Stromata Editions · The Shepherd of Hermas
Vision II
Vis. 2.1.1–2.4.3
Complete audiobook →Chapter 1
Greek source
Πορευομένου μου εἰς Κούμας κατὰ τὸν καιρὸν ὃν καὶ πέρυσι, περιπατῶν ἀνεμνήσθην τῆς περυσινῆς ὁράσεως, καὶ πάλιν με αἴρει πνεῦμα καὶ ἀποφέρει εἰς τὸν αὐτὸν τόπον ὅπου καὶ πέρυσι.
Translation
I was travelling to Cumae at the same time of year as before. As I walked, I recalled the previous year's vision. Once again a spirit lifted me up and carried me to the same place as last year.
Greek source
ἐλθὼν οὖν εἰς τὸν τόπον τιθῶ τὰ γόνατα καὶ ἠρξάμην προσεύχεσθαι τῷ κυρίῳ καὶ δοξάζειν αὐτοῦ τὸ ὄνομα, ὅτι με ἄξιον ἡγήσατο καὶ ἐγνώρισέν μοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας μου τὰς πρότερον.
Translation
When I arrived, I knelt down and began to pray to the Lord and praise his name, because he had considered me worthy and made my earlier sins known to me.
Greek source
μετὰ δὲ τὸ ἐγερθῆναί με ἀπὸ τῆς προσευχῆς βλέπω ἀπέναντί μου τὴν πρεσβυτέραν ἣν καὶ πέρυσιν ἑωράκειν, περιπατοῦσαν καὶ ἀναγινώκουσαν βιβλαρίδιον. καὶ λέγει μοι· Δύνῃ ταῦτα τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς τοῦ θεοῦ ἀναγγεῖλαι; λέγω αὐτῇ· Κυρία, τοσαῦτα μνημονεῦσαι οὐ δύναμαι· δὸς δέ μοι τὸ βιβλίδιον ἵνα μεταγράψωμαι αὐτό.
Translation
After I rose from prayer, I saw before me the elderly woman I had seen the year before. She was walking and reading a little book. She said to me, “Can you report these things to God's chosen ones?” I said, “Lady, I cannot remember so much. Give me the little book so that I can copy it.”
Greek source
Λάβε, φησίν, καὶ ἀποδώσεις μοι. ἔλαβον ἐγώ, καὶ εἴς τινα τόπον τοῦ ἀγροῦ ἀναχωρήσας μετεγραψάμην πάντα πρὸς γράμμα· οὐχ ηὕρισκον γὰρ τὰς συλλαβάς. τελέσαντος οὖν τὰ γράμματα τοῦ βιβλιδίου ἐξαίφνης ἡρπάγη μου ἐκ τῆς χειρὸς τὸ βιβλίδιον· ὑπὸ τίνος δὲ οὐκ εἶδον.
Translation
“Take it,” she said, “and return it to me.” I took it and went off to a place in the field, where I copied everything letter by letter, since I could not make out the syllables. When I had finished copying the letters in the little book, it was suddenly snatched from my hand. I did not see who took it.
Chapter 2
Greek source
Μετὰ δὲ δέκα καὶ πέντε ἡμέρας νηστεύσαντός μου καὶ πολλὰ ἐρωτήσαντος τὸν κύριον ἀπεκαλύφθη μοι ἡ γνῶσις τῆς γραφῆς. ἦν δὲ γεγραμμένα ταῦτα·
Translation
Fifteen days later, after I had fasted and earnestly asked the Lord, the meaning of the writing was revealed to me. This is what was written:
Greek source
Τὸ σπέρμα σου, Ἑρμᾶ, ἠθέτησαν εἰς τὸν θεὸν καὶ ἐβλασφήμησαν εἰς τὸν κύριον καὶ προέδωκαν τοὺς γονεῖς αὐτῶν ἐν πονηρίᾳ μεγάλῃ καὶ ἤκουσαν προδόται γονέων καὶ προδόντες οὐκ ὠφελήθησαν, ἀλλὰ ἔτι προσέθηκαν ταῖς ἁμαρτίαις αὐτῶν τὰς ἀσελγείας καὶ συμφυρμοὺς πονηρίας, καὶ οὕτως ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἀνομίαι αὐτῶν.
Translation
“Your offspring, Hermas, have rejected God, spoken blasphemously against the Lord, and betrayed their parents with great wickedness. They became known as betrayers of their parents. They gained nothing from their betrayal, but added debauchery and a mixture of wicked deeds to their sins, bringing their lawlessness to its full measure.
Greek source
ἀλλὰ γνώρισον ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα τοῖς τέκνοις σου πᾶσιν καὶ τῇ συμβίῳ σου τῇ μελλούσῃ σου ἀδελφῇ· καὶ γὰρ αὕτη οὐκ ἀπέχεται τῆς γλώσσης, ἐν ᾗ πονηρεύεται· ἀλλὰ ἀκούσασα τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα ἀφέξεται καὶ ἕξει ἔλεος.
Translation
“Make these words known to all your children and to your wife, who is to be your sister. She too fails to restrain her tongue, with which she does evil. But when she hears these words, she will restrain it and receive mercy.
Greek source
μετὰ τὸ γνωρίσαι σε ταῦτα τὰ ῥήματα αὐτοῖς ἃ ἐνετείλατό μοι ὁ δεσπότης ἵνα σοι ἀποκαλυφθῇ, τότε ἀφίενται αὐτοῖς αἱ ἁμαρτίαι πᾶσαι ἃς πρότερον ἥμαρτον, καὶ πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις τοῖς ἁμαρτήσασι μέχρι ταύτης τῆς ἡμέρας, ἐὰν ἐξ ὅλης τῆς καρδίας μετανοήσουσιν καὶ ἄρωσιν ἀπὸ τῆς καρδίας αὐτῶν τὰς διψυχίας.
Translation
“Once you have made known to them these words—which the Master commanded me to reveal to you—all their earlier sins are forgiven, and so are those of all the holy ones who have sinned up to this day, if they repent with all their heart and remove their divided loyalties from their hearts.
Greek source
ὤμοσεν γὰρ ὁ δεσπότης κατὰ τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ἐκλεκτοὺς αὐτοῦ· ἐὰν ὡρισμένης τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης ἔτι ἁμάρτησις γένηται, μὴ ἔχειν αὐτοὺς σωτηρίαν· ἡ γὰρ μετάνοια τοῖς δικαίοις ἔχει τέλος· πεπλήρωνται αἱ ἡμέραι μετανοίας πᾶσιν τοῖς ἁγίοις· καὶ τοῖς δὲ ἔθνεσιν μετάνοιά ἐστιν ἕως ἐσχάτης ἡμέρας.
Translation
“For the Master has sworn by his glory concerning his chosen ones: if sin is still committed after this appointed day, they will have no salvation. For repentance has a limit for the righteous. The days of repentance have run their course for all the holy ones, whereas for the nations repentance remains possible until the last day.
Greek source
ἐρεῖς οὖν τοῖς προηγουμένοις τῆς ἐκκλησίας ἵνα κατορθώσωνται τὰς ὁδοὺς αὐτῶν ἐν δικαιοσύνῃ, ἵνα ἀπολάβωσιν ἐκ πλήρους τὰς ἐπαγγελίας μετὰ πολλῆς δόξης.
Translation
“You will therefore tell the leaders of the assembly to set their ways right in righteousness, so that they may receive the promises in full, with great glory.
Greek source
ἐμμείνατε οὖν οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν δικαιοσύνην καὶ μὴ διψυχήσητε, ἵνα γένηται ὑμῶν ἡ πάροδος μετὰ τῶν ἀγγέλων τῶν ἁγίων. μακάριοι ὑμεῖς ὅσοι ὑπομένετε τὴν θλῖψιν τὴν ἐρχομένην τὴν μεγάλην καὶ ὅσοι οὐκ ἀρνήσονται τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν.
Translation
“So persevere, you who practise righteousness, and do not waver, so that you may pass on with the holy angels. Blessed are you who endure the great distress that is coming and who will not deny your life.
Greek source
ὤμοσεν γὰρ κύριος κατὰ τοῦ υἱοῦ αὐτοῦ, τοὺς ἀρνησαμένους τὸν κύριον αὐτῶν ἀπεγνωρίσθαι ἀπὸ τῆς ζωῆς αὐτῶν, τοὺς νῦν μέλλοντας ἀρνεῖσθαι ταῖς ἐρχομέναις ἡμέραις· τοῖς δὲ πρότερον ἀρνησαμένοις, διὰ τὴν πολυσπλαγχνίαν ἵλεως ἐγένετο αὐτοῖς.
Translation
“For the Lord has sworn by his Son that those who deny their Lord are to be excluded from their life—those who are now about to deny him in the coming days. But he has been gracious to those who denied him earlier, because of his great compassion.
Chapter 3
Greek source
Σὺ δέ, Ἑρμᾶ, μηκέτι μνησικακήσῃς τοῖς τέκνοις σου, μηδὲ τὴν ἀδελφήν σου ἐάσῃς, ἵνα καθαρισθῶσιν ἀπὸ τῶν προτέρων ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν. παιδευθήσονται γὰρ παιδείᾳ δικαίᾳ, ἐὰν σὺ μὴ μνησικακήσῃς αὐτοῖς. μνησικακία θάνατον κατεργάζεται. σὺ δέ, Ἑρμᾶ, μεγάλας θλίψεις ἔσχες ἰδιωτικὰς διὰ τὰς παραβάσεις τοῦ οἴκου σου, ὅτι οὐκ ἐμέλησέν σοι περὶ αὐτῶν. ἀλλὰ παρενεθυμήθης καὶ ταῖς πραγματείαις σου συνανεφύρης ταῖς πονηραῖς·
Translation
“But you, Hermas, must no longer hold a grudge against your children, nor neglect your sister, so that they may be cleansed of their earlier sins. They will be trained by righteous discipline if you do not hold a grudge against them. Resentment brings about death. You, Hermas, have suffered great personal distress because of your household's offences, since you did not care for them. Instead, you overlooked them and became entangled in your wicked business dealings.
Greek source
ἀλλὰ σώζει σε τὸ μὴ ἀποστῆναί σε ἀπὸ θεοῦ ζῶντος, καὶ ἡ ἁπλότης σου καὶ ἡ πολλὴ ἐγκράτεια· ταῦτα σέσωκέν σε, ἐὰν ἐμμείνῃς, καὶ πάντας σώζει τοὺς τὰ τοιαῦτα ἐργαζομένους καὶ πορευομένους ἐν ἀκακίᾳ καὶ ἁπλότητι. οὗτοι κατισχύσουσιν πάσης πονηρίας καὶ παραμενοῦσιν εἰς ζωὴν αἰώνιον.
Translation
“But what saves you is that you have not deserted the living God, together with your simplicity and great self-control. These things have saved you, if you persevere, and they save all who act in this way and live in innocence and simplicity. They will overcome every wickedness and continue into eternal life.
Greek source
μακάριοι πάντες οἱ ἐργαζόμενοι τὴν δικαιοσύνην. οὐ διαφθαρήσονται ἕως αἰῶνος.
Translation
“Blessed are all who practise righteousness. They will never be destroyed.
Greek source
ἐρεῖς δὲ Μαξίμῳ· Ἰδοὺ θλῖψις ἔρχεται· ἐάν σοι φανῇ, πάλιν ἄρνησαι. ἐγγὺς κύριος τοῖς ἐπιστρεφομένοις, ὡς γέγραπται ἐν τῷ Ἐλδὰδ καὶ Μωδάτ, τοῖς προφητεύσασιν ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῷ λαῷ.
Translation
“You will say to Maximus, ‘Look, distress is coming. If that is what you think best, deny again.’ The Lord is near to those who turn back, as it is written in Eldad and Modat, who prophesied to the people in the wilderness.”
Chapter 4
Greek source
Ἀπεκαλύφθη δέ μοι, ἀδελφοί, κοιμωμένῳ ὑπὸ νεανίσκου εὐειδεστάτου λέγοντός μοι· Τὴν πρεσβυτέραν, παρ’ ἧς ἔλαβες τὸ βιβλίδιον, τίνα δοκεῖς εἶναι; ἐγώ φημι· Τὴν Σίβυλλαν. Πλανᾶσαι, φησίν, οὐκ ἔστιν. Τίς οὖν ἐστιν; φημί. Ἡ Ἐκκλησία, φησίν. εἶπον αὐτῷ· Διατί οὖν πρεσβυτέρα; Ὅτι, φησίν, πάντων πρώτη ἐκτίσθη· διὰ τοῦτο πρεσβυτέρα, καὶ διὰ ταύτην ὁ κόσμος κατηρτίσθη.
Translation
Brothers and sisters, a very handsome young man revealed something to me while I slept. He said, “Who do you think the elderly woman is, the one who gave you the little book?” I said, “The Sibyl.” “You are mistaken,” he said. “She is not.” “Who is she, then?” I asked. “The Assembly,” he said. I said to him, “Why is she elderly?” “Because,” he said, “she was created before everything else. That is why she is elderly, and the world was put in order for her sake.”
Greek source
μετέπειτα δὲ ὅρασιν εἶδον ἐν τῷ οἴκῳ μου. ἦλθεν ἡ πρεσβυτέρα καὶ ἠρώτησέν με εἰ ἤδη τὸ βιβλίον δέδωκα τοῖς πρεσβυτέροις. ἠρνησάμην δεδωκέναι. Καλῶς, φησίν, πεποίηκας· ἔχω γὰρ ῥήματα προσθεῖναι. ὅταν οὖν ἀποτελέσω τὰ ῥήματα πάντα, διὰ σοῦ γνωρισθήσεται τοῖς ἐκλεκτοῖς πᾶσιν.
Translation
Later I saw a vision in my home. The elderly woman came and asked whether I had already given the book to the elders. I said that I had not. “You have done well,” she said, “because I have some words to add. When I have finished all the words, they will be made known through you to all the chosen ones.
Greek source
γράψεις οὖν δύο βιβλαρίδια καὶ πέμψεις ἓν Κλήμεντι καὶ ἓν Γραπτῇ. πέμψει οὖν Κλήμης εἰς τὰς ἔξω πόλεις, ἐκείνῳ γὰρ ἐπιτέτραπται. Γραπτὴ δὲ νουθετήσει τὰς χήρας καὶ τοὺς ὀρφανούς. σὺ δὲ ἀναγνώσῃ εἰς ταύτην τὴν πόλιν μετὰ τῶν πρεσβυτέρων τῶν προϊσταμένων τῆς ἐκκλησίας.
Translation
“You will write two little books and send one to Clement and one to Grapte. Clement will send it to the other cities, since that task has been entrusted to him. Grapte will admonish the widows and orphans. You will read it in this city with the elders who lead the assembly.”
Reader’s notes
1. 2.1.4
Hermas copies letters without being able to identify the syllables. The text does not specify why he cannot segment the writing; an explanation of his literacy is not inserted.
2. 2.2.3; 2.3.1
“Your wife, who is to be your sister” is retained. The text does not explain the transition here; this is not silently replaced with a claim about a sibling or a definite later marital arrangement. In 2.3.1 “nor neglect your sister” renders the elliptical
μηδὲ τὴν ἀδελφήν σου ἐάσῃς; whether this means not neglecting her admonition or not allowing her to bear resentment remains ambiguous.3. 2.2.4–5
The stated conditions and limit of repentance are retained. “After this appointed day” is the temporal interpretation used for
ὡρισμένης τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης; the precise time reference remains open rather than doctrinal harmonization.4. 2.2.7–8
“Your life” retains
τὴν ζωὴν αὐτῶν. In this context denial of life is linked to denial of the Lord; the phrase is not paraphrased as either suicide or simply physical survival.5. 2.3.4
The selected Greek has an affirmative imperative, “deny again.” Its apparent challenge or irony is conveyed without inserting “do not.” That rhetorical interpretation is probable, not an established textual correction. Eldad and Modat are named as a written prophetic source in the account.
6. 2.4.1
A Sibyl is a prophetic woman in ancient tradition. The young man explicitly rejects that identification and identifies the elderly woman as the Assembly. This distinction is part of the story.
7. 2.4.3
Clement and Grapte receive distinct tasks. No biographical identification or ecclesiastical rank is supplied beyond what this passage says.
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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