The Shepherd of Hermas

And I saw other stones being cast far from the tower, and coming on to the road, and not staying on the road, but rolling from the road into the rough ground. And others were falling into the fire, and were being burnt, and others were falling near the water, and could not be rolled into the water, although men wished them to be rolled on and to come into the water.

When she had showed me these things she[*](The explanation of the vision) wished to hasten away. I said to her: Lady, what does it benefit me to have seen these things, if I do not know what they mean? She answered me and said: You are a persistent man, wanting to know about the tower. Yes, I said, Lady, in order that I may report to my brethren, and that they may be made more joyful, and when they hear these

And she said: Many indeed shall hear, but some of them shall rejoice when they hear, and some shall mourn. But these also, if they hear and repent, even they shall rejoice. Hear then, the parables of the tower, for I will reveal everything to you. And no longer trouble me about revelation, for these revelations are finished, for they have been fulfilled. Yet you will not cease asking for revelations, for you are shameless.