The Shepherd of Hermas

And when he saw me girded and ready to serve him he said: Call the men whose sticks have been planted, according to the order in which each gave his stick. And I went into the plain and called all of them, and they all stood in their stations.

And he said to them: Let each pull out his own stick and bring it to me.

And they first gave them up who had had them dry and cut, and they were found to be still dry and cut, and he commanded them to stand apart.

Then they gave them up who had them dry, but not cut, and some

Then those gave them up who had them half dry and cracked, and many of them gave them up green and without cracks, and some green and with buds, and with fruit on the buds, as those had had who had gone crowned into the tower. But some gave them up dry and moth-eaten, and some dry but not eaten, and some remained half dry and with cracks. And he commanded each of them to stand apart, some in their own station and some apart.[*](This must mean that some were sent back to their original place, others were moved aside. But the text is obscure and probably corrupt.)

Next those gave up their sticks who had had them green but with cracks, and these all gave them up green and stood in their own station. And the shepherd rejoiced over these that all were changed and had lost their cracks.

And those also gave them up who had had them half green and half dry. The sticks of some of them w ere found quite green, of some half dry, of some dry and moth-eaten, but of some green and with buds. All these were sent each to his own station.

Next those gave them up who had two-thirds green and one-third dry; many of

Next they gave them up who had had two-thirds dry, and one-third green. Many of them gave them up half-dry,, and some dry and moth-eaten and others half-dry and with cracks, and a few green. These all stood in their own station.

And those gave up their sticks who had had them green, but a very little dry and with cracks. Of these some gave them up green, and some green and with buds. These also went away to their own station.

Next, those gave them up who had had a very little green, but the rest dry. Of these the sticks were found for the greatest part green and with buds, and fruit on the buds, and others quite green. Over these sticks the shepherd rejoiced greatly because they were found thus. And these went away each to his own station.

After the shepherd had looked at the sticks of[*](The further explanation) them all, he said to me: I told you that this tree is tenacious of life. Do you see, said he, how many have repented and been saved? Yes, Sir, said I, I see it. See then, said he, the mercifulness of the Lord, that it is great and glorious, and he has given his spirit to those who are worthy of repentance.

Why then. Sir, said I, did not all

I said to him: Sir, now therefore, explain to me those who gave up the sticks, what is the character of each and their dwelling, that when those hear who have believed and have received the seal, and have broken it, and have not kept it whole, they may recognize their own deeds, and repent, and receive a seal from you and glorify the Lord, that he had mercy on them, and sent you to renew their spirits.

Listen, said he, those whose sticks are dry and were found moth-eaten are the apostates and the betrayers of the Church, and blasphemers of the Lord in their sins; and moreover they were ashamed of the name of the Lord which was called over them. These then have finally perished to God. And you see that not even one of them repented, although they heard the words which you spoke to them, which I commanded you; from such life is departed.

And they who gave up their sticks dry and not moth-eaten, these are also near them; for they were hypocrites, and introduced strange doctrines and corrupted the servants of God, and especially those who have sinned, not suffering them to repent, but persuading them with their foolish doctrines. These, then, have hope of repentance.

And you see that many of them have repented since I

And as many as gave them up half dry and had cracks in them; listen also, concerning them:— They, whose sticks were half dry are the double-minded, for they are neither alive nor dead.