hath no power but is foolish.
49:35 In, the first place,
that man who seemeth to have a spirit exalteth himself,
49:36 and desireth to have a chief place,
49:37 and straight-way he is impudent and
shameless and talkative and conversant in many luxuries and in many other
deceits,
........... and receiveth
money for his prophesying,
........... and if he receiveth not, he
prophesieth not.
49:38 Now can a divine Spirit receive money and prophesy?
49:39 It is not
possible for a prophet of God to do
this,
........... but the spirit of such prophets is earthly.
49:40 In the next place, it never approacheth
an assembly of righteous men;
49:41 but avoideth them, and cleaveth to the doubtful-minded and empty,
49:42 and prophesieth to them in
corners,
and deceiveth them, speaking all things in emptiness to
gratify their desires;
49:43 for they too are empty whom it
answereth.
49:44 For the empty vessel placed together with the empty is
not broken, but they agree one with the
other.
49:45 But when he comes into an assembly full
of righteous men who have a Spirit of
deity,
49:46 and intercession is made from
them,
49:47 that man is emptied, an(l the
earthly
spirit
fleeth from him, in fear, and that man is struck dumb and is
altogether broken in pieces, being unable to utter a word.
49:48 For, if you pack wine or oil into a
closet, and place an empty vessel among them, and again desire to
unpack the closet,
49:49 the vessel which you placed there empty,
empty in like manner you will find it.
49:50 Thus also the empty prophets, whenever
they come unto the spirits of righteous men, are found just such as
they came.
49:51 I have given thee the life of both kinds
of prophets.
49:52 Therefore test, by his life and his
works, the man who says that he is moved by the Spirit.
49:53 But do thou trust the Spirit that cometh
from God, and hath power;
49:54 but in the earthly and empty spirit put
no trust at all;
49:55 for in it there is no power, for it
cometh from the devil.
49:56 Listen [then] to the parable which I
shall tell thee.
49:57 Take a stone, and throw it up to
heaven-see if thou canst reach it;
49:58 or again, take a squirt of water, and
squirt it up to heaven-see if thou canst bore through the
heaven'.
49:59 ` How, Sir', say I, `can these things
be?
49:60 For both these things which thou hast
mentioned are beyond our power'.
49:61 `Well then', saith he, `just as these
things are beyond our power, so likewise the earthly spirits have no
power and are feeble.
49:62 Now take the power which cometh from
above.
49:63 The hail is a very small grain, and yet,
when it falleth on a man's head, what pain it causeth! Or again, take
a drop which falls on the ground from the tiles, and bores through
the stone.
50:1 MANDATE THE TWELFTH. ON THE TWOFOLD DESIRE. THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD CAN BE
KEPT, AND BELIEVERS OUGHT NOT TO FEAR THE DEVIL.
50:2 He saith to me;
50:3 `Remove from thyself all evil desire, and
clothe thyself in the desire which is good and holy;
50:4 for clothed with this desire thou shalt
hate the evil desire, and shalt bridle and direct it as thou
wilt.
50:5 For the evil desire is wild, and only
tamed with difficulty;
50:6 for it is terrible, and by its wildness is
very costly to men;
50:7 more especially if a servant of God get
entangled in it, and have no understanding, he is put to fearful
costs by it.
50:8 But it is costly to such men as are not
clothed in the good desire, but are mixed up with this life.
50:9 These men then it hands over to
death.'
50:10 `Of what sort, Sir,' say I, `are the
works of the evil desire, which hand over men to death?
50:11 Make them known to me, that I may hold
aloof from them.'
50:12 `Listen,' [saith he,] `through what works
the evil desire bringeth death to the servants of God.
51:1 `Before all is desire for the wife or
husband of another, and for extravagance of wealth, and for many
needless dainties, and for drinks and other luxuries, many and
foolish.
51:2 For every luxury is foolish and vain for
the servants of God.
51:3 These desires then are evil, and bring
death to the servants of God.
51:4 For this evil desire is a daughter of the
devil.
51:5 Ye must, therefore, abstain from the evil
desires, that so abstaining ye may live unto God.
51:6 But as many as are mastered by them, and
resist them not, are done to death utterly;
51:7 for these desires are deadly.
51:8 But do thou clothe thyself in the desire
of righteousness, and, having armed thyself with the fear of the
Lord, resist them.
51:9 For the fear of God dwelleth in the good
desire.
51:10 If the evil desire shall see thee armed
with the fear of God and resisting itself, it shall flee far from
thee, and shall no more be seen of thee, being in fear of thine
arms.
51:11 Do thou therefore, when thou art crowned
for thy victory over it, come to the desire of righteousness,
51:12 and deliver to her the victor's prize
which thou hast received, and serve her, according as she herself
desireth.
52:1 `I would fain know, Sir,' say I, `in what
ways I ought to serve the and the fear of the Lord, faith and
gentleness, and as many good deeds as are like these.
52:2 Practising these thou shalt be
well-pleasing as a servant of God, and shalt live unto Him;
53:1 So he completed the twelve commandments,
and he saith to me;
53:2 `Thou hast these commandments;
53:3 walk in them, and exhort thy hearers that
their ministration, which I give thee, fulfil thou with all diligence
to the end, and thou shalt effect much.
53:4 For thou shalt find favour among those who
are about to repent, and they shall obey thy words.
54:1 I say to him;
54:2 `Sir, these commandments are great and
beautiful and glorious, and are able to gladden the heart of the man'
who is able to man, for they are very hard.'
54:3 He answered and said unto me;
54:4 `If thou set it before thyself that they
can be kept, thou wilt easily keep them, and they will not be
hard;
54:5 but if it once enter into thy heart that
they cannot be kept by a man, thou wilt not keep them.
54:6 But now I say unto thee;
54:7 if thou keep then, not, but neglect them,
thou shalt not have salvation, neither thy children nor thy
household, since thou hast already pronounced judgment against
thyself that these commandments cannot be kept by a man.'
55:1 And these things he said to me very
angrily, so that I was confounded, and feared him exceedingly;
55:2 for his form was changed, so that a man
could not endure his anger.
55:3 And when he saw that I was altogether
disturbed and confounded, he began to speak more kindly [and
cheerfully] to me, and he saith;
55:4 `Foolish fellow, void of understanding and
of doubtful mind,
55:5 perceivest thou not the glory of God, how
great and mighty and marvellous it is,
55:6 how that He created the world for man's
sake, and subjected all His creation to man, and gave all authority
to him, that he should be master over all things under the
heaven?
55:7 If then,' [he saith,] `man is lord of all
the creatures of God and mastereth all things, cannot he also master
these commandments?
55:8 Aye,' saith he, `the man that hath the
Lord in his heart can master [all things and] all these
commandments.
55:9 But they that have the Lord on their lips,
while their heart is hardened, and are far from the Lord, to them
these commandments are hard and inaccessible.
55:10 Therefore do ye, who are empty and fickle
in the faith, set your Lord in your heart, and ye shall perceive that
nothing is easier than these commandments, nor sweeter, nor more
gentle.
55:11 Be ye converted, ye that walk after the
commandments of devil, (the commandments which are so) difficult and
bitter and wild and riotous;
55:12 and fear not the devil, for there is no
power in him against you.
55:13 For I will be with you, I, the angel of
repentance, who have the mastery over him.
55:14 The devil hath fear alone, but his fear
hath no force.
56:1 I say to him, Sir, listen to a few words
from me.'
56:2 `Say what thou wilt,' saith he.
56:3 `Man, Sir,' I say, `is eager to keep the
commandments of strengthened in His commandments, and be subject to
them;
56:4 but the devil is hard and overmastereth
them.'
56:5 `He cannot, saith he, `overmaster the
servants of God, who set their hope on Him with their whole
heart.
56:6 The devil can wrestle with them, but he
cannot overthrow them.
56:7 If then ye resist him, he will be
vanquished, and will flee from you disgraced.
56:8 But as many,' saith he, `as are utterly
empty, fear the devil as if he had power.
56:9 When a man has filled amply sufficient
jars with good wine, and among these jars a few are quite empty, he
comes to the jars, and does not examine the full ones, for he knows
that they are full;
56:10 but he examineth the empty ones, fearing
lest they have turned sour.
56:11 For empty jars soon turn sour, and the
taste of the wine is spoilt.
56:12 So also the devil cometh to all the
servants of Cod tempting them.
56:13 As many then as are complete in the
faith, oppose him mightily, and he departeth from them, not having a
place where he can find an entrance.
56:14 So he cometh next to the empty ones, and
finding a place goeth into them, and further he doeth what he willeth
in them, and they become submissive slaves to him.
57:1 `But I, the angel of repentance, say unto
you;
57:2 Fear not the devil;
57:3 for I was sent,' saith he, `to be with you
who repent with your whole heart, and to strengthen you in the
faith.
57:4 Believe, therefore, on God, ye who by
reason of your sins have despaired of your life, and are adding to
your sins, and weighing down your life;
57:5 for if ye turn unto the Lord with your
whole heart,
57:6 and work righteousness the remaining days
of your life, and serve Him rightly according to His will, He will
give healing to your former sins, and ye shall have power to master
the works of the devil.
57:7 But of the threatening of the devil fear
not at all;
57:8 for he is unstrung, like the sinews of a
dead man.
57:9 Hear me therefore, and fear Him, Who is
able to do all things, to save and to destroy', and observe these
commandments, and ye shall live unto God.'
57:10 I say to him, `Sir, now am I strengthened
in all the ordinances of the Lord, because thou art with me;
57:11 and I know that thou wilt crush all the
power of the devil, and we shall be masters over him, and shall
prevail over all his works.
57:12 And I hope, Sir, that I am now able to
keep these commandments which thou hast commanded, the Lord enabling
me.'
57:13 Thou shalt keep them,' saith he, `if thy
heart be found pure with the Lord;
THIRD BOOK: SIMILITUDES OR
PARABLES
58:1 PARABLES WHICH HE SPAKE WITH ME.
AS IN THIS WORLD WE HAVE NO ABIDING
CITY, WE OUGHT TO SEEK ONE TO COME.
58:2 He saith to me;
58:3 `Ye know that ye, who far from this
city.
58:4 If then ye know your city, in which ye
shall dwell, why do ye here prepare fields and expensive displays and
buildings and dwelling-chambers which are superfluous?
58:5 He, therefore, that prepareth these things
for this city does not purpose to return to his own city.
58:6 O foolish and double-minded and miserable
man, perceivest thou not that all these things are foreign, and are
under the power of another?
58:7 For the lord of this city shall say, "I do
not wish thee to dwell in my city;
58:8 go forth from this city, for thou dost not
conform to my laws."
58:9 Thou, therefore, who hast fields and
dwellings and many other possessions,
58:10 when thou art cast out by him, what wilt
thou do with thy field and thy house and all the other things that
thou preparedst for thyself?
58:11 For the lord of this country saith to
thee justly, "Either conform to my laws, or depart from my
country."
58:12 What then shalt thou do, who art under
law in thine own city?
58:13 For the sake of thy fields and the rest
of thy possessions wilt thou altogether repudiate thy law, and walk
according to the law of this city?
58:14 Take heed, lest it be inexpedient to
repudiate thy law;
58:15 for if thou shouldest desire to return
again to thy city, thou shalt surely not be received [because thou
didst repudiate the law of thy city], and shalt be shut out from
it.
58:16 Take heed therefore;
58:17 as dwelling in a strange land prepare
nothing more for thyself but a competency which is sufficient for
thee,
58:18 and make ready that,
58:19 whensoever the master of this city may
desire to cast thee out for thine opposition to his law, thou mayest
go forth from his city and depart into thine own city, and use thine
own law joyfully, free from all insult.
58:20 Take heed therefore, ye that serve God
and have Him in your heart work the works of God being mindful of His
commandments and of the promises which He made, and believe Him that
He will perform them, if His commandments be kept.
58:21 Therefore, instead of fields buy ye souls
that are in trouble, as each is able, and visit widows and orphans,
and neglect them not;
58:22 and spend your riches and all your
displays, which ye received from God, on fields and houses of this
kind.
58:23 For to this end the Master enriched you,
that ye might perform these ministrations for Him.
58:24 It is much better to purchase fields [and
possessions] and houses of this kind, which thou wilt find in thine
own city, when thou visitest it.
58:25 This lavish expenditure is beautiful and
joyous, not bringing sadness or fear, but bringing joy.
58:26 The expenditure of the heathen then
practise not ye;
58:27 for it is not convenient for you the
servants of God.
58:28 But practise your own expenditure, in
which ye can rejoice;
58:29 and do not corrupt, neither touch that
which is another man's, nor lust after it;
58:30 for it is wicked to lust after other
men's possessions.
59:1 ANOTHER PARABLE. AS THE VINE IS SUPPORTED BY THE ELM, SO IS THE RICH MAN
HELPER BY THE PRAYER OF THE POOR.
59:2 As I walked in the field, and noticed an
elm and a vine,
59:3 and was distinguishing them and their
fruits, the shepherd appeareth thinking, [Sir,]' say I, `about the
elm and the vine, that they are excellently suited the one to the
other.'
59:4 `These two trees,' saith he, `are
appointed for a type to the servants of God.'
59:5 `I would fain know, [Sir,]' say I, `the
type contained in these trees, of which thou speakest.'
59:6 `Seest thou,' saith he, `the elm and the
vine?'
59:7 `I see them, Sir,' say I.
59:8 `This vine,' saith he, `beareth fruit, but
the elm is an unfruitful stock.
59:9 Yet this vine, except it climb up the elm,
cannot bear much fruit when it is spread on the ground;
59:10 and such fruit as it beareth is rotten,
because it is not suspended upon the elm.
59:11 When then the vine is attached to the
elm, it beareth fruit both from itself and from the elm.
59:12 Thou seest then that the elm also beareth
[much] fruit, not less than the vine, but rather more.'
59:13 `How more, Sir?' say I.
59:14 `Because,' saith he, `the vine, when
hanging upon the elm, bears its fruit in abundance, and in good
condition;
59:15 but, when spread on the ground, it
beareth little fruit, and that rotten.
59:16 This parable therefore is applicable to
the servants of God, to poor and to rich alike.'
59:17 `How, Sir?' say I;
59:18 `instruct me.'
59:19 `Listen,' saith he;
59:20 `the rich man hath much wealth, but in
the things of the Lord he is poor, being distracted about his riches,
and his confession and intercession with the Lord is very
scanty;
59:21 and even that which he giveth is small
and weak and hath not power above.
59:22 When then the rich man goeth up to the
poor, and assisteth him in his needs,
59:23 believing that for what he doth to the
poor man he shall be able to obtain a reward with God-because the
poor man is rich in intercession [and confession],
59:24 and his intercession hath great power
with God-the rich man then supplieth all things to the poor man
without wavering.
59:25 But the poor man being supplied by the
rich maketh intercession for him, thanking God for him that gave to
him.
59:26 And the other is still more zealous to
assist the poor man, that he may he continuous in his life:
59:27 for he knoweth that the intercession of
the poor man is acceptable and rich before God.
59:28 They both then accomplish their
work;
59:29 the poor man maketh intercession, wherein
he is rich [which he received of the Lord];
59:30 this he rendereth again to the Lord Who
supplieth him with it.
59:31 The rich man too in like manner
furnisheth to the poor man, nothing doubting, the riches which he
received from the Lord.
59:32 And this work is great and acceptable
with God,
59:33 because (the rich man) hath understanding
concerning his riches, and worketh for the poor man from the bounties
of the Lord, and accomplisheth the ministration of the Lord
rightly.
59:34 In the sight of men then the elm seemeth
not to bear fruit,
59:35 and they know not, neither
perceive,
59:36 that if there cometh a drought, the elm
having water nurtureth the vine, and the vine having a constant
supply of water beareth fruit twofold', both for itself and for the
elm.
59:37 So likewise the poor, by interceding with
the Lord for the rich, establish their riches, and again the rich,
supplying their needs to the poor, establish their souls.
59:38 So then both are made partners in the
righteous work.
59:39 He then that doeth these things shall not
be abandoned of God, but shall be written in the books of the
living.
59:40 Blessed are the rich, who understand also
that they are enriched from the Lord.
60:1 ANOTHER PARABLE. AS IN WINTER GREEN TREES CANNOT BE DISTINGUISHED FROM
WITHERED, SO IN THIS WORLD NEITHER CAN THE JUST FROM THE
UNJUST.
60:2 He showed me many trees which had no
leaves, but they seemed to me to be, as it were, withered for they
were all alike.
60:3 And he all alike, and are
withered.'
60:4 He answered and said to me;
60:5 `These trees that thou seest are they that
dwell in this world.'
60:6 `Wherefore then, Sir,' say I, `are they as
if they were withered, and alike?'
60:7 `Because, saith he, ` neither the
righteous are distinguishable, nor the sinners in this world, but
they are alike.
60:8 For this world is winter to the righteous,
and they are not distinguishable, as they dwell with the
sinners.
60:9 For as in the winter the trees, having
shed their leaves, are alike, and are not distinguishable, which are
withered,
60:10 and which alive, so also in this world
neither the just nor the sinners are distinguishable, but they are
all alike.'
61:1 ANOTHER PARABLE. AS IN SUMMER LIVING TREES ARE DISTINGUISHED FROM
WITHERED BY FRUIT AND LIVING LEAVES, SO IN THE WORLD TO COME THE JUST
DIFFER FROM THE UNJUST IN HAPPINESS.
61:2 He showed me many trees again, some of
them sprouting, and others withered, and he saith to me;
61:3 `Seest thou,' saith he, `these
trees?'
61:4 `I see them, Sir,' say I, `some of them
sprouting, and others withered.'
61:5 `These trees,' saith he, `that are
sprouting are the righteous, who shall dwell in the world to
come;
61:6 for the world to come is summer to the
righteous, but winter to the sinners.
61:7 When then the mercy of the Lord shall
shine forth, then they that serve Cod shall be made manifest;
61:8 yea, and all men shall be made
manifest.
61:9 For as in summer the fruits of each
several tree are made manifest,
61:10 and are recognised of what sort they
are,
61:11 so also the fruits of the righteous shall
be manifest, and all [even the very smallest] shall be known to be
flourishing in that world.
61:12 But the Gentiles and the sinners,
61:13 just as thou sawest the trees which were
withered,
61:14 even such shall they be found, withered
and unfruitful in that world, and shall be burnt up as fuel, and
shall be manifest, because their practice in their life hath been
evil.
61:15 For the sinners shall be burned, because
they sinned and repented not;
61:16 and the Gentiles shall be burned, because
they knew not Him that created them.
61:17 Do thou therefore bear fruit, that in
that summer thy, fruit may be known.
61:18 But abstain from overmuch business, and
thou shalt never fall into any sin.
61:19 For they that busy themselves overmuch,
sin much also, being distracted about their business, and in no wise
serving their own Lord.
61:20 How then,' saith he, `can such a man ask
anything of the Lord and receive it, seeing that he serveth not the
Lord?
61:21 [For] they that serve Him, these shall
receive their petitions, but they that serve not the Lord, these
shall receive nothing.
61:22 But if any one work one single action, he
is able also to serve the Lord;
61:23 for his mind shall not be corrupted from
(following') the Lord, but he shall serve Him, because he keepeth his
mind pure.
61:24 If therefore thou doest these things,
thou shalt be able to bear fruit unto the world to come;
62:1 ANOTHER PARABLE. OF TRUE FASTING AND ITS REWARD: ALSO OF PURITY OF
BODY.
62:2 As I was fasting and seated on a certain
mountain, and giving thanks to the Lord for all that He had done unto
me, I see the morn?
62:3 "Because, Sir,' say I, `I am keeping a
station.'
62:4 `What,' saith he, `is a station?'
62:5 `I am fasting, Sir,' say I.
62:6 `And what,' saith he, `is this fast [that
ye are fasting]?'
62:7 `As I was accustomed, Sir,' say I, `so I
fast.'
62:8 `Ye know not,' saith he, `how to fast unto
the Lord, neither is this a fast, this unprofitable fast which ye
make unto Him.'
62:9 `Wherefore, Sir,' say I, `sayest thou
this?'
62:10 `I tell thee,' saith he, `that this is
not a fast, wherein ye think to fast;
62:11 but I will teach thee what is a complete
fast and acceptable to the Lord.
62:12 Listen,' saith he;
62:13 `God desireth not such a vain
fast;
62:14 for by so fasting unto God thou shalt do
nothing for righteousness.
62:15 But fast thou [unto God] such a fast as
this;
62:16 do no wickedness in thy life, and serve
the Lord with a pure heart;
62:17 observe His commandments and walk in His
ordinances, and let no evil desire rise up in thy heart;
62:18 but believe God.
62:19 Then, if thou shalt do these things, and
fear Him, and control thyself from every evil deed, thou shalt live
unto God;
62:20 and if thou do these things, thou shalt
accomplish a great fast, and one acceptable to God.
63:1 `Hear the parable which I shall tell thee
relating to fasting.
63:2 A certain man had an estate, and many
slaves, and a portion of his estate he planted as a vineyard;
63:3 and choosing out a certain slave who was
trusty and well-pleasing (and) held in honour, he called him to him
and saith unto him;
63:4 "Take this vineyard [which I have
planted], and fence it [till I come], but do nothing else to the
vineyard.
63:5 Now keep this my commandment, and thou
shalt be free in my house."
63:6 Then the master of the servant went away
to travel abroad.
63:7 When then he had gone away, the servant
took and fenced the vineyard;
63:8 and having finished the fencing of the
vineyard, he noticed that the vineyard was full of weeds.
63:9 So he reasoned within himself, saying, "
This command of my lord I have carried out.
63:10 I will next dig this vineyard, and it
shall be neater when it is digged;
63:11 and when it hath no weeds it will yield
more fruit, because not choked by the weeds."
63:12 He took and digged the vineyard, and all
the weeds that were in the vineyard he plucked up.
63:13 And that vineyard became very neat and
flourishing, when it had no weeds to choke it.
63:14 After a time the master of the servant
[and of the estate] came, and he went into the vineyard.
63:15 And seeing the vineyard fenced neatly,
and digged as well, and [all] the weeds plucked up, and the vines
flourishing, he rejoiced [exceedingly] at what his servant had
done.
63:16 So he called his beloved son, who was his
heir,
63:17 and the friends who were his advisers,
and told them what he had commanded his servant, and how much he had
found done.
63:18 And they rejoiced with the servant at the
testimony which his master had borne to him.
63:19 And he saith to them;
63:20 "I promised this servant his freedom, if
he should keep the commandment which I commanded him;
63:21 but he kept my commandment and did a good
work besides to my vineyard, and pleased me greatly.
63:22 For this work therefore which he has
done, I desire to make him joint-heir with my son, because, when the
good thought struck him, he did not neglect it, but fulfilled
it."
63:23 In this purpose the son of the master
agreed with him, that the servant should be made joint-heir with the
son.
63:24 After some few days, his master made a feast, and
sent to him many dainties from the feast.
63:25 But when the servant received [the
dainties sent to him by the master], he took what was sufficient for
him, and distributed the rest to his fellow-servants.
63:26 And his fellow-servants, when they
received the dainties, rejoiced, and began to pray for him,
63:27 that he might find greater favour with
the master, because he had treated them so handsomely.
63:28 All these things which had taken place
his master heard, and again rejoiced greatly at his deed.
63:29 So the master called together again his
friends and his son, and announced to them the deed that he had done
with regard to his dainties which he had received;
64:1 I say, `Sir, I understand not these
parables, neither can I apprehend thee,' saith he;
64:2 `and will show thee whatsoever things I
shall speak with thee.
64:3 Keep the commandments of the Lord, and
thou shalt be well-pleasing to God, and shalt be enrolled among the
number of them that keep His commandments.
64:4 But if thou do any good thing outside the
commandment of God, thou shalt win for thyself more exceeding glory,
and shalt be more glorious in the sight of God than thou wouldest
otherwise have been.
64:5 If then, while thou keepest the
commandments of God, thou add these services likewise, thou shalt
rejoice, if thou observe them according to my commandment.'
64:6 I say to him, `Sir, whatsoever thou
commandest me, I will keep it;
64:7 for I know that thou art with me.'
64:8 `I will be with thee,' saith he, `because
thou hast so great zeal for doing good;
64:9 yea, and I will be with all,' saith he,
whosoever have such zeal as this.
64:10 This fasting,' saith he, `if the
commandments of the Lord are kept, is very good.
64:11 This then is the way, that thou shalt
keep this fast [which thou art about to observe].
64:12 First of all, keep thyself from every
evil word and every evil desire, and purify thy heart from all the
vanities of this world.
64:13 If thou keep these things, this fast
shall be perfect for thee.
64:14 And thus shalt thou do.
64:15 Having fulfilled what is written, on that
day on which thou fastest thou shalt taste nothing but bread and
water;
64:16 and from thy meats, which thou wouldest
have eaten,
64:17 thou shalt reckon up the amount of that
day's expenditure, which thou wouldest have incurred,
64:18 and shalt give it to a widow, or an
orphan, or to one in want,
64:19 and so shalt thou humble thy soul, that
he that hath received from thy humiliation may satisfy his own soul,
and may pray for thee to the Lord.
64:20 If then thou shalt so accomplish this
fast, as I have commanded thee, thy sacrifice shall be acceptable in
the sight of God, and this fasting shall be recorded;
64:21 and the service so performed is beautiful
and joyous and acceptable to the Lord.
64:22 These things thou shalt so observe, thou
and thy children and thy whole household;
64:23 and, observing them, thou shalt be
blessed;
65:1 I entreated him earnestly,
65:2 that he would show me the parable of the
fenced the vineyard, [and of the fence,]
65:3 and of the weeds which were plucked up out
of the vineyard, and of the son, and of the friends, the
advisers.
65:4 For I understood that all these things are
a parable.
65:5 but he answered and said unto me;
65:6 `Thou art exceedingly importunate in
enquiries.
65:7 Thou oughtest not,' [saith he,] `to make
any enquiry at all;
65:8 for if it be right that a thing be
explained unto thee, it shall be explained.'
65:9 I say to him;
65:10 `Sir, whatsoever things thou showest unto
me and dost not explain, I shall have seen them in vain, and without
understanding what they are.
65:11 In like manner also, if thou speak
parables to me and interpret them not, I shall have heard a thing in
vain from thee.'
65:12 But he again answered, and said unto
me;
65:13 `Whosoever,' saith he, `is a servant of
God, and hath his own Lord in his heart, asketh understanding of
Him,
65:14 and receiveth it, and interpreteth every
parable, and the words of the Lord which are spoken in parables are
made known unto him.
65:15 But as many as are sluggish and idle in
intercession, these hesitate to ask of the Lord.
65:16 But the Lord is abundant in compassion,
and giveth to them that ask of Him without ceasing.
65:17 But thou who hast been strengthened by
the holy angel, and hast received from him such (powers of)
intercession and art not idle, wherefore dost thou not ask
understanding of the Lord, and obtain it from Him?'
65:18 I say to him, `Sir, I that have thee with
me have (but) need to ask thee and enquire of thee;
65:19 for thou showest me all things, and
speakest with me;
65:20 but if I had seen or heard them apart
from thee I should have asked of the Lord, that they might be shown
to me.
66:1 `I told thee just now,' saith he, `that
thou art unscrupulous and importunate, in enquiring for the
interpretations of the parables.
66:2 But since thou art so obstinate, I will
interpret to thee the parable of the estate and all the
accompaniments thereof, that thou mayest make them known unto
all.
66:3 Hear now,' saith he, `and understand
them.
66:4 The estate is this world, and the lord of
the estate is He that created all things, and set them in order, and
endowed them with power;
66:5 and the servant is the Son of God, and the
vines are this people whom He Himself planted;
66:6 and the fences are the [holy] angels of
the Lord who keep together His people;
66:7 and the weeds, which are plucked up from
the vineyard, are the transgressions of the servants of God;
66:8 and the dainties which He sent to him from
the feast
are the commandments which He gave to
His people through His Son;
66:9 and the friends and advisers are the holy
angels which were first created;
66:10 and the absence of the master is the time
which remaineth over until His coming.'
66:11 I say to him;
66:12 `Sir, great and marvellous are all things
and all things are glorious;
66:13 was it likely then,' say I, `that I could
have apprehended them?'
66:14 Nay, nor can any other man, though he be
full of understanding, apprehend them.'
66:15 `Yet again, Sir,' say I, `explain to me
what I am about to enquire of thee.'
66:16 `Say on,' he saith, `if thou desirest
anything.'
67:1 Listen,' said he;
67:2 the Son of God is not represented in the
guise of a I;
67:3 `I comprehend not.'
67:4 `Because,' saith he, `God planted the
vineyard, that is, He created the people, and delivered them over to
His Son.
67:5 And the Son placed the angels in charge of
them, to watch over them;
67:6 and the Son Himself cleansed their sins,
by labouring much and enduring many toils;
67:7 for no one can dig without toil or
labour.
67:8 Having Himself then cleansed the sins of
His people, He showed them the paths of life, giving them the law
which He received from His Father.
67:9 Thou seest,' saith he, `that He is Himself
Lord of the people, having received all power from His Father.
67:10 But how that the lord took his son and
the glorious angels as advisers concerning the inheritance of the
servant, listen.
67:11 The Holy Pre-existent
Spirit,
Which created the whole creation,
God made to dwell in flesh that He
desired.
67:12 This flesh, therefore, in which the Holy
Spirit dwelt, was subject unto the Spirit,
walking honourably in holiness and purity, without in any way
defiling the Spirit.
67:13 When then it had lived honourably in
chastity,
67:14 and had laboured with the Spirit, and had
cooperated with it in everything, behaving itself boldly and bravely,
He chose it as a partner with the
Holy Spirit;
67:15 for the career of this flesh pleased [the
Lord], seeing that, as possessing the Holy Spirit, it was not defiled
upon the earth.
67:16 He therefore took the son as adviser and
the glorious angels also,
67:17 that this flesh too, having served the
Spirit unblameably, might have some place of sojourn, and might not
seem to have lost the reward for its service;
67:18 for all flesh, which is found undefiled
and unspotted, wherein the Holy Spirit dwelt, shall receive a
reward.
68:1 `I was right glad, Sir,' say I, `to hear
this interpretation.'
68:2 `Listen now,' saith he.
68:3 `Keep this thy flesh pure and undefiled,
that the Spirit justified.
68:4 See that it never enter into thine heart
that this flesh of thine is perishable, and so thou abuse it in come
defilement.
68:5 [For] if thou defile thy flesh, thou shalt
defile the Holy Spirit also;
68:6 but if thou defile the flesh, thou shalt
not live.'
68:7 `But if, Sir,' say I, `there has been any
ignorance in times past, before these words were heard, how shall a
man who has defiled his flesh be saved?'
68:8 `For the former deeds of ignorance,' saith
he, `God alone hath power to give healing;
68:9 for all authority is His.
68:10 [But now keep thyself, and the Lord
Almighty, Who is full of compassion, will give healing for thy former
deeds of ignorance,] if henceforth thou defile not thy flesh, neither
the Spirit;
68:11 for both share in common, and the one
cannot be defiled without the other.
69:1 [PARABLE THE SIXTH]. OF THE TWO CLASSES OF VOLUPTUOUS MEN, AND OF THEIR
DEATH, FALLING AWAY, AND THE DURATION OF THEIR PUNISHMENT.
69:2 As I sat in my house, and glorified the
Lord for all things that I had seen, and was considering concerning
the glorious and able to save a man's soul, I said within
myself;
69:3 `Blessed shall I be, if I walk in these
commandments;
69:4 yea, and whosoever shall walk in them
shall be blessed.'
69:5 As I spake these things within thyself, I
see him suddenly seated by me, and saying as follows;
69:6 `Why art thou of a doubtful mind
concerning the commandments, which I commanded thee?
69:7 They are beautiful.
69:8 Doubt not at all;
69:9 but clothe thyself in the faith of the
Lord, and thou shalt walk in them.
69:10 For I will strengthen thee in
them.
69:11 These commandments are suitahle for those
who meditate repentance for if they walk not in them, their
repentance is in vain.
69:12 Ye then that repent, cast away the evil
doings of this world which crush you;
69:13 and, by putting on every excellence of
righteousness, ye shall be able to observe these commandments, and to
add no more to your sins.
69:14 If then ye add no further sin at all, ye
will depart from your former sins.
69:15 Walk then in these my commandments, and
ye shall live unto God.
69:16 These things have [all] been told you
from me.'
69:17 And after he had told these things to me,
he saith to me, `Let us go into the country, and I will show thee the
shepherds of the sheep.'
69:18 `Let us go, Sir,' say I.
69:19 And we came to a certain plain, and he
showeth me a young man, a shepherd, clothed in a light cloak, of
saffron colour;
69:20 and he was feeding a great number of
sheep, and these sheep were, as it were, well fed and very frisky,
and were gladsome as they skipped about hither and thither;
69:21 and the shepherd himself was all gladsome
over his flock;
69:22 and the very visage of the shepherd was
exceedingly gladsome;
69:23 and he ran about among the sheep.
70:1 And he saith to me;
70:2 `Seest thou this shepherd?'
70:3 `I see him, Sir,' I say.
70:4 `This,' saith he, `is the angel of
self-indulgence and of deceit.
70:5 He crusheth the souls of the servants of
God, and perverteth them from the truth, leading them astray with
evil desires, wherein they perish.
70:6 For they forget the commandments of the
living God, and walk in vain deceits and acts of self-indulgence, and
are destroyed by this angel, some of them unto death, and others unto
corruption.'
70:7 I say to him, `Sir, I comprehend not what
means "unto death," and what "unto corruption".'
70:8 `Listen,' saith he;
70:9 `the sheep which thou sawest gladsome and
skipping about, these are they who have been turned asunder from God
utterly, and have delivered themselves over to the lusts of this
world.
70:10 In these, therefore, there is not
repentance unto life.
70:11 For the Name of God is being blasphemed
through them.
70:12 The life of such persons is death.
70:13 But the sheep, which thou sawest not
skipping about, but feeding in one place,
70:14 these are they that have delivered
themselves over to acts of self-indulgence and deceit, but have not
uttered any blasphemy against the Lord.
70:15 These then have been corrupted from the
truth.
70:16 In these there is hope of repentance,
wherein they can live.
70:17 Corruption then hath hope of a possible
renewal, but death hath eternal destruction.'
70:18 Again we went forward a little way, and
he showeth me a great shepherd like a wild man in appearance, with a
white goatskin thrown about him;
70:19 and he had a kind of wallet on his
shoulders, and a staff very hard and with knots in it, and a great
whip.
70:20 And his look was very sour, so that I was
afraid of him because of his look.
70:21 This shepherd then kept receiving from
the young man, the shepherd,
70:22 those sheep that were frisky and
well-fed,
70:23 but not skipping about, and putting them
in a certain spot,
70:24 which was precipitous and covered with
thorns and briars, so that the sheep could not disentangle themselves
from the thorns and briars, but [became entangled among the thorns
and briars.
70:25 And so they] pastured entangled in the
thorns and briars, and were in great misery with being beaten by
him;
70:26 and he kept driving them about to and
fro, and giving them no rest, and altogether those sheep had not a
happy time.
71:1 When then I saw them so lashed with the
whip and vexed, I was sorry for their sakes, because they were so
tortured and had no rest at all.
71:2 I say to the shepherd who was speaking
with me;
71:3 `Sir', who is this shepherd, who is [so]
hard-hearted and severe, and has no compassion at all for these
sheep?'
71:4 `This,' saith he, `is the angel of
punishment, and he is one of the just angels, and presides over
punishment.
71:5 So he receiveth those who wander away from
God, and walk after the lusts and deceits of this life, and punisheth
them, as they deserve, with fearful and various punishments.'
71:6 `I would fain learn, Sir,' say I, `of what
sort are these various punishments.'
71:7 `Listen,' saith he;
71:8 `the various tortures and punishments are
tortures belonging to the present life;
71:9 for some are punished with losses, and
others with want,
71:10 and others with divers maladies, and
others with [every kind] of unsettlement,
and others with insults from
unworthy persons and with suffering in many other respects.
71:11 For many, being unsettled in their plans,
set their hands to many things, and nothing ever goes forward with them.
71:12 And then they say that they do not
prosper in their doings,
and it doth not enter into their
hearts that they have done evil deeds, but they blame the Lord.
71:13 When then they are afflicted with every
kind of affliction,
71:14 then they are delivered over to me for
good instruction, and are strengthened in the faith of the Lord, and
serve the Lord with a pure heart the remaining days of their
life.
71:15 But, if they repent, the evil works which
they have done rise up in their hearts,
71:16 and then they glorify God, saying that He
is a just Judge, and that they suffered justly each according to his
doings.
71:17 And they serve the Lord thenceforward
with a pure heart, and are prosperous in all their doings, receiving
from the Lord whatsoever things they may ask;
72:1 I say unto him;
72:2 `Sir, declare unto me this further
matter.
72:3 `What self-indulgence and are deceived
undergo torments during the same length of time as they live in
self-indulgence and are deceived.'
72:4 He saith to me, `They undergo torments for
the same length of time.'
72:5 `Then, Sir,' say I, `they undergo very
slight torments;
72:6 for those who are living thus in
self-indulgence and forget God ought to have been tormented
sevenfold.'
72:7 He saith to me, `Thou art foolish, and
comprehendest not the power of the torment.
72:8 `True,' say I, `for if I had comprehended
it, I should not have asked thee to declare it to me.'
72:9 `Listen,' saith he, `to the power of both,
[of the self-indulgence and of the torment].
72:10 The time of the self-indulgence and
deceit is one hour.
72:11 But an hour of the torment hath the power
of thirty days.
72:12 If then one live in self-indulgence and
be deceived for one day, and be tormented for one day, the day of the
torment is equivalent to a whole year.
72:13 For as many days then as a man lives in
self-indulgence, for so many years is he tormented.
72:14 Thou seest then,' saith he, `that the
time of the self-indulgence and deceit is very short, but the time of
the punishment and torment is long.
73:1 `Inasmuch, Sir,' say I, `as I do not quite
comprehend concerning the time of the deceit and self-indulgence and
torment, show me more clearly.'
73:2 He answered and said unto me;
73:3 `Thy stupidity cleaveth to thee;
73:4 and thou wilt not cleanse thy heart and
serve God.
73:5 Take heed,' [saith he,] `lest haply the
time be fulfilled, and thou be found in thy foolishness.
73:6 Listen then,' [saith he,] `even as thou
wishest, that thou mayest comprehend the matter.
73:7 He that liveth in self-indulgence and is
deceived for one day, and doeth what he wisheth, is clothed in much
folly and comprehendeth not the thing which he doeth;
73:8 for on the morrow he forgetteth what he
did the day before.
73:9 For self-indulgence and deceit have no
memories, by reason of the folly, wherewith each is clothed;
73:10 but when punishment and torment cling to
a man for a single day, he is punished and tormented for a whole year
long;
73:11 for punishment and torment have long
memories.
73:12 So being tormented and punished for the
whole year, the man remembers at length the self-indulgence and
deceit, and perceiveth that it is on their account that he is
suffering these ills.
73:13 Every man, therefore, that liveth in
self-indulgence and is deceived, is tormented in this way because,
though possessing life, they have delivered themselves over unto
death.'
73:14 `What kinds of self-indulgence, Sir,' say
I, `are harmful?
73:15 "Every action,' saith he, `is
self-indulgence to a man, which he does with pleasure;
73:16 for the irascible man, when he gives the
reins to his passion, is self-indulgent;
73:17 and the adulterer and the drunkard and
the slanderer and the liar and the miser and the defrauder and he
that doeth things akin to these, giveth the reins to his peculiar
passion;
73:18 therefore he is self-indulgent in his
action.
73:19 All these habits of self-indulgence are
harmful to the servants of God;
73:20 on account of these deceits therefore
they so suffer who are punished and tormented.
73:21 But there are habits of self-indulgence
likewise which save men;
73:22 for many are self-indulgent in doing
good, being carried away by the pleasure it gives to
themselves.
73:23 This self-indulgence then is expedient
for the servants of God, and bringeth life to a man of this
disposition;
73:24 but the harmful self-indulgencies
afore-mentioned bring to men torments and punishments;
74:1 [PARABLE THE SEVENTH]. THEY WHO REPENT MUST BRING FORTH FRUITS WORTHY OF
REPENTANCE.
74:2 After a few days I saw him on the same
plain, where also I had seen the shepherds, and he saith to me, `What
seekest punisheth go out of My house;
74:3 for he afflicteth me much.'
74:4 `It is necessary for thee,' saith he, `to
be afflicted;
74:5 for so,' saith he, `the glorious angel
ordered as concerning thee, for he wisheth thee to be proved.'
74:6 `Why, what so evil thing have I done,
Sir,' say I, `that I should be delivered over to this angel?
74:7 " Listen,' saith he.
74:8 `Thy sins are many, yet not so many that
thou shouldest be delivered over to this angel;
74:9 but thy house has committed great
iniquities and sins,
74:10 and the glorious angel was embittered at
their deeds,
74:11 and for this cause he made thee be
afflicted for a certain time, that they also might repent and cleanse
themselves from every lust of this world.
74:12 When therefore they shall repent and be
cleansed, then shall the angel of punishment depart.'
74:13 I say to him;
74:14 `Sir, if they perpetrated such deeds that
the glorious angel is embittered, what have I done?'
74:15 `They cannot be afflicted otherwise,'
saith he, `unless thou, the head of the [whole] house, be
afflicted;
74:16 for if thou be afflicted, they also of
necessity will be afflicted;
74:17 but if thou be prosperous, they can
suffer no affliction.'
74:18 `But behold, Sir,' say I, `they have
repented with their whole heart.'
74:19 `I am quite aware myself,' saith he,
`that they have repented with their whole heart;
74:20 well, thinkest thou that the sins of
those who repent are forgiven forthwith?
74:21 Certainly not;
74:22 but the person who repents must torture
his own soul, and must be thoroughly humble in his every action, and
be afflicted with all the divers kinds of affliction;
74:23 and if he endure the afflictions which
come upon him, assuredly He Who created all things and endowed them
with power will be moved with compassion and will bestow some
remedy.
75:1 But why speak I many words to thee?
75:2 Thou must be afflicted as the angel of the
Lord commanded, even he that delivered thee unto me;
75:3 and for this give thanks to the Lord, in
that He deemed thee worthy that I should reveal unto thee beforehand
the affliction, that foreknowing it thou mightest endure it with
fortitude.'
75:4 I say to him;
75:5 `Sir, be thou with, me, and I shall be
able to endure all affliction [easily].'
75:6 `I will be with thee,' saith he;
75:7 `and I will ask the angel that punisheth
to afflict thee more lightly;
75:8 but thou shalt be afflicted for a short
time, and thou shalt be restored again to thy house.
75:9 Only continue to be humble and to minister
unto the Lord with a pure heart,
75:10 thou and thy children and thy house, and
walk in my commandments which I command thee, and thus it will be
possible for thy repentance to be strong and pure.
75:11 And if thou keep these commandments with
thy household, all affliction shall hold aloof from thee;
76:1 [PARABLE THE EIGHTH]. THE SINS OF THE ELECT AND OF THE PENITENT ARE OF MANY
KINDS, BUT ALL WILL BE REWARDED ACCORDING TO THE MEASURE OF THEIR
REPENTANCE AND GOOD WORKS.
76:2 He showed me a [great] willow, overshadow'
are called by the name of the Lord.
76:3 And by the willow there stood an angel of
the Lord, glorious and very tall, having a great sickle,
76:4 and he was lopping branches from the
willow, and giving them to the people that sheltered beneath the
willow;
76:5 and he gave them little rods about a cubit
long.
76:6 And after all had taken the rods, the
angel laid aside the sickle, and the tree was sound, just as I had
seen it.
76:7 Then I marvelled within myself, saying,
`How is the tree sound after so many branches have been lopped
off?'
76:8 The shepherd saith to me, `Marvel not that
the tree remained sound, after so many branches were lopped
off;
76:9 but wait until thou seest all things, and
it shall be shown to thee what it is.'
76:10 The angel who gave the rods to the people
demanded them back from them again;
76:11 and according as they had received them,
so also they were summoned to him, and each of them returned the
several rods.
76:12 But the angel of the Lord took them, and
examined them.
76:13 From some he received the rods withered
and eaten as it were by grubs:
76:14 the angel ordered those who gave up rods
like these to stand apart.
76:15 And others gave them up withered, but not
grubeaten;
76:16 and these again he ordered to stand
apart.
76:17 And others gave them up
half-withered;
76:18 these also stood apart.
76:19 And others gave up their rods
half-withered and with cracks;
76:20 these also stood apart.
76:21 And others gave up their rods green and
with cracks;
76:22 these also stood apart.
76:23 And others gave up their rods one half
withered and one half green;
76:24 these also stood apart.
76:25 And others brought their rods two parts
of the rod green, and the third part withered;
76:26 these also stood apart.
76:27 And others gave them up two parts
withered, and the third part green;
76:28 these also stood apart.
76:29 And others gave up their rods nearly all
green, but a very small portion of their rods was withered, just the
end;
76:30 but they had cracks in them;
76:31 these also stood apart.
76:32 And in those of others there was a very
small portion green, but the rest of the rods was withered;
76:33 these also stood apart.
76:34 And others came bringing their rods
green, as they received them from the angel;
76:35 and the most part of the multitude gave
up their rods in this state;
76:36 and the angel rejoiced exceedingly at
these;
76:37 these also stood apart.
76:38 And others gave up their rods green and
with shoots;
76:39 these also stood apart;
76:40 and at these again the angel rejoiced
exceedingly.
76:41 And others gave up their rods green and
with shoots;
76:42 and their shoots had, as it were, a kind
of fruit.
76:43 And those men were exceeding gladsome,
whose rods were found in this state.
76:44 And over them the angel exulted, and the
shepherd was very gladsome over them.
77:1 And the angel of the Lord commanded crowns
to be brought.
77:2 And crowns were brought, made as it were
of palm-branches;
77:3 and he crowned the men that had given up
the rods which had the shoots and some fruit, and sent them away into
the tower.
77:4 And the others also he sent into the
tower, even those who had given up the rods green and with shoots,
but the shoots were without fruit;
77:5 and he set a seal upon them.
77:6 And all they that went into the tower had
the same raiment, white as snow.
77:7 And those that had given up their rods
green as they received them, he sent away, giving them a [white]
robe, and seals.
77:8 After the angel had finished these things,
he saith to the shepherd;
77:9 `I go away;
77:10 but these thou shall send away to (their
places within) the walls, according as each deserveth to
dwell;
77:11 but examine their rods carefully, and so
send them away.
77:12 But be careful in examining them.
77:13 Take heed lest any escape thee,' saith
he.
77:14 `Still if any escape thee, I will test
then, at the altar.'
77:15 When he had thus spoken to the shepherd,
he departed.
77:16 And, after the angel had departed, the
shepherd saith to me;
77:17 `Let us take the rods of all and plant
them, to see whether any of them shall be able to live.'
77:18 I say unto him, `Sir, these withered
things, how can they live?'
77:19 He answered and said unto me;
77:20 `This tree is a willow, and this class of
trees clingeth to life.
77:21 If then the rods shall be planted and get
a little moisture, many of them will live.
77:22 And afterwards let us try to pour some
water also over them.
77:23 If any of them shall be able to live, I
will rejoice with it;
77:24 but if it live not, I at least shall not
be found neglectful.'
77:25 So the shepherd made me call them, just
as each one of them was stationed.
77:26 And they came row after row, and they
delivered up the rods to the shepherd.
77:27 And the shepherd took the rods, and
planted them in rows, and after he had planted them, he poured much
water over them, so that the rods could not be seen for the
water.
77:28 And after he had watered the rods, he
saith to me;
77:29 `Let us go now, and after a few days let
us return and inspect all the rods;
77:30 for He Who created this tree willeth that
all those who have received rods from this tree should live.
78:1 I say to him;
78:2 `Sir, inform me what this tree is.
78:3 For I am perplexed and nothing appears to
have been cut from it;
78:4 I am therefore perplexed thereat.'
78:5 `Listen,' saith he;
78:6 `this great tree which overshadows plains
and mountains and all the earth is the law of God which was given to
the whole world;
78:7 and this law is the Son of God preached
unto the ends of the earth.
78:8 But the people that are under the shadow
are they that have heard the preaching', and believed on Him;
78:9 but the great and glorious angel is
Michael, who hath the power over this people and is their
captain.
78:10 For this is he that putteth the law into
the hearts of the believers;
78:11 therefore he himself inspecteth them to
whom he gave it, to see whether they have observed it.
78:12 But thou seest the rods of every
one;
78:13 for the rods are the law.
78:14 Thou seest these many rods rendered
useless, and thou shalt notice all those that have not observed the
law, and shalt see the abode of each severally.'
78:15 I say unto him;
78:16 `Sir, wherefore did he send away some
into the tower, and leave others for thee?'
78:17 `As many,' saith he, `as transgressed the
law which they received from him, these he left under my authority
for repentance;
78:18 but as many as already satisfied the law
and have observed it, these he has under his own authority.'
78:19 `Who then, Sir,' say I, `are they that
have been crowned and go into the tower?
78:20 `[`As many,' saith he, `as wrestled with
the devil and overcame him in their wrestling, are crowned:]
78:21 these are they that suffered for the
law.
78:22 But the others, who likewise gave up
their rods green and with shoots,
78:23 though not with fruit, are they that were
persecuted for the law, but did not suffer nor yet deny their
law.
78:24 But they that gave them up green just as
they received them, are sober and righteous men, who walked
altogether in a pure heart and have kept the commandments of the
Lord.
79:1 And after a few days we came to the place,
and the shepherd sat down thyself with a garment of raw flax, and
minister to me.'
79:2 So I girded myself with a clean garment of
raw flax made of coarse material.
79:3 And when he saw me girded and ready to
minister to him, `Call,' saith he, `the men whose rods have been
planted, according to the rank as each presented their rods.'
79:4 And I went away to the plain, and called
them all;
79:5 and they stood all of them according to
their ranks.
79:6 He saith to them;
79:7 `Let each man pluck out his own rod, and
bring it to me.'
79:8 Those gave them up first, who had had the
withered and chipped rods, and they were found accordingly withered
and chipped.
79:9 He ordered them to stand apart.
79:10 Then those gave them up, who had the
withered but not chipped;
79:11 and some of them gave up the rods green,
and others withered and chipped as by grubs.
79:12 Those then that gave them up green he
ordered to stand apart;
79:13 but those that gave them up withered and
chipped he ordered to stand with the first.
79:14 Then those gave them up who had had the
half-withered and with cracks;
79:15 and many of them gave them up green and
without cracks;
79:16 and some gave them up green and with
shoots, and fruits on the shoots, such as those had who went into the
tower crowned;
79:17 and some gave them up withered and eaten,
and some withered and uneaten, and some such as they were,
half-withered and with cracks.
79:18 He ordered them to stand each one apart,
some in their proper ranks, and others apart.
80:1 Then those gave them up who had their rods
green, but with cracks.
80:2 These all gave them up green, and stood in
their own company.
80:3 And the shepherd rejoiced over these,
because they all were changed and had put away their cracks.
80:4 And those gave them up likewise who had
the one half green and the other half withered.
80:5 The rods of some were found entirely
green, of some half-withered, of some withered and eaten, and of some
green and with shoots.
80:6 These were all sent away each to his
company.
80:7 Then those gave them up who had two parts
green and the third withered;
80:8 many of them gave them up green, and many
half-withered, and others withered and eaten.
80:9 These all stood in their own
company.
80:10 Then those gave them up who had two parts
withered and the third part green.
80:11 Many of them gave them up half-withered,
but some withered and eaten, others half-withered and with cracks,
and a few green.
80:12 These all stood in their own
company.
80:13 Then those gave them up who had had their
rods green, but a very small part [withered] and with cracks.
80:14 Of these some gave them up green, and
others green and with shoots.
80:15 These also went away to their own
company.
80:16 Then those gave them up who had a very
small part green and the other parts withered.
80:17 The rods of these were found for the most
part green and with shoots and fruit on the shoots, and others
altogether green.
80:18 At these rods the shepherd rejoiced very
[greatly], because they were found so.
80:19 And these went away each to his own
company.
81:1 After [the shepherd] had examined the rods
of all, he saith to me, `I told thee that this tree clingeth to
life.
81:2 Seest thou,' saith he, `how many repented
and were saved?'
81:3 `I see, Sir,' say I.
81:4 `It is,' saith he, `that thou mayest see
the abundant compassion of the Lord, how great and glorious it
is,
81:5 and He hath given (His) Spirit to those
that are worthy of repentance.'
81:6 `Wherefore then, Sir,' say I, `did they
not all repent?'
81:7 `To those, whose heart He saw about to
become pure and to serve Him with all the heart, to them He gave
repentance;
81:8 but those whose craftiness and wickedness
He saw who intend to repent in hypocrisy, to them He gave not
repentance, lest haply they should again profane His name.'
81:9 I say unto him,
81:10 `Sir, now then show me concerning those
that have given up their rods, what manner of man each of them is,
and their abode,
81:11 that when they hear this, they that
believed and have received the seal and have broken it and did not
keep it sound may fully understand what they are doing, and repent,
receiving from thee a seal, and may glorify the Lord,
81:12 that He had compassion upon them and sent
thee to renew their spirits.'
81:13 `Listen,' saith he;
81:14 `those whose rods were found withered and
grubeaten,
81:15 these are the renegades and traitors to
the Church, that blasphemed the Lord in their sins, and still further
were ashamed of the Name of the Lord, which was invoked upon
them.
81:16 These then perished altogether unto
God.
81:17 But thou seest how not one of them
repented, although they heard the words which thou spakest to them,
which I commanded thee.
81:18 From men of this kind life
departed.
81:19 But those that gave up the green and
undecayed (rods), these also are near them;
81:20 for they were hypocrites,
81:21 and brought in strange doctrines, and
perverted the servants of God, especially them that had
sinned,
81:22 not permitting them to repent, but
persuading them with their foolish doctrines.
81:23 These then have hope of repenting.
81:24 But thou seest that many of them have
indeed repented from the time when thou spakest to them my
commandments;
81:25 yea, and (others) still will
repent.
81:26 And as many as shall not repent, have
lost their life;
81:27 but as many of them as repented, became
good;
81:28 and their dwelling was placed within the
first walls, and some of them even ascended into the tower.
81:29 Thou seest then,' [saith he,] `that
repentance from sins bringeth life, but not to repent bringeth
death.
82:1 `But as many as gave up (the rods)
half-withered, and with cracks in them, hear also concerning
these.
82:2 Those whose rods were half-withered
throughout are the double-minded;
82:3 for they neither live nor are dead.
82:4 But those that have them half-withered and
cracks in then,, these are both double-minded and slanderers, and are
never at peace among themselves but always causing
dissensions.
82:5 Yet even to these,' [saith he,]
`repentence is given.
82:6 Thou seest,' [saith he,] `that some of
them have repented;
82:7 and there is still,' saith he, `hope of
repentance among them.
82:8 And as many of them,' saith he, `as have
repented, have their abode within the tower but as many of them as
have repented tardily shall abide within the walls;
82:9 and as many as repent not, but continue in
their doings, shall die the death.
82:10 But they that have given up their rods
green and with cracks, these were found faithful and good at all
times, [but] they have a certain emulation one with another about
first places and about glory of some kind or other;
82:11 but all these are foolish in having
(emulation) one with another about first places.
82:12 Yet these also, when they heard my
commandments, being good, purified themselves and repented
quickly.
82:13 They have their habitation, therefore,
within the tower.
82:14 But if any one shall again turn to
dissension, he shall be cast out from the tower and shall lose his
life.
82:15 Life is for all those that keep the
commandments of the Lord.
82:16 But in the commandments there is nothing
about first places, or about glory of any kind, but about
long-suffering and humility in man.
82:17 In such men, therefore, is the life of
the Lord, but in factious and lawless men is death.
83:1 `But they that gave up their rods half
green and half withered, these are they that are mixed up in business
and cleave not to the saints.
83:2 Therefore the one half of them liveth, but
the other half is dead.
83:3 Many then when they heard my commandments
repented.
83:4 As many then as repented, have their abode
within the tower.
83:5 But some of them altogether stood
aloof.
83:6 These then have no repentance;
83:7 for by reason of their business affairs
they blasphemed the Lord and denied Him.
83:8 So they lost their life for the wickedness
that they committed.
83:9 But many of them were
doubtful-minded.
83:10 These still have place for repentance, if
they repent quickly, and their dwelling shall be within the
tower;
83:11 and if they repent tardily, they shall
dwell within the walls;
83:12 but if they repent not, they too have
lost their life.
83:13 But they that have given up two parts
green and the third part withered, these are they that have denied
with manifold denials.
83:14 Many of them therefore repented, and
departed to dwell inside the tower;
83:15 but many utterly rebelled from
God;
83:16 these lost their life finally.
83:17 And some of them were double-minded and
caused dissensions.
83:18 For these then there is repentance, if
they repent speedily and continue not in their pleasures;
83:19 but if they continue in their doings,
they likewise procure for themselves death.
84:1 `But they that have given up their rods
two thirds withered and one third green, these are men who have been
believers, but grew rich and became renowned among the
Gentiles.
84:2 They clothed themselves with great pride
and became high-minded,
84:3 and abandoned the truth and did not cleave
to the righteous, but lived together after the manner of the
Gentiles, and the path appeared the more pleasant unto them;
84:4 yet they departed not from God, but
continued in the faith, though they wrought not the works of the
faith.
84:5 Many of them therefore repented, and they
had their habitation within the tower.
84:6 But others at the last living with the
Gentiles, and being corrupted ly the vain opinions of the Gentiles,
departed from God, and worked the works of the Gentiles.
84:7 These therefore were numbered with the
Gentiles.
84:8 But others of them were doubtful-minded,
not hoping to be saved by reason of the deeds that they had
done;
84:9 and others were double-minded and made
divisions among themselves.
84:10 For these then that were double-minded by
reason of their doings there is still repentance;
84:11 but their repentance ought to be speedy,
that their dwelling may be within the tower;
84:12 but for those who repent not, but
continue in their pleasures, death is nigh.
85:1 `But they that gave up their rods green,
yet with the extreme ends withered and with cracks;
85:2 these were found at all times good and
faithful and glorious in the sight of God,
85:3 but they sinned to a very slight degree by
reason of little desires and because they had somewhat against one
another.
85:4 But, when they heard my words, the greater
part quickly repented, and their dwelling was assigned within the
tower.
85:5 But some of them were double-minded, and
some being double-minded made a greater dissension.
85:6 In these then there is still a hope of
repentance, because they were found always good;
85:7 and hardly shall one of them die.
85:8 But they that gave up their rods withered,
yet with a very small part green, these are they that believed, but
practised the works of lawlessness.
85:9 Still they never separated from God, but
bore the Name gladly, and gladly received into their houses the
servants of God.
85:10 So hearing of this repentance they
repented without wavering, and they practise all excellence and
righteousness.
85:11 And some of them even suffer persecution
willingly, knowing the deeds that they did.
85:12 All these then shall have their dwelling
within the tower.
86:1 And after he had completed the
interpretations of all the rods, he saith unto me;
86:2 `Go, and tell all men to repent, and they
shall live unto God;
86:3 for the Lord in His compassion sent me to
give repentance to all, though some of them do not deserve it for
their deeds;
86:4 but being long-suffering the Lord willeth
them that were called through His Son to be saved.'
86:5 I say to him;
86:6 `Sir, I hope that all when they hear these
words will repent;
86:7 for I am persuaded that each one, when he
fully knows his own deeds and fears God, will repent.'
86:8 He answered and said unto me;
86:9 `As many,' [saith he,] `as [shall repent]
from their whole heart [and] shall cleanse themselves from all the
evil deeds afore-mentioned,
86:10 and shall add nothing further to their
sins,
86:11 shall receive healing from the Lord for
their former sins, unless they be double-minded concerning these
commandments, and they shall live unto God.
86:12 [But as many,' saith he, `as shall add to
their sins and walk in the lusts of this world, shall condemn
themselves to death.]
86:13 But do thou walk in my commandments, and
live [unto God;
86:14 yea, and as many as shall walk in them
and shall do rightly, shall live unto God.']
86:15 Having shown me all these things [and
told me them] he saith to me;
87:1 [PARABLE THE NINTH]. THE GREAT MYSTERIES IN THE BUILDING OF THE MILITANT AND
TRIUMPHANT CHURCH,
87:2 After I had written down the commandments
and parables of the shepherd, the angel of repentance, he came to me
and saith with thee in the form of the Church, showed unto
thee.
87:3 For that Spirit is the Son of God.
87:4 For when thou wast weaker in the flesh, it
was not declared unto thee through an angel;
87:5 but when thou wast enabled through the
Spirit, and didst grow mighty in thy strength so that thou couldest
even see an angel,
87:6 then at length was manifested unto thee,
through the Church, the building of the tower.
87:7 In fair and seemly manner hast thou seen
all things, (instructed) as it were by a virgin;
87:8 but now thou seest (being instructed by an
angel, though by the same Spirit;
87:9 yet must thou learn everything more
accurately from me.
87:10 For to this end also was I appointed by
the glorious angel to dwell in thy house, that thou mightest see all
things mightily, in nothing terrified, even as before.'
87:11 And he took me away into Arcadia, to a
certain rounded mountain, and set me on the top of the mountain, and
showed me a great plain, and round the plain twelve mountains, the
mountains having each a different appearance.
87:12 The first was black as soot;
87:13 the second was bare, without
vegetation;
87:14 the third was thorny and full of
briars;
87:15 the fourth had the vegetation
half-withered, the upper part of the grass green, but the part by the
roots withered, and some of the grass became withered, whenever the
sun had scorched it;
87:16 the fifth mountain had green grass and
was rugged;
87:17 the sixth mountain was full with clefts
throughout, some small and some great, and the clefts had
vegetation,
87:18 but the grass was not very luxuriant, but
rather as if it had been withered;
87:19 the seventh mountain had smiling
vegetation, and the whole mountain was in a thriving condition, and
cattle and birds of every kind did feed upon that mountain;
87:20 and the more the cattle and the birds did
feed, so much the more did the herbage of that mountain
flourish.
87:21 The eighth mountain was full of springs,
and every kind of creature of the Lord did drink of the springs on
that mountain.
87:22 The ninth mountain had no water at all,
and was entirely desert;
87:23 and it had in it wild beasts and deadly
reptile, which destroy mankind.
87:24 The tenth mountain had very large trees
and was umbrageous throughout, and beneath the shade lay sheep
resting and feeding.
87:25 The eleventh mountain was thickly wooded
all over, and the trees thereon were very productive, decked with
divers kinds of fruits, so that one seeing then would desire to eat
of their fruits.
87:26 The twelfth mountain was altogether white
and its aspect was cheerful;
87:27 and the mountain was most beauteous in
itself 88.
87:28 And in the middle of the plain he showed
me a great white rock, rising up from the plain.
87:29 The rock was loftier than the mountains,
being four-square, so that it could contain the whole world.
87:30 Now this rock was ancient, and had a gate
hewn out of it;
87:31 but the gate seemed to me to have been
hewed out quite recently.
87:32 And the gate glistened beyond the
brightness of the sun, so that I marvelled at the brightness of the
gate.
87:33 And around the gate stood twelve
virgins.
87:34 The four then that stood at the corners
seemed to me to be more glorious (than the rest);
87:35 but the others likewise were
glorious;
87:36 and they stood at the four quarters of
the gate, and virgins stood in pairs between them.
87:37 And they were clothed in linen tunics and
girt about in seemly fashion, having their right shoulders free, as
if they intended to carry some burden.
87:38 Thus were they prepared, for they were
very cheerful and eager.
87:39 After I had seen these things, I
marvelled in myself at the greatness and the glory of what I was
seeing.
87:40 And again I was perplexed concerning the
virgins, that delicate as they were they stood up like men, as if
they intended to carry the whole heaven.
87:41 And the shepherd saith unto me;
87:42 `Why questionest thou within thyself and
art perplexed, and bringest sadness on thyself?
87:43 For whatsoever things thou canst not
comprehend, attempt them not, if thou art prudent;
87:44 but entreat the Lord, that thou mayest
receive understanding to comprehend them.
87:45 What is behind thee thou canst not see,
but what is before thee thou beholdest.
87:46 The things therefore which thou canst not
see, let alone, and trouble not thyself (about then);
87:47 but the things which thou seest, these
master, and be not over curious about the rest;
87:48 but I will explain unto thee all things
whatsoever I shall show thee.
89:1 I saw six men come, tall and glorious and
alike in appearance;
89:2 and they summoned a multitude of
men.
89:3 And the others also which came were tall
men above the gate.
89:4 And there arose a great noise from those
men who had come to build the tower, as they ran hither and thither
round the gate.
89:5 For the virgins standing round the gate
told the men to hasten to build the tower.
89:6 Now the virgins had spread out their
hands, as if they would take something from the men.
89:7 And the six men ordered stones to come up
from a certain deep place, and to go to the building of the
tower.
89:8 And there went up ten stones square and
polished, [not] hewn from a quarry.
89:9 And the six men called to the virgins, and
ordered them to carry all the stones which should go unto the
building of the tower, and to pass through the gate and to hand them
to the men that were about to build the tower.
89:10 And the virgins laid the first ten stones
that rose out of the deep on each other, and they carried them
together, stone by stone.
90:1 And just as they stood together around the
gate, in that order they carried them that seemed to be strong enough
and had stooped under the corners of the stone, while the others
stooped at the sides of the stone.
90:2 And so they carried all the stones.
90:3 And they carried them right through the
gate, as they were ordered, and handed them to the men for the
tower;
90:4 and these took the stones and
builded.
90:5 Now the building of the tower was upon the
great rock and above the gate.
90:6 Those ten stones then were joined
together, and they covered the whole rock.
90:7 And these formed a foundation for the
building of the tower.
90:8 And [the rock and] the gate supported the
whole tower.
90:9 And, after the ten stones, other
twenty-five stones came up from the deep, and these were fitted into
the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins, like the
former.
90:10 And after these thirty-five stones came
up.
90:11 And these likewise were fitted into the
tower.
90:12 And after these came up other forty
stones, and these all were put into the building of the tower.
90:13 So four rows were made in the foundations
of the tower.
90:14 And (the stones) ceased coming up from
the deep, and the builders likewise ceased for a little.
90:15 And again the six men ordered the
multitude of the people to bring in stones from the mountains for the
building of the tower.
90:16 They were brought in accordingly from all
the mountains, of various colours, shaped by the men, and were handed
to the virgins;
90:17 and the virgins carried them right
through the gate, and handed them in for the building of the
tower.
90:18 And when the various stones were placed
in the building, they became all alike and white, and they lost their
various colours.
90:19 But some stones were handed in by the men
for the building, and these did not become bright;
90:20 but just as they were placed, such
likewise were they found;
90:21 for they were not handed in by the
virgins, nor had they been carried in through the gate.
90:22 These stones then were unsightly in the
building of the tower.
90:23 Then the six men, seeing the stones that
were unsightly in the building, ordered them to be removed and
carried [below] into their own place whence they were brought.
90:24 And they say to the men who were bringing
the stones in;
90:25 `Abstain for your parts altogether from
handing in stones for the building;
90:26 but place them by the tower, that the
virgins may carry them through the gate, and hand them in for the
building.
90:27 For if,' [say they,] `they be not carried
in through the gate by the hands of these virgins, they cannot change
their colours.
90:28 Labor not therefore,' [say they,] `in
vain.
91:1 And the building was finished on that day,
yet was not the tower finally completed, for it was to be carried up
[still] higher;
91:2 and there was a cessation in the
building.
91:3 And the six men ordered the builders to
retire for a short time [all of them], and to rest;
91:4 but the virgins they ordered not to retire
from the tower.
91:5 And me thought the virgins were left to
guard the tower.
91:6 And after all had retired [and rested], I
say to the shepherd;
91:7 `How is it, Sir,' say I, `that the
building of the tower was not completed?'
91:8 `The tower,' he saith, `cannot yet he
fully completed, until its master come and test this building, that
if any stones be found crumbling, he may change them;
91:9 for the tower is being built according to
His will.'
91:10 `I would fain know, Sir,' say I,
91:11 `what is this building of this tower, and
concerning the rock and gate, and the mountains, and the virgins, and
the stones that came up from the deep, and were not shaped, hut went
just as they were into the building;
91:12 and wherefore ten stones were first
placed in the foundations,
91:13 then twenty-five, then thirty-five, then
forty,
91:14 and concerning the stones that had gone
to the building and were removed again and put away in their own
place-concerning all these things set ty soul at rest, Sir, and
explain them to me.'
91:15 `If,' saith he, `thou be not found
possessed of an idle curiosity, thou shalt know all things.
91:16 For after a few days we shall come here,
and thou shalt see the sequel that overtaketh this tower and shalt
understand all the parables accurately.'
91:17 And after a few days we came to the place
where we had sat, and he saith to me, `Let us go to the tower;
91:18 for the owner of the tower cometh to
inspect it.'
91:19 And we came to the tower, and there was
no one at all by it, save the virgins alone.
91:20 And the shepherd asked the virgins
whether the master of the tower had arrived.
91:21 And they said that he would be there
directly to inspect the building.
92:1 And, behold, after a little while I see an
array of many men coming, and in the midst a man of such lofty
stature that he overtopped the tower.
92:2 And the six men who superintended the
building walked with him on the right hand and on the left, and all
they that worked at the building were with him, and many other
glorious attendants around him.
92:3 And the virgins that watched the tower ran
up and kissed him, and they began to walk by his side round the
tower.
92:4 And that man inspected the building so
carefully, that he felt each single stone;
92:5 and he held a rod in his hand and struck
each single stone that was built in.
92:6 And when he smote, some of the stones
became black as soot, others mildewed,
92:7 others cracked, others broke off short,
others became neither white nor black, others rough and not fitting
in with the other stones, and others with many spots;
92:8 these were the varied aspects of the
stones which were found unsound for the building.
92:9 So he ordered all these to be removed from
the tower, and to be placed by the side of the tower, and other
stones to be brought and put into their place.
92:10 And the builders asked him from what
mountain he desired stones to be brought and put into their
place.
92:11 And he would not have them brought from
the mountains, but ordered them to be brought from a certain plain
that was nigh at hand.
92:12 And the plain was dug, and stones were
found there bright and square, but some of them too were
round.
92:13 And all the stones which there were
anywhere in that plain were brought every one of them, and were
carried through the gate by the virgins.
92:14 And the square stones were hewed, and set
in the place of those which had been removed;
92:15 but the round ones were not placed in the
building, because they were too hard to be shaped, and to work on
them was slow.
92:16 So they were placed by the side of the
tower, as though they were intended to be shaped and placed in the
building;
92:17 for they were very bright.
93:1 So then, having accomplished these
things,
93:2 the glorious man who was lord of the whole
tower called the shepherd to him,
93:3 and delivered unto him all the stones
which lay by the side of the tower, which were cast out from the
building, and saith unto him;
93:4 `Clean these stones carefully, and set
them in the building of the tower, these, I mean, which can fit with
the rest;
93:5 but those which will not fit, throw far
away from the tower.'
93:6 Having given these orders to the shepherd,
he departed from the tower with all those with whom he had
come.
93:7 And the virgins stood round the tower
watching it.
93:8 I say to the shepherd, `How can these
stones go again to the building of the tower, seeing that they have
been disapproved?'
93:9 He saith unto me in answer;
93:10 `Seest thou,' saith he, `these
stones?'
93:11 `I see them, Sir,' say I.
93:12 `I myself,' saith he, will shape the
greater part of these stones and put them into the building, and they
shall fit in with the remaining stones.'
93:13 `How, Sir,' say I, `can they, when they
are chiseled, fill the same space?'
93:14 He saith unto me in answer, As many as
shall be found small, shall be put into the middle of the
building;
93:15 but as many as are larger, shall be
placed nearer the outside, and they will bind them together.'
93:16 With these words he saith to me, Let us
go away, and after two days let us come and clean these stones, and
put them into the building;
93:17 for all things round the tower must be
made clean,
93:18 lest haply the master come suddenly and
find the circuit of the tower dirty,
93:19 and he be wroth, and so these stones
shall not go to the building of the tower, and I shall appear to be
careless in my master's sight.
94:1 And after two days we came to the tower,
and he saith unto me;
94:2 `Let us inspect all the stones, and see
those which can go to the building.'
94:3 I say to him, `Sir, let us inspect
them.'
94:4 And so commencing first we began to
inspect the black stones;
94:5 and just as they were when set aside from
the building, such also they were found.
94:6 And the shepherd ordered them to be
removed from the tower and to be put on one side.
94:7 Then he inspected those that were
mildewed, and he took and shaped many of them, and ordered the
virgins to take them up and put them into the building.
94:8 And the virgins took them up and placed
them in the building of the tower in a middle position.
94:9 But the rest he ordered to be placed with
the black ones;
94:10 for these also were found black.
94:11 Then he began to inspect those that had
the cracks;
94:12 and of these he shaped many, and he
ordered them to be carried away by the hands of the virgins for the
building.
94:13 And they were placed towards the outside,
because they were found to be sounder.
94:14 But the rest could not be shaped owing to
the number of the cracks.
94:15 For this reason therefore they were cast
aside front the building of the tower.
94:16 Then he proceeded to inspect the stunted
(stones), and many among them were found black, and some had
contracted great cracks;
94:17 and he ordered these also to be placed
with those that had been cast aside.
94:18 But those of them which remained he
cleaned and shaped, and ordered to he placed in the building.
94:19 So the virgins took them up, and fitted
them into the middle of the building of the tower;
94:20 for they were somewhat weak.
94:21 Then he began to inspect those that were
half white and half black, and many of them were (now) found
black;
94:22 and he ordered these also to be taken up
with those that had been cast aside.
94:23 *But all the rest were [found white, and
were] taken up by the virgins;
94:24 for being white they were fitted by [the
virgins] them[selves] into the building.
94:25 *But they were placed towards the
outside, because they were found sound, so that they could hold
together those that were placed in the middle;
94:26 for not a single one of them was too
short.
94:27 Then he began to inspect the hard and
rough;
94:28 and a few of them were cast away, because
they could not be shaped;
94:29 for they were found very hard.
94:30 But the rest of them were shaped [and
taken up by the virgins] and fitted into the middle of the building
of the tower;
94:31 for they were somewhat weak.
94:32 Then he proceeded to inspect those that
had the spots, and of these some few had turned black and were cast
away among the rest;
94:33 but the remainder were found bright and
sound, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building;
94:34 but they were placed towards the outside,
owing to their strength.
95:1 Then he came to inspect the white and
round stones, and he saith unto me;
95:2 `What shall we do with these
stones?'
95:3 `How do I know, Sir?'
95:4 say I.
95:5 [And he saith to me,] `Perceivest thou
nothing concerning them?'
95:6 `I, Sir,' say I, `do not possess this art,
neither am I a mason, nor can I understand.'
95:7 Seest thou not,' saith he, that they are
very round;
95:8 and if I wish to make them square, very
much must needs be chiseled off from them?
95:9 Yet some of them must of necessity be
placed into the building.'
95:10 `If then, Sir,' say I, `it must needs be
so, why distress thyself, and why not choose out for the building
those thou willest, and fit them into it?'
95:11 He chose out from them the large and the
bright ones, and shaped them;
95:12 and the virgins took them up, and fitted
them into the outer parts of the building.
95:13 But the rest, which remained over, were
taken up, and put aside into the plain whence they were
brought;
95:14 they were not however cast away,
`Because,' saith he, `there remaineth still a little of the tower to
be builded.
95:15 And the master of the tower is
exceedingly anxious that these stones be fitted into the building,
for they are very bright.
95:16 So twelve women were called, most
beautiful in form, clad in black, [girded about and having the
shoulders bare,] with their hair hanging loose.
95:17 And these women, me thought, had a savage
look.
95:18 And the shepherd ordered them to take up
the stones which had been cast away from the building, and to carry
them off to the same mountains from which also they had been
brought;
95:19 and they took them up joyfully, and
carried away all the stones and put them in the place whence they had
been taken.
95:20 And after all the stones had been taken
up, and not a single stone still lay round the tower, the shepherd
saith unto me;
95:21 Let us go round the tower, and see that
there is no defect in it.
95:22 And I proceeded to go round it with
him.
95:23 And when the shepherd saw that the tower
was very comely in the building, he was exceedingly glad;
95:24 for the tower was so well builded, that
when I saw it I coveted the building of it ;
95:25 for it was builded, as it were, of one
stone, having one fitting in it.
95:26 And the stone-work appeared as if hewn
out of the rock;
95:27 for it seemed to be all a single
stone.
96:1 And I, as I walked with him, was glad to
see so brave a sight.
96:2 And the shepherd saith to me `Go and bring
plaster and fine clay, that I may fill up the shapes of the stones
that have been taken up and put into the building;
96:3 for all the circuit of the tower must be
made smooth.
96:4 And I did is he bade, and brought them to
him.
96:5 `Assist me,' saith he, `and the work will
speedily be accomplished.
96:6 So he filled in the shapes of the stones
which had gone to the building, and ordered the circuit of the tower
to be swept and made clean.
96:7 And the virgins took brooms and swept, and
they removed all the rubbish from the tower, and sprinkled water, and
the site of the tower was made cheerful and very seemly.
96:8 The shepherd saith unto me, `All,' saith
he, `hath now been cleaned.
96:9 If the lord come to inspect the tower, he
hath nothing for which to blame us.'
96:10 Saying this, he desired to go
away.
96:11 But I caught hold of his wallet, and
began to adjure him by the Lord that he would explain to me [all]
what he had showed me.
96:12 He saith to me;
96:13 `I am busy for a little while, and then I
will explain everything to thee.
96:14 Await me here till I come.'
96:15 I say to him;
96:16 `Sir, when I am here alone what shall I
do?'
96:17 `Thou art not alone,' saith he;
96:18 for these virgins are here with thee.'
`Commend me then to them,' say I.
96:19 The shepherd calleth them to him and
saith to them;
96:20 `I commend this man to you till I come,'
and he departed.
96:21 So I was alone with the virgins;
96:22 and they were most cheerful, and kindly
disposed to me, especially the four of them that were the more
glorious in appearance.
97:1 The virgins say to me;
97:2 `Today the shepherd cometh not
here.'
97:3 `What then shall I do?' say I.
97:4 `Stay for him,' say they, `till
eventide;
97:5 and if he come, he will speak with
thee;
97:6 but if he come not, thou shalt stay here
with us till he cometh.'
97:7 I say to them;
97:8 `I will await him till evening, and if he
come not, I will depart home and return early in the morning.'
97:9 But they answered and said unto me;
97:10 `To us thou wast entrusted;
97:11 thou canst not depart from us.'
97:12 `Where then,' say I, `shall I
remain?
97:13 "Thou shalt pass the night with us,' say
they, as a brother, not as a husband;
97:14 for thou art our brother, and
hence-forward we will dwell with thee;
97:15 for we love thee dearly.'
97:16 But I was ashamed to abide with
them.
97:17 And she that seemed to be the chief of
them began to kiss and to embrace me;
97:18 and the others seeing her embrace me,
they too began to kiss me, and to lead me round the tower, and to
sport with me.
97:19 And I had become as it were a younger
man, and I commenced myself likewise to sport with them.
97:20 For some of them began to dance, [others
to skip,] others to sing.
97:21 But I kept silence and walked with them
round the tower, and was glad with them.
97:22 But when evening came I wished to go away
home;
97:23 but they would not let me go, but
detained me.
97:24 And I stayed the nigh with them, and I
slept by the side of the tower.
97:25 For the virgins spread their linen tunics
on the ground, and made me lie down in the midst of them, and they
did nothing else but pray;
97:26 and I prayed with them without ceasing,
and not less than they.
97:27 And the virgins rejoiced that I so
prayed.
97:28 And I stayed there with the virgins until
the morning till the second hour.
97:29 Then came the shepherd, and saith to the
virgins;
97:30 `Have ye done him any injury?'
97:31 `Ask him,' say they.
97:32 I say to him, `Sir, I was rejoiced to
stay with them.'
97:33 `On what didst thou sup?' saith
he.
97:34 `I supped, Sir,' say I, `on the words of
the Lord the whole nigh through.'
97:35 `Did they treat thee well?' saith
he.
97:36 `Yes, Sir,' say I.
97:37 `Now,' saith he, what wouldest thou hear
first?'
97:38 `In the order as thou showedst to me,
Sir, from the beginning,' say I;
97:39 `I request thee, Sir, to explain to me
exactly in the order that I shall enquire of thee.'
98:1 `First of all, Sir,' say I, `explain this
to me.
98:2 The rock and the `How, Sir,' say I, `is
the rock ancient, but the gate recent?'
98:3 `Listen,' saith he, `and understand,
foolish man.
98:4 The Son of God is older than all His
creation, so that He became the Father's adviser in His
creation.
98:5 `Therefore also He is ancient.'
98:6 `But the gate, why is it recent, Sir?' say
I.
98:7 `Because,' saith he, `He was made manifest
in the last days of the consummation;
98:8 therefore the gate was made recent, that
they which are to be saved may enter through it into the kingdom of
God.
98:9 Didst thou see,' saith he,
98:10 `that the stones which came through the
gate have gone to the building of the tower, but those which came not
through it were cast away again to their own place?'
98:11 `I saw, Sir,' say I.
98:12 "Thus,' saith he, `no one shall enter
into the kingdom of God, except he receive the name of His
Son.
98:13 For if thou wishest to enter into any
city, and that city is walled all round and has one gate only, canst
thou enter into that city except through the gate which it
hath?'
98:14 `Why, how, Sir,' say I, `is it possible
otherwise?'
98:15 `If then thou canst not enter into the
city except through the gate itself, even so, saith he, `a man cannot
enter into the kingdom of God except by the name of His Son that is
beloved by Him.
98:16 Didst thou see,' saith he, `the multitude
that is building the tower?'
98:17 `I saw it, Sir,' say I.
98:18 `They,' saith he, are all glorious
angels.
98:19 With these then the Lord is walled
around.
98:20 But the gate is the Son of God;
98:21 there is this one entrance only to the
Lord.
98:22 No one then shall enter in unto Him
otherwise than through His Son.
98:23 Didst thou see,' saith he, `the six men,
and the glorious and mighty man in the midst of them, him that walked
about the tower and rejected the stones from the building?'
98:24 `I saw him, Sir,' say I.
98:25 `The glorious man,' saith he, `is the Son
of God, and those six are the glorious angels who guard Him on the
right hand and on the left.
98:26 Of these glorious angels not one,' saith
he, `shall enter in unto God without Him;
99:1 `But the tower,' say I, what is it?
99:2 "The tower,' saith he, why, this is the
Church.
99:3 `And these virgins, who are they?'
99:4 `They,' saith he, `are unless these shall
clothe him with their garment;
99:5 for if thou receive only the name, but
receive not the garment from them, thou profitest nothing.
99:6 For these virgins are powers of the Son of
God.
99:7 If [therefore] thou bear the Name, and
bear not His power, thou shalt bear His Name to none effect.
99:8 And the stones,' saith he, which thou
didst see cast away, these bare the Name, but clothed not themselves
with the raiment of the virgins.'
99:9 `Of what sort, Sir,' say I, `is their
raiment?
99:10 "The names themselves,' saith he, `are
their raiment.
99:11 `Whosoever beareth the Name of the Son of
God, ought to bear the names of these also;
99:12 for even the Son Himself beareth the
names of these virgins.
99:13 As many stones,' saith he, `as thou
sawest enter into the building of the tower, being given in by their
hands and waiting for the building, they have been clothed in the
power of these virgins.
99:14 For this cause thou seest the tower made
a single stone with the rock.
99:15 So also they that have believed in the
Lord through His Son and clothe themselves in these spirits, shall
become one spirit and one body, and their garments all of one
colour.
99:16 But such persons as bear the names of the
virgins have their dwelling in the tower.'
99:17 `The stones then, Sir,' say I, which are
cast aside, wherefore were they cast aside?
99:18 For they passed through the gate and were
placed in the building of the tower by the hands of the
virgins.'
99:19 `Since all these things interest thee,'
saith he, `and thou enquirest diligently, listen as touching the
stones that have been cast aside.
99:20 These all,' [saith he,] `received the
name of the Son of God, and received likewise the power of these
virgins.
99:21 When then they received these spirits,
they were strengthened, and were with the servants of God, and they
had one spirit and one body [and one garment];
99:22 for they had the same mind, and they
wrought righteousness.
99:23 After a certain time then they were
persuaded by the women whom thou sawest clad in black raiment, and
having their shoulders bare and their hair loose, and beautiful in
form.
99:24 When they saw them they desired them, and
they clothed themselves with their power, but they stripped off from
themselves the power of the virgins.
99:25 They then were cast away from the house
of God, and delivered to these (women).
100:1 `What then, Sir,' say I, `if these men,
being such as they are, should repent and put away their desire for
these women, and return unto the virgins, and walk in their power and
in their works?
100:2 Shall they not enter into the house of
God?'
100:3 `They shall enter,' saith he, `if they
shall put away the works of these women, and take again the power of
the virgins, and walk in their works.
100:4 For this is the reason why there was also
a cessation in the building, that, if these repent, they may go into
the building of the tower;
100:5 but if they repent not, then others will
go, and these shall be cast away finally.'
100:6 For all these things I gave thanks unto
the Lord,because He had compassion on all that called upon His
name,
100:7 and sent forth the angel of repentance to
us that had sinned against Him, and refreshed our spirit, and, when
we were already ruined and had no hope of life, restored our
life.
100:8 `Now, Sir,' say I, show me why the tower
is not built upon the ground, but upon the rock and upon the
gate.'
100:9 `Because thou art senseless,' saith he,
`and without understanding [thou askest the question].'
100:10 I am obliged, Sir,' say I, `to ask all
questions of thee, because I am absolutely unable to comprehend
anything at all;
100:11 for all are great and glorious and
difficult for men to understand.'
100:12 `Listen,' saith he.
100:13 `The name of the Son of God is great and
incomprehensible, and sustaineth the whole world.
100:14 If then all creation is sustained by the
Son [of God], what thinkest thou of those that are called by Him, and
bear the name of the Son of God, and walk according to His
commandments?
100:15 Seest thou then what manner of men He
sustaineth?
100:16 Even those that bear His name with their
whole heart.
101:1 `Declare to me, Sir,' say I, `the names
of the virgins, and of the of the more powerful virgins, those that
are stationed at the corners.
101:2 The first is Faith, and the second,
Continence, and the third, Power, and the fourth,
Longsuffering.
101:3 But the others stationed between them
have these names Simplicity, Guilelessness, Purity, Cheerfulness,
Truth, Understanding, Concord, Love.
101:4 He that beareth these names and the name
of the Son of God shall be able to enter into the kingdom of
God.
101:5 Hear,' saith he, `likewise the names of
the women that wear the black garments.
101:6 Of these also four are more powerful than
the rest;
101:7 the first is Unbelief;
101:8 the second, Intemperance;
101:9 the third, Disobedience;
101:10 the fourth, Deceit;
101:11 and their followers are called, Sadness,
Wickedness, Wantonness, Irascibility, Falsehood, Folly, Slander,
Hatred.
101:12 The servant of God that beareth these
names shall see the kingdom of God, but shall not enter into
it.'
101:13 `But the stones, Sir,' say I, `that came
from the deep, and were fitted into the building, who are
they?
101:14 "The first,' saith he, `even the ten,
that were placed in the foundations, are the first generation;
101:15 the twenty-five are the second
generation of righteous men;
101:16 the thirty-five are God's prophets and
His ministers;
101:17 the forty are apostles and teachers of
the preaching of the Son of God.'
101:18 `Wherefore then, Sir,' say I, `did the
virgins give in these stones also for the building of the tower and
carry them through the gate?
101:19 " Because these first,'saith he,
101:20 `bore these spirits, and they never
separated the one from the other, neither the spirits from the men
nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits abode with them till
they fell asleep;
102:1 `Show me still further, Sir,' say
I.
102:2 `What desirest thou to know the deep, and
wherefore were they placed into the building, though they bore these
spirits?
102:3 "It was necessary for them,' saith he,
`to rise up through water, that they might be made alive;
102:4 for otherwise they could not enter into
the kingdom of God, except they had put aside the deadness of their
[former] life.
102:5 So these likewise that had fallen asleep
received the seal of the Son of God and entered into the kingdom of
God.
102:6 For before a man,' saith he, `has borne
the name of [the Son of] God, he is dead;
102:7 but when he has received the seal, he
layeth aside his deadness, and resumeth life.
102:8 The seal then is the water so they go
down into the water dead, and they come up alive.
102:9 Thus to them also this seal was preached,
and they availed themselves of it that they might enter into the
kingdom of God.'
102:10 `Wherefore, Sir,' say I, `did the forty
stones also come up with them from the deep, though they had already
received the seal?'
102:11 `Because,'saith he,
102:12 `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,
102:13 preached also to then that had fallen
asleep before them, and themselves gave unto them the seal of the
preaching.
102:14 Therefore they went down with them into
the water, and came up again.
102:15 But these went down alive [and again
came up alive];
102:16 whereas the others that had fallen
asleep before them went down dead and came up alive.
102:17 So by their means they were quickened
into life, and came to the full knowledge of the name of the Son of
God.
102:18 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;
102:19 for they fell asleep in righteousness
and in great purity.
102:20 Only they had not this seal.
102:21 Thou hast then the interpretation of
these things also.'
102:22 I have, Sir,' say I.
103:1 `Now then, Sir, explain to me concerning
the mountains.
103:2 Wherefore are their forms diverse the one
from the other, and various?'
103:3 `Listen,' saith he.
103:4 `These twelve mountains are [twelve]
tribes that inhabit the whole world.
103:5 To these (tribes) then the Son of God was
preached by the Apostles.'
103:6 `But explain to me, Sir, why they are
various-these mountains-and each has a different appearance.
103:7 `Listen,' saith he.
103:8 `These twelve tribes which inhabit the
whole world are twelve nations;
103:9 and they are various in understanding and
in mind.
103:10 As various, then, as thou sawest these
mountains to be, such also are the varieties in the mind of these
nations, and such their understanding.
103:11 And I will show unto thee the conduct of
each.'
103:12 `First,Sir,' say I,
103:13 `show me this,why the mountains being so
various, yet,
103:14 when their stones were set into the
building, became bright and of one colour, just like the stones that
had come up from the deep.'
103:15 `Because,' saith he, `all the nations
that dwell under heaven, when they heard and believed, were called by
the one name of [the Son of] God.
103:16 So having received the seal, they had
one understanding and one mind, and one faith became theirs and [one]
love, and they bore the spirits of the virgins along with the
Name;
103:17 therefore the building of the tower
became of one colour, even bright as the sun.
103:18 But after they entered in together,and
became one body, some of them defiled themselves, and were cast out
from the society of the righteous, and became again such as they were
before, or rather even worse.
104:1 `How, Sir,' say I, `did they become
worse, after they had fully known God?'
104:2 `He that knoweth not God,' saith he, `and
committeth wickedness, hath a certain punishment for his
wickedness;
104:3 but he that knoweth God fully ought not
any longer to commit wickedness, but to do good.
104:4 If then he that ought to do good
committeth wickedness, does he not seem to do greater wickedness than
the man that knoweth not God?
104:5 Therefore they that have not known God,
and commit wickedness, are condemned to death;
104:6 but they that have known God and seen His
mighty works, and yet commit wickedness, shall receive a double
punishment, and shall die eternally.
104:7 In this way therefore shall the Church of
God be purified.
104:8 And as thou sawest the stones removed
from the tower and delivered over to the evil spirits, they too shall
be cast out;
104:9 and there shall be one body of them that
are purified, just as the tower, after it had been purified, became
made as it were of one stone.
104:10 Thus shall it be with the Church of God
also,after she hath been purified, and the wicked and hypocrites and
blasphemers and double-minded and they that commit various kinds of
wickedness have been cast out.
104:11 When these have been cast out, the
Church of God shall be one body, one understanding, one mind, one
faith, one love.
104:12 And then the Son of God shall rejoice
and be glad in them, for that He hath received back His people
pure.'
104:13 `Great and glorious, Sir,' say I, `are
all these things.
104:14 Once more, Sir,' [say I,] `show me the
force and the doings of each one of the mountains, that every soul
that trusteth in the Lord, when it heareth, may glorify His great and
marvellous and glorious name.'
104:15 Listen,' saith he, `to the variety of
the mountains and of the twelve nations.
105:1 `From the first mountain, which was
black, they that have believed are such as these;
105:2 rebels and blasphemers against the Lord,
and betrayers of the servants of God.
105:3 For these there is no repentance, but
there is death.
105:4 For this cause also they are
black;
105:5 for their race is lawless.
105:6 And from the second mountain, the bare
one, they that believed are such as these;
105:7 hypocrites and teachers of
wickedness.
105:8 And these then are like the former it not
having the fruit of righteousness.
105:9 For, even as their mountain is
unfruitful, so likewise such men as these have a name indeed, but
they are void of the faith, and there is no fruit of truth in
them.
105:10 For these then repentance is offered, if
they repent quickly;
105:11 but if they delay, they will have their
death with the former.
105:12 `Wherefore, Sir,' say I, `is repentance
possible for them, but not for the former?
105:13 For their doings are almost the
same.'
105:14 On this account, he saith, `is
repentance offered for them, because they blasphemed not their Lord,
nor became betrayers of the servants of God;
105:15 yet from desire of gain they played the
hypocrite, and taught each other [after] the desires of sinful
men.
105:16 But they shall pay a certain
penalty;
105:17 yet repentance is ordained for them,
because they are not become blasphemers or betrayers.
106:1 `And from the third mountain, which had
thorns and briars, they that believed are such as these;
106:2 some of them are wealthy and others are
entangled in many business affairs.
106:3 The briars are the wealthy, and the
thorns are they that are mixed up in various business affairs.
106:4 These [then,that are mixed up in many and
various business affairs,] cleave [not] to the servants of God, but
go astray, being choked by their affairs,
106:5 but the wealthy unwillingly cleave to the
servants of God, fearing lest they may be asked for something by
them.
106:6 Such men therefore shall hardly enter
into the kingdom of God.
106:7 For as it is difficult to walk on briars
with bare feet, so also it is difficult for such men to enter into
the kingdom of God.
106:8 But for all these repentance is possible,
but it must be speedy, that in respect to what they omitted to do in
the former times, they may now revert to (past) days, and do some
good.
106:9 If then they shall repent and do some
good, they shall live unto God;
106:10 but if they continue in their doings,
they shall be delivered over to those women, the which shall put them
to death.
107:1 And from the fourth mountain, which had
much vegetation, the upper part of the grass green and the part
towards the roots withered, and some of it dried up by the sun, they
that believed are such as these;
107:2 the double-minded, and they that have the
Lord on their lips, but have Him not in their heart.
107:3 Therefore their foundations are dry and
without power, and their words only live, but their works are
dead.
107:4 Such men are neither alive nor
dead.
107:5 They are, therefore, like unto the
double-minded;
107:6 for the double-minded are neither green
nor withered;
107:7 for they are neither alive nor
dead.
107:8 For as their grass was withered up then
it saw the sun, so also the double-minded, when they hear of
tribulation, through their cowardice worship idols and are ashamed of
the name of their Lord.
107:9 Such are neither alive nor dead.
107:10 Yet these also, if they repent quickly,
shall be able to live;
107:11 but if they repent not, they are
delivered over already to the women who deprive them of their
life.
108:1 `And from the fifth mountain, which had
green grass and was rugged, they that believed are such as
these;
108:2 they are faithful, but slow to learn and
stubborn and self-pleasers, desiring to know all things, and yet they
know nothing at all.
108:3 By reason of this their stubbornness,
understanding stood aloof from them, and a foolish senselessness
entered into them;
108:4 and they praise themselves as having
understanding, and they desire to be self-appointed teachers,
senseless though they are.
108:5 Owing then to this pride of heart many,
while they exalted themselves, have been made empty;
108:6 for a mighty demon is stubbornness and
vain confidence.
108:7 Of these then many were cast away, but
some repented and believed, and submitted themselves to those that
had understanding, having learnt their own senselessness.
108:8 Yea, and to the rest that belong to this
class repentance is offered;
108:9 for they did not become wicked, but
rather foolish and without understanding.
108:10 If these then shall repent, they shall
live unto God;
108:11 but if they repent not, they shall have
their abode with the women who work evil against them.
109:1 `But they that believed from the sixth
mountain, which had clefts great and small, and in the clefts herbage
withered, are such as these;
109:2 they that have the small clefts, these
are they that have aught against one another, and from their
backbitings they are withered in the faith;
109:3 but many of these repented.
109:4 Yea, and the rest shall repent, when they
hear my commandments;
109:5 for their backbitings are but small, and
they shall quickly repent.
109:6 But they that have great clefts, these
are persistent in their backbitings and bear grudges, nursing wrath
against one another.
109:7 These then were thrown right away from
the tower and rejected from its building.
109:8 Such persons therefore shall with
difficulty live.
109:9 If God and our Lord,Who ruleth over all
things and hath the authority over all His creation, beareth no
grudge against them that confess their sins, but is
propitiated,
109:10 doth man, who is mortal and full of
sins, bear a grudge against man, as though he were able to destroy or
save him?
109:11 I say unto you-I,the angel of repentance
unto as many as hold this heresy, put it away from you and repent,
and the Lord shall heal your former sins, if ye shall purify
yourselves from this demon;
109:12 but if not, ye shall be delivered unto
him to be put to death.
110:1 `And from the seventh mountain,on which
was herbage green and smiling, and the whole mountain
thriving,
110:2 and cattle of every kind and the fowls of
heaven were feeding on the herbage on that mountain,and the green
herbage, on which they fed, only grew the more luxuriant, they that
believed are such as these;
110:3 they were ever simple and guileless and
blessed,having nothing against one another,
110:4 but rejoicing always in the servants of
God,and clothed in the Holy Spirit of these virgins, and having
compassion always on every man, and out of their labours they
supplied every man's need without reproach and without
misgiving.
110:5 The Lord then seeing their simplicity and
entire childliness made them to abound in the labours of their hands,
and bestowed favour on them in all their doings.
110:6 But I say unto you that are such-I, the
angel of repentance-remain to the end such as ye are, and your seed
shall never be blotted out.
110:7 For the Lord hath put you to the proof,
and enrolled you among our number, and your whole seed shall dwell
with the Son of God;
110:8 for of His Spirit did ye receive.
111:1 `And from the eighth mountain, where were
the many springs, and all the creatures of the Lord did drink of the
springs, they that believed are such as these;
111:2 apostles and teachers,who preached unto
the whole world, and who taught the word of the Lord in soberness and
purity,
111:3 and kept back no part at all for evil
desire, but walked always in righteousness and truth, even as also
they received the Holy Spirit.
111:4 Such therefore shall have their entrance
with the angels.
112:1 `And from the ninth mountain, which was
desert, which had [the] reptiles and wild beasts in it which destroy
mankind, they that believed are such as these;
112:2 they that have the spots are
deacons
that exercised their office ill, and plundered the
livelihood of widows and orphans, and made gain
for themselves from the ministrations which they had received to
perform.
112:3 If then they abide in the same evil
desire, they are dead and there is no hope of life for them;
112:4 but if they turn again and fulfil their
ministrations in purity, it shall be possible for them to
live.
112:5 But they that are mildewed, these are
they that denied and turned not again unto their Lord, but having
become barren and desert, because they cleave not unto the servants
of God but remain alone, they destroy their own souls.
112:6 For as a vine left alone in a hedge, if
it meet with neglect, is destroyed and wasted by the weeds,
112:7 and in time becometh wild and is no
longer useful to its owner, so also men of this kind have given
themselves up in despair and become useless to their Lord, by growing
wild.
112:8 To these then repentance cometh, unless
they be found to have denied from the heart;
112:9 but if a man be found to have denied from
the heart, I know not whether it is possible for him to live.
112:10 And this I say not in reference to these
days, that a man after denying should receive repentance;
112:11 for it is impossible for him to be saved
who shall now deny his Lord;
112:12 but for those who denied Him long ago
repentance seemeth to be possible.
112:13 If a man therefore will repent, let him
do so speedily before the tower is completed;
112:14 but if not, he shall he destroyed by the
women and put to death.
112:15 And the stunted, these are the
treacherous and backbiters;
112:16 and the wild beasts which thou sawest on
the mountain are these.
112:17 For as wild beasts with their venom
poison and kill a man, so also do the words of such men poison and
kill a man.
112:18 These then are broken off short from
their faith through the conduct which they have in themselves;
112:19 but some of them repented and were
saved;
112:20 and the rest that are of this kind can
be saved, if they repent;
112:21 but if they repent not, they shall meet
their death from those women of whose power they are
possessed.
113:1 `And from the tenth mountain, where were
trees sheltering certain sheep, they that believed are such as
these;
113:2 bishops, hospitable persons, who gladly
received into their houses at all times the servants of God without
hypocrisy.
113:3 [These bishops] at all times without
ceasing sheltered the needy and the widows in their ministration and
conducted themselves in purity at all times.
113:4 These [all] then shall be sheltered by
the Lord for ever.
113:5 They therefore that have done these
things are glorious in the sight of God, and their place is even now
with the angels, if they shall continue unto the end serving the
Lord.
114:1 `And from the eleventh mountain, where
were trees full of fruit, decked with divers kinds of fruits, they
that believed are such as these;
114:2 they that suffered for the Name [of the
Son of God], who also suffered readily with their whole heart, and
yielded up their lives.'
114:3 `Wherefore then, Sir,' say I, `have all
the trees fruits, but some of their fruits are more beautiful than
others?'
114:4 `Listen,' saith he;
114:5 `all as many as ever suffered for the
Name's sake are glorious in the sight of God,
114:6 and the sins of all these were taken
away, because they suffered for the name of the Son of God.
114:7 Now hear why their fruits are various,
and some surpassing others.
114:8 As many,' saith he, `as were tortured and
denied not, when brought before the magistracy, but suffered readily,
these are the more glorious in the sight of the Lord;
114:9 their fruit is that which
surpasseth.
114:10 But as many as became cowards,and were
lost in uncertainty,
114:11 and considered in their hearts whether
they should deny or confess,
114:12 and yet suffered, their fruits are less,
because this design entered into their heart for this design is evil,
that a servant should deny his own lord.
114:13 See to it, therefore, ye who entertain
this idea, lest this design remain in your hearts, and ye die unto
God.
114:14 But ye that suffer for the Name's sake
ought to glorify God, because God deemed you worthy that ye should
bear this name, and that all your sins should be healed.
114:15 Reckon yourselves blessed
therefore;
114:16 yea, rather think that ye have done a
great work, if any of you shall suffer for God's sake.
114:17 The Lord bestoweth life upon you, and ye
perceive it not;
114:18 for your sins weighed you down, and if
ye had not suffered for the Name [of the Lord], ye had died unto God
by reason of your sins.
114:19 These things I say unto you that waver
as touching denial and confession.
114:20 Confess that ye have the Lord, last
denying Him ye be delivered into prison.
114:21 If the Gentiles punish their slaves, if
any one deny his lord, what think ye the Lord will do unto you, He
Who hath the authority over all things?
114:22 Away with these designs from your
hearts, that ye may live for ever unto God.
115:1 `And from the twelfth mountain, which was
white, they that believed are such as these;
115:2 they are as very babes, into whose heart
no guile entereth, neither learnt they what wickedness is, but they
remained as babes for ever.
115:3 Such as these then dwell without doubt in
the kingdom of God, because they defiled the commandments of God in
nothing, but continued as babes all the days of their life in the
same mind.
115:4 As many of you therefore as shall so
continue,' saith he, `and shall be as infants not having guile, shall
be more glorious [even] than all them that have been mentioned
before;
115:5 for all infants are glorious in the sight
of God, and stand first in His sight.
115:6 Blessed then are ye, as many as have put
away wickedness from you, and have clothed yourselves in
guilelessness:
116:1 After he had finished the parables of the
mountains,I say unto him,
116:2 `Sir, now explain to me concerning the
stones that were taken from the from the tower, and concerning the
round (stones) which were placed in the building, and concerning
those that were still round.'
117:1 Hear,' saith he, `likewise concerning all
these things.
117:2 The stones which were taken from the
plain and placed in the building of the tower in the room of those
that were rejected, are the roots of this white mountain.
117:3 When then they that believed from this
mountain were all found guileless, the lord of the tower ordered
these from the roots of this mountain to be put into the building of
the tower.
117:4 For He knew that if these stones should
go to the building [of the tower], they would remain bright and not
one of then would turn black.
117:5 But if he had added (stones) from the
other mountains, he would have been obliged to visit that tower
again, and to purify it.
117:6 Now all these have been found white, who
have believed and who shall believe;
117:7 for they are of the same kind.
117:8 Blessed is this kind, for it is innocent!
Hear now likewise concerning those round and bright stones.
117:9 All these are from this white
mountain.
117:10 Now hear wherefore they have been found
round.
117:11 Their riches have darkened and obscured
them a little from the truth, yet they never departed from God, nor
did any evil word proceed from their mouth, but all equity and virtue
which comes from the truth.
117:12 When therefore the Lord perceived their
mind,that they could favour the truth, *and likewise remain
good,
117:13 He commanded their possessions to be cut
from off them,yet not to be taken away altogether, so that they might
be able to do some good with that which hath been left to them, and
might live unto God, for that they come of a good kind.
117:14 So therefore they have been cut away a
little, and placed in the building of this tower.
118:1 `But the other (stones), which have
remained round and have not been fitted into the building, because
they have not yet received the seal, have been replaced in their own
position, for they were found very round.
118:2 For this world and the vanities of their
possessions must be cut from off them, and then they will fit into
the kingdom of God.
118:3 For it is necessary that they should
enter into the kingdom of God;
118:4 because the Lord hath blessed this
innocent kind.
118:5 Of this kind then not one shall
perish.
118:6 Yea, even though any one of them being
tempted by the most wicked devil have committed any fault, he shall
return speedily unto his Lord.
118:7 Blessed I pronounce you all to be-I, the
angel of repentance-whoever of you are guileless as infants, because
your part is good and honourable in the sight of God.
118:8 Moreover I bid all of you, whoever have
received this seal, keep guilelessness, and bear to grudge, and
continue not in your wickedness nor in the memory of the offences of
bitterness;
118:9 but become of one spirit, and heal these
evil clefts and take them away from among you, that the owner of the
flocks may rejoice concerning them.
118:10 For he will rejoice, if he find all
things whole.
118:11 But if he find any part of the flock
scattered, woe unto the shepherds.
118:12 For if the shepherds themselves shall
have been found scattered, how will they answer for the
flocks?
118:13 Will they say that they were harassed by
the flock?
118:14 No credence will be given them.
118:15 For it is an incredible thing that a
shepherd should be injured by his flock;
118:16 and he will be punished the more because
of his falsehood.
118:17 And I am the shepherd, and it behoveth
me most strongly to render an account for you.
119:1 `Amend yourselves therefore, while the
tower is still in course of building.
119:2 The Lord dwelleth in men that love
peace;
119:3 for to Him peace is dear;
119:4 but from the contentious and them that
are given up to wickedness He keepeth afar off.
119:5 Restore therefore to Him your spirit
whole as ye received it.
119:6 For suppose thou hast given to a fuller a
new garment whole, and desirest to receive it back again whole, but
the fuller give it back to thee torn, wilt thou receive it
thus?
119:7 Wilt thou not at once blaze out and
attack him with reproaches, saying;
119:8 "The garment which I gave thee was
whole;
119:9 wherefore hast thou rent it and made it
useless?
119:10 See, by reason of the rent, which thou
hast made in it, it cannot be of use."
119:11 Wilt thou not then say all this to a
fuller even about a rent which he has made in thy garment?
119:12 If therefore thou art thus vexed in the
matter of thy garment,and complainest because thou receivest it not
back whole,
119:13 what thinkest thou the Lord will do to
thee,He, Who gave thee the spirit whole, and thou hast made it
absolutely useless, so that it cannot be of any use at all to its
Lord?
119:14 For its use began to be useless, when it
was corrupted by thee.
119:15 Will not therefore the Lord of this
spirit for this thy deed punish [thee with death]?
119:16 "Certainly,' I said, `all those,
whomsoever He shall find continuing to bear malice, He will
punish.'
119:17 `Trample not,' said he, `upon His mercy,
but rather glorify Him, because He is so long-suffering with your
sins, and is not like unto you.
119:18 Practise then repentance which is
expedient for you.
120:1 `All these things which are written above
I, the shepherd, the angel of repentance, have declared and spoken to
the servants of God.
120:2 If then ye shall believe and hear my
words, and walk in them, and amend your ways, ye shall be able to
live.
120:3 But if ye continue in wickedness and in
bearing malice, no one of this kind shall live unto God.
120:4 All things which were to be spoken by me
have (now) been spoken to you.'
120:5 The shepherd said to me, `Hast thou asked
me all thy questions?'
120:6 And I said, `Yes, Sir.'
120:7 `Why then hast thou not enquired of me
concerning the shape of the stones placed in the building, in that we
filled up their shapes?'
120:8 And I said, `I forgot, Sir.'
120:9 `Listen now,' said he, `concerning
them.
120:10 These are they that have heard my
commandments now, and have practised repentance with their whole
heart.
120:11 So when the Lord saw that their
repentance was good and pure, and that they could continue therein,
he ordered their former sins to be blotted out.
120:12 These shapes then were their former
sins, and they have been chiseled away that they might not
appear.
121:1 PARABLE THE TENTH. CONCERNING REPENTANCE AND ALMS-GIVING.
121:2 After I had written out this book
completely, the angel who had delivered me to the shepherd came to
the house where I was, and sat upon a couch, and the shepherd stood
at his right hand.
121:3 Then he called me, and spake thus unto
me;
121:4 `I delivered thee,' said he, `and thy
house to this shepherd, that thou mightest be protected by
him.'
121:5 `True, Sir,' I said.
121:6 `If therefore,'said he, `thou desirest to
be protected from all annoyance and all cruelty,
121:7 to have also success in every good work
and word,and all the power of righteousness, walk in his
commandments, which I have given thee, and thou shalt be able to get
the mastery over all wickedness.
121:8 For if thou keep his commandments, all
evil desire and the sweetness of this world shall be subject unto
thee;
121:9 moreover success shall attend thee in
every good undertaking.
121:10 Embrace his gravity and
self-restraint,and tell it out unto all men that he is held in great
honour and dignity with the Lord, and is a ruler of great authority,
and powerful in his office.
121:11 To him alone in the whole world hath
authority over repentance been assigned.
121:12 Seemeth he to thee to be
powerful?
121:13 Yet ye despise the gravity and
moderation which he useth towards you.
122:1 I say unto him;
122:2 `Ask him, Sir, himself, whether from the
time that he hath been in my house, I have done ought out of order,
whereby I have offended him.'
122:3 `I myself know,' said he, `that thou hast
done nothing out of order, nor art about to do so.
122:4 And so I speak these things unto thee,
that thou mayest persevere.
122:5 For he hath given a good account of thee
unto me.
122:6 Thou therefore shalt speak these words to
others, that they too who have practised or shall practise repentance
may be of the same mind as thou art;
122:7 and he may give a good report of then to
me, and I unto the Lord.'
122:8 `I too, Sir,' I say, `declare to every
man the mighty works of the Lord;
122:9 for I hope that all who have sinned in
the past, if they hear these things, will gladly repent and recover
life.'
122:10 `Continue therefore,' said he, `in this
ministry, and complete it unto the end.
122:11 For whosoever fulfil his commandments
shall have life;
122:12 yea such a man (shall have) great honour
with the Lord.
122:13 But whosoever keep not his commandments,
fly from their life, and oppose him, and follow not his commandments,
but deliver themselves over to death;
122:14 and each one becometh guilty of his own
blood.
122:15 But I bid thee obey these commandments,
and thou shalt have a remedy for thy sins.
123:1 `Moreover, I have sent these virgins unto
thee, that they may dwell with thee;
123:2 for I have seen that they are friendly
towards thee.
123:3 Thou hast them therefore as helpers, that
thou mayest be the better able to keep his commandments;
123:4 for it is impossible that these
commandments be kept without the help of these virgins.
123:5 I see too that they are glad to be with
thee.
123:6 But I will charge them that they depart
not at all from thy house.
123:7 Only do thou purify thy house;
123:8 for in a clean house they will gladly
dwell.
123:9 For they are clean and chaste and
industrious, and all have favour in the sight of the Lord.
123:10 If, therefore, they shall find thy house
pure, they will continue with thee;
123:11 but if the slightest pollution arise,
they will depart from thy house at once.
123:12 For these virgins love not pollution in
any form.'
123:13 I say unto him, `I hope, Sir, that I
shall please them, so that they may gladly dwell in my house for
ever;
123:14 and just as he to whom thou didst
deliver me maketh no complaint against me, so they likewise shall
make no complaint.'
123:15 He saith unto the shepherd, `I
perceive,' saith he, `that he wishes to live as the servant of God,
and that he will keep these commandments, and will place these
virgins in a clean habitation.'
123:16 With these words he again delivered me
over to the shepherd, and called the virgins, and said to
them;
123:17 `Inasmuch as I see that ye are glad to
dwell in this man's house, I commend to you him and his house, that
ye depart not at all from his house.'
123:18 But they heard these words
gladly.
124:1 He said then to me, `Quit you like a man
in this ministry;
124:2 declare to every man the mighty works of
the Lord, and thou shalt have favour in this ministry.
124:3 Whosoever therefore shall walk in these
commandments, shall live and be happy in his life;
124:4 but whosoever shall neglect them, shall
not live, and shall be unhappy in his life.
124:5 Charge all men who are able to do right,
that they cease not to practise good works;
124:6 for it is useful for them.
124:7 I say moreover that every man ought to be
rescued from misfortune;
124:8 for he that hath need, and suffereth
misfortune in his daily life, is in great torment and want.
124:9 Whosoever therefore rescueth from penury
a life of this kind,
124:10 winneth great joy for himself For he who
is harassed by misfortune of this sort is afflicted and tortured with
equal torment as one who is in chains.
124:11 For many men on account of calamities of
this kind, because they can bear them no longer, lay violent hands on
themselves.
124:12 He then who knows the calamity of a man
of this kind and rescueth him not, committeth great sin, and becometh
guilty of the man's blood.
124:13 Do therefore good works, whoever of you
have received (benefits) from the Lord, lest, while ye delay to do
them, the building of the tower be completed.
124:14 For it is on your account that the work
of the building has been interrupted.
124:15 Unless then ye hasten to do right, the
tower will be completed, and ye shut out. When then he had finished
speaking with me, he rose from the couch and departed, taking with
him the shepherd and the virgins. He said however unto me, that he
would send the shepherd and the virgins back again to my
house.
Church Fathers Index
Home
Page
Counter added 12.31.04 9p 1610
