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

Explain to me. Sir, said I, still more. What, said he, are you asking further? Why[*](The stones from the deep) Sir, said I, did the stones come up from the deep and were put into the building of the tower, after they had borne these spirits?

They had need, said he, to come up through the water that they might be made alive, for they could not,

otherwise enter into the kingdom of God, unless they put away the mortality of their former life.

So these also who had fallen asleep received the seal of the Son of God and entered into the kingdom of God. For before, said he, a man bears the name of the Son of God, he is dead. But when he receives the seal he puts away mortality and receives life.

The seal, then, is the water. They go down then into the water dead, and come up alive. This seal, then, was preached to them also, and they made use of it to enter into the kingdom of God.