Stromata Editions · The Shepherd of Hermas
Similitude V
Sim. 5.1.1–5.7.4
Complete audiobook →Chapter 1
Greek source
Νηστεύοντός μου καὶ καθημένου εἰς ὄρος τι εὐχαριστῶν τῷ κυρίῳ περὶ πάντων ὧν ἐποίησεν μετ’ ἐμοῦ, βλέπω τὸν ποιμένα παρακαθήμενόν μοι καὶ λέγοντά [μοι τοι]αῦτα· Τί ὀρθρινὸς ὧδε ἐλήλυθας; Ὅτι, φημί, κύριε, στατίωνα ἔχω.
Translation
While I was fasting, sitting on a mountain and thanking the Lord for everything he had done for me, I saw the shepherd sitting beside me. He was saying [words like these to me]: “Why have you come here so early?” “Because, sir,” I said, “I am keeping a station.”
Greek source
Τί, φησίν, ἐστὶν στατίων; Νηστεύω, φημί, κύριε. Νηστεία δέ, φησίν, τί ἐστιν αὕτη, ἣν νηστεύετε; Ὡς εἰώθειν, φημί, κύριε, οὕτω νηστεύω.
Translation
“What is a station?” he asked. “I am fasting, sir,” I said. “What is this fast that you observe?” he asked. “I am fasting as I usually do, sir,” I said.
Greek source
Οὐκ οἴδατε, φησίν, νηστεύειν τῷ θεῷ, οὐδέ ἐστιν νηστεία αὕτη ἡ ἀνωφελής, ἣν νηστεύετε αὐτῷ. Διατί, φημί, κύριε, τοῦτο λέγεις; Λέγω, φησίν, ὅτι οὐκ ἔστιν αὕτη νηστεία ἣν δοκεῖτε νηστεύειν· ἀλλ’ ἐγώ σε διδάξω τί ἐστιν νηστεία δεκτὴ καὶ πλήρης τῷ κυρίῳ. Ναί, φημί, κύριε, μακάριόν με ποιήσεις ἐὰν γνῶ τὴν νηστείαν τὴν δεκτὴν τῷ θεῷ.
Translation
“You do not know how to fast for God,” he said. “This useless fast you observe for him is no fast.” “Why do you say that, sir?” I asked. “I say,” he replied, “that what you think you are observing is no fast. I will teach you what a fast acceptable and complete before the Lord is.” “Yes, sir,” I said, “you will make me blessed if I come to know the fast that is acceptable to God.”
Greek source
Ἄκουε, φησίν. ὁ θεὸς οὐ βούλεται τοιαύτην νηστείαν ματαίαν· οὕτω γὰρ νηστεύων τῷ θεῷ οὐδὲν ἐργάζῃ τῇ δικαιοσύνῃ.
Translation
“Listen,” he said. “God does not want an empty fast like this. By fasting for God in this way, you accomplish nothing for righteousness.
Greek source
νήστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ νηστείαν τοιαύτην· μηδὲν πονηρεύσῃ ἐν τῇ ζωῇ σου, ἀλλὰ δούλευσον τῷ κυρίῳ ἐν καθαρᾷ καρδίᾳ, τηρῶν τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ καὶ πορευόμενος ἐν τοῖς προστάγμασιν αὐτοῦ καὶ μηδεμία ἐπιθυμία πονηρὰ ἀναβήτω ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ σου· πίστευσον δὲ τῷ θεῷ ὅτι, ἐὰν ταῦτα ἐργάσῃ καὶ φοβηθῇς αὐτὸν καὶ ἐγκρατεύσῃ ἀπὸ παντὸς πονηροῦ πράγματος, ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ· ταῦτα δὲ ἐὰν ἐργάσῃ, μεγάλην νηστείαν τελεῖς καὶ δεκτὴν τῷ κυρίῳ.
Translation
“Instead, observe this kind of fast for God: do nothing wicked in your life, but serve the Lord with a pure heart, keeping his commandments and walking in his ordinances. Let no wicked desire rise in your heart. Trust God: if you do these things, fear him, and abstain from every wicked deed, you will live for God. If you do these things, you observe a great fast, acceptable to the Lord.
Chapter 2
Greek source
Ἄκουε τὴν παραβολήν, ἣν μέλλω σοι λέγειν, ἀνήκουσαν τῇ νηστείᾳ. εἶχέν τις ἀγρὸν καὶ δούλους πολλούς, καὶ εἰς μέρος τι τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἐφύτευσεν ἀμπελῶνα· ἐκλεξάμενος οὖν δοῦλόν τινα πιστότατον καὶ εὐάρεστον αὐτῷ, ἀποδημῶν προσεκαλέσατο αὐτὸν καὶ λέγει αὐτῷ· Λάβε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα τοῦτον, ὃν ἐφύτευσα, καὶ χαράκωσον αὐτὸν ἕως ἔρχομαι, καὶ ἕτερον δὲ μὴ ποιήσῃς τῷ ἀμπελῶνι· καὶ ταύτην μου τὴν ἐντολὴν φύλαξον, καὶ ἐλεύθερος ἔσῃ παρ’
Translation
“Listen to the parable I am going to tell you about fasting. A man had a field and many slaves. He planted a vineyard in part of the field. Before going abroad, he chose a slave who was particularly trustworthy and pleasing to him, called him over, and said to him, ‘Take this vineyard I have planted and put stakes around it until I return. Do nothing else to the vineyard. Keep this command of mine, and you will receive your freedom from
Greek source
ἐμοί. ἐξῆλθε δὲ ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ δούλου εἰς τὴν ἀποδημίαν. ἐξελθόντος δὲ αὐτοῦ ἔλαβεν ὁ δοῦλος καὶ ἐχαράκωσε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. καὶ τελέσας τὴν χαράκωσιν τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος εἶδε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα βοτανῶν πλήρη ὄντα.
Translation
“‘me.’ The slave's master went abroad. When he had left, the slave took the vineyard and put stakes around it. When he had finished, he saw that the vineyard was full of weeds.
Greek source
ἐν ἑαυτῷ οὖν ἐλογίσατο λέγων· Ταύτην τὴν ἐντολὴν τοῦ κυρίου τετέλεκα· σκάψω λοιπὸν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα τοῦτον, καὶ ἔσται εὐπρεπέστερος ἐσκαμμένος, καὶ βοτάνας μὴ ἔχων δώσει καρπὸν πλείονα, μὴ πνιγόμενος ὑπὸ τῶν βοτανῶν. λαβὼν ἔσκαψε τὸν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ πάσας τὰς βοτάνας τὰς οὔσας ἐν τῷ ἀμπελῶνι ἐξέτιλλε. καὶ ἐγένετο ὁ ἀμπελὼν ἐκεῖνος εὐπρεπέστατος καὶ εὐθαλής, μὴ ἔχων βοτάνας τὰς πνιγούσας αὐτόν.
Translation
“He thought to himself, ‘I have carried out my master's command. Now I will dig this vineyard. Once dug, it will look better, and without weeds it will yield more fruit, no longer choked by them.’ He set about digging the vineyard and pulled out all the weeds in it. The vineyard became beautiful and flourishing, with no weeds to choke it.
Greek source
μετὰ χρόνον τινὰ ἦλθεν ὁ δεσπότης τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ τοῦ δούλου καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα. καὶ ἰδὼν τὸν ἀμπελῶνα κεχαρακωμένον εὐπρεπῶς, ἔτι δὲ καὶ ἐσκαμμένον καὶ πάσας τὰς βοτάνας ἐκτετιλμένας καὶ εὐθαλεῖς οὔσας τὰς ἀμπέλους, ἐχάρη λίαν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἔργοις τοῦ δούλου.
Translation
“After some time the master of the field and of the slave returned and went into the vineyard. He saw that it had been neatly staked, that it had also been dug, that all the weeds had been pulled out, and that the vines were flourishing. He was delighted with the slave's work.
Greek source
προσκαλεσάμενος οὖν τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ τὸν ἀγαπητόν, ὃν εἶχε κληρονόμον, καὶ τοὺς φίλους, οὓς εἶχε συμβούλους, λέγει αὐτοῖς, ὅσα ἐνετείλατο τῷ δούλῳ αὐτοῦ, καὶ ὅσα εὗρε γεγονότα. κἀκεῖνοι συνεχάρησαν τῷ δούλῳ ἐπὶ τῇ μαρτυρίᾳ ᾗ ἐμαρτύρησεν αὐτῷ ὁ δεσπότης.
Translation
“He called his beloved son, whom he had as his heir, and his friends, whom he had as advisers. He told them what he had commanded his slave to do and what he had found done. They too rejoiced for the slave at the testimony his master gave about him.
Greek source
καὶ λέγει αὐτοῖς· Ἐγὼ τῷ δούλῳ τούτῳ ἐλευθερίαν ἐπηγγειλάμην, ἐάν μου τὴν ἐντολὴν φυλάξῃ, ἣν ἐνετειλάμην αὐτῷ· ἐφύλαξε δέ μου τὴν ἐντολὴν καὶ προσέθηκε τῷ ἀμπελῶνι ἔργον καλόν, καὶ ἐμοὶ λίαν ἤρεσεν. ἀντὶ τούτου οὖν τοῦ ἔργου οὗ εἰργάσατο θέλω αὐτὸν συγκληρονόμον τῷ υἱῷ μου ποιῆσαι, ὅτι τὸ καλὸν φρονήσας οὐ παρενεθυμήθη, ἀλλ’ ἐτέλεσεν αὐτό.
Translation
“He said to them, ‘I promised this slave his freedom if he kept the command I gave him. He has kept my command and added good work to the vineyard, which pleased me greatly. In return for the work he has done, I want to make him a fellow heir with my son. For he thought of something good and did not let it pass, but carried it out.’
Greek source
ταύτῃ τῇ γνώμῃ ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ δεσπότου συνηυδόκησεν αὐτῷ, ἵνα συγκληρονόμος γένηται ὁ δοῦλος τῷ υἱῷ.
Translation
“The master's son agreed with him that the slave should become a fellow heir with the son.
Greek source
μετὰ ὀλίγας ἡμέρας δεῖπνον ἐποίησεν ὁ οἰκοδεσπότης αὐτοῦ καὶ ἔπεμψεν αὐτῷ ἐδέσματα ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου πολλά. λαβὼν δὲ ὁ δοῦλος τὰ ἐδέσματα τὰ πεμφθέντα αὐτῷ ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσπότου αὐτοῦ τὰ ἀρκοῦντα αὐτῷ ἦρε, τὰ δὲ λοιπὰ τοῖς συνδούλοις αὐτοῦ διέδωκεν.
Translation
“A few days later, his master held a dinner and sent him plenty of food from it. The slave received the food his master had sent him, took enough for himself, and shared the rest among his fellow slaves.
Greek source
οἱ δὲ σύνδουλοι αὐτοῦ λαβόντες τὰ ἐδέσματα ἐχάρησαν καὶ ἤρξαντο καὶ εὔχεσθαι ὑπὲρ αὐτοῦ, ἵνα μείζονα χάριν εὕρῃ παρὰ τῷ δεσπότῃ, ὅτι οὕτως ἐχρήσατο αὐτοῖς.
Translation
“His fellow slaves were glad to receive the food. They began to pray for him too, that he might find still greater favour with his master, because he had treated them this way.
Greek source
ταῦτα πάντα τὰ γεγονότα ὁ δεσπότης αὐτοῦ ἤκουσεν καὶ πάλιν λίαν ἐχάρη ἐπὶ τῇ πράξει αὐτοῦ. συνκαλέσας πάλιν πάντας τοὺς φίλους ὁ δεσπότης καὶ τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ ἀπήγγειλεν αὐτοῖς τὴν πρᾶξιν τοῦ δούλου, ἣν ἔπραξεν ἐπὶ τοῖς ἐδέσμασιν οἷς ἔλαβεν· οἱ δὲ ἔτι μᾶλλον συνευδόκησαν γενέσθαι τὸν δοῦλον συνκληρονόμον τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“His master heard everything that had happened and was again delighted with his conduct. Once more the master called all his friends and his son together and told them what the slave had done with the food he received. They agreed all the more that the slave should become a fellow heir with his son.”
Chapter 3
Greek source
Λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ἐγὼ ταύτας τὰς παραβολὰς οὐ γινώσκω οὐδὲ δύναμαι νοῆσαι αὐτάς, ἐὰν μή μοι ἐπιλύσῃς αὐτάς.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, I do not understand these parables. I cannot grasp them unless you explain them to me.”
Greek source
Πάντα σοι ἐπιλύσω, φησίν, καὶ ὅσα ἂν λαλήσω μετὰ σοῦ, δείξω σοι. τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ κυρίου φύλασσε καὶ ἔσῃ εὐάρεστος αὐτῷ καὶ ἐνγραφήσῃ εἰς ἀριθμὸν τῶν τηρούντων τὰς ἐντολὰς αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“I will explain everything to you,” he said, “and show you the meaning of whatever I speak about with you. Keep the Lord's commandments, and you will be pleasing to him and be inscribed among those who observe his commandments.
Greek source
ἐὰν δέ τι ἀγαθοῦ ποιήσῃς ἐκτὸς τῆς ἐντολῆς τοῦ θεοῦ, σεαυτῷ περιποιήσῃ δόξαν περισσοτέραν καὶ ἔσῃ ἐνδοξότερος παρὰ τῷ θεῷ οὗ ἔμελλες εἶναι. ἐὰν οὖν φυλάσσων τὰς ἐντολὰς τοῦ θεοῦ προσθῇς καὶ τὰς λειτουργίας ταύτας, χαρήσῃ, ἐὰν τηρήσῃς αὐτὰς κατὰ τὴν ἐμὴν ἐντολήν.
Translation
“If you do something good beyond God's commandment, you will gain greater glory for yourself. You will be more glorious before God than you would otherwise have been. So if, while keeping God's commandments, you also add these services, you will rejoice, provided you observe them as I command you.”
Greek source
λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ὃ ἐάν μοι ἐντείλῃ, φυλάξω αὐτό· οἶδα γὰρ ὅτι σὺ μετ’ ἐμοῦ εἶ. Ἔσομαι, φησί, μετὰ σοῦ, ὅτι τοιαύτην προθυμίαν ἔχεις τῆς ἀγαθοποιήσεως καὶ μετὰ πάντων δὲ ἔσομαι ὅσοι ἐάν, φησί, τὴν αὐτὴν προθυμίαν ἔχωσιν.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, I will keep whatever you command me, for I know that you are with me.” “I will be with you,” he said, “because you have such eagerness to do good. And I will be with everyone who has the same eagerness.
Greek source
ἡ νηστεία, φησίν, αὕτη, τηρουμένων τῶν ἐντολῶν τοῦ κυρίου, λίαν καλή ἐστιν. οὕτως οὖν φυλάξεις τὴν νηστείαν·
Translation
“This fast,” he said, “is very good when the Lord's commandments are observed. So this is how you will keep the fast:
Greek source
πρῶτον πάντων φύλαξαι ἀπὸ παντὸς ῥήματος πονηροῦ καὶ πάσης ἐπιθυμίας πονηρᾶς καὶ καθάρισόν σου τὴν καρδίαν ἀπὸ πάντων τῶν ματαιωμάτων τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου. ἐὰν ταῦτα φυλάξῃς, ἔσται αὕτη ἡ νηστεία τελεία.
Translation
“First of all, guard against every wicked word and every wicked desire. Cleanse your heart of all the empty things of this age. If you keep these things, this fast will be complete.
Greek source
οὕτω δὲ ποιήσεις· συντελέσας τὰ προγεγραμμένα, ἐν ἐκείνῃ τῇ ἡμέρᾳ ᾗ νηστεύεις μηδὲν γεύσῃ εἰ μὴ ἄρτον καὶ ὕδωρ, καὶ ἐκ τῶν ἐδεσμάτων σου ὧν ἔμελλες τρώγειν συνοψίσας τὴν ποσότητα τῆς δαπάνης ἐκείνης τῆς ἡμέρας ἧς ἔμελλες ποιεῖν, ἀποθέμενος δώσεις αὐτὸ χήρᾳ ἢ ὀρφανῷ ἢ ὑστερουμένῳ, καὶ οὕτω ταπεινοφρονήσεις, ἵνα ἐκ τῆς ταπεινοφροσύνης σου ὁ εἰληφὼς ἐμπλήσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχὴν καὶ εὔξηται περὶ σοῦ πρὸς τὸν κύριον.
Translation
“This is what you will do. After carrying out what has been written above, on the day you fast taste nothing but bread and water. Work out how much you would have spent that day on the food you intended to eat. Set it aside and give it to a widow, an orphan, or someone in need. In this way you will show humility, so that the recipient may fill their own soul through your humility and pray to the Lord for you.
Greek source
ἐὰν οὖν οὕτω τελέσῃς τὴν νηστείαν, ὥς σοι ἐντέλλομαι, ἔσται ἡ θυσία σου δεκτὴ παρὰ τῷ θεῷ καὶ ἔνγραφος ἔσται ἡ νηστεία αὕτη, καὶ ἡ λειτουργία οὕτως ἐργαζομένη καλὴ καὶ ἱλαρά ἐστι καὶ εὐπρόσδεκτος τῷ κυρίῳ.
Translation
“If you observe the fast in this way, as I command you, your sacrifice will be acceptable to God, and this fast will be recorded. Service carried out in this way is good, cheerful, and welcome to the Lord.
Greek source
ταῦτα οὕτως τηρήσεις σὺ μετὰ τῶν τέκνων σου καὶ ὅλου τοῦ οἴκου σου· τηρήσας δὲ αὐτὰ μακάριος ἔσῃ· καὶ ὅσοι ἐὰν ἀκούσαντες αὐτὰ τηρήσωσι, μακάριοι ἔσονται, καὶ ὅσα ἐὰν αἰτήσωνται παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου λήμψονται.
Translation
“You, your children, and your entire household will observe these things in this way. If you observe them, you will be blessed. Everyone who hears and observes them will be blessed, and they will receive whatever they ask of the Lord.”
Chapter 4
Greek source
Ἐδεήθην αὐτοῦ πολλά, ἵνα μοι δηλώσῃ τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ τοῦ δεσπότου καὶ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος καὶ τοῦ δούλου τοῦ χαρακώσαντος τὸν ἀμπελῶνα καὶ τῶν χαράκων καὶ τῶν βοτανῶν τῶν ἐκτετιλμένων ἐκ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος καὶ τοῦ υἱοῦ καὶ τῶν φίλων τῶν συμβούλων· συνῆκα γὰρ ὅτι παραβολή ἐστιν ταῦτα πάντα.
Translation
I begged him repeatedly to explain the parable: the field, the master, the vineyard, the slave who staked the vineyard, the stakes, the weeds pulled out of the vineyard, the son, and the friends who were advisers. For I understood that all these things formed a parable.
Greek source
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθείς μοι λέγει· Αὐθάδης εἶ λίαν εἰς τὸ ἐπερωτᾶν. οὐκ ὀφείλεις, φησίν, ἐπερωτᾶν οὐδὲν ὅλως· ἐὰν γάρ σοι δέῃ δηλωθῆναι, δηλωθήσεται. λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ὅσα ἐάν μοι δείξῃς καὶ μὴ δηλώσῃς, μάτην ἔσομαι ἑωρακὼς αὐτὰ καὶ μὴ νοῶν ὅτι ἐστίν· ὡσαύτως καὶ ἐάν μοι παραβολὰς λαλήσῃς καὶ μὴ ἐπιλύσῃς μοι, εἰς μάτην ἔσομαι ἠκουκὼς παρὰ σοῦ.
Translation
He answered me, “You are very presumptuous in your questioning. You ought not to ask any questions at all. If something needs to be explained to you, it will be explained.” I said to him, “Sir, if you show me things and do not explain them, I will have seen them in vain, without understanding what they are. Likewise, if you tell me parables and do not explain them to me, I will have heard you in vain.”
Greek source
ὁ δὲ πάλιν λέγει μοι· Ὃς ἂν δοῦλος ἦν, φησίν, τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἔχῃ τὸν κύριον αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ, αἰτεῖται παρ’ αὐτοῦ σύνεσιν καὶ λαμβάνει καὶ πᾶσαν παραβολὴν ἐπιλύει, καὶ γνωστὰ αὐτῷ γίνονται τὰ ῥήματα τοῦ κυρίου τὰ λεγόμενα διὰ παραβολῶν· ὅσοι δὲ βληχροί εἰσιν καὶ ἀργοὶ πρὸς τὴν ἔντευξιν, ἐκεῖνοι διστάζουσιν αἰτεῖσθαι παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου·
Translation
Again he said to me, “Anyone who is God's servant and holds their Lord in their heart asks him for understanding and receives it. They can explain every parable, and the Lord's words spoken through parables become known to them. But those who are feeble and sluggish in petitioning hesitate to ask the Lord.
Greek source
ὁ δὲ κύριος πολύσπλαγχνός ἐστιν καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς αἰτουμένοις παρ’ αὐτοῦ ἀδιστάκτως δίδωσι. σὺ δὲ ἐνδεδυναμωμένος ὑπὸ τοῦ ἐνδόξου ἀγγέλου καὶ εἰληφὼς παρ’ αὐτοῦ τοιαύτην ἔντευξιν καὶ μὴ ὢν ἀργός, διατί οὐκ αἰτῇ παρὰ τοῦ κυρίου σύνεσιν καὶ λαμβάνεις παρ’ αὐτοῦ;
Translation
“The Lord is deeply compassionate and gives to all who ask him without hesitation. You have been strengthened by the glorious angel, have received from him such power of petition, and are not sluggish. Why do you not ask the Lord for understanding and receive it from him?”
Greek source
λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, ἐγὼ ἔχων σὲ μετ’ ἐμαυτοῦ ἀνάγκην ἔχω παρὰ σοῦ αἰτεῖσθαι καὶ σὲ ἐπερωτᾶν· σὺ γάρ μοι δεικνύεις πάντα καὶ λαλεῖς μετ’ ἐμοῦ· εἰ δὲ ἄτερ σοῦ ἔβλεπον ταῦτα ἢ ἤκουον, ἠρώτων ἂν τὸν κύριον, ἵνα μοι δηλωθῇ.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, since I have you with me, I must ask you and put my questions to you. You show me everything and speak with me. If I saw or heard these things without you, I would ask the Lord to have them explained to me.”
Chapter 5
Greek source
Εἶπόν σοι, φησί, καὶ ἄρτι, ὅτι πανοῦργος εἶ καὶ αὐθάδης, ἐπερωτῶν τὰς ἐπιλύσεις τῶν παραβολῶν. ἐπεὶ δὲ οὕτως παράμονος εἶ σύ, ἐπιλύσω σοι τὴν παραβολὴν τοῦ ἀγροῦ καὶ τῶν λοιπῶν τῶν ἀκολουθούντων πάντων, ἵνα γνωστὰ πᾶσι ποιήσῃς αὐτά.
Translation
“I told you just now,” he said, “that you are cunning and presumptuous in asking for explanations of the parables. But since you are so persistent, I will explain the parable of the field and everything else that goes with it, so that you may make it all known to everyone.
Greek source
ἄκουε νῦν, φησί, καὶ σύνιε αὐτά. ὁ ἀγρὸς ὁ κόσμος οὗτός ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ κύριος τοῦ ἀγροῦ ὁ κτίσας τὰ πάντα καὶ ἀπαρτίσας αὐτὰ καὶ δυναμώσας. ὁ δὲ υἱὸς τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιόν ἐστιν· ὁ δὲ δοῦλος ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἐστιν· αἱ δὲ ἄμπελοι ὁ λαὸς οὗτός ἐστιν, ὃν αὐτὸς ἐφύτευσεν·
Translation
“Now listen,” he said, “and understand. The field is this world. The lord of the field is the one who created everything, completed it, and gave it strength. The son is the holy spirit. The slave is the Son of God. The vines are this people, whom he himself planted.
Greek source
οἱ δὲ χάρακες οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοί εἰσι τοῦ κυρίου οἱ συγκρατοῦντες τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ· αἱ δὲ βοτάναι αἱ ἐκτετιλμέναι ἐκ τοῦ ἀμπελῶνος ἀνομίαι εἰσὶ τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ· τὰ δὲ ἐδέσματα, ἃ ἔπεμψεν αὐτῷ ἐκ τοῦ δείπνου, αἱ ἐντολαί εἰσιν, ἃς ἔδωκε τῷ λαῷ αὐτοῦ διὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ· οἱ δὲ φίλοι καὶ σύμβουλοι οἱ ἅγιοι ἄγγελοι οἱ πρῶτοι κτισθέντες· ἡ δὲ ἀποδημία τοῦ δεσπότου ὁ χρόνος ὁ περισσεύων εἰς τὴν παρουσίαν αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“The stakes are the Lord's holy angels, who hold his people together. The weeds pulled out of the vineyard are the lawless deeds of God's servants. The food he sent him from the dinner is the commandments he gave his people through his Son. The friends and advisers are the holy angels who were created first. The master's journey abroad is the time remaining until his arrival.”
Greek source
λέγω αὐτῷ· Κύριε, μεγάλως καὶ θαυμαστῶς πάντα ἐστὶν καὶ ἐνδόξως ἔχει. μὴ οὖν, φημί, κύριε, ἐγὼ ταῦτα ἠδυνάμην νοῆσαι; οὐδὲ ἕτερος ἄνθρωπος κἂν λίαν συνετὸς ἦν τις, οὐ δύναται νοῆσαι αὐτά. ἔτι, φημί, κύριε, δήλωσόν μοι, ὃ μέλλω σε ἐπερωτᾶν.
Translation
I said to him, “Sir, everything is great, marvellous, and glorious. Could I have understood these things? No other person, even someone very intelligent, could understand them either. Sir, explain something else that I am going to ask you.”
Greek source
Λέγε, φησίν, εἴ τι βούλει. Διατί, φημί, κύριε, ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ εἰς δούλου τρόπον κεῖται ἐν τῇ παραβολῇ;
Translation
“Say what you wish,” he said. “Why, sir,” I asked, “is the Son of God placed in the role of a slave in the parable?”
Chapter 6
Greek source
Ἄκουε, φησίν· εἰς δούλου τρόπον οὐ κεῖται ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλ’ εἰς ἐξουσίαν μεγάλην κεῖται καὶ κυριότητα.
Translation
“Listen,” he said. “The Son of God is not placed in the role of a slave. He is placed in a position of great authority and lordship.”
Greek source
Πῶς, φημί, κύριε, οὐ νοῶ. Ὅτι, φησίν, ὁ θεὸς τὸν ἀμπελῶνα ἐφύτευσε, τοῦτ’ ἔστι τὸν λαὸν ἔκτισε καὶ παρέδωκε τῷ υἱῷ αὐτοῦ· καὶ ὁ υἱὸς κατέστησε τοὺς ἀγγέλους ἐπ’ αὐτοὺς τοῦ συντηρεῖν ἑκάστους· καὶ αὐτὸς τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν ἐκαθάρισε πολλὰ κοπιάσας καὶ πολλοὺς κόπους ἀνηντληκώς· οὐδεὶς γὰρ ἀμπελὼν δύναται σκαφῆναι ἄτερ κόπου ἢ μόχθου.
Translation
“How, sir?” I asked. “I do not understand.” “Because,” he said, “God planted the vineyard—that is, he created the people—and handed it over to his Son. The Son appointed the angels over them to preserve each one. He himself cleansed their sins, labouring much and enduring many hardships. For no vineyard can be dug without effort or toil.
Greek source
αὐτὸς οὖν καθαρίσας τὰς ἁμαρτίας τοῦ λαοῦ ἔδειξεν αὐτοῖς τὰς τρίβους τῆς ζωῆς, δοὺς αὐτοῖς τὸν νόμον, ὃν ἔλαβεν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“Having cleansed the people's sins, he showed them the paths of life, giving them the law he received from his Father.
Greek source
βλέπεις οὖν, φησίν, ὅτι αὐτὸς κύριός ἐστι τοῦ λαοῦ, ἐξουσίαν πᾶσαν λαβὼν παρὰ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ. ὅτι δὲ ὁ κύριος σύμβουλον ἔλαβε τὸν υἱὸν αὐτοῦ καὶ τοὺς ἐνδόξους ἀγγέλους περὶ τῆς κληρονομίας τοῦ δούλου, ἄκουε·
Translation
“So you see,” he said, “that he is lord of the people, having received all authority from his Father. Now listen to why the lord took his son and the glorious angels as advisers about the slave's inheritance.
Greek source
τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον τὸ προόν, τὸ κτίσαν πᾶσαν τὴν κτίσιν, κατῴκισεν ὁ θεὸς εἰς σάρκα ἣν ἠβούλετο. αὕτη οὖν ἡ σάρξ, ἐν ᾗ κατῴκησε τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον, ἐδούλευσε τῷ πνεύματι καλῶς ἐν σεμνότητι καὶ ἁγνείᾳ πορευθεῖσα, μηδὲν ὅλως μιάνασα τὸ πνεῦμα.
Translation
“God made the holy spirit, which existed before and created all creation, dwell in flesh that he chose. This flesh, in which the holy spirit dwelt, served the spirit well, living in reverence and purity, without defiling the spirit at all.
Greek source
πολιτευσαμένην οὖν αὐτὴν καλῶς καὶ ἁγνῶς καὶ συνκοπιάσασαν τῷ πνεύματι καὶ συνεργήσασαν ἐν παντὶ πράγματι, ἰσχυρῶς καὶ ἀνδρείως ἀναστραφεῖσαν, μετὰ τοῦ πνεύματος τοῦ ἁγίου εἵλατο κοινωνόν· ἤρεσε γὰρ ἡ πορεία τῆς σαρκὸς ταύτης, ὅτι οὐκ ἐμιάνθη ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἔχουσα τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον.
Translation
“Since it had lived well and purely, laboured together with the spirit, and worked with it in every undertaking, behaving with strength and courage, he chose it as a partner with the holy spirit. For the conduct of this flesh was pleasing, because it was not defiled on earth while possessing the holy spirit.
Greek source
σύμβουλον οὖν ἔλαβε τὸν υἱὸν καὶ τοὺς ἀγγέλους τοὺς ἐνδόξους, ἵνα καὶ ἡ σὰρξ αὕτη, δουλεύσασα τῷ [πνεύμα]τι ἀμέμπτως, σχῇ τόπον τινὰ κατασκηνώσεως, καὶ μὴ δόξῃ τὸν μισθὸν τῆς δουλείας αὐτῆς ἀπολωλεκέναι· πᾶσα γὰρ σὰρξ ἀπολήμψεται μισθὸν ἡ εὑρεθεῖσα ἀμίαντος καὶ ἄσπιλος, ἐν ᾗ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον κατῴκησεν.
Translation
“So he took the son and the glorious angels as advisers, so that this flesh too, having served the [spirit] blamelessly, might have a place to dwell and might not seem to have lost the reward for its service. For all flesh will receive a reward if it is found undefiled and unstained and the holy spirit has dwelt in it.
Greek source
ἔχεις καὶ ταύτης τῆς παραβολῆς τὴν ἐπίλυσιν.
Translation
“You now have the explanation of this parable too.”
Chapter 7
Greek source
Ηὐφράνθην, φημί, κύριε, ταύτην τὴν ἐπίλυσιν ἀκούσας. Ἄκουε νῦν, φησί· τὴν σάρκα σου ταύτην φύλασσε καθαρὰν καὶ ἀμίαντον, ἵνα τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ κατοικῆσαν ἐν αὐτῇ μαρτυρήσῃ αὐτῇ καὶ δικαιωθῇ σου ἡ σάρξ.
Translation
“Sir,” I said, “I am glad to have heard this explanation.” “Now listen,” he said. “Keep this flesh of yours pure and undefiled, so that the spirit that has dwelt in it may bear witness for it and your flesh may be vindicated.
Greek source
βλέπε, μήποτέ σου ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν ἀναβῇ τὴν σάρκα σου ταύτην φθαρτὴν εἶναι καὶ παραχρήσῃ αὐτῇ ἐν μιασμῷ τινι. ἐὰν μιάνῃς τὴν σάρκα σου, μιανεῖς καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον· κἂν μιάνῃς τὴν σάρκα σου, οὐ ζήσῃ.
Translation
“Take care: never let the thought rise in your heart that this flesh of yours is perishable, and do not misuse it by any defilement. If you defile your flesh, you will also defile the holy spirit. If you defile your flesh, you will not live.”
Greek source
Εἰ δέ τις, φημί, κύριε, γέγονεν ἄγνοια προτέρα, πρὶν ἀκουσθῆναι τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα, πῶς σωθήσεται ὁ ἄνθρωπος ὁ μιάνας τὴν σάρκα ἑαυτοῦ; Περὶ τῶν προτέρων, φησίν, ἀγνοημάτων τῷ θεῷ μόνῳ δυνατὸν ἴασιν δοῦναι· αὐτοῦ γὰρ πᾶσά ἐστιν ἡ ἐξουσία.
Translation
“But, sir,” I asked, “if there was some earlier act of ignorance, before these words were heard, how will the person who defiled their own flesh be saved?” “As for earlier acts of ignorance,” he said, “God alone can grant healing, for all authority is his.
Greek source
ἀλλὰ τὰ νῦν φύλασσε, καὶ ὁ κύριος πάντως πολύσπλαγχνος ὢν αὐτὰ ἰάσεται ἐάν σου τὴν σάρκα λοιπὸν μὴ μιάνῃς μηδὲ τὸ πνεῦμα· ἀμφότερα γὰρ κοινά ἐστιν καὶ ἄτερ ἀλλήλων μιανθῆναι οὐ δύναται. ἀμφότερα οὖν καθαρὰ φύλασσε, καὶ ζήσῃ τῷ θεῷ.
Translation
“But observe these things now. The Lord, being deeply compassionate, will certainly heal those earlier acts if from now on you defile neither your flesh nor the spirit. For the two belong together and cannot be defiled apart from one another. So keep both pure, and you will live for God.”
Reader’s notes
1. 5.1.1–3
“Station” transliterates στατίων, a borrowed term whose meaning Hermas immediately explains as fasting. The translation retains the question and answer rather than supplying a particular weekly timetable or later ecclesiastical observance.
2. 5.2.1ad2–3
This is one combined source ID followed by a sentence boundary that falls between παρ’ and ἐμοί. The English promise of freedom likewise continues across the ID headings. The slave is an enslaved person in the story, promised actual freedom and subsequently a share in the inheritance; “employee” would change the social relation. The stakes are retained as the objects later identified with angels.
3. 5.3.3–9
Doing good beyond the commandment, greater glory, bread and water, calculating the food expenditure, and giving the saving to someone in need remain distinct. No later technical doctrine about surplus merit is inserted. “Fill their own soul” in 5.3.7 retains ἐμπλήσῃ τὴν ἑαυτοῦ ψυχήν in a context involving food and a recipient's prayer.
4. 5.5.2; 5.6.1 — substantial supplied readings
The sentence identifying the story's son with the holy spirit is supplied. The story's slave is separately identified with the Son of God. In 5.6.1 the negation “not” is supplied. Both are translated as the chosen source presents them, with their editorial status visible. They are not silently removed, exchanged, or harmonized. The PTA tags do not establish the intervention's origin or textual authority; confirmation requires the printed apparatus.
5. 5.6.4
English syntax places “is” before “lord,” while the Greek supplied span begins with ἐστι after κύριος. The marked English phrase gives the substantive continuation, “of the people … from his Father”; the copula has moved outside that marker for normal English word order. No ancient words have been added to the Greek source.
6. 5.6.5–7
The pre-existing holy spirit is explicitly the subject of creating all creation; God is the subject of making it dwell in chosen flesh. The flesh serves and works with the spirit. In 5.6.6–7 “he” takes God as the contextual subject of choosing a partner and consulting the son and angels; the Greek does not repeat that subject's name. The relations are preserved without identifying every role with a later doctrinal system. “Might not seem” in 5.6.7 retains the qualification μὴ δόξῃ.
7. 5.7.1–4
The spirit's testimony for the flesh, the flesh's vindication, earlier acts of ignorance, God's healing, and the conditions of future purity remain distinct. The warning against misusing flesh on the assumption that it perishes is not turned into a modern explanation of body and mind.
8. Partial supplied spans
In 5.1.1 the source reads λέγοντά ⟦supplied⟧[μοι τοι]⟦/supplied⟧αῦτα; only the beginning of τοιαῦτα is supplied. In 5.6.7 it reads τῷ ⟦supplied⟧[πνεύμα]⟦/supplied⟧τι; the ending of πνεύματι is outside the supplied span.
supplied:partialmarks the affected English expressions, with square brackets retained. It does not claim that every letter of the corresponding Greek words is supplied.
About this edition
English translation v02. Greek source v01: Molly Whittaker, second revised edition, 1967; Patristic Text Archive (2018), Annette von Stockhausen — conversion to CTS-compliant PTA TEI and markup of places and persons. Technical derivative: Stromata Editions, 2026-09-29. Fixed version ef861ab3.
Dotted underlining marks editorial supplied spans in the selected source and the corresponding translation, including partial spans. The sign alone does not establish the intervention’s nature or necessarily indicate a conjecture. Original square brackets are preserved.
Latin ending: the ancient Vulgata edited by Adolphus Hilgenfeld, Hermae Pastor (Leipzig, 1873), pp. 155–164; project source HER-ENDING-SOURCE-v01. Hilgenfeld took the insertion in Sim. 10.2.4 from the Palatina and added habet himself. The Greek digital source’s license does not automatically cover the Latin edition or the translations.
The translation is a reviewed working version following an AI editorial pass; human philological review is not claimed.
The reproduced Greek source and its technical derivative: CC BY-SA 4.0. Whitespace adapted for reading; words and diacritics preserved. Attribution does not imply endorsement of Stromata by PTA contributors.
Vulgata · Hilgenfeld 1873 · StromataPTA · ef861ab3CC BY-SA 4.0
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