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Hermas

The Pastor (Shepherd) of Hermas

Similitude 8, chapter 10

The sins of the elect and of the penitent are of many kinds, but all will be rewarded according to the measure of their repentance and good works.

“And they who gave in their branches green, but having the tips withered and cracked, these were always good, and faithful, and distinguished before God; but they sinned a very little through indulging small desires, and finding little faults with one another. But on hearing my words the greater part of them quickly repented, and their dwelling was upon the tower. Yet some of them were in doubt; and certain of them who were in doubt wrought greater dissension. Among these, therefore, is hope of repentance, because they were always good; and with difficulty will any one of them perish. And they who gave up their branches withered,1 but having a very small part green, are those who believed only, yet continue working the works of iniquity. They never, however, departed from God, but gladly bore His name, and joyfully received His servants into their houses. Having accordingly heard of this repentance, they unhesitatingly repented, and practise all virtue and righteousness; and some of them even [suffered, being willingly put to death2], knowing their deeds which they had done. Of all these, therefore, the dwelling shall be in the tower.”

Notes

  1. “Withered, all but their tops, which alone were green.”—Vat. and Pal.↩
  2. Omitted in Lips., which has instead, “are afraid.”↩

Translation by Alexander Roberts, James Donaldson and Frederick Crombie: The Ante-Nicene Christian Library, vol. 1: The Apostolic Fathers (Edinburgh: T. & T. Clark, 1870).
Text from Project Gutenberg eBook #77576, proofread by Distributed Proofreaders from Internet Archive scans. Public domain.