Shepherd of Hermas: Similitudes 10.2.1–10.4.5
Greek text: Lake, LCL 25 (Greek text: K. Lake, The Apostolic Fathers (LCL, 1912-1913), digitized by the Perseus Digital Library and published by the First Thousand Years of Greek project (Open Greek and Latin), CC BY-SA 4.0).English: Claude (claude-opus-5-5), public domain (CC0). Compare: Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 2 (1885).
Similitude 10, chapter 2
10.2.1Lake, LCL 25:298–300
dico ei: interroga ipsum, domine, ex quo in domo mea est, an aliquid extra ordinem fecerim, ex quo eum offenderim.
I said to him, “Ask him himself, sir, whether since he has been in my house I have done anything out of order, by which I have offended him.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Hermas asks whether he has offended the Shepherd.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin decoded from Greek letters: letters misread): doniine → domine.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.2.1 (Lake, LCL 25:298–300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-1).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.2.2Lake, LCL 25:300
et ego, inquit, scio nihil extra ordinem fecisse te neque esse facturum. et ideo haec loquor tecum, ut perseveres. bene enim de te hic apud me existimavit. tu autem ceteris haec verba dices, ut et illi, qui egerunt aut acturi sunt paenitentiam, eadem quae tu sentiant et hic apud me de his bene interpretetur et ego apud dominum.
“I too know,” he said, “that you have done nothing out of order and will not do so. And that is why I speak these things with you, so that you may persevere. For he has thought well of you before me. But you shall tell these words to others, so that those who have repented or will repent may think as you do, and he may speak well of them to me, and I to the Lord.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The angel knows Hermas has done well; he must tell others.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.2.2 (Lake, LCL 25:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-2).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.2.3Lake, LCL 25:300
et ego, inquam, domine, omni homini indico magnalia domini; spero autem, quia omnes, qui antea peccaverunt, si haec audiant, libenter acturi sunt paenitentiam vitam recuperantes.
“And I, sir,” I said, “declare to every person the mighty works of the Lord; and I hope that all who have sinned before, if they hear these things, will gladly repent and recover life.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Hermas proclaims God's works and hopes all will repent.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.2.3 (Lake, LCL 25:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-3).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.2.4Lake, LCL 25:300
permane ergo, inquit, in hoc ministerio et consumma illud. quicumque autem mandata huius efficiunt, habebunt vitam, et hic apud dominum magnum honorem. quicumque vero huius mandata non servant, fugiunt a sua vita et illum adversus; nec mandata eius sequuntur, sed morti se tradunt et unusquisque eorum reus fit sanguinis sui. tibi autem dico, ut servias mandatis his, et remedium peccatorum habebis.
“Continue, then,” he said, “in this ministry and complete it. Whoever carries out his commandments will have life, and will have great honor with the Lord. But whoever does not keep his commandments flees from his own life and opposes him; they do not follow his commandments, but hand themselves over to death, and each of them becomes guilty of his own blood. But I tell you to serve these commandments, and you will have healing for your sins.
Notes and citation
Summary: Those who keep the commandments have life; others bring death on themselves.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin decoded from Greek letters: letters misread; soft hyphen left inside a word in the digital text): consuinma → consumma; ilium adversus → illum adversus; servant → servant.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.2.4 (Lake, LCL 25:300; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-4).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-2-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
Similitude 10, chapter 3
10.3.1Lake, LCL 25:300–302
misi autem tibi has virgines, ut habitent tecum; vidi enim eas affabiles tibi esse. habes ergo eas adiutrices, quo magis possis huius mandata servare; non potest enim fieri, ut sine his virginibus haec mandata serventur. video autem eas libenter esse tecum; sed ego praecipiam eis, ut omnino a domo tua non discedant.
And I have sent you these virgins to live with you; for I saw that they were friendly to you. You have them, then, as helpers, so that you may be better able to keep his commandments; for it is not possible for these commandments to be kept without these virgins. And I see that they are glad to be with you; but I will command them not to leave your house at all.
Notes and citation
Summary: The virgins (the virtues) will live with Hermas to help him keep the commandments.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin decoded from Greek letters: v written as w): wideo autem → video autem.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.3.1 (Lake, LCL 25:300–302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-1).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.3.2Lake, LCL 25:302
tu tantum communda domum tuam; in munda enim domo libenter habitabunt; mundae enim sunt atque castae et industriae et omnes habentes gratiam apud dominum. igitur si habuerint domum tuam puram, tecum permanebunt. sin autem pusillum aliquid inquinationis acciderit, protinus a domo tua recedent; hae enim virgines nullum omnino diligunt inquinationem.
Only keep your house clean; for they will gladly live in a clean house; for they are clean and chaste and industrious and all have favor with the Lord. So if they find your house pure, they will remain with you. But if even a little defilement occurs, they will at once leave your house; for these virgins love no defilement at all.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The virtues remain only in a pure house.
Topics: Ethics
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.3.2 (Lake, LCL 25:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-2).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.3.3Lake, LCL 25:302
dico ei: spero me, domine, placiturum eis, ita ut in domo mea libenter habitent semper. καὶ ὥσπερ οὗτος, ᾧ παρέδωκάς με, οὐ μέμφεταί με, οὐδὲ αὗται μέμψονταί με.
I said to him, “I hope, sir, that I shall please them, so that they may always live gladly in my house. And just as this one, to whom you handed me over, does not find fault with me, neither will they find fault with me.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Hermas hopes to please them.
- The last sentence survives in Greek.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (punctuation slip in the digital text): dico ei· → dico ei:.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.3.3 (Lake, LCL 25:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-3).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.3.4Lake, LCL 25:302
λέγει τῷ ποιμένι· Οἶδα, ὅτι ὁ δοῦλος τοῦ θεοῦ θέλει ζῆν καὶ τηρήσει τὰς ἐντολὰς ταύτας καὶ τὰς παρθένους ἐν καθαρότητι καταστήσει.
legei tǭ poimeni; Oida, hoti ho doulos tou theou thelei zēn kai tērēsei tas entolas tautas kai tas parthenous en katharotēti katastēsei.
He said to the shepherd, “I know that the servant of God wishes to live and will keep these commandments and will settle the virgins in purity.”
Notes and citation
Summary: The angel trusts Hermas.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.3.4 (Lake, LCL 25:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-4).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.3.5Lake, LCL 25:302
ταῦτα εἰπὼν τῷ ποιμένι πάλιν παρέδωκέν με καὶ τὰς παρθένους καλέσας... λέγει αὐταῖς· quoniam video vos libenter in domo huius habitare, commendo eum vobis et domum eius, ut a domo eius non recedatis omnino. illae vero haec verba libenter audierunt.
Having said this to the shepherd, he again handed me over, and calling the virgins, … he said to them, “Since I see that you are glad to live in this man's house, I commend him and his house to you, so that you may not leave his house at all.” And they heard these words gladly.
Notes and citation
Summary: The angel entrusts Hermas and his house to the virgins.
- The beginning of this section survives in Greek, the rest in Latin; a few words are lost where the two join.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.3.5 (Lake, LCL 25:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-5).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-3-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
Similitude 10, chapter 4
10.4.1Lake, LCL 25:302
ait deinde mihi: viriliter in ministerio hoc conversare, omni homini indica magnalia domini, et habebis gratiam in hoc ministerio. quicumque ergo in his mandatis ambulaverit, vivet et felix erit in vita sua; quicumque vero neglexerit, non vivet et erit infelix in vita sua.
Then he said to me, “Behave manfully in this ministry; declare to every person the mighty works of the Lord, and you will have favor in this ministry. Whoever, then, walks in these commandments will live and be happy in his life; but whoever neglects them will not live and will be unhappy in his life.
Notes and citation
Summary: Hermas must proclaim God's works boldly.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin decoded from Greek letters: v written as w): wiriliter → viriliter.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.4.1 (Lake, LCL 25:302; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-1).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-1
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.4.2Lake, LCL 25:302–304
dic omnibus, ut non cessent, quicumque recte facere possunt; bona opera exercere utile est illis. dico autem, omnem hominem de incommodis eripi oportere. et is enim, qui eget et in cotidiana vita patitur incommoda, in magno tormento est ac necessitate.
Tell all who are able to do right not to stop; it is useful for them to practice good works. And I say that every person ought to be rescued from hardships. For the one who is in need and suffers hardships in daily life is in great torment and distress.
Notes and citation
Summary: Everyone should be rescued from hardship.
Topics: Ethics, Almsgiving and care for the poor
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.4.2 (Lake, LCL 25:302–304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-2).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-2
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.4.3Lake, LCL 25:304
qui igitur huiusmodi animam eripit de necessitate, magnum gaudium sibi adquirit. is enim, qui huiusmodi vexatur incommodo, pari tormento cruciatur atque torquet se qui in vincula est. multi enim propter huiusmodi calamitates, cum eas sufferre non possunt, mortem sibi adducunt. qui novit igitur calamitatem huiusmodi hominis et non eripit eum, magnum peccatum admittit et reus fit sanguinis eius.
Whoever, then, rescues such a soul from distress gains great joy for himself. For the one who is troubled by such hardship is tortured with the same torment as one who is in chains. For many, because of such calamities, when they cannot bear them, bring death on themselves. Whoever, then, knows the calamity of such a person and does not rescue him commits a great sin and becomes guilty of his blood.
Notes and citation
Summary: Failing to rescue the desperate makes one guilty of their blood.
- “Bring death on themselves”: suicide under the pressure of poverty.
Topics: Ethics, Almsgiving and care for the poor
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.4.3 (Lake, LCL 25:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-3).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-3
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.4.4Lake, LCL 25:304
facite igitur opera bona, quicumque accepistis a domino, ne, dum tardatis facere, consummetur structura turris. propter vos enim intermissum est opus aedificationis eius. nisi festinetis igitur facere recte, consummabitur turris, et excludemini.
Do good works, then, all of you who have received from the Lord, lest while you delay to do them the building of the tower be completed. For it is for your sake that the work of its building has been interrupted. Unless, then, you hasten to do right, the tower will be completed, and you will be shut out.”
Notes and citation
Summary: Do good now, before the tower is completed and you are shut out.
Topics: Eschatology, Ethics
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.4.4 (Lake, LCL 25:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-4).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-4
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.
10.4.5Lake, LCL 25:304
postquam vero locutus est mecum, surrexit de lecto et apprehenso pastore et virginibus abiit, dicens autem mihi, remissurum se pastorem illum et virgines in domum meam.
After he had spoken with me, he rose from the bed, and taking the shepherd and the virgins he went away, saying to me that he would send that shepherd and the virgins back to my house.
Notes and citation
Summary: The angel departs, promising to send back the Shepherd and the virgins.
Notes on the original text
- Digital text corrected (Latin decoded from Greek letters: letters misread): pastorem ilium → pastorem illum.
Cite (SBL): Herm. Sim. 10.4.5 (Lake, LCL 25:304; trans. Sophia Scriptura, https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-5).
Permanent link: https://sophiascriptura.com/p/herm-sim/10-4-5
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Translation: Translated by Claude from the Greek text of Lake (LCL 25, 1913), and from the ancient Latin version where Lake prints it because the Greek is lost (from Sim. 9.30.3); made independently of existing English translations.