The Shepherd of Hermas

Hermas

Hermas. The Apostolic Fathers with an English translation by Kirsopp Lake. In Two Volumes. Vol. II. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press; London: William Heinemann Ltd. 1913

Do you, therefore, who repent, put away the wickednesses of this world which lead you astray, but if you put on all the virtue of righteousness,

you shall be able to keep these commandments, and no longer add to your sins. Therefore walk in these commandments of mine, and you shall live to God. All these things have been spoken to you by me.

And after he spoke these[*](The vision of the Shepherds) things with me, he said to me: Let us go into the country, and I will show you the shepherds of the sheep. Let us go, sir, said I. And we came into a plain, and he showed me a young shepherd, clothed with a suit of garments of yellow colour.

And he was feeding very many sheep, and these sheep were well fed and very frisky, and were glad as they skipped here and there. And the shepherd himself was very joyful over his flock, and the face of the shepherd was very joyful, and he ran about among the sheep.

And he said to me: Do you see this[*](The Shepherd of luxury) shepherd? Yes, sir, said I, I see him. This, said he, is the angel of luxury and deceit. He wears out the souls of the servants of God, and perverts them from the truth, deceiving them with evil desires in which they perish.