But after fifteen days, when I had fasted and
Your seed, Hermas, have set God at naught, and have blasphemed the Lord, and have betrayed their parents in great wickedness, and they are called the betrayers of parents, and their betrayal has not profited them, but they have added to their sins wanton deeds and piled up wickedness, and so their crimes have been made complete.
But make these words known to all your children and to your wife, who shall in future be to you as a sister. For she also does not refrain her tongue, with which she sins; but when she has heard these words she will refrain it, and will obtain mercy.
After you have made known these words to them, which the Shepherd.
The primitive teaching was that for sin after baptism no repentance is possible (cf. Heb. vi.). Hermas now states that it has been revealed to him that up to this day,
i.e. the time of his revelation, sin will be forgiven to the repentant. But this offer of forgiveness will not be made a second time.
For the Master has sworn to his elect by his glory that if there be still sin after this day has been fixed, they shall find no salvation; for repentance for the just has an end; the days of repentance have been fulfilled for all the saints, but for the heathen repentance is open until the last day.
You shall say, then, to the leaders of the Church, that they reform their ways in righteousness, to receive in full the promises with great glory.
You, therefore, who work righteousness,
must remain steadfast and be not double-minded, that your passing may be with the holy angels.
For the Lord has sworn by his Son that those who have denied their Christ have been rejected from their life, that is, those who shall now deny him in the days to come.