Stromata Editions · The Shepherd of Hermas
Similitude IX · chapters 17–24
Sim. 9.17.1–9.24.4
Complete audiobook →Chapter 17
Greek source
Νῦν οὖν, κύριε, περὶ τῶν ὀρέων μοι δήλωσον· διατί ἄλλαι καὶ ἄλλαι εἰσὶν αἱ ἰδέαι καὶ ποικίλαι; Ἄκουε, φησί. τὰ ὄρη ταῦτα δώδεκά εἰσι φυλαὶ αἱ κατοικοῦσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον. ἐκηρύχθη οὖν εἰς ταύτας ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ διὰ τῶν ἀποστόλων.
Translation
“Now, sir, explain the mountains to me. Why do they have so many different appearances?” “Listen,” he said. “These mountains are twelve tribes inhabiting the whole world. The Son of God was proclaimed to them through the apostles.”
Greek source
Διατί δὲ ποικίλα καὶ ἄλλη καὶ ἄλλη ἰδέα ἐστὶ τὰ ὄρη, δήλωσόν μοι, κύριε. Ἄκουε, φησίν. αἱ δώδεκα φυλαὶ αὗται αἱ κατοικοῦσαι ὅλον τὸν κόσμον δώδεκα ἔθνη εἰσί· ποικίλα δέ εἰσι τῇ φρονήσει καὶ τῷ νοΐ· οἷα οὖν εἶδες τὰ ὄρη ποικίλα, τοιαῦταί εἰσι καὶ τούτων αἱ ποικιλίαι τοῦ νοὸς τῶν ἐθνῶν καὶ ἡ φρόνησις. δηλώσω δέ σοι καὶ ἑνὸς ἑκάστου τὴν πρᾶξιν.
Translation
“Explain to me, sir, why the mountains vary and each has a different appearance.” “Listen,” he said. “These twelve tribes inhabiting the whole world are twelve nations. They vary in their thinking and understanding. Just as you saw the mountains differ, so the nations' understanding and thinking differ. I will also explain the conduct of each.”
Greek source
Πρῶτον, φημί, κύριε, τοῦτο δήλωσον, διατί οὕτω ποικίλα ὄντα τὰ ὄρη, εἰς τὴν οἰκοδομὴν ὅταν ἐτέθησαν οἱ λίθοι αὐτῶν, μιᾷ χρόᾳ ἐγένοντο λαμπροί, ὡς καὶ οἱ ἐκ τοῦ βυθοῦ ἀναβεβηκότες λίθοι;
Translation
“First, sir,” I said, “explain this: when the mountains varied so much, why did their stones become bright and of one colour when placed in the building, like the stones that came up from the deep?”
Greek source
Ὅτι, φησί, πάντα τὰ ἔθνη τὰ ὑπὸ τὸν οὐρανὸν κατοικοῦντα, ἀκούσαντα καὶ πιστεύσαντα ἐπὶ τῷ ὀνόματι ἐκλήθησαν τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ. λαβόντες οὖν τὴν σφραγῖδα μίαν φρόνησιν ἔσχον καὶ ἕνα νοῦν, καὶ μία πίστις αὐτῶν ἐγένετο καὶ μία ἀγάπη, καὶ τὰ πνεύματα τῶν παρθένων μετὰ τοῦ ὀνόματος ἐφόρεσαν· διὰ τοῦτο ἡ οἰκοδομὴ τοῦ πύργου μιᾷ χρόᾳ ἐγένετο λαμπρὰ ὡς ὁ ἥλιος.
Translation
“Because,” he said, “all the nations dwelling under heaven that heard and believed were called by the name of the Son of God. On receiving the seal, they had one way of thinking and one understanding. Their faith became one, and their love one. Together with the name, they bore the virgins' spirits. That is why the tower's construction became one colour, bright as the sun.
Greek source
μετὰ δὲ τὸ εἰσελθεῖν αὐτοὺς ἐπὶ τὸ αὐτὸ καὶ γενέσθαι ἓν σῶμα, τινὲς ἐξ αὐτῶν ἐμίαναν ἑαυτοὺς καὶ ἐξεβλήθησαν ἐκ τοῦ γένους τῶν δικαίων, καὶ πάλιν ἐγένοντο, οἷοι πρότεροι ἦσαν, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ χείρονες.
Translation
“But after they came together and became one body, some defiled themselves and were thrown out of the company of the righteous. They became as they had been before—or rather, even worse.”
Chapter 18
Greek source
Πῶς, φημί, κύριε, ἐγένοντο χείρονες, θεὸν ἐπεγνωκότες; Ὁ μὴ γινώσκων, φησί, θεὸν καὶ πονηρευόμενος ἔχει κόλασίν τινα τῆς πονηρίας αὐτοῦ, ὁ δὲ θεὸν ἐπιγνοὺς οὐκέτι ὀφείλει πονηρεύεσθαι, ἀλλ’ ἀγαθοποιεῖν.
Translation
“How did they become worse, sir,” I asked, “when they had come to know God?” “Someone who does not know God and acts wickedly,” he said, “receives a certain punishment for their wickedness. But someone who has come to know God ought no longer to act wickedly, but to do good.
Greek source
ἐὰν οὖν ὁ ὀφείλων ἀγαθοποιεῖν πονηρεύηται, οὐ δοκεῖ πλείονα πονηρίαν ποιεῖν παρὰ τὸν μὴ γινώσκοντα τὸν θεόν; διὰ τοῦτο οἱ μὴ ἐγνωκότες θεὸν καὶ πονηρευόμενοι κεκριμένοι εἰσὶν εἰς θάνατον, οἱ δὲ τὸν θεὸν ἐγνωκότες καὶ τὰ μεγαλεῖα αὐτοῦ ἑωρακότες καὶ πονηρευόμενοι δισσῶς κολασθήσονται καὶ ἀποθανοῦνται εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα.
Translation
“If someone who ought to do good acts wickedly, does that person not seem to commit greater wickedness than someone who does not know God? That is why those who have not known God and act wickedly have been condemned to death. But those who have known God, seen his mighty deeds, and act wickedly will be punished twice over and die for ever.
Greek source
οὕτως οὖν καθαρισθήσεται ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ, ὡς εἶδες ἐκ τοῦ πύργου τοὺς λίθους ἠρμένους καὶ παραδεδομένους τοῖς πνεύμασι τοῖς πονηροῖς καὶ ἐκεῖθεν ἐκβληθέντας· καὶ ἔσται ἓν σῶμα τῶν κεκαθαρμένων. ὥσπερ καὶ ὁ πύργος ἐγένετο ὡς ἐξ ἑνὸς λίθου γεγονὼς μετὰ τὸ καθαρισθῆναι αὐτόν, οὕτως ἔσται καὶ ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ μετὰ τὸ καθαρισθῆναι αὐτὴν καὶ ἀποβληθῆναι τοὺς πονηροὺς καὶ ὑποκριτὰς καὶ βλασφήμους καὶ διψύχους καὶ πονηρευομένους ποικίλαις πονηρίαις.
Translation
“God's assembly will therefore be cleansed in the way you saw stones removed from the tower, handed over to the wicked spirits, and thrown out from there. Those who have been cleansed will form one body. Just as the tower became like a single stone after it was cleaned, so God's assembly will be after it is cleansed and the wicked, hypocrites, blasphemers, the wavering, and those practising various wickednesses are cast out.
Greek source
μετὰ τὸ τούτους ἀποβληθῆναι ἔσται ἡ ἐκκλησία τοῦ θεοῦ ἓν σῶμα, μία φρόνησις, εἷς νοῦς, μία πίστις, μία ἀγάπη· καὶ τότε ὁ υἱὸς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀγαλλιάσεται καὶ εὐφρανθήσεται ἐν αὐτοῖς ἀπειληφὼς τὸν λαὸν αὐτοῦ καθαρόν. Μεγάλως, φημί, κύριε, καὶ ἐνδόξως πάντα ἔχει.
Translation
“After these have been cast out, God's assembly will be one body, one way of thinking, one understanding, one faith, and one love. Then the Son of God will rejoice and be glad among them, having received his people pure.” “Sir,” I said, “everything is great and glorious.”
Greek source
Ἔτι, φημί, κύριε, τῶν ὀρέων ἑνὸς ἑκάστου δήλωσόν μοι τὴν δύναμιν καὶ τὰς πράξεις, ἵνα πᾶσα ψυχὴ πεποιθυῖα ἐπὶ τὸν κύριον ἀκούσασα δοξάσῃ τὸ μέγα καὶ θαυμαστὸν καὶ ἔνδοξον ὄνομα αὐτοῦ. Ἄκουε, φησί, τῶν ὀρέων τὴν ποικιλίαν καὶ τῶν δώδεκα ἐθνῶν.
Translation
“Sir,” I said, “explain also the meaning and conduct of each mountain, so that every soul trusting in the Lord may hear and glorify his great, marvellous, and glorious name.” “Listen,” he said, “to the differences among the mountains and the twelve nations.
Chapter 19
Greek source
Ἐκ τοῦ πρώτου ὄρους τοῦ μέλανος οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἀποστάται καὶ βλάσφημοι εἰς τὸν κύριον καὶ προδόται τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ. τούτοις δὲ μετάνοια οὐκ ἔστι, θάνατος δὲ ἔστι, καὶ διὰ τοῦτο καὶ μέλανές εἰσι· καὶ γὰρ τὸ γένος αὐτῶν ἄνομόν ἐστιν.
Translation
“Those who believed from the first, black mountain are like this: deserters, blasphemers against the Lord, and betrayers of God's servants. For them there is no repentance, but death. That is why they are black, for their kind is lawless.
Greek source
ἐκ δὲ τοῦ δευτέρου ὄρους τοῦ ψιλοῦ οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ὑποκριταὶ καὶ διδάσκαλοι πονηρίας. καὶ οὗτοι οὖν τοῖς προτέροις ὅμοιοί εἰσι, μὴ ἔχοντες καρπὸν δικαιοσύνης· ὡς γὰρ τὸ ὄρος αὐτῶν ἄκαρπον, οὕτω καὶ οἱ ἄνθρωποι οἱ τοιοῦτοι ὄνομα μὲν ἔχουσιν, ἀπὸ δὲ τῆς πίστεως κενοί εἰσι καὶ οὐδεὶς ἐν αὐτοῖς καρπὸς ἀληθείας. τούτοις οὖν μετάνοια κεῖται, ἐὰν ταχὺ μετανοήσωσιν· ἐὰν δὲ βραδύνωσι, μετὰ τῶν προτέρων ἔσται ὁ θάνατος αὐτῶν.
Translation
“Those who believed from the second, bare mountain are like this: hypocrites and teachers of wickedness. They too resemble the first group, bearing no fruit of righteousness. As their mountain is fruitless, so people like these have the name, but are empty of faith, with no fruit of truth among them. Repentance is available to them if they repent quickly. If they delay, they will share the first group's death.”
Greek source
Διατί, φημί, κύριε, τούτοις μετάνοιά ἐστι, τοῖς δὲ πρώτοις οὐκ ἔστι; παρά τι γὰρ αἱ αὐταὶ αἱ πράξεις αὐτῶν εἰσι. Διὰ τοῦτο, φησί, τούτοις μετάνοια κεῖται, ὅτι οὐκ ἐβλασφήμησαν τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν οὐδὲ ἐγένοντο προδόται τῶν δούλων τοῦ θεοῦ· διὰ δὲ τὴν ἐπιθυμίαν τοῦ λήμματος ὑπεκρίθησαν καὶ ἐδίδαξεν ἕκαστος κατὰ τὰς ἐπιθυμίας τῶν ἀνθρώπων τῶν ἁμαρτανόντων. ἀλλὰ τίσουσι δίκην τινά· κεῖται δὲ αὐτοῖς μετάνοια διὰ τὸ μὴ γενέσθαι αὐτοὺς βλασφήμους μηδὲ προδότας.
Translation
“Why, sir,” I asked, “is repentance available to these but not to the first group? Their conduct is almost the same.” “Repentance is available to these,” he said, “because they did not blaspheme their Lord or betray God's servants. Their desire for gain made them hypocrites, and each taught according to the desires of people who were sinning. They will pay a certain penalty, but repentance is available to them because they did not become blasphemers or betrayers.
Chapter 20
Greek source
Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ τρίτου τοῦ ἔχοντος ἀκάνθας καὶ τριβόλους οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· ἐξ αὐτῶν οἱ μὲν πλούσιοι, οἱ δὲ πραγματείαις πολλαῖς ἐμπεφυρμένοι. οἱ μὲν τρίβολοί εἰσιν οἱ πλούσιοι, αἱ δὲ ἄκανθαι οἱ ἐν ταῖς πραγματείαις ταῖς ποικίλαις ἐμπεφυρμένοι.
Translation
“Those who believed from the third mountain, with thorns and thistles, are like this: some are rich, others entangled in many dealings. The thistles are the rich; the thorns are those entangled in their various dealings.
Greek source
οὗτοι οὖν, οἱ ἐν πολλαῖς καὶ ποικίλαις πραγματείαις ἐμπεφυρμένοι, οὐ κολλῶνται τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ, ἀλλ’ ἀποπλανῶνται πνιγόμενοι ὑπὸ τῶν πράξεων αὐτῶν· οἱ δὲ πλούσιοι δυσκόλως. κολλῶνται τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ, φοβούμενοι μή τι αἰτισθῶσιν ὑπ’ αὐτῶν· οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν δυσκόλως εἰσελεύσονται εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ.
Translation
“These people, then, entangled in many different dealings, do not hold closely to God's servants, but stray away, choked by their activities. The rich hold closely to God's servants only with difficulty, fearing that they may be asked for something. People like these will enter God's kingdom only with difficulty.
Greek source
ὥσπερ γὰρ ἐν τριβόλοις γυμνοῖς ποσὶ περιπατεῖν δύσκολόν ἐστιν, οὕτω καὶ τοῖς τοιούτοις δύσκολόν ἐστιν εἰς τὴν βασιλείαν τοῦ θεοῦ εἰσελθεῖν.
Translation
“Just as it is difficult to walk barefoot among thistles, so it is difficult for people like these to enter God's kingdom.
Greek source
ἀλλὰ τούτοις πᾶσι μετάνοιά ἐστι, ταχινὴ δέ, ἵν’ ὃ τοῖς προτέροις χρόνοις οὐκ εἰργάσαντο, νῦν ἀναδράμωσιν ταῖς ἡμέραις καὶ ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσωσιν. ἐὰν οὖν μετανοήσωσι καὶ ἀγαθόν τι ποιήσωσι, ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ· ἐὰν δὲ ἐπιμείνωσι ταῖς πράξεσιν αὐτῶν, παραδοθήσονται ταῖς γυναιξὶν ἐκείναις, αἵτινες αὐτοὺς θανατώσουσιν.
Translation
“Repentance is available to all these, but it must be swift, so that they may now make up the days and do some good that they did not do in earlier times. If they repent and do some good, they will live for God. If they persist in their conduct, they will be handed over to those women, who will put them to death.
Chapter 21
Greek source
Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ τετάρτου ὄρους τοῦ ἔχοντος βοτάνας πολλάς, τὰ μὲν ἐπάνω τῶν βοτανῶν χλωρά, τὰ δὲ πρὸς ταῖς ῥίζαις ξηρά, τινὲς δὲ καὶ ἀπὸ τοῦ ἡλίου ξηραινόμεναι, οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν· οἱ μὲν δίψυχοι, οἱ δὲ τὸν κύριον ἔχοντες ἐπὶ τὰ χείλη, ἐπὶ τὴν καρδίαν δὲ μὴ ἔχοντες.
Translation
“Those who believed from the fourth mountain, with much vegetation green at the top but dry near the roots, and some dried by the sun, are like this: some are wavering, and others have the Lord on their lips but not in their heart.
Greek source
διὰ τοῦτο τὰ θεμέλια αὐτῶν ξηρά ἐστι καὶ δύναμιν μὴ ἔχοντα, καὶ τὰ ῥήματα αὐτῶν μόνα ζῶσι, τὰ δὲ ἔργα αὐτῶν νεκρά ἐστιν. οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὔτε ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν. ὅμοιοι οὖν εἰσι τοῖς διψύχοις· καὶ γὰρ οἱ δίψυχοι οὔτε χλωροί εἰσιν οὔτε ξηροί· οὔτε γὰρ ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν.
Translation
“That is why their foundations are dry and powerless. Only their words live; their deeds are dead. People like these are neither alive nor dead. They resemble the wavering, for the wavering are neither green nor dry: they are neither alive nor dead.
Greek source
ὥσπερ γὰρ αὗται αἱ βοτάναι ἥλιον ἰδοῦσαι ἐξηράνθησαν, οὕτω καὶ οἱ δίψυχοι, ὅταν θλῖψιν ἀκούσωσι, διὰ τὴν δειλίαν αὐτῶν εἰδωλολατροῦσι καὶ τὸ ὄνομα ἐπαισχύνονται τοῦ κυρίου αὐτῶν.
Translation
“Just as these plants dried when they encountered the sun, so the wavering, when they hear of distress, worship idols because of their cowardice and become ashamed of their Lord's name.
Greek source
οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν οὔτε ζῶσιν οὔτε τεθνήκασιν. ἀλλὰ καὶ οὗτοι ἐὰν ταχὺ μετανοήσωσιν, δυνήσονται ζῆσαι· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοήσωσιν, ἤδη παραδεδομένοι εἰσὶ ταῖς γυναιξὶ ταῖς ἀποφερομέναις τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν.
Translation
“People like these are neither alive nor dead. Yet if they too repent quickly, they will be able to live. But if they do not repent, they have already been handed over to the women who take away their life.
Chapter 22
Greek source
Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ὄρους τοῦ πέμπτου τοῦ ἔχοντος βοτάνας χλωρὰς καὶ τραχέος ὄντος οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσι· πιστοὶ μέν, δυσμαθεῖς δὲ καὶ αὐθάδεις καὶ ἑαυτοῖς ἀρέσκοντες, θέλοντες πάντα γινώσκειν, καὶ οὐδὲν ὅλως γινώσκουσι.
Translation
“Those who believed from the fifth mountain, rugged but with green vegetation, are like this: faithful, but hard to teach, presumptuous, and pleased with themselves. They want to know everything, but know nothing at all.
Greek source
διὰ τὴν αὐθάδειαν αὐτῶν ταύτην ἀπέστη ἀπ’ αὐτῶν ἡ σύνεσις, καὶ εἰσῆλθεν εἰς αὐτοὺς ἀφροσύνη μωρά. ἐπαινοῦσι δὲ ἑαυτοὺς ὡς σύνεσιν ἔχοντας καὶ θέλουσιν ἐθελοδιδάσκαλοι εἶναι, ἄφρονες ὄντες.
Translation
“Because of this presumption, understanding departed from them and senseless foolishness entered them. They praise themselves as having understanding and, though foolish, want to be self-appointed teachers.
Greek source
διὰ ταύτην οὖν τὴν ὑψηλοφροσύνην πολλοὶ ἐκενώθησαν ὑψοῦντες ἑαυτούς· μέγα γὰρ δαιμόν[ιόν ἐστ]ιν [ἡ αὐθάδει]α [καὶ ἡ κενὴ πεποίθησις·] ἐκ τούτων οὖν πολλοὶ ἀπεβλήθησαν, τινὲς δὲ μετενόησαν καὶ ἐπίστευσαν καὶ ὑπέταξαν ἑαυτ[οὺς τοῖς] ἔχουσι σύν[εσιν, γνόντες τὴν] ἑαυτῶν ἀφροσύνην.
Translation
“Because of this arrogance, many were emptied as they exalted themselves. For [presumption] [and empty confidence] [are a great demon]. Many of these were rejected, but some repented, believed, and submitted [themselves to] those with [understanding, recognizing] their own foolishness.
Greek source
καὶ τοῖς λοιποῖς δὲ τοῖς τοιούτοις κεῖται μετάνοια· οὐκ ἐγένοντο γὰρ πονηροί, μᾶλλον δὲ [μωροὶ καὶ ἀσύνετοι. οὗτοι οὖν ἐὰν] μετανοήσωσι, ζήσονται τῷ θεῷ· ἐὰν δὲ μὴ μετανοήσωσι, κατοικήσουσι μετὰ τῶν γυναικῶν τῶν πονηρευομένων εἰς αὐτούς.
Translation
“Repentance is also available to the rest of these people. They did not become wicked, but rather [foolish and lacking understanding. So if these people] repent, they will live for God. If they do not repent, they will dwell with the women who do wicked things to them.
Chapter 23
Greek source
Οἱ δὲ ἐκ τ[οῦ ὄρους τοῦ] ἕκτου τοῦ ἔχοντος σχισμὰς μεγάλας καὶ μικρὰς καὶ ἐν ταῖς σχισμαῖς βοτάνας μεμαραμμένας πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσιν.
Translation
“Those who believed from [the sixth mountain], with large and small cracks and withered plants in the cracks, are like this.
Greek source
οἱ μὲν τὰς σχισμὰς τὰς μικρὰς ἔχοντες, οὗτοί εἰσιν οἱ κατ’ ἀλλήλων ἔχοντες, καὶ ἀπὸ τῶν καταλαλιῶν ἑαυτῶν μεμαραμμένοι εἰσὶν ἐν τῇ πίστει· ἀλλὰ μετενό[ησαν] ἐκ τούτων πολλοί. καὶ οἱ λοιποὶ δὲ μετανοήσουσιν, ὅταν ἀκούσωσί μου τὰς ἐντολάς· μικραὶ γὰρ αὐτῶν εἰσιν αἱ καταλαλιαί, καὶ ταχὺ μετανοήσουσιν.
Translation
“Those with small cracks are the people who hold things against one another and have withered in faith through their slanders. But many of these [repented]. The rest will also repent when they hear my commandments, for their slanders are slight, and they will repent quickly.
Greek source
οἱ δὲ μεγάλας ἔχοντες σχισμάς, οὗτοι παράμονοί εἰσι ταῖς καταλαλιαῖς αὐτῶν καὶ μνησίκακοι γίνονται μηνιῶντες ἀλλή[λοις·] οὗτοι οὖν ἀπὸ τοῦ πύργου ἀπερρίφησαν καὶ ἀπεδοκιμάσθησαν τῆς οἰκοδομῆς αὐτοῦ.
Translation
“Those with large cracks persist in their slanders and bear grudges, raging against [one another]. They were therefore thrown away from the tower and rejected from its construction.
Greek source
οἱ τοιοῦτοι οὖν δυσκόλως ζήσονται. εἰ ὁ θεὸς καὶ ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν ὁ πάντων κυριεύων καὶ ἔχων πάσης τῆς κτίσεως αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐξουσίαν οὐ μνησικακεῖ τοῖς ἐξομολογουμένοις τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐ[τῶν], ἀλλ’ ἵλεως γίνεται, ἄνθρωπος φθαρτὸς ὢν καὶ πλήρης ἁμαρτιῶν ἀνθρώπῳ μνησικακεῖ ὡς δυνάμενος ἀπολέσαι ἢ σῶσαι αὐτόν;
Translation
“People like these will gain life only with difficulty. If God and our Lord, who rules everything and has authority over all his creation, bears no grudge against those who confess [their] sins, but is gracious, how can a perishable human being, full of sins, bear a grudge against another person as though able to destroy or save them?
Greek source
λέγω δ[ὲ ὑ]μ[ῖν, ὁ] ἄγγελος τῆς μετανοίας· ὅσοι ταύτην ἔχετε τὴν αἵρεσιν, ἀπόθεσθε αὐτὴν καὶ μετανοήσατε, καὶ ὁ κύριος ἰάσεται ὑμῶν τὰ πρότερ[α ἁμαρτήματα,] ἐὰν καθαρίσητε ἑαυτοὺς ἀπὸ τούτου τοῦ δαιμονίου· εἰ δὲ μή, παραδοθήσεσθε αὐτῷ εἰς θάνατον.
Translation
“I, the angel of repentance, say [to] [you]: all of you who have this disposition, put it aside and repent. The Lord will heal your [earlier sins] if you cleanse yourselves of this demon. Otherwise, you will be handed over to it for death.
Chapter 24
Greek source
Ἐκ δὲ τοῦ ἑβδόμο[υ ὄρους, ἐν ᾧ βοτάναι] χλωραὶ [καὶ] ἱλαραί, καὶ ὅλον τὸ ὄρος εὐθηνοῦν, καὶ πᾶν γένος κτηνῶν καὶ τὰ πετεινὰ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ἐνέμοντο τὰς βοτ[άνας ἐν τούτῳ τῷ] ὄρει, καὶ αἱ βοτάναι, ἃς ἐνέμοντο, μᾶλλον εὐθαλεῖς ἐγίνοντο, οἱ πιστεύσαντες τοιοῦτοί εἰσι·
Translation
“The [seventh mountain had plants] green [and] cheerful, and the whole mountain was thriving. Every kind of animal and the birds of heaven grazed on the [plants on this] mountain, and the plants they grazed on flourished all the more. Those who believed from this mountain are like this:
Greek source
πάντοτε ἁπλοῖ [καὶ ἄ]κακοι [καὶ μακάριοι ἐ]γίνοντο, μηδὲν κατ’ ἀλλήλων ἔχοντες, ἀλλὰ πάντοτε ἀγαλλιώμενοι ἐπὶ τοῖς δούλοις τοῦ θεοῦ καὶ ἐνδεδυμένοι [τὸ] πνεῦμα [τὸ ἅγιον τούτων τῶν πα]ρθένων καὶ πάντοτε σπλάγχνον ἔχοντες ἐπὶ πάντα ἄνθρωπον, καὶ ἐκ τῶν κόπων αὐτῶν παντὶ ἀνθρώπῳ ἐχορήγησαν ἀνονειδίστως καὶ ἀδιστάκτως.
Translation
“They were always simple-hearted [and innocent] [and blessed], holding nothing against one another, but always rejoicing over God's servants. They put on [the] [holy spirit of these virgins] and always had compassion for every person. From their labours they provided for everyone, without reproach or hesitation.
Greek source
[ὁ οὖν] κύριος ἰδὼν τὴν ἁπλότητα αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν νηπιότητα ἐπλήθυνεν αὐτοὺς ἐν τοῖς κόποις τῶν χειρῶν αὐτῶν καὶ ἐχαρίτωσεν αὐτοὺς ἐν πάσῃ πράξει αὐτῶν.
Translation
“[So the] Lord saw their simplicity and complete childlike innocence, increased the fruit of their hands' labours, and granted them favour in everything they did.
Greek source
λέγω δὲ ὑμῖν τοῖς τοιούτοις οὖσιν ἐγὼ ὁ ἄγγελος τῆς μετανοίας· διαμείνατε τοιοῦτοι, καὶ οὐκ ἐξαλειφθήσεται [τὸ ς]πέρμα ὑμῶν ἕως αἰῶνος· ἐδοκίμασε γὰρ ὑμᾶς ὁ κύριος καὶ ἐνέγραψεν ὑμᾶς εἰς τὸν ἀριθμὸν τὸν ἡμέτερον, καὶ ὅλον τὸ σπέρμα ὑμῶν κατοικήσει μετὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ τοῦ θεοῦ· ἐκ γὰρ τοῦ πνεύματος αὐτοῦ ἐλάβετε.
Translation
“I, the angel of repentance, say to you who are like this: remain as you are, and your [offspring] will never be blotted out. The Lord has tested you and inscribed you among our number. All your offspring will dwell with the Son of God, for you have received from his spirit.
Reader’s notes
1. 9.17–18
The twelve tribes are explained as twelve nations inhabiting the world; no list of historical nationalities has been invented. One body, understanding, faith, and love retain their repeated relationships. Those who act wickedly after knowing God are said to receive double punishment. This is not changed into an assertion that knowledge excuses wrongdoing.
2. 9.19–21
The different opportunities for repentance depend on the stated distinctions: blasphemy and betrayal, desire for gain, entanglement in dealings, fear of being asked for help, wavering, and having the Lord only on one's lips. “With difficulty” does not mean “impossibly.” Worshipping idols in 9.21.3 remains the stated response to feared distress, not a modern psychological explanation.
3. 9.22.3–4
Presumption and empty confidence are called a great demon. Their bearers are distinguished as foolish rather than necessarily wicked. The bodily and demonic images remain; the supplied passages have not been converted into unmarked commentary.
4. 9.23.4–5
“God and our Lord” preserves the Greek coordination without settling its theological reference by punctuation or an added name. The contrast between divine forgiveness and a sinful person's grudge retains both agents. Αἵρεσις is “disposition” here, not automatically a later technical “heresy.”
5. 9.24.2–4; 9.25.2
The singular “holy spirit of these virgins” follows the chosen Greek. “Offspring” renders σπέρμα, retaining the promise concerning descendants rather than silently making it only a reference to followers. “Their passage is in the company of the angels” retains the unusual πάροδος in 9.25.2; whether this concerns passage, entrance, or passing onward remains a lexical question.
6. Partial supplied spans in the final Greek section
supplied:partialmarks an affected English expression when only part of a Greek word or numeral lies inside the original supplied span. English phrases may also change order for normal syntax. These markers do not claim that all corresponding Greek letters were supplied. Where two supplied spans fall within one Greek word or expression (9.23.5 and 9.28.7), two markers remain in English. The Greek supplied portions for these partial cases are listed below; ordinary supplied spans remain separately marked in the translation. Square brackets present in the source are retained.7. Sim. 9.22.3
Partial spans: 4 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[ιόν ἐστ];[ἡ αὐθάδει];[οὺς τοῖς];[εσιν, γνόντες τὴν]8. Sim. 9.23.1
Partial spans: 1 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[οῦ ὄρους τοῦ]9. Sim. 9.23.2
Partial spans: 1 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[ησαν]10. Sim. 9.23.3
Partial spans: 1 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[λοις·]11. Sim. 9.23.4
Partial spans: 1 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[τῶν]12. Sim. 9.23.5
Partial spans: 3 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[ὲ ὑ];[ῖν, ὁ];[α ἁμαρτήματα,]13. Sim. 9.24.1
Partial spans: 2 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[υ ὄρους, ἐν ᾧ βοτάναι];[άνας ἐν τούτῳ τῷ]14. Sim. 9.24.2
Partial spans: 3 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[καὶ ἄ];[καὶ μακάριοι ἐ];[τὸ ἅγιον τούτων τῶν πα]15. Sim. 9.24.4
Partial spans: 1 · Greek portions inside supplied:
[τὸ ς]
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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