The Shepherd of Hermas

He showed me a great willow, covering plains[*](The parable of the willow-tree) and mountains, and under the cover of the willow-tree all had come who were called by the name of the Lord.

And there stood an angel of the Lord, glorious and very tall, by the side of the willow, with a great pruning-hook, and he kept cutting branches from the willow, and gave them to the people who were in the shade of the willow, and he gave them little rods about a cubit long.

After they had all received the little sticks the angel put down the pruning-hook, and that tree remained as sound as when I first saw it.

And I wondered in myself saying: How is the tree sound, when so many branches have been cut off? The shepherd said to me: Do not wonder that this tree has remained sound, though so many branches have been cut off; but if you see everything it will be made clear to you what it is.

The angel who had given the sticks to the people asked them back, and as they had received so also they were called to him, and each of them gave back the sticks. And the angel of the Lord took them and looked at them.

From some he received the sticks dried and, as it were, moth-eaten. The angel commanded those who had given up such sticks, to stand apart.

And others gave up dry sticks, but they were not moth-eaten, and these he commanded

And others gave up sticks half dry, and these stood apart.

And others gave up their sticks half dry and with cracks, and these stood apart.

And others gave up their sticks, green and having cracks, and these stood apart.

And others gave up their sticks half dry and half green, and these stood apart.

And others brought two-thirds of the stick green, and one-third dry, and these stood apart.

And others gave up two-thirds dry, and one-third green, and these stood apart.

And others gave up their sticks almost wholly green, but a little of their sticks was dry, just the tip, and they had cracks in them, and these stood apart.

And of others there was very little green and the rest of the sticks was dry, and these stood apart.

And others came, bearing their sticks green, as they had received them from the angel, and the greater part of the multitude gave up such sticks, and the angel rejoiced greatly over these, and these stood apart.

And others gave up their sticks green and with buds, and these stood apart, and over these also the angel rejoiced greatly.

And others gave up their sticks green and with buds.