The Shepherd (Pastor)

THE PERSON WHO HAD RAISED ME SOLD ME IN ROME TO A WOMAN NAMED RHODE: Many years later, I recognized her, and I began to love her as a sister. Some time after that, I saw her bathing in the Tiber River. I gave her my hand and pulled her out of the river. Seeing her beauty made me think to myself, I would be a happy man if I could only have a wife as beautiful and good as she is. That was the only thought that passed through me, this and nothing more. A short time after this, I was walking on the road to the villages. I was praising the creatures of God and thinking about how magnificent, beautiful, and powerful they are. Then I fell asleep. And the Spirit carried me away and took me through a place without a path, where a man could not travel, because it was among rocks. It was rough and impossible to pass because of water. After I crossed this river, I came to a plain. Then I bent down on my knees and began to pray to the Lord and confess my sins. As I prayed, the heavens were opened, and I saw the woman whom I had desired greeting me from the sky and saying, "Greetings, Hermas!" Looking up at her, I said, "Lady, what are you doing here?" She answered me, "I have been taken up here to accuse you of your sins before the Lord." I said, "Lady, are you the one bringing this accusation against me?" She said, "No, but hear the words I am going to speak to you. God, who dwells in the heavens and made the things that exist out of nothing, and multiplied and increased them for the sake of His holy Church, is angry with you because you sinned against me." I answered her, "Lady, how have I sinned against you? How, or when, did I speak an improper word to you? Did I not always think of you as a lady? Did I not always honor you as a sister? Why do you falsely accuse me of this wickedness and impurity?" With a smile she replied to me, "The desire for wickedness arose within your heart. Do you not think that a righteous man sins when an evil desire arises in his heart? In such a case there is sin, and the sin is great," she said. "For the thoughts of a righteous man should be righteous. By thinking righteously, his character is established in the heavens, and he has the Lord merciful to him in every matter. But those who entertain wicked thoughts in their minds bring death and captivity on themselves. This is especially true of those who set their hearts on this world, take pride in their riches, and do not look ahead to the blessings of the life to come. Great will be their regrets, because they have no hope, but have given up on themselves and their life. But pray to God, and He will heal your sins, and the sins of your whole house, and of all the saints."

AFTER SHE SPOKE THESE WORDS: the heavens were shut. I was overcome with sorrow and fear, and I said to myself, "If this sin is charged against me, how can I be saved? Or how shall I make peace with God concerning my sins, which are very serious? What words shall I use to ask the Lord to be merciful to me?" While I was thinking about these things and turning them over in my mind, I saw in front of me a large white chair made of white wool. Then an old woman came up, dressed in a splendid robe, with a book in her hand. She sat down by herself and greeted me, saying, "Greetings, Hermas!" In my sadness and tears, I said to her, "Lady, greetings!" And she said to me, "Why are you so downcast, Hermas? You used to be patient and self-controlled, and always smiling. Why are you so gloomy and not cheerful?" I answered her and said, "O Lady, I have been accused by a very good woman, who says that I sinned against her." And she said, "May such a deed be far from a servant of God. But perhaps a desire for her has arisen in your heart. In the case of the servants of God, such a desire produces sin. For it is a wicked and terrible desire for a completely pure and already well-tested spirit to want an evil deed, and especially for Hermas to do so, since he keeps himself from every wicked desire and is full of all simplicity and great innocence."

BUT GOD IS NOT ANGRY WITH YOU BECAUSE OF THIS: He is angry so that you may turn your household back, because they have committed sin against the Lord and against you, their parents. And although you love your sons, you did not warn your household, but allowed them to become terribly corrupted. For this reason the Lord is angry with you. But He will heal all the evils that have been done in your house. Because of their sins and lawless acts, you have been ruined by the affairs of this world. But now the mercy of the Lord has had pity on you and your house, and will strengthen you and establish you in His glory. Only do not be careless, but be courageous and comfort your household. For just as a blacksmith hammers out his work and finishes whatever he wants, so also righteous speech spoken daily will overcome all iniquity. Therefore, do not stop admonishing your sons. For I know that if they repent with all their heart, they will be enrolled in the Books of Life with the saints. When she had finished these words, she said to me, "Do you wish to hear me read?" I said to her, "Lady, I do." "Then listen, and pay attention to the glories of God." And then I heard from her things spoken magnificently and wonderfully, things that my memory could not retain. For all the words were terrible, such as a human being could not endure. However, I did remember the last words, for they were useful to us and gentle. "Look, the God of powers, who by His invisible mighty power and great wisdom created the world, and by His glorious counsel surrounded His creation with beauty, and by His mighty word fixed the heavens and laid the foundations of the earth upon the waters, and by His own wisdom and providence created His holy Church, which He has blessed—look, He removes the heavens and the mountains, the hills and the seas, and all things become plain before His elect, so that He may give them the blessing that He has promised them, with much glory and joy, if only they keep the commandments of God which they received with great faith."

WHEN SHE FINISHED READING: she got up from the chair. Four young men came, carried away the chair, and went to the east. Then she called me to her, touched my chest, and said to me, "Were you pleased with my reading?" And I said to her, "Lady, the last words please me, but the first are cruel and harsh." Then she said to me, "The last are for the righteous; the first are for heathens and apostates." While she was speaking to me, two men appeared and lifted her onto their shoulders, and they went to the place where the chair was in the east. She departed with a joyful face, and as she went she said to me, "Be brave, Hermas."

ABOUT THE SAME TIME AS IN THE PREVIOUS YEAR: I was going to the country. As I walked, I remembered the vision from that year. Again the Spirit carried me away and took me to the same place where I had been the year before. When I came to that place, I bowed my knees and began to pray to the Lord and to glorify His name, because He had counted me worthy and had made my former sins known to me. When I rose from prayer, I saw across from me that old woman whom I had seen the year before. She was walking and reading a book. And she says to me, "Can you carry a report of these things to the elect of God?" I said to her, "Lady, I cannot remember that much, but give me the book, and I will copy it." "Take it," she says, "and you will give it back to me." Then I took it, and I went away to a certain part of the country. There I copied the whole of it, letter by letter, but I could not make out its syllables. However, as soon as I had finished writing the book, it was suddenly snatched from my hands. But I did not see who snatched it.

FIFTEEN DAYS LATER: after I had fasted and prayed much to the Lord, the meaning of the writing was revealed to me. This is what the writing said: "Your children, O Hermas, have sinned against God, and they have spoken evil against the Lord. In their great wickedness they have betrayed their parents. They have been called traitors to their parents, and by their treachery they gained no profit. Even now they have added lusts and sinful corruptions to their sins, and so their iniquities have been filled up. But make these words known to all your children, and to your wife, who is to be your sister. For she does not control her tongue, and with it she commits iniquity. But when she hears these words, she will control herself and will receive mercy. For after you have made known to them these words, which my Lord has commanded me to reveal to you, then all the sins they committed in former times will be forgiven them. And forgiveness will be given to all the saints who have sinned even to this present day, if they repent with all their heart and drive all doubts from their minds. For the Lord has sworn by His glory, concerning His elect, that if any one of them sins after a certain day that has been fixed, he will not be saved. For the repentance of the righteous has limits. The days of repentance for all the saints have been filled up. But for the heathen, repentance will be possible even to the last day. Therefore, you will tell those who preside over the Church to direct their ways in righteousness, so that they may receive the promises in full with great glory. Stand firm, therefore, you who work righteousness, and do not doubt, so that your passage may be with the holy angels. Happy are you who endure the great tribulation that is coming, and happy are those who will not deny their own life. For the Lord has sworn by His Son that those who denied their Lord have given up their life in despair, for even now these are going to deny Him in the days that are coming. But to those who denied Him in earlier times, God became gracious because of His exceedingly tender mercy."

BUT AS FOR YOU: Hermas, do not remember the wrongs your children have done to you, and do not neglect your sister, so that they may be cleansed from their former sins. For they will be taught by righteous instruction if you do not remember the wrongs they have done to you. For remembering wrongs brings death. And you, Hermas, have endured great personal troubles because of the sins of your household, because you did not pay attention to them, but were careless and busy with your wicked dealings. But you are saved, because you did not turn away from the living God, and because of your simplicity and great self-control. These have saved you, if you remain steadfast. And they will save all who act in the same way and walk in guilelessness and simplicity. Those who have such virtues will grow strong against every kind of wickedness, and will remain in eternal life. Blessed are all who practice righteousness, for they will never be destroyed. Now you will tell Maximus, "Look, trouble is coming. If it seems good to you, deny again." The Lord is near to those who return to Him, as it is written in Eldad and Modat, who prophesied to the people in the wilderness.

NOW A REVELATION WAS GIVEN TO ME: my brothers, while I slept, by a young man of handsome appearance, who said to me, "Who do you think that old woman is from whom you received the book?" And I said, "The Sibyl." He said, "You are mistaken; it is not the Sibyl." "Who is it then?" I said. And he said, "It is the Church." And I said to him, "Why then is she an old woman?" "Because," he said, "she was created first of all. For this reason she is old. And for her sake the world was made." After that I saw a vision in my house, and that old woman came and asked me whether I had yet given the book to the presbyters. And I said that I had not. Then she said, "You have done well, for I have some words to add. But when I finish all the words, all the elect will then become acquainted with them through you. You will therefore write two books, and you will send one to Clemens and the other to Grapte. And Clemens will send his to foreign countries, for permission has been granted to him to do so. And Grapte will admonish the widows and the orphans. But you will read the words in this city, along with the presbyters who preside over the Church."

THE VISION WHICH I SAW: my brothers, was of the following kind. I had often fasted and prayed to the Lord that He would show me the revelation which He had promised to show me through that old woman. That same night the old woman appeared to me and said to me, "Since you are so anxious and eager to know all things, go into the part of the country where you are staying; and about the fifth hour I shall appear to you and show you all that you ought to see." I asked her, saying, "Lady, into what part of the country am I to go?" And she said, "Into any part you wish." Then I chose a place that was suitable and withdrew there. However, before I began to speak and mention the place, she said to me, "I will come where you wish." Accordingly, I went to the country and counted the hours, and I reached the place where I had promised to meet her. And I saw an ivory seat already placed there, and on it a linen cushion, and above the linen cushion a covering of fine linen was spread. When I saw these things laid out, and yet no one was in the place, I began to feel awe. A trembling seized me, and my hair stood on end, and a horror came upon me when I saw that I was all alone. But when I came back to myself and called to mind the glory of God, I took courage, bent my knees, and again confessed my sins to God, as I had done before. Then the old woman came near, accompanied by six young men whom I had also seen before. She stood behind me and listened to me while I prayed and confessed my sins to the Lord. And touching me she said, "Hermas, stop praying continually for your sins. Pray for righteousness, that you may have a portion of it at once in your house." Then she took me by the hand and brought me to the seat, and said to the young men, "Go and build." When the young men had gone and we were alone, she said to me, "Sit here." I said to her, "Lady, permit my elders to be seated first." She said, "Do what I command you; sit down." When I was about to sit down at her right, she did not permit me, but beckoned with her hand for me to sit down on the left. While I was thinking about this and feeling vexed that she did not let me sit on the right, she said, "Are you vexed, Hermas? The place on the right is for others who have already pleased God and have suffered for His name's sake; and you still have much to accomplish before you can sit with them. But remain as you now are in your simplicity, and you will sit with them, and with all who do their deeds and bear what they have borne."

"What have they endured?" I asked. "Listen," she said: "Whippings, prisons, great troubles, crosses, and wild beasts, for God's name's sake. Because of this, the division of sanctification on the right hand is given to them, and also to everyone who will suffer for God's name. To the rest, the division on the left is given. But both those who sit on the right and those who sit on the left receive the same gifts and promises. Only those on the right sit there and have some glory. You are eager to sit on the right with them, but your shortcomings are many. But you will be cleansed from your shortcomings. And all who are not given to doubts will be cleansed from all their sins up to this day." After saying this, she wished to go away. But I fell at her feet and begged her by the Lord to show me the vision she had promised to show me. Then she took hold of me by the hand again, raised me up, and made me sit on the seat to the left. Lifting up a splendid rod, she said to me, "Do you see something great?" And I said, "Lady, I see nothing." She said to me, "Look! Do you not see opposite you a great tower, built on the waters, of splendid square stones?" For the tower was being built square by those six young men who had come with her. But countless men were carrying stones to it. Some were dragging them up from the depths, and others were bringing them from the land, and they handed them to these six young men. They took them and built. The stones that were dragged up from the depths they put into the building just as they were, because they were polished and fit exactly with the other stones. They became so joined to one another that the lines where they met could not be seen. In this way, the building of the tower looked as if it were made from one stone. But the stones taken from the earth had a different outcome. The young men rejected some of them, fitted some into the building, and cut down others and threw them far away from the tower. Many other stones also lay around the tower, but the young men did not use them in the building. Some of them were rough. Others had cracks in them. Others had been made too short. Others were white and round, but did not fit into the building of the tower. Also, I saw other stones thrown far away from the tower and falling into the public road. Yet they did not remain on the road, but were rolled into a pathless place. I saw others falling into the fire and burning. Others fell near the water, but were still not able to be rolled into the water, though they wanted to be rolled down and enter the water.

AFTER SHOWING ME THESE VISIONS: she wished to leave. I said to her, "What is the use of my having seen all this, if I do not know what it means?" She said to me, "You are a cunning fellow, wanting to know everything that relates to the tower." "Even so, Lady," I said, "so that I may tell it to my brothers, so that, when they hear this, they may know the Lord in much glory." And she said, "Many indeed will hear. And hearing, some will be glad, and some will weep. But even these, if they hear and repent, will also rejoice. Hear, then, the parables of the tower. For I will reveal all to you. And give me no more trouble about revelation. For these revelations have an end, because they have been completed. But you will not stop praying for revelations, for you are shameless. The tower that you see being built is myself, the Church, who has appeared to you now and on the former occasion. Ask, then, whatever you like about the tower, and I will reveal it to you, so that you may rejoice with the saints." I said to her, "Lady, since you have granted to reveal all to me this once, reveal it." She said to me, "Whatever ought to be revealed will be revealed. Only let your heart be with God, and do not doubt whatever you will see." I asked her, "Why was the tower built upon the waters, Lady?" She answered, "I told you before, and you still inquire carefully. Therefore, by inquiring, you will find the truth. Hear then why the tower is built upon the waters. It is because your life has been, and will be, saved through water. For the tower was founded on the word of the almighty and glorious Name, and it is held together by the invisible power of the Lord."

I ANSWERED HER: "This is magnificent and wonderful. But who are the six young men who are building?" And she said, "These are the holy angels of God. They were created first, and the Lord handed over all His creation to them, so that they might increase it, build it up, and rule over all creation. Through them the building of the tower will be finished." "But who are the other persons carrying the stones?" I asked. She said, "These also are holy angels of the Lord, but the first six are greater than these. The building of the tower will be finished, and all will rejoice together around the tower, and they will glorify God because the tower is finished." I asked her, saying, "Lady, I would like to know what happened to the stones, and what the different kinds of stones meant." She answered me, "This revelation was not made to you because you are more worthy than everyone else. There are others before you, and better than you, to whom these visions should have been revealed. But this revelation has been made to you so that the name of God may be glorified. And it will be made known because of those who doubt, who wonder in their hearts whether these things will happen or not. Tell them that all these things are true, and that none of them is outside the truth. All of them are firm and sure, and established on a strong foundation."

NOW LISTEN ABOUT THE STONES IN THE BUILDING: Those square white stones that fit exactly together are apostles, bishops, teachers, and deacons. They have lived in godly purity, and they have served as bishops, teachers, and deacons in a pure and reverent way for God's elect. Some of them have fallen asleep, and some are still alive. They have always agreed with one another, have been at peace among themselves, and have listened to one another. Because of this, they fit exactly into the building of the tower. But who are the stones that were dragged up from the depths and placed into the building, fitting in with the rest of the stones already placed in the tower? They are those who suffered for the Lord's sake. But I want to know, O Lady, who are the other stones that were carried from the land? She said, those that go into the building without being polished are the ones whom God has approved, because they walked in the straight ways of the Lord and practiced His commandments. But who are those who are now being brought and placed into the building? They are those who are young in faith and are faithful. But the angels warn them to do good, because no sin has been found in them. Who then are those whom they rejected and threw away? These are the ones who have sinned and wish to repent. For this reason they have not been thrown far from the tower, because they may still be useful in the building if they repent. So then, those who are going to repent, if they do repent, will be strong in faith if they repent now, while the tower is being built. For if the building is finished, there will be no more room for anyone, but he will be rejected. This privilege, however, will belong only to the one who has now been placed near the tower.

AS FOR THOSE WHO WERE CUT DOWN AND THROWN FAR AWAY FROM THE TOWER: do you want to know who they are? They are the children of lawlessness. They believed in hypocrisy, and wickedness did not leave them. For this reason they are not saved, because they cannot be used in the building because of their lawlessness. Therefore they have been cut off and thrown far away because of the anger of the Lord, for they stirred Him to anger. But I will explain to you the other stones that you saw lying there in great numbers and not going into the building. The rough stones are those who have known the truth and have not remained in it, nor have they joined themselves to the saints. Because of this they are unfit for use. Who are those that have cracks? These are the people who are divided in their hearts against one another and are not at peace among themselves. They do keep peace in front of each other, but when they separate from one another, their wicked thoughts remain in their hearts. These cracks, then, are the cracks in the stones. And the shortened stones are those who have indeed believed and have the greater share of righteousness, yet they also have a considerable share of lawlessness. Therefore they are shortened and not whole. But who are these, Lady, that are white and round, and yet do not fit into the building of the tower? She answered and said, How long will you be foolish and dull, asking every kind of question and understanding nothing? These are the people who do have faith, but they also have the riches of this world. Therefore, when tribulation comes, they deny the Lord because of their riches and their business. I answered and said to her, When then will they be useful for the building, Lady? When the riches that now lead them astray have been cut back, then they will be useful to God. For just as a round stone cannot become square unless parts of it are cut off and thrown away, so also those who are rich in this world cannot be useful to the Lord unless their riches are cut down. Learn this first from your own case. When you were rich, you were useless. But now you are useful and fit for life. Be useful to God, for you also will be used as one of these stones.

NOW THE OTHER STONES THAT YOU SAW THROWN FAR AWAY FROM THE TOWER: falling onto the public road and then rolling off it into places with no path, are those who have indeed believed, but because of doubt have left the true road. Then, thinking they could find a better way, they wander and become miserable, and go into places with no path. But those that fell into the fire and were burned are those who have departed forever from the living God. The thought of repentance never comes into their hearts, because they are devoted to their lusts and to the crimes they committed. Do you want to know who the others are, the ones that fell near the waters but could not be rolled into them? These are the ones who have heard the word and wish to be baptized in the name of the Lord. But when they remember the chastity required by the truth, they draw back and once again walk after their own wicked desires. She finished her explanation of the tower. But I, still shameless, asked her, "Is repentance possible for all those stones that have been cast away and did not fit into the building of the tower? And will they still have a place in this tower?" She said, "Repentance is still possible for them, but they cannot find a suitable place in this tower. But they will be placed in another place, much lower than this one, and even that only after they have been tortured and have completed the days of their sins. And for this reason they will be transferred, because they have shared in the righteous Word. And only then will they be removed from their punishments, when the thought of repenting of the evil deeds they have done has come into their hearts. But if it does not come into their hearts, they will not be saved, because of the hardness of their heart."

WHEN I HAD FINISHED ASKING ABOUT ALL THESE THINGS: she said to me, "Do you want to see anything else?" Since I was very eager to see more, my face shone with joy. She looked at me with a smile and said, "Do you see seven women around the tower?" I said, "I do, Lady." She said, "This tower is supported by them according to the command of the Lord. Now listen to their functions. The first one, who is clasping her hands, is called Faith. Through her, the elect of God are saved. Another one, who has her garments tucked up and acts with strength, is called Self-restraint. She is the daughter of Faith. Whoever follows her will become happy in his life, because he will restrain himself from all evil works, believing that if he restrains himself from every evil desire, he will inherit eternal life." But I said, "And the others, Lady, who are they?" She said to me, "They are daughters of each other. One of them is called Simplicity, another Guilelessness, another Chastity, another Intelligence, and another Love. When you do all the works of their mother, you will be able to live." I said, "I would like to know, Lady, what power each one of them has." She said, "Hear what power they have. Their powers are arranged by each other, and they follow each other in the order of their birth. For from Faith comes Self-restraint; from Self-restraint, Simplicity; from Simplicity, Guilelessness; from Guilelessness, Chastity; from Chastity, Intelligence; and from Intelligence, Love. So the deeds of these are pure, chaste, and divine. Whoever gives himself to these, and is able to hold firmly to their works, will have his dwelling in the tower with the saints of God." Then I asked her about the ages, whether the end was now coming. She cried out in a loud voice, "Foolish man! Do you not see that the tower is still being built? When the tower is finished and built, then the end comes. And I assure you, it will be finished soon. Ask me no more questions. Let you and all the saints be content with what I have called to your remembrance, and with my renewing of your spirits. But understand that these revelations have not been made to you for your own sake only. They have been given to you so that you may show them to all. For after three days, and be careful to remember this, I command you to speak into the ears of the saints all the words that I am going to say to you, so that by hearing them and doing them, they may be cleansed from their iniquities, and you along with them."

LISTEN TO ME: my sons. I raised you with great simplicity, innocence, and purity because of the Lord's mercy. He has poured His righteousness down on you so that you may be justified and made holy from all your sin and corruption. But you do not want to stop your wrongdoing. Now, therefore, listen to me. Be at peace with one another. Care for one another. Bear each other's burdens. And do not enjoy God's gifts by yourselves alone, but share them generously with those in need. For some, because they have so much food, bring weakness on their flesh and so ruin their flesh. But the flesh of others, who have no food, is ruined because they do not have enough nourishment. Because of this, their bodies waste away. This lack of self-control in eating is harmful to you who have plenty and do not share with those who are in need. Pay attention to the judgment that is coming. Therefore, you who hold high positions, look for the hungry while the tower is not yet finished. For after the tower is finished, you will want to do good, but you will find no opportunity. So pay attention, you who take pride in your wealth, lest those who are in need groan, and their groaning rise to the Lord, and you be shut out with all your goods outside the gate of the tower. Therefore I now say to you who lead the church and love the chief seats: do not be like those who mix drugs. The drug-mixers carry their drugs in boxes, but you carry your drug and poison in your heart. You are hardened and do not want to cleanse your hearts and join singleness of purpose to purity of heart, so that you may receive mercy from the great King. Therefore, take care, children, that these divisions among you do not rob you of your life. How will you teach the Lord's elect if you yourselves have not been taught? Therefore, teach one another and be at peace among yourselves, so that I too may stand with joy before your Father and give an account of all of you to your Lord.

WHEN SHE STOPPED SPEAKING TO ME: the six young men who were building came and carried her to the tower. Four others also lifted up the seat and carried it to the tower. I did not see the faces of these last four, because they were turned away from me. As she was going, I asked her to reveal to me the meaning of the three forms in which she had appeared to me. In reply she said to me, "As for them, you must ask another to reveal their meaning to you." For she had appeared to me, brothers, in the first vision the previous year in the form of an extremely old woman, sitting in a chair. In the second vision her face was youthful, but her skin and hair showed her age, and she stood while she spoke to me. She was also more joyful than on the first occasion. But in the third vision she was entirely youthful and exquisitely beautiful, except only that she had the hair of an old woman. Her face shone with joy, and she sat on a seat. Now I was exceedingly sad about these appearances, for I greatly longed to know what the visions meant. Then, in a vision of the night, I saw the old woman saying to me, "Every prayer should be accompanied by humility. Fast, therefore, and you will obtain from the Lord what you ask for." Therefore I fasted for one day.

THAT SAME NIGHT A YOUNG MAN APPEARED TO ME AND SAID: "Why do you so often ask for revelations in prayer? Be careful, so that by asking for many things you do not harm your flesh. Be content with these revelations. Will you be able to see greater revelations than the ones you have seen?" I answered him, "Sir, I ask only one thing: that the revelation about these three forms may be made complete." He answered me, "How long will you be foolish? Your doubts make you foolish, because your hearts are not turned toward the Lord." But I answered him, "Sir, we will learn these things more accurately from you."

"Listen, then," he said, "about the three forms you are asking about. Why did she appear to you in the first vision as an old woman sitting on a chair? Because your spirit is now old and dried up, and it has lost its strength because of your weaknesses and doubts. For just like elderly people who have no hope of getting their strength back, and expect nothing except their final sleep, so you also, weakened by worldly duties, have given yourselves over to laziness and have not cast your cares on the Lord. Therefore your spirit is broken, and you have grown old in your sorrows." "Then I would like to know, sir, why she sat on a chair." He answered, "Because every weak person sits on a chair because of his weakness, so that his weakness may be supported. Look, you have the form of the first vision."

NOW: in the second vision, you saw her standing with a youthful face and more joyful than before. Still, she had the skin and hair of an old woman. “Hear this parable also,” he said. “When a person becomes somewhat old, he loses hope in himself because of his weakness and poverty, and expects nothing except the last day of his life. Then suddenly an inheritance is left to him. When he hears about it, he rises up, and because he becomes very joyful, he takes on strength. Now he no longer lies back, but stands up. His spirit, which had already been ruined by his previous actions, is renewed. He no longer sits still, but acts with energy. This is what happened with you when you heard the revelation that God gave you. For the Lord had compassion on you and renewed your spirit, and you put aside your weaknesses. Strength arose within you, and you grew strong in faith. And the Lord, seeing your strength, rejoiced. For this reason He showed you the building of the tower. And He will show you other things, if you continue at peace with each other with all your heart.”

NOW: in the third vision, you saw her even younger. She was noble and joyful, and her appearance was beautiful. For just as when good news suddenly comes to someone who is sad, he immediately forgets his earlier sorrows and thinks of nothing except the good news he has heard, and for the future becomes strong for what is good, and his spirit is renewed because of the joy he has received, so you also have received the renewal of your spirits by seeing these good things. As for your seeing her sitting on a seat, that means her position is one of strength, because a seat has four feet and stands firmly. For the world also is held together by four elements. Therefore, those who repent completely and with their whole heart will become young and firmly established. You now have the revelation given to you completely. Do not ask for any more revelations. If anything ought to be revealed, it will be revealed to you.

TWENTY DAYS AFTER THE FORMER VISION: I saw another vision, brothers—a representation of the tribulation that is to come. I was going to a country house along the Campanian road. The house was about ten furlongs from the public road. The district is one rarely traveled. As I walked alone, I prayed to the Lord to complete the revelations He had made to me through His holy Church. I prayed that He might strengthen me, and give repentance to all His servants who were going astray, so that His great and glorious name might be glorified, because He had graciously shown me His marvels. And while I was glorifying Him and giving Him thanks, a voice, as it were, answered me, "Do not doubt, Hermas." And I began to think to myself, and to say, "What reason do I have to doubt? I who have been established by the Lord, and who have seen such glorious sights?" I went on a little, brothers, and look, I saw dust rising even to heaven. I began to say to myself, "Are cattle approaching and raising the dust?" It was about a furlong away from me. And look, I saw the dust rising more and more, so that I imagined it was something sent from God. But the sun now shone out a little, and look, I saw a mighty beast like a whale, and fiery locusts came out of its mouth. But the size of that beast was about a hundred feet, and it had a head like an urn. I began to weep, and to call on the Lord to rescue me from it. Then I remembered the word that I had heard: "Do not doubt, O Hermas." Therefore, clothed with faith in the Lord, brothers, and remembering the great things He had taught me, I boldly faced the beast. Now that beast came on with such noise and force that it could itself have destroyed a city. I came near it, and the monstrous beast stretched itself out on the ground, and showed nothing but its tongue, and did not stir at all until I had passed by it. Now the beast had four colors on its head: black, then fiery and bloody, then golden, and lastly white.

AFTER I HAD PASSED BY THE WILD BEAST AND MOVED FORWARD ABOUT THIRTY FEET: suddenly a virgin met me. She was adorned as if she were coming from the bridal chamber, clothed entirely in white, with white sandals, and veiled up to her forehead. Her head was covered by a hood. And she had white hair. From my former visions, I knew that this was the Church, and I became more joyful. She greeted me and said, "Hail, O man!" And I returned her greeting and said, "Lady, hail!" And she answered and said to me, "Has nothing crossed your path?" I said, "I was met by a beast so large that it could destroy peoples, but through the power of the Lord and His great mercy I escaped from it." She said, "You escaped from it well, because you cast your care on God and opened your heart to the Lord, believing that you can be saved by no other than by His great and glorious name. For this reason the Lord has sent His angel, who has rule over the beasts, and whose name is Thegri, and has shut up its mouth, so that it cannot tear you. You have escaped from great tribulation on account of your faith, and because you did not doubt in the presence of such a beast. Go, therefore, and tell the elect of the Lord His mighty deeds, and say to them that this beast is a type of the great tribulation that is coming. If, then, you prepare yourselves and repent with all your heart, and turn to the Lord, it will be possible for you to escape it, if your heart is pure and spotless, and you spend the rest of the days of your life in serving the Lord blamelessly. Cast your cares upon the Lord, and He will direct them. Trust the Lord, you who doubt, for He is all-powerful, and can turn His anger away from you, and send scourges on the doubters. Woe to those who hear these words and despise them. Better for them not to have been born." Matthew 26:24

I ASKED HER ABOUT THE FOUR COLORS THAT THE BEAST HAD ON ITS HEAD: She answered and said to me, "Again you are asking questions about such things." "Yes, Lady," I said, "tell me what they are." "Listen," she said. "The black is the world in which we live. The fiery and bloody color shows that the world must perish through blood and fire. But the golden part is you who have escaped from this world. For just as gold is tested by fire and so becomes useful, so you who live in it are being tested. Therefore, those who remain steadfast and are put through the fire will be purified by it. For just as gold throws off its impurities, so you also will throw off all sadness and distress, and will be made pure so as to fit into the building of the tower. But the white part is the age to come, in which God's elect will dwell, since those chosen by God for eternal life will be spotless and pure. Therefore do not stop speaking these things into the ears of the saints. This, then, is the sign of the great tribulation that is coming. If you wish it, it will be nothing. Remember the things that were written down before." After saying this, she departed. But I did not see where she went. However, there was a noise, and I turned around in alarm, thinking that the beast was coming.

AFTER I HAD BEEN PRAYING AT HOME AND HAD SAT DOWN ON MY COUCH: a man with a glorious appearance came in. He was dressed like a shepherd, with a white goatskin, a bag on his shoulders, and a rod in his hand, and he greeted me. I returned his greeting. Right away he sat down beside me and said to me, "I have been sent by a most venerable angel to live with you for the rest of your life." And I thought that he had come to tempt me, and I said to him, "Who are you? For I know the one to whom I have been entrusted." He said to me, "Do you not know me?" "No," I said. He said, "I am that shepherd to whom you have been entrusted." And while he was still speaking, his appearance changed. Then I knew that it was he to whom I had been entrusted. At once I became confused, and fear took hold of me, and I was overwhelmed with deep sorrow because I had answered him so wickedly and foolishly. But he answered and said to me, "Do not be troubled, but receive strength from the commandments that I am going to give you. For I have been sent," he said, "to show you again all the things that you saw before, especially those that are useful to you. First of all, then, write down my commandments and similitudes, and you will write the other things as I show you. For this reason," he said, "I command you to write down the commandments and similitudes first, so that you may read them easily and be able to keep them." Accordingly, I wrote down the commandments and similitudes exactly as he had ordered me. If, then, when you have heard these things, you keep them and walk in them, and practice them with pure minds, you will receive from the Lord all that He has promised you. But if, after you have heard them, you do not repent, but continue to add to your sins, then you will receive from the Lord the opposite things. The shepherd, that is, the angel of repentance, commanded me to write all these words.

FIRST OF ALL: believe that there is one God who created and completed all things, and made all things out of nothing. He alone is able to contain everything, but he himself cannot be contained. Therefore have faith in him, and fear him. And by fearing him, practice self-control. Keep these commands, and you will throw away all wickedness from yourself, put on the strength of righteousness, and live to God, if you keep this commandment.

HE SAID TO ME: "Be simple and sincere, and you will be like children who do not know the wickedness that destroys human life. First, do not speak evil of anyone, and do not enjoy listening to anyone who speaks evil of another person. But if you listen, you will share in the sin of the one who speaks evil, if you believe the slander you hear. For if you believe it, you too will have something to say against your brother. In this way, then, you will be guilty of the sin of the one who slanders. For slander is evil, and it is an unstable demon. It never stays in peace, but always remains in conflict. Keep yourself from it, and you will always be at peace with everyone. Put on holiness in which there is no evil cause of offense, but only deeds that are fair and joyful. Practice goodness. And from the rewards of your labor, which God gives you, give to all who are in need with simplicity, without hesitating about whom you should give to or not give to. Give to everyone, for God wants His gifts to be shared among all. Those who receive will give an account to God of why and for what they received. For the suffering who receive will not be condemned, but those who receive under false pretenses will suffer punishment. Then the one who gives is guiltless. For just as he received from the Lord, so he has carried out his service with simplicity, without hesitating about whom he should give to and whom he should not give to. This service, then, if carried out with simplicity, is glorious before God. Therefore, the one who serves in this way, with simplicity, will live to God. Therefore keep these commandments, as I have given them to you, so that your repentance and the repentance of your household may be found in simplicity, and your heart may be pure and spotless."

AGAIN HE SAID TO ME: "Love the truth, and let nothing but truth come from your mouth, so that the spirit God has placed in your flesh may be found truthful before all people. Then the Lord, who dwells in you, will be glorified, because the Lord is truthful in every word, and in Him there is no falsehood. Therefore, those who lie deny the Lord and rob Him, because they do not give back to Him the deposit they received. For they received from Him a spirit free from falsehood. If they give this spirit back to Him as untruthful, they defile the Lord's commandment and become robbers." When I heard these words, I wept very bitterly. When he saw me weeping, he said to me, "Why are you weeping?" And I said, "Because, sir, I do not know if I can be saved." "Why?" he said. And I said, "Because, sir, I have never spoken a true word in my life. Instead, I have always spoken deceitfully to everyone, and I have presented a lie as the truth to everyone. No one ever contradicted me, but my word was believed. How then can I live, since I have acted this way?" And he said to me, "What you feel is indeed right and sound, for as a servant of God you ought to have walked in truth, and not joined an evil conscience to the spirit of truth, or caused grief to the holy and true Spirit." And I said to him, "Never, sir, have I listened to these words so carefully." And he said to me, "Now you hear them, and keep them, so that even the falsehoods you formerly told in your dealings may come to be believed because of the truthfulness of what you now say. For even those things can become worthy of belief. If you keep these commands, and from now on speak nothing but the truth, it will be possible for you to obtain life. And whoever hears this command and turns away from the great wickedness of falsehood will live to God."

HE SAID: "I charge you to guard your chastity, and let no thought enter your heart about another man's wife, or about fornication, or about similar iniquities. For by doing this you commit a great sin. But if you always remember your own wife, you will never sin. For if this thought enters your heart, then you will sin. And if, in the same way, you think other wicked thoughts, you commit sin. For this thought is a great sin in a servant of God. But if anyone commits this wicked deed, he works death for himself. Attend, therefore, and refrain from this thought. For where purity dwells, iniquity ought not to enter the heart of a righteous man." I said to him, "Sir, permit me to ask you a few questions." "Say on," he said. And I said to him, "Sir, if anyone has a wife who trusts in the Lord, and if he discovers her in adultery, does the man sin if he continues to live with her?" And he said to me, "As long as he remains ignorant of her sin, the husband commits no transgression in living with her. But if the husband knows that his wife has gone astray, and if the woman does not repent, but persists in her fornication, and yet the husband continues to live with her, he also is guilty of her crime, and a sharer in her adultery." And I said to him, "What then, sir, is the husband to do, if his wife continues in her vicious practices?" And he said, "The husband should put her away, and remain by himself. But if he puts his wife away and marries another, he also commits adultery." And I said to him, "What if the woman who was put away should repent, and wish to return to her husband? Shall she not be taken back by her husband?" And he said to me, "Assuredly. If the husband does not take her back, he sins, and brings a great sin upon himself. For he ought to take back the sinner who has repented. But not frequently. For there is but one repentance for the servants of God. In case, therefore, that the divorced wife may repent, the husband ought not to marry another, when his wife has been put away. In this matter man and woman are to be treated exactly in the same way. Moreover, adultery is committed not only by those who pollute their flesh, but by those who imitate the heathen in their actions. Therefore if anyone persists in such deeds, and does not repent, withdraw from him, and cease to live with him. Otherwise you are a sharer in his sin. Therefore the injunction has been laid on you, that you should remain by yourselves, both man and woman, for in such persons repentance can take place. But I do not give opportunity for the doing of these deeds. Rather, I speak so that he who has sinned may sin no more. But with regard to his previous transgressions, there is One who is able to provide a cure. For it is He indeed who has power over all."

I ASKED HIM AGAIN AND SAID: "Since the Lord has been pleased to dwell with me always, be patient with me while I say a few words. I understand nothing, and my heart has been hardened by the way I lived before. Give me understanding, because I am very dull and understand absolutely nothing." And he answered me and said, "I am appointed over repentance, and I give understanding to all who repent. Do you not think," he said, "that it is great wisdom to repent? For repentance is great wisdom. For the person who has sinned understands that he acted wickedly in the sight of the Lord, remembers the things he has done, and repents. He no longer acts wickedly, but does good generously, and humbles and torments his soul because he has sinned. You see, therefore, that repentance is great wisdom." And I said to him, "It is for this reason, sir, that I ask carefully about all things, especially because I am a sinner, so that I may know what works I should do, that I may live. For my sins are many and varied." And he said to me, "You will live if you keep my commandments and walk in them. And whoever hears and keeps these commandments will live to God."

AND I SAID TO HIM: "I would like to continue my questions." He said, "Go on." And I said, "Sir, I heard some teachers say that there is no repentance except the one that happens when we go down into the water and receive forgiveness of our former sins." He said to me, "What you heard was sound teaching, for that is really so. For the person who has received forgiveness of sins ought not to sin anymore, but to live in purity. However, since you are asking carefully about everything, I will explain this to you also. I do not say it in order to give an excuse for error to those who are going to believe, or who have recently believed, in the Lord. For those who have now believed, and those who are going to believe, do not have repentance for sins, but they do have forgiveness of their previous sins. But for those who were called before these days, the Lord has appointed repentance. For the Lord, knowing the heart and knowing beforehand all things, knew the weakness of human beings and the many tricks of the devil, that he would bring some evil on the servants of God and would act wickedly toward them. Therefore the Lord, being merciful, had mercy on the work of His hand and appointed repentance for them. And He has given me authority over this repentance. Therefore I say to you that if anyone is tempted by the devil and sins after that great and holy calling by which the Lord has called His people to everlasting life, he has one opportunity to repent. But if he sins often after this and then repents, that man's repentance will do him no good, for he will scarcely live." And I said, "Sir, as I listen carefully to these commandments, I feel that life has come back to me, for I know that I will be saved if from now on I sin no more." And he said, "You will be saved, you and all who keep these commandments."

AGAIN I ASKED HIM: "Sir, since you have been so patient in listening to me, will you show me this also?" "Speak," he said. And I said, "If a wife or husband dies, and the widower or widow marries, does he or she commit sin?" He said, "There is no sin in marrying again. But if they remain unmarried, they gain greater honor and glory with the Lord. But if they marry, they do not sin." Therefore, guard your chastity and purity, and you will live to God. Keep the commandments that I now give you, and that I am going to give you, from now on, yes, from the very day when you were entrusted to me, and I will dwell in your house. And your former sins will be forgiven, if you keep my commandments. And all will be forgiven who keep these commandments of mine and walk in this chastity.

"Be patient," he said, "and have good understanding, and you will rule over every wicked work, and you will do all righteousness. For if you are patient, the Holy Spirit who dwells in you will be pure. He will not be darkened by any evil spirit. Instead, living in a broad place, he will rejoice and be glad. And with the vessel in which he dwells, he will serve God with gladness, having great peace within himself. But if any outburst of anger happens, the Holy Spirit, who is gentle, is immediately cramped, because he does not have a pure place, and he seeks to depart. For he is choked by the vile spirit and cannot serve the Lord as he wishes, because anger pollutes him. For the Lord dwells in long-suffering, but the devil in anger. So when the two spirits dwell in the same house, they are in conflict with each other, and they trouble the person in whom they dwell. For if a very small piece of wormwood is taken and put into a jar of honey, is not the honey completely spoiled? And does not that very small piece of wormwood completely take away the sweetness of the honey, so that it no longer gives pleasure to its owner, but has become bitter and lost its use? But if the wormwood is not put into the honey, then the honey remains sweet and is useful to its owner. You see, then, that patience is sweeter than honey and useful to God, and the Lord dwells in it. But anger is bitter and useless. Now if anger is mixed with patience, the patience is polluted, and then its prayer is not useful to God." "I would like to know, sir," I said, "the power of anger, so that I may guard myself against it." And he said, "If you do not guard yourself against it, you and your house will lose all hope of salvation. Guard yourself, therefore, against it. For I am with you, and all who repent with their whole heart will depart from it. For I will be with them, and I will save them all. For all are justified by the most holy angel."

"Hear now," he said, "how wicked the action of anger is, and in what way it overthrows the servants of God by its action and turns them from righteousness. But it does not turn away those who are full of faith, nor does it act on them, because the power of the Lord is with them. It is the thoughtless and doubting that it turns away. For as soon as it sees such men standing firm, it throws itself into their hearts, and for nothing at all the man or woman becomes embittered because of things that happen in daily life, for example because of food, or some unnecessary word that has been spoken, or because of some friend, or some gift or debt, or some such senseless matter. For all these things are foolish and empty and unprofitable to the servants of God. But patience is great, and mighty, and strong, and calm in the midst of great enlargement, joyful, rejoicing, free from care, glorifying God at all times, having no bitterness in her, and abiding continually meek and quiet. Now this patience dwells with those who have complete faith. But anger is foolish, and fickle, and senseless. Now from folly bitterness is begotten, and from bitterness anger, and from anger frenzy. This frenzy, the product of so many evils, ends in great and incurable sin. For when all these spirits dwell in one vessel in which the Holy Spirit also dwells, the vessel cannot contain them, but overflows. The tender Spirit then, not being accustomed to dwell with the wicked spirit, nor with hardness, withdraws from such a man and seeks to dwell with meekness and peacefulness. Then, when he withdraws from the man in whom he dwelt, the man is emptied of the righteous Spirit. And from now on, being filled with evil spirits, he is in a state of anarchy in every action, being dragged here and there by the evil spirits, and there is complete darkness in his mind about everything good. This, then, is what happens to all the angry. Therefore depart from that most wicked spirit, anger, and put on patience, and resist anger and bitterness, and you will be found in company with the purity loved by the Lord. Take care, then, that you do not neglect this commandment by any chance. For if you obey this commandment, you will be able to keep all the other commandments that I am to give you. Be strong, then, in these commandments, and put on power, and let all put on power, as many as wish to walk in them."

HE SAID: "In the first commandment, I gave you instructions to pay attention to faith, fear, and self-control." I said, "Yes, sir." And he said, "Now I want to show you the powers of these things, so that you may know what power each one has. For their powers are twofold, and they relate both to the righteous and to the unrighteous. Therefore, trust the righteous, but do not trust the unrighteous. For the path of righteousness is straight, but the path of unrighteousness is crooked. But walk in the straight and level way, and pay no attention to the crooked one. For the crooked path has no road, but has many trackless places and stumbling blocks in it, and it is rough and thorny. It harms those who walk in it. But those who walk on the straight road walk smoothly without stumbling, because it is neither rough nor thorny. You see, then, that it is better to walk on this road." I said, "I want to go by this road." He said, "You will go by it, and whoever turns to the Lord with all his heart will walk in it."

“Now listen,” he said, “about faith. There are two angels with a person. One is of righteousness, and the other is of iniquity.” And I said to him, “How, sir, am I to know their powers, since both angels live with me?” “Listen,” he said, “and understand them. The angel of righteousness is gentle and modest, meek and peaceful. Therefore, when he rises into your heart, he immediately speaks to you about righteousness, purity, chastity, contentment, and every righteous deed and glorious virtue. When all these rise into your heart, know that the angel of righteousness is with you. These are the deeds of the angel of righteousness. Trust him, then, and his works. “Now look at the works of the angel of iniquity. First, he is angry, bitter, and foolish, and his works are evil and destroy the servants of God. So when he rises into your heart, know him by his works.” And I said to him, “How, sir, I will recognize him, I do not know.” “Listen and understand,” he said. “When anger comes on you, or harshness, know that he is in you. You will also know this is the case when you are attacked by a desire for many dealings, and for the richest delicacies, and drunken feasting, and various luxuries, and improper things, and by a craving for women, and by overreaching, and pride, and blustering, and whatever is like these. When these rise into your heart, know that the angel of iniquity is in you. Now that you know his works, depart from him, and do not trust him in any way, because his deeds are evil and useless to the servants of God. “These, then, are the actions of both angels. Understand them, and trust the angel of righteousness. But depart from the angel of iniquity, because his instruction is bad in every deed. For even if a man is most faithful, if the thought of this angel rises into his heart, that man or woman must sin. On the other hand, no matter how bad a man or woman may be, if the works of the angel of righteousness rise into his or her heart, he or she must do something good. You see, therefore, that it is good to follow the angel of righteousness, but to say farewell to the angel of iniquity.”

THIS COMMANDMENT SHOWS WHAT FAITH DOES: so that you may trust the works of the angel of righteousness. By doing them, you may live to God. But believe that the works of the angel of iniquity are hard. If you refuse to do them, you will live to God.

"Fear the Lord," he said, "and keep His commandments." Ecclesiastes 12:13 For if you keep God's commandments, you will be strong in everything you do, and everything you do will be beyond compare. For by fearing the Lord, you will do everything well. This is the fear you ought to have, so that you may be saved. But do not fear the devil. For if you fear the Lord, you will rule over the devil, because there is no power in him. But someone in whom there is no power should never be feared. He in whom there is glorious power is the one who is truly to be feared. For everyone who has power ought to be feared, but he who has no power is despised by all. Therefore, fear the deeds of the devil, because they are evil. For if you fear the Lord, you will not do these deeds, but will hold back from them. For there are two kinds of fear. If you do not want to do what is evil, fear the Lord, and you will not do it. But again, if you want to do what is good, fear the Lord, and you will do it. Therefore the fear of the Lord is strong, great, and glorious. Fear the Lord, then, and you will live to Him, and all who fear Him and keep His commandments will live to God. "Why," I said, "sir, did you say about those who keep His commandments that they will live to God?" "Because," he says, "all creation fears the Lord, but all creation does not keep His commandments. Only those who fear the Lord and keep His commandments have life with God. But those who do not keep His commandments have no life in them."

"I told you," he said, "that God's creatures are double, because self-restraint is also double. In some cases, self-restraint must be used, and in other cases there is no need for it." "Tell me, sir," I said, "in what cases must self-restraint be used, and in what cases must it not be used?" "Restrain yourself from evil, and do not do it. But do not hold back from doing good; do it. For if you hold back from doing good, you will commit a great sin. But if you restrain yourself so that you do not do what is evil, you are practicing great righteousness. Therefore, restrain yourself from all wickedness, and do what is good." "What, sir," I said, "are the evil deeds from which we must restrain ourselves?" "Listen," he says: "from adultery and sexual immorality, from unlawful feasting, from wicked luxury, from indulging in many kinds of food and the extravagance of riches, and from boastfulness, haughtiness, insolence, lies, backbiting, hypocrisy, remembering wrongs, and every kind of slander. These are the deeds that are most wicked in human life. Therefore, the servant of God must restrain himself from all these deeds. For he who does not restrain himself from these cannot live to God. Listen now to the deeds that go along with these." "Are there, sir," I said, "any other evil deeds?" "There are," he says, "and many of them too, from which the servant of God must restrain himself: theft, lying, robbery, false witness, cheating, wicked desire, deceit, vainglory, boastfulness, and all other vices like these. Do you not think these are truly wicked? They are extremely wicked for the servants of God. The servant of God must restrain himself from all of these. Restrain yourself, then, from all these things, so that you may live to God, and you will be counted among those who restrain themselves in these matters. These, then, are the things from which you must restrain yourself."

"But listen," he says, "to the things about which you are not to practice self-restraint, but which you ought to do. Do not restrain yourself from what is good, but do it." And I said, "Tell me, sir, the nature of the good deeds, so that I may walk in them and attend to them, so that by doing them I may be saved." "Listen," he says, "to the good deeds that you ought to do, and about which no self-restraint is required. First of all there is faith, then fear of the Lord, love, concord, words of righteousness, truth, and patience. Nothing is better than these in the life of men. If anyone attends to these, and does not restrain himself from them, blessed is he in his life. "Then these follow with them: helping widows, looking after orphans and the needy, rescuing the servants of God from necessities, being hospitable—for in hospitality good-doing finds a field—never opposing anyone, being quiet, having fewer needs than all men, reverencing the aged, practicing righteousness, watching the brotherhood, bearing insolence, being long-suffering, encouraging those who are sick in soul, not casting those who have fallen into sin out of the faith, but turning them back and restoring them to peace of mind, admonishing sinners, not oppressing debtors and the needy, and if there are any other actions like these. Do these seem good to you?" he says. And I said, "What, sir, is better than these?" "Walk in them, then," he says, "and do not restrain yourself from them, and you will live to God. Keep, therefore, this commandment. If you do good, and do not restrain yourself from it, you will live to God. All who act in this way will live to God. And again, if you refuse to do evil, and restrain yourself from it, you will live to God. And all will live to God who keep these commandments and walk in them."

HE SAYS TO ME: “Put away doubt from yourself, and do not hesitate to ask the Lord. Do not say to yourself, ‘How can I ask the Lord and receive from Him, since I have sinned so much against Him?’ Do not think this way. Instead, turn to the Lord with all your heart and ask Him without doubting. Then you will know how great His tender mercies are. He will never leave you, but will grant what your soul asks for. For He is not like people, who remember the wrongs done against them. He Himself does not remember wrongs, and He has compassion on His own creature. Therefore cleanse your heart from all the empty things of this world, and from the words already mentioned, and ask the Lord, and you will receive everything. None of your requests will be refused, if you ask the Lord without doubting. But if you doubt in your heart, you will receive none of your requests. For those who doubt about God are double-minded, and they receive none of their requests. But those who are complete in faith ask for everything, trusting in the Lord, and they receive it, because they ask without doubting and are not double-minded. For every double-minded person, even if he repents, will be saved only with difficulty. Therefore cleanse your heart from all doubt, and put on faith, because it is strong. Trust God that you will receive from Him all that you ask. And if at any time, after you have asked the Lord, you are slower to receive your request than you expected, do not doubt because you have not quickly received what your soul asked for. For it is always because of some temptation or some sin, unknown to you, that you are slower to receive your request. Therefore do not stop asking for what your soul desires, and you will receive it. But if you grow tired and begin to waver in your request, blame yourself and not Him who does not give to you. Think carefully about this doubting state of mind, for it is wicked and foolish, and it turns many completely away from the faith, even though they may be very strong. For this doubt is the daughter of the devil, and it acts very wickedly against the servants of God. Therefore despise doubt, and master it in everything, clothing yourself with faith, which is strong and powerful. For faith promises all things and completes all things. But doubt, since it has no firm faith in itself, fails in every work it undertakes. You see, then,” he says, “that faith is from above, from the Lord, and has great power. But doubt is an earthly spirit, coming from the devil, and has no power. Therefore serve what has power, namely faith, and keep away from doubt, which has no power, and you will live to God. And all will live to God whose minds have been set on these things.”

"Remove grief from yourself," he says, "for she is the sister of doubt and anger." "How, sir," I said, "is she the sister of these? For anger, doubt, and grief seem to be quite different from each other." "You are foolish, O man," he said. "Do you not realize that grief is more wicked than all the spirits, and more terrible to the servants of God? More than all other spirits, she destroys a person and crushes out the Holy Spirit. And yet, on the other hand, she saves him." "I am foolish, sir," I said, "and I do not understand these parables. For I do not see how she can crush out, and on the other hand save." "Listen," he said. "Those who have never searched for the truth, nor examined the nature of the Divinity, but have simply believed, if they give themselves over to business, wealth, pagan friendships, and many other activities of this world, do not understand the parables of Divinity. For their minds are darkened by these things, and they are corrupted and become dried up. Just like beautiful vines, when they are neglected, wither because of thorns and other plants, so also people who have believed, and afterward fallen into many of the actions mentioned above, go astray in their minds and lose all understanding about righteousness. For if they hear about righteousness, their minds are occupied with their business, and they pay no attention at all. On the other hand, those who have the fear of God, and search after Godhead and truth, and have their hearts turned to the Lord, quickly understand what is said to them, because they have the fear of the Lord in them. For where the Lord dwells, there is great understanding. Therefore cling to the Lord, and you will understand and perceive all things."

LISTEN: then, he says, foolish man, to how grief crushes out the Holy Spirit, and on the other hand saves. When the doubting man tries to do any deed, and fails in it because of his doubt, this grief enters into the man, and grieves the Holy Spirit, and crushes him out. Then, on the other hand, when anger attaches itself to a man about any matter, and he becomes bitter, grief enters into the heart of the man who had become irritated, and he is grieved at the deed he did, and repents that he has done a wicked deed. This grief, then, appears to be accompanied by salvation, because the man, after doing a wicked deed, repented. Both actions grieve the Spirit: doubt, because it did not accomplish its object; and anger grieves the Spirit, because it did what was wicked. Both of these are grievous to the Holy Spirit: doubt and anger. Therefore remove grief from yourselves, and do not crush the Holy Spirit who dwells in you, lest he entreat God against you, and withdraw from you. For the Spirit of God, which has been granted to dwell in this body, does not endure grief or straitness. Therefore put on cheerfulness, which is always agreeable and acceptable to God, and rejoice in it. For every cheerful man does what is good, and thinks about what is good, and despises grief. But the sorrowful man always acts wickedly. First, he acts wickedly because he grieves the Holy Spirit, which was given to man as a cheerful Spirit. Second, grieving the Holy Spirit, he works iniquity, neither entreating the Lord nor confessing to Him. For the entreaty of the sorrowful man has no power to rise to the altar of God. "Why," I said, "does not the entreaty of the grieved man rise to the altar?" "Because," he says, "grief sits in his heart." Grief, then, mixed with his entreaty, does not allow the entreaty to rise pure to the altar of God. For just as vinegar and wine, when mixed in the same vessel, do not give the same pleasure as wine alone, so grief mixed with the Holy Spirit does not produce the same entreaty as the Holy Spirit alone would produce. Cleanse yourself from this wicked grief, and you will live to God. And all will live to God who drive away grief from themselves and put on all cheerfulness.

HE POINTED OUT TO ME SOME MEN SITTING ON A BENCH: and one man sitting on a chair. And he says to me, "Do you see the persons sitting on the bench?" "I do, sir," I said. "These," he says, "are the faithful, and he who sits on the chair is a false prophet, ruining the minds of the servants of God. It is the doubters, not the faithful, that he ruins. These doubters then go to him as to a soothsayer, and ask him what will happen to them. And he, the false prophet, not having the power of a Divine Spirit in him, answers them according to their questions and according to their wicked desires, and fills their souls with expectations according to their own wishes. For since he is empty himself, he gives empty answers to empty inquirers, for every answer is made to the emptiness of man. Some true words he does occasionally speak, for the devil fills him with his own spirit, hoping that he may be able to overcome some of the righteous. As many, then, as are strong in the faith of the Lord and are clothed with truth have no connection with such spirits, but keep away from them. But as many as are doubtful in mind and repent often turn to soothsaying, just like the heathen, and bring greater sin on themselves by their idolatry. For he who asks a false prophet about any action is an idolater, devoid of the truth, and foolish. For no spirit given by God needs to be asked. But such a spirit, having the power of Divinity, speaks all things of itself, because it proceeds from above, from the power of the Divine Spirit. But the spirit that is asked and speaks according to the desires of men is earthly, light, and powerless, and it is completely silent if it is not questioned. "How then, sir," I said, "will a man know which of them is the prophet, and which the false prophet?" "I will tell you," he says, "about both the prophets, and then you can test the true and the false prophet by my directions. Test the man who has the Divine Spirit by his life. First, he who has the Divine Spirit proceeding from above is meek, peaceable, and humble, and keeps away from all iniquity and the vain desire of this world, and is content with fewer wants than other men. And when asked, he makes no reply. Nor does he speak privately. Nor, when a man wishes the spirit to speak, does the Holy Spirit speak. It speaks only when God wishes it to speak. When, then, a man having the Divine Spirit comes into an assembly of righteous men who have faith in the Divine Spirit, and this assembly of men offers prayer to God, then the angel of the prophetic Spirit, who is appointed for him, fills the man. And the man, being filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks to the multitude as the Lord wishes. Thus, then, the Spirit of Divinity becomes manifest. Whatever power, therefore, comes from the Spirit of Divinity belongs to the Lord. "Hear, then," he says, "about the spirit that is earthly, empty, powerless, and foolish. First, the man who seems to have the Spirit exalts himself and wants the first seat, and is bold, impudent, and talkative, and lives in the midst of many luxuries and many other delusions, and takes rewards for his prophecy. And if he does not receive rewards, he does not prophesy. Can, then, the Divine Spirit take rewards and prophesy? It is not possible for the prophet of God to do this. But prophets of this kind are possessed by an earthly spirit. Then it never comes near an assembly of righteous men, but avoids them. And it keeps company with doubters and the vain, and prophesies to them in a corner, and deceives them, speaking to them, according to their desires, mere empty words, for they are empty to whom it gives its answers. For the empty vessel, when placed among the empty, is not crushed, but they match one another. When, therefore, it comes into an assembly of righteous men who have a Spirit of Divinity, and they offer prayer, that man is made empty, and the earthly spirit flees from him in fear, and that man is made dumb and is completely crushed, being unable to speak. For if you pack a storehouse tightly with wine or oil, and put an empty jar in the midst of the vessels of wine or oil, you will find that jar empty as when you placed it there, if you wish to clear the storehouse. So also the empty prophets, when they come to the spirits of the righteous, are found, when they leave, to be just as they were when they came. This, then, is the way of life of both prophets. Test by his deeds and his life the man who says that he is inspired. But as for you, trust the Spirit that comes from God and has power. But do not trust at all the spirit that is earthly and empty, for there is no power in it. It comes from the devil. Hear, then, the parable that I am to tell you. Take a stone and throw it to the sky, and see whether you can touch it. Or again, take a squirt of water and squirt it into the sky, and see whether you can break through the sky." "How, sir," I said, "can these things happen? For both of them are impossible." "As these things," he says, "are impossible, so also the earthly spirits are powerless and pithless. But look, on the other hand, at the power that comes from above. Hail is the size of a very small grain, yet when it falls on a man's head, how much pain it gives him. Or again, take the drop that falls from a pitcher to the ground, and yet it hollows out a stone. You see, then, that the smallest things coming from above have great power when they fall upon the earth. Thus also the Divine Spirit, which comes from above, is powerful. Trust, then, that Spirit, but have nothing to do with the other."

HE SAYS TO ME: "Put away from yourself all wicked desire, and clothe yourself with good and chaste desire. For when you are clothed with this desire, you will hate wicked desire, and will hold yourself in check just as you wish. For wicked desire is wild, and is tamed only with difficulty. For it is terrible, and by its wildness it consumes men exceedingly. The servant of God is especially consumed by it, if he falls into it and is without understanding. Moreover, it consumes all who do not have on them the garment of good desire, but are entangled and mixed up with this world. These it hands over to death." Then I say, "What then, sir, are the deeds of wicked desire that hand men over to death? Make them known to me, and I will refrain from them." "Listen, then, to the works by which evil desire slays the servants of God."

First of all is the desire for another person’s wife or husband, and for extravagance, and for many useless delicacies and drinks, and for many other foolish luxuries. For all luxury is foolish and empty in the servants of God. These, then, are the evil desires that kill the servants of God. For this evil desire is the daughter of the devil. You must keep away from evil desires, so that by keeping away from them you may live to God. But all who are ruled by them, and do not resist them, will finally perish, for these desires are deadly. Therefore, put on the desire for righteousness. Arm yourself with the fear of the Lord, and resist them. For the fear of the Lord lives in good desire. But if evil desire sees you armed with the fear of God and resisting it, it will flee far from you. It will no longer appear to you, because it fears your armor. Go then, crowned with the garland you have won by victory over it, to the desire for righteousness. Give to it the prize you have received, and serve it just as it wishes. If you serve good desire and submit to it, you will gain mastery over evil desire, and make it submit to you just as you wish.

I SAID: "I would like to know how I ought to serve good desire." He said, "Listen: You will practice righteousness and virtue, truth and the fear of the Lord, faith and meekness, and whatever other excellent qualities are like these. By practicing these, you will be a servant of God who is pleasing to Him, and you will live to Him. And everyone who serves good desire will live to God."

HE FINISHED THE TWELVE COMMANDMENTS AND SAID TO ME: "You now have these commandments. Live by them, and urge your hearers to do the same, so that their repentance may be pure for the rest of their lives. Carefully carry out this ministry that I now entrust to you, and you will accomplish much. For you will find favor among those who are going to repent, and they will listen to your words, because I will be with you and will compel them to obey you." I said to him, "Sir, these commandments are great, good, and glorious, and they are able to make glad the heart of the person who can keep them. But I do not know whether a human being can keep these commandments, because they are extremely hard." He answered and said to me, "If you settle it in your mind that they can be kept, then you will keep them easily, and they will not be hard. But if you begin to think that they cannot be kept by man, then you will not keep them. Now I say to you, if you do not keep them, but neglect them, you will not be saved, nor your children, nor your household, since you have already decided for yourself that these commandments cannot be kept by man."

HE SAID THESE THINGS TO ME WITH THE DEEPEST ANGER: so that I was shaken and very afraid of him. His appearance had changed so much that a man could not bear his anger. But when he saw that I was completely upset and confused, he began to speak to me more gently. He said, "Foolish man, without understanding and full of doubt, do you not see how great the glory of God is, and how strong and wonderful He is? He created the world for the sake of man, and He placed all creation under him, and gave him authority to rule over everything under heaven. If, then, man is lord over the creatures of God and rules over all, is he not able to be lord over these commandments also? For," he says, "the man who has the Lord in his heart can also be lord over all, and over every one of these commandments. But for those who have the Lord only on their lips, Isaiah 29:13; Matthew 15:8, while their hearts are hardened, John 12:40; 2 Corinthians 3:14, and who are far from the Lord, the commandments are hard and difficult. Therefore, you who are empty and unstable in your faith, put the Lord in your heart, and you will know that nothing is easier, sweeter, or more manageable than these commandments. Return, you who walk in the commandments of the devil, in harsh and bitter and savage licentiousness, and do not fear the devil. For he has no power against you, because I will be with you, the angel of repentance, who am lord over him. The devil has only fear, but his fear has no strength. So do not fear him, and he will flee from you."

I SAID TO HIM: "Sir, listen to me for a moment." He said, "Say what you want." I said, "Sir, a person is eager to keep the commandments of God, and there is no one who does not ask the Lord to give him strength for these commandments and to make him subject to them. But the devil is harsh and rules over them." He said, "He cannot rule over the servants of God who, with all their heart, place their hope in Him. The devil can struggle against them, but he cannot overthrow them. If, then, you resist him, he will be conquered and will flee from you in disgrace. Therefore, as many as are empty fear the devil, as if he had power. When a man has filled very suitable jars with good wine, and a few of those jars are left empty, he comes to the jars and does not look at the full jars, because he knows they are full. But he looks at the empty ones, afraid that they have become sour. For empty jars quickly become sour, and the goodness of the wine is gone. In the same way, the devil goes to all the servants of God to test them. Then those who are full in the faith resist him strongly, and he withdraws from them, having no way to enter them. Then he goes to the empty ones, and when he finds a way to enter, he does in them whatever he wishes, and they become his servants."

BUT I: the angel of repentance, say to you: Do not fear the devil. For I was sent, he says, to be with all of you who repent with all your heart, and to make you strong in faith. Trust God, then, you who have, because of your sins, given up hope of life, and who add to your sins and weigh down your life. For if you return to the Lord with all your heart, and practice righteousness for the rest of your days, and serve Him according to His will, He will heal your former sins, and you will have power to rule over the works of the devil. But do not fear the devil's threats at all, because he is powerless, like the sinews of a dead man. Listen to me, then, and fear Him who has all power, both to save and to destroy, Matthew 10:28; Luke 12:5, and keep His commandments, and you will live to God. I said to him, "Sir, I am now made strong in all the ordinances of the Lord, because you are with me. And I know that you will crush all the power of the devil, and we shall rule over him and prevail against all his works. And I hope, sir, to be able to keep all these commandments that you have commanded me, with the Lord strengthening me." "You will keep them," he says, "if your heart is pure toward the Lord. And all will keep them who cleanse their hearts from the empty desires of this world, and they will live to God."

HE SAYS TO ME: "You know that you who are servants of God live in a foreign land, because your city is far away from this one. If, then," he continues, "you know the city where you are going to live, why do you buy land here, make costly preparations, and gather houses and useless buildings? The one who makes such preparations for this city cannot return to his own city again. Foolish, unstable, and miserable man! Do you not understand that all these things belong to someone else and are under someone else’s authority? For the lord of this city will say, 'I do not want you to live in my city. Leave this city, because you do not obey my laws.' Therefore, even if you have fields and houses and many other things, when he throws you out, what will you do with your land, your house, and the other possessions you have gathered for yourself? For the lord of this country rightly says to you, 'Either obey my laws or leave my dominion.' So what do you plan to do, when you have a law in your own city, because of your lands and the rest of your possessions? You will completely deny your law and live by the law of this city. Be careful that it does not harm you to deny your law. For if you want to return to your city, you will not be received, because you denied the law of your city, but will be shut out from it. "Be careful, then: as one living in a foreign land, make no further preparations for yourself except what is enough; and be ready, when the master of this city comes to throw you out for disobeying his law, to leave his city and go to your own, and to obey your own law without trouble and with great joy. So be careful, you who serve the Lord and have Him in your heart, to do the works of God. Remember His commandments and the promises He made, and believe that He will fulfill them if His commandments are kept. Instead of lands, then, buy afflicted souls, as each one is able, and care for widows and orphans, and do not neglect them. Spend your wealth and all your preparations, which you received from the Lord, on such lands and houses. For this is why the Master made you rich: so that you might do these services for Him. And it is far better to buy such lands, possessions, and houses as you will find in your own city when you come to live in it. This is a good and holy expense, bringing neither sorrow nor fear, but joy. Do not practice the spending of the heathen, because it is harmful to you who are servants of God. Instead, practice a kind of spending that is your own, in which you can rejoice. Do not corrupt or touch what belongs to someone else, and do not covet it, because it is an evil thing to covet other people’s goods. But do your own work, and you will be saved."

AS I WAS WALKING IN THE FIELD AND LOOKING AT AN ELM AND A VINE: I was thinking to myself about them and their fruit. The Shepherd appeared to me and said, "What are you thinking about, concerning the elm and the vine?" I replied, "I am thinking that they suit each other very well." He continued, "These two trees are meant as an example for the servants of God." I said, "Sir, I would like to know the example that you say these trees are meant to teach." He said, "Do you see the elm and the vine?" I replied, "I see them, sir." He continued, "This vine produces fruit, and the elm is a fruitless tree. But unless the vine is trained on the elm, it cannot bear much fruit when it lies stretched out on the ground. And the fruit that it does bear is rotten, because the plant is not supported on the elm. Therefore, when the vine is placed on the elm, it bears fruit both from itself and from the elm. You see also that the elm produces much fruit, not less than the vine, but even more." He continued, "Because when the vine is supported on the elm, it bears much fruit, and good fruit. But when it is thrown on the ground, what it produces is small and rotten. Therefore, this illustration is for the servants of God, for the poor man and for the rich." I said, "How so, sir? Explain it to me." He said, "Listen. The rich man has much wealth, but he is poor in matters relating to the Lord, because he is distracted by his riches. He offers very few confessions and intercessions to the Lord, and those that he does offer are small and weak, and have no power above. But when the rich man refreshes the poor and helps him in his needs, believing that what he does for the poor man will receive its reward from God, because the poor man is rich in intercession and confession, and his intercession has great power with God, then the rich man helps the poor in all things without hesitation. And the poor man, being helped by the rich, intercedes for him, giving thanks to God for the one who gives him gifts. And he continues to care zealously for the poor man, so that his needs may always be supplied. For he knows that the intercession of the poor man is acceptable to God and has influence with Him. So both of them accomplish their work. The poor man makes intercession, a work in which he is rich, which he received from the Lord, and with which he repays the master who helps him. And the rich man, in the same way, without hesitation gives to the poor man the riches that he received from the Lord. And this is a great work, and it is acceptable before God, because he understands the purpose of his wealth, and has given to the poor from the gifts of the Lord, and has rightly carried out his service to Him. Among men, however, the elm seems not to produce fruit, and they do not know or understand that if a drought comes, the elm, which contains water, nourishes the vine. And the vine, having an unfailing supply of water, bears double fruit, both for itself and for the elm. In the same way, poor men, by interceding with the Lord on behalf of the rich, increase their riches. And the rich, by helping the poor in their needs, satisfy their own souls. Therefore, both are partners in the righteous work. He who does these things will not be deserted by God, but will be enrolled in the books of the living. Blessed are those who have riches and understand that they are from the Lord. For those who think this way will be able to do some good."

HE SHOWED ME MANY TREES WITH NO LEAVES: and they seemed to be dried up, because they all looked the same. And he said to me, "Do you see those trees?" I said, "Yes, sir, I see that they all look the same and dried up." He answered and said, "These trees that you see are the people who live in this world." I said, "Then why, sir, are they dried up, so to speak, and all alike?" He said, "Because in this life, neither the righteous nor sinners are clearly seen, but they are alike. For this life is a winter to the righteous, and they do not show themselves because they live among sinners. For just as in winter, trees that have lost their leaves are alike, and it cannot be seen which are dead and which are living, so also in this world neither the righteous nor sinners show themselves, but all are alike to one another."

HE SHOWED ME MANY TREES AGAIN: Some were budding, and others were withered. And he said to me, "Do you see these trees?" I said, "I see them, sir. Some are putting out buds, and others are withered." He said, "Those that are budding are the righteous, who are to live in the world to come. For the coming world is the summer of the righteous, but the winter of sinners. Therefore, when the mercy of the Lord shines out, then those who are the servants of God will be revealed, and all people will be revealed. For just as in summer the fruit of each tree appears, and it becomes clear what kind of tree it is, so also the fruit of the righteous will be revealed, and all who have been fruitful in that world will be made known. But the heathen and sinners, like the withered trees you saw, will be found to be those who were withered and unfruitful in that world, and they will be burned like wood, and so be revealed, because their actions were evil during their lives. For sinners will be consumed because they sinned and did not repent, and the heathen will be burned because they did not know Him who created them. Therefore you should bear fruit, so that in that summer your fruit may be known. And keep away from much business, and you will never sin. For those who are occupied with much business also commit many sins, because they are distracted by their affairs and do not serve their Lord at all. How, then," he continued, "can such a person ask for anything from the Lord and receive it, if he does not serve Him? Those who serve Him will obtain what they ask for, but those who do not serve Him will receive nothing. And even in doing a single task, a person can serve the Lord. For his mind will not be turned away from the Lord, but he will serve Him with a pure mind. Therefore, if you do these things, you will be able to bear fruit for the life to come. And everyone who does these things will bear fruit."

WHILE I WAS FASTING AND SITTING ON A CERTAIN MOUNTAIN: and giving thanks to the Lord for all His dealings with me, I saw the Shepherd sitting beside me. He said, "Why have you come here so early in the morning?" I answered, "Because, sir, I have a station." He asked, "What is a station?" I replied, "I am fasting, sir." He continued, "What is this fasting that you are observing?" I answered, "As I have been accustomed, sir, so I fast." He says, "You do not know how to fast to the Lord. This useless fasting that you observe to Him is of no value." I answered, "Why, sir, do you say this?" He continued, "I say to you that the fasting which you think you observe is not a fasting. But I will teach you what is a full and acceptable fasting to the Lord. Listen. God does not desire such an empty fasting. For by fasting to God in this way, you will do nothing for a righteous life. But offer to God a fasting of the following kind: Do no evil in your life, and serve the Lord with a pure heart. Keep His commandments, walking in His precepts, and let no evil desire arise in your heart. And believe in God. If you do these things, and fear Him, and abstain from every evil thing, you will live to God. And if you do these things, you will keep a great fast, one acceptable before God."

LISTEN TO THE PARABLE I AM ABOUT TO TELL YOU ABOUT FASTING: A certain man had a field and many slaves. He planted part of the field as a vineyard. Then he chose a faithful, beloved, and highly valued slave. He called him and said, "Take care of this vineyard that I have planted, and put stakes in it until I come back. Do nothing else to the vineyard. Pay attention to this command of mine, and I will give you your freedom." Then the master of the slave went away to a foreign country. After he had gone, the slave took care of the vineyard and put stakes in it. When he had finished staking the vines, he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds. Then he thought to himself, "I have kept this command of my master. I will dig up the rest of this vineyard, and it will be more beautiful when it is dug up. And since it is free of weeds, it will produce more fruit, because they will not choke it." So he dug up the vineyard and pulled out all the weeds that were in it. And the vineyard became very beautiful and fruitful, because it had no weeds to choke it. After some time, the master of the slave and of the field returned and came into the vineyard. He saw that the vines were properly supported on stakes, that the ground had also been dug up, that all the weeds had been pulled out, and that the vines were fruitful. He was very pleased with the work of his slave. Calling his beloved son, who was his heir, and his friends, who were his counselors, he told them what orders he had given his slave and what he had found done. They rejoiced with the slave because of the testimony his master gave about him. Then the master said to them, "I promised this slave freedom if he obeyed the command that I gave him. He has kept my command. Besides that, he has done a good work for the vineyard and has pleased me greatly. Therefore, in return for the work he has done, I want to make him co-heir with my son, because he had good thoughts and did not neglect them, but carried them out." The son and the friends were very pleased with this decision of the master, that the slave should be co-heir with the son. After a few days the master gave a feast and sent his slave many dishes from his own table. When the slave received the dishes his master had sent him, he took what was enough for himself and gave the rest to his fellow slaves. His fellow slaves were glad to receive the dishes, and they began to pray for him, that he might find even greater favor with his master because he had treated them this way. His master heard about all these things that had been done, and he was again very pleased with his conduct. So the master once more called together his friends and his son, and told them what the slave had done with the dishes he had sent him. And they were even more convinced that the slave should become co-heir with his son.

I SAID TO HIM: "Sir, I do not understand the meaning of these parables, and I am not able to understand them unless you explain them to me." He said, "I will explain them all to you, and I will show you whatever I mention in the course of our conversations. Keep the commandments of the Lord, and you will be approved and written among the number of those who keep His commands." "And if you do any good beyond what God has commanded, you will gain greater glory for yourself and will be more honored by God than you would otherwise be. Therefore, if in keeping the commandments of God you also do these acts of service, you will have joy if you keep them according to my command." I said to him, "Sir, whatever you command me, I will keep, for I know that you are with me." He replied, "I will be with you, because you have such a desire to do good. And I will be with all those," he added, "who have such a desire." He continued, "This fasting is very good, provided that the commandments of the Lord are kept. Then this is how you must keep the fast you intend to keep. First of all, be on guard against every evil word and every evil desire, and purify your heart from all the vanities of this world. If you guard against these things, your fasting will be complete. And you must also do the following. After you have done what is written, on the day when you fast you must eat nothing except bread and water. Then calculate the cost of the food for that day which you intended to eat, and give that amount to a widow, or an orphan, or to some person in need. In this way you will show humility, so that the one who has received help from your humility may refresh his own soul and pray to the Lord for you. If you keep the fast as I have commanded you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God, and this fast will be recorded. And the service performed in this way is noble and holy and acceptable to the Lord. Therefore, you must keep these things in this way with your children and all your household. And by keeping them you will be blessed. And as many as hear these words and keep them will be blessed. And whatever they ask of the Lord, they will receive."

I STRONGLY URGED HIM TO EXPLAIN TO ME THE PARABLE OF THE FIELD: and of the master of the vineyard, and of the slave who fenced the vineyard, and of the stakes, and of the weeds that were pulled out of the vineyard, and of the son, and of the friends who were fellow-counselors. For I knew that all these things were a kind of parable. He answered me and said, “You are extremely persistent with your questions. You should not ask any questions at all, because if anything needs to be explained, it will be made known to you.” I said to him, “Sir, whatever you show me and do not explain, I will have seen for no purpose, because I do not understand its meaning. In the same way, if you speak parables to me and do not explain them, I will have heard your words in vain.” He answered me again, saying, “Everyone who is the servant of God and has his Lord in his heart asks Him for understanding and receives it, and explains every parable. And the words of the Lord that are spoken in parables become known to him. But those who are weak and lazy in prayer hesitate to ask anything from the Lord. But the Lord is full of compassion and never fails to give to all who ask Him. But you have been strengthened by the holy Angel, and have received from Him such intercession, and are not lazy. Why, then, do you not ask the Lord for understanding and receive it from Him?” I said to him, “Sir, since I have you with me, I must ask you questions, because you show me all things and speak with me. But if I were seeing or hearing these things without you, then I would ask the Lord to explain them.”

HE ANSWERED: "A little while ago I told you that you were clever and stubborn in asking for explanations of the parables. But since you are so persistent, I will explain to you the meaning of the parables of the field, and of all the others that follow, so that you may make them known to everyone. Listen now," he said, "and understand them. The field is this world. And the Lord of the field is He who created, completed, and strengthened all things. And the son is the Holy Spirit. And the slave is the Son of God. And the vines are this people, whom He Himself planted. And the stakes are the holy angels of the Lord, who keep His people together. And the weeds that were pulled out of the vineyard are the sins of God's servants. And the dishes that He sent him from His table are the commandments that He gave His people through His Son. And the friends and fellow-counselors are the holy angels who were created first. And the Master's absence from home is the time that remains until His appearing." I said to him, "Sir, all these things are great, wonderful, and glorious. Could I, then," I continued, "understand them?" "No," he said, "nor could any other person, even if he were extremely wise." "Moreover," I added, "explain to me what I am about to ask you." He replied, "Say what you wish." "Why, sir," I asked, "is the Son of God in the parable in the form of a slave?"

"Hear," he answered, "the Son of God is not in the form of a slave, but in great power and might." "How is that, sir?" I said. "I do not understand." He answered, "Because God planted the vineyard. That is, He created the people and gave them to His Son. And the Son appointed His angels over them to keep them. And He Himself purged away their sins, after suffering many trials and undergoing many labors. For no one is able to dig without labor and toil. He Himself, then, after purging away the sins of the people, showed them the paths of life by giving them the law that He received from His Father. "You see," he said, "that He is the Lord of the people, because He received all authority from His Father." "Now listen to why the Lord took His Son as counselor, and the glorious angels also, concerning the inheritance of the slave. The holy, pre-existent Spirit, which created every creature, God made to dwell in flesh, which He chose. This flesh, in which the Holy Spirit dwelt, was nobly subject to that Spirit. It walked religiously and chastely, in no way defiling the Spirit. Therefore, after it had lived excellently and purely, and had labored and worked together with the Spirit, and had acted in everything with strength and courage along with the Holy Spirit, He accepted it as a partner. For this conduct of the flesh pleased Him, because it was not defiled on the earth while it had the Holy Spirit. "Therefore He took His Son and the glorious angels as fellow counselors, so that this flesh, which had served the Spirit without fault, might have some place of dwelling, and so that it might not seem that the reward of its service had been lost. For the flesh that is found without spot or defilement, and in which the Holy Spirit dwelt, will receive a reward. "You now have the explanation of this parable also."

I REJOICE: sir," I said, "to hear this explanation." "Listen again," he replied. "Keep this flesh pure and spotless, so that the Spirit living in it may bear witness to it, and your flesh may be justified. Make sure the thought never comes into your mind that this flesh of yours is perishable, so you misuse it by some defiling act. If you defile your flesh, you will also defile the Holy Spirit. And if you defile your flesh and spirit, you will not live." "And if anyone, sir," I said, "has before now been ignorant, before he heard these words, how can such a man be saved if he has defiled his flesh?" He said, "God alone is able to heal sins of former ignorance, because all power belongs to Him. But be on your guard now, and the all-powerful and compassionate God will heal former transgressions, if from now on you do not defile your body or your spirit. For both are shared together, and one cannot be defiled without the other. Therefore keep both pure, and you will live to God."

WHILE I WAS SITTING IN MY HOUSE AND PRAISING THE LORD FOR ALL THAT I HAD SEEN: I was thinking about the commandments: that they are excellent, powerful, glorious, and able to save a person's soul. I said to myself, "I will be blessed if I walk in these commandments, and everyone who walks in them will be blessed." While I was saying these things to myself, I suddenly saw him sitting beside me, and I heard him say this: "Why are you doubtful about the commandments that I gave you? They are excellent. Do not doubt them at all. Instead, put on faith in the Lord, and you will walk in them, for I will strengthen you in them. These commandments are useful for those who intend to repent. For if they do not walk in them, their repentance is in vain. Therefore, you who repent, throw away the wickedness of this world that wears you out. And by putting on all the virtues of a holy life, you will be able to keep these commandments, and you will no longer add to the number of your sins. Walk, therefore, in these commandments of mine, and you will live to God. All these things have been spoken to you by me." After he had said these words, he said to me, "Let us go into the fields, and I will show you the shepherds of the flocks." "Let us go, sir," I replied. And we came to a certain plain, and he showed me a young man, a shepherd, dressed in a set of yellow clothes. He was herding a great many sheep, and these sheep were feeding in a luxurious way, as it were, and riotously, and were merrily skipping here and there. The shepherd himself was cheerful because of his flock, and the shepherd's appearance was joyful, and he was running about among his flock. And I saw other sheep rioting and living luxuriously in one place, but not leaping about.

AND HE SAID TO ME: "Do you see this shepherd?" I said, "I see him, sir." He answered, "This is the angel of luxury and deceit. He wears out the souls of God's servants and turns them away from the truth. He deceives them with evil desires, and through these they will perish. They forget the commandments of the living God and walk in deceit and empty luxury. So they are ruined by this angel, some being brought to death and others to corruption." I said to him, "Sir, I do not know what these words mean: 'to death, and to corruption.'" He said, "Listen. The sheep you saw happy and jumping around are those who have torn themselves away from God forever and have given themselves over to the luxuries and deceits of this world. Among them there is no return to life through repentance, because they have added to their other sins and have blasphemed the name of the Lord. Therefore such people are appointed to death. And the sheep you saw not jumping, but feeding in one place, are those who have given themselves over to luxury and deceit, but have committed no blasphemy against the Lord. These have been turned away from the truth. Among them there is hope of repentance, by which it is possible to live. Corruption, then, has a hope of a kind of renewal, but death has everlasting ruin." Again I went forward a little way, and he showed me a tall shepherd, somewhat fierce in appearance. He was clothed in a white goatskin and had a wallet on his shoulders, a very hard staff with branches, and a large whip. He had a very sour look, so that I was afraid of him. His appearance was so forbidding. This shepherd, then, was receiving the sheep from the young shepherd, that is, those that were living wildly and in luxury, but not jumping. He threw them into a steep place full of thistles and thorns, so that it was impossible for the sheep to get free from the thorns and thistles. Instead, they were completely tangled in them. So these sheep, tangled like this, fed among the thorns and thistles and were deeply miserable as he beat them. He drove them here and there and gave them no rest. Altogether, these sheep were in a wretched condition.

WHEN I SAW THEM SO BEATEN AND SO BADLY TREATED: I was grieved for them, because they were so tormented and had no rest at all. And I said to the Shepherd who was speaking with me, "Sir, who is this shepherd who is so merciless and severe, and so completely without compassion for these sheep?" He replied, "This is the angel of punishment. He belongs to the righteous angels and has been appointed to punish. So he takes those who wander away from God and who have lived by the desires and deceits of this world, and he disciplines them, as they deserve, with terrible and different punishments." I said, "Sir, I would like to know what these different tortures and punishments are like." He said, "Listen to the various tortures and punishments. The tortures are the kinds of things that happen during this life. Some are punished with losses, others with poverty, others with sicknesses of many kinds, and others with every kind of disorder and confusion. Others are insulted by unworthy people and are exposed to suffering in many other ways. For many become unstable in their plans, try many things, and none of them succeeds at all. Then they say that they are not prospering in what they do, and it does not enter their minds that they have done evil deeds. Instead, they blame the Lord. Therefore, when they have been afflicted with every kind of suffering, they are handed over to me for good training, and they are made strong in faith in the Lord. For the rest of the days of their life, they are subject to the Lord with pure hearts, and they succeed in all they do, receiving from the Lord everything they ask. Then they glorify the Lord because they were handed over to me and no longer suffer any evil."

I SAID TO HIM: "Sir, explain this to me also." He said, "What is it you are asking?" I said, "Sir, do those who live in luxury and are deceived suffer torture for the same length of time that they lived in luxury and deception?" He said to me, "They are tortured in the same way." I replied, "They are tormented much less, sir, because those who live so luxuriously and forget God ought to be tortured seven times as much." He said to me, "You are foolish and do not understand the power of torment." I said, "Why, sir? If I had understood it, I would not have asked you to show me." He said, "Listen to the power of both. The time of luxury and deception is one hour, but the hour of torment is equal to thirty days. So, if a man lives in luxury for one day, and is deceived, and is tortured for one day, the day of his torture is equal to a whole year. Therefore, for all the days of luxury, there are the same number of years of torture to be endured. You see, then," he continued, "that the time of luxury and deception is very short, but the time of punishment and torture is long."

STILL: I said, I do not fully understand about the time of deceit, luxury, and torture. Explain it to me more clearly. He answered and said to me, “Your foolishness continues, and you do not want to purify your heart and serve God. Be careful,” he added, “so that the time is not completed and you are found foolish. Now listen,” he added, “as you wish, so that you may understand these things. “A person who lives in luxury and is deceived for one day, and who does whatever he wants, is clothed with great foolishness and does not understand what he is doing until the next day. For he forgets what he did the day before. For luxury and deceit have no memory, because of the foolishness with which they are clothed. But when punishment and torture cling to a man for one day, he is punished and tortured for a year, because punishment and torture have strong memories. Therefore, while he is tortured and punished for a whole year, he finally remembers his luxury and deceit, and knows that he suffers evil because of them. Therefore, every person who lives in luxury and is deceived is tormented in this way, because, although they have life, they have given themselves over to death.” “What kinds of luxury, sir,” I asked, “are harmful?” He replied, “Every act that a person does with pleasure is an act of luxury. For the hot-tempered man, when he gives in to his tendency, indulges in luxury. So also does the adulterer, the drunkard, the slanderer, the liar, the covetous man, the thief, and the one who does things like these. Each one satisfies his own special desire, and in doing so indulges in luxury. All these acts of luxury are harmful to the servants of God. Therefore, it is because of these deceits that those who are punished and tortured suffer. “And there are also acts of luxury that save people. For many who do good indulge in luxury, being carried along by their own pleasure. However, this luxury is beneficial to the servants of God, and gains life for such a person. But the harmful acts of luxury listed before bring torture and punishment on them. And if they continue in them and do not repent, they bring death on themselves.”

AFTER A FEW DAYS: I saw him in the same plain where I had also seen the shepherds. He said to me, "What do you want from me?" I said to him, "Sir, I want you to order the shepherd who punishes to leave my house, because he is afflicting me very severely." He replied, "It is necessary for you to be afflicted. For this is what the glorious angel commanded concerning you, because he wants you to be tested." I replied, "Sir, what have I done that is so bad, that I should be handed over to this angel?" He said, "Listen. Your sins are many, but they are not so great that you should be handed over to this angel. But your household has committed great wickedness and sins, and the glorious angel has become angry with them because of what they have done. For this reason, he commanded that you be afflicted for a certain time, so that they also might repent and cleanse themselves from every desire of this world. Therefore, when they repent and are purified, the angel of punishment will leave." I said to him, "Sir, if they have done such things as to make the glorious angel angry with them, then what have I done?" He replied, "They cannot be afflicted at all unless you, the head of the house, are afflicted. For when you are afflicted, they also must suffer affliction. But if you are at ease, they can feel no affliction." I said, "Well, sir, they have repented with their whole heart." He answered, "I know that they have repented with their whole heart. But do you think that the sins of those who repent are forgiven completely? Not entirely. The one who repents must torment his own soul, must be deeply humble in all his conduct, and must be afflicted in many ways. And if he endures the afflictions that come upon him, then He who created all things and gave them power will surely have compassion on him and will heal him. And He will do this when He sees that the heart of every repentant person is pure from every evil thing. It is good for you and for your house to suffer affliction now. But why should I say much more to you? You must be afflicted, just as that angel of the Lord commanded, the one who handed you over to me. And for this, give thanks to the Lord, because He has considered you worthy to show you this affliction beforehand, so that by knowing it before it comes, you may be able to endure it courageously." I said to him, "Sir, be with me, and I will be able to endure all affliction." He said, "I will be with you, and I will ask the angel of punishment to afflict you more lightly. Nevertheless, you will be afflicted for a little while, and then you will again be restored in your house. Only remain humble, and serve the Lord with complete purity of heart, you and your children and your house. Walk in my commands that I command you, and your repentance will be deep and pure. And if you and your household keep these things, every affliction will leave you." And he added, "Affliction will also leave all who walk in these commands of mine."

HE SHOWED ME A LARGE WILLOW TREE THAT SPREAD ITS SHADE OVER PLAINS AND MOUNTAINS: Under the shade of this willow, all those who were called by the name of the Lord had gathered. A glorious angel of the Lord, who was very tall, was standing beside the willow with a large pruning knife. He was cutting small twigs from the willow and handing them out to the people who were under its shade. The twigs he gave them were small, about a cubit long, so to speak. After they had all received the twigs, the angel laid down the pruning knife, and the tree was whole and healthy, just as I had first seen it. I was amazed within myself and said, "How is the tree still whole and healthy after so many branches have been cut off?" And the Shepherd said to me, "Do not be surprised if the tree remains whole and healthy after so many branches were cut off. But wait, and when you have seen everything, then what it means will be explained to you." The angel who had handed out the branches to the people asked for them back again. They were called to him in the same order in which they had received them, and each one returned his branch. And the angel of the Lord took them and examined them. From some he received branches that were withered and moth-eaten. Those who returned branches in that condition, the angel of the Lord ordered to stand apart. Others returned branches that were withered, but not moth-eaten, and these he also ordered to stand apart. Others returned them half-withered, and these stood apart. Others returned their branches half-withered and cracked, and these stood apart. Others returned their branches green and cracked, and these stood apart. Others returned their branches with one half withered and the other green, and these stood apart. Others brought their branches two-thirds green and the remaining third withered, and these stood apart. Others returned them two-thirds withered and one-third green, and these stood apart. Others returned their branches nearly all green, with only the smallest part, the tip, withered, but they had cracks in them, and these stood apart. In others, only a very little was green, but the rest was withered, and these stood apart. Others came bringing their branches green, just as they had received them from the angel. Most of the crowd returned branches of that kind, and the angel was very pleased with them, and these stood apart. Others returned their branches green and with offshoots, and these stood apart, and the angel was especially delighted with them. Others returned their branches green and with offshoots, and the offshoots had what seemed to be some fruit. And the men whose branches were found to be like that were extremely joyful. The angel was filled with joy because of them, and the Shepherd also rejoiced greatly because of them.

AND THE ANGEL OF THE LORD ORDERED CROWNS TO BE BROUGHT: Crowns were brought that seemed to be made of palm branches. He crowned the men who had returned branches with offshoots and some fruit, and he sent them away into the tower. He also sent the others into the tower, those who had returned branches that were green and had offshoots but no fruit, after giving them seals. And all who went into the tower had the same clothing, white as snow. But those who returned their branches green, just as they had received them, he set free, giving them clothing and seals. Now after the angel had finished these things, he said to the Shepherd, "I am going away, and you will send these away within the walls, according to what each one is worthy to have as his dwelling. Examine their branches carefully, and then dismiss them. But examine them with care. See that no one escapes you," he added. "And if any escape you, I will test them at the altar." After saying these words to the Shepherd, he departed. And after the angel had departed, the Shepherd said to me, "Let us take the branches of all these and plant them, and see if any of them will live." I said to him, "Sir, how can these dried-up branches live?" He answered and said, "This tree is a willow, and it is a kind of tree that holds to life very strongly. If, therefore, the branches are planted and receive a little moisture, many of them will live. And now let us try, and pour water on them. If any of them live, I shall rejoice with them, and if they do not, at least I will not be found neglectful." And the Shepherd told me to call them as each one had been placed. And they came, row by row, and gave their branches to the Shepherd. And the Shepherd received the branches and planted them in rows. After he had planted them, he poured so much water on them that the branches could not be seen because of the water. And after the branches had drunk it in, he said to me, "Let us go, and return after a few days, and inspect all the branches. For He who created this tree wishes all those to live who received branches from it. And I also hope that most of these branches which received moisture and drank the water will live."

I SAID TO HIM: "Sir, explain to me what this tree means, because I am confused about it. Even after so many branches have been cut off, it still remains sound, and nothing seems to have been taken away from it. That is why I am confused." "Listen," he said. "This great tree, which casts its shadow over plains and mountains and all the earth, is the law of God that was given to the whole world. And this law is the Son of God, proclaimed to the ends of the earth. And the people under its shadow are those who have heard the proclamation and have believed in Him. And the great and glorious angel Michael is the one who has authority over this people and governs them. For he is the one who put the law into the hearts of believers. So he watches over those to whom he gave it, to see whether they have kept it. And you see each person's branches, because the branches are the law. So you see many branches that have become useless, and you will know all those who have not kept the law. And you will see where each one lives." I said to him, "Sir, why did he send some into the tower and leave others to you?" He answered, "All who broke the law that they received from him, he left under my authority for repentance. But all who fulfilled the law and kept it, he keeps under his own authority." "Who, then," I continued, "are those who were crowned and who go to the tower?" "These are the ones who have suffered because of the law. But the others, the ones who returned their branches green and with offshoots, but without fruit, are those who have been afflicted because of the law, but have not suffered and have not denied their law. And those who returned their branches green just as they had received them are the honored and the righteous, who have walked carefully with a pure heart and have kept the commandments of the Lord. And you will know the rest when I have examined those branches that have been planted and watered."

AFTER A FEW DAYS: we came to the place, and the Shepherd sat down in the angel's place, and I stood beside him. He said to me, "Tie on a belt of pure, unfinished linen made of sackcloth." When he saw that I was dressed and ready to serve him, he said, "Call the men to whom the planted branches belong, in the order in which each one handed them in." So I went away to the plain and called them all, and they all stood in their rows. He said to them, "Let each one pull out his own branch and bring it to me." The first to hand them in were those whose branches were withered and cut. Because they were found to be withered and cut in this way, he commanded them to stand apart. Next, those handed them in whose branches were withered, but not cut. Some of them handed in their branches green, and some withered and eaten as if by a moth. So he ordered those who handed them in green to stand apart, and those who handed them in dry and cut to stand with the first group. Next, those handed them in whose branches were half-withered and cracked. Many of them handed them in green and without cracks. Some were green and had offshoots and fruit on the offshoots, like those who, after being crowned, went into the tower. Some handed them in withered and eaten, and some withered and not eaten, and some just as they were, half-withered and cracked. And he commanded each of them to stand apart, some with their own rows, and others separate from them.

THEN THOSE WHO HAD BRANCHES THAT WERE GREEN BUT CRACKED HANDED THEM IN: All of them handed them in green, and stood in their own row. And the Shepherd was pleased with them, because they had all changed and had lost their cracks. They also handed in the branches that had been half green and half withered. Of these, some branches were found completely green; others were half withered; others were withered and eaten; and others were green and had offshoots. All of these were sent away, each to his own row. Next, those who had branches with two parts green and one-third withered handed them in. Many of them handed in branches that were half withered, and others handed in branches that were withered and rotten, and others half withered and cracked, and a few handed in branches that were green. All of these stood in their own row. And those who had branches that were green, but only very slightly withered and cracked, handed them in. Of these, some handed them in green, and others green and with offshoots. And these also went away to their own row. Next, those who had only a very small part green and the other parts withered handed them in. Of these, the branches were found for the most part to be green and to have offshoots, and fruit on the offshoots, and others were completely green. The Shepherd was exceedingly pleased with these branches, because they were found in this condition. And these went away, each to his own row.

AFTER THE SHEPHERD HAD EXAMINED ALL THEIR BRANCHES: he said to me, "I told you that this tree was tenacious of life. You see," he continued, "how many repented and were saved." "I see, sir," I replied. "This is so that you may see," he added, "the great mercy of the Lord, that it is great and glorious, and that He has given His Spirit to those who are worthy of repentance." "Then why, sir," I said, "did not all these repent?" He answered, "To those whose heart He saw would become pure and obedient to Him, He gave power to repent with the whole heart. But to those whose deceit and wickedness He perceived, and saw that they intended to repent hypocritically, He did not grant repentance, lest they should again profane His name." I said to him, "Sir, show me now, concerning those who gave in the branches, what sort they are, and what their dwelling place is, so that those hearing it who believed, and received the seal, and broke it, and did not keep it whole, may, on coming to know their deeds, repent, and receive a seal from you, and may glorify the Lord because He had compassion on them and sent you to renew their spirits." "Listen," he said. "Those whose branches were found withered and moth-eaten are the apostates and traitors of the Church, who have blasphemed the Lord in their sins, and have also been ashamed of the name of the Lord by which they were called. These, therefore, in the end were lost to God. And you see that not a single one of them repented, although they heard the words that I spoke to them, which I laid upon you. From such, life departed. "And those who gave them in withered and undecayed, these also were near to them. For they were hypocrites, and introducers of strange doctrines, and subverters of the servants of God, especially of those who had sinned, not allowing them to repent, but persuading them by foolish doctrines. These, accordingly, have a hope of repentance. And you see that many of them also have repented since I spoke to them, and they will still repent. But all who will not repent have lost their lives. And as many of them as repented became good, and their dwelling place was appointed within the first walls. And some of them even ascended into the tower. You see, then," he said, "that repentance involves life for sinners, but non-repentance, death."

Now hear also about those who turned in branches that were half-withered and cracked. Those whose branches were half-withered to that same degree are the wavering. For they are neither alive nor dead. And those whose branches were half-withered and cracked are both wavering and slanderers, speaking abusively against those who are absent, and never at peace with one another, but always in conflict. And yet repentance is possible for these also, he continued. You see, he said, that some of them have repented, and there still remains in them, he continued, a hope of repentance. And all of them, he added, who have repented will have their dwelling in the tower. And those among them who have been slower to repent will dwell within the walls. And all who do not repent at all, but remain in their deeds, will utterly perish. And those who turned in their branches green and cracked were always faithful and good, though they were jealous of one another about the chief places and about fame. Now all these are foolish for giving in to such rivalry. Yet they also, being naturally good, when they heard my commandments, purified themselves and quickly repented. So their dwelling was in the tower. But if anyone falls back into strife, he will be cast out of the tower and will lose his life. Life belongs to all who keep the commandments of the Lord. But in the commandments there is no rivalry about the chief places, or glory of any kind, but about patience and personal humility. Among such people, then, is the life of the Lord; but among the quarrelsome and transgressors is death.

THOSE WHO HANDED IN THEIR BRANCHES HALF GREEN AND HALF WITHERED ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE BURIED IN BUSINESS AND DO NOT STAY CLOSE TO THE SAINTS: For this reason, one half of them is alive, and the other half is dead. So many who heard my commands repented, and those who repented at least had their dwelling in the tower. But some of them later fell away. These, then, have no repentance, because on account of their business they blasphemed the Lord and denied Him. Therefore they lost their lives through the wickedness they committed. And many of them doubted. These still have repentance within their power, if they repent quickly, and their home will be in the tower. But if they are slower to repent, they will dwell within the walls. And if they do not repent, they too have lost their lives. And those who handed in their branches with two-thirds withered and one-third green are the people who have denied the Lord in various ways. Many, however, repented, but some of them hesitated and were in doubt. These, then, have repentance within their reach, if they repent quickly and do not remain in their pleasures. But if they continue in their deeds, these too bring death on themselves.

Those who returned their branches two-thirds withered and one-third green are people who truly were faithful. But after they gained wealth and became important among the heathen, they dressed themselves in great pride and became arrogant. They abandoned the truth and did not hold fast to the righteous, but lived with the heathen, and this way of life became more pleasing to them. However, they did not depart from God, but remained in the faith, although they were not doing the works of faith. Many of them, therefore, repented, and their dwelling was in the tower. Others kept living with the heathen until the end and were corrupted by their empty glory. They departed from God, serving the works and deeds of the heathen. These were counted with the heathen. But some of them hesitated, because they did not hope to be saved on account of the deeds they had done. Others were in doubt and caused divisions among themselves. Therefore, for those who were in doubt because of their deeds, repentance is still open. But their repentance ought to be quick, so that their dwelling may be in the tower. And for those who do not repent, but remain in their pleasures, death is near.

AND THOSE WHO GAVE IN THEIR BRANCHES GREEN: but with the tips withered and cracked, were always good and faithful, and honored before God. But they sinned only a little by giving in to small desires and by finding small faults with one another. When they heard my words, most of them quickly repented, and their dwelling was in the tower. Yet some of them were doubtful, and some of those who were doubtful caused greater division. Among these, therefore, there is hope of repentance, because they were always good. And it will be hard for any one of them to perish. And those who gave up their branches withered, but with a very small part green, are those who only believed, yet kept doing works of iniquity. However, they never turned away from God, but gladly bore His name and joyfully received His servants into their houses. So, when they heard about this repentance, they repented without hesitation and practice every virtue and righteousness. Some of them even suffered by being willingly put to death, knowing the deeds that they had done. Therefore, the dwelling of all these will be in the tower.

AFTER HE HAD FINISHED EXPLAINING ALL THE BRANCHES: he said to me, "Go and tell these things to everyone, so that they may repent, and they will live to God. Because the Lord, having compassion on all people, has sent me to give repentance, although some are not worthy of it because of their works. But the Lord, being patient, desires those who were called by His Son to be saved." I said to him, "Sir, I hope that all who have heard these things will repent. For I am persuaded that each person, when he comes to know his own works and fears the Lord, will repent." He answered me and said, "All who with their whole heart cleanse themselves from their wickedness that was listed before, and add no more to their sins, will receive healing from the Lord for their former transgressions, if they do not hesitate at these commandments. And they will live to God. But you, walk in my commandments, and live." After showing me these things and speaking all these words, he said to me, "I will show you the rest after a few days."

AFTER I HAD WRITTEN DOWN THE COMMANDMENTS AND PARABLES OF THE SHEPHERD: the angel of repentance came to me and said, "I want to explain to you what the Holy Spirit showed you when he spoke with you in the form of the Church, because that Spirit is the Son of God. Since you were somewhat weak in the flesh, it was not explained to you by the angel. But when you were strengthened by the Spirit, and your strength increased so that you were able to see the angel also, then the building of the tower was shown to you by the Church. You saw everything in a noble and solemn way, as if it were shown to you by a virgin. But now you see them through the same Spirit, as if they were shown by an angel. However, you must learn everything from me more accurately. For I was sent for this purpose by the glorious angel, to live in your house, so that you might see all things with strength and with no fear, just as before." And he led me away into Arcadia, to a round hill. He placed me on the top of the hill and showed me a large plain. Around the plain were twelve mountains, and all of them had different forms. The first was black as soot. The second was bare, without grass. The third was full of thorns and thistles. The fourth had grass that was half withered. The upper parts of the plants were green, but the parts near the roots were withered. Some of the grasses became withered when the sun scorched them. The fifth mountain had green grass and was rugged. The sixth mountain was completely full of clefts, some small and others large. The clefts had grass, but the plants were not very strong. Instead, they seemed to be decayed. The seventh mountain had pleasant pastures, and the whole mountain was blooming. Every kind of cattle and birds were feeding on that mountain. And the more the cattle and birds ate, the more the grass of that mountain flourished. The eighth mountain was full of springs, and every kind of the Lord's creatures drank from the springs of that mountain. But the ninth mountain had no water at all and was completely a desert, and in it were deadly serpents that destroy men. The tenth mountain had very large trees and was completely shaded, and under the shade of the trees sheep lay resting and chewing the cud. The eleventh mountain was very thickly wooded, and those trees were fruitful, decorated with many kinds of fruit, so that anyone who saw them would want to eat their fruit. The twelfth mountain, again, was completely white, and its appearance was cheerful, and the mountain itself was very beautiful.

AND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PLAIN HE SHOWED ME A LARGE WHITE ROCK THAT HAD RISEN OUT OF THE PLAIN: The rock was higher than the mountains and rectangular in shape, so that it could contain the whole world. And that rock was old, and a gate had been cut out of it. The cutting of the gate seemed to me to have been done recently. The gate shone so brightly in the sun's rays that I was amazed at its splendor. Around the gate stood twelve virgins. The four who stood at the corners seemed to me more remarkable than the others, though all of them were remarkable. They were standing at the four sides of the gate, with two virgins between each side. They were clothed in linen tunics and were gracefully girded, with their right shoulders uncovered, as if they were about to carry some burden. In this way they stood ready, for they were extremely cheerful and eager. After I had seen these things, I marveled within myself, because I was looking at great and glorious sights. And again I was puzzled about the virgins, because although they were so delicate, they were standing bravely, as if they were about to carry the whole heaven. And the Shepherd said to me, "Why are you reasoning within yourself, and confusing your mind, and troubling yourself? Do not try to understand the things that you cannot grasp, as if you were wise. But ask the Lord, so that you may receive understanding and know them. You cannot see what is behind you, but you do see what is before you. So then, leave alone whatever you cannot see, and do not torment yourself about it. But master what you do see, and do not waste your effort on other things. And I will explain to you everything that I show you. Therefore look at the things that remain."

I SAW SIX MEN COME: They were tall, distinguished, and alike in appearance. They called together a large crowd of men. The men who came were also tall, handsome, and strong. The six men ordered them to build a tower on top of the rock. There was a great noise from the men who came to build the tower, as they ran here and there around the gate. The virgins standing around the gate told the men to hurry and build the tower. The virgins had stretched out their hands, as if they were about to receive something from the men. And the six men ordered stones to come up out of a certain pit and go to the building of the tower. Then ten shining rectangular stones came up, not cut in a quarry. The six men called the virgins and told them to carry all the stones meant for the building, to pass through the gate, and to give them to the men who were about to build the tower. And the virgins took up the first ten stones that had come up from the pit, joining with one another, and carried them together, each stone by itself.

AS THEY STOOD TOGETHER AROUND THE GATE: those who seemed strong carried the stones. They bent down under the corners of the stone, and the others bent down under the sides of the stones. In this way they carried all the stones. They carried them through the gate, as they had been commanded, and gave them to the men for the tower. Then the men took the stones and went on building. Now the tower was built on the great rock, above the gate. Those ten stones were prepared as the foundation for building the tower. And the rock and the gate supported the whole tower. After the ten stones, another twenty-five came up out of the pit, and these were fitted into the building of the tower, being carried by the virgins as before. After these, thirty-five came up. These also were fitted into the tower in the same way. After these, another forty stones came up, and all these were placed into the building of the tower, and there were four rows in the foundation of the tower. Then they stopped coming up from the pit. The builders also stopped for a little while. Then again the six men commanded the whole crowd to bring stones from the mountains for building the tower. So stones of various colors were brought from all the mountains. After the men had cut them, they gave them to the virgins, and the virgins carried them through the gate and gave them for the building of the tower. And when the stones of various colors were placed in the building, they all became white alike and lost their different colors. But certain stones were given by the men for the building, and these did not become bright. Instead, when they were placed, they remained just as they were, because they had not been given by the virgins or carried through the gate. Therefore these stones did not match the others in the building of the tower. When the six men saw these unsuitable stones in the building, they ordered them to be taken away and carried back down to the place from where they had been taken. They were removed one by one and laid aside. Then they said to the men who had brought the stones, "Do not bring any stones at all for the building. Instead, lay them down beside the tower, so that the virgins may carry them through the gate and may give them for the building. For unless they are carried through the gate by the hands of the virgins," they said, "they cannot change their colors. Therefore do not work for nothing."

AND ON THAT DAY THE BUILDING WAS FINISHED: but the tower was not completed. More building was about to be added again, and there was a pause in the building. And the six men commanded all the builders to withdraw a little distance and rest, but they ordered the virgins not to withdraw from the tower. And it seemed to me that the virgins had been left to guard the tower. Now after all had withdrawn and were resting, I said to the Shepherd, "What is the reason that the building of the tower was not finished?" He answered, "The tower cannot be finished just yet, until its lord comes and examines the building, so that, if any of the stones are found to be decayed, he may change them. For the tower is built according to his pleasure." I said, "Sir, I would like to know what the building of this tower means, and what the rock and the gate mean, and the mountains, and the virgins, and the stones that came up from the pit and were not cut, but came to the building as they were. Why, in the first place, were ten stones placed in the foundation, then twenty-five, then thirty-five, then forty? And I also wish to know about the stones that went to the building and were taken out again and returned to their own place. On all these points, put my mind at rest, sir, and explain them to me." He replied, "If you are not found to be curious about trifles, you shall know everything. For after a few days we shall come here, and you will see the other things that happen to this tower, and will know accurately all the similitudes." After a few days, we came to the place where we sat down. And he said to me, "Let us go to the tower, for the master of the tower is coming to examine it." And we came to the tower, and there was no one at all near it except the virgins only. And the Shepherd asked the virgins whether perhaps the master of the tower had come. And they replied that he was about to come to examine the building.

AND BEHOLD: after a little while I saw a company of many men coming. In the midst of them was one man so remarkably large as to overtop the tower. And the six men who had worked on the building were with him, and many other honorable men were around him. And the virgins who kept the tower ran forward and kissed him, and began to walk near him around the tower. And that man examined the building carefully, feeling each stone separately. And holding a rod in his hand, he struck every stone in the building three times. And when he struck them, some of them became black as soot, and some appeared as if covered with scabs, and some cracked, and some mutilated, and some neither white nor black, and some rough and not in keeping with the other stones, and some having very many stains. Such were the different kinds of decayed stones that were found in the building. He ordered all these to be taken out of the tower and laid beside it, and other stones to be brought and put in their place. And the builders asked him from what mountain he wanted them to be brought and put in their place. And he did not command them to be brought from the mountains, but he told them to be brought from a certain plain that was near at hand. And the plain was dug up, and shining rectangular stones were found, and also some of a round shape. And all the stones that were in that plain were brought and carried through the gate by the virgins. And the rectangular stones were cut and put in place of those that were taken away. But the rounded stones were not put into the building, because they were hard to cut, and appeared to yield slowly to the chisel. However, they were laid beside the tower, as if intended to be cut and used in the building, for they were exceedingly brilliant.

THE GLORIOUS MAN: the lord of the whole tower, had finished these changes. He called the Shepherd to him and handed over all the stones lying beside the tower that had been rejected from the building. He said to him, "Carefully clean all these stones, and set aside for the building of the tower any that fit with the others. But those that do not, throw far away from the tower." After giving these orders to the Shepherd, he left the tower with all those who had come with him. Now the virgins were standing around the tower, guarding it. I said again to the Shepherd, "Can these stones return to the building of the tower after being rejected?" He answered me and said, "Do you see these stones?" I said, "I see them, sir." He said, "I will cut down most of these stones and put them into the building, and they will fit with the others." I said, "How, sir, can they fill the same space after being cut all around?" He answered, "Those that are found to be small will be thrown into the middle of the building, and those that are larger will be placed on the outside, and they will hold the others together." After saying these things, he said to me, "Let us go, and after two days let us come and clean these stones and put them into the building. For everything around the tower must be cleaned, lest the Master come suddenly and find the area around the tower dirty, and be displeased, and these stones not be taken back for the building of the tower, and I also seem careless toward the Master." And after two days we came to the tower, and he said to me, "Let us inspect all the stones and find out which ones may return to the building." I said to him, "Sir, let us inspect them!"

FIRST: we examined the black stones. They were found to be just as they had been when they were taken out of the building. So the Shepherd ordered them to be removed from the tower and placed by themselves. Next he examined the stones that had scabs. He took many of these and cut them, and he commanded the virgins to pick them up and throw them into the building. And the virgins lifted them up and put them in the middle of the tower's building. But he ordered the rest to be laid beside the black stones, because these too were found to be black. Next he examined the stones that had cracks. He cut many of these and commanded the virgins to carry them to the building. And they were placed on the outside, because they were found to be sounder than the others. But the rest, because there were so many cracks, could not be cut. Therefore they were rejected from the building of the tower. Next he examined the chipped stones. Many of these were found to be black, and some had large cracks. He commanded these also to be laid down with those that had been rejected. But the rest, after being cleaned and cut, he commanded to be placed in the building. And the virgins lifted them up and fitted them into the middle of the building of the tower, because they were somewhat weak. Next he examined the stones that were half white and half black, and many of them were found to be black. He commanded these also to be taken away with those that had been rejected. And all the rest were taken away by the virgins, because, being white, they were fitted by the virgins themselves into the building. And they were placed on the outside, because they were found to be sound, so that they could support those that were placed in the middle, for no part of them was chipped at all. Next he examined the stones that were rough and hard. A few of them were rejected because they could not be cut, since they were found to be extremely hard. But the rest of them were cut, carried by the virgins, and fitted into the middle of the building of the tower, because they were somewhat weak. Next he examined the stones that had stains. Of these, a very few were black and were thrown aside with the others. But the greater part were found to be bright, and these were fitted by the virgins into the building. But because of their strength, they were placed on the outside.

NEXT HE CAME TO INSPECT THE WHITE: rounded stones and said to me, "What are we to do with these stones?" I replied, "How do I know, sir?" He said, "Do you have no opinion about them?" I answered, "Sir, I do not know this craft. I am not a stone-cutter, and I cannot tell." He said, "Do you not see that they are very round? And if I want to make them rectangular, a large part of them must be cut away, because some of them must be placed in the building." So I said, "If they must be used, why trouble yourself? Why not immediately choose the ones you prefer for the building and fit them into it?" He chose the larger stones among them, and the shining ones, and cut them. Then the virgins carried them and fitted them into the outer parts of the building. The rest that were left over were carried away and laid down on the plain from which they had been brought. They were not rejected, however, because he said, "There still remains a little more to be added to the tower. And the lord of this tower wants all the stones to be fitted into the building, because they are exceedingly bright." Then twelve women were called, very beautiful in appearance, dressed in black, with their hair loose and disheveled. These women seemed fierce to me. But the Shepherd ordered them to lift the stones that had been rejected from the building and carry them away to the mountains from which they had been brought. And they were cheerful, and carried away all the stones, and put them in the place from which they had been taken. Now after all the stones had been removed, and not a single one was lying around the tower any longer, he said, "Let us go around the tower and see whether there is any defect in it." So I went around the tower with him. And when the Shepherd saw that the tower was beautifully built, he rejoiced greatly. For the tower was built in such a way that, when I saw it, I longed for such a building. It was constructed as though it had been built from one stone, without a single joint. And the stone looked as if it had been cut out of the rock. To me it appeared to be a monolith.

AS I WALKED ALONG WITH HIM: I was full of joy as I looked at so many wonderful things. And the Shepherd said to me, "Go and bring unslaked lime and well-baked clay, so that I may fill in the spaces of the stones that were taken out and thrown into the building. For everything around the tower must be smooth." And I did as he commanded me and brought it to him. "Help me," he said, "and the work will soon be finished." So he filled in the spaces of the stones that had been put back into the building, and he ordered the places around the tower to be swept and cleaned. And the virgins took brooms and swept the place, and carried all the dirt out of the tower, and brought water, and the ground around the tower became pleasant and very beautiful. The Shepherd says to me, "Everything has been cleared away. If the lord of the tower comes to inspect it, he can find no fault with us." After he said these words, he wanted to leave. But I took hold of him by the wallet and began to urge him by the Lord to explain what he had showed me. He said to me, "I must rest a little, and then I will explain everything to you. Wait for me here until I return." I said to him, "Sir, what can I do here alone?" "You are not alone," he said, "for these virgins are with you." "Then place me in their care," I replied. The Shepherd called them to him and said to them, "I entrust him to you until I come," and he went away. And I was alone with the virgins, and they were rather cheerful, but they were friendly to me, especially the four more distinguished ones.

THE VIRGINS SAID TO ME: "The Shepherd is not coming here today." "Then what am I to do?" I said. They replied, "Wait for him until he comes. If he comes, he will speak with you. If he does not come, you will stay here with us until he does come." I said to them, "I will wait for him until it gets late. If he does not arrive, I will go away into the house and come back early in the morning." They answered and said to me, "You were entrusted to us. You cannot go away from us." "Then where am I to stay?" I said. "You will sleep with us," they replied, "as a brother, and not as a husband. For you are our brother. And from now on we intend to stay with you, because we love you very much!" But I was ashamed to stay with them. And she who seemed to be the first among them began to kiss me. And the others, seeing her kiss me, also began to kiss me, and to lead me around the tower, and to play with me. I too became like a young man and began to play with them. Some of them formed a chorus, others danced, and others sang. And I, keeping silent, walked with them around the tower and was joyful with them. When it grew late, I wanted to go into the house. But they would not let me, and they kept me there. So I stayed with them during the night and slept beside the tower. The virgins spread their linen tunics on the ground and made me lie down in the middle of them. They did nothing at all except pray. And I prayed with them without ceasing, no less than they did. And the virgins rejoiced because I prayed in this way. I stayed there with the virgins until the next day, at the second hour. Then the Shepherd returned and said to the virgins, "Did you insult him at all?" "Ask him," they said. I said to him, "Sir, I was delighted that I stayed with them." "On what did you eat your supper?" he asked. "Sir," I replied, "I ate on the words of the Lord the whole night." "Did they receive you well?" he asked. "Yes, sir," I answered. "Now," he said, "what do you wish to hear first?" I said, "I wish to hear it in the order in which you showed me from the beginning. I beg you, sir, that as I ask you, you also will explain it to me." He replied, "As you wish, so I will explain it to you, and I will hide nothing at all from you."

FIRST OF ALL: sir, I said, explain this to me: what is the meaning of the rock and the gate? He answered, "This rock and this gate are the Son of God." "How, sir?" I said. "The rock is old, and the gate is new." He said, "Listen and understand, O ignorant man. The Son of God is older than all His creatures, so that He was a fellow-councillor with the Father in His work of creation. For this reason He is old." "And why is the gate new, sir?" I said. He answered, "Because He became manifest in the last days of the divine arrangement. For this reason the gate was made new, so that those who are to be saved by it might enter into the kingdom of God. You saw," he said, "that those stones which came in through the gate were used for the building of the tower, and that those which did not come were thrown back again to their own place?" "I saw, sir," I replied. He continued, "In like manner, no one shall enter into the kingdom of God unless he receives His holy name. For if you desire to enter a city, and that city is surrounded by a wall and has only one gate, can you enter into that city except through the gate that it has?" "Why, how can it be otherwise, sir?" I said. "If, then, you cannot enter into the city except through its gate, so, in like manner, a man cannot enter into the kingdom of God in any other way than by the name of His beloved Son. You saw," he added, "the multitude who were building the tower?" "I saw them, sir," I said. "Those," he said, "are all glorious angels, and by them the Lord is accordingly surrounded. And the gate is the Son of God. This is the one entrance to the Lord. No one, then, shall enter in to Him in any other way except through His Son. You saw," he continued, "the six men, and the tall and glorious man in the midst of them, who walked around the tower and rejected the stones from the building?" "I saw him, sir," I answered. He said, "The glorious man is the Son of God, and those six glorious angels are those who support Him on the right hand and on the left. None of these glorious angels," he continued, "will enter in to God apart from Him. Whoever does not receive His name shall not enter into the kingdom of God."

“And the tower,” I asked, “what does it mean?” “This tower,” he replied, “is the Church. And these virgins, who are they? They are holy spirits, and people cannot otherwise be found in the kingdom of God unless these have put their clothing on them. For if you receive the name only, and do not receive the clothing from them, they are of no benefit to you. For these virgins are the powers of the Son of God. If you bear His name but do not have His power, then you bear His name in vain. Those stones,” he continued, “which you saw rejected, bore His name, but did not put on the clothing of the virgins.” “Of what kind is their clothing, sir?” I asked. “Their very names,” he said, “are their clothing. Everyone who bears the name of the Son of God ought to bear the names of these also, for the Son Himself bears the names of these virgins. As many stones,” he continued, “as you saw come into the building of the tower through the hands of these virgins, and remain there, have been clothed with their strength. For this reason you see that the tower became one stone with the rock. In the same way, those who have believed in the Lord through His Son, and are clothed with these spirits, will become one spirit and one body, and the color of their garments will be one. And the dwelling place of those who bear the names of the virgins is in the tower.” “Those stones, sir, that were rejected,” I asked, “for what reason were they rejected? For they passed through the gate, and were placed by the hands of the virgins into the building of the tower.” “Since you take an interest in everything,” he replied, “and examine it closely, hear about the stones that were rejected. These all,” he said, “received the name of God, and they also received the strength of these virgins. After receiving these spirits, they were made strong, and were with the servants of God. And theirs was one spirit, one body, and one clothing. For they were of the same mind, and practiced righteousness. “After a certain time, however, they were persuaded by the women whom you saw clothed in black, with their shoulders exposed and their hair loose, and beautiful in appearance. When they saw these women, they desired to have them, and clothed themselves with their strength, and put off the strength of the virgins. As a result, these were rejected from the house of God, and were handed over to these women. But those who were not deceived by the beauty of these women remained in the house of God. You now have,” he said, “the explanation of those who were rejected.”

“What then, sir,” I said, “if these men, being what they are, repent and put away their desires for these women, and return again to the virgins, and walk in their strength and in their works, will they not enter the house of God?” “They will enter,” he said, “if they put away the works of these women, and put on again the strength of the virgins, and walk in their works. For this is why there was a stop in the building: so that, if these repent, they may go into the building of the tower. But if they do not repent, then others will come in their place, and in the end these will be cast out.” Because of all these things, I gave thanks to the Lord, because He had pity on all who call on His name. He sent the angel of repentance to us who sinned against Him, and He renewed our spirit. When we were already ruined and had no hope of life, He restored us to newness of life. “Now, sir,” I continued, “show me why the tower was not built on the ground, but on the rock and on the gate.” “Are you still,” he said, “without sense and understanding?” “I must ask you about all these things, sir,” I said, “because I am completely unable to understand them. For all these things are great and glorious, and hard for man to understand.” “Listen,” he said. “The name of the Son of God is great and cannot be contained, and it supports the whole world. If, then, the whole creation is supported by the Son of God, what do you think about those who are called by Him, and bear the name of the Son of God, and walk in His commandments? Do you see what kind of people He supports? He supports those who bear His name with their whole heart. He Himself, therefore, became a foundation for them, and He supports them with joy, because they are not ashamed to bear His name.”

“Explain to me, sir,” I said, “the names of these virgins, and of those women who were dressed in black clothing.” “Listen,” he said, “to the names of the stronger virgins who stood at the corners. The first is Faith, the second Continence, the third Power, and the fourth Patience. And the others standing between these have the following names: Simplicity, Innocence, Purity, Cheerfulness, Truth, Understanding, Harmony, and Love. Whoever bears these names, and also the name of the Son of God, will be able to enter the kingdom of God. “Also listen,” he continued, “to the names of the women who had the black garments. Of these, four are stronger than the rest. The first is Unbelief, the second Incontinence, the third Disobedience, and the fourth Deceit. And their followers are called Sorrow, Wickedness, Wantonness, Anger, Falsehood, Folly, Backbiting, and Hatred. The servant of God who bears these names will indeed see the kingdom of God, but will not enter it.” “And the stones, sir,” I said, “which were taken out of the pit and fitted into the building—what are they?” He said, “The first ten, that is, those placed as a foundation, are the first generation of righteous men. And the twenty-five are the second generation. And the thirty-five are the prophets of God and His ministers. And the forty are the apostles and teachers of the preaching of the Son of God.” “Why then, sir,” I asked, “did the virgins carry these stones also through the gate and give them for the building of the tower?” “Because,” he answered, “these were the first who bore these spirits, and they never departed from each other. The spirits did not depart from the men, nor the men from the spirits, but the spirits remained with them until they fell asleep. And unless they had had these spirits with them, they would not have been useful for the building of this tower.”

"Explain this to me a little more, sir," I said. "What do you want to know?" he asked. "Sir," I said, "why did these stones come up out of the pit and get placed into the building of the tower after they had borne these spirits?" He answered, "They had to come up through water so that they might be made alive. For unless they put aside the deadness of their life, they could not enter the kingdom of God in any other way. So those also who had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God. For before a man bears the name of the Son of God, he is dead. But when he receives the seal, he puts aside his deadness and receives life. So the seal is the water. They go down into the water dead, and they come up alive. So this seal was preached to them also, and they used it so that they might enter the kingdom of God." "Then why, sir," I asked, "did the forty stones also come up with them out of the pit, though they had already received the seal?" He said, "Because these apostles and teachers, who preached the name of the Son of God, after they had fallen asleep in the power and faith of the Son of God, preached it not only to those who were asleep, but also themselves gave them the seal of the preaching. So they went down with them into the water and came up again. But these went down alive and came up again alive, while those who had fallen asleep earlier went down dead but came up again alive. By these, then, they were made alive and were brought to know the name of the Son of God. For this reason they also came up with them and were fitted with them into the building of the tower, and were built in with them without being touched by the chisel. For they slept in righteousness and in great purity, but they only lacked this seal. So now you have the explanation of these also."

"I understand, sir," I replied. "Now, sir," I continued, "explain to me why the mountains have different shapes and forms." "Listen," he said. "These mountains are the twelve tribes that live throughout the whole world. So the Son of God was preached to them by the apostles." "But why are the mountains different," I asked, "with some having one form and others another? Explain that to me, sir." "Listen," he answered. "These twelve tribes that live throughout the whole world are twelve nations. And they differ in wisdom and understanding. So, just as many as the different kinds of mountains you saw, so also there are different kinds of mind and understanding among these nations. And I will explain to you the actions of each one. "First, sir," I said, "explain this: why, when the mountains are so different, did their stones, when placed in the building, become one color, shining like those that had also come up out of the pit?" "Because," he said, "all the nations living under heaven were called by hearing and believing in the name of the Son of God. Therefore, after receiving the seal, they had one understanding and one mind. Their faith became one, and their love became one. And along with the name they bore, they also bore the spirits of the virgins. For this reason the building of the tower became one color, bright as the sun. But after they had entered the same place and became one body, some of them defiled themselves. They were expelled from the company of the righteous, and they became again what they were before, or rather, even worse."

"How, sir," I said, "did they become worse after they had known God?" He answered, "The person who does not know God and does evil receives a certain punishment for his wickedness. But the person who has known God ought no longer to do evil, but to do good. So if, when he ought to do good, he does evil, does he not seem to do greater evil than the one who does not know God? For this reason, those who have not known God and do evil are condemned to death. But those who have known God, and have seen His mighty works, and still continue in evil, will be punished doubly and will die forever. In this way, then, the Church of God will be purified. For as you saw the stones rejected from the tower, and handed over to the evil spirits, and cast out from there, so they also will be cast out, and there will be one body of those who are purified. The tower also became, as it were, like one stone after its purification. In the same way, it will also be with the Church of God after it has been purified and has rejected the wicked, the hypocrites, the blasphemers, the doubters, and those who commit different kinds of wickedness. After these have been cast away, the Church of God will be one body, of one mind, of one understanding, of one faith, and of one love. And then the Son of God will be exceedingly glad and will rejoice over them, because He has received His people pure." "All these things, sir," I said, "are great and glorious."

MOREOVER: sir, I said, explain to me the power and actions of each of the mountains, so that every soul that trusts in the Lord and hears it may glorify His great, marvelous, and glorious name. “Hear,” he said, “about the differences among the mountains and the twelve nations.”

FROM THE FIRST MOUNTAIN: which was black, the believers are these: apostates, blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of the servants of God. Repentance is not open to these people. Death lies before them. For this reason they are also black, because their kind is lawless. And from the second mountain, which was bare, the believers are these: hypocrites and teachers of wickedness. These, accordingly, are like the former, because they do not have any fruits of righteousness. For just as their mountain was without fruit, so also these people do have a name, but they are empty of faith, and there is no fruit of truth in them. They do have repentance in their power, if they repent quickly. But if they are slow to do so, they will die along with the former. "Why, sir," I said, "do these have repentance, but the former do not? For their actions are nearly the same." He said, "For this reason these have repentance: they did not blaspheme their Lord or become betrayers of the servants of God. But because of their desire for possessions, they became hypocritical, and each one taught according to the desires of sinful people. But they will suffer a certain punishment, and repentance is before them, because they were not blasphemers or traitors."

AND FROM THE THIRD MOUNTAIN: which had thorns and thistles, the following are those who believed. Some of them are rich, and others are deeply involved in many business matters. The thistles are the rich, and the thorns are those who are deeply involved in much business. Those who are tangled up in many different kinds of business do not stay close to the servants of God, but drift away, being choked by their business dealings. And the rich stay close to the servants of God only with difficulty, because they fear that these servants may ask something from them. Therefore, such people will have difficulty entering the kingdom of God. For just as it is unpleasant to walk barefoot among thistles, so it is also hard for such people to enter the kingdom of God. But repentance is open to all these people, if it is speedy, so that what they did not do in earlier times they may make up for in these days and do some good, and they shall live to God. But if they remain in their deeds, they shall be handed over to those women, who will put them to death.

AND FROM THE FOURTH MOUNTAIN: which had much grass, with the tops of the plants green but the parts around the roots dried up, and some also scorched by the sun, these are the people who believed: the doubtful, and those who have the Lord on their lips but do not have Him in their heart. Because of this, their foundations are dried up and have no strength. Only their words are alive, while their works are dead. Such people are neither alive nor dead. Therefore, they are like those who waver, for those who waver are neither dried up nor green, being neither living nor dead. For just as their blades were dried up when they saw the sun, so also those who waver, when they hear of affliction, because of their fear, worship idols and are ashamed of the name of their Lord. So then, such people are neither alive nor dead. But these also may still live if they repent quickly. And if they do not repent, they have already been handed over to the women, who take away their life.

AND FROM THE FIFTH MOUNTAIN: which had green grass and was rough, the believers are these: they are believers, indeed, but slow to learn, stubborn, and self-pleasing. They want to know everything, but they know nothing at all. Because of this stubbornness, understanding left them, and foolish senselessness entered into them. They praise themselves as if they have wisdom, and they want to become teachers, even though they have no sense. Therefore, because of this pride of mind, many became empty and vain, lifting themselves up; for self-will and empty confidence is a great demon. So many of these were rejected, but some repented and believed, and submitted themselves to those who had understanding, since they recognized their own foolishness. And for the rest of this group, repentance is open; for they were not wicked, but rather foolish and without understanding. If they repent, they will live to God; but if they do not repent, they will have their dwelling with the women who worked wickedness among them.

AND THOSE FROM THE SIXTH MOUNTAIN: which had large and small cracks, and dead grass in the cracks, who believed, were these: those who live in the small cracks are the ones who accuse one another, and because of their slander they have grown weak in the faith. However, many of them repented, and the rest also will repent when they hear my commandments, because their slanders are small, and they will quickly repent. But those who live in the large cracks keep on slandering, and in their anger against each other they are vindictive. Therefore, these were thrown away from the tower and rejected from having a part in its building. So such people will have difficulty in living. If our God and Lord, who rules over all things and has power over all His creation, does not hold evil against those who confess their sins, but is merciful, does man, who is mortal and full of sins, hold evil against another person, as if he were able to destroy or save him? I, the angel of repentance, say to you: as many of you as think this way, put it aside and repent, and the Lord will heal your former sins, if you purify yourselves from this demon. But if not, you will be handed over to him for death.

AND THOSE WHO BELIEVED FROM THE SEVENTH MOUNTAIN: where the grass was green and thriving, and the whole mountain was fertile, and every kind of cattle and the birds of heaven were feeding on the grass on that mountain, and the grass they fed on became more abundant, were these: they were always simple, harmless, and blessed. They never brought charges against one another, but always rejoiced greatly because of the servants of God. They were clothed with the Holy Spirit of these virgins, and they always had pity on everyone, giving help from their own labor to everyone, without reproach and without hesitation. Therefore, when the Lord saw their simplicity and all their meekness, He increased them in the labors of their hands and gave them grace in all they did. And I, the angel of repentance, say to you who are like this: continue to be like this, and your offspring will never be blotted out. For the Lord has tested you and written you in our number, and all your offspring will dwell with the Son of God, because you have received His Spirit.

AND THOSE WHO BELIEVED FROM THE EIGHTH MOUNTAIN: where there were many fountains, and where all God's creatures drank from the fountains, were these: apostles and teachers who preached to the whole world, and who taught the word of the Lord with reverence and purity. They did not give way at all to evil desires, but always walked in righteousness and truth, just as they had received the Holy Spirit. Therefore, such people will enter in with the angels.

THOSE WHO BELIEVED FROM THE NINTH MOUNTAIN: which was deserted and had creeping things and wild beasts in it that destroy people, were these: those who, as servants, had stains on them, who carried out their duty badly, who robbed widows and orphans of their means of living, and who gained property for themselves from the ministry they had received. If, therefore, they remain under the rule of that same desire, they are dead, and there is no hope of life for them. But if they repent and complete their ministry in a holy way, they will be able to live. And those who were covered with scabs are those who denied their Lord and have not returned to Him again. Instead, they have become dried up and desert-like. They do not remain close to the servants of God, but live by themselves, and so they destroy their own souls. For just as a vine, when it is left inside a fence and neglected, is ruined, made desolate by weeds, and in time grows wild and is no longer useful to its master, so also are such people. They have given themselves up and become useless to their Lord because they have taken on savage habits. Therefore, these people have repentance in their power, unless they are found to have denied from the heart. But if anyone is found to have denied from the heart, I do not know whether he can live. And I say this not about these present days, as if anyone who has denied now may receive repentance, for it is impossible for someone to be saved who now intends to deny his Lord. But for those who denied Him long ago, repentance seems to be possible. If, therefore, anyone intends to repent, let him do so quickly, before the tower is completed. For if not, he will be completely destroyed by the women. And the chipped stones are the deceitful and the slanderers. And the wild beasts that you saw on the ninth mountain are the same. For just as wild beasts destroy and kill a person by their poison, so also the words of such people destroy and ruin a person. Accordingly, these are crippled in their faith because of the deeds they have done in themselves. Yet some repented and were saved. And the rest, who are like this, can be saved if they repent. But if they do not repent, they will perish with those women, whose power they have taken on.

FROM THE TENTH MOUNTAIN: where there were trees shading certain sheep, these are the ones who believed: bishops who were hospitable, who always gladly welcomed the servants of God into their homes without pretending. And the bishops never failed, through their service, to care for widows and those who were in need, and they always lived in a holy way. Therefore, all these will be protected by the Lord forever. Those who do these things are honorable before God, and their place is already with the angels, if they remain serving God to the end.

AND FROM THE ELEVENTH MOUNTAIN: where there were trees full of fruit, adorned with fruits of many kinds, these are the ones who believed: those who suffered for the name of the Son of God, who also suffered cheerfully with their whole heart, and laid down their lives. "Why then, sir," I said, "do all these trees bear fruit, and why are some of them fairer than the rest?" "Listen," he said. "All who once suffered for the name of the Lord are honorable before God. And the sins of all these were remitted, because they suffered for the name of the Son of God. And listen now to why their fruits are of various kinds, and why some are superior. All," he continued, "who were brought before the authorities and were examined, and did not deny, but suffered cheerfully, are held in greater honor with God, and their fruit is superior. But all who were cowards, and in doubt, and who reasoned in their hearts whether they would deny or confess, and yet suffered, their fruit is less, because that suggestion came into their hearts. For that suggestion, that a servant should deny his Lord, is evil. Therefore, be careful, you who are planning such things, lest that suggestion remain in your hearts, and you perish before God. "And you who suffer for His name ought to glorify God, because He deemed you worthy to bear His name, so that all your sins might be healed. Therefore, rather count yourselves happy, and think that you have done a great thing, if any of you suffers on account of God. The Lord is granting you life, and you do not realize it, for your sins were heavy. But if you had not suffered for the name of the Lord, you would have died before God on account of your sins. "These things I say to you who are hesitating about denying or confessing: acknowledge that you have the Lord, lest, by denying Him, you be handed over to prison. If the heathen chastise their slaves when one of them denies his master, what do you think your Lord will do, He who has authority over all men? Put away these counsels out of your hearts, so that you may live continually before God."

AND THOSE WHO BELIEVED FROM THE TWELFTH MOUNTAIN: which was white, are these: they are like infant children, in whose hearts no evil begins. They did not know what wickedness is, but always remained like children. So then, without doubt, people like this live in the kingdom of God, because they did not defile the commandments of God in any way. Instead, they remained like children all the days of their life, with the same mind. All of you, then, who remain steadfast and become like children, Matthew 18:3, without doing evil, will be more honored than all those mentioned before. For all infants are honorable before God, and are first with Him. Blessed, then, are you who put away wickedness from yourselves and put on innocence. As the first of all, you will live to God.

AFTER HE HAD FINISHED THE SIMILITUDES OF THE MOUNTAINS: I said to him, "Sir, now explain to me about the stones that were taken from the plain and put into the building in place of the stones that were taken out of the tower. Also explain the round stones that were put into the building, and those that still remain round."

"Listen," he answered, "about all these things too. The stones that were taken from the plain and placed into the building of the tower instead of the ones that were rejected are from the roots of this white mountain. So, when all those who believed from the white mountain were found to be without deceit, the Lord of the tower commanded that stones from the roots of this mountain be put into the building of the tower. For he knew that if these stones were used in the building of the tower, they would remain bright, and not one of them would become black. But if he had decided to do this with the other mountains, he would have had to visit that tower again and cleanse it. Now all these people who believed, and who will still believe, were found white, for they are of the same race. This is a blessed race, because it is innocent. Now listen further about these round and shining stones. All these also are from the white mountain. And listen to why they were found round: because their riches had hidden and darkened them a little from the truth, though they never departed from God. No evil word came out of their mouth, but only justice, virtue, and truth. Therefore, when the Lord saw the attitude of these people, that they were born good and could be good, he ordered their riches to be cut down, but not taken away forever, so that they might be able to do some good with what was left to them. And they will live to God, because they are of a good race. That is why they were made a little round by the chisel and placed into the building of the tower."

BUT THE OTHER ROUND STONES HAD NOT YET BEEN FITTED INTO THE BUILDING OF THE TOWER: and they had not yet received the seal. For this reason they were put back in their place, because they are extremely round. Now the things of this age must be cut away from them, along with the empty pride of their riches, and then they will enter the kingdom of God. For they must certainly enter the kingdom of God, because the Lord has blessed this innocent race. Therefore, no one from this race will perish. Even if any of them is tempted by the most wicked devil and sins, he will quickly return to his Lord. I consider you happy, I who am the messenger of repentance, all of you who are innocent as children, because your share is good and honorable before God. Moreover, I say to all of you who have received the seal of the Son of God: clothe yourselves with simplicity, and do not keep thinking about offenses or remain in wickedness. Therefore, put away the memory of your offenses and bitter feelings, and you will be shaped into one spirit. Heal and remove those wicked divisions from among you, so that if the Lord of the flock comes, He may rejoice over you. And He will rejoice if He finds everything healthy, and if none of you has perished. But if He finds any of these sheep wandering away, woe to the shepherds! And if the shepherds themselves have wandered away, what answer will they give Him about their flock? Will they perhaps say that they were troubled by their flock? They will not be believed, because it is unbelievable that a shepherd should suffer because of his flock. Instead, he will be punished because of his lie. And I myself am a shepherd, and I am under the strongest obligation to give an account concerning you.

THEREFORE: heal yourselves while the tower is still being built. The Lord lives in people who love peace, because He loved peace. But He stays far away from quarrelsome people and from those who are completely wicked. So give back to Him a sound spirit, just as you received it. If you give a new garment to a fuller, and at the end you want it returned whole, and the fuller gives it back to you torn, would you accept it? Would you not instead be angry and rebuke him, saying, "I gave you a garment that was whole. Why have you torn it and made it useless, so that it cannot be used because of the tear you made in it?" Would you not say all this to the fuller because of the tear you found in your garment? If, then, you are distressed about your garment and complain because you did not get it back whole, what do you think the Lord will do to you? He gave you a sound spirit, but you have made it completely useless, so that it can no longer be of any service to its owner. For it became useless because you corrupted it. Will not the Lord, then, because of what you have done with His Spirit, act the same way and hand you over to death? Certainly, I tell you, He will do the same to all those whom He finds still holding on to the memory of wrongs. Do not trample His mercy underfoot, He says. Instead, honor Him, because He is so patient with your sins and is not like you. Repent, because it is useful for you.

I: the Shepherd, the messenger of repentance, have showed and spoken all these things that are written above to the servants of God. Therefore, if you believe and listen to my words, and walk in them, and change your ways, you will have the power to live. But if you remain in wickedness and keep remembering offenses, no sinner of that kind will live to God. I have now spoken to you all the words that I had to say.

THE SHEPHERD SAID TO ME: "Have you asked me everything?" And I replied, "Yes, sir." He said, "Why did you not ask me about the shape of the stones that were put into the building, so that I could explain to you why we filled up the shapes?" And I said, "I forgot, sir." He said, "Now then, hear about this also. These are the ones who have now heard my commandments and repented with their whole hearts. And when the Lord saw that their repentance was good and pure, and that they were able to remain in it, He ordered their former sins to be wiped away. For these shapes were their sins, and they were made level so that they might not appear."

AFTER I HAD COMPLETELY WRITTEN DOWN THIS BOOK: the messenger who had handed me over to the Shepherd came into the house where I was and sat down on a couch, and the Shepherd stood at his right hand. Then he called me and spoke to me as follows: “I have handed you and your household over to the Shepherd, so that you may be protected by him.” “Yes, sir,” I said. “If you wish, then,” he said, “to be protected from every trouble and from all harsh treatment, and to have success in every good work and word, and to possess all the virtues of righteousness, walk in these commandments that he has given you, and you will be able to overcome all wickedness. For if you keep those commandments, every desire and pleasure of the world will be subject to you, and success will go with you in every good work. Accept his experience and self-control for yourself, and tell everyone that he is held in great honor and dignity with God, and that he is a ruler with great power and mighty in his office. To him alone, throughout the whole world, the power of repentance has been assigned. Does he seem powerful to you? Yet you despise his experience and the self-control that he uses toward you.”

I SAID TO HIM: "Ask him yourself, sir, whether from the time he entered my house I have done anything improper, or offended him in any way." He answered, "I also know that you have not done, and will not do, anything improper. That is why I say these words to you, so that you may continue on. For he gave me a good report about you, and you will speak these words to others, so that those who have repented, or who will still repent, may have the same attitude as you. Then he may give me a good report about them, and I may give one to the Lord." And I said, "Sir, I make known to every person the great works of God. And I hope that all who love them, and who have sinned before, may hear these words, repent, and receive life again." "Continue, therefore, in this ministry, and finish it. And all who carry out his commands shall have life and great honor with the Lord. But those who do not keep his commandments turn away from his life and despise him. But he has his own honor with the Lord. Therefore, all who despise him and do not follow his commands hand themselves over to death, and every one of them will be guilty of his own blood. But I command you to obey his commands, and you will have a cure for your former sins."

MOREOVER: I sent these virgins to you so that they may live with you. For I saw that they were kind to you. Therefore, you will have them as helpers, so that you may be better able to keep his commands. For it is impossible to keep these commandments without these virgins. I also see that they stay with you willingly. But I will also instruct them not to leave your house at all. Only keep your house pure, because they will delight in living in a pure home. For they are pure, chaste, and hardworking, and they have great influence with the Lord. Therefore, if they find your house pure, they will remain with you. But if any defilement, even a little, comes upon it, they will immediately leave your house. For these virgins do not like any defilement at all. I said to him, "I hope, sir, that I will please them, so that they may always be willing to live in my house. And just as he to whom you entrusted me has no complaint against me, so they will have none either." He said to the Shepherd, "I see that the servant of God wishes to live and to keep these commandments, and that he will place these virgins in a pure home." When he had spoken these words, he again entrusted me to the Shepherd, and called those virgins and said to them, "Since I see that you are willing to live in his house, I commend him and his house to you, and I ask that you do not leave it at all." And the virgins heard these words with pleasure.

THEN THE ANGEL SAID TO ME: "Be strong and brave in this service, and make known to everyone the great things of God, and you will have favor in this ministry. Therefore, whoever walks in these commandments will have life and will be happy in his life. But whoever neglects them will not have life and will be unhappy in this life. Command all who are able to do what is right not to stop doing good, because doing good works is useful for them. And I say that every person ought to be saved from hardships. For both the one who is in need and the one who suffers hardships in daily life is in great torment and distress. Therefore, whoever rescues a soul of this kind from distress will gain great joy for himself. For the person who is troubled by hardships like these suffers torture equal to that of a person in chains. Also, many people, because of troubles like these, when they cannot endure them, hurry toward their own deaths. Therefore, whoever knows that a man is suffering from a trouble like this and does not save him commits a great sin and becomes guilty of his blood. Therefore, do good works, you who have received good from the Lord, lest while you delay in doing them, the building of the tower be finished and you be rejected from the building. There is now no other tower being built. For the work of building was stopped because of you. Unless, then, you hurry to do what is right, the tower will be completed, and you will be shut out."

AFTER HE HAD SPOKEN WITH ME: he got up from the couch and left, taking the Shepherd and the virgins with him. But he told me that he would send the Shepherd and the virgins back to my home. Amen.