The Shepherd of Hermas

He showed me men sitting on a bench,[*](συμφέλλιον cannot be here translated by the same word as in Vis. III. i. 4. Here it is the bench of the learner as opposed to the chair of the teacher.) and[*](False and true prophets) another man sitting on a chair, and he said to me: Do you see the men sitting on the bench? Yes, sir, said I; I see them. They, said he, are faithful, and he who is sitting on the chair is a false prophet, who is corrupting the understanding

Therefore these double-minded men come to him as to a wizard, and ask him concerning their future; and that false prophet, having no power of the Divine Spirit in himself, speaks with them according to their requests, and according to the desires of their wickedness, and fills their souls, as they themselves wish.

For he is empty and makes empty answers to empty men; for whatever question is put he answers according to the emptiness of the man. But he also speaks some true words, for the devil fills him with his spirit, to see if he can break any of the righteous.

Therefore, as many as are strong in the faith of the Lord, and have put on the truth, do not cleave to such spirits, but refrain from them. But as many as are double-minded, and constantly repent, practise soothsaying, like the heathen, and bring greater shame upon themselves by their idolatry. For he who asks a false prophet concerning any act is an idolator, and empty of the truth and foolish.

For every spirit which is given from God is not asked questions, but has the power of the Godhead and speaks all things of itself, because it is from above, from the power of the Divine spirit.

But the spirit which is questioned and speaks according to the lusts of man is earthly and light, and has no power, and it does not speak at all unless it be questioned.

How, then, said I, sir, shall a man know which of them is a true prophet and which a false prophet? Listen, said he, concerning both the prophets, and as I shall tell

In the first place, he who has the spirit which is from above, is meek and gentle, and lowly-minded, and refrains from all wickedness and evil desire of this world, and makes himself poorer than all men, and gives no answers to anyone when he is consulted, nor does he speak by himself (for the Holy Spirit does not speak when a man wishes to speak), but he speaks at that time when God wishes him to speak.

Therefore, when the man who has the Divine Spirit comes into a meeting of righteous men who have the faith of the Divine Spirit, and intercession is made to God from the assembly of those men, then the angel of the prophetic spirit rests on him and fills the man, and the man, being filled with the Holy Spirit, speaks to the congregation as the Lord wills.

Thus, then, the Spirit of the Godhead will be plain. Such, then, is the power of the Lord concerning the Spirit of the Godhead.

Listen, now, said he, concerning the spirit which is earthly, and empty, and has no power, but is foolish..

In the first place, that man who seems to have a spirit exalts himself and wishes to have the first place, and he is instantly impudent and shameless and talkative, and lives in great luxury and in many other deceits, and accepts

Next, on no account does he come near to an assembly of righteous men, but shuns them. But he cleaves to the double-minded and empty, and prophesies to them in a corner, and deceives them by empty speech about everything according to their lusts, for he is also answering the empty. For an empty vessel which is put with others that are empty is not broken, but they match one another.

But when he comes into a meeting full of righteous men, who have a spirit of the Godhead, and intercession is made by them, that man is made empty, and the earthly spirit flees from him in fear, and that man is made dumb and is altogether broken up, being able to say nothing.

For if you stack wine or oil in a cellar, and put among them an empty jar, and again wish to unstack the cellar, the jar which you put in empty you will find still empty. So also the prophets who are empty, when they come to the spirits of just men, are found out to be such as when they came.

You have the life of both the prophets. Test, then, from his life and deeds, the man who says that he is inspired.

But believe yourself in the Spirit which comes from God and has power, but have no faith in the spirit which is from the earth and empty, because there is no power in it, for it comes from the devil.

Hear, then, the parable which I will tell you.

How, sir, said I, can these things be? For both these things which you have spoken of are impossible. Even, said he, as these are impossible, so also are the earthly spirits without power and feeble.

Take now the power which comes from above. The hail is a very little grain, and when it falls on man’s head, how it hurts! Or, again, take a drop which falls on the ground from the roof, and makes a hole in stone.